Thank you to NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

In Romancing on Jeju, Romi, a romance-loving illustrator, impulsively goes on a mission to find a stranger she can't forget. She's joined by her two best buds, Hadam and Chakyung, who have their own reasons for tagging along. Hadam wants to film the adventure for her filmmaking dreams, while Chakyung hopes to sort out her life. The trip starts off chill but gets wild with mix-ups and a mystery stalker. As they deal with the chaos, they question what they're really after. Will they figure it out? Romancing on Jeju is all about friendship, love, and finding yourself on a crazy journey.

Romancing on Jeju isn't your typical lovey-dovey tale, it's got some serious darkness to it. Even though it's supposed to be all about romance, there's way more going on beneath the surface. But hey, I still had a blast reading it! There's this mystery vibe that keeps you hooked, and the characters are super relatable. It's not just about finding love; it's about friendship, figuring yourself out, and dealing with life's curveballs. Plus, it's set in Korea, which adds a cool vibe. Even if you're not big on romance, this book is worth checking out. It's easy to get into, and the writing is nice considering it was translated from Korean. Overall, it's a fun read that's way deeper than it first seems.

Romancing on Jeju is a book you really can't judge by its cover. The cover title and illustration made me expect a lighthearted romance, and rather you get an ensemble cast of occasionally kooky characters on an adventure that, yes, involves romance but also business, leisure, and murder. There's a lot going on in this book that made it challenging for me personally to get into. The friend groups don't really seem like friends- there just wasn't the warmth I was expecting- and the mixed timelines never gave me enough time to get comfortable. I never found myself rooting (or even booing!) for anyone, and frequently this book got passed over for others when I reached for something to read.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

A goofy ensemble cast, akin to modern kdrama romcoms, a surprise murder mystery element, and reinventing and rediscovering yourself plot line, I think this book is for you!

While I enjoy all the elements I listed above, this book didn’t work for me. And that’s okay, because it was still a cute book!

I think the weakest part here is the translation choice. I think culturally some pivotal elements got lost, and it made the writing feel clunky. While I think this book intends to be character driven, instead we get the shells of characters who I KNOW would be relatable if it weren’t for the issues with translation.

A fun and funky time, would love to read from this author again!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc!

"The typhoon that had inundated the island wasn’t merely raging outside. At that moment, the storm was brewing in several people’s hearts. And where that storm was headed was different for all of them."

Romancing on Jeju is Paige Aniyah Morris's translation of 서칭 포 허니맨 by 박현주 (Park Hyun-Joo).

The Korean title is a phonetic rendition of the English 'Searching for Honeyman', and would have been a better title - if less enticing probably more accurate, since while there is romance here, the novel is as much a mystery novel, set on the wonderful island of Jeju.

It opens with three friends, young women, chatting, Hadam, a documentary maker, Romi and Chakyung. Padam is telling the others that she had quit her job, and that co-workers had assumed it was related to a man she was friendly to and who'd then annouced her was getting married. Chakyung comments that people often mistake kindness for something more causing Romi to blurt out rather randomly:

"“That’s why I almost moved to Jeju Island to become a beekeeper,” said Romi.
One of Romi’s quirks was tossing out comments without any context whatsoever."

When she explains - it relates to a man she met on a business trip to the island, but who then subsequently ghosted her - the three come up with a sponteneous plan:

“Let’s go to Jeju. To find that man, the beekeeper. Romi, you want to know what happened to him after the last time you saw him, don’t you? And, Chakyung, your company’s been looking for an eco-friendly project to build a campaign around, right? This could be a documentary, a marketing campaign, and a search for a long-lost love, all in one.”

They arrive on Jeju in search of 'honeyman', as they denote him, and get to know various colourful characters from the local beekeeping community, each also finding some potential romantic interest, as well as soaking up the beauty of the island:

"“The view is gorgeous,” Romi said. “I’ve been to Jeju so many times, but I had no idea there were views this stunning.” Hadam agreed. “Seriously. When people think of an island, they might picture only the ocean, but the mountains here are so beautiful.” They drove underneath a sign that announced they were entering Seogwipo."

But events take a more dramatic, and rather tangled, turn as they learn of a fatal car accident, which may not have been an accident; one of the three is pursued by an obsessed, and potentially dangerous stalker; the island is struck by a typhoon; and they stumble across an international bee-smuggling conspiracy.

"Romance lies to us. The countless love stories of our generation deceive us. They cover our eyes and turn us away from the obvious truth, passing off relationships that would require endless compromise to maintain in real life as love. Romance has the same bitter taste as betrayal—a false belief from the start. This was the painful truth the three of them had discovered on this trip to find love.

