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The Trouble
Danny Kim is the frontman of a Seattle indie rock band. He's also struggling to graduate from college. After rudely hitting on a cute guy at one of his concerts, he gets in even deeper trouble when the guy proves to be the TA of his accounting class.
Though Jiyoon clearly would prefer never to see Danny again, a rough breakup brings them unexpectedly together and a tentative friendship forms. But Danny can barely keep his band afloat and pass all his classes, nevermind learn how to make time for what is rapidly becoming the most important person in his life.
Though Jiyoon clearly would prefer never to see Danny again, a rough breakup brings them unexpectedly together and a tentative friendship forms. But Danny can barely keep his band afloat and pass all his classes, nevermind learn how to make time for what is rapidly becoming the most important person in his life.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2016
1 person is currently reading
721 people want to read
About the author
Daria Defore
4 books63 followersDaria Defore has been writing ever since she was a kid, and vividly remembers that her first story was about getting a pet dinosaur from Santa Claus. Now she writes filthy romance instead.
Daria's books are about losers doing the best they can. Her style is conversational and funny, and her writing inspirations range from Agatha Christie to Ernest Hemingway. She brings a love of place to her stories, and always strives to evoke a strong setting.
She has a fondness for history and mystery, and you'll find elements of both in her work. Her work is often set in her home of the Pacific Northwest, as well as her adopted home of New York City.
By day, she's a video producer and hosts two podcasts on tech and video games. She loves reading, cups of coffee in multiples of ten, and being bullied to write more.
You can find her on Twitter @dariadefore and at Facebook.com/dariadefore.
Daria's books are about losers doing the best they can. Her style is conversational and funny, and her writing inspirations range from Agatha Christie to Ernest Hemingway. She brings a love of place to her stories, and always strives to evoke a strong setting.
She has a fondness for history and mystery, and you'll find elements of both in her work. Her work is often set in her home of the Pacific Northwest, as well as her adopted home of New York City.
By day, she's a video producer and hosts two podcasts on tech and video games. She loves reading, cups of coffee in multiples of ten, and being bullied to write more.
You can find her on Twitter @dariadefore and at Facebook.com/dariadefore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 6, 2018
4.5/5 Stars
HI, THIS WAS THE BEST THING. AROS HAVING LASTING, FULFILLING RELATIONSHIPS IS *MY FAVORITE JAM*.
HI, THIS WAS THE BEST THING. AROS HAVING LASTING, FULFILLING RELATIONSHIPS IS *MY FAVORITE JAM*.
July 9, 2019
I stumbled into this book because I was looking for some aro representation (btw, if you've got some recommendations send them my way) and then I was pleasantly surprised by the story. There were some clichés but other than that it was quite fun and entertaining. Danny's character was well described throughout the whole book, something that surprised me since it's quite a short novel. I also really appreciated the overall representation that can be found in the entire story, not only in the main character.
It was a quick and fun read!
It was a quick and fun read!
April 30, 2021
I'm so sad this is out of print, because it's pretty great and I want to recommend it to people! It's new adult and has a gay aro MC and I think this will be a comfort read for me
December 25, 2018
An entertaining new adult opposites attract / rock star story about the relationship between two Korean-American college students: Danny Kim, an exuberant aromantic singer poised to level up in his music career, and Jiyoon Lee, a serious accounting major. They meet when Danny insults Jiyoon's boyfriend as a way of hitting on him, resulting in a slap and a drink thrown in his face. (I could have lived without the slap.) It gets worse when Danny discovers Jiyoon is the TA for Danny's accounting class. They do overcome Danny's jackassery and Jiyoon's scorn, ending up with a strong connection based on friendship and sexual attraction. However, Danny's impulsivity and desire for fame don't mesh with Jiyoon's well planned future goals, so problems arise.
Love the diversity in this book! The entire cast of major characters is Asian-American, and the main couple aren't the only queer characters. Danny's aromanticism is only a problem insofar as people he was interested in have reacted badly before, so he worries that Jiyoon won't accept him as a partner. Jiyoon is clearly falling for Danny romantically, but after logically analyzing the situation, concludes that Danny is offering him everything he wants in a relationship even if those specific feelings aren't 1:1 reciprocated. (There's a spreadsheet involved. I heart this guy.)
I also loved watching Danny and Jiyoon slowly getting to know each other, each revealing pieces of themselves to move them from their first impressions to mutual admiration. There's a lot of cramming for tests and rock concerts here, but also a lot of quiet and sweet moments. Neither guy trades in his personality, but they find a middle ground.
