Behind Five Willows

by June Hur

From the New York Times bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves and The Red Palace comes a historical romance set in the Joseon dynasty about forbidden books and those willing to risk their lives for their craft and each other.

As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber in order to make a little extra money. It's dangerous work, but she loves it - especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favourite author, known as Black Lotus.

When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn't be so terrible, if it weren't for the young man's uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.

As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He's kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father's son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.

When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple - along with the girl's younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly . . .

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Historical Romance, Fantasy, Retellings

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

JUNE HUR (허주은) is a New York Times and Indie bestselling, Edgar Award-winning author of YA historical mysteries and romances, including The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace , and A Crane Among Wolves . Born in South Korea, June spent her formative years in the USA, Canada, and South Korea before studying History and Literature at the University of Toronto and working at the Toronto Public Library. Her work has been featured in Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, CBC, KBS and more. June's next release, Adoration, a Jane Austen homage set during the Joseon dynasty, is slated for spring 2026. She resides in Toronto with her family and can be spotted writing in coffee shops.

You can find her on Instagram and Tiktok @junehwrites

Reviews

[yuvi • s.ia · Rating 5 out of 5]

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❀ post reading thoughts ❀

★★★★★★★★
(Basically all the stars in the fcking universe)
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huge thanks to the author for providing me with the digital arc in exchange for an honest review. Love you from the bottom of my heart🌹


What to expect :
.ೃ࿔Yearning (also, no spice)
.ೃ࿔ He falls first and harder
.ೃ࿔Secret Identity (kinda)/ Pen pals
.ೃ࿔Pride and prejudice retelling
.ೃ࿔ Slow burn. (Emphasis on slow)



Now playing: Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par (Md. Rafi)
📖⭒˚.⋆🩷🤍
Ehsaan tera hoga mujh par
Dil chahta hai woh kehne do
Mujhe tum se mohabbat ho gyi hai
Mujhe palkon ki chhav me rehne do
⌞0:01 ——◦———— 6:02⌝
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ
🤍 🩷 ⭒˚.⋆🎧



Okay y'all. June hur has done what she always does best. Write another masterpiece. Honestly, her books have become instant-buy for me. Like, you need only say that it's written by JH and i'll blindly buy it. That's how much her books have come to mean to me.

ღYou are, to me as well, the kind of soul one finds only once in a lifetime, and travels the next thousand searching for again-

Hullo?! Did I finish the book or did this book finish me?
Ohhh my lord. June hur- I LOVE YOU SM. My girl always delivers.

ღWhen I am gone, the world will remember me no more. But I am not afraid. Life is fleeting and therefore how precious ...

The writing is so beautiful and lyrical. I love the way it's written. I also really liked the historical parts as well. Her books are always well researched, and it really shows.
The book censorship plot, fear of westernization on society, class differences. And I'm sure there are many more nuanced references that i might have missed. But this was such a pleasant experience.
(also wdym that novels during that time were so valuable (and expensive) that women drove themselves into financial ruin to buy novels lol. #uscore)
While ik that this is a pride and prejudice retelling set in joseon era korea, imo, this works just as well on its own. Yes, there are few similarities. But this has its own personality (ykwim?). Its own soul.

ღPerhaps her heart had recognised him: an enemy in another lifetime

ღ"Sometimes you come across people who have been searching for each other all their lives." "As two enemies fated to despise each other." "As two lost souls searching for their home."

I was so emotionally invested. Okay so hot take- i'm not a big fan of pride and prejudice. Imo, persuasion was jane austen's best work and i will die on that hill.
even tho i'm not a big fan of pride and prejudice, i love this book sfm. It took me 3 days to finish this book- and that's only bc it's exam ssn rn and my reading pace was slow af. I highlighted so many paragraphs. If I could, I would've highlighted the whole book. Bc hullo?! I was emotionally invested. I was giggling, blushing and smiling the whole time.
And the slow burn?! Omg that was so well done. Honestly, I have nothing but praise and appreciation for this book (and that's probably an understatement).
The characters were so realistic. And not only the mc's. the side characters were so relatable. Like, yeah sure. Haewon (fmc) and Yu seojun (mmc) had their flaws and all but I really liked their character arc. Also what i really appreciate is how emotionally intelligent Yu Seojun was. it's very rare to find someone like that (and ngl i was kinda jealous of haewon for a second there)

Me to yu seojun :

ღIt was agony. The more time he spent with her, the more a quiet desperation built within him. He wanted to reach out and feel her hand in his. More than anything, that was what he desired. To simply hold her hand

ღStay. Don't leave me just yet.

ღI would much rather never call you mine, and live life without you, wandering forever, than to bind you to a life you were not meant for. You are, and will always be, the mistress of your own life

The romance?! OMFG I was losing my damn mind over these two. She brutally rejected him. and he was so down for her. Petition to bring back men who yearn like yu seojun omfggg. Let me tell you, I'm not the one to giggle or blush while reading a romance book. Sure, I've had my share of crying while reading books; but squealing? and losing my fucking mind over them brushing hands? That's very. And i mean. VERY. rare.
Like, this is the second time when I legit squealed when they first kissed (and that happened @ around 96%. like i said, SLOW BURN) But omfg. when they first brushed hands, I had to actually close the book. BECAUSE I WAS SO DARN OVERWHELMED. that has never happened to me before. So yeah. that was something lol.
Okayy yeah no. But on a serious note, in its heart, it's a love story. A beautifully written one at that. But it's also so much more than just a love story. It explores themes of freedom, censorship, influence of westernization in society and why change is necessary- JH's writing style is so intrinsically mellifluous. It's impossible to not love her books. Anyway I'll stop yapping now. Srsly tho, I think it's safe to say that I'm quite literally obsessed.

