I'm not sure if this was an issue with the writing itself or the translation, but every line in this book felt extremely stilted and awkward. Like other reviews have mentioned, the plot felt like something straight out of a k-drama, which isn't a bad thing in itself, but it didn't feel well paced and in combination with the stilted language I did not enjoy this book much at all. It took me a long time to read because I simply did not want to pick it up. I did appreciate the research done into beekeeping on Jeju and the insight into a culture that I don't know much about, but overall I unfortunately did not enjoy this book.

Super cute book! Loved the setting and Jeju so much! I went there on my honeymoon so this book really hit close to home for me!

Three years ago, Romi had a brief romantic encounter with a man during her trip to Jeju Island, but after being ghosted, she’s left wondering why. Unable to shake the memories, she’s determined to find out why. She returns to Jeju with her best friends—Hadam, a filmmaker, and Chakyung, a marketing specialist. While Romi seeks closure, Hadam and Chakyung seize the opportunity to further their careers. What they didn’t expect? Misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and a mysterious stalker who stirs up trouble along the way.

ROMANCING ON JEJU wasn’t what I anticipated. With its bright cover and the word "romancing" in the title, I expected a light summer romance. Instead, it turned out to be a character-driven mystery, which added a delightful twist.

The book follows a wide cast of characters and multiple storylines, and I was impressed by how seamlessly everything came together. It didn’t feel confusing or disjointed—instead, It felt like I was seeing the island from an aerial view, watching as everything slowly unraveled. The descriptions of Jeju Island were lush and immersive, making me want to visit it myself.

What I appreciated most was the book’s focus on friendship, self-discovery, and navigating love and life in your 30s. The romance takes a backseat to these themes, which made the story more meaningful. The author skillfully highlights how love is found in the small, everyday moments—in the quiet gestures, rather than grand, sweeping declarations.

That said, I do wish the bond between Romi, Hadam, and Chakyung had been more developed. While they’re presented as best friends, their interactions often felt more like those of close acquaintances. There were moments when I was surprised by what they didn’t know about each other. It would’ve been more impactful to see them have deeper, more meaningful conversations and evolve as individuals and as a trio. Still, I was rooting for them and their respective romances every step of the way.

ROMANCING ON JEJU was an unexpectedly fun read that I’m glad I picked up!

The three best friends have their own romance story. I especially liked Chakyung's the most. However, Romi's story felt like the most genuine because of the her personality. Reading this feels like watching a K-drama in my mind. The plot and topic are great, get to know more about bees and Jeju Island.

I really love story set in country side, and it's one of the reasons I picked up the book. However, it's still surprising that the side characters know each other, I mean even the one I didn't expected.

It is suitable for a summer read, since it's also set in the summer and also giving an exotic vibes. Innitially, I thought it's just all about the characters' romance. Turns out, there's also a little of mystery there! Really like those foreshadowing that keeps me wondering who's the villain and what are they up to, and also the plot twist. However, almost towards the end, I kinda did 2x speed read. Might be because I can see how the story will ends. Overall, it's a 3,5 stars read for me ^^

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for providing this ARC in exchange for a review.

It was a little hard for me to get into this book. I'm not sure if it was the way it was translated, but the syntax was a bit odd for me. As a book, I think it essentially did what it needed to do plot-wise, but I would likely have enjoyed this more in a k-drama format! And I am famous for saying "the book is always better" (as most of us readers are). All in all, it did the job, but it wasn't a book that blew me out of the water.

This was an enjoyable read. I was hoping for a little bit more from it, but overall I’d give it a 3.5.

It was more than just a romance and it had some depth to it, but something about it just didn’t fully land for me. I’d still read more from this author though.

Romancing on Jeju by Hyun-Joo Park is a vibrant story full of adventure, friendship, betrayal, and a touch of obsession. At its heart is a trio of South Korean friends Park Hadam, Do Romi, and Yoon Chakyung, who reunite to celebrate Hadam’s 36th birthday. During the gathering, Hadam shares that she quit her job as a producer. Her coworkers assumed it’s because a male colleague she’s close to is getting married, but she insists there was never any romantic involvement.
This sparks a memory in Romi, who recalls meeting a mysterious beekeeper during a trip to Jeju Island three years ago. She had even considered becoming a beekeeper herself, but the man disappeared from her life without a trace. The friends decide to launch a "Search for Honey Man Project,” with Hadam documenting the whole adventure.

To track down beekeepers on the island, Hadam reaches out to her ex, Gu Jaewoong, who is a Jeju local. As they work together, old feelings resurface, and there's definite chemistry between them once again, but he is definitely hiding a big secret.