Love the diversity in this book! The entire cast of major characters is Asian-American, and the main couple aren't the only queer characters. Danny's aromanticism is only a problem insofar as people he was interested in have reacted badly before, so he worries that Jiyoon won't accept him as a partner. Jiyoon is clearly falling for Danny romantically, but after logically analyzing the situation, concludes that Danny is offering him everything he wants in a relationship even if those specific feelings aren't 1:1 reciprocated. (There's a spreadsheet involved. I heart this guy.)
I also loved watching Danny and Jiyoon slowly getting to know each other, each revealing pieces of themselves to move them from their first impressions to mutual admiration. There's a lot of cramming for tests and rock concerts here, but also a lot of quiet and sweet moments. Neither guy trades in his personality, but they find a middle ground.
July 15, 2017
Came for the aromantic character and really enjoyed both the story as a whole and the representation. Sure, Danny is an asshole at times, but it was so refreshing to have a character stating his identity in clear, non-negotiable terms and build a deep relationship based on -everything else- they already had (trust, mutual respect, etc.)
The Trouble also has some of the CUTEST DOMESTIC SCENES YES. I am totally here for this. And it clearly shows that Danny's band and his friends are as important as his relationship to Jiyoon, if not even more, which as another creative (writing) really resonated with me. Seriously, if you are looking for allosexual aromantic rep, I recommend this one.
The Trouble also has some of the CUTEST DOMESTIC SCENES YES. I am totally here for this. And it clearly shows that Danny's band and his friends are as important as his relationship to Jiyoon, if not even more, which as another creative (writing) really resonated with me. Seriously, if you are looking for allosexual aromantic rep, I recommend this one.
December 31, 2017
This was absolutely incredible. Danny is definitely one of my favourite characters ever and he and Jiyoon’s relationship felt so soooo natural to me. The fact that this is a story with an aromantic character getting his happy ending just really means the world to me.
April 13, 2018
As an aromantic, I finish this novel feeling mostly confused, not by the book itself but my feeling towards it.
I tried at first to live my romantic identity aside and review this book 'objectively', but realized that's probably impossible but also a bit unfair, since I do tend to judge other books in relation to my aromanticism and views on romance in general.
I do have to give kudos to Defore for making her protagonist aromantic yet not asexual, this is so rare you can hardly even find fanfics about non-ace aros, not to mention original literally works. However, in more than one occasion I found myself wondering, how is Danny aromantic? He says he is, and there a very short dialogue where his boyfriend [and yes, Defore uses that word in the book to describe the relationship] raises the issues of boundaries and what Danny would and not be comfortable with, Danny points out people would give Jiyoon shit about being with an aro person.... and that's about it. Other than that, this book reads like your average basic YA romance, including 21-22yo saying they intend on spending their lives together after being in a relationship for hardly a dew months.
Is this good or not? As I said, I'm very undecided. On the one hand, I think it's wonderful that the first book I heard of, let alone read, that has an aro character is not a coming out book. On the other hand in a way it trivializes the experience a bit. And I think this also has a lot to do with how the book is written, cause it other than the very explicit sex scene, the style of writing is so unsophisticated this could have been a middle-grade targeted book.
We hardly get true insight into Danny's experience as an aromantic, we hardly get to hear his thought, his exertion, his inner struggles. And told me there aren't any, there are a lot in our heavily romance-focused monogamy-orientated world. YA books are not supposed to be educational or preaching, but they do have a purpose in helping teenagers deal with the confusion of growing up. Nearly all YA gay lit deals with coming out in some way because that what most gay teens are precopied with, either understanding their sexual/romantic identity or revealing it to a world assuming we are all heterosexual with romantic attraction to match until proven otherwise. I don't see this book being helpful to a teenager dealing with understanding to accepting his aro identity beyond simply saying "this thing exist, you maybe it, and it's fine". the sad thing is, aromanticism is so under-represented, even that is something the aro community needs badly.
At the end of it, the book is not a bad read and it is much more realistic in it's dialogue and situations than most YA novels, yet I won't see this a good read as much as it is an important read, I think, for aro people to find the voice they wanna use for their own stories, for aro narratives to be a valid option for writer (basically this book lets you know it's possible to write aromantic RomCom, if you were scared to or had excuses) and just for plain "we're here y'know" visibility.