ღThe sun rises and sets, the years have come and gone, and the more I have come to know you, the more deeply I have loved you. I know you will be joining me soon. A wiser man might take comfort knowing this. But alas. I am not that man. I deeply long for you. Please put me out of my misery and visit me in my dreams

Also me to yu seojun-




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side note
started- feb 13
finished- feb 16



↠━━━━ღ◆ღ━━━━↞
❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･pre-read *.ೃ࿔❀⋆
↠━━━━ღ◆ღ━━━━↞

I GOT THE ARC
OMGGGG
CAN U SEE ME FREAKING OUT
I FUXKING GOT THE ARC
BRB IMMA GO CRY
Mere words can't justify what I'm feeling rn.
Ignoring my cr's to start this one hehehe🏃🏻‍♀️‍➡️😭🩷

[Saranya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars!

now playing: a thousand years by Christina Perri
02:23 ━━━━●───── 04:45
⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

Yes, I enjoyed the read, but I overlooked the fact that it was a Pride and Prejudice retelling. As a huge fan of the original, I usually steer clear of those. I have realized that I am a bit of an Austen monogamist- she is my favourite author, so yeah.

But I was completely swept away by the beautiful, lyrical quality of the prose. The historical elements were equally impressive- meticulously researched and seamlessly woven into the narrative. Reading the author's note at the end really highlighted the care put into making the setting so authentic.

⤷𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
ꫂ᭪ Pride and Prejudice retelling
ꫂ᭪ pen pals
‎ꫂ᭪ secret identities
ꫂ᭪ forbidden love
ꫂ᭪ YA
ꫂ᭪ slow burn + yearning

The story is set in a Joseon era society where writing or reading fiction is strictly outlawed. The law dictates that literature must be strictly educational or moral- anything else is considered 'vulgar' or corrupting influences.

I loved how the story tackled the 'vulgarity' of novels through the lens of censorship. The underlying fear of westernization, paired with the stark class divides and relentless societal expectations made for an incredibly tense and immersive historical backdrop.

It was an absolute page-turner. The pacing was incredible. Despite the lyrical writing and historical depth, the plot moved so seamlessly that I finished it in about 4 hours- credits to June Hur’s compelling storytelling. I just could not put it down until I reached the end.

I loved the 'literary rebel' angle- Haewon transcribing banned books just to keep her family afloat! But the real standout was the sisterly bond. It was so sweet; dare I say, I found their bond much more resonant and well-developed than the sisterly dynamics in P&P. It felt like there was a deeper, more authentic layer of support there.

Yu Seojun who is the eldest son of a high-status family, embodies the 'perfect gentleman,' shaped by a lifetime of discipline and the weight of his family’s reputation. However, beneath his respectable exterior is his dangerous secret: he is a novelist! The tension is top-tier. Yu Seojun must protect his family honor at all costs, hiding his identity- 'Black Lotus.' Meanwhile, Haewon transcribes his work under her own pseudonym, 'Magpie.' They are long-distance 'pen-pal' confidants who have no idea who the other really is!

I would have loved to put those heartwarming quotes here, but alas! I cannot, since it was an uncorrected copy.

But can we talk about Yu Seojun? 😭 Because a man who is a gentleman, emotionally intelligent and a secret illegal writer is just straight out of heavens. He is a top class yearner! The pressure of being the eldest child and the fear of disappointing his family was so well-written that I could actually feel how much it crushes him. His love for Haewon is just... chef’s kiss.

I loved Haewon’s character. She is an incredibly bold female lead. In a time and place where her gender and her poverty were meant to keep her small, she chose to be a 'literary outlaw,' risking everything to transcribe books. What made her even more compelling is her capacity to forgive. She has every right to be bitter about her circumstances yet her heart remains open. It made her strength feel deeply human rather than just defiant.
♡₊˚ ・₊✧♡₊˚ ・₊✧♡₊˚ ・₊✧♡₊˚ ・₊✧ ♡₊˚ ・₊✧♡₊˚ ・₊✧

݁ ˖Ი𐑼⋆ 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝:
This is my first time reading something by June Hur. I thought A Crane Among Wolves would be my first read, but fate decided otherwise. So, I am both excited and scared to start this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmilan's Children Publishing Group for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: 26 May 2026

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 ★— Was this book written just for me? Because that’s exactly how it felt while reading it.

This is a historical romance heavily inspired by Pride and Prejudice (though not a retelling!) set in historical Korea, with a heroine who lives on a razor-thin edge as a transcriber in a time of strict book censorship, when works were banned or destroyed and women’s daily lives were already highly restricted.

Shin Haewon is a true middle child, with an unruly younger sister and an older sister she loves dearly, whom she wants to see married. Her focus is entirely on helping her sisters find happiness, leaving her own prospects largely out of the picture.

Enter the MMC, Yu Seojun, a highly eligible gentleman admired by women in society, but secretly living on the same razor-thin edge as Haewon, publishing his literature under the moniker Black Lotus. She has been transcribing his work and exchanging letters with this mysterious author, never knowing it’s him, and no one else knows either.

They have a classic meet-disaster that leaves both with very wonky impressions of each other, à la Lizzy and Darcy. But as they are thrown into more situations together, we get an MMC who falls hard and deeply (a yearner of the highest order!) and a Haewon who is just trying to make sure her sisters can live well, completely oblivious to the man she assumes to be a stiff, starchy gentleman.

And isn’t that the best part? My man is hopelessly in love for half the book, and it was perfect.

