Julia Song Is Undateable

by Susan Lee, Harlequin Audio (publisher)

"Introspective, funny, relatable, sexy—it's an absolutely perfect romance."—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners

CEO seeks dating coach

Julia Song, CEO of Starlight Cosmetics, is at the height of her career. Then why does she feel like such a failure? Maybe because she’s thirty and single, with a terrible track record at dating. And in the eyes of her Korean family, that is just unacceptable. It never really bothered her—that is until her beloved grandmother drops the bomb that she is sick and her dying wish is for Julia to get married. Impossible. So in a moment of weakness, Julia asks her family for help. Set her up on three dates to help her find The One. But it will never work—Julia is undateable. If only there was a coach for that…

Tae Kim knows about the weight of familial expectation. He’s currently unemployed, living in his parents’ basement to care for his ill father. Sure, he’s become somewhat of a fix-it man for the Korean community around town, but that’s not a real job. And the pressure to get his life together is getting to be too much. So when the Julia Song—his childhood crush—asks for his help, it may be just the distraction he needs. He’ll do whatever it takes, even coach her for these three dates. Problem is, the more time they spend together and the closer they get, the more Tae wonders if anyone is good enough for Julia…including him.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Chick Lit

Audible Audio

First published October 28, 2025

About the author

Susan Lee is the author of the critically acclaimed and reader favorite young adult romantic comedies SEOULMATES and THE NAME DROP. Her work has been featured in national outlets such as Buzzfeed, NPR, and Pop Sugar. Kirkus Reviews calls Susan’s voice “honest, fresh and thoughtful”. A graduate of UC San Diego, Susan built a career as an HR executive at some of today’s hottest companies, until she realized that writing stories was a more impactful and powerful form of change. Now she channels her energy into writing Happily Ever Afters for those historically underrepresented in Romance. When she is not writing (or painfully procrastinating from writing), Susan can be found down the rabbit holes of her many obsessions including listening to Kpop, binge watching K-dramas, collecting sneakers, building mechanical keyboards, and obsessing over her two adorable, but ill-behaved chihuahuas.

Reviews

[fadheela ♡ (moving week hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨🩷“Instead of worrying if I'm too much for someone, I make sure of it that I am. Before I see it in his eyes that he is intimidated by my success, I bury him with it instead.”🩷✨

⤿💌 27/10/25
➸ 3.75 stars |~spoiler-free review💫~| pub date: 28/10/25

OKAY WOW, THAT WAS MY SECOND MS.LEE BOOK IN A YEAR?! And that too this is her first adult debut, which was not bad? Susan Lee is on a roll this year, hehe 🤭🫶🏻 I honestly had a good time reading this one, after months of not going near the romance genre 🙂‍↕️ While this book is categorised as romcom, it did came with a baggage of troubles & traumas (asian fam). It was still pretty enjoyable, not as quite as the other book I read this year though 🙌🏻 I can't wait to read her other works and the upcoming ones Susan Lee has in store, because she has made the kdrama fangirl in me fall in love with her writing!!😍

read this if you like 💌:
💘 childhood friends-to-lovers
💘 k-beauty ceo x dating coach
💘 reverse age gap romance (5 yrs)
💘 slow-burn
💘 cinnamon roll mmc
💘 meddling families
💘 trio besties group
💘 he falls first
💘 kdrama vibes
💘 depression rep.

Now coming back to the book itself, the FMC, Julia Song is actually quite a badass boss girl frr 💅🏻 The only problem is she doesn't have a love life being at 30, and she thinks she's the problem. And that's where our MMC, Tae Kim enters. When I first read about the him—he actually reminded me of the MMC from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (only my kdrama girlies will know), as he was going around the neighbourhood, helping everyone who needs help and being labelled as "the guy who is good at anything". So when Julia has finds herself in a tough spot because of her family, Tae comes in like a superhero and suggests her that he will be her dating coach for the three dates her family will set her up on. The other only problem is, Tae has this huge crush on her since childhood even if she treats him like a little brother. I actually like how both of them came to a realisation at a point that they can be undateables to others, but not to eachother.

It wasn't a 4 star read like I was hoping it to be, unfortunately 😔 Everything was going well till 70% or so, but after that there was that drama towards the end😬 I was honestly not expecting for the plot to take that drastic turn. But overall, this book was decently good for a debut imo!!

