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Not My Type
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Expected 16 Feb 27Win a free print copy of this book!
10 days and 09:19:38
25 copies available
U.S. only
In this swoony modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in Koreatown, K-drama level yearning meets the beloved classic, by USA Today bestselling author Jayci Lee.
Librarian Iseul Bae believes in hard work, loyalty, and building a life on her own terms. CEO William Park has spent his life meeting expectations he never set for himself. When their paths collide in Los Angeles' Koreatown, it is the farthest thing from love at first sight. To Iseul, William is aloof and entitled. To William, Iseul is judgmental, guarded, and impossible to read.
As their lives continue to intersect in unexpected ways, those first impressions begin to shift. Iseul begins to see the consideration and quiet responsibility beneath William's reserve, not to mention how distractingly attractive he is. William is drawn to Iseul's steadiness, care for others, and a sharp wit he can't seem to ignore. They start to recognize something rare in one another: the possibility of being chosen for who they are, not who they are expected to be.
Romantic, witty, and rich with yearning, this modern Pride and Prejudice retelling delivers sharp banter, emotional depth, and a deeply satisfying slow burn.
Librarian Iseul Bae believes in hard work, loyalty, and building a life on her own terms. CEO William Park has spent his life meeting expectations he never set for himself. When their paths collide in Los Angeles' Koreatown, it is the farthest thing from love at first sight. To Iseul, William is aloof and entitled. To William, Iseul is judgmental, guarded, and impossible to read.
As their lives continue to intersect in unexpected ways, those first impressions begin to shift. Iseul begins to see the consideration and quiet responsibility beneath William's reserve, not to mention how distractingly attractive he is. William is drawn to Iseul's steadiness, care for others, and a sharp wit he can't seem to ignore. They start to recognize something rare in one another: the possibility of being chosen for who they are, not who they are expected to be.
Romantic, witty, and rich with yearning, this modern Pride and Prejudice retelling delivers sharp banter, emotional depth, and a deeply satisfying slow burn.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 16, 2027
About the author
Jayci Lee
56 books1,344 followersJayci Lee writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance featuring Korean American main characters. Her books have been in O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood Reporter, E! News, and Women’s World. Jayci is retired from her fifteen-year career as a litigator because of all the badass heroines and drool worthy heroes demanding to have their stories told. Food, wine and travel are her jam. She makes her home in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys, and a fluffy rescue.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
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August 27, 2026pride and prejudice x kdrama? sign me up
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a Pride and Prejudice retelling down to the T. I was expecting it to be like P&P but it was exactly the same, and I love when I can tell which character is supposed to be who in the real book. Iseul and WIlliam meet under not so great circumstances, but we quickly see how WIlliam's feelings turn. You get the same crazy sister, the meddling mother and the witty banter. I liked that this one was set in a different culture and how the characters all had their own nuances. This was a great read if you are looking for a little P&P to get you through the day, which I am always looking for. If someone writes a retelling, I will read it for the vibes.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*arc review* As a huge lover of Pride & Prejudice, I was very excited to be invited to read this. I honestly think it was the first modern retelling of a classic where I’ve actually read the classic! This read more like a story than other romance books I read, probably because of the third person narration. I enjoyed understanding all of the references but I must say for most of it, the only thing interesting me was the pride and prejudice aspect of it. Without that (or maybe even if I wasn’t familiar with P&P), I would’ve thought the story line was crazy and most of the characters annoying. Also- I couldn’t help but read the entire thing in a British accent. Side effect of watching the movie 26 times? Probably.
Overall a decent read for lovers of Pride & Prejudice! Thank you St. Martin’s/HEA for inviting me to read this book in exchange of an honest review! 3.5.
Overall a decent read for lovers of Pride & Prejudice! Thank you St. Martin’s/HEA for inviting me to read this book in exchange of an honest review! 3.5.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you love Pride and Prejudice, reading this book will feel like a warm, comforting hug after a long day. It has all the familiar notes of P&P in a fresh, modernized setting with Korean-American culture expertly weaved into the story.
