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Sugar Love
An interracial rockstar romance set in the exciting world of KPOP!So, one day Mr. Sexy decides to walk into my record store. He's got tattoos, rocks a physique that would trigger any old lady to clutch her pearls, and naturally, I try to sell him something...I know what you're thinking. Really, Harley? But honestly, that entire evening and the days that follow become a haze for me.You see, I have no idea who he is until I do. I have to be told he's an international celebrity, a KPOP star. He's here for his American debut and is one of the most successful rappers South Korean music has every seen. People literally idolize this guy all over the world.They love him like he does me.The world, his world of flashing lights and fame, don't want us together, and he wants us both to tell them all to screw themselves. He wants to fight for me.Should I let him?Sugar Love is a new adult, rockstar romance set in the world of KPOP and can be enjoyed as a standalone. If you like KPOP groups like BTS and BIGBANG and grew up loving groups like the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and New Kids on the Block this steamy read is for you! One-click and get some "Sugar" today in this full-length, HEA romance!
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2016
79 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Victoria H. Smith
51 books516 followersVictoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the characters she writes give her an earful about it.
In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, reading, watching Scandal, and general geekery in the form of Sherlock and DC Comics. She’s a bestselling author and the 2014 Swirl Award winner for Best New Adult Romance, as well as the recipient of the 2015 AMB Ovation Award for her new adult romance FOUND BY YOU. She writes both new adult and adult fiction in many genres, but mainly focuses in contemporary interracial and multicultural romances.
To be notified about my latest releases, sign up for my newsletter! - http://eepurl.com/MxQMj
In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, reading, watching Scandal, and general geekery in the form of Sherlock and DC Comics. She’s a bestselling author and the 2014 Swirl Award winner for Best New Adult Romance, as well as the recipient of the 2015 AMB Ovation Award for her new adult romance FOUND BY YOU. She writes both new adult and adult fiction in many genres, but mainly focuses in contemporary interracial and multicultural romances.
To be notified about my latest releases, sign up for my newsletter! - http://eepurl.com/MxQMj
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 29, 2016
***ARC received for an honest review****
Harley hasn't had it easy, but she's learned to deal with the unexpected situations life throws her way. So when Jae, AKA Sugar, unexpectedly walks into her record store, she doesn't understand why she doesn't know how to deal with him, and the unexpected attraction she has to him after just one encounter with the sexy stranger.
This was a sweet romance about two people who are trying to navigate their way through life while falling in love, which could make the journey a little difficult but that much more interesting. Harley has trust issues, and rightly so, which makes it hard for her to trust her feelings and give Jae a real chance. While Harley maybe unsure of Jae, from day one Jae knew that Harley was the one for him, and he was willing to do anything to when her heart. This was a cute story of young love and I give it 4 stars!
Harley hasn't had it easy, but she's learned to deal with the unexpected situations life throws her way. So when Jae, AKA Sugar, unexpectedly walks into her record store, she doesn't understand why she doesn't know how to deal with him, and the unexpected attraction she has to him after just one encounter with the sexy stranger.
This was a sweet romance about two people who are trying to navigate their way through life while falling in love, which could make the journey a little difficult but that much more interesting. Harley has trust issues, and rightly so, which makes it hard for her to trust her feelings and give Jae a real chance. While Harley maybe unsure of Jae, from day one Jae knew that Harley was the one for him, and he was willing to do anything to when her heart. This was a cute story of young love and I give it 4 stars!
November 19, 2018
I loved it. Jae was soooooo sweet and genuine!
April 4, 2016
Ahh...OMG. I loved this book so much like I actually stayed up wayyy past bedtime to finish it because I couldn't put it down. First off, I am a huge kpop fangirl (my bias groups are BTS and Got7) so this just filled me with like champagne bubbles of feels and happiness. I loved how you can see how much effort the author put into the book like she really captured the ins and outs of kpop and kpop fandom flawlessly and I was just so impressed.
I liked the main couple: Harley and Choi "Sugar" Jaehyun. Harley is a young woman, who is pretty much self-made. She knew what was to struggle and work for everything she got. She was kind of cold and distant at times and that was something that made it hard to connect with her, but I can't say that I disliked her because I did understand where she was coming from. Jae, on the other hand, I loved. I mean, how could you not love him? He was pretty perfect. Jae is the heartthrob of the k-music scene and the leader and rapper of the group LVL NXT. I don't know, but I couldn't help but feel like Jae was inspired by G-Dragon and LVL NXT inspired by Bigbang. I could be totally wrong though and I didn't actually picture Jae as GD but more as SHINee's Taemin, I don't know why. Anyway, Jae is so charming and just really sweet and an overall legit guy. He's a pop star but he was so down to earth. Like Harley, I was pretty taken with him from jump.
I really loved Harley and Jae together. They were a sweet couple. I loved how pure Jae's love for Harley was. It's kind of hard to describe but I could really feel the emotion from him. The relationship from Harley's perspective was a little more subtle because she wasn't a very emotional person especially when it came to men. That said, I could see how much she cared for Jae, just by how much she let him in, when she was used to shutting everyone out. The relationship wasn't a total fairytale though. I mean, there was Harley's vindictive ex-boyfriend, Eli and Jae's rabid and possessive fans stirring up all kinds of trouble.
I liked the other characters too. There was Tess, Harley's kpop fangirl bff, Dom, her other friend who was pretty much her rock through all the ups and downs, and of course, the LVL NXT boys. The boys that stood out to me were Haze (whom I pictured as B.A.P's Yongguk), Siwon (Whom I pictured as Seventeen's Jeonghan), and Tyson (Whom I pictured as Got7's JB). I'd actually love to read more books about these boys because I got pretty attached. I really would like to know what's going to happen between Siwon, Tess, and Haze because there were definitely some unresolved issues there. I'd also like to know more about Tess and her background.