So bottom line, I'm glad I read it and in fact I hope Defore writers more non-ace aro narratives, hopefully with more exploration next time.
I tried at first to live my romantic identity aside and review this book 'objectively', but realized that's probably impossible but also a bit unfair, since I do tend to judge other books in relation to my aromanticism and views on romance in general.
I do have to give kudos to Defore for making her protagonist aromantic yet not asexual, this is so rare you can hardly even find fanfics about non-ace aros, not to mention original literally works. However, in more than one occasion I found myself wondering, how is Danny aromantic? He says he is, and there a very short dialogue where his boyfriend [and yes, Defore uses that word in the book to describe the relationship] raises the issues of boundaries and what Danny would and not be comfortable with, Danny points out people would give Jiyoon shit about being with an aro person.... and that's about it. Other than that, this book reads like your average basic YA romance, including 21-22yo saying they intend on spending their lives together after being in a relationship for hardly a dew months.
Is this good or not? As I said, I'm very undecided. On the one hand, I think it's wonderful that the first book I heard of, let alone read, that has an aro character is not a coming out book. On the other hand in a way it trivializes the experience a bit. And I think this also has a lot to do with how the book is written, cause it other than the very explicit sex scene, the style of writing is so unsophisticated this could have been a middle-grade targeted book.
We hardly get true insight into Danny's experience as an aromantic, we hardly get to hear his thought, his exertion, his inner struggles. And told me there aren't any, there are a lot in our heavily romance-focused monogamy-orientated world. YA books are not supposed to be educational or preaching, but they do have a purpose in helping teenagers deal with the confusion of growing up. Nearly all YA gay lit deals with coming out in some way because that what most gay teens are precopied with, either understanding their sexual/romantic identity or revealing it to a world assuming we are all heterosexual with romantic attraction to match until proven otherwise. I don't see this book being helpful to a teenager dealing with understanding to accepting his aro identity beyond simply saying "this thing exist, you maybe it, and it's fine". the sad thing is, aromanticism is so under-represented, even that is something the aro community needs badly.
At the end of it, the book is not a bad read and it is much more realistic in it's dialogue and situations than most YA novels, yet I won't see this a good read as much as it is an important read, I think, for aro people to find the voice they wanna use for their own stories, for aro narratives to be a valid option for writer (basically this book lets you know it's possible to write aromantic RomCom, if you were scared to or had excuses) and just for plain "we're here y'know" visibility.
So bottom line, I'm glad I read it and in fact I hope Defore writers more non-ace aro narratives, hopefully with more exploration next time.
August 31, 2017
I was honestly charmed to hell & back by Danny. His dialogue was so spot on. Normally I can't stand people like that either, because I don't get how someone smart can be so dumb in school. Now having seen inside him, it makes more sense to me.
Fun, pretty quick book. Four living parents. Interesting bits of backstory on what it's like to be Korean-American as well as the differences between recent immigrant's kids vs others.
Danny is matter of fact about being aromantic, and while it's a plot point, it's not a massively angsty one. Honestly I couldn't quite see a big shade of difference (although I know there is one) between aro and other love portrayed here because Danny was so genuinely affectionate, loyal and they had great chemistry. Maybe it's a reflection of how badly romantic love is portrayed in many books more then anything else.
Fun, pretty quick book. Four living parents. Interesting bits of backstory on what it's like to be Korean-American as well as the differences between recent immigrant's kids vs others.
Danny is matter of fact about being aromantic, and while it's a plot point, it's not a massively angsty one. Honestly I couldn't quite see a big shade of difference (although I know there is one) between aro and other love portrayed here because Danny was so genuinely affectionate, loyal and they had great chemistry. Maybe it's a reflection of how badly romantic love is portrayed in many books more then anything else.
April 27, 2019
I feel like I just aged rapidly. Like there was no slow process to it. Some evil being just tried to preserve my youth with the temptation of good aromantic representation and instead aged me by decades in the span of a few hours. I am not at all a fine wine with a nice Gouda.
Which is to say that I feel like I just lost ten years of my life reading a lazy and underdeveloped kpop fanfic with unnecessarily detailed smut and I’m feeling extremely peeved over my waste of time.
