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The Devoted
In this emotionally transportive literary debut about family and fate, a young Korean woman whose father is a leader in an infamous crime organization becomes entrenched in the dangerous world she once sought to escape.
Raised in Hong Kong by their Korean grandmother in a quiet village, Eunha and her brother Solomon live a sheltered life. Their father is a Dragon Head, a leader within the infamous criminal organization of the Triads. While their beloved grandmother does her best to shield the children from the constant hum of violence and fear that surrounds their father and his world, Eunha only has Solomon and their one permitted companion, a boy named Kai, for company.
But as Eunha grows up and marries into a supposedly respectable Hong Kong family, the veneer of her careful life begins to crack. When her young son is kidnapped, she is cast into the city’s criminal underground and back into the orbit of Kai, now a Dragon Head himself.
Will Eunha finally give in to the life she has strived so hard to rise above or was her future always fated?
The Devoted is at once a sweeping family drama, a moving account of forbidden love, and a story about a woman’s determination to choose her own destiny.
Raised in Hong Kong by their Korean grandmother in a quiet village, Eunha and her brother Solomon live a sheltered life. Their father is a Dragon Head, a leader within the infamous criminal organization of the Triads. While their beloved grandmother does her best to shield the children from the constant hum of violence and fear that surrounds their father and his world, Eunha only has Solomon and their one permitted companion, a boy named Kai, for company.
But as Eunha grows up and marries into a supposedly respectable Hong Kong family, the veneer of her careful life begins to crack. When her young son is kidnapped, she is cast into the city’s criminal underground and back into the orbit of Kai, now a Dragon Head himself.
Will Eunha finally give in to the life she has strived so hard to rise above or was her future always fated?
The Devoted is at once a sweeping family drama, a moving account of forbidden love, and a story about a woman’s determination to choose her own destiny.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
August 6, 2026
if i had to choose whether to give in to a life of crime or enjoy a normal existence with my family, i'd probably go with the latter. but then no one writes books about me
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh boy… this one is a bit of a mixed bag for me.
The story itself isn’t bad at all. It’s actually quite a sad and emotional one, centered around family, loss and the long shadow of a life tied to a criminal organization.
We follow Eunha, whose father is a Dragon Head in the Triads, and we see her life unfold through both past and present timelines. I did like that structure, it gave a fuller picture of her upbringing and how everything connects.
But… I kept waiting for something more to happen.
The first chapters were fine, and I thought we were building toward something intense, but the story stays very linear and just follows Eunha’s perspective as she tells her story. It felt more like being told what happened rather than experiencing it.
I think part of it is also expectations. I went in thinking this would have more suspense or thriller elements, but it leans much more toward literary fiction and character driven storytelling.
There were moments that caught my attention, especially toward the last 10% when things finally started to come together, and I’ll admit that part had me more engaged.
Also… Kai… yeah... dude, I had a bit of hope. HAD -.-. That’s all I’m saying...
Overall, not a bad book at all, just not what I was expecting, and it didn’t fully work for me.
⭐ 3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
The story itself isn’t bad at all. It’s actually quite a sad and emotional one, centered around family, loss and the long shadow of a life tied to a criminal organization.
We follow Eunha, whose father is a Dragon Head in the Triads, and we see her life unfold through both past and present timelines. I did like that structure, it gave a fuller picture of her upbringing and how everything connects.
But… I kept waiting for something more to happen.
The first chapters were fine, and I thought we were building toward something intense, but the story stays very linear and just follows Eunha’s perspective as she tells her story. It felt more like being told what happened rather than experiencing it.
I think part of it is also expectations. I went in thinking this would have more suspense or thriller elements, but it leans much more toward literary fiction and character driven storytelling.
There were moments that caught my attention, especially toward the last 10% when things finally started to come together, and I’ll admit that part had me more engaged.
Also… Kai… yeah... dude, I had a bit of hope. HAD -.-. That’s all I’m saying...
Overall, not a bad book at all, just not what I was expecting, and it didn’t fully work for me.
⭐ 3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
August 2, 2026
3.5-4⭐️ My biggest advice— go into this book knowing it’s predominantly literary fiction with just an air of mystery, and I think you will be very pleasantly surprised. While this story features warring Dragon Heads (faction heads of an organized crime syndicate), so much of this story centers around the central character of Eunha, whose whole world centers around the mob, and the power it strips her of, as the men in the family seemingly negotiate the world around them.
When her young son is kidnapped, we see just how tight the strings bind her to the world of Dragons, and just how hard she’ll work to break free. A powerful debut about loyalty to family, a mother’s love, and the bonds that threaten to destroy them. With lyrical prose and peeks into the gritty street life of Hong Kong, Catherine Cho offers a dynamic look into the world of organized crime through the lens of the innocent.
🎧 I read this book primarily via audiobook, narrated by Rosa Escoda. Her gorgeous narration lent itself well to Cho’s writing style. Given the amount of characters and details, particularly in the first half of the story, I think an immersive read, combining the print with the audiobook, would make for the best reading experience.
I am so happy to have buddy read this with Shakila @booksansthemes over the weekend. It makes for an engaging group read as there is a lot to parse out.
Read if you like:
▪️slow burn x quick pace
▪️bingy
▪️character driven
▪️atmospheric
▪️Hong Kong setting
▪️waring mobs
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Atria Books for the advanced copy.
When her young son is kidnapped, we see just how tight the strings bind her to the world of Dragons, and just how hard she’ll work to break free. A powerful debut about loyalty to family, a mother’s love, and the bonds that threaten to destroy them. With lyrical prose and peeks into the gritty street life of Hong Kong, Catherine Cho offers a dynamic look into the world of organized crime through the lens of the innocent.