로맨스가 우리에게 거짓말을 한다. 우리 시대의 수많은 로맨스 스토리가 우리를 속인다. 눈을 가려 뻔한 사실을 외면하게 하고, 현실에서는 수많은 타협을 거쳐야 유지되는 관계를 사랑으로 치장한다. 로맨스는 배신의 쓰라림을 안기지만, 애초에 거짓된 믿음이었다. 로맨스를 찾아온 여행에서 세 사람이 발견한 괴로운 진실이었다.

“What is this, a self-reflection session: Jeju Island edition?” Chakyung said with a slightly bitter smile."

Rather wonderfully as the novel reaches its dramatic climax, a group of off-duty haenyeo leap into action to save the day:

"The crowd headed toward the sea was not the same group of suntanned grannies she had first encountered earlier that day. These women were professionals whose bodies had been trained and cultivated in the ocean over the course of decades; they had memorized the depths and shallows of these waters, their dangers and reprieves."

And the atmospheric re-creation of Jeju is for me the novel's strongest point. Not a novel I'd typically read were it not translated from Korean but very enjoyable.

As a bookworm, "Romancing on Jeju" by Hyun-Joo Park took me on a journey filled with friendship, romance, and a touch of intrigue. The vivid descriptions of Jeju Island transported me to its breathtaking landscapes, making me feel like I was right there alongside Romi and her friends.

While the premise of the story was promising, I found myself longing for more depth in the characters and their relationships. Romi, Hadam, and Chakyung each had intriguing backstories, but I wished for further exploration to truly connect with them on a deeper level.

The romantic elements were sweet and charming, adding a touch of whimsy to the narrative. However, I felt that the romance sometimes overshadowed the other aspects of the story, leaving me wanting more development in the mystery and danger hinted at in the synopsis.

Overall, "Romancing on Jeju" offered a pleasant escape into the world of friendship and self-discovery, but fell slightly short of my expectations in terms of character depth and plot complexity. Nonetheless, fans of romance and atmospheric settings may still find enjoyment in this novel.

Overall, I was a bit letdown by this book. I was hoping for a nice, relaxing rom-com, but this felt more like a KDrama with a bunch of plot twists. It went a bit off the rails at the end.

The book is told in multiple POVs, with some flashbacks, so there was a bit of intrigue. However, the build up to the inevitable end felt forced. The characters were generic, making it hard to really connect with them.

Ultimately, I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would, but if you're into a romance turned thriller, this may be for you.

Though Romancing on Jeju provides an initially interesting premise, it failed to actually engage me enough. I couldn’t get into the writing style at all, it felt super monotone and lackluster. In turn, I couldn’t connect to the characters either, and couldn’t find myself caring enough about them or the story to actually finish this book.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. I just couldn't get into the story and I couldn't connect with the characters

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me and it was a DNF. I try to diversify my reading and support and read Asian authors so I wish I liked this book more. It didn't feel like the title accurately reflected what the story would ultimately be about (the little portion I got through).

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for early access to the novel!

Romancing on Jeju follows three friends, Romi, Hadam, and Chakyung, on their quest for love and adventure on Jeju Island. Their project: Finding the stranger Romi met three years ago and is romantically interested in while shooting Hadam's first documentary. 🐝

While the description of the book hinted at some sort of mystery twist, I didn't expect that twist to be so dark and was pleasantly surprised. It gave the characters more depth in that they weren't just looking for a romantic relationship, but that they had to learn and discover more about who they are individually and collectively.

The only thing that didn't quite do it for me was, ironically, the romance. I went into this book, thinking I'd get a cute story about finding love on Jeju, and in the end I was more interested in finding out how the mystery develops. The pacing in the beginning was a little slower compared to the latter parts of the book, which is why I had trouble following at first (my squirrel brain!), but by the middle I was hooked, though sadly not on the chemistry of the pairings but more so on what was going on around them.

Overall this is a great story to read if you want mystery and friendship with a splash of romance!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Did I read the blurb in diagonal and not realize that this was going to turn into a murder mystery half way through the book? Yes, I did.
I liked it though, because I really didn’t see it coming. I was all ready for friends and romance and vacation, but it turned into a k-drama.

I enjoyed the book, I enjoyed the twist and turns, and I liked Chakyung and Soo-eon’s romance the most, they were just the cutest to me. I got happy anytime it was their parts.

I think my issue with the story is that I was looking for close friends and this trio did not feel like a close knit unit. There was a certain distance between them, and when Hadam goes on a sanctimonious sermon to Chakyung because of her fiance, it ticked me off. The three women felt more like close acquaintances than close friends. And I think I would have loved to see their friendship develop more.