Thank you to the Author, Harlequin Trade Publishing, HarperCollins, and Netgalley for providing this gorgeous arc in exchange for an honest review!!🫶🏻


ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

⤿💌 25/10/25
Ahhh the classic dying wish of an asian grandma to see her granddaughter, who has no love-life at all, to get married before she dies???😬 As a fellow asian, I feel like I signed up for a trauma-induced trip, let's gooo 🙂‍↔️

p.s. it's officially moving week, so I will be on a mini-break atm. miss you besties, I hope you all enjoy whatever book you are reading! will be back soon after settling in, xx 🤗🩷

[Jessica Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tae Kim, the man you are 😭😭😭

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHH i adored this book SO much. i started it earlier today and just could not put it down to save my life!! i absolutely adore k dramas and i am a sucker for the “my nosy family wont leave me alone about dating so theyre setting me up!” trope lol so i already knew going into this one i was going to be obsessed but somehow i had way more fun than i already thought i would!!

watching julia and tae bumble around each other was peak entertainment truly. they have the type of chemistry and sweetness that from the first interaction we get of them youre rolling your eyes and thinking how and the hell are they not already together, they are clearly made for each other?!?! even before they started dating they just made the most beautiful couple with the way they were so adamant about making one another comfortable enough to be themselves and express interest in their “silly” hobbies, GAH the cuteness of it all.

all in all this book is very swoony, has the most LOVABLE side characters, beautiful writing, etc.

also special shout out to THE diva of the book/star of the show — Halmoni 🤩 she really was playing the long game and i just could not get over her speech to tae at the end 😂 an absolute icon!!!

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Susan Lee’s first adult novel, so this seemed the right time to try out her books since I’m not gravitating to ya romance much nowadays. I know people love her books so I went in with high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed.
Julia Song is undateable a very successful business woman that is approaching the age of 30. She is also first gen Korean American so her family is freaking out about it and trying to hope her into dates to find suitable men she could marry. Problem is, Julia is not good at dating, she would say the complete opposite actually. Enter Tae, her slightly younger neighbor who she’s known for ages, and is famously not socially awkward, he’s actually really good at dating. You can see where this is going… he offers to coach her in dating.
This book is funny and lighthearted while also dealing with heavy topics. The characters are flawed and the problems are real life issues. It deals with healthcare, anxiety, success, expectations and pressure. I admit I’m not overly familiar with the way elderly Korean people treat their kids, but from what I’ve heard this is a very good depiction of it.
I just take issue with one overused plot point, but that’s a personal preference. I also really like the ending, it was really sweet.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Susan Lee book and what a fun read it was. Our CEO fmc is ultra successful but her Korean family can’t look past the fact that at 30 she’s STILL single. With the help of the boy she used to babysit (who is now a super hunky family man), she agrees to give her family 3 chances to find her love.

This story had k-drama energy and super cute moments that had me kicking my feet and squealing. HIGHLY recommend!

[Azanta (azantareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Lee’s adult debut did not disappoint! this was a kdrama in book form and i mean that as the highest compliment. the MC reminded me sooo much of Kim Seon-ho’s character from Hometown Cha Cha Cha and this was your classic CEO x fake dating x friends to lovers story that goes over so well in the dramas. this was a quick and easy read and im so excited for more of Susan’s adult romances!

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia Song is Undateable
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟳𝟱

❝ It really isn’t gonna be hard finding someone who wants to date you. The hard part is finding someone worthy of you. ❞

꒰ Julia Song seems to have it all — she is the CEO of Starlight Cosmetics, the hottest new cosmetics brand in America, and has been featured in Forbes’s ‘30 Under 30’. She excels in the business world. However, her achievements haven’t satisfied her traditional Korean family, especially since she is thirty and still single. Julia loves her family dearly, particularly her Grandma Song, whose dying wish was for her to find a match in this lifetime. However, Julia has a track record of failed relationships and bad dates.

So when her childhood neighbor, Taehyung ‘Tae’ Kim, known as an urban legend in Orange County for his exes marrying their next boyfriends, offered to be her dating coach, Julia just couldn't refuse. ꒱

⌞ Release Date : October 28, 2025 ⌝

ꕤ This is my first Susan Lee book and definitely not my last! I used to watch a lot of K-dramas and didn't expect those vibes to come from this book. Mentions of IU and BTS, trot singers in sequined jackets, and, of course, Korean BBQ.