Overall, I just wanna hug this book, like I literally haven't stopped sighing and smiling since I finished it.
I liked the main couple: Harley and Choi "Sugar" Jaehyun. Harley is a young woman, who is pretty much self-made. She knew what was to struggle and work for everything she got. She was kind of cold and distant at times and that was something that made it hard to connect with her, but I can't say that I disliked her because I did understand where she was coming from. Jae, on the other hand, I loved. I mean, how could you not love him? He was pretty perfect. Jae is the heartthrob of the k-music scene and the leader and rapper of the group LVL NXT. I don't know, but I couldn't help but feel like Jae was inspired by G-Dragon and LVL NXT inspired by Bigbang. I could be totally wrong though and I didn't actually picture Jae as GD but more as SHINee's Taemin, I don't know why. Anyway, Jae is so charming and just really sweet and an overall legit guy. He's a pop star but he was so down to earth. Like Harley, I was pretty taken with him from jump.
I really loved Harley and Jae together. They were a sweet couple. I loved how pure Jae's love for Harley was. It's kind of hard to describe but I could really feel the emotion from him. The relationship from Harley's perspective was a little more subtle because she wasn't a very emotional person especially when it came to men. That said, I could see how much she cared for Jae, just by how much she let him in, when she was used to shutting everyone out. The relationship wasn't a total fairytale though. I mean, there was Harley's vindictive ex-boyfriend, Eli and Jae's rabid and possessive fans stirring up all kinds of trouble.
I liked the other characters too. There was Tess, Harley's kpop fangirl bff, Dom, her other friend who was pretty much her rock through all the ups and downs, and of course, the LVL NXT boys. The boys that stood out to me were Haze (whom I pictured as B.A.P's Yongguk), Siwon (Whom I pictured as Seventeen's Jeonghan), and Tyson (Whom I pictured as Got7's JB). I'd actually love to read more books about these boys because I got pretty attached. I really would like to know what's going to happen between Siwon, Tess, and Haze because there were definitely some unresolved issues there. I'd also like to know more about Tess and her background.
Overall, I just wanna hug this book, like I literally haven't stopped sighing and smiling since I finished it.
November 3, 2017
3 1/2 it was nice, but ...
September 9, 2022
A Rollercoaster Ride
I could not put this book down. It usually takes me a week to finish a book this length but I could not put it down. Jae and Harley were so sweet together. And the scenes were so freaking spicy. I am not Korean but I really felt the author really respected the culture and that is a nice change for once.
Totally recommend for the ARMY stan in your life!
I could not put this book down. It usually takes me a week to finish a book this length but I could not put it down. Jae and Harley were so sweet together. And the scenes were so freaking spicy. I am not Korean but I really felt the author really respected the culture and that is a nice change for once.
Totally recommend for the ARMY stan in your life!
April 22, 2016
*** ARC given for a Honest Review ***
Interracial read where the lead male is Kpop idol? This is totally up my alley! This story is about a girl who owns a music store and a Kpop idol who's preparing for his solo American debut. Said idol happens to visit her store when he's out looking for some good music and some inspiration for his own music. They meet and are immediately drawn to each other and go through their ups and downs before ultimately having their own HEA.
My thoughts:
I struggled with Ms. Smith's read (Brody) in that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. This time, I can say I connected with them and felt their connection with one another (so much so I had to fight feelings of jealousy that she got with the idol and I'm still waiting for my bias to get out of mandatory military duty haha). The only thing I wish I got more of out all the characters was more of Tess. I'd love to hear more of her journey and her life and who she ends up with, since I'm more like her in the kpop world (although her involvement in the kpop cause puts me severely to shame).
Plot wise, the story was good and engaging, but it got very slow for me about halfway the story. The preparation and trip to Japan dragged a little bit and didn't really keep my attention. It picked up in the final arc and kept me engaged to the end. Also, I know the ARC I received wasn't the final, published copy, but the one I received had several typos and choppy sentences which make the story a little difficult to read. However, I will not mark down the rating because I'm sure those are not in the final copy (which I have and will read as soon as I get the chance)!
Very good read and I can't wait to read more of what Victoria has in store for us!
Interracial read where the lead male is Kpop idol? This is totally up my alley! This story is about a girl who owns a music store and a Kpop idol who's preparing for his solo American debut. Said idol happens to visit her store when he's out looking for some good music and some inspiration for his own music. They meet and are immediately drawn to each other and go through their ups and downs before ultimately having their own HEA.
My thoughts:
I struggled with Ms. Smith's read (Brody) in that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. This time, I can say I connected with them and felt their connection with one another (so much so I had to fight feelings of jealousy that she got with the idol and I'm still waiting for my bias to get out of mandatory military duty haha). The only thing I wish I got more of out all the characters was more of Tess. I'd love to hear more of her journey and her life and who she ends up with, since I'm more like her in the kpop world (although her involvement in the kpop cause puts me severely to shame).
Plot wise, the story was good and engaging, but it got very slow for me about halfway the story. The preparation and trip to Japan dragged a little bit and didn't really keep my attention. It picked up in the final arc and kept me engaged to the end. Also, I know the ARC I received wasn't the final, published copy, but the one I received had several typos and choppy sentences which make the story a little difficult to read. However, I will not mark down the rating because I'm sure those are not in the final copy (which I have and will read as soon as I get the chance)!