🎧 I read this book primarily via audiobook, narrated by Rosa Escoda. Her gorgeous narration lent itself well to Cho’s writing style. Given the amount of characters and details, particularly in the first half of the story, I think an immersive read, combining the print with the audiobook, would make for the best reading experience.
I am so happy to have buddy read this with Shakila @booksansthemes over the weekend. It makes for an engaging group read as there is a lot to parse out.
Read if you like:
▪️slow burn x quick pace
▪️bingy
▪️character driven
▪️atmospheric
▪️Hong Kong setting
▪️waring mobs
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Atria Books for the advanced copy.
May 26, 2026
The Devoted by Catherine Cho is definitely a cross between 3.5 and 4 stars. I'm leaning more towards 3.5.
What is interesting is that this book is about a daughter raised by a family who are a part of the Triads. I was expecting more intrigue, maybe a little violence, perhaps a little deeper dive into the modern day mafia of sorts. There are various mentions of families who make millions of things the West take for granted in their Amazon prime deliveries - curtain hooks, super glue, you get the idea. These are not just sweat shops, these are underground organizations who will hurt each other to ensure they're the ones making the most profit.
Instead, The Devoted is a very lush, slow book about Eunha, who is Korean and raised in Hong Kong. I'm not sure why Cho actually chose this approach. It didn't affect the storyline to have her not be Chinese. Regardless, I found the story slow, detached, and many times slightly bored with what could have been happening.
It's a story about being a mother, loving the wrong people, falling into a trap you can't get out. The Devoted is incredibly melancholic, dreary, and I wished there was more ooomph in the overall descriptions of Hong Kong.
Catherine Cho is a well written writer, and I do want to see what she writes next. Just wish this book kept me slightly more enthused.
What is interesting is that this book is about a daughter raised by a family who are a part of the Triads. I was expecting more intrigue, maybe a little violence, perhaps a little deeper dive into the modern day mafia of sorts. There are various mentions of families who make millions of things the West take for granted in their Amazon prime deliveries - curtain hooks, super glue, you get the idea. These are not just sweat shops, these are underground organizations who will hurt each other to ensure they're the ones making the most profit.
Instead, The Devoted is a very lush, slow book about Eunha, who is Korean and raised in Hong Kong. I'm not sure why Cho actually chose this approach. It didn't affect the storyline to have her not be Chinese. Regardless, I found the story slow, detached, and many times slightly bored with what could have been happening.
It's a story about being a mother, loving the wrong people, falling into a trap you can't get out. The Devoted is incredibly melancholic, dreary, and I wished there was more ooomph in the overall descriptions of Hong Kong.
Catherine Cho is a well written writer, and I do want to see what she writes next. Just wish this book kept me slightly more enthused.
Did Not Finish
July 6, 2026DNF @ 69%
I came for the Mystery/Thriller aspects (the publisher's page also lists this as Crime), but this was more Women's Fiction than anything. So just a heads up if you were looking for something in the Mystery/Thriller/Crime genres.
The writing style is lyrical yet easy to read and that kept me going. I also liked that the characters were Korean immigrants living in Hong Kong. It was a unique POV that I haven't read before.
But other than that, this was a really slow novel. I stopped at more than halfway through the novel and I was still waiting for Eunha to actually get involved with the actual criminal underground. Most of this novel is Women's Fiction, focusing mainly on Eunha's life from her childhood to her arranged marriage to her yearning for "the one who got away" to her current life as a mother who has lost custody of her son.
Everything crime-related was relegated to the periphery of Eunha's life, which didn't make for an interesting read. A lot of the circumstances in her life was due to her father and brother's involvement with the criminal underground, but those weren't really shown on page. Anything exciting happened off-screen, so we're dealt with Eunha literally just living her life in Hong Kong.
Maybe Eunha actually gets involved with the criminals in the last 30% of the novel, but unfortunately, I didn't care enough to find out. Other than her son's kidnapping, nothing exciting really happened.
Thank you to Washington Square Press and NetGalley for this arc.
I came for the Mystery/Thriller aspects (the publisher's page also lists this as Crime), but this was more Women's Fiction than anything. So just a heads up if you were looking for something in the Mystery/Thriller/Crime genres.
The writing style is lyrical yet easy to read and that kept me going. I also liked that the characters were Korean immigrants living in Hong Kong. It was a unique POV that I haven't read before.
But other than that, this was a really slow novel. I stopped at more than halfway through the novel and I was still waiting for Eunha to actually get involved with the actual criminal underground. Most of this novel is Women's Fiction, focusing mainly on Eunha's life from her childhood to her arranged marriage to her yearning for "the one who got away" to her current life as a mother who has lost custody of her son.
Everything crime-related was relegated to the periphery of Eunha's life, which didn't make for an interesting read. A lot of the circumstances in her life was due to her father and brother's involvement with the criminal underground, but those weren't really shown on page. Anything exciting happened off-screen, so we're dealt with Eunha literally just living her life in Hong Kong.
Maybe Eunha actually gets involved with the criminals in the last 30% of the novel, but unfortunately, I didn't care enough to find out. Other than her son's kidnapping, nothing exciting really happened.
Thank you to Washington Square Press and NetGalley for this arc.
2026
February 2, 2026ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Washington Square Press
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Washington Square Press
July 23, 2026
I received this for free from Goodreads and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
The Devoted contains themes of divided family loyalty, security versus freedom, maternal love, and revenge. This is the author's first novel.