It’s a fun, binge-able read and definitely one I would recommend if you’re looking for something light and familiar.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me the e-arc!
It’s a fun, binge-able read and definitely one I would recommend if you’re looking for something light and familiar.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me the e-arc!
September 11, 2026
Story 3.5 ⭐| Spice 2 🌶️
This is a Pride and Prejudice retelling in modern day with a Korean spin on it. It works so well because traditional Korean culture lends itself to the "women should marry for money not love" like when Austen's era basically told women they were only good for breeding.
Iseul (Elizabeth) is a librarian with a degree and makes her own living. William (Darcy) runs a chain of Korean grocery (think: H-Mart). Yet their elders push both them to find spouses at this point in life.
Jayci Lee writes fantastic banter and physical comedy and the K-drama aspect is there too. You'll find one of these in Chapter 8:
Classic K-drama signature scene.
I like Jayci Lee's writing, and loved Give Me a Reason, but Pride and Predjudice is not my jam. Nevertheless, I trusted Lee to translate it into something modern and interesting. She does, for the most part. I think she could have given Iseul a stronger character/ethos than there was. And what is attractive/interesting about William besides his body? Hobbies? Interests? Dead parents, super rich, worked as a cashier when he was younger, so he's not as snobby as assumed? Both characters are kind of two-dimensional, but William more than Iseul.
They really struggle with every interaction, full of misunderstanding and miscommunication. William blurting out “I love you” is cringe because the book didn't establish a relationship to support it. He comes across as one of those psycho guys who drops that on women out of nowhere. He has spent most of the story watching her, misunderstanding her, getting irritated by her, or sitting near her. No dates. No one-on-one time. No meaningful history. The relationship at that point lacks his declaration.
He starts with “I love you despite your lower status and all the reasons I think I shouldn’t,” she calls out the insult buried inside the declaration, and instead of dealing with that, he pivots to “you’re insulting my dead father and grandfather after I told you I love you.”
When he says she “consumes” him and he loves her, it's a mismatch for what's been established and where they are. A slow burn is fine but should escalate constantly. This one stays plateaued for most of the book.
If they had one stretch where they actually chose each other, had a good date, got comfortable, maybe kissed, maybe had one night where the hostility dropped, then blew it up over class/family/misunderstanding bullshit, the Hawaii scenes would land completely differently.
The last 25% is them hooking up, and youngest sister, Lia, getting herself in trouble wanting to act like an adult even though she's 16. I think the author had room to modernize the emotional character logic more. Instead, mostly the setting was modernized.
This is a Pride and Prejudice retelling in modern day with a Korean spin on it. It works so well because traditional Korean culture lends itself to the "women should marry for money not love" like when Austen's era basically told women they were only good for breeding.
Iseul (Elizabeth) is a librarian with a degree and makes her own living. William (Darcy) runs a chain of Korean grocery (think: H-Mart). Yet their elders push both them to find spouses at this point in life.
Jayci Lee writes fantastic banter and physical comedy and the K-drama aspect is there too. You'll find one of these in Chapter 8:
Classic K-drama signature scene.
I like Jayci Lee's writing, and loved Give Me a Reason, but Pride and Predjudice is not my jam. Nevertheless, I trusted Lee to translate it into something modern and interesting. She does, for the most part. I think she could have given Iseul a stronger character/ethos than there was. And what is attractive/interesting about William besides his body? Hobbies? Interests? Dead parents, super rich, worked as a cashier when he was younger, so he's not as snobby as assumed? Both characters are kind of two-dimensional, but William more than Iseul.
They really struggle with every interaction, full of misunderstanding and miscommunication. William blurting out “I love you” is cringe because the book didn't establish a relationship to support it. He comes across as one of those psycho guys who drops that on women out of nowhere. He has spent most of the story watching her, misunderstanding her, getting irritated by her, or sitting near her. No dates. No one-on-one time. No meaningful history. The relationship at that point lacks his declaration.
He starts with “I love you despite your lower status and all the reasons I think I shouldn’t,” she calls out the insult buried inside the declaration, and instead of dealing with that, he pivots to “you’re insulting my dead father and grandfather after I told you I love you.”