Meanwhile, Romi finally finds her beekeeper man, only to discover that he was in a serious car accident three years ago. His wife died in the crash, and he now suffers from amnesia, so he doesn’t remember Romi or their time together. Such a K-Drama twist, but there’s more to this story.

Chakyung, on the other hand, keeps having run ins with a man who seems sleazy at first glance but always ends up helping her out. Their interactions were so swoon worthy! I honestly only finished the book because I needed to know where their story would go!!

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. What I appreciated most was that it wasn’t just a romance. It had elements of mystery and suspense, especially with the subplot of Romi being stalked and threatened by someone from her past. Each character had a rich backstory, though Hadam was by far the most frustrating. She was way too focused on getting perfect shots for her footage, even at the expense of everyone’s safety. She seriously felt like the kind of person who would die trying to get a perfect selfie. Maddening!

I recommend Romancing on Jeju to fans of friendship driven stories with a good dose of drama and adventure. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this delightful book.

Unfortunately, this book was a little difficult to read. Though each of the main 3 women’s stories were distinct, their internal monologue was not. It was hard to tell the difference between them. This book just missed the mark for me.

Perfect summer read. I loved this so much. I was on romantic adventure with each of the characters.

3.5⭐️ overall.

Romancing on Jeju centers around three young women who are friends, Hadam, Romi and Chakyung, with themes of self-discovery, love, and strong friendship.

I read the ebook and listened to the audio format, and enjoyed the immersive read, which transported me to the island of Jeju, and was narrated by Greta Jung.

*many thanks to Brilliance Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

The setting is a beautiful place. That being said, the plot contradicted the scenery. I was not expecting this to be more of a thriller. Even so, I didn’t feel attached to the story and characters. At one point I just wanted to DNF this entire book because of the slow pace in the beginning. It gets better though and the ending was satisfactory.

The writing, on the other hand, seemed very disorganized. It switches POV abruptly.. often leaving me confused. I have to remember this was translated though so sometimes I wonder if that the writing is this way because it doesn’t flow as easily.

Writing: 3/5
Pace: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Ending: 3/5
Enjoyability: 2/5

Romancing on Jeju by Hyun-Joo Park is a delightful and heartwarming tale of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Romi, an illustrator and hopeless romantic, embarks on a journey to Jeju Island to find a handsome stranger she can’t forget. Joined by her two best friends, Hadam, a budding filmmaker, and Chakyung, a marketing pro, the trio hopes to find love, purpose, and personal growth on the island. Amid stunning landscapes and a few bumps in the road—misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and a mysterious stalker—they navigate the ups and downs of their dreams and relationships. This novel is a charming mix of romance, humor, and personal transformation, with rich descriptions of Jeju Island that will leave readers yearning for their own adventure.

I really wanted to visit Jeju Island when I visited South Korea, but I couldn't work it out, so I was delighted to have the chance to visit via this book. Romancing on Jeju by Hyun-Joo Park felt a bit more like a drama to me than a rom-com, but I will look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

Romancing Jeju has all the makings of a classic Korean drama! This fun, feel-good read reminds us of the joy in being spontaneous, especially when surrounded by friends. Following the journey of three women, the story starts off with a hint of romance but quickly surprises with layers of drama, taking readers through unexpected twists and turns. It’s packed with everything you’d want in a summer read—friendship, romance, mystery, hidden identities, secret agendas, betrayal, and secrets galore. Perfect for anyone who loves a mix of heartwarming moments and suspense, Romancing Jeju delivers an unforgettable escape.

Thank you for granting me early access to this book. I truly enjoyed this novel, the bond between the women and their camaraderie is beautiful to witness. I do think the title was a disservice though.

Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for providing me with this eARC.

This book started interestingly for me, keeping me reading and guessing what would happen to the three best friends in Jeju. Descriptions of Jeju and beekeeping were also entertaining. But after 50% in, I felt bored a lot so I kept changing to read another book before returning. What looks like a sweet and light romance turned out to be a darker plot. Well, it's not a bad book tho, just not my cup of tea.

Romancing on Jeju is written like a KDrama - lots of characters, funny situations, romance, career drama, mistaken identity, a ruthless gang, a mysterious stalker, BEES! It was a little hard to read as a book at times, maybe it was the English translation, but once I started picturing it as a drama, I enjoyed it more. 3 female friends meet on Jeju island. They all have their own personal and work drama and have come to Jeju for multiple reasons. They also all keep running into the same small number of people. There is an eclectic cast of characters, and you can't help but rooting for them.

Note: I picked this book after visiting Jeju last year, and now really want to go back!

Loved this. I really enjoyed everything about this. I loved the story completely. It will stay with me for a long time. I appreciate that the author has very strong voice - one I really enjoy.

I really enjoyed this book, the chemistry between them and the story was really interesting.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for my book