Very good read and I can't wait to read more of what Victoria has in store for us!
Want to read
June 8, 2019sometimes I just gotta have one of those guilty pleasure reads for blue moons okay
September 25, 2016
OMG!!! I loved this book!!!
First off, I just bought this book yesterday at Penned Con St. Louis. I met the author on Friday and spazzed about kpop after she told me this book was based off her music love. I had to buy it and fell in love!!!! If you love Kpop and have fanfics about your favorite bias/idol, you will sooooo love this book!
Harley- A american music store owner who has had a rough life, moved to So-Cal first chance out of the system, met the Owner of Capri and his best friend Dom, ends up renting the apartment above the store and becoming Owner of Capri after a bad break up with Owner.
Jae- South Korean Kpop star! Comes to America to start his Solo album, leader of LVL NXT, and a HOTTIE!!!
Here is the best way for me to describe this book from a kpop lover's point of view!
Imagine owning a business, customer walks in and you share a love for music. You make a connection on first view and you both can't get your mind off the other. Now imagine finding out he is a Famous Idol from South Korea! Can you make a relationship work knowing dating an idol comes with baggage and heartache? Can one small connection build into LOVE?
You get a taste of an Idol's life, a sense of how they have to hide relationships from fans, the damage netizens (crazy fans) do when they find out their Bias (favorite idol) is dating, taste of some korean language (thank you author!!! I loved those bits and pieces of Korean) and getting to know the real person behind the idol, and behind a normal girl who possibly be just like you and me. If you can read fanfics, place yourself in those stories, imagine having to go through hell, meet a awesome hottie, build a relationship, hide said love from people, and get to taste what life as a kpop star is behind scenes, on screen, and how a boyband that every moves not only affects you but your group also? You will love this story. It fullfills every kpop fans fantasy and you can place your favorite idol as the main character. It took me halfway through the book to stick with one idol before lol yea i kept that idol through the whole book, and i could see this is as a life a kpop idol goes through with having a relationship just based off my love and attachment to kpop.
I want to see another book from the characters, I was left needing another book with some of the characters in this one. I got a taste of what we as fans only can imagine from our view, and I could see how idols can go through what these two characters do in this book. It made my love for kpop even more special reading this, and needing to share this with my kpop friends.
If i could give more then 5 stars for this book I would!!! This book took my love for fanfics out of the race. I will be reading this more and more as I fell for this book. The author really did some research and got into the heads and hearts of fans to write this book. She couldn't of done a more better job with this.
First off, I just bought this book yesterday at Penned Con St. Louis. I met the author on Friday and spazzed about kpop after she told me this book was based off her music love. I had to buy it and fell in love!!!! If you love Kpop and have fanfics about your favorite bias/idol, you will sooooo love this book!
Harley- A american music store owner who has had a rough life, moved to So-Cal first chance out of the system, met the Owner of Capri and his best friend Dom, ends up renting the apartment above the store and becoming Owner of Capri after a bad break up with Owner.
Jae- South Korean Kpop star! Comes to America to start his Solo album, leader of LVL NXT, and a HOTTIE!!!
Here is the best way for me to describe this book from a kpop lover's point of view!
Imagine owning a business, customer walks in and you share a love for music. You make a connection on first view and you both can't get your mind off the other. Now imagine finding out he is a Famous Idol from South Korea! Can you make a relationship work knowing dating an idol comes with baggage and heartache? Can one small connection build into LOVE?
You get a taste of an Idol's life, a sense of how they have to hide relationships from fans, the damage netizens (crazy fans) do when they find out their Bias (favorite idol) is dating, taste of some korean language (thank you author!!! I loved those bits and pieces of Korean) and getting to know the real person behind the idol, and behind a normal girl who possibly be just like you and me. If you can read fanfics, place yourself in those stories, imagine having to go through hell, meet a awesome hottie, build a relationship, hide said love from people, and get to taste what life as a kpop star is behind scenes, on screen, and how a boyband that every moves not only affects you but your group also? You will love this story. It fullfills every kpop fans fantasy and you can place your favorite idol as the main character. It took me halfway through the book to stick with one idol before lol yea i kept that idol through the whole book, and i could see this is as a life a kpop idol goes through with having a relationship just based off my love and attachment to kpop.
I want to see another book from the characters, I was left needing another book with some of the characters in this one. I got a taste of what we as fans only can imagine from our view, and I could see how idols can go through what these two characters do in this book. It made my love for kpop even more special reading this, and needing to share this with my kpop friends.
If i could give more then 5 stars for this book I would!!! This book took my love for fanfics out of the race. I will be reading this more and more as I fell for this book. The author really did some research and got into the heads and hearts of fans to write this book. She couldn't of done a more better job with this.
November 20, 2019
I REALLY liked this one - I am so happy to have found a K-pop romance that doesn't feel like fanfic. It's well-written and full of character development. Heroine Harley is self-made and strong, especially with everything she has been through, and hero Jae is hot, hot, hot and sweet as the sugar he is named for. (And no, he's nothing like BTS SUGA.) Effortlessly infusing the K-pop vibes in with the western culture, I especially loved the diversity in this book and the way the culture clash is discussed but is not the point of the story. It's not a perfect book, but despite its occasional flaws (it is very serious in tone, and the humor, where some is attempted, doesn't always work), I can even imagine reading it again someday. One for all K-pop stans!
April 12, 2016
This was a good book but I have such high standards whenever I read this author she has created some of my favorite series from the Space Between to Found By You. For some reason there wasn't as much chemistry between these characters, I honestly couldn't see how they fell in love with each other. I'm used to this authors characters love developing throughout the story but I wasn't getting it from the storyline. Hopefully the next book in the series is better or the author creates a part two for this story to develop the two leads more. Overall, I give this book a 3.5.