When he says she “consumes” him and he loves her, it's a mismatch for what's been established and where they are. A slow burn is fine but should escalate constantly. This one stays plateaued for most of the book.
If they had one stretch where they actually chose each other, had a good date, got comfortable, maybe kissed, maybe had one night where the hostility dropped, then blew it up over class/family/misunderstanding bullshit, the Hawaii scenes would land completely differently.
The last 25% is them hooking up, and youngest sister, Lia, getting herself in trouble wanting to act like an adult even though she's 16. I think the author had room to modernize the emotional character logic more. Instead, mostly the setting was modernized.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An enjoyable contemporary romance with lots of emotions running throughout. It's a slow-burn, but when the main characters finally get together, it's fast and combustible. I found this book to be an easy read which pulled me in from the beginning, making me want to learn more about the characters and their lives.
The story takes place in modern-day California within Korean neighborhoods. The characters are mostly Korean-Americans and their families. I enjoyed the look into their family histories which ultimately helped shape the people they have grown up to be. Both main characters, Iseul and William, are very driven by the way they were raised. They are also both a bit closed off and set in their ways which brings the conflict in the story to the forefront. Both Iseul and William are "pushed" none-to-gently towards getting married, not necessarily to each other, but Iseul's Mother would like that! However, William's Aunt has other ideas for him. Of course, Iseul and William have their own ideas...William falling hopelessly for the fiesty Iseul and Iseul wanting nothing to do with William whom she thinks is just a rude, no-good rich boy! There's also a secondary love match between Iseul's older sister and William's best friend playing out too. It's all very interesting, action-packed, emotional, suspenseful, and full of playful banter that made me laugh-out-loud multiple times. The ultimate love matches are wonderful, if not a bit expected by the end of the story.
I enjoyed this one. It was well-written and moved right along. There were a few times I thought I had to stretch my believability when it came to Iseul and her actions, but it's a story, not real life, so I cut her some slack. All-in-all, I liked the characters, I liked their story and enjoyed this book! Two-thumbs up from me!
The story takes place in modern-day California within Korean neighborhoods. The characters are mostly Korean-Americans and their families. I enjoyed the look into their family histories which ultimately helped shape the people they have grown up to be. Both main characters, Iseul and William, are very driven by the way they were raised. They are also both a bit closed off and set in their ways which brings the conflict in the story to the forefront. Both Iseul and William are "pushed" none-to-gently towards getting married, not necessarily to each other, but Iseul's Mother would like that! However, William's Aunt has other ideas for him. Of course, Iseul and William have their own ideas...William falling hopelessly for the fiesty Iseul and Iseul wanting nothing to do with William whom she thinks is just a rude, no-good rich boy! There's also a secondary love match between Iseul's older sister and William's best friend playing out too. It's all very interesting, action-packed, emotional, suspenseful, and full of playful banter that made me laugh-out-loud multiple times. The ultimate love matches are wonderful, if not a bit expected by the end of the story.
I enjoyed this one. It was well-written and moved right along. There were a few times I thought I had to stretch my believability when it came to Iseul and her actions, but it's a story, not real life, so I cut her some slack. All-in-all, I liked the characters, I liked their story and enjoyed this book! Two-thumbs up from me!
August 24, 2026
Not My Type by Jayci Lee
✨ARC review✨
What do you get when you combine:
📖 Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
🍻 LA Koreatown’s pochas and traffic
🇰🇷 Korean-American characters and author
📺 Your love for kdramas
💕 Slow burn, opposite attract romance with slight enemies-to-lovers vibes
❤️🔥 A little bit of spice
Iseul Bae is a librarian and her family owns the humble OG Pocha in ktown. Holding fast to a fortune cookie’s prophecy, she hopes someday to find love among books. William Darcy Park is the CEO of the Fresh Mart grocery chain. Safe to say, their socioeconomic backgrounds couldn’t be more different. When William inadvertently snubs Iseul at the Koreatown Festival and his introversion gets misconstrued as being taciturn and standoffish, Iseul (fueled by her hurt pride) is determined to hold onto her preconceived prejudices about his rich background and elite status against him. However, as their paths keep intersecting, they slowly shed their bruised egos and misconceptions to find out that there may be mutual attraction despite their exterior differences.