But all in all it was a pleasant read, and I definitely got surprised at many turns!

Unfortunately I did not like this one. I couldn't connect with the characters and found myself skimming waiting for something in the plot to catch my attention. I DNF'd but I also don't want to make it a one star rating. It just wasn't meant for me.

I loved the vives of the book and the friendship between the characters and it was way more deep that what I expected. However I felt like the romance part was a bit lacking for me and I didn't connect that much with it. Still it was a fun read and I really enjoyed it!

Romancing on Jeju was not what I was expecting, but nonetheless the cast of relatable and likeable characters, alongside the delicate examination of love and our expectations of it ultimately drew me in. The book follows three friends, Hadam, Romi, and Chakyung as they each journey from Seoul to the island of Jeju for different reasons—spanning from filming a documentary to work campaigns to ultimately searching for the honeybee farmer that got away.

I thought that the subtle building of mystery and suspense in the book was excellent, and the reveal at the end worked really well to tie everything together (although the pacing in the very beginning of the book was a bit slow, the second half of the book picked it back up). Overall, I loved the different POVs as we got to see each of the three main characters grow and come to understand what it is they have come to Jeju to search for. I thought both the author and translator did a lovely job conveying the various intertwining, and sometimes complicated, relationships between all the character throughout the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It had an element of mystery that kept it interesting and I liked the characters and their interactions with each other. This book was translated from Korean to English and sometimes the phrasing was awkward or unclear, I think it would be better to read in its original language but that is the nature of translated works.

A sweet, cute romance with likeable characters. This story seemed to flow quite well and was written in a way that made me not want to put my kindle down. It was fun!

I love character driven books. I love reading more about their lives, friendships, relationships, and that is exactly what you get here!

I would definitely love to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Romancing on Jeju" follows the romantic lives of three friends journeying from Seoul to Jeju to chase down the one that got away:

Romi, the hopeless romantic who has been longingly dreaming about a handsome stranger she met three years ago.
Hadam, the aspiring filmmaker who has never quite forgotten about her ex-boyfriend.
And Chakyung, the marketing workaholic who begins having doubts about the man she is about to marry.

The three friends team up to track down this mysterious stranger from Romi's past they dub the Honeyman (as the only concrete information they know about him is that he is a bee keeper) and embark on an adventure that will change all three of them in ways they would never expect.

While the English title implies that romance will be the central focus of the novel, and this might be true about the first half of the story, don't be fooled by its cute and cheerful cover (and remember that it's original Korean title is "Searching for Honeyman," a name that doesn't imply romance at all). Hyun-Joo Park plays with typical k-drama-inspired romance tropes and flips them on their head. None of the romances end in the way you would expect them to and that it was I love about this story.

"Not every trip had to end with romance. And not every story had to end with a couple kissing, the camera spinning around them a full 360 degrees. Just because a lot of people made that their ending didn't mean she had to."

This is a story about so much more than romance. It is about friendship. About self-discovery. About life not living up to your expectations and finding a way to move forward anyways. It is about being an adult woman in her 30s trying to live her life while navigating the complexities of love. Life is complicated. Love is complicated. And sometimes life and love both have funny ways of working themselves out in a way that is least expected.

I do not typically find myself drawn to romance books, but I had fun reading this. It was well written, the language was beautiful, and it is very nostalgic for any reader who has spent time either living in or visiting Korea. It is cute, with believable characters, and a story that is much bigger than the romance it originally presents itself as.

A cute romance with believable characters. I will admit the middle of this book kind of lagged for me but the ending wrapped things up nicely. I would be interested in reading more from this author in the future.

I expected this book to be a very atmospheric, light rom-com set on Jeju island based on the title and cover. While it was indeed a more atmospheric read, it ended up being an entirely different book than I expected it to be. There were some surprisingly dark plot twists that were unexpected. I say twists, more because they felt random and not because they were a thrilling surprise. These themes were heavier and honestly still captivating, but because it was so different from the initial premise it felt a bit clunky.

The dialogue was choppy to read, and initially I thought it might be because of the translation, but ultimately I don't think that was the reason. I had to continuously go back and re-read key details because the author seemed to jump through them so quickly. And while they did come into play later and some things clarified, it made it hard to follow the sequence of events within the timeline. At times I wondered if the conflict and animosity I was sensing between characters was intentional, or a mistake.

While I would have loved to read about a woman searching for a long lost love interest amongst beekeepers on Jeju island, this story was entirely different and wouldn't be one I'd read again. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

alright. this book was real good. i super enjoyed it. the characters are chef's kiss. the plot is mr. darcy level fantastic. the writing is tortured poets department wonderful. all the things and more for this book. read it!!!