Eunha grows up in a quiet village with her brother and grandma. One day her father sends a boy their age to stay with them. Eunha, Solomon, and Kai have a wonderful summer. Then the brother goes to England for school and Eunha's life gets more complicated. Her father is in the Triads and expects certain things of his children.
This book is told in two timelines, present day, starting with the kidnapping of her toddler son, and her childhood up to the present. It was interesting to see how we got to where we were. From the book description, I expected the book to focus on the kidnapping. But that's just a catalyst to an explosive ending.
The book wasn't perfect. At times, I felt too distant from the action, but that's because it's all told from Eunha's perspective. I felt like something was missing which kept me from giving that 5th star. But it is recommended and I'm looking forward to what this author does next.
The Devoted contains themes of divided family loyalty, security versus freedom, maternal love, and revenge. This is the author's first novel.
Eunha grows up in a quiet village with her brother and grandma. One day her father sends a boy their age to stay with them. Eunha, Solomon, and Kai have a wonderful summer. Then the brother goes to England for school and Eunha's life gets more complicated. Her father is in the Triads and expects certain things of his children.
This book is told in two timelines, present day, starting with the kidnapping of her toddler son, and her childhood up to the present. It was interesting to see how we got to where we were. From the book description, I expected the book to focus on the kidnapping. But that's just a catalyst to an explosive ending.
The book wasn't perfect. At times, I felt too distant from the action, but that's because it's all told from Eunha's perspective. I felt like something was missing which kept me from giving that 5th star. But it is recommended and I'm looking forward to what this author does next.
February 24, 2026
Okay so I read The Devoted a couple weeks ago and I’ve been meaning to sit down and actually write this because it deserves it.This story follows Eunha a young Korean woman raised in Hong Kong by her grandmother far away from her father’s violent world. Her father is a Dragon Head in the Triads and even though her grandmother does everything she can to shield Eunha and her brother Solomon from that life it’s always there in the background. Eunha grows up marries into what seems like a respectable Hong Kong family and tries to build something clean and separate from her past. But when her son is kidnapped she’s pulled straight back into the criminal underworld and back into the orbit of Kai her childhood friend who is now a Dragon Head himself. From there it becomes this intense story about family, loyalty, fate, forbidden love, and whether you can ever truly escape the blood you were born into.I read this around the same time I was reading Jade City and apparently I was just fully in my Chinese mafia era because I ate this up. I loved that it had that same criminal dynasty energy, the power struggles, the honor and violence, but it felt way more intimate and emotional. And the jade dragon theme was everythingggg I was Obsessed. Halfway through I genuinely thought this was going to land at a solid four stars for me. I was invested, I liked the writing, the tension was building but then the ending hit. The character development, especially for Eunha, completely sealed it. Watching her step into her own power and make choices instead of just reacting to the men and the world around her!?That’s what bumped it to five stars. It turned from a good crime family drama into something that actually felt powerfully personal.
Also I am still not over Kai. That’s all I’ll say.I’m honestly so happy I randomly got approved for this on NetGalley because it ended up being one of those surprise favorites. If you loved Jade City and want something with organized crime, complicated family loyalty, and emotional stakes I highly recommend.
Also I am still not over Kai. That’s all I’ll say.I’m honestly so happy I randomly got approved for this on NetGalley because it ended up being one of those surprise favorites. If you loved Jade City and want something with organized crime, complicated family loyalty, and emotional stakes I highly recommend.
July 13, 2026
The Devoted reminded me why I love fiction and those moments when a story mirrors parts your own life. Catherine Cho weaves between past and present of Eunha and follows her through sibling loyalty, trauma bonding, betrayal, and the strength. Cho also taps into something universal as the reader feels Eunha's loneliness, her simmering anger, and the drive for revenge that shapes her choices. The pacing starts fast, slows in the middle but finishes with intensity. I would recommend it for anyone who appreciates a character-driven story.
ARC provided by Washington Square Press/Atria via Edelweiss. Opinions and thoughts are my own.
ARC provided by Washington Square Press/Atria via Edelweiss. Opinions and thoughts are my own.
July 19, 2026
I had never really thought about underground criminal organization (mafia) in Hong Kong before reading this book. I find it interesting that all over the world and across cultures, thugs will be thugging and making their bucks with the blood of their minions. How much of the crap we buy off Amazon, WalMart, Shein and all those places are rooted in the criminal sector, washing their money under the guise of legitimate business.?
I found the story lyrical and sad and maddening as things came together. I wanted perhaps a little more revengeful violence than the quiet ending it delivered, but that is just my preference for the feminine rage trope. An overall interesting and thought provoking read
Thank you to Atria Books | Washington Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I found the story lyrical and sad and maddening as things came together. I wanted perhaps a little more revengeful violence than the quiet ending it delivered, but that is just my preference for the feminine rage trope. An overall interesting and thought provoking read
Thank you to Atria Books | Washington Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
July 4, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an eARC of “The Devoted”
This story has shifting timelines and typically those are hard for me to follow in books. However, the way this story is told you really are transported and you feel like Eunha is sitting beside you walking you through her life story.
The setting is described like a beautiful painting you hang on the wall. The food descriptions were amazing. This book really comes to life in the smallest and grandest of ways.
I really rooted for Eunha and the plot really had me hooked. I was invested in her journey and wanted to see her through it to the end. Her growth and awakening to make a choice and take control of her life was my favorite part.
The ending was a-bit abrupt and could’ve used a few kore pages but I also understand the intention for sometimes taking this route for books.
As a debut this is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and will probably stay with me for years to come.
