Sadly, I just did not enjoy the main character of this book as I did not find her to be relatable. Nothing about her pulled me in or made me want to like her.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I enjoyed this one. It felt a lot like a lot of other stories, but that made it a comfortable, easy read. Nothing here is super innovative, but it doesn't need to be. I enjoyed the protagonist and found her more complex than your average heroine in this genre. I did spend most of the book thinking it was a standalone, but the end makes it pretty clear that the author at least hopes for a sequel. I will probably pick that one up, too!

Renee Ahdieh ventures into adult contemporary fiction with Park Avenue, a deliciously messy story about Jia Song, a Korean-American lawyer who's just made junior partner and finds herself thrust into the chaotic world of an ultra-wealthy family's legal battles. When the matriarch is dying of cancer while her husband divorces her for his pregnant mistress—all while trying to hide billions in assets from his children—Jia must navigate not only complex legal maneuvers but also the assumption that she was chosen for this case simply because she's Korean. What begins as a straightforward inheritance dispute quickly evolves into something far more intricate, with private jets, luxury destinations, and family secrets that run deeper than anyone imagined.

Ahdieh crafts a story that initially seems to follow the familiar rags-to-riches trajectory but cleverly subverts expectations with a grandiose, snarky narrator who appears between chapters like a modern-day Lady Whistledown. This narrative device adds an intriguing layer to the storytelling, building suspense while offering wry commentary on wealth, status, and family dysfunction. The author handles the complex themes with surprising nuance, exploring the costs of ambition and the reality that money doesn't guarantee happiness. While the neat ending and heavy reliance on therapy as a plot device feel somewhat predictable, Ahdieh never sacrifices the story's momentum—the twists and revelations keep you engaged throughout.

The audiobook narration by Michelle H. Lee deserves special praise for bringing this multi-layered story to life with exceptional skill. Her performance captures the distinct voices of the various characters while perfectly matching the book's sophisticated yet accessible tone. Park Avenue succeeds as both an entertaining family drama and a thoughtful examination of identity, ambition, and what we're willing to sacrifice for success. It's a compelling read that proves Ahdieh can masterfully navigate adult fiction just as skillfully as she has YA fantasy, delivering a story that's both engaging and surprisingly insightful about the true cost of wealth and status.

Jia Song has finally made it: junior partner at a top Manhattan law firm, a tight-knit circle of best friends, and her dream Birkin bag in reach. But when she’s tapped to handle the crumbling marriage of the ultrarich Park family – Korean beauty moguls with a billion-dollar legacy – her career and values are put to the test.

With one month to fix the mess before the patriarch’s divorce hits the tabloids and the matriarch’s health fails, Jia is thrown into a whirlwind of secrets, backstabbing, and global jet-setting. As she becomes entangled with the Parks, Jia must decide what success means – and whether the life she’s always wanted is really the one she needs.

This was such a fun read – glitzy, dramatic, fast-paced – with a sharp sense of humor and a surprising emotional core. Park Avenue gave me big Kevin Kwan vibes in terms of the glamorous excess, juicy family secrets, and over-the-top rich-people problems (but with a Korean American heroine and a K-beauty empire at the center).

Jia is the kind of protagonist I love rooting for: ambitious, competent, deeply loyal – and just a little bit swept up in the fantasy of the world she’s navigating. There’s a lot of sharp commentary here about class, image, success, and the impossible standards placed on women (especially women of color) who dare to want more. I really appreciated how the book balances the allure of the Park family’s wealth and influence with Jia’s growing awareness of what she might be giving up to play by their rules.

There's also a lot of cultural nuance threaded through the story – especially in how it explores success, self-presentation, and filial obligation – without ever slowing the pace or falling into easy archetypes. The tone shifts seamlessly between slyly funny and emotionally sincere, which made it easy to stay invested.

This is a great pick if you enjoy books that explore privilege and power with a little bite – especially if you want your social commentary wrapped in luxury branding and beauty industry politics.

3.5 stars

Jia Song has put a lot of pressure on herself to excel and to meet the goals and destiny that she has received from some fairly untraditional places. She's made may strides toward achieving as planned, but a new challenge puts her in a unique position to succeed or fail epically.