This story echoes Austen's essence beautifully, with beats that any Austenite will recognize instantly, while also doing its own thing with many moments subverting expectations, never letting me feel like I knew exactly what would happen next.

If you enjoy pining, light family drama, sisterly bonds, and a truly lovely Joseon Dynasty setting with a booklover heroine, this is for you! I’m also recommending it to anyone obsessed with Jane Austen, because this is one of the best Austen-inspired works I’ve read!

____________

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Nancy •͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ {Ramadan hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

──⟡⋆˙✩ 4.5 stars ✩ ⋆˙⟡──

The last chapter was a fever dream. Seriously. I'm certain June Hur drugged it. Yes she did! It took me 30 mins to read that chapter because I kept re-reading and giggling and blushing and hiding my face.

Setting: Pride and Prejudice reimagined in the Joseon period

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 βօօҟͲąցʂ 𓍯𓂃

➽ slowburn and yearning
➽ he falls first and harder
➽ writer and his transcriber
➽ exchanging letters via pseudonyms
➽ secret identities

Cσɳƚҽɳƚ Wαɾɳιɳɠʂ

➽ Time period–appropriate misogyny and double standards that will make you want to break things (but the narrative and our main characters make it clear that it’s wrong and utter hogwash).

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕀𝕤 𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥: ℕ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪 𝔼𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★

So this is set in a time when reading or writing novels was banned by law. Because apparently “reading should only be to enrich your morality and novels are vulgar,” or something to that effect.

These were troubled times for us bookworms. I mean, CAN you imagine? I could never. Apparently, buying a book would cost you a FORTUNE. And even borrowing books would send ladies into financial ruin. It was THAT bad. To be fair, I jump into “financial ruin” NOW buying so many books, but let’s talk about my bad habits another day.

Shin Haewon is one of three sisters in an impoverished family, who is transcribing books (which is a CRIME) for extra money. She also transcribes books as payment for borrowing them to read, so this is really a win-win situation (aside from the minor matter of this being illegal, but hey, we readers wouldn’t let something so unimportant stop us, would we? I mean, when I hear that a certain book was banned, my first action is to add it to my TBR). Anyways, I digress.

Yu Seojun is the oldest son of this really powerful and rich and respectable family, who has a lot on his shoulders, and rules and regulations and being a gentleman were drilled into his head from a young age. He’s the perfect honorable gentleman. Except he’s… a writer. GASP. That’s his illicit secret. No one can know or his family honor will be tarnished! He writes under the pen name Black Lotus. His pen pal, best bro, Magpie, transcribes his books. Magpie is Haewon’s pen name under which she transcribes books, and Black Lotus, her pen pal sis, is her fave author. But neither of them know the other’s actual identity. And when they meet, he says something disparaging about novels and about her fave author Black Lotus, and she now HATES him (after all, this IS a Pride and Prejudice retelling!).

ೃ⁀➷ I absolutely adored Seojun from the MOMENT, the very MOMENT I met him. June Hur really took me inside his head and showed me how much weight he carried on his shoulders. At such a young age he was dealing with so much stress and all the expectations because of his family status, him being the oldest and the son, and academic stress, and his secret hobby. And having to mask all of that. He came across as indifferent. He is always so composed and cool. Guarded. But I know that inside he’s tired.

ೃ⁀➷ As for Haewon… my thoughts on her are a bit… well, I’m not sure how to phrase this, but Seojun’s character felt very distinct to me. It was sharp. The characterization felt strong. In comparison, Haewon’s characterization felt weak. I still cannot describe how she is in this review because I’m frankly confused. She feels like a lot of things, but they are all scattered? It felt like June Hur relied on us knowing she was meant to be Elizabeth Bennet and letting that carry Haewon — you know, we were supposed to just put whatever traits we know Lizzy has into her instead of writing and fleshing her out herself. Yes, so due to this vagueness and blurriness I felt surrounding her, I wasn’t really able to connect with her as much as I had hoped to, unfortunately. I am saddened by it.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 ᯓ★

I was panicking slightly because the rules between men and women were so strict in this time period. I was questioning how these two were going to have an adequate amount of meetings to fall in love, but thankfully, Haewon is the “a little bit of rule-breaking never hurt anyone!” type. It was SO FUN to witness Seojun’s thoughts on Haewon change with each meeting. I mean, the first time he saw her, his thoughts were something like: “She had a plain face. Average looking. Nothing special.”

But then halfway through, his brain chemistry did a 180 and went: She was the most gorgeous, loveliest woman he had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on in his entire life.

Beauty really lies in the eyes of the beholder, y’all. And once he fell, he fell SO DAMN HARD. Some of his LINES. See. I was not ready. Okay? I wasn’t! Would you be? If you read this book and the whole time he is such a reserved gentleman and also he’s very nervous around her and ends up saying awkward shit that he later on cringes at himself for — and then towards the end he puts out all these LINES.

“Do you still want me?”
“More than life itself.”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

ೃ⁀➷ My reviews are usually full of quotes. I know I wanted to flood this one with quotes as well, but since I have an uncorrected proof and not the final published version, I chose not to. But I WILL be revising this review once the book comes out and I buy it. And I WILL be flooding this review with quotes, mark my words. There are SO MANY I want to put here but I can’t. June Hur is still editing and tweaking the sentences after all.

cries in helplessness

ೃ⁀➷ One other thing I wanted to talk about. This is a serious topic unlike my previous ones. This banning of reading novels and such because they “promote unorthodox thinking and vulgarity,” and also because they “are a frivolous waste of time and don’t educate a person on anything.” Even though this was back then, a lot of it still remains right now. People who view reading novels as a waste of time, fiction as a waste of time, and think we should all be enriching our intellect by reading non-fiction. That we shouldn’t read something just to have fun. That’s just silly. Even among those who like reading fiction, there are literary snobs who will look down their nose at you if you read “uncultured stuff” like romance. And then there are those who will say you aren’t a “real reader” if you mainly read e-books and listen to audiobooks. So this issue is still very much prevalent at this time, but I suppose a little disguised.