I’m a pretty big snob when it comes to P&P retellings since nothing can touch the perfection of the original, but I enjoyed this one! One of the main reasons is because Lee simplifies P&P’s story so it has the most relevant characters, the overarching storyline, and main conversation pieces, but doesn’t weigh us down with too much focus on the side characters or plot points. Also, if you’re new to P&P, Lee’s version helps you understand the blinding pride and prejudices that put roadblocks in this slow-burn love story through both Iseul and William’s perspectives.
This was such a fun, lighthearted read! Thank you netgalley and stmartinspress for an eARC of this book! It comes out 2/16/27!
✨ARC review✨
What do you get when you combine:
📖 Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
🍻 LA Koreatown’s pochas and traffic
🇰🇷 Korean-American characters and author
📺 Your love for kdramas
💕 Slow burn, opposite attract romance with slight enemies-to-lovers vibes
❤️🔥 A little bit of spice
Iseul Bae is a librarian and her family owns the humble OG Pocha in ktown. Holding fast to a fortune cookie’s prophecy, she hopes someday to find love among books. William Darcy Park is the CEO of the Fresh Mart grocery chain. Safe to say, their socioeconomic backgrounds couldn’t be more different. When William inadvertently snubs Iseul at the Koreatown Festival and his introversion gets misconstrued as being taciturn and standoffish, Iseul (fueled by her hurt pride) is determined to hold onto her preconceived prejudices about his rich background and elite status against him. However, as their paths keep intersecting, they slowly shed their bruised egos and misconceptions to find out that there may be mutual attraction despite their exterior differences.
I’m a pretty big snob when it comes to P&P retellings since nothing can touch the perfection of the original, but I enjoyed this one! One of the main reasons is because Lee simplifies P&P’s story so it has the most relevant characters, the overarching storyline, and main conversation pieces, but doesn’t weigh us down with too much focus on the side characters or plot points. Also, if you’re new to P&P, Lee’s version helps you understand the blinding pride and prejudices that put roadblocks in this slow-burn love story through both Iseul and William’s perspectives.
This was such a fun, lighthearted read! Thank you netgalley and stmartinspress for an eARC of this book! It comes out 2/16/27!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spoiler-free review ahead:
I will be honest with you: the first 40% of this book had me a little nervous. It moves fast, the Pride and Prejudice beats are exactly where you expect them to be, and I was worried it was going to stay in comfortable, predictable territory the whole way through.
Then Jayci Lee said "hold on".
This is a kdrama wrapped in a Pride and Prejudice retelling and once the second half kicks in, it absolutely delivers on that premise. The slow burn is real, the tension is real, and when it finally pays off it pays off completely. The MMC, William, is the kind of male lead that ruins you a little bit. He is devoted in a way that feels earned rather than performative, and the dynamic between him and the FMC, Iseul, has that specific push and pull that kdrama fans are going to recognize and lose their minds over.
There is also family drama, a genuinely well constructed villain, a side romance that carries its own emotional weight, and smut that does not miss.
The epilogue alone bumped this to 5 stars for me. I was grinning like an idiot on the last page.
If you love kdramas, slow burn romance that actually pays off, and a love interest who would do absolutely anything for the person he loves, clear your schedule. This one doesn't release until February 2027 but it is already one of my favorite reads of the year. EASY 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher for the early ARC, and Crystalblue for having me as part of getting the world ready for Not My Type!
I will be honest with you: the first 40% of this book had me a little nervous. It moves fast, the Pride and Prejudice beats are exactly where you expect them to be, and I was worried it was going to stay in comfortable, predictable territory the whole way through.
Then Jayci Lee said "hold on".
This is a kdrama wrapped in a Pride and Prejudice retelling and once the second half kicks in, it absolutely delivers on that premise. The slow burn is real, the tension is real, and when it finally pays off it pays off completely. The MMC, William, is the kind of male lead that ruins you a little bit. He is devoted in a way that feels earned rather than performative, and the dynamic between him and the FMC, Iseul, has that specific push and pull that kdrama fans are going to recognize and lose their minds over.