This story has shifting timelines and typically those are hard for me to follow in books. However, the way this story is told you really are transported and you feel like Eunha is sitting beside you walking you through her life story.
The setting is described like a beautiful painting you hang on the wall. The food descriptions were amazing. This book really comes to life in the smallest and grandest of ways.
I really rooted for Eunha and the plot really had me hooked. I was invested in her journey and wanted to see her through it to the end. Her growth and awakening to make a choice and take control of her life was my favorite part.
The ending was a-bit abrupt and could’ve used a few kore pages but I also understand the intention for sometimes taking this route for books.
As a debut this is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and will probably stay with me for years to come.
June 29, 2026
Thank you to Washington Square Press, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an eARC to read and review before publishing.
The Devoted by Catherine Cho is one that I wanted to love more than I did. It is definitely a strong debut and one I will recommend; however, I do wish some elements of the story had been more developed.
I do love that this story is primarily about Eunha and her growth as a character and person. As a woman who has always made herself smaller to fit into the life around her, Eunha is thrust onto a journey of self-discovery and embracing her power by events that are completely out of her control. Because of this, she shrinks further into herself before she is able to find the means and strength to do what must be done. The pay off is worth it in the end.
The element that was missing for me was the deep exploration of why it was so hard for Eunha and her family being Korean in Hong Kong. This aspect of her childhood and adult life was mentioned several times; however, I feel it was a missed opportunity to explain the significance of this further. I wanted more of Eunha's culture, especially the allusions to the elements of wind and embracing that wildness of nature. I also wanted more exploration of the lore of the Dragons: how they came to be, what made them so powerful, etc. I understand that this was a subplot; yet, it was a subplot that propelled most of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed The Devoted by Catherine Cho, and I do recommend it for those of you that are looking for a story of a woman stepping into her power and facing the challenges in life that are inherent to being a woman.
The Devoted by Catherine Cho is one that I wanted to love more than I did. It is definitely a strong debut and one I will recommend; however, I do wish some elements of the story had been more developed.
I do love that this story is primarily about Eunha and her growth as a character and person. As a woman who has always made herself smaller to fit into the life around her, Eunha is thrust onto a journey of self-discovery and embracing her power by events that are completely out of her control. Because of this, she shrinks further into herself before she is able to find the means and strength to do what must be done. The pay off is worth it in the end.
The element that was missing for me was the deep exploration of why it was so hard for Eunha and her family being Korean in Hong Kong. This aspect of her childhood and adult life was mentioned several times; however, I feel it was a missed opportunity to explain the significance of this further. I wanted more of Eunha's culture, especially the allusions to the elements of wind and embracing that wildness of nature. I also wanted more exploration of the lore of the Dragons: how they came to be, what made them so powerful, etc. I understand that this was a subplot; yet, it was a subplot that propelled most of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed The Devoted by Catherine Cho, and I do recommend it for those of you that are looking for a story of a woman stepping into her power and facing the challenges in life that are inherent to being a woman.
July 19, 2026
Superb - my ideal type of book. Transports you to a different world, Hong Kong in a landscape of criminal families of those trying to leave and those enmeshed in the power and the spoils. Part thriller, part family drama, lots left unspoken, deeply emotional.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars - This book was sad. The story follows Eunha, a Korean woman raised by her grandmother alongside her brother Solomon. Their lives are shaped by complex consequences stemming from their father being a well-known leader in a criminal organization. The novel highlights the family obligation, sacrifices, and the emotional loneliness that comes with being part of a criminally connected family. The author effectively captures the complexity of human nature - showing that people are not purely good or bad. Their actions don't always align with their values and can be shaped by other powerful forces such as cultural expectations, family duties and long-held secrets. I felt for Solomon and would love to have seen more of his character. The pacing was slow and picked up at the end, and overall it was an interesting and thought-provoking read.
3.5 stars - This book was sad. The story follows Eunha, a Korean woman raised by her grandmother alongside her brother Solomon. Their lives are shaped by complex consequences stemming from their father being a well-known leader in a criminal organization. The novel highlights the family obligation, sacrifices, and the emotional loneliness that comes with being part of a criminally connected family. The author effectively captures the complexity of human nature - showing that people are not purely good or bad. Their actions don't always align with their values and can be shaped by other powerful forces such as cultural expectations, family duties and long-held secrets. I felt for Solomon and would love to have seen more of his character. The pacing was slow and picked up at the end, and overall it was an interesting and thought-provoking read.
July 12, 2026
kind of like an incredibly mid version of the expatriates by janice y.k. lee meets pachinko by min jin lee
July 14, 2026
The best book of 2024. Even though it pubs today! Wong Kar-Wai and Mildred Pierce had a baby and this was it
August 1, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to read an early copy.
The life you left is calling you back into its web.
Eunha, having left the crime world her father was once a part of in search of a more respectable life, is pulled back into it when her only son is kidnapped. Once again, she comes face to face with Kai, the young boy who lived with her family when they were children.
This was a very easy read. The short chapters and the way the protagonist moved through the story made it easy to fly through.
It wasn't an enjoyable read for me. I didn't connect with the story or the characters, so I found myself reading more to finish it than to really immerse myself in the story.
Thank you for the early copy, but this book just didn't do it for me.
The life you left is calling you back into its web.
Eunha, having left the crime world her father was once a part of in search of a more respectable life, is pulled back into it when her only son is kidnapped. Once again, she comes face to face with Kai, the young boy who lived with her family when they were children.
This was a very easy read. The short chapters and the way the protagonist moved through the story made it easy to fly through.