April 14, 2016
I'm glad that's over.
I started reading this book April 2nd. I had to stop several times because it was so dull. In the interim I read Five. Other. Books. Sex didn't take place until halfway through the book. Action didn't take place until I was seventy-five percent through the book. The story itself is not bad. I just need more action or drama. Maybe I'm just not a fan of the romance genre.
I started reading this book April 2nd. I had to stop several times because it was so dull. In the interim I read Five. Other. Books. Sex didn't take place until halfway through the book. Action didn't take place until I was seventy-five percent through the book. The story itself is not bad. I just need more action or drama. Maybe I'm just not a fan of the romance genre.
April 3, 2016
Enjoyed this story
I gave this 4 stars because I enjoyed the story. The characters were different but came together as a cohesive unit overall. The only reason I held back a star wasn't because the story wasn't well-written. It was because I felt the end didn't have a solid conclusion that was realistic.
I gave this 4 stars because I enjoyed the story. The characters were different but came together as a cohesive unit overall. The only reason I held back a star wasn't because the story wasn't well-written. It was because I felt the end didn't have a solid conclusion that was realistic.
May 25, 2017
it's a win
this story surprised me from the get go. I fell in love with Harley and Dom from the beginning, then the more I learned about her, Tess. Jae kinda stayed on hold until he told Harley he loved her and then he let all of his fans know. really good story with no noticeable grammar issues.
this story surprised me from the get go. I fell in love with Harley and Dom from the beginning, then the more I learned about her, Tess. Jae kinda stayed on hold until he told Harley he loved her and then he let all of his fans know. really good story with no noticeable grammar issues.
August 26, 2022
I love this author’s writing style/voice so much. It’s easy to get lost in her storytelling enough to miss bedtime regardless of whatever else is going on or needs to be done. This story is one of those. It’s sugar-sweet and simple and hits a great balance between introducing Korean pop cultural concepts in a Princess meets Prince Charming way without being obnoxious.
I definitely understand that full book production isn’t cheap and that some stories just need to be put in paper for the author to give life to the characters in their hearts. Please let that need also include an editor or at least a copy reader who loves language half as much as they love storytelling.
I definitely understand that full book production isn’t cheap and that some stories just need to be put in paper for the author to give life to the characters in their hearts. Please let that need also include an editor or at least a copy reader who loves language half as much as they love storytelling.
August 14, 2018
Not my fave by Victoria. Sucks because I'm a huge fan of BWAM genres and I love her writing but damn, why we gotta wait until half way through the book to get to the sex?lol I mean, it was a lot. While I did like reading about how KPop groups work and all, it was just too much detail I think about other things that didn't really matter regarding the romance between these two. Jae is adorable though. I like the couple together though, I think they're cute, but I did have to skip over some stuff to get to the point lol Oh well, sort of a miss for me.
September 3, 2022
Great K-pop romance. The characters were young and it ended in an HFN but I still enjoyed it. Normally, these type of interracial romances are filled with racist side characters, oppressive producers and labels, selfish band mates, and a thoughtless hero experiencing a taste of “chocolate” for the first time. I’m surprised that this book avoided these common themes and doubt the truthful representation of interracial relationships in the K-pop world. Or maybe I’m just a pessimist.
June 27, 2017
I loved it!!!
I loved it!!! Jae and Harley make a great couple. They both loved music and each other soo deeply. Harley, Tess and Dom are a family without being blood. Blood is not what's shared that makes a family it's the love that shared.
I loved it!!! Jae and Harley make a great couple. They both loved music and each other soo deeply. Harley, Tess and Dom are a family without being blood. Blood is not what's shared that makes a family it's the love that shared.
May 12, 2019
good read
I really did like this book it ended well and I wonder if the other band mates will get their story like Tess what happen with her and haze and siwon....
I really did like this book it ended well and I wonder if the other band mates will get their story like Tess what happen with her and haze and siwon....
June 12, 2019
Finding Love
You’ll love Jae and Harley. All they each have to overcome to find love and happiness is worth the struggle. Really enjoyed this book!
You’ll love Jae and Harley. All they each have to overcome to find love and happiness is worth the struggle. Really enjoyed this book!
June 22, 2021
Sweet story.
I liked this book a lot. Even though once again this trend of writing about broken black women is getting old. This love story was still cute and fun.
I liked this book a lot. Even though once again this trend of writing about broken black women is getting old. This love story was still cute and fun.
March 23, 2016
I liked this one.
Warning: Mild Spoiler Alert Ahead
*****STOP Reading if you don't want Spoilers****
I previously read a book from this author but I didn't really like that story...
However, this one was a lot better. The plot of this book was about an African American record store owner falling in love with a Korean/American KPOP singer/rapper. I liked the pace of the story and how the romance developed between the main characters. Even though they had an instant connection upon first meeting, their romantic/sexual relationship didn't begin right away. Their first kiss was about 30% into the book, but this didn't take away, at all, from their chemistry together. Jae and Harley was a great fit and the struggles they faced throughout the book was believable.
The supporting characters Tess and Dom added an interesting demension to the story. I liked that we got to see a part of their lives and their own personal struggles, but didn't take any focus away from Jae's and Harley's story. I am also left to wonder what will happen between Tess, Sowan, and Haze. I hope she ends up with Haze, although I liked Sowan too.
I don't know if this author writes gay romance novels, but I hope we get to see more of Dom on his journey to find love.