So while the aromantic rep was appreciated and is literally the only reason why I rounded up instead of down, I just. Cannot get behind the rest of this book, like at all. The pacing is clumsy, the writing is choppy, the characters have no depth and for it, have no chemistry which makes the relationship between the two main characters hard to buy into. Everything about it read the exact same way fanfic does, like the readers are supposed to already know who these characters are so why put too much time and effort into them when instead we can put all that into the smut scenes. And I mean, I’m not a prude by any means, I’ve even learned the art of skimming smut scenes for a good plot, but woof. And I’m also well aware this book is under 200 pages so nitpicking pacing and what have you might be mean of me, but this whole plot had the full potential to be a basic 300+ page book if the author had slowed down so call me nitpicky and call it a day.
The only reason I didn’t frisbee whip this bad boy into a fire was because it’s under 200 pages with a quick writing style and I had nothing else to read at the time so I did that obnoxiously stubborn thing I do and pressed on for the hell of it.
*in singsong* Regrets. I’ve had a few.
However, objectively, I can address that the aromantic rep in this book was good. It was solid, it was healthy, and it was handled respectfully and without angst. It was, despite all the other problems, a fantastic representation for a very underrated and valid identity. And that’s why I rounded up to two stars instead of slamming that one-star button and careening far away. If you want an aro character that has no angst about who he is and does meet someone that is respectful and loving for it with some... raunchy smut thrown in the mix and you don’t really care about getting to know the characters or having a fully fleshed out plot, this book might be for you. I dunno. It just definitely was not my cup of tea and I would, personally, prefer to bleach it from my brain.
Which is to say that I feel like I just lost ten years of my life reading a lazy and underdeveloped kpop fanfic with unnecessarily detailed smut and I’m feeling extremely peeved over my waste of time.
So while the aromantic rep was appreciated and is literally the only reason why I rounded up instead of down, I just. Cannot get behind the rest of this book, like at all. The pacing is clumsy, the writing is choppy, the characters have no depth and for it, have no chemistry which makes the relationship between the two main characters hard to buy into. Everything about it read the exact same way fanfic does, like the readers are supposed to already know who these characters are so why put too much time and effort into them when instead we can put all that into the smut scenes. And I mean, I’m not a prude by any means, I’ve even learned the art of skimming smut scenes for a good plot, but woof. And I’m also well aware this book is under 200 pages so nitpicking pacing and what have you might be mean of me, but this whole plot had the full potential to be a basic 300+ page book if the author had slowed down so call me nitpicky and call it a day.
The only reason I didn’t frisbee whip this bad boy into a fire was because it’s under 200 pages with a quick writing style and I had nothing else to read at the time so I did that obnoxiously stubborn thing I do and pressed on for the hell of it.
*in singsong* Regrets. I’ve had a few.
However, objectively, I can address that the aromantic rep in this book was good. It was solid, it was healthy, and it was handled respectfully and without angst. It was, despite all the other problems, a fantastic representation for a very underrated and valid identity. And that’s why I rounded up to two stars instead of slamming that one-star button and careening far away. If you want an aro character that has no angst about who he is and does meet someone that is respectful and loving for it with some... raunchy smut thrown in the mix and you don’t really care about getting to know the characters or having a fully fleshed out plot, this book might be for you. I dunno. It just definitely was not my cup of tea and I would, personally, prefer to bleach it from my brain.
December 7, 2016
Hmmm. Probably more of a 3.5 but bumped it up to a 4. Kudos to the author for her diverse characters!! Odd little engaging story about Danny Kim, a college senior and the lead for the band, the Trouble, and Jiyoon. Danny is sort of your typical college student/musician. Lives for his music and biding his time until he's a star. Danny meets Jiyoon at one of the band's concerts. Jiyoon is there with his boyfriend (who likes the band but Jiyoon doesn't) and Danny, attracted to Jiyoon, rather clumsily tries to pick him up in spite of the presence of the boyfriend. Needless to say, Jiyoon doesn't take it well and acts accordingly. Danny and Jiyoon meet again under very different circumstances. Danny is a self-described aromantic. Now I am not that familiar with the concept and Googling it just confused me because some of Danny's actions, particularly later in the book, seem to belie the actions of someone who is aromantic. But anyway, I did like the connection between the two of them and their sort of slow burn friends to lovers vibe. Danny's fellow band members are also quite likeable and nicely drawn, especially Sam. Jiyoon's school/family situation is a tiny bit stereotypical, in my opinion but he was quite the contradiction in other ways. Straight-laced, buttoned up with a wild sexy streak. The pacing, at times was somewhat uneven, especially at the end. Almost as if "uh-oh, we'are at the end of the book, let's wrap things up." But the epilogue tied things up more as an HFN vs an HEA. I wonder if we'll see these characters again. Hope so. This is a new to me author and this looks like it may be her first book? Not sure but will definitely read others.