It saddened me. I mean, Seojun was really struggling with this. He would put his entire being into his novels, he would pour out his heart in them, and the king then called his novels vulgar — and he felt that he was vulgar. That his personality was vulgar and that he was lacking. That sort of guilt and self-loathing… it made me so sad. My boy just wanted to write and express himself. But society would have him believe his writing meant nothing if it wasn’t a timeless piece that would go down in history. But it doesn’t have to be a 10/10 masterpiece that changes your outlook on life to be meaningful. As long as it made someone laugh, as long as it brought someone joy — it brought you joy — that’s meaningful enough.

I mean, I write too. And I won’t have anyone telling me it means nothing. It does, okay? It brings me joy. I feel happy when I write. And that means EVERYTHING.

𝕀𝕟 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★

A spectacular book. It really made me think about a lot of issues still prevalent in this day and age. It also made me kick my legs and squeal. It made me nostalgic because Pride and Prejudice is one of my INFINITE-stars reads. As for my lighthearted and good-natured complaint about the ending, June Hur replied to me saying she’s working on a bonus chapter!!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[sof (reading slump)]

a pride and prejudice retelling set during the joseon dynasty?! i need this immediately 🙏

[joni ౨ৎ - busy · Rating 5 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.75 stars

arc review 💌
release date: may 26

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
so i watched pride & prejudice prior to reading this and im SOOO excited!!!! reading this was my lovely friend maelyn adore u sm and can't wait for our first buddy read <3


⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: oct 29
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: nov 7

✧˖°💌 ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 / 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲
⤷ pride and prejudice retelling in joseon era korea
⤷ era of banned books in korea
⤷ you've got mail vibes
⤷ mr darcy coded mmc??
⤷ pen pals
⤷ secret identities
⤷ he falls first


ᝰ.ᐟ 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
the second book i've read by june hur, and definitely not a disappointment. this was a love letter to romance readers, something for those readers wrecked by a crane among wolves.

i don't think i have any complaints about this. i love her writing, the 3rd person pov is always amazing.



⋆.˚✮🦢✮˚.⋆ 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
a must read for pride and prejudice fans + if you love you've got mail!!! guys we get a down bad mmc, she doesn't realize this, fljsifhkihsdf just soo good

✧ thank you to june for sending me an arc !!! ✧


(also my biggest flex might be that me and june are friends on insta 🤭)



_____


𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-release
so so excited for this & the cover is freaking gorgeous 🤭

release date: may 19th, 2026

raincoast you will be hearing from me !!

pride and prejudice x you've got mail ?!!

2026 is THE year for ya novels 👏💗

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Behind Five Willows
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑⭑.𝟮𝟱

𓏲⋆🖌️.* ❝ If there is one person in this entire world who understands me, I can live this life without bitterness. ❞

࣪ ִֶָ🦋་༘࿐ The Shin sisters consider the secret book-lending shop, Five Willows, as their second home because of their love for reading. With the king banning novels and enforcing censorship to preserve Confucian values, novel reading becomes an expensive and dangerous business. Shin Haewon, who secretly goes by the name 'Magpie', is a transcriber known for her exceptional work on the illegal novels by the mysterious Black Lotus. This author has never revealed their identity and is notorious for rejecting all letters sent to them—until they respond to her own.

For the past couple of months, she has been exchanging letters with the author until they stopped writing entirely. Now, she finds herself chaperoning her sister's meetings with a potential suitor, along with his best friend, the famous and highly respectable Yu Seojun.

Release Date: May 26, 2026 ⟢

*·˚ ༘ ➳ When I learned that there was a reimagining of 'Pride and Prejudice' set in the Joseon dynasty, where novels were banned, and government censorship was enforced, I knew I had to pick this up. I read June Hur's 'The Red Palace' in late 2024, and I still remember the emotions it evoked and the lasting impact of her writing. So I wasn't surprised at how much I ended up loving this book!

I swear, if I had just one day to myself, I would have finished this earlier. When I finally managed to focus, I completed the last 40% of the book in less than an hour. I've said this multiple times to mutuals, but reading this book literally felt like a fever dream!

⋆˚✿˖° ❝ She felt anchored to the spot, staring at where he had stood moments ago, her heart thrumming a wild beat. Perhaps her heart had recognized him: an enemy in another lifetime. ❞

𓏲⋆🪷* Shin Haewon : The middle child of the Shin sisters who puts her love for her family first and foremost. You could really feel the love and soft spot she has, especially for her sisters, and she always puts their happiness before her own.

❝ I finally realized that it is our fate to have nothing to lean on or hold on to in our lives. We must simply carry on, feeling the weight of the heavens on our heads with each step forth. ❞ ⋆˚࿔

𓏲⋆☘️* Yu Seojun : Son of a distinguished noble family, the very definition of an ideal son. With his striking looks and subtle charm, he draws people in. However, behind the facade, I loved how we catch a glimpse of the other side of the mirror, exposing his inner struggles and deep-seated worries towards his family and his love for writing.