I’ve heard that this is Susan's first adult novel. I haven’t read her other books, so I can't comment much on her writing style. However, I believe that her previous works focused on light young adult romance. I found Susan's writing to be very engaging and easy to get into, which kept me engrossed. Additionally, the story incorporates elements of K-drama, making it a lot more fun to read!

I was fortunate to get a copy of the audiobook and was delighted to discover that it was narrated by the talented Michelle H. Lee, who also lent her voice to ‘Give Me A Reason.’ Her voice instantly enveloped me in a wave of nostalgia, transporting me back to the feelings I had from previous works.

𓏲⋆💄.* Julia Song is thriving at 30. She is a successful businesswoman, yet still holds her family and community in high regard. I find that a lot of people forget these important ties when they become successful. I relate to Julia in several ways, as we are often compared to others regarding our appearance, social and marital status, and professions. Additionally, while she is very confident in her work, Julia often feels awkward in social situations, which makes her character enjoyable to read about.

₊˚ʚ ❝ I know what to do in matters of business. I just don’t know what to do with matters of the heart. ❞

: ⊹ 🔨₊ ⋆ Taehyung Kim , this man is basically Hong Du-sik from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. At 25 years old, he is talented in many areas, and people appreciate him because he gets things done. While he may not earn a million dollars, he shows great resourcefulness in his work. However, he is currently experiencing an identity crisis regarding his life goals. He dislikes discussing permanent jobs or commitments, which is why he prefers to take on temporary gigs.

ꕤ : ❝ I’m no saint, Julia. In fact, I’m pretty selfish, if I’m being honest. Helping them helped me too. I don’t know that I’d do it if I wasn’t getting satisfaction out of it or if it didn’t take my mind off other stuff. ❞

˖᯽ ݁˖ I appreciated how this book addressed various issues that people, particularly women, face in their 30s. It highlights the societal expectations that arise when one reaches this age, especially when others feel you haven’t met their boxes for what constitutes success in life. It’s also refreshing to see the female main character take the lead, while the male is portrayed as someone who doesn't fit the traditional mold of success.

❝ What I’m asking is—well, maybe you don’t really want to be in a relationship right now. What with everything going on with your career and success. And so maybe you don’t let your true self show when meeting new people. ❞ .𖥔 ܁ ˖

The romance was sweet, but I felt it lacked chemistry. I believe this might be due to Susan’s writing as she transitions from young adult to adult fiction. Interestingly, I found more chemistry between the characters when they were friends than after they became lovers. There is a 5-year age gap, but it was mentioned a couple of times in a way that seemed unnecessary since it wasn't used much to give more plot to the story. Also, there were many references to 'Tae’s hands', which made me wonder if there was a hand fetish going on.

⌗ ❝ Look, we may be agreeing to these setups, but when it comes down to it, it’s still our choice to make, right? You think he’s a loser, don’t go out with him again. Simple as that. ❞

⟢ The friend group is absolutely amazing. I love how blunt and straightforward they are whenever she is being naive. Like, yes, tell her off if they are both acting stupid. The family dynamics were great too, oftentimes funny. Despite their disagreements about Julia’s love life, Julia and Tae’s family is very entertaining to read and sometimes emotional. I’ve got a couple of highlights made from some of the wise advice they gave along the way.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 ❝ No acknowledgment of what she’d been able to build by this age. Just that one box she hadn’t been able to tick that seemed to outvalue everything else. ❞

While there were some things I liked, there were also some things I disliked. I felt like I wanted more from this story, particularly in the second half, which felt a bit flat after following Julia through her dates. I also felt off during the Trot Singer arc. Like, we already have a character with the same name as a member, and then there was this painfully long conversation about BTS and their music (no hate here).

The drama at the end seemed unnecessary and came out of nowhere; it felt like it was added just to give Tae’s character more depth. His dilemmas gave me "manchild" vibes—his refusal to discuss anything about his future, literally ghosting his job and relationship in Chicago, and let’s not even get started on his act of being the better son by taking care of his family and bills without committing to anything permanent.