Other things that I liked about this book was Jae's mom and her interaction with Harley. Based on the Asian cultures it was not what I was expecting but what happened was very welcomed. I liked how BD supported the guys especially Jae when it came to light that he was dating Harley. I liked the atmosphere of the novels and how the author gave us a glimpse into Harley's exeriences in a new country. I like that even though Jae was a celebrity he didn't come off has one, to me he was simple guy who loves music and fell in love for the first time. I also liked that the differences in race was not the focal point of this novel.
What I didn't liked about this novel was the adjustment it took to get into the writing style. I also didn't not love the ending because it was wrapped up kind of abruptly. I thought some of the drama could have been more impactfull if the delivery and presentation was arranged differenty or if I didn't see them coming from a mile away. And finally, I didn't like how in many romance novels, like this one, the couple has to break up but when they get back together, everything is magically fixed in one fell swoop.
Overall, this was a nice quick read and I am sure many fans of this author will enjoy this novel, and first timers will certainly not be disappointed as they bare witness to the love between Jae and Harley.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
**** I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review****
Warning: Mild Spoiler Alert Ahead
*****STOP Reading if you don't want Spoilers****
I previously read a book from this author but I didn't really like that story...
However, this one was a lot better. The plot of this book was about an African American record store owner falling in love with a Korean/American KPOP singer/rapper. I liked the pace of the story and how the romance developed between the main characters. Even though they had an instant connection upon first meeting, their romantic/sexual relationship didn't begin right away. Their first kiss was about 30% into the book, but this didn't take away, at all, from their chemistry together. Jae and Harley was a great fit and the struggles they faced throughout the book was believable.
The supporting characters Tess and Dom added an interesting demension to the story. I liked that we got to see a part of their lives and their own personal struggles, but didn't take any focus away from Jae's and Harley's story. I am also left to wonder what will happen between Tess, Sowan, and Haze. I hope she ends up with Haze, although I liked Sowan too.
I don't know if this author writes gay romance novels, but I hope we get to see more of Dom on his journey to find love.
Other things that I liked about this book was Jae's mom and her interaction with Harley. Based on the Asian cultures it was not what I was expecting but what happened was very welcomed. I liked how BD supported the guys especially Jae when it came to light that he was dating Harley. I liked the atmosphere of the novels and how the author gave us a glimpse into Harley's exeriences in a new country. I like that even though Jae was a celebrity he didn't come off has one, to me he was simple guy who loves music and fell in love for the first time. I also liked that the differences in race was not the focal point of this novel.
What I didn't liked about this novel was the adjustment it took to get into the writing style. I also didn't not love the ending because it was wrapped up kind of abruptly. I thought some of the drama could have been more impactfull if the delivery and presentation was arranged differenty or if I didn't see them coming from a mile away. And finally, I didn't like how in many romance novels, like this one, the couple has to break up but when they get back together, everything is magically fixed in one fell swoop.
Overall, this was a nice quick read and I am sure many fans of this author will enjoy this novel, and first timers will certainly not be disappointed as they bare witness to the love between Jae and Harley.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
**** I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review****
March 29, 2016
I received an ARC for an honest review.
This book was a hard read. I've never heard of K-Pop before and it was different. I love Victoria H Smith. I've re-read all her books multiple times and I'm pretty sure I signed up 3 millions times to get an ARC. The character are well rounded. Her co-workers slash friends are people that i can see in my own life, especially Tess. I love that in all her books Ms. Smith makes everyone seem so real. I loved Dom's loyalty to Harley. He's seen sides of her that can't be unseen but is still behind her.
I love Jae. He is the epitome of the strong silent type. His words are translated into his music that he shares with the world. Jae knows what he wants what music he wants to be known for but hes not used to making waves. Jae is cautious. He's stepping out of his comfort zone with his music and now his personal life. I felt that he did a good job balancing the two. I know he may have fumbled a few times but he never dropped the ball. Especially at the end... :).
Harley isn't my favorite heroine. I feel that she let her past experiences dictate her life. I understand that she was hurt in the past and I know that, that isn't easy to get over but if Jae wasn't so persistent, she would've lost out on a great thing. Work wise I am in awe of Harley. I can't imagine being 23 and owning her own business. She struggled and thrived as a result. There is one major bump in the road for this book but it just showed that Harley would do anything for her business.
There are two reasons I gave this 4 stars. One is that this book is a little on the short side. Even though it is around 200, I find any book under 300 pages short. I find that some details that I'd like the author to elaborate on more is two or three sentences. Also I felt that this went by very fast. I don't care if I finish a book and only two months have passed. Also I wanted more time between Harley and Jae. Only in Japan did they get to spend time together just the two of them, and that was short. I wanted more of just them. Ms Smith left a lot to the reader to dream about what comes next. I would recommend this book to another person. But her Found BY Me series is still my favorite.
This book was a hard read. I've never heard of K-Pop before and it was different. I love Victoria H Smith. I've re-read all her books multiple times and I'm pretty sure I signed up 3 millions times to get an ARC. The character are well rounded. Her co-workers slash friends are people that i can see in my own life, especially Tess. I love that in all her books Ms. Smith makes everyone seem so real. I loved Dom's loyalty to Harley. He's seen sides of her that can't be unseen but is still behind her.
I love Jae. He is the epitome of the strong silent type. His words are translated into his music that he shares with the world. Jae knows what he wants what music he wants to be known for but hes not used to making waves. Jae is cautious. He's stepping out of his comfort zone with his music and now his personal life. I felt that he did a good job balancing the two. I know he may have fumbled a few times but he never dropped the ball. Especially at the end... :).
