Romancing on Jeju by Hyun-Joo Park, translated by Paige Aniyah Morris
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This book releases August 20, 2024!
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I went into this book thinking it would be a fun, not-too-serious romance book from the cover. The description didn't fully set up the expectation of some of the more serious aspects in the book. But honestly that did not detract from anything. Even though the story turned out different than my initial impression, I really enjoyed this book.
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This book follows three women as they search for one woman's "honeyman", a past romantic interest, which one of the women lost contact with three years prior on Jeju Island.
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Like a lot of translated Korean fiction, the writing tended toward atmospheric and reflective. The way the relationships were handled between all parties was more mature than most novels involving romance. There was an underlying theme of the global shared lived-experiences of women and what we have to deal with and be aware of at all times.
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I would definitely recommend this book. It was a nice experience while reading.

This is definitely the type of book for someone who enjoys books more focused on character development. I did enjoy the different dynamics between the friends and the relationships did feel very realistic.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a fun read! This was very character driven and you find yourself learning about them, their friendship, and relationships. It was a nice change of pace for me so this is a great read for when you're wanting something fun.

Generally speaking, I liked this novel. It is definitely different from what I usually read, but the change was a little refreshing. I loved travelling to Jeju and wandering on the island with the characters. It was definitely more a character-driven novel and it focused on the three characters and their relationship(s). However, I did not connect with the characters and the romantic developments did not interest me that much. The plot, though minimal, was rather dark and that was unexpected but I did enjoy that.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

"Once you knew a person's situation, you could no longer claim to be an irrelevant character in their story."

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book was way darker than I expected! From the title, I expected that this would be a lighthearted romance but damn. It was way more sinister than implied. Even the summary made this seem a lot superficial than it really was.

Regardless of my expectations, I really enjoyed this ARC. It was really great and more realistic than I thought it would be. I loved the mature depiction about life, romance, and adulthood. It was really sweet and relatable. I definitely have a soft spot in my heart for Korean translated works because of the way they

The three female leads were all great. I think their characters could have been fleshed out more, but it didn't ruin the story for me. Just sometimes I'd get confused who was speaking. Otherwise, the women were great and very fun to read about.

Oooo wow! This was exactly the book I was after. Something fun, light-hearted but warm and touching. It had me smiling 90% of the time and the other 10% scratching my head trying to figure out who the bad guy was!!

A story about 3 friends travelling to Jeju for to help one of them find their “honey man”, all the while they were each going their own troubles and journey.

It was such at atmospheric read with the beaches and local landscapes of jeju island. As well, as the incorporation of the bee industry and how essential they are to human life.

I loved all the characters that were introduced, even tho there were a lot and it got a bit confusing at times. It made for such a slice of read except for the sinister tone of someone lurking and watching the girls in background.

Hoping to see more contemporary reads like this being translated into English!

As an avid Kdramas fan, I saw this and pretty much dove head first into this, Need a relaxing beach read? Or a book to read while you wait for the weather to get better? This will be a warm hug.honestly it's nice having a break from my normal reads sometimes

The cover was what made me want to read this! I went in blind (ie did not read the summary) and it was such a delightful read!

It had a delightful cast of characters who were believeable and I connected a lot to Chakyung and her journey to figure out why she was unahppy.

This author does a fantastic job of making you feel something which is ultimately what I am looking for in my reading journey. I always love the themes of self-disocvery, friendship and love and this book has all of that and then some.

"Romancing on Jeju" by Hyun Joo Park is a delightful journey of friendship, romance, and self-discovery set against the picturesque backdrop of Jeju Island. The story revolves around Romi, an illustrator with a penchant for romance, who impulsively embarks on a quest to find a mysterious stranger she can't forget.

Accompanied by her two best friends, Hadam and Chakyung, each with their own motivations for the trip, the trio sets out on an adventure that promises love, laughter, and unexpected challenges. Hadam sees the journey as an opportunity to overcome her fear of failure by documenting Romi's pursuit of love, while Chakyung hopes to find solace from her inner turmoil while also advancing her career.

As they explore the beauty of Jeju Island, misunderstandings and mistaken identities add layers of intrigue to their escapades, culminating in a mysterious stalker threatening their idyllic getaway. Through these trials, the friends navigate the complexities of relationships and uncover truths about themselves, ultimately finding love and purpose in unexpected ways.

Hyun Joo Park skillfully weaves together themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery, creating a heartwarming tale that captures the essence of romance amidst the stunning backdrop of Jeju Island. "Romancing on Jeju" is a charming read that will leave readers longing for their own adventures in love and friendship.

I love how their friendship between all three of them grows but they also learn new things about themselves. I relate to the main character as one grows older and is stuck working, one wants to find love and get married at one point and time isn’t going to wait for you.