.☘︎ ݁˖ ❝ You are the kind of soul one finds only once in a lifetime, and travels the next thousand searching for again. I would do that for you. I could live and die, searching each lifetime, for you. ❞

I cannot express how well-written the romance in this book is. A love so innocent and fluffy. I had just been watching a K-drama before I picked up this book, so the scenes were still fresh in my mind. Combined with June's easy yet captivating writing, I couldn't help but feel giddy with each moment our leads shared together. I also appreciated how, despite the characters having only recently met in person, the strong connection they built through their letters made up for it.

. ༘⋆ ❝ All thoughts of decorum faded as he’d watched her, the dust motes drifting between them in the golden sunlight. Look away. ❞

Also, having a dual perspective in this book was another great aspect. The intensity of Seojun's yearning was both passionate and bittersweet, and I found myself highlighting paragraphs from his point of view because I was so moved by his thoughts about Haewon. Also, Chapter 26—oh my gosh! Thinking about that scene gives me goosebumps. It was written in such a compelling way that I could vividly picture it; think of it like the slow-motion ending of an episode of a kdrama.

I was really conflicted about how to rate this book. While it gave me a five-star high right after reading it, I found that after some reflection and a desire to think more critically, I settled on my current rating. Although the book presented an intense setting with high stakes, I expected to experience more of the conflict and see how it was resolved. Instead, we mainly heard about the aftermath rather than witnessing the events unfold.

The story also depicted how our characters chaperoned Jane's meetings with Byungho, and I would have liked to see more of that and of their romance blossoming, since it plays a key part in the story. I loved the bond between the Shin sisters as well, along with Maid Boram's funny complaints towards her masters.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, quick read with lots of glances, longing looks, and feelings of yearning, make sure to pick this up! This definitely won't be the last June Hur book on my shelf.

Thank you to June Hur for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Please remember that this opinion is my own. ⭑

❝ I would much rather never call you mine, and live life without you, wandering homeless forever, than to bind you to a life you were not meant for. You are, and will always be, the mistress of your own life. ❞

More Titles by June Hur: ✶⋆.°
✶ Red Palace

˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

pre-read : she is finally doing it!!!

update (10/27/2025) : brb screaming bc i received a copy from the lovely author, june hur. definitely made my month!!

[vanessa ⋆.☕︎ [semiᝰia]]

⋆۶ৎ . ݁₊ 🦢 . ݁˖ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ Oh my god… this book already feels like it’s going to give me everything I adore: forbidden vibes, secret identities, letters, and slow-burn tension so thick I can chew it.

Haewon being a poor but fierce book transcriber during a time of censorship? Please, I love a girl who risks her life for stories. And her fighting against society’s expectations? Queen behavior.

Then there’s Seojun, the noble son who’s supposed to be perfect but is secretly a writer? And he has no idea that the transcriber he adores (Magpie) is literally the girl he finds annoying in person?

Yeah. I’m already kicking my feet.

The forced chaperone moments, the misunderstandings, the judgment-turned-fascination… it’s giving classic romantic tension, historical charm, and that delicious “oh no… I think I like them” energy.

If this book doesn’t wrap me in cozy heartbreak and longing, I’ll be shocked.<𝟑 .ᐟ

[Alyson Kent]

June Hur is one of those rare authors where I don't have to know what the book is about to want to read it.

Edit 3/17/2025 WE HAVE A TITLE AND I LOVE IT!

[Sarah (berriesandbooks) *semi hiatus*]

this book could be about chicken noodle soup and june hur would STILL deliver

[rina (hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ੭୧‎ ‎ 1 star‎ ‎ . ۫

‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ “ if i lose my honor, i will lose the world, but if i betray black lotus, i very much fear i will lose myself. ”

overall thoughts — june hur i love you but this was not it......WHERE WAS THE ANGST ??? WHERE WAS THE TENSION ??? WHERE WAS THE YEARNING ??? where was the slow burn ache that defines a pride and prejudice level romance ? behind five willows was, unfortunately, a major disappointment for me. i thought i would love this book, not only because i love june hur as an author, but also because it was marketed as a pride and prejudice retelling set in the joseon dynasty, a premise that should have been rich with tension, yearning, and social conflict. instead i found it painfully dull. and i'm talking PAINFUL levels of boredom, enough to almost put me in a reading slump. i genuinely dreaded picking up this book each time 💔 i only finished it for the author.

set in late joseon korea during a period of government censorship, the story follows haewon, the dutiful second daughter of a poor family who secretly works as an illegal book transcriber. she transcribes novels written by the mysterious author known as black lotus who (this is not a spoiler as it is revealed from the start) is revealed to be seojun, essentially the mr. darcy of the novel. and then they fall in love.

seems interesting, unfortunately it was the very opposite. 99% of the time i felt like the plot was non-existent. there was never anything happening. the character's conversed and moved locations, but nothing really ever happens...ask me to name one major event, and tbf i could not 😭

one of the most frustrating aspects is how underdeveloped the historical backdrop is. one major policy referenced is munchebanjong (문체반정), which targeted writing styles and banned fiction seen as morally dangerous or socially disruptive. novels were considered improper, and anyone writing, copying, or reading them could be punished. this era also saw anxiety over western learning and the spread of catholicism, which challenged confucian values. as a result, western influenced texts were banned, burned, and treated as ideological threats rather than mere books.

this could have been a great learning moment for readers, instead all these topics are just glossed over, or never explained well. the only in depth historical element we get is in the author's note at the end. i feel like the history should have been properly integrated into the novel, the story, the character's lives. and i'm not saying it isn't there, i'm saying it's not meaningfully interrogated or even at the core of the story.

