In Still Unwritten by Caroline Khoury, a struggling actress, Fran, must discover her passion for a pivotal TV role audition to keep her career alive. She seeks help from Jae-Seung, her landlord’s nephew with whom she shares a fiery attraction—unaware that he is the MIA lead singer of K-pop global sensation JYNKS. Fran and Jae-Seung take an unexpected international journey together from London to Italy, then to the U.S. While Fran hopes to find and confront her estranged mother about her abandonment, hopefully finding the key to unlocking her own too-tightly guarded heart, Jae-Seung, unfortunately, must return to his group for tour rehearsals.

Since they first met, Fran and Jae-Seung have shared a sizzling instant attraction. However, Jae-Seung’s life in Seoul doesn’t allow for relationships because of his strict contracts and the constant scrutiny because of JYNKS. Can Jae-Seung and Fran surrender to their attraction and connection for a fling, releasing her passion without crushing her newly freed and open heart?

My sister is BTS Army and loves J-Hope, and she’s dragged me along with her. So, I was curious to read this novel about an actress who unknowingly gets involved with a K-pop star to discover her passion—of all things. While it has some fun scenes for fans, I was drawn in by Fran and Jae-Seung’s lives and forbidden romance.

Khoury’s vibrant, descriptive, and detailed writing uses all the senses to draw you into her characters’ world. She develops her fascinating, complex, and diverse characters and their relationships through humorous and emotional interactions. Her colorful dialogue fits her characters, settings, and themes. Khoury balances her multilayered story’s shifting tones of humor, melancholy, drama, and angst without affecting the novel’s pacing. Her use of song lyrics to end the novel’s chapters is a great thematic choice.

Khoury develops Fran and Jae-Seung’s relationship through sexy, humorous, steamy, emotional, intimate conversations, interactions, and love scenes. I love how she describes and builds up their attraction and chemistry from the first meeting. It’s one of my favorite parts of the book and one of the best-written scenes describing the first stirrings of attraction of love interests I’ve read. All of Fran and Jae-Seung’s intimate scenes—in and out of bed—are wonderfully written. Jae-Seung and Fran are haunted by childhood events that drive their lives. They offer one other peace, comfort, balance, support, friendship, passion, and love. I love their interactions.

Sicilian with an English mom who abandoned her and her dad when she was a teen, Fran is a trained nurse who moved to England to be near her maternal grandmother, eventually becoming her caregiver. Kind, thoughtful, and driven by the need to fix everyone’s problems, Fran works a lot and suffers from insomnia. She works nights as a club bartender and a waitress in addition to acting. Fran’s agent tells her she lacks passion, making her fear that her acting career is over if she doesn’t perfectly nail a TV role audition. Fran fears her inner seductress doesn’t exist. Clara, her Portuguese BFF, suggests having a fling.

Jae-Seung is visiting his family. Like Fran, he works a lot and doesn’t sleep well or much at all. Haunted by pain or sadness, Jae-Seung is shy, with a photographic memory, a passion for music, and a melancholy temperament. He’s also irresistibly sexy and outrageously hot. Anytime Jae-Seung and Fran get near each other, the electricity between them sizzles, nearly lighting up the air. His acting training—and their chemistry—makes him the perfect person to help Fran prepare for her audition.

Funny, sweet, emotional, sexy, romantic, angsty, and steamy, Still Unwritten is a fast-paced international travel romance. It explores themes of self-discovery, family, parental abandonment, following your dreams, taking risks, finding your passion, emotional trauma, PTSD, healing and recovery, family secrets, and doing what you love for yourself.

Canelo Romance provided an advanced review copy via Netgalley for review.

Content Warnings: parental abandonment, parental death, discussion of parental suicide attempts, emotional trauma, PTSD

Fran is a wannabe-actress hanging on by a thread in London. Her responsibilities are overwhelming and really sucking the passion out of her life. Jae-Seung just wants to get back to feeling in control of his life. After a tenative romance and some hard-core, life-quaking family struggles, can they be healed enough to be together?

For starters, this book was cute and enjoyable. There were some very lovable characters and they work well together. However, I went into this book thinking it was a romance but it was an emotional mine field at every turn. Abandonment, suicide, dementia, anxiety, surprise pregnancy, family secrets, this rascal had it all. I will say that the amount of "stuff" happening in this book was overwhelming. I know that the family drama is what drives Fran and Jae-Seung together and keeps them in proximity, but damn. A simpler story would have been so much better.