Harley isn't my favorite heroine. I feel that she let her past experiences dictate her life. I understand that she was hurt in the past and I know that, that isn't easy to get over but if Jae wasn't so persistent, she would've lost out on a great thing. Work wise I am in awe of Harley. I can't imagine being 23 and owning her own business. She struggled and thrived as a result. There is one major bump in the road for this book but it just showed that Harley would do anything for her business.
There are two reasons I gave this 4 stars. One is that this book is a little on the short side. Even though it is around 200, I find any book under 300 pages short. I find that some details that I'd like the author to elaborate on more is two or three sentences. Also I felt that this went by very fast. I don't care if I finish a book and only two months have passed. Also I wanted more time between Harley and Jae. Only in Japan did they get to spend time together just the two of them, and that was short. I wanted more of just them. Ms Smith left a lot to the reader to dream about what comes next. I would recommend this book to another person. But her Found BY Me series is still my favorite.
March 30, 2016
I received this book early for an honest review.
Probably some spoilers in my review. Just a warming.
The story consisted of an African American female lead and a Asian male lead. The story was very interesting because as I was reading each chapter I feel as though their relationship blossomed into one I viewed realistic than most relationships in a book. Their chemistry was on point and I loved how their physical interactions did not happen until a little while into the book. I feel as Jae and Harley had such realistic problems that it helped me bring them to life. Also seeing Dom and Tess in the story as supporting characters with so much baggage pushed the story really far for me.Even though we got to see a part of Dom's story it did not take away from the story, but it added to Jae's character (gotta read the book to see what I mean). I loved Tess's free spirit and I'm crossing my fingers that she'll get a book of her own because her story did not seem finished. I loved Dom's protectiveness of Harley. It made Harley's situation that she went through even more heavier than it seemed. More real. More tangible. Jae's mom was adorable. I'm gonna be honest I kinda wanted a little resistance from her mom because of the racial difference. I feel it would have brought awareness and realistically to their relationship. I also loved how strong Harley could be at times and also how vulnerable she appeared when Jae pushed her for more.
There were some things I did not like. For one I feel as though some of the problems were resolved to quickly. They could have been a little more sustenance to them and I actually would have appreciated that a lot more. It would have had me rooting for a happy ending a lot more than I did. However, the biggest being how the book ended so abruptly. There was room for more character development (Tess, Harley, etc. ). I thought the book was great over all. I am also not commenting on grammar because this was a advanced copy so that was to be expected. I enjoyed the read and hoping there is more to come from this author.
BTW: I wanted to give it a 4.5 out of 5 but Goodreads is slipping.
Probably some spoilers in my review. Just a warming.
The story consisted of an African American female lead and a Asian male lead. The story was very interesting because as I was reading each chapter I feel as though their relationship blossomed into one I viewed realistic than most relationships in a book. Their chemistry was on point and I loved how their physical interactions did not happen until a little while into the book. I feel as Jae and Harley had such realistic problems that it helped me bring them to life. Also seeing Dom and Tess in the story as supporting characters with so much baggage pushed the story really far for me.Even though we got to see a part of Dom's story it did not take away from the story, but it added to Jae's character (gotta read the book to see what I mean). I loved Tess's free spirit and I'm crossing my fingers that she'll get a book of her own because her story did not seem finished. I loved Dom's protectiveness of Harley. It made Harley's situation that she went through even more heavier than it seemed. More real. More tangible. Jae's mom was adorable. I'm gonna be honest I kinda wanted a little resistance from her mom because of the racial difference. I feel it would have brought awareness and realistically to their relationship. I also loved how strong Harley could be at times and also how vulnerable she appeared when Jae pushed her for more.
There were some things I did not like. For one I feel as though some of the problems were resolved to quickly. They could have been a little more sustenance to them and I actually would have appreciated that a lot more. It would have had me rooting for a happy ending a lot more than I did. However, the biggest being how the book ended so abruptly. There was room for more character development (Tess, Harley, etc. ). I thought the book was great over all. I am also not commenting on grammar because this was a advanced copy so that was to be expected. I enjoyed the read and hoping there is more to come from this author.
BTW: I wanted to give it a 4.5 out of 5 but Goodreads is slipping.
April 20, 2016
I got Sugar Love for a few reasons. I love reading BWAM romance, which isso hard to find that isn’t steeped in exoticism and stereotypes (I mean, if you search for them on amazon a good portion have that “chinese” font on the covers). I also was really obsessed with Kpop in my early/mid 20s (YG Family!) and was excited to read about it this genre. And who could pass up a .99 cent pre-order price. Money well spent.
This was a cute story about finding yourself and breaking out on your own to find your version of happiness. I liked Jae and Harley a lot and liked them together. I thought their relationship moved kind of fast at first. Like, you just met him yesterday so you can’t be mad he didn’t immediately tell you he was a pop star from/in another country. She’d’ve been put off if it seemed like he was bragging about it. Then only a few days later she’s his muse and flying her off to meet him in Japan. But Harley’s “one burned, twice shy” routine slowed down the pace.
The sex scenes were okay. Not as fiery as I was hoping, but the author got her point across.
I think Smith could have done something different with Tess, Dom, and Harley’s tragic backstories. Of course her mother was a crackhead, of course his entire family got killed in a drive-by, of course she got pregnant and her parents kicked her out. I mean, these are real struggles that poor people of color have to deal with, but can we change the narrative when it’s us telling these stories? But if that’s your truth, that’s your truth.
Dom, as a character, was all over the place and didn’t make sense. He was dizzying. He ran hot and cold with me as the reader. And I really want to know why Smith chose to go that severe in Dom’s ~reconciliation~ scene with Jae toward the end. She could’ve gotten Jae’s medical “expertise” information across with less critical injuries.