haewonㆍ“ to live without a will is to deny the bird the sky, the flowers the sun. ”

her character was just so dull. i was expecting so much wit from her. she is a fmc who is against the social norms of the time period and illegally transcribes novels, but yet she still gave nothing! her character was so frustrating at times because of how easily she gave in to the mmc. there was a scene only after just meeting him, where she brushed past him in a bookshop and immediately feels a spark of intimacy. like girl ???? where is the buildup ?

yeonhee was infuriating! she repeatedly creates problems through careless, reckless, and foolish decisions, yet the narrative rarely holds her accountable. also her character put such an emphasis on her interest in western ideas (very illegal at the time), but that's never even explored.

seojunㆍ“ he wondered if she would ever come to know how deeply he cherished her thoughts. ”

as the male lead and supposed mr. darcy figure, he completely fell flat for me. for a character who secretly writes banned fiction and wrestles with societal expectations, he is surprisingly bland. i don't even have anything else to say.

final thoughts — i can't even speak on the romance between haewon and seojun for i fear i might cry 😭 like i mentioned already, there was no slow burn, no tension AND ABSOLUTELY no yearning. i was so excited to read about a man who experiences the most insane emotional suppression that explodes into longing, but no, we get nothing! the idea that the two characters don't know each other's identities holds no weight because the reader knows the truth from the very beginning. seojun should have been aching, the smallest details should have made him burn with longing, he should have been intoxicated BY THE SIGHT OF HER BUT EVERYTHING IS SO TAME MY GOSH. if, at any moment, she had crooked her finger, he would have knelt before her feet" SO WHY DIDN'T YOU ?? so many words, so little actions. the little moments that did occur between them happened instantaneously. no slow burn in my time period novel ??????? anyways this was not it. the only scene that made me feel anything was chapter 19 page 124 when she tells him "i hate how small you make me feel" MY SHAYLA 💔 almost burst into tears reading that.

thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!

CW: government censorship

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

finished: 12/13/25

pre read: 12/10/25
pride and prejudice retelling set in the joseon dynasty. i am begging, please have a profuse amount of yearning 🤲

[jo ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
𝓯𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼

big thanks to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

june hur did her thing in this book omgosh. every single page i was giggling. or laughing. or in shock at the plot. it was stunning gorgina and if you disagree, thats okay. if you are a jane austen fan or just a fan of june hur in general, you will be eating this book up.
if you arent convinced--read this quote.

His voice was soft. With his other hand, he took the letter from her. "But I have no intention of forgetting you."

HELLO!??!!? It was all i could do to not giggle in my bed at 2am okay.


𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ plot

╰┈➤ the plot was slaying. if you havent read the blurb, babes what are you doing. my name is not wikipedia okay? it's a homeage to jane austen about a reader and a writer who fight against the government book banning. did i steal that from the actual blurb? maybe. but seriously babes. grow some eyes.

i loved how the tension stayed throughout the entire story. it was giving the feet kicking but also nail biting action that we needed. and i could see the jane austen vibes throughout the entire book in the best way possible. 10/10

𓍯𓂃𓏧♡characters

╰┈➤ if i'm gone for a bit it's because ive traveled back in time to find seojun. dont hate me. hate the fact he's an absolute dreamboat okay. he's literally the best vibes of mr darcy but in his own entire way. like MHM yummy.

and ofc our fmc haewon is the witty girlypop we all needed. she slayed.

𓍯𓂃𓏧♡romance

╰┈➤ THIS ROMANCE. WAS. FREAKING. AMAZING. OMG. yes. that's it. that's all i have.

𓍯𓂃𓏧♡in other words...
if you haven't already, please pick up this book next year if you are looking for a historical romance with the jane austen vibes to bring the amount of cozy but cute and tension that you need. behind five willows is a sure book to gift to a friend or to buy for a cozy winter day.

~
𖡼.𖤣𖥧 oh my gosh i got the arc !!! i'm so so so excited for this one you can't even believe it 𖡼.𖤣𖥧

[maelyn (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ᝰ.ᐟ 📖 ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ┊4.2 ⭑.ᐟ
― read 10/29/25 - 11/08/25
⋆⁺₊❅. ╰┈➤ arc read with the 1 and only, joni

╰┈➤ extremely grateful to have this arc sent to me! (thank you netgalley.) this book was so whimsical , and I loved every bit of it. the plot was excellent, and there were so many life lessons that were highlighted. June Hur, you have done it again.

[Laura❄️&#x1f4da; · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher Headline for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was so much more than simply a Pride and Prejudice retelling, this was a beautifully written and exquisite love story between two kindred souls. After turning the last page and reading the epilogue I feel like I have read a most satisfying love story, as this book has exceeded all of my expectations and then some. If you only add one book to your to read pile in 2026 I would encourage you to add this one.

Haewon clearly loves her sisters Jade and Yeonhee and they her but it’s clear she feels stifled in the society in which they live, as women have few freedoms and liberties if any. Reading and transcribing novels was her only escape from a very rigid society that had banned novels, there are some similarities to the world in which we live in as censorship and book banning is very much prevalent. One of life’s greatest pleasures is to be lost in the pages of a good book, Haewon and Seojun clearly think so too. Seojun is clearly a young man weighed down by the pressures heaped upon him, I really felt for him as he and Haewon had a series of misunderstandings and the road for them both was paved with obstacles. These two were made for each other and I loved it whenever they were on the page together as sparks literally fly. I loved this book it was well written, I loved all the characters and quite simply everything about it. I’ve had some disappointing reads recently but this book was not one of them.

[nadine (semi ia)]

OMG!!! I got the arc!!