There is also family drama, a genuinely well constructed villain, a side romance that carries its own emotional weight, and smut that does not miss.
The epilogue alone bumped this to 5 stars for me. I was grinning like an idiot on the last page.
If you love kdramas, slow burn romance that actually pays off, and a love interest who would do absolutely anything for the person he loves, clear your schedule. This one doesn't release until February 2027 but it is already one of my favorite reads of the year. EASY 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher for the early ARC, and Crystalblue for having me as part of getting the world ready for Not My Type!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I really enjoyed this Kdrama retelling of Pride and Prejudice! It was very true to the original, with clear parallels between OG characters and their “Not My Type” counterparts. When Iseul and William meet, he immediately puts his foot in his mouth and comes across as obnoxious. His sweet bestie, Charles, is immediately taken with Iseul’s eldest sister. From there, William and Iseul’s paths cross repeatedly and they alternate hurling insults, misunderstanding one another, and trying to write the other off. The Korean spin on the classic tale was very fun, and the plot of the second half (plus the spice) made the last 50% or so read much more quickly than the first half which was more exposition.
True to the source material, Iseul’s mother and younger sister, Mrs. Bae and Lia, were downright obnoxious. I found their scenes difficult to read. By modernizing the story without updating some of their theatrics to better match self-absorbed behavior of the twenty-first century, they read as even sillier than in the original. Regardless, this is a really fun read for fans of P&P!
I really enjoyed this Kdrama retelling of Pride and Prejudice! It was very true to the original, with clear parallels between OG characters and their “Not My Type” counterparts. When Iseul and William meet, he immediately puts his foot in his mouth and comes across as obnoxious. His sweet bestie, Charles, is immediately taken with Iseul’s eldest sister. From there, William and Iseul’s paths cross repeatedly and they alternate hurling insults, misunderstanding one another, and trying to write the other off. The Korean spin on the classic tale was very fun, and the plot of the second half (plus the spice) made the last 50% or so read much more quickly than the first half which was more exposition.
True to the source material, Iseul’s mother and younger sister, Mrs. Bae and Lia, were downright obnoxious. I found their scenes difficult to read. By modernizing the story without updating some of their theatrics to better match self-absorbed behavior of the twenty-first century, they read as even sillier than in the original. Regardless, this is a really fun read for fans of P&P!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Pride and Prejudice is probably my all-time favorite book. I reread it regularly, and am always on the look-out for new, modern adaptations of the work. Not My Type is one such adaptation, and I really enjoyed it. This version of the tale is set in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, and is steeped in Korean culture and social mores. That shift in perspective made the story interesting and fresh.
But that wasn't my favorite thing about this book. No, my favorite thing about this book is that it was dual perspective. That's right! We finally get a glimpse (from Lee's perspective) into Darcy's head! It made for a fascinating (dare I say richer?) journey to true love for these two to know what they're both thinking. Of course, misunderstandings, pride, and yes, prejudice still abound, but I knowing more about Darcy made him even easier to love.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.
But that wasn't my favorite thing about this book. No, my favorite thing about this book is that it was dual perspective. That's right! We finally get a glimpse (from Lee's perspective) into Darcy's head! It made for a fascinating (dare I say richer?) journey to true love for these two to know what they're both thinking. Of course, misunderstandings, pride, and yes, prejudice still abound, but I knowing more about Darcy made him even easier to love.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a fun modern retelling with a K-Drama twist!!
Iseul and William come from two different worlds, and their first meeting with disastrous and didn’t leave a good impression on either! Yet they kept running into each other and over time their opinions changed but circumstances did not. Their passion strong and feelings growing stronger they have decide if taking the fall is worth the fight!
I loved the little sprinkle of Pride and Prejudice quotes throughout the book and how certain characters mimicked those of Austens but that Lee also made this her own.
Iseul’s love for her family and who she is really shined through as well as her independence and strong voice. Williams strength but loving heart just had me oohing and aweing with Iseul.