This book is a very enjoyable read for me! If you love a fun romance book, I think you’d like this. The characters are really good. It felt like they are actual human beings with deep emotions and feelings. Also the struggles of being a kpop idol was touched on this book as well. I feel like it reflects that very well in how the toxic environment can affect the person’s inner self. I also feel like I resonate with Francesca in a way that she is still finding herself and what she wants to do in her life, doubting whether the choice that she had made is the right one. Also, I love love love the friendship between Fran and Clara. I love how they’re always there for each other. Other than that, the setting of the book! Ooh it felt so new to me to read a book where they literally traveled to different countries in quite a short time. Overall, this booj was so enjoyable, I would recommend if you’re interested in kpop idol romance or just want a good romance book as a palette cleanser!

In the enchanting world crafted by this author, I found myself immersed in a profound odyssey across the globe, exploring the depths of love and connection. What resonated with me the most were the intricate details—the longing, the small gestures—that beautifully portrayed the essence of deep friendships.

As I eagerly followed the characters, their journey became intertwined with a compelling family drama in the background. This connection added a layer of complexity that resonated with my own experiences, making the narrative feel remarkably relatable and authentic.

One of the aspects that solidified this author as my "autobuy" is the unwavering devotion portrayed by the main characters. The way they showed commitment and genuine care for each other struck a chord with me, and I found myself emotionally invested in their story.

In summary, this literary gem became a cherished part of my reading collection. The author's ability to capture the beauty of human connections, coupled with the relatable family dynamics, created an experience that I won't soon forget. I eagerly anticipate more from this author, knowing that each creation is a personal journey into the intricacies of love and devotion.

I wanted to like this book however it just felt like badly written fanfiction. Just was no that good.

NetGalley Arc:
The summary of the book caught my attention. It was a cute idea but a lot of things stopped me from truly enjoying the book. There was a lot of telling not showing in regards to the plot and writing. A lot of things were packed into the book that didn’t feel super necessary to the overall plot or could have been done differently to minimize how many plot points there were.

Struggling actress and a famous K -Pop singer collide in Still Unwritten. Fran is a struggling actress working two night jobs with a whole mess of family drama. Jae-sueng is a K-Pop singer in a different country.

This is a big hit for any Swiftie fans.
Forbidden romance
Coffee shop meet cute
Famous/non famous
Forced proximity

There are a lot of triggers so if you have a trigger I would definitely look it up.

I kept going back and forth on if I wanted to give 3 or 4 stars, so saying 3.5. There just seemed to be so much going on, that it was so hard to keep up. Every time you turned a page it was another devastating blow to one of the main characters. I think my favorite part was the friendship between Fran and Clara.

I would like to thank NetGalley for a chance to read an advance copy for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this book.

As always, I'd like to start saying I enjoyed this book. Not the best romcom I've read, that's for sure but it was still fresh in my opinion. At least for me since I haven't read much of this kind of dynamic between famous superstar and normal girl.

Still i enjoyed it and I really liked the female main character.

Thanks to Tandem Collective and Canelo for my copy I have really enjoyed taking part in this #readalong of #StillUnwrittenReadalong


Right from the get go I wanted to devour Still Unwritten I feel instantly in love with Fran and Jae_seung and thier chemistry. I said so many 'awws' in those frist few chapters as its so sweet and cosy . Every chapter transports you to this cosy romance and you get that warm fuzzy feeling inside. As we follow Fran and Jae-seung I feel thier connection deep even I'd there is some misunderstanding there.Both of there past had some complications and it made me sad at times and I have loved getting to know thier backgrounds I want tk be friends with both Fran and Jae_seung. The relationship of Fran family are so relatable and complicated at times but I felt for her through with all thr struggles. This js a book I'd highly recommend reading a 5 star 🌟 read from me . It takes you in an emotional and mental journey . Furthermore the friendship in this book are spot on.

A perfectly fine romance without much connection and a not very exciting protagonist. Didn’t really love this one unfortunately

I wanted to like this book but it didn’t work for me. Although I was intrigued by a woman falling for a K-pop star the story went from sorta cute to unrealistic and corny real fast. The two MC’s were wounded souls that still managed to only come across as bland at best. The chemistry between them was also very much lacking no matter how many side characters stated otherwise. I wasn’t a fan of Francesca’s bestie as it was obvious she was solely there to move the plot forward. All the traveling felt unnecessary and the lyrics were just not it. The book didn’t seem well researched as no New Yorker is calling a hurricane a typhoon. I was also really disturbed by a person who is a HCP attempting to sleep with someone clearly suffering with their mental health. She should have been encouraging him to seek help instead of thinking she could solve all his problems. This book is a pass for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

DNF @ 40%

The whole idol industry is endlessly fascinating to me, so when this book about a struggling actress and a K-pop star appeared on NetGalley, I raced to get my grubby little hands on it.