⟢ Overall, though, this was a fun palate cleanser in between larger books and an excellent introduction for me to check out Susan Lee's other books. This is my first Susan Lee book and definitely not my last!

Thank you to Edelweiss, HarperCollins, and of course, Susan Lee for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑

.☘︎ ݁˖

pre-read : HarperCollins is insanely gracious for accepting my arc request and provided me with both the ebook and audiobook version 🥹🫶🏼

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO FUN AND HOT AND SWEET i absolutely devoureddddd it. I’m so so excited to hopefully see more adult romances from susan lee!!!

[lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very thankful to receive this ARC - releasing this month - Oct 2025 - from NetGalley.

I could not put it down. This was such a great read. All the feels, all the realness, just so good. Slow burn, chemistry, tension, it’s all there. Plus all the Korean inspiration and characters - added so much colour to the story.

Julia has been on a lot of bad dates. Having been called undateable, she’s pretty much given up on finding someone. Instead she focuses on running and expanding her company. But even as her professional life is thriving, her Korean family still puts on the pressure for her to settle down and find a husband. Her grandmother lays on the greatest guilt trip ever and convinces her to let the family set her up on 3 dates. If she doesn’t find her soul mate, then they back off. Julia reluctantly agrees, but immediately starts to panic - her solution? Find a dating coach. Who better than the attractive boy next door who is now all grown up. Tae may be a bit younger than her, but he’s always had a crush on Julia. Figuring out his life after recently moving home to care for his father (and being jobless and living with his parents) - he figures she’s way out of his league. But agrees to help her see herself how he sees her. Thus begins an adventure of bad dates and unexpected chemistry.

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia is such a beautiful soul. I found myself relating so much to her and her life. Her family and friends are quite hilarious, just like she is. I loved that this book gave me some giggles. Tae was so amazing, and I was rooting for him and Julia from the jump! This had a twist i didn't expect. It had some deep moments and some swooning moments as well! Overall, this was a cute read! The narrator did a beautiful job portraying the characters and their emotions.

I received this ARC audiobook NetGalley and Harlequin Audio to listen/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully listening to this audiobook.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I'd give this book 4 stars, it was super cute. I loved the topics that were covered in this book, from parental expectations, to how Julia thinks she should act, to Tae's identity crisis, and many others. I could relate to Julia so much, especially since no topic is off limits when you are around family. Asian elders really know how to throw all your insecurities back in your face. I really liked Tae as the MMC and could relate to his issues. The ending reminded me of Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez, it was really sweet.

The only thing I didn't care for, and this is totally a personal preference, I don't like books in 3rd POV.

*Friends to lovers
*Slight age gap - Julia - 30, Tae - 25
*Income gap
*Mental health rep

Thank you to NetGalley, Susan Lee, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Harlequin Audio for the ARC and ALC!

[Kayla T (kaylabobayla) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️
What a romp! If you want a romcom flavored like a kdrama, this is the one for you! A well-balanced story of a relatively low stakes but heartfelt plot, with genuine emotional jabs entwined with hijinks and humor!

As a little background about myself - I’m 1/4 Japanese, and my husband is half Korean, so this story hit close to home. And though this story itself was relatively light hearted, at times it truly cut to the quick. But no gatekeeping here! There are absolutely universal qualities to familial pressures that anyone will recognize while reading - the weight of living up to your parents expectations and feelings of failure. But there’s also something so oddly familiar about the way Susan Lee wrote the intimidating presence of an Asian grandmother, and the immense weight of pressure she wields. It gave me equal emotions of stress and yearning, missing my own grandmother. I could hear her in my head while reading some of these conversations!

This book dealt with heavier topics, such as the difficulty of acknowledging aging parents, feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome even if you are successful by measurable standards, the weight of money as an indicator of success. And with a smidge of pro therapy, which is always appreciated! Even with the fake dating (kind of?) trope, the characters felt real and flawed and vulnerable. It served as a genuinely good reminder to give yourself and others grace, and at the same time know your own worth within family dynamics, as well as in budding romantic relationships! I just loved this one! Thank you to Susan Lee, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this eARC!