It wasn't an enjoyable read for me. I didn't connect with the story or the characters, so I found myself reading more to finish it than to really immerse myself in the story.
Thank you for the early copy, but this book just didn't do it for me.
Want to Read
June 7, 2026Can you be haunted by a book? If so, that's definitely me and Catherine Cho's memoir Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness. So when I heard she was releasing a novel that has something to do with organized crime in Hong Kong, I couldn't add it to my TBR fast enough.
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
July 23, 2026
The Devoted completely surprised me. Going into this book, I expected a mystery thriller, but what I found was something much deeper; a powerful exploration of family, sacrifice, legacy, and the impossible choices we sometimes make out of love and obligation.
Catherine Cho tells the story of Eunha, a woman raised in Hong Kong by her Korean grandmother after her mother is committed to an asylum. Her father is the Dragon Head of the Triads, the powerful leader of a Chinese criminal empire, and from a young age, Eunha grows up surrounded by a world of secrets, corruption, and danger.
Her brother Solomon is positioned as the heir to the family business, leaving Eunha to navigate what it means to be a daughter, a mother, and a woman constantly sacrificing pieces of herself for a family legacy that was never truly meant to belong to her.The story opens with Eunha’s son, Munsuk, being kidnapped and held for ransom. When he is unexpectedly returned after the payment is made, the lack of answers leaves Eunha questioning everything. From there, the novel moves between the present timeline and Eunha’s childhood, slowly unraveling the choices, betrayals, and sacrifices that shaped who she became.
This book was heartbreaking and, at times, incredibly frustrating; in the best possible way. Watching Eunha endure so much while trying to protect the people she loves was painful. She is a motherless daughter carrying the weight of generations before her, constantly putting her own happiness and instincts aside for the sake of family duty.
One of the things that stood out to me was how much this story reminded me of The Godfather. I found parallels between Eunha and Michael Corleone; the desire to escape the family business, the attempt to create a normal life, and the painful realization that the people around them may not truly have their best interests at heart. Like Michael, Eunha is ultimately forced to confront that power, loyalty, and control may be the only ways to protect what matters most.
The betrayals, secrets, schemes, and heartbreak kept me completely invested. What I loved most was that the mystery element didn’t follow the typical thriller formula. You don’t even fully realize you’re reading a mystery/thriller until much later in the story, and honestly, that’s what made it so refreshing. It felt less like a race to solve a puzzle and more like a beautifully layered character study slowly revealing itself.
The Devoted is contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery, but at its heart, it is a story about family, identity, and the sacrifices we make when loyalty becomes both our greatest strength and our greatest burden.
A beautifully written, emotional, and unforgettable read. Highly recommend.
Thank you Netgalley, for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Catherine Cho tells the story of Eunha, a woman raised in Hong Kong by her Korean grandmother after her mother is committed to an asylum. Her father is the Dragon Head of the Triads, the powerful leader of a Chinese criminal empire, and from a young age, Eunha grows up surrounded by a world of secrets, corruption, and danger.
Her brother Solomon is positioned as the heir to the family business, leaving Eunha to navigate what it means to be a daughter, a mother, and a woman constantly sacrificing pieces of herself for a family legacy that was never truly meant to belong to her.The story opens with Eunha’s son, Munsuk, being kidnapped and held for ransom. When he is unexpectedly returned after the payment is made, the lack of answers leaves Eunha questioning everything. From there, the novel moves between the present timeline and Eunha’s childhood, slowly unraveling the choices, betrayals, and sacrifices that shaped who she became.
This book was heartbreaking and, at times, incredibly frustrating; in the best possible way. Watching Eunha endure so much while trying to protect the people she loves was painful. She is a motherless daughter carrying the weight of generations before her, constantly putting her own happiness and instincts aside for the sake of family duty.
One of the things that stood out to me was how much this story reminded me of The Godfather. I found parallels between Eunha and Michael Corleone; the desire to escape the family business, the attempt to create a normal life, and the painful realization that the people around them may not truly have their best interests at heart. Like Michael, Eunha is ultimately forced to confront that power, loyalty, and control may be the only ways to protect what matters most.
The betrayals, secrets, schemes, and heartbreak kept me completely invested. What I loved most was that the mystery element didn’t follow the typical thriller formula. You don’t even fully realize you’re reading a mystery/thriller until much later in the story, and honestly, that’s what made it so refreshing. It felt less like a race to solve a puzzle and more like a beautifully layered character study slowly revealing itself.
The Devoted is contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery, but at its heart, it is a story about family, identity, and the sacrifices we make when loyalty becomes both our greatest strength and our greatest burden.
A beautifully written, emotional, and unforgettable read. Highly recommend.
Thank you Netgalley, for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
July 12, 2026
This mafia story fell pretty flat, but was a very quick read nevertheless.
Main character Eunha is the daughter and sister of Hong Kong based Triad bosses; she married into “regular” society and the story kicks off when her son is kidnapped due to the underworld entanglements of her family. Don’t expect much mafia action though - Eunha grows up completely sheltered and goes through life with blinkers on, so she seems to know less about the Triads than literally any other person on the street who either has access to the internet or, like, simply lives in HK.