[Sherwood Smith]

When I saw that this writer was using Pride and Prejudice mixed with Korean history from the second half of the long Joseon period, I was quite excited, though also a bit worried. The last book of hers I read was vivid and absorbing, resonant with period details, but whew, it also needed *alllll* the content warnings.

I need not have worried.

What Hur takes from Pride and Prejudice are a few familiar plot points (beautiful first daughter, lively second daughter, stuffed-shirt aristocrat, wild younger sister, etc) and combines these with a period of Korean history when novels--fiction--were strenuously forbidden. The result is a delicious tale that centers around a love for literature. The story is full of wonderful conversations about books, writing, and what those mean in people's lives.

Hur wisely keeps the P&P refs as guideposts, rather than try to drag English cultural history over to Korea during the roughly same time, in order to rigidly follow the plot beat by beat. Instead, we are reminded of the similarities between the two cultures in reference to women's lives within a hierarchical society. How women are expected to marry and be wives and mothers, how they cannot own property of their own, etc etc.

Finally there's the story, rich with interesting personalities. I loved the way Hur hit the high emotional points, then veered expertly away to spin her story within the framework of that period of Joseon history, post the infamous Prinde Sado. The details were so vivid that once again, I felt that I was reading a text version of a sageuk.

I think if I had anything to wish for, it would be more about the elder sister's happiness, but all else was so very satisfying. I really look forward to her next!

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I happily skipped around my house when I read the email from Netgalley saying I was approved for this! It’s PERFECT. It has the nostalgia of pride and prejudice while being still being able to be its own amazing story. It’s a new comfort read for me I will happily pull out and read again and again. The historical romance parts of this were expertly done and I felt like I stepped back into time! There’s also a little mystery woven in which had me enjoying this even more. I sincerely hope it gets a Kdrama adaptation! Thanks so much to the author publisher and Netgalley for my copy!

[Suzannah Rowntree]

June Hur, the queen of Korean historical fiction, is back with a story in which PRIDE & PREJUDICE meets the Rowoon/Cho YiHyun kdrama THE MATCHMAKERS. I gulped this book with indecent haste and loved every minute of it.

Since Hur's previous books have often been mystery/thrillers inspired by dark moments in Korean history, I was curious to see how her homage to Jane Austen would work out. I was delighted to find that despite being a more swoony, romantic read, BEHIND FIVE WILLOWS remains firmly grounded in Korean history.

Our heroine, Haewon, works as a transcriber of fiction during an era when books of all kinds are being increasingly targeted by royal decree. Catholic books translated into Korean are causing waves, fiction is condemned, and police investigators are working hard to sniff out underground bookshops and libraries. Haewon treasures her secret correspondence with Black Lotus, one of her favourite authors. Unbeknownst to her, however, Black Lotus is not another woman - he's Lord Yu, the haughty, blue-blooded son of a palace official. And someone is after their secret correspondence - a secret which could ruin both of them in very different ways.

Meanwhile, Haewon's two sisters are headed into trouble of their own. Beautiful, selfless elder sister Jade is falling afoul of another, quite different palace decree forcing eligible spinsters to find husbands. And headstrong, ambitious younger sister Yeonhee chafes against the harsh restrictions placed on women in Joseon society. When Jade captures the attention of Lord Yu's best (and let's be honest: only - he's a bit of a stick in the mud) friend, Haewon finds herself thrown into Lord Yu's society a good deal more often than is comfortable.

As always, I loved learning so much about Korean history. It's an absolute delight how Hur discusses and quotes period literature with the kind of easy familiarity that only comes with deep knowledge of her subject. It was fascinating to hear about a time when Catholic thought was finding an eager audience among the reading public. And, while we've all enjoyed watching classic Jane Austen stories transposed into modern-day settings (CLUELESS, anyone?) it was particularly fascinating to see PRIDE & PREJUDICE played out in Korea around the same time the original book was written, specifically because it's the first time I've seen an Austen adaptation that replays the story in a social arena governed by rules even more restrictive than those of Austen's day. While a lot of the historical kdramas - or sageuks - which I've seen present a more rosy, lax picture of the social rules that actually governed the conduct of women in premodern Korea, I loved that this book keeps those rules foremost in the characters' minds at all times. Even better is the fact that as Hur's characters chafe against those rules, they do so quoting the voices of real women and writers of their own time and place.

All this, while Hur has immense fun crafting the story into a kdrama-worthy tropey romance with little references to famous adaptation moments, from the 2005 film's beloved hand flex to the 1995 miniseries' pond scene. What more could you want?

[ella ˚୨୧ ⋆｡. · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfection.
thank you so much to netgalley for the arc! 🥺💖

[Chertzo Ember [s: ia] · Rating 3 out of 5]

꒰📜꒱ 𝓟𝓸𝓼𝓽-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓡𝓮𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼:
Dawn: February 19, 2026 | Dusk: February 21, 2026

—3.5☆!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Publishers, and the author for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this ARC really wanting to love it, and I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity to read it early. While it didn’t fully work for me, I still appreciate the experience and can see what the author was aiming for.

There were moments where I wondered if my copy might have been missing or skipping content, because unfortunately, the story left me feeling a bit confused and disconnected. Several plot threads, including both the main storyline and side character arcs, didn’t seem to reach a clear conclusion, which made the ending feel abrupt and left me unsure about what ultimately happened to the characters. Because of this, I struggled to feel fully immersed or emotionally invested.

That said, I want to clarify that I still rated this 3.5 stars, and this isn’t meant as harsh criticism, just an explanation for why I deducted a bit from my rating. The romance, however, was absolutely breathtaking and easily one of my favorite aspects of the book.