[Hillary (abookishmarriage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire time I was reading this I was picturing it as a rom com and you KNOW my favorite character is Halmoni because hello, the pep talk starting with: “Tae you are not tall, smart or successful” lmao QUEEN

This book takes me back to falling in love with Talia Hibbert and Helen Hoang heroes. A man who’s kind and loves people? It’s so sexy???

I love them.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

[ᴄᴀᴛ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐
I didn't like this one as much as I'd hoped I would honestly. This is the 3rd book I've read by Susan Lee and all three have been 3⭐ and under so it might just be a me problem. Her writing style is nice, though definitely not my favorite.

As for this book, I'm incredibly grateful to have gotten the arc, so thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for allowing me to have it.
I do really wish that the audiobook had dual narration and not just Michelle H. Lee, it would've made it a 𝘣𝘪𝘵 easier to follow.

The characters of this book weren't my favorite.
Julia, the fmc was...eh to me. I don't know, I found her to be a bit annoying at times. Her best friends were about the same.
Tae was my favorite character but even then I didn't care for him a whole ton.
Julie and Tae felt a bit childish?? Like at times they didn't seem like they're 25 & 30 years old

Also I'm not sure if anyone else who's read this had thought this but I kind of felt like Julia and Tae were lacking chemistry?? Although I 𝘥𝘪𝘥 enjoy their little hangouts while preparing Julia for the dates.

My favorite part was definitely the epilogue, sad that that's the end and not an actual chapter and everything. :/

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became a fan of Susan Lee after reading The Romance Rivalry earlier this year, and her adult debut Julia Song is Undateable gives similar vibes! This was a super quick read that I do wish had been a bit longer , because I think it packed a lot of character development into a short period of time that I think could have been fleshed out really beautifully (it is done well, I just wanted more of it!). That being said, this is a sloooow burn and I did enjoy that it was not an instalove connection. Both main characters were interesting and endearing and I’d have loved more time with the side characters as well. I both read the eARC of this courtesy of Canary Street Press as well as listened to it from Harlequin Audio as part of the Hive, and I think either way would be a great way to consume this book. I hope to see more adult novels from Susan Lee, because I do think her spice was additive and just the right amount considering the length of the book. Definitely a read you should be picking up this Tuesday when it releases!

[Courtney Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this book! Julia and Tae both see themselves as “undateable,” though for very different reasons. Julia is a total girl boss, running her own Korean-American skincare company while also trying to live up to her family’s expectations of marriage and starting a family. Tae, on the other hand, has spent his whole life caring for his family and community, but despite being so thoughtful and giving, he just can’t find the right girl. To make matters worse, every girl he dates seems to find her forever partner right after leaving him.

When Julia finally gives in and lets her family set her up, she’s thrown into a hilarious string of awful dates, with some unexpectedly swoony dating lessons from Tae in between. I’ll admit I got a little frustrated with how long it took Julia and Tae to realize they were perfect for each other (but let’s be honest, if it were easy it wouldn’t make for a very good story, LOL). Still, when they finally did get together, it was so satisfying—and steamy! Their growth, both individually and as a couple, was so sweet to watch unfold.

I especially loved how seamlessly Korean culture was woven into the story. I always appreciate getting to learn more about another culture, especially when it’s wrapped up in a fun little romance novel. Julia’s family and community were also such entertaining side characters and added so much charm. All in all, this was such a lovely, heartwarming read!

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun.
Julia Song is a fierce woman and a badass bosslady.
She also happens to have a very pushy family who is upset she isn't married yet and manipulate her into going on 3 dates of their choosing in order to find a partner.
She enlists a childhood friend to help her become more "pleasing" to her dates.
Shenanigans ensue.
This was cute and funny and totally relatable.
Much love to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for my ARC.

[Allie | booked.with.allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐ / 3🌶️

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

This was such an adorable romance! I love dating lessons with the guy our FMC should be with all along! I really was just as smitten with Tae as Julia’s entire family & their community. He was truly such a good guy! I also couldn’t get enough of Julia’s meddling grandmother. All around, the narrators did an amazing job. They truly captured their characters. Definitely recommend picking this one up!

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press

[Lupita_333 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s always an exciting and wonderful experience getting to read a book written by Susan Lee. She’s definitely one of my favorite romance authors. This one is my favorite that she’s written so far.