I won’t go into too much detail about the plot so I don’t spoiler the entire thing, but basically, the problem with this book is that the main character is completely passive (and I don’t mean in a “intentionally kept passive for cultural reasons” way), she’s a NPC in her own life. I would say she’s very stupid, but I actually think this purely down to a quirk of the writing. It reminded me a ton of another debut I read this year, The Poet Empress; very different obviously in terms of genre and plot etc, but in that both books are written in first person but you’re never actually inside the protagonist’s head, leading to a completely detached reading experience. It’s all tell, tell, tell. You aren’t shown anything, you don’t feel anything, you never get the sense the protagonist has a single thought in their brain. So they end up seeming dumb, but it’s actually just faulty narration. I know BookTok for some reason can only read novels written in first person, so maybe that’s why these authors are doing it, but these are third person objective narrations (I almost said third person limited but you’re aren’t actually privy to the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings), pressed into a first person format, which changes the entire way you experience the story.
It was very easy to read and it was entertaining enough even if due to this faulty narration style none of the actions of the main character made a lick of sense, but the plot itself would’ve had a lot more potential with some changes to the writing style (or tbh I could just say the writing wasn’t very good, but you know. Debut.).
Main character Eunha is the daughter and sister of Hong Kong based Triad bosses; she married into “regular” society and the story kicks off when her son is kidnapped due to the underworld entanglements of her family. Don’t expect much mafia action though - Eunha grows up completely sheltered and goes through life with blinkers on, so she seems to know less about the Triads than literally any other person on the street who either has access to the internet or, like, simply lives in HK.
I won’t go into too much detail about the plot so I don’t spoiler the entire thing, but basically, the problem with this book is that the main character is completely passive (and I don’t mean in a “intentionally kept passive for cultural reasons” way), she’s a NPC in her own life. I would say she’s very stupid, but I actually think this purely down to a quirk of the writing. It reminded me a ton of another debut I read this year, The Poet Empress; very different obviously in terms of genre and plot etc, but in that both books are written in first person but you’re never actually inside the protagonist’s head, leading to a completely detached reading experience. It’s all tell, tell, tell. You aren’t shown anything, you don’t feel anything, you never get the sense the protagonist has a single thought in their brain. So they end up seeming dumb, but it’s actually just faulty narration. I know BookTok for some reason can only read novels written in first person, so maybe that’s why these authors are doing it, but these are third person objective narrations (I almost said third person limited but you’re aren’t actually privy to the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings), pressed into a first person format, which changes the entire way you experience the story.
It was very easy to read and it was entertaining enough even if due to this faulty narration style none of the actions of the main character made a lick of sense, but the plot itself would’ve had a lot more potential with some changes to the writing style (or tbh I could just say the writing wasn’t very good, but you know. Debut.).
July 16, 2026
The Devoted by Catherine Cho
Eunha and her brother Solomon grow up sheltered under the watch of their grandmother, who tries to shield them from the violence that surrounds their father. This protection is fragile as their father is a Dragon Head, a leader in the infamous criminal organization of the Triads. Their childhood companion and friend, Kai, is connected to their family and father in complex and complicated ways. This is a compelling family saga rife with secrets, entanglements, revenge, crime, power, and forbidden love. The pressure of involvement in the family business hangs over everyone and everything, creating a barrier between them and the outside world and becoming something no one can truly refuse.
Eunha’s father promised to separate her from the Triad life. But after her son is kidnapped, she realizes that her separation was never true freedom, it was only ever an illusion.
At its core, it’s a novel about inheritance - both emotional and political - the roles you are expected to assume, the path you are expected to stride and the mantle of power you are expected to bear. Compliance is demanded while defiance is punished, raising questions of whether it is possible to ever escape your heritage. Can love survive loyalty when betrayal is built into the structure of the family business? What does loyalty truly mean when it’s demanded rather than earned?
This is an exciting story filled with surprising twists that are both chilling and utterly engrossing. Long held secrets are gradually unraveled, creating mounting tension, intrigue and shocking revelations. Cho balances gritty realism with emotional intensity portraying family relationships with remarkable emotional complexity, adding literary depth to the exploration of love, loyalty, betrayal, grief and the ways these are shaped by power, strategy, and survival. The emotional stakes cannot be cleaved from the criminal stakes, giving the story a charged atmosphere where affection can become a vulnerability.
A compelling and immersive novel that is as much about family and identity as it is about crime and power.
Eunha and her brother Solomon grow up sheltered under the watch of their grandmother, who tries to shield them from the violence that surrounds their father. This protection is fragile as their father is a Dragon Head, a leader in the infamous criminal organization of the Triads. Their childhood companion and friend, Kai, is connected to their family and father in complex and complicated ways. This is a compelling family saga rife with secrets, entanglements, revenge, crime, power, and forbidden love. The pressure of involvement in the family business hangs over everyone and everything, creating a barrier between them and the outside world and becoming something no one can truly refuse.
Eunha’s father promised to separate her from the Triad life. But after her son is kidnapped, she realizes that her separation was never true freedom, it was only ever an illusion.
At its core, it’s a novel about inheritance - both emotional and political - the roles you are expected to assume, the path you are expected to stride and the mantle of power you are expected to bear. Compliance is demanded while defiance is punished, raising questions of whether it is possible to ever escape your heritage. Can love survive loyalty when betrayal is built into the structure of the family business? What does loyalty truly mean when it’s demanded rather than earned?
This is an exciting story filled with surprising twists that are both chilling and utterly engrossing. Long held secrets are gradually unraveled, creating mounting tension, intrigue and shocking revelations. Cho balances gritty realism with emotional intensity portraying family relationships with remarkable emotional complexity, adding literary depth to the exploration of love, loyalty, betrayal, grief and the ways these are shaped by power, strategy, and survival. The emotional stakes cannot be cleaved from the criminal stakes, giving the story a charged atmosphere where affection can become a vulnerability.