I really enjoyed the way Ahdieh develops these characters. Readers spend a lot of time in Jia's mind and get to understand her motivations and proclivities well. While there's less exposure to various members of the Park collective, these also feel like round characters whose actions, though odd and surprising occasionally, seem reasonable because of Ahdieh's efforts to evolve the folks who participate in them.

This is not a quick read. It is engaging, but I did find it a bit slow at times. Some of the romantic connections were harder for me to get invested in than various other aspects of the plot. I'd have loved a more economical presentation, but I still found this an intriguing concept overall.

I adored Ahdieh’s fantasy series so my interest is always peaked when an author steps into a new genre. Park Avenue is a fun contemporary rags to riches story. Jia Song has always wanted power and success, she just made junior partner but she wants more, when her firm puts her to work on a very high profile case she is entangled with one of the richest Korean families in the world, is being part of their world really all it’s cracked up to be?

This is marketed as Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession and I don’t disagree, there are definitely the soapy elements mixed with the nuance of power and privilege but this also has a bit of Gossip Girl vibes, there’s fun diary entries at the beginning of each chapter from an unknown author that plays into the mystery at the heart of this book. Comparisons aside this is a snarky, layered and at times juicy story that plays with mystery and drama in interesting ways.

Ahdieh tackles a lot of characters and sub plots in this book and at times it can feel slightly convoluted but ultimately it is a fun read with many surprises. If you like a rags to riches story mixed with mystery and luxury, Park Avenue is the perfect book to sink into this season.

In her debut adult novel, Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh is a captivating and stylish novel that blends glamour, intrigue, and romance with effortless charm. Ahdieh’s writing is sharp and immersive, pulling readers into a richly drawn world of high society and personal ambition. With compelling characters and unexpected twists, it’s an entertaining and satisfying read from start to finish.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital audio e-arc*

This audio was fantastic!
I loved The drama and most of all the omniscient POV chapters mixed in! Gave strong Gossip Girl vibes.
I also Appreciate how everything was tied up in a bow at the end! (I’m one of those people who needs to know how it happened)
This is a fun summer read…a little mystery, a lot of drama.

This one was more fun than I expected it to be! I knew Ahdieh was originally a fantasy author (I think), and I'm not sure when she made the transition to contemporary fiction, but I'm glad she did! The characters were well developed, and I loved all the snark and witty dialogue. I enjoyed the overall story, and the way events unfolded. It is fun to get peeks into the lives of the wealthy, and I thought Ahdieh did a fabulous job of incorporating elements of that world without being overdone. The only drawback for me was the inclusion of the "author's chapters" (I listened on audio and maybe that impacted how I took them in) - they just pulled me out of the story, confused me, and didn't really add to the story for me. Overall, this was a win, and I can't wait to see what Ahdieh writes next!

This was such a quick and enjoyable book. Although I did not like all the characters, that was the charm of the book. The storyline and characters were all well developed and their roles in the story were all clear. I loved the family drama, the mystery, the scandal and the romance. I found it to be such a fun book to read and got lost in the characters' lives. I listened to this and loved the narrator. Jai is a lawyer who is moving up in her firm when she is handed a client that requires delicate hands. She is working with a wealthy, famous Korean family - filled with drama, scandal and chaos. Jai must prove that she can appropriately and properly handle this case to impress her firm. Just a great book for any time of year!

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

There is a lot to like about this novel-- it's got a fabulous central character whose narration is very fun, a jet-setting mix of locations, depth in how it looks at wealth and upward mobility (especially for Korean Americans)-- but I think it was a wee bit soapy for my taste.

Rich people behaving badly? Say less.

If you're craving a smart beach read with drama, secrets, and family power plays, Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh needs to be on your list. Think Crazy Rich Asians meets Big Little Lies—but make it Korean American wealth, legal intrigue, and glamorous backdrops.

✨ Adult debut from a beloved YA author

🎧 Audiobook is fast-paced and plotty

📚 Great for book club convos (trust me, you’ll want to discuss that ending)

Have you read it yet?Let me know your thoughts, or drop your favorite “rich people behaving badly” book rec in the comments!

📍Save this post for your next reading binge

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley, for the gifted copy for review.