It’s a beautiful and heart warming love story with characters that struggle with self worth. It’s so beautiful getting to see how they find their worth in themselves. I really appreciated how the author added mental health representation

Julia is such a lovable character who felt like she was too much but I loved reading about her and how much of a successful woman she is. Tae feels like he’s not good enough due to not being as successful as Julia but he has so many good quality’s with a heart of gold and is also a very lovable and relatable character. They made such a beautiful couple. I loved reading about their journey of self acceptance and love for each other. Also the cultural representation is so interesting to learn about. The dates they went on were so cute. I typically hate miscommunication but the reason for the miscommunication and the way it was later handled was justified.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a single 30 year-old Asian woman, I feel like this book was written for (and maybe even a little about) me. I may or may not have lived vicariously through Julia and Tae’s cutie friends to lovers journey. And boy am I a sucker for fake dating!!!

This book is cutie cute cute (though at some points a little frustrating, but hey so is life) and so relatable to anyone who grew up in an Asian household. We love a sweet meddling grandma!! But homegirl needs better friends fr. The poor girl was too hard on herself!! But again, such is life.

Anyway, I loved the audiobook and love seeing two Asian leads in a romance!!!!

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was fun! Susan Lee is a new author to me with her first adult romance novel. She’s written YA novels previously.

Julia Song is smart, beautiful and awkward about dating, but she’s also the CEO of Starlight Cosmetics, a company she founded. She’s thirty years old and successful but her family frets that she isn’t married yet.

Julia is Korean American and close to her family but they tend to drive her a little crazy about her prospects for marriage. I suspect many cultures have their own way to pester their kids about their futures but this felt totally relatable.

Her BFFS have her back and her family loves her. Her close neighbors are like a second family who happen to have a son that Julia grew up with but hasn’t seen in years. Enter hot, handsome and kind Tae Kim. They reconnect as the childhood friends they once were but both think and feel there could be more.

What follows are the ups and downs of old friendships that can morph into more plus the fun of rediscovery. Especially fun are the three setup dates her family arranges for her.

Don’t miss this, you’ll love it!

Thanks Edelweiss and Canary Street Press.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Song is the founder and CEO of Starlight Cosmetics and is at the height of her career. For a Korean women in her thirties, this is great, but being unmarried means she's a failure. Not only is she not married, but her dating record is pitiful. She finds something wrong with each man she dates. Her family decide they have to help her find a husband and the results are amusing at best. Her beloved grandmother drops the bomb that she is sick and her dying wish is for Julia to get married. Her mother agrees to set her up on three dates to find "The One". Julia runs into her childhood neighbour, and asks him to be her dating coach. To her surprise, he agrees and the fun begins.

I really liked Julia. She was a busy woman who had standards when it came to men. She wanted someone she could have fun with, someone who cared about her and her company, someone who wasn't completely self-absorbed and expected Julia to give up her career to be a wife and mother. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. She is also someone who cared deeply for her family, and wanted to please her grandmother, especially as she was ill and dying, or was she? Tae Kim knows about the weight of familial expectation. He’s currently unemployed, living in his parents’ basement to care for his ill father. He is a caring person, one who helps out anyone who asks, the neighbourhood fix-it man. He was struggling to decide what he wanted out of life, he just knew it wasn't working in an office in Chicago, so far from his family. He immediately decided to help Julia out, but there was a secret in his agreement. I really enjoyed the practice dates he set up for Julia, and enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell when she was with Tae. Of course the more time they spent together, the more they liked one another. The three dates her mother set up for her were unbelievable. A Korean mother wants her daughter to marry a professional man, a doctor or lawyer are great choices, aren't they? Julia's grandmother was a hoot. She was secretive, and cunning and I loved seeing the role she played in all of this. This is not just a romance, but a story of finding what you really want out of life and personal growth. Family relationships also played an important role in the story as well as family responsibility. I really enjoyed this story, and doing a read/listen worked well. The audiobook was narrated by Michelle H. Lee and she did a wonderful job with the storytelling and voices. I recommend either format of this story.

[Flirting with Fiction💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Song is Undateable by Susan Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5, rounded up)

Julia Song is beautiful, successful, and the CEO of her own company. She’s fiercely family-oriented and unapologetically herself…but in her Korean-American household, none of that seems to matter as much as the fact that she’s still single. When her grandmother pushes her into three family-arranged dates, Julia reluctantly agrees. Enter Tae: her childhood friend, recently back from Chicago, who’s been taking care of his family and now Julia too after he offers to be her dating coach and take her on “practice dates.”