A compelling and immersive novel that is as much about family and identity as it is about crime and power.
July 12, 2026
The pacing was slower at the start and picked up in the last 40%, but overall I found this to be an interesting and thought provoking read. I appreciated the multigenerational family story, and exploration of other cultures (in this case, Koreans living in China).
The story follows Eunha and Solomon, siblings whose lives are shaped by their father’s involvement in a criminal organization. The story leans into the theme of is your life is your own, or is it set out long before you’re even aware of it? It’s dual timeline as well. There is also a lot of blurring the lines of who is good and who is bad, who you want to connect and who you don’t. It had me questioning a lot how to feel when people make decisions for the people they care about. They might think it’s the best option, even if it causes harm.
The author had a lot of complex characters and emotions to balance, and it was done brilliantly. Catherine writes with such detail and emotion that I was drawn to keep reading, even if I didn’t always connect with the story.
I received this ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
The story follows Eunha and Solomon, siblings whose lives are shaped by their father’s involvement in a criminal organization. The story leans into the theme of is your life is your own, or is it set out long before you’re even aware of it? It’s dual timeline as well. There is also a lot of blurring the lines of who is good and who is bad, who you want to connect and who you don’t. It had me questioning a lot how to feel when people make decisions for the people they care about. They might think it’s the best option, even if it causes harm.
The author had a lot of complex characters and emotions to balance, and it was done brilliantly. Catherine writes with such detail and emotion that I was drawn to keep reading, even if I didn’t always connect with the story.
I received this ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
July 16, 2026
Eunha and her brother Solomon were raised in a small village by their Korean grandmother while their father was a Dragon Head, a leader of a criminal organization. The two are only allowed company with another young boy, Kai, who came to live with them for a time. As Eunha grows up, her father marries her into a respectable family in Hong Kong, but soon this facade is cracked as their son is kidnapped. Eunha has to go to her brother Solomon, who has replaced their father as a Dragon Head, and is convinced that it's fault that her son is kidnapped. As Eunha gets swept up in her despair, she eventually learns the truth to the world that she has been shielded from for so long.
This was okay, but I wanted it to be great. I wanted something more to happen in the story or for Eunha to finally do something really crazy in it. The main focus of the story talks about family and loss. I did really appreciate how the author utilized the different timelines going from present to the past - it was interweaved perfectly. I would have liked there to be more about what the Dragon Heads got up to and deeper into the criminal organization. I'm surprised the fact that Eunha was Korean didn't have any impact on the story once she was in China. I think this would have been an interesting way to add tensions in the story. I did enjoy the complexity of the characters showing that someone is not 100% good or bad - this was really explored with Kai's character. By the end, I felt bad for almost all of the characters. It is definitely an emotional story. I would rate this a 3-3.5 star book.
Thanks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Why did I read? Intrigued by the premise. Would I read again? Maybe - it was slow in the middle.
This was okay, but I wanted it to be great. I wanted something more to happen in the story or for Eunha to finally do something really crazy in it. The main focus of the story talks about family and loss. I did really appreciate how the author utilized the different timelines going from present to the past - it was interweaved perfectly. I would have liked there to be more about what the Dragon Heads got up to and deeper into the criminal organization. I'm surprised the fact that Eunha was Korean didn't have any impact on the story once she was in China. I think this would have been an interesting way to add tensions in the story. I did enjoy the complexity of the characters showing that someone is not 100% good or bad - this was really explored with Kai's character. By the end, I felt bad for almost all of the characters. It is definitely an emotional story. I would rate this a 3-3.5 star book.
Thanks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Why did I read? Intrigued by the premise. Would I read again? Maybe - it was slow in the middle.
July 21, 2026
The first thing that struck me about this book is the absolutely stunning cover, but it’s the story that drew me in. I’ve always been curious about the discussion surrounding fate versus self determination. As the mother of twins. I’ve seen firsthand how siblings raised in the same environment sharing the exact same experiences can still reflect distinctly separate personalities.
THE DEVOTED is the story of Eunha and Solomon; siblings raised by their grandmother in Hong Kong far from their Korean homeland. Over the span of a lifetime the author takes the reader to pivotal points where a specific decision results in ripples that extend into the future. In this case, it’s the involvement with the criminal underworld.
Not only did Cho examine the dynamics of the familial relationships, but she gives us a look at how power both protects and corrupts. There are many fascinating aspects examined here: culture, family, destiny, trauma, and devotion among them. It’s a short book that packs a powerful punch.
Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted ARC and beautiful finished copy. All opinions are my own.
THE DEVOTED is the story of Eunha and Solomon; siblings raised by their grandmother in Hong Kong far from their Korean homeland. Over the span of a lifetime the author takes the reader to pivotal points where a specific decision results in ripples that extend into the future. In this case, it’s the involvement with the criminal underworld.
Not only did Cho examine the dynamics of the familial relationships, but she gives us a look at how power both protects and corrupts. There are many fascinating aspects examined here: culture, family, destiny, trauma, and devotion among them. It’s a short book that packs a powerful punch.
Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted ARC and beautiful finished copy. All opinions are my own.
August 1, 2026
Some books are for you, and some aren’t. This one isn’t for me. I thought it was promising but it needs more showing and a whole lot less telling.
The FMC has very little common sense or know how for being around a triad most of her life. The first 10% and last 10% were the best. The rest took work to get through.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the arc. All opinions here are my own.
The FMC has very little common sense or know how for being around a triad most of her life. The first 10% and last 10% were the best. The rest took work to get through.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the arc. All opinions here are my own.