An enjoyable read for any lover of Jane Austen!
Iseul and William come from two different worlds, and their first meeting with disastrous and didn’t leave a good impression on either! Yet they kept running into each other and over time their opinions changed but circumstances did not. Their passion strong and feelings growing stronger they have decide if taking the fall is worth the fight!
I loved the little sprinkle of Pride and Prejudice quotes throughout the book and how certain characters mimicked those of Austens but that Lee also made this her own.
Iseul’s love for her family and who she is really shined through as well as her independence and strong voice. Williams strength but loving heart just had me oohing and aweing with Iseul.
An enjoyable read for any lover of Jane Austen!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Not My Type was such a fun and charming romance! This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice brings all the tension, misunderstandings, and slow-burn chemistry of the original story into a fresh contemporary setting in Koreatown.
What I enjoyed most was the emotional depth beneath the romance. As Iseul and William spent more time together, they began to see past their assumptions and appreciate each other's strengths and vulnerabilities. Their banter was entertaining, the chemistry was undeniable, and the yearning was exactly what I want from a slow-burn romance.
I also loved the cultural elements woven throughout the story and how naturally they enriched the characters and setting. Even though the plot follows a familiar framework, it felt fresh and engaging thanks to Lee's writing and the lovable cast of characters.
What I enjoyed most was the emotional depth beneath the romance. As Iseul and William spent more time together, they began to see past their assumptions and appreciate each other's strengths and vulnerabilities. Their banter was entertaining, the chemistry was undeniable, and the yearning was exactly what I want from a slow-burn romance.
I also loved the cultural elements woven throughout the story and how naturally they enriched the characters and setting. Even though the plot follows a familiar framework, it felt fresh and engaging thanks to Lee's writing and the lovable cast of characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publishing team for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book and honestly couldn't put it down! I will always go for a pride and prejudice remake & the fact that the book was set in present day & featured Asian American characters was a big sell for me. I enjoyed watching the slow burn between William and Iseul and I really enjoyed all of the small references to either the book or movie adaptations. My only complaint is that while there was a slow burn until the end, parts of it felt rushed (like the love declaration and the kiss in the water) & then them sleeping together & not really communicating after. I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, however I do know that is a part of the overarching Pride and Prejudice book. I also think the ending was a little rushed & wish we got to see a little bit more of William and Iseul's happily ever after.
I really enjoyed this book and honestly couldn't put it down! I will always go for a pride and prejudice remake & the fact that the book was set in present day & featured Asian American characters was a big sell for me. I enjoyed watching the slow burn between William and Iseul and I really enjoyed all of the small references to either the book or movie adaptations. My only complaint is that while there was a slow burn until the end, parts of it felt rushed (like the love declaration and the kiss in the water) & then them sleeping together & not really communicating after. I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, however I do know that is a part of the overarching Pride and Prejudice book. I also think the ending was a little rushed & wish we got to see a little bit more of William and Iseul's happily ever after.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First, thank you, NetGalley and St Martin’s, for letting me get an e-ARC of this book.
5/5 — stars
2/5 — spice
K-drama x Pride and Prejudice? Give me more. I loved this book. It was everything I wanted. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books and movies, so anything related to it, I love. This wasn’t the exception.
I really loved the K-drama and contemporary take on a classic. It was so much fun. Also, the slow burn was slow burning, and I loved it.
William is a professional yearner, and Iseul was such a fun character. My only thing is that I think I would have liked this book even more if it had been written in first person. I would love a Pride and Prejudice retelling written in first person.
- Pride and Prejudice retelling
- Enemies to lovers
- Slow burn
5/5 — stars
2/5 — spice
K-drama x Pride and Prejudice? Give me more. I loved this book. It was everything I wanted. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books and movies, so anything related to it, I love. This wasn’t the exception.
I really loved the K-drama and contemporary take on a classic. It was so much fun. Also, the slow burn was slow burning, and I loved it.
William is a professional yearner, and Iseul was such a fun character. My only thing is that I think I would have liked this book even more if it had been written in first person. I would love a Pride and Prejudice retelling written in first person.