Susan Lee is one of those rare contemporary romance writers who can balance laugh-out-loud humor with an authentic, heartfelt romance. While it took me a little while to warm up to Julia (we are VERY different), she eventually won me over completely. She’s sharp, complicated, and deeply layered. And her growth, alongside Tae’s, gave the book extra depth beyond just the romance.

One of my favorite dynamics here is how Lee flips traditional romance character roles: Tae often reads like the “typical fmc” in romcoms, while Julia takes on qualities we usually see in male leads. Add in the richness of Korean and Korean-American culture woven throughout the narrative, and the result feels both refreshing and unique.

And oh, the tropes: older heroine, childhood friends to lovers, practice dating, black cat x golden retriever energy, mental health rep, competency porn.

The audiobook, narrated by Michelle H. Lee, is excellent. With a large cast of distinct characters, it could have easily blurred together, but Lee brought each one to life. I could always tell who was speaking, even without dialogue tags, which rarely ever happens.

This isn’t the kind of romance that left me ugly crying, but it was one that made me smile the entire way through. Funny, smart, layered, and meaningful, Susan Lee once again proves that she’s amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for this ALC of the audiobook. This is my personal review.

[romancelibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ALC from Libro.FM and an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Julia Song is the successful founder and CEO of a beauty brand. She hasn't had any success with dating, but that never mattered to her...until her grandmother reveals that she's sick and her dying wish is to see Julia get married.

Julia can't do this dating thing on her own. Not when she's known to be "undateable." So she asks for help. Her family will set her up on 3 dates and she will receive coaching from Tae Kim, a family friend whom she used to babysit.

Tae is currently unemployed and living in his parents' basement to care for his ill father. During his time at home, he's become a jack of all trades for the Korean community. And now, a dating coach for his childhood crush is the latest addition to his resume.

I had so much fun reading this book. I love reading romance novels set in immigrant communities. I may not be Korean, but we share a lot of cultural similarities, enough that reading this book felt like coming home. I especially related to Tae's struggle with his career—figuring out what he wants to do, and factoring his family into that equation. I've been there and to be honest, I'm still kind of there? Anyway, I found his experience very relatable.

One of my favourite things about this book is how Tae used to have a crush on Julia when they were kids. She's 5 years older than him, so she's never seen him as a man...until now. It was hilarious watching Julia realize this 😂 Especially when Tae is known for being the resident hot man 😂 Both Julia and Tae have their own personal issues to figure out and their respective character growth was well-executed. Their romance was sweet, spicy, and swoony, with lots of my favourite kdrama tropes. Hello, umbrella scene 😍

I listened to this book on audio. The story is told in dual POV, but there's a single narrator. It's an odd choice, but it works. Michelle H. Lee did a great job narrating both POVs.

I hope we get more adult romances from Susan Lee! Oh, and the final line? It was *perfect*

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️ moderate

Julia Song may be a CEO of a successful skincare line, but she’s also undateable and “too much.” At least, that’s the reputation she has in her SoCal Korean American community. When her grandmother gets some scary health-related news, she guilt-trips Julia into going on a minimum of three dates in hopes to see Julia get married. Her grandmother sets up the three dates, but also makes a deal with neighbor boy Tae Kim, who has his own family guilt and is unemployed, to coach Julia on how to be better at romance. The only problem is that the romance between the two of them begins to take over Julia’s actual dates. But will Tae ever be good enough for Julia?

I was excited to dive into my first book by Susan Lee, and I’m so happy to say that she absolutely knocked it out of the park! The #FriendsToLovers (or maybe #NeighborsToLovers?) trope worked really well here, particularly because the author mixed in aspects of their shared Korean American identity, family guilt, and feelings of inadequacy. Throw in the power differential of a successful CEO and an unemployed caretaker, and you’ve got the recipe for perfect chemistry! I LOVED the passion between them; Tae’s gentle charm made him particularly swoony. It’s a bit of a #SlowBurn, but there is a lot of steam toward the third act. You’ll love their dynamic - this is a romcom you can’t miss!