I liked Tess. She was cute and adorable. I was disappointed that there wasn’t a preview of her book and I hope the author doesn’t wait forever and day to get it out. And I really hope she makes and m/f/m and not a silly love triangle.
3.5 Stars
This was a cute story about finding yourself and breaking out on your own to find your version of happiness. I liked Jae and Harley a lot and liked them together. I thought their relationship moved kind of fast at first. Like, you just met him yesterday so you can’t be mad he didn’t immediately tell you he was a pop star from/in another country. She’d’ve been put off if it seemed like he was bragging about it. Then only a few days later she’s his muse and flying her off to meet him in Japan. But Harley’s “one burned, twice shy” routine slowed down the pace.
The sex scenes were okay. Not as fiery as I was hoping, but the author got her point across.
I think Smith could have done something different with Tess, Dom, and Harley’s tragic backstories. Of course her mother was a crackhead, of course his entire family got killed in a drive-by, of course she got pregnant and her parents kicked her out. I mean, these are real struggles that poor people of color have to deal with, but can we change the narrative when it’s us telling these stories? But if that’s your truth, that’s your truth.
Dom, as a character, was all over the place and didn’t make sense. He was dizzying. He ran hot and cold with me as the reader. And I really want to know why Smith chose to go that severe in Dom’s ~reconciliation~ scene with Jae toward the end. She could’ve gotten Jae’s medical “expertise” information across with less critical injuries.
I liked Tess. She was cute and adorable. I was disappointed that there wasn’t a preview of her book and I hope the author doesn’t wait forever and day to get it out. And I really hope she makes and m/f/m and not a silly love triangle.
3.5 Stars
April 13, 2016
Rating – 4.10
Warning: Mild Spoilers
Sugar love is the heartwarming tale that mimics the exuberance of a Korean drama. The story follows the budding romance between a vinyl shop owner Harley and a k-Pop star Jae. Already this premise will have many K-Pop fan girls at the edge of their sits and rightfully so but in some areas the story is lacking. The main characters develop a bond in an almost insta-love fashion. The love is cute but does not contain the smoldering heat that is evident in Ms. Smith’s other work such as the Dividing line trilogy or the Found by trilogy.
The flow of the book was slow at moments and the use of the iPhone text messages hindered the dialogue between the characters. I understand that this is an approach to adding modern elements into the book but it was difficult to read through kindle. The love between Harley, Tess and Dom was refreshing to see and helped to add interest to the story. The hardship that they went through gave the characters a vulnerability that would make readers sympathetic. My only wish is that we saw more of that struggle portrayed and we had a more detailed account about how Eli treated Harley.
In some scenes Harley acted more like a teenager than the adult that she was. For instance throughout chapter ten she whined and tried to find any excuse not to go to Japan. She whined to the point of almost being unlikeable. The other group members may have been one-dimensional but they did hold true to the categories that some members are put in. If you watch a k-pop video there are tons of comment labeling the different members as one being the fun one or the mysterious one. The conflicts that occur throughout the book resolved themselves a bit too easily to be realistic. Overall, the book was a fun, light read. It’s perfect for K-Pop fans and people of who love dramas.
Warning: Mild Spoilers
Sugar love is the heartwarming tale that mimics the exuberance of a Korean drama. The story follows the budding romance between a vinyl shop owner Harley and a k-Pop star Jae. Already this premise will have many K-Pop fan girls at the edge of their sits and rightfully so but in some areas the story is lacking. The main characters develop a bond in an almost insta-love fashion. The love is cute but does not contain the smoldering heat that is evident in Ms. Smith’s other work such as the Dividing line trilogy or the Found by trilogy.
The flow of the book was slow at moments and the use of the iPhone text messages hindered the dialogue between the characters. I understand that this is an approach to adding modern elements into the book but it was difficult to read through kindle. The love between Harley, Tess and Dom was refreshing to see and helped to add interest to the story. The hardship that they went through gave the characters a vulnerability that would make readers sympathetic. My only wish is that we saw more of that struggle portrayed and we had a more detailed account about how Eli treated Harley.
In some scenes Harley acted more like a teenager than the adult that she was. For instance throughout chapter ten she whined and tried to find any excuse not to go to Japan. She whined to the point of almost being unlikeable. The other group members may have been one-dimensional but they did hold true to the categories that some members are put in. If you watch a k-pop video there are tons of comment labeling the different members as one being the fun one or the mysterious one. The conflicts that occur throughout the book resolved themselves a bit too easily to be realistic. Overall, the book was a fun, light read. It’s perfect for K-Pop fans and people of who love dramas.
April 9, 2016
Miss Little Book Addict
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Rating 5 our of 5 stars
I ran across this book on Fb and the cover immediately had me intrigued. I'm so glad I one clicked this book. This is my first time being introduced to this author. Victoria's writing style is a breath of fresh air for me. I had been in a little bit of a reading slump and Sugar Love was the book to break my reading and reviewing slump.
This book immediately sucked me in and transported me to L.A with Harley and Jae. It's rare that I say I really didn't feel like I was reading, instead it felt like I was watching Harley and Jae's story unfold before my eyes. The storyline was very strong and the supporting character's Dom and Tess really kept the storyline moving, meaning adding in their own issues and support to Harley's character.
I also love the fact that this is an interracial couple from two totally different cultures. For me it added an extra layer to the storyline. I hope Victoria writes Tess story next. I would like to see where she goes with the potential love triangle she has created for Tess.
http://www.misslittlebookaddict.blogs...
http://www.favebook.com/misslittleboo...