I‘m glad I got to read the first half of it, because there really aren‘t that many Asian MCs in romance novels (apart from in Ana Huang or Helen Hoang‘s books, among others of course, but these come to mind right now). According to the author, Jae-seung was inspired by Kim Soo-hyun, an excellent choice (I was obsessed with „It‘s okay to not be okay).

I did end up DNFing this book though. There are several reasons for that.

I do wish there would have been more research though. I honestly don‘t know too much about K-pop, but having an opening act when there usually are none, just so the FMC can realise that he‘s an idol seems like a bit of a lazy plot device so me. I also don‘t think it likely that he‘s spend hours dancing at a club with people watching him. Even if it‘s in London - the world‘s small and K-pop fans are everywhere. There were no sasaeng (the obsessive fans) in sight, which seems highly unlikely.

There was also nothing that kept me particularly hooked about the characters. The MCs were sweet, albeit a bit bland. I couldn‘t stand the bestie.

If you‘re in your rom-com era though, then this is the book for you. I‘m sure there are tons of people who will love this.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this eARC!

I loved this book with my whole heart!

So much more than just a boy meets girl romance, Still Unwritten takes us on a journey all around the world! A journey of exploration and self discovery that tugs at the heart as much as it warms it.

I love a story that takes me to different parts of the world with little glimpses into different cultures, and this book does exactly that. From Sicily, to Korea to America, there is so much packed into this story.

The romance is swoon worthy, but both main characters have their own unique stories and problems standing in their way, and I enjoyed watching these unravel and be pieced back together. I'm a sucker for a character with flaws, what can I say. Families and relationships are messy, and I love seeing this depicted authentically.

Still Unwritten is a story of love, loss and everything in between... go read it!

I'm only going to say one positive thing, this book is for swifties that live their lives by Taylor Swift songs. Like have a bad day, listen to Taylor Swift. Have a good day, listen to Taylor Swift. '

Now what I didn't like. First, I didn't like that in the first chapter wanna be actress thinks the role is perfect for her because she looks "Latin" whatever the hell that means. I firmly don't believe there is a thing as looking "Latin".

Secondly, this book touches I think way too many thought topics at the same time. Example, parent suicide, losing your dad at a young age, abandonment from your parent at a young age, taking care of a family member with a terminal illness. I do think the author did a good job of creating a friendship between the MCS, and the FMC has a great friend. I just felt like it was too many hard topics and it felt like they were added to add some depth I didn't feel.

Third, we don't find out FMC is technically in a relationship until she comes back to her home town. Like she does make a reference of going back home and getting married to him but not like "oh we agreed that when were apart we can do whatever the fuck we want but when we are together we are together." ICK. Especially the guy was so aggressive with his affection and he was ready, didn't care if she was, he was ready to take their relationship to the next step.

I just felt a disconnect with this book. It just wasn't for me. I didn't talk about the K-POP aspect because it's not for me to talk about.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Insta love is really not for me, so this book was not my favorite. I love the idea of a K Pop star love interest, but I feel like it wasn’t realistic enough to enjoy the idea of the world of K Pop. Everything also happened SO fast. It’s like the outside world didn’t exist in this story.

Sadly, I didn't love this one. Insta-love is not for me, and I will stand by that. But if it is your cup of tea, I would recommend it.

insta-love, no thank you.................................................................................................................................................................

There was a lot going on in this story. I would have liked a bit of a simpler plot. The heroine is trying to make it as an actress when she gets help from an attractive Korean guy who turns out to be a K-Pop superstar who can’t have a girlfriend. And he’s troubled by his guilt over his family history. She’s troubled by her mother having abandoned her when she was 12. So she ends up flying all over the world to try and find her mother and help out the hero come to terms with his problems. I was exhausted just reading about their flights every few days around half the world and back.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed. And an awesome title because life is still indeed unwritten.

Venturing into the realms of Fran's struggle to secure a pivotal TV role and Jae-seung's complex life as a global sensation, this book promised a tantalizing journey of love and self-discovery.

What Drew Me In:
The premise of Fran's audition and the unexpected assistance from Jae-seung, a character torn between a rockstar life and his personal struggles, captured my attention. The prospect of a forbidden romance added an element of intrigue.

Thoughtful Reflections:
While the chemistry between Fran and Jae-seung sizzled, certain aspects of their connection felt hurried. The forbidden romance theme, although enticing, seemed to skim the surface rather than delving into the deeper emotional layers.

Final Musings:
Still Unwritten unfolds as a swift-paced, forbidden romance that unfolds against the backdrop of pursuing one's passion amidst the chaos of fame. Fran and Jae-seung's journey, while providing moments of intensity, might benefit from a more profound exploration of the emotional intricacies. An engaging read for those seeking a love story intertwined with the glitz of glamour.