Reviewed as part of #ARC from NetGalley. Many thanks to Harlequin for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read this book if you:
🙄 have ever said the phrase “If I’m too much, go find less”
🥔 love au gratin potatoes
👓 swooned over Jonathan Bailey’s slutty little glasses

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[Kendra ♡ Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Amazing Adult debut! Got an ALC from Harlequin Audio (thnk you!) i have a lot of thoughts!

Honestly I really liked this. Susan is good for writing low stakes novels with the SWEETEST MMC’s and this one was no different! I loved both characters and obviously was rooting for them the entire book.

Julia Song is an accomplished and successful CEO who built her Korean Beauty brand from the ground up. she’s no nonsense when it comes to business and has put dating on the backburner to focus on her goals. and while she’s dated along the way she has been declared “Undateable”
Which… don’t get me started on my rant because I am someone who has largely focused on reaching her goals and I do have a stronger personality however that still doesn’t mean we don’t want love or aren’t deserving of it!

I LOVED Taehyung(not to be confused with V🤭) He just always said the right things to Julia… until he didn’t. 🤣 and Honestly i was like whoa this man has some MAJOR issues to work through! and although people around him were saying it throughout the book, that crashout was insane because he really pissed me off. And honestly?? This may be surprising… i was HAPPY for that third act breakup.

I felt it was so necessary. Tae NEEDED to get some help and had a lot he needed to work through. a Change needed to be made. I watched the materialists recently and some themes in this book reminded me of that movie a lot. it just made SENSE that Julia said no contact, get the help you need. I LOVE IT. I really loved the ending of this book🥹 sooo cute that last line!!😭🤭

[Bethany Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @htpbooks @htp_hive for the advanced copy to review and happy pub day @susanleewrites !!!!!

This is Susan’s adult debut and it’s a winner, baby. I loved reading about a 30YO woman who put her career at the top of her list and worked hard for everything she had. A CEO of her own company??? Smashing the patriarchy??? Let’s go Julia!!!!

But of course… her grandmother is sick and tells Julia her dying wish is for Julia to find a partner and be happy. The only problem is Julia sucks at dating, Enter in …. Tae!!! Julia’s childhood neighbor/friend (who is five years younger than her) who is all grown up now and offers to be her dating coach. Needless to say, sparks fly between these two.

Can I just say how incredibly romantic Tae is???? He truly wanted to help Julia find the partner she deserved but obviously he is the best partner for her!!! Her believes in her and knows she’s the brightest thing in any room. In this essay I will… and Julia. Knowing her worth and not settling for less. I felt so many of her lines right to my core.

But seriously?? The K Pop date will go down in history as one of the cutest dates ever of all time. It was so swoony my own stomach fluttered a bit at the thought of him setting up the backyard as a concert.

When they kissed I was like *FINALLY* and when Tae was like “I’m not too young for you” (paraphrased) I was screeching. He knew what he wanted and damn he got it!!!!

I also *loved* how realistic the last third of the book felt and that epic grand gesture will live in my heart. (PS we love a man who goes to therapy.)

Congrats @susanleewrites - can’t wait to read your next adult book! (Oh and if you’ve met Susan, this book includes so many of her favorite things. The only thing missing was a custom keyboard!!)

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out: October 28th

This was such a fun book! And I really liked the audiobook a lot.

The deets:
Julia Song is a CEO of a successful American Korean skincare company and just an all around girl boss. But when he grandmother tells her it is her dying wish to see her settled and happy she allows her family to set her up on 3 dates. But Julia is under the impression, after many past failed dates, that she is undateable. Enter Tae, the 5 year younger neighbor who had a HUGE crush on Julia growing up. But Tae is no longer a little kid and Julia asks Tae to coach her through dating. Will the dates be successful? Or will the practice dates start to feel more like the real thing?

Thoughts:
I really like Julia and Tae’s dynamic and they balance each other out so well. Tae is a gem and literally the guy you call if you need anything. And Julia is strong and independent and not willing to compromise who she is for anyone and I respect that so much.

Audiobook review:
Michelle H. Lee did an excellent job narrating both POVs and it was really easy to follow who she was portraying at any given moment. Her voice for Tae and the other male voices was also very well done and did not give me any issues.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the ALC and NetGalley!