Rating 5 our of 5 stars
I ran across this book on Fb and the cover immediately had me intrigued. I'm so glad I one clicked this book. This is my first time being introduced to this author. Victoria's writing style is a breath of fresh air for me. I had been in a little bit of a reading slump and Sugar Love was the book to break my reading and reviewing slump.
This book immediately sucked me in and transported me to L.A with Harley and Jae. It's rare that I say I really didn't feel like I was reading, instead it felt like I was watching Harley and Jae's story unfold before my eyes. The storyline was very strong and the supporting character's Dom and Tess really kept the storyline moving, meaning adding in their own issues and support to Harley's character.
I also love the fact that this is an interracial couple from two totally different cultures. For me it added an extra layer to the storyline. I hope Victoria writes Tess story next. I would like to see where she goes with the potential love triangle she has created for Tess.
February 12, 2017
New
This has new aspects to the story of love. I really liked when they were just finding the newness of their love how the public took offense to it. A great way to include all sides of love to overcome everything.
This has new aspects to the story of love. I really liked when they were just finding the newness of their love how the public took offense to it. A great way to include all sides of love to overcome everything.
March 22, 2016
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC in exchange for a review.
I can't lie, I really liked this one. I think it had more to do with the whole K-Pop/Korean aspect of it.
Overall, I enjoyed this little story....but there were times when I felt like it wasn't flowing and I found myself skipping pages(mainly in the beginning) Jae and Harley's deep love and respect for music was their connection.
I liked Jae/Sugar but I didnt really love him until he did the video to his fans. That made me put my kindle down for a few seconds to fan-girl squeal because it felt real. It came off as authentic to me.
Would I recommend this book to others? I would. It has some interesting moments and for the most part the characters are memorable and likable. I liked Dom. I liked how protective of Harley he was. You could tell he loved her and cared for her as a big brother should(he's not her real brother). All in all I think readers will enjoy this. It has a little something for everyone that likes young adult multicultural romances. Once it picked up(for me anyway) I really enjoyed it.
I can't lie, I really liked this one. I think it had more to do with the whole K-Pop/Korean aspect of it.
Overall, I enjoyed this little story....but there were times when I felt like it wasn't flowing and I found myself skipping pages(mainly in the beginning) Jae and Harley's deep love and respect for music was their connection.
I liked Jae/Sugar but I didnt really love him until he did the video to his fans. That made me put my kindle down for a few seconds to fan-girl squeal because it felt real. It came off as authentic to me.
Would I recommend this book to others? I would. It has some interesting moments and for the most part the characters are memorable and likable. I liked Dom. I liked how protective of Harley he was. You could tell he loved her and cared for her as a big brother should(he's not her real brother). All in all I think readers will enjoy this. It has a little something for everyone that likes young adult multicultural romances. Once it picked up(for me anyway) I really enjoyed it.
June 1, 2016
Sugar Love, Sugar Love, these two words says it all!! This was a wonderful story that Ms. Victoria Smith made come to life from beginning to end. This is the story of Harley and Jae (Sugar). Harley is a transplant to California who “owns’ a music store and Sugar is from South Korea, who just happens to be Kpop artist. I loved watching their story unfold over the course of the book. I believe that they met at a time that both were ready to be open to a relationship even though Harley went through a terrible breakup she did not let that stand in her way. Of course in life things are not always easy and we find that to be true in this story. Harley and Sugar went through somethings, i.e. a best friend that was trying to sabotage their relationship (not in an evil way) to an ex-boyfriend that wanted to take your life’s dream away. But in the end the love that they shared was able to overcome these obstacles! Buy the book to learn more about Harley and Sugar you will not be disappointed.
March 31, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Harley owns Capri, a record store, and meets Jae, a hot Korean who’s into hip-hop. Jae and Harley bond over their mutual love of hip-hop. It’s not until later and by accident, that Harley discovers that Jae is Sugar, leader rapper for Kpop mega group LVL NXT. This discovery leads to all sorts of complications for Harley. Throw in Harley’s vindictive ex-boyfriend, Harley’s Kpop loving roommate, Tess, Jae’s bandmates, and disgruntled fans and you’ve got the recipe for one exciting ride in Sugar Love.
I really enjoyed Sugar Love. Watching Jae handle a skittish Harley was an experience. Sometimes women don’t know how to get out of their own way. My absolute favorite part of this book was the time spent in Japan. We learned more about all of the characters during this time and it was interesting to watch the dynamics of all the different relationships. Even if you’ve never heard of Kpop, Sugar Love has enough turns, twists and romance to satisfy any true lover of interracial romance.
Harley owns Capri, a record store, and meets Jae, a hot Korean who’s into hip-hop. Jae and Harley bond over their mutual love of hip-hop. It’s not until later and by accident, that Harley discovers that Jae is Sugar, leader rapper for Kpop mega group LVL NXT. This discovery leads to all sorts of complications for Harley. Throw in Harley’s vindictive ex-boyfriend, Harley’s Kpop loving roommate, Tess, Jae’s bandmates, and disgruntled fans and you’ve got the recipe for one exciting ride in Sugar Love.
I really enjoyed Sugar Love. Watching Jae handle a skittish Harley was an experience. Sometimes women don’t know how to get out of their own way. My absolute favorite part of this book was the time spent in Japan. We learned more about all of the characters during this time and it was interesting to watch the dynamics of all the different relationships. Even if you’ve never heard of Kpop, Sugar Love has enough turns, twists and romance to satisfy any true lover of interracial romance.
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