This was a very fun escapist read! I really liked how clues were revealed slowly and everyone seemed unreliable, so I was completely pulled in to the story and had to know what would happen. The story had an interesting element with a mystery narrator interjecting between chapters and speaking directly to the reader, very Gossip Girl or Lady Whistledown vibes, that made you question if you had caught all of the clues. Narrator Michelle H. Lee delivered so much suspense and intrigue with these interludes, she was fantastic!

While this book starts out as rich people behaving badly, and some of the story is very over the top with its excesses, all of the characters have so much dimension that you end up rooting for them anyway. Nobody is exactly how you would expect them to be based on the original impression the author builds. This book is also a coming of age story for Jia, the protagonist, as she figures out how to shake the expectations of others and learns to be true to herself, which was an element I really enjoyed. The ending was perfect, surprising but also felt true to the story.

4.25 stars

First thank you to Macmillan audio, flat iron books and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: jia song is the daughters of immigrants that own several bodegas in NYC. However Monet was tight. She is working at a prestigious law firm that offers her the opportunity to work on a divorce case of the ultra wealthy park family. She discovers so much about all of the family members and herself.

What I liked: Michele Lee narrated this book and she was perfect. Their chemistry park family is extremely wealthy and her voice had that air of sophistication when needed. She also narrated a part where you don’t know who is talking but it really added a lot to the story. I don’t want to spoil anything so will just say that. Jia’s life is further complicated when she starts having feelings for someone associated with the case. I think the author balanced the juicy wealthy gossip along with insights how wealth impacts people, her life as daughter of immigrants and the need to succeed. I have to admit I went in thinking it would be a fun wealthy people behaving badly book but it ended up being a lot more.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This was a great book - I loved the format, which worked exceptionally well as an audiobook. There were regular characters, and we heard most of the story through them, but there were also short chapters where a mystery narrator spoke directly to us, the listeners. We didn't find out who that narrator was until the very end, and it was fun to guess which person it would be.

The true narrator for the audiobook, Michelle H. Lee, did an excellent job of alternating between the various languages used in the novel (English, Korean, French, etc.).

I'd recommend this book for anyone who enjoys mystery, drama, and romance! 4.5 stars from me.

This book is described as being for fans of Crazy Rich Asians, Schitt’s Creek, and White Lotus. Ambitious attorney Jia Song is pulled into the high-stakes unraveling of a billion-dollar Korean beauty empire. As she attempts to salvage the Park family’s legacy at a time of scandal, secrets, and global drama, Jia must untangle their mess while confronting whether the life she’s chasing is truly the one she wants. I was hoping for a plot similar to Pineapple Street that would really grab me, but it just didn't. Not a bad book, I just wasn't totally into it on audio. I think you have to really love Crazy Rich Asians to love this book too. While I liked Crazy Rich Asians, I didn't love it.

Audiobook
3.5 Stars

A young newly-named Junior Partner at a prestigious law firm is sucked into the sordid lives of a ultra-wealthy Korean family. A father is pitched against a mother and her children in the control of millions of dollars, and Jia Song must use all of her wits to keep from the shrapnel of lies and subterfuge, while also coming to terms with her own rags-to- (almost) riches tale.

The description of CRAZY RICH ASIANS meets SUCCESSION is apt. Renee Ahdieh crafts a story of spoiled, wealthy arrogance with a tenderness to keep you connected to the main characters. For someone who is not fashion-savvy, there is a lot of detail paid to high-end brand and style descriptions, which went over my head. But overall, this was a good listen.

An advanced copy provided by Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This very much gave Crazy Rich Asian vibes and I enjoyed every minute of it. There was plenty of family drama and mystery that pulled me right in. I was invested in the siblings, the lawyer, and the house manager and the twist at the end was something I did not see coming! I listened to this in one day!

4.5 rounded down. I flew through this one! It was a fast paced, fun mystery/family drama that I couldn’t stop listening to. The audiobook narration was fantastic and I’d highly recommend this one. It’s a great summer read that despite being an easy read the characters are well developed and story was well written. Loved it!

I know we’re only halfway through the year, and there are still plenty of amazing books on my TBR—but I’m already calling it: Park Avenue is one of my favorite reads of the year so far!

This is quintessential chick lit in the best way possible. Even though the Park's family drama is central to the plot you still get to see every dimension of Jia as a friend, lover and lawyer.

I appreciated seeing Jia work through her dilemma to chase her ambitions and honor her values. I'm already planning to buy the physical copy so I can revisit.