June 22, 2026
An exceptional debut. I felt physically heartbroken at multiple points.
July 20, 2026
This book started out with some promise but I just got bored as it kept going. There wasn’t much by way of conflict.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
July 27, 2026
A devastating story of love and loss, haunting story of family, isolation and betrayal. Thriller, pager turner from the first page. None put down able tale of a world of viciousness and wealth. A must read. Thank you Goodreads and Washington Square Press for this ARC book.
August 8, 2026
I came across this book and the cover intrigued me, the blurb was the final push and I began reading.
The book is fast paced, with short chapters that alternate between past and preset, and it is only 264 pages long!
I liked the writing; it was to the point and really moving:
Eunha and her older brother Solomon are brought up by their grandmother in a village, away from their fathers' criminal activities, and the son is obviously trained to take after the father but our girl is kept ignorant.
I was tearful.here:
She is taught to trust the ones around her and not really make decisions for herself, combined with what she learns about her family she has a lot of guilt and trauma.
The way he rarely acknowledges her, his own daughter:
She gets married to a supposedly respectable family away from any crime, so she can live a normal life as per her grandmother's wish. But Eunha never feels like she belongs there. This leads her to live a very ghost-like life, and she rarely intervenes in how her husband and sister-in-law behave towards her.
When her young son gets kidnapped, she is thrust back into the world of crime her life gets even worse.
Break my heart repeatedly
I would recommend this book. It beautifully shows the struggles and development of a character, how deeply human she is, and all the pain she carries. I wish things had been better for her and her brother.
If you want to go on an emotional ride (and by emotional ride, I mean exclusively the sad kind), cry your heart out, and feel every bit of the pain alongside the characters, this book is your go-to.
This is a story about a girl who did never felt like she belonged or she as welcomed, she went from feeling guilty for the things she never did to taking up stand for herself. I cried with Eunha a lot of times and felt my heart break for the girl she was and the things she lost. Her character development was amazing.
She had a strong bond with her brother and as she grew older, we witness how it changed (reader with siblings will related.)
A few scenes that I loved.
It did not have filler scenes, felt very emotional and I felt this
One thing I am confused about, who was behind this:
When I thought I could not take any more sadness Ms. Cho would stomp at my heart 😭
(how he felt in the above scene.)
The book is fast paced, with short chapters that alternate between past and preset, and it is only 264 pages long!
I liked the writing; it was to the point and really moving:
There was a pleasure in hearing tales of misfortune, a taste of someone else’s sorrow. Perhaps it felt like a way of guarding themselves, a quiet reassurance that misfortune would not touch them.
Eunha and her older brother Solomon are brought up by their grandmother in a village, away from their fathers' criminal activities, and the son is obviously trained to take after the father but our girl is kept ignorant.
I was tearful.here:
My grandmother cried when she told us.
‘I’m going to lose him,’ she wailed.
‘I’m here,’ I said.
‘You are a daughter. You were already lost to me from the day you were born.’ Her words were so unfair; I felt the sting of them.
She is taught to trust the ones around her and not really make decisions for herself, combined with what she learns about her family she has a lot of guilt and trauma.
The way he rarely acknowledges her, his own daughter:
‘Omonim.’ My father bowed to my grandmother deeply. She nodded in return.
He nodded to us and put a heavy hand on Solomon’s shoulder. Ajusshi pushed Kai forward, and my father paused before shaking his hand.
‘Welcome,’ he said
She gets married to a supposedly respectable family away from any crime, so she can live a normal life as per her grandmother's wish. But Eunha never feels like she belongs there. This leads her to live a very ghost-like life, and she rarely intervenes in how her husband and sister-in-law behave towards her.
When her young son gets kidnapped, she is thrust back into the world of crime her life gets even worse.
‘How was I supposed to do it?’ My words were a challenge. ‘Appa never taught me the way he taught you.’
Break my heart repeatedly
Eunha, you don’t have to live this life,’ he said slowly, as though he was pushing me away. ‘Not like Omma’ – and I held my breath hearing him mention her – ‘and not like me. You can live. When you close your eyes,’ he said, ‘what do you see?’ And I didn’t know how to tell him that, when I closed my eyes, I could only see the past.
I would recommend this book. It beautifully shows the struggles and development of a character, how deeply human she is, and all the pain she carries. I wish things had been better for her and her brother.
If you want to go on an emotional ride (and by emotional ride, I mean exclusively the sad kind), cry your heart out, and feel every bit of the pain alongside the characters, this book is your go-to.
This is a story about a girl who did never felt like she belonged or she as welcomed, she went from feeling guilty for the things she never did to taking up stand for herself. I cried with Eunha a lot of times and felt my heart break for the girl she was and the things she lost. Her character development was amazing.
She had a strong bond with her brother and as she grew older, we witness how it changed (reader with siblings will related.)
A few scenes that I loved.
It did not have filler scenes, felt very emotional and I felt this
One thing I am confused about, who was behind this:
I could do nothing. I could live with Kai and the secrets of the past, like my grandmother, like Winnie. I could be like my mother and retreat to my own reality, a place where I was alone. I could wait for the world to break around me.
I could hope that Kai would be merciful. I could go to him and tell him I knew what he had done, that Solomon’s son was alive. I could be like Nina and shield myself in beautiful things, live with my eyes closed.
Or I could claim what was mine. I was my father’s daughter. I had the truth; it had been given to me. All the pieces were here, the board had been set – it was the ending that mattered.
When I thought I could not take any more sadness Ms. Cho would stomp at my heart 😭
(how he felt in the above scene.)
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