July 18, 2017
First published at: http://theshrinkette.com
Danny Kim, lead of a Seattle indie rock band called The Trouble, embarrasses himself by rudely hitting on a cute guy Jiyoon, who attends one of his band’s shows, only to find out that the guy is the TA of his Accounting class. However, events occur and soon a friendship is formed between Danny and Jiyoon.
I always lean towards realistic fiction over fantasy, and was delighted to find a contemporary fiction book featuring an aro character. The author did a really good job establishing and developing Danny and Jiyoon’s relationship, and how Danny navigates it as an alloseual aromantic person. This is not a “romance is a cure” storyline at all. Danny is firmly aro-spec, and there’s great scenes discussing what that means, both their expectations from their relationship, and establishing boundaries. I also loved that Danny is extremely close to his bandmates, and that relationship status doesn’t change regardless of whatever is happening with Jiyoon, which I especially appreciated. If you’re looking for aromantic rep in contemporary fiction, you should definitely pick up this one.
Danny Kim, lead of a Seattle indie rock band called The Trouble, embarrasses himself by rudely hitting on a cute guy Jiyoon, who attends one of his band’s shows, only to find out that the guy is the TA of his Accounting class. However, events occur and soon a friendship is formed between Danny and Jiyoon.
I always lean towards realistic fiction over fantasy, and was delighted to find a contemporary fiction book featuring an aro character. The author did a really good job establishing and developing Danny and Jiyoon’s relationship, and how Danny navigates it as an alloseual aromantic person. This is not a “romance is a cure” storyline at all. Danny is firmly aro-spec, and there’s great scenes discussing what that means, both their expectations from their relationship, and establishing boundaries. I also loved that Danny is extremely close to his bandmates, and that relationship status doesn’t change regardless of whatever is happening with Jiyoon, which I especially appreciated. If you’re looking for aromantic rep in contemporary fiction, you should definitely pick up this one.
January 22, 2020
22/01/20 - third time reading this and I'm upgrading to 4.5 stars! It's still simple and cute, but now its cemented its ways as a favourite in my heart: one that I need to return to fairly often it seems. The more I read it the more impressed I am by the healthy relationships, both with friends, partners, exes and even bosses. There's healthy communication, and discussions of anxiety. It's all more nuanced then can possibly be picked up on one or two reads. I'm sure I'll be reading it again next year, if not sooner.
*3.5 stars. Enjoyable story with great aromantic rep! Simple and cute; will definitely re-read some day.
*3.5 stars. Enjoyable story with great aromantic rep! Simple and cute; will definitely re-read some day.
June 3, 2017
I honestly don't know why I waited so long getting to this one. I absolutely have no excuse. Now that I've finished it, I almost want to start it over again. I've never read a story with an (on page) aromantic character in it, and Daria Defore has made me wanna read many more in her self titled 'aromantic comedy' genre.
Danny Kim is the front man of an all Korean band called The Trouble, starting from the very brink of their big break. At one of their concerts, Danny is a complete douche, hitting on Jiyoon even though he understands that Jiyoon's already in a relationship with on of The Trouble's fans. But Danny is the kind of guy who can actually apologise when he done fucked up, and it's truly amazing to see these two as they begin to build their friendship throughout this book.
One of the things I loved about this book were the number of ways that the author found to be able to articulate the ways in which an aromantic person would greatly value another person in their life without it being romantic. It's all too common to see a 'friendship' portrayed as less important than a 'relationship' and it was beautifully refreshing to see here. Also refreshing was that the drama in the story had to do with the differences between the two individuals rather than the specifics of romantic/non-romantic affection.
Added to that, Jiyoon never questioned Danny's affection towards him because it wasn't romantic. As two close friends, the two of them negotiated what was important to each of them as they moved forward towards sharing parts of their lives with each other. I can't honestly see how she could have represented it better.
I think about the only thing I could criticise is that the story was over too quickly. The accounting and band plot points were both resolved too quickly in a way that wasn't quite believable.
August 22, 2023
The Trouble by Daria Defore is a queer romance book with aro representation set in Seattle.
Danny and Jiyoon made quite a decent couple imo. I stumbled across this book purely by coincidence and would definitely not have picked it up otherwise but I was