I had a similar experience with another book by this author, which makes me think their storytelling style may simply not be the best fit for me personally. That said, the premise itself was intriguing, and I believe readers who connect with the writing style may have a much stronger experience than I did.

I’m still thankful for the chance to read this early and share my thoughts.

꒰🖋️꒱ 𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓡𝓮𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼:
DID I JUST AN ARC? YES. YES I DID.
DID I ALSO JUST LOSE MY MIND?? YES. YES I ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY DID.

[R.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Pride and Prejudice and think you know exactly what to expect, you will love this book. If you've never read Pride and Prejudice and have no idea what to expect, you will love this book. It's the perfect blend of familiar characters and beats from Jane Austen's classic dressed up in Joseon-era guises, and fresh new twists and plot elements that will keep even the most seasoned Austenite wondering what happens next. Add a romance with the perfect balance of sweet and heat to fit its historical context yet satisfy the modern reader, a timely and thoughtful look at censorship, and some of the loveliest tributes to books and writing I've read in recent fiction -- this story has something for everyone. A delight from beginning to end. I hope it sells like hotteok and gets made into a k-drama, because it deserves to.

[carthi ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

YALL ARENT READY FOR THIS BOOK!! 2026 HAS A MASTERPIECE COMING 🤭✨️ book lovers this is for us 🥹💗 full rtc

[zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

this was PEAK omfg pride & prejudice inspired book done well, which is a rarity

[˚₊꒰ა Jii ໒꒱₊˚ (catching up)]

˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆

I have been honorably blessed by the best! She doesn’t know this, but she actually made my life a little bit better by gracing me with this arc🥺🩵

➳ Huge thanks to the lovely — June Hur — for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rosamund Hodge]

Absolutely delightful!

[shi ❦]

i don't know much of anything that i'll be doing in 2026, but i do know i will be reading this.

[Adelene Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a charming read and a love letter to the written word. June's writing is so descriptive and immersive, I felt like I was walking alongside Haewon on her way to Five Willows. The romance was so cute and I loved getting Seojun's pov. So much yearning! Perfect for fans of Jane Austen and historical K-dramas.

[ezra [semi ia] · Rating 5 out of 5]

❀ ┈┈∘*“𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒸𝓁𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓈 𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝒽ℴ𝓌 𝓌ℯ ℴ𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓉ℴ 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀. 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓃ℴ𝓋ℯ𝓁𝓈 𝓈𝓅ℯ𝒶𝓀 𝓉ℴ 𝒶 𝓁ℴ𝓃𝑔𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌ℯ 𝒶𝓇ℯ 𝒶𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓂ℯ𝒹 𝓉ℴ 𝒶𝒹𝓂𝒾𝓉.”*∘┈┈ ❀ ₊ ⊹❀

❀ ┈┈∘*┈ ❀ ┈*∘┈┈ ❀

this book was perfect in every element possible!!! i was not expecting to love this book as much as i did, and friends, just wait till you get your hands on this book because you’ll absolutely fall in LOVE with it!!!

okay, also an important note. i saw another review for this book talking about how she felt like this was written just for her. and i couldn’t agree more!! while i was reading this my heart was quite literally filled, and i did NOT want it to end!! the talk of book and writing, poetry and family. it was beautiful!!

i loved this book so much that at the end i almost cried just for the fact that it was over:)

❀ ┈┈∘*┈ ❀ ┈*∘┈┈ ❀

𝒫ℒ𝒪𝒯 𓂃 𓈒𖧷

i loved the feeling of the small town that i got. their village(s) and everything she described painted such a wonderful picture in my head!!
and five willows of course, hehe, was stunninggg.
also the historical elements?! chefs kiss.

❀ ┈┈∘*┈ ❀ ┈*∘┈┈ ❀

𝒞ℋ𝒜ℛ𝒜𝒞𝒯ℰℛ𝒮 𓂃 𓈒𖧷

shin haewon-
oh. my. goodness. is she now on my favorite character list?? Yes. Indeed she is.
she was amazing!!!! her love for her family and sisters, love of books, it sometimes felt like she was me but in another universe:)

lord yu seojun-
all i can coherently say is—
💍

❀ ┈┈∘*┈ ❀ ┈*∘┈┈ ❀

besties, all i can leave saying is that on the release date… RUNN TO THE BOOKSTORE, AMAZON OR WHEREVER THE HECK YOU GET YOUR BOOKS AND BUY THIS!!!
also, for my clean readers besties…this is veryyy clean!! nothing but kissing and no language:)
so soak up every wondrous second you get with this book, and i hope you enjoy it as much as i did!!

❀ ┈┈∘*┈ ❀ ┈*∘┈┈ ❀

thank you netgalley, ms. june hur and the publishing house for this ARC!! all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kat (Bookish Blades) · Rating 4 out of 5]

get you a man who yearns like Yu Seojun

[Reader A · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this is not already sitting in your cart for pre-order, this is your sign. If you love historical romance with yearning, tension & strong Pride &!Prejudice vibes, you will adore this. Add it to cart, add it now 🛍️

A Pride & Prejudice retelling blended with K-drama energy, this felt like it was written specifically for me. This book completely lived up to its excitement & more. You can feel the Austen influence in the tension, misunderstandings & slow-burn romance, yet it never feels repetitive or predictable. It has its own voice & emotional depth. I read it in one sitting & absolutely loved every second. Sixth tier read ✍🏼

I’m so grateful to June Hoar for trusting me with an ARC of this story. It was such a privilege to experience it early. The way she balances historical atmosphere with romantic tension is beautifully done. I already know this book is going to find the audience it deserves ✨