- Pride and Prejudice retelling
- Enemies to lovers
- Slow burn
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
All I had to read in the description was Pride and Prejudice and K-drama and I knew I'd enjoy this book. This was basically the Pride and Prejudice storyline, but with Korean characters. It's a fun, easy read that doesn't take itself too seriously. It mixes Korean cultural references with all the best parts of Pride and Prejudice — including an Asian version of Mr. Darcy. Same early prejudices, same journey to understanding one another. I also loved that this was dual POV, since it gave more insight into what Darcy was thinking and made the book even more interesting to read. Best part: it had all my favorite beats from the original, but with the added spice that would make Jane Austen blush.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25⭐️ Iseul is a middle class Korean American whose mom is trying to marry her and her sisters off to rich men. William is the very wealthy CEO of his family’s company. Iseul and William butt heads during their first interaction and run into each other repeatedly after. William likes Iseul even though she is “below his station” and he makes the mistake of telling her exactly that. She doesn’t take it well.
I don’t always pick up on retellings even when I’m aware that it is, but I could tell this is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice with a modern twist.It’s a slow burn with a lot of miscommunication, but there is eventually spice. This is well written and entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the opportunity to ARC read this.
I don’t always pick up on retellings even when I’m aware that it is, but I could tell this is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice with a modern twist.It’s a slow burn with a lot of miscommunication, but there is eventually spice. This is well written and entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the opportunity to ARC read this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
I haven't read an easy-breezy romance in a long time. Probably because I've been married and divorced twice, and I love being single. I read this quickly because it was an easy read and a lovely story. Nothing was too complex about it; just when you thought it was going to be the same type of trope, the story changed in a unique way, and that was perfect for me. Some stated that this is a little like Pride and Prejudice, and it totally is, down to the Darcy references. I recommend the book. It's a lovely read.
I haven't read an easy-breezy romance in a long time. Probably because I've been married and divorced twice, and I love being single. I read this quickly because it was an easy read and a lovely story. Nothing was too complex about it; just when you thought it was going to be the same type of trope, the story changed in a unique way, and that was perfect for me. Some stated that this is a little like Pride and Prejudice, and it totally is, down to the Darcy references. I recommend the book. It's a lovely read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This Korean American modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice has all the beauty of the original's complex dive into classism and deeply rooted prejudices. However where it truly shines is with Lee's ability to prolong a slow-burn angsty romance without loosing the audience. The pages fly by as you debate if the only thing more frustrating than bad first impressions is someone never giving you another chance to change their minds. Highly recommend if you love Austen retellings and a good K-drama!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Confession: I've never read Pride and Prejudice. But apparently this is a modern retelling, set in Koreatown, Los Angeles - and I loved it! Iseul is a librarian whose overbearing mother is pushing her daughters to marry rich, but even though her older sister is "the pretty one", big shot grocery CEO keeps crossing paths with Iseul and they find themselves drawn to each other (even as they keep insulting and misunderstanding each other). I always love Jayci Lee's K-dramas, and this one was just as good as I hoped!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
i loved the relationships in the story, especially the main female character and his older sister was absolutely amazing. Also relationship with her job as a reader was amazing to read. Also her relationship with the mmc was amazing and i thought it was funny how they just never said the right thing to each other. The romance felt rushed at the end but that doesn't really bother me becuase it was the perfect cutesy read for a inbetween of a harder read.
September 7, 2026
I received an ARC from NetGalley for this book.
Overall, it was fine. I thought it was cute and absolutely loved seeing all the Korean culture throughout the book. I think for me, the overall execution just didn’t quite land.
Overall, it was fine. I thought it was cute and absolutely loved seeing all the Korean culture throughout the book. I think for me, the overall execution just didn’t quite land.
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August 27, 2026I received an ARC via a NetGalley widget from Kejana Ayala (she/her) at St. Martin's Publishing Group today.
Review of advance copy
Me dio mucha risa la declaración de amor de William ¿De verdad pensaba que diciendo esas barbaridades ella lo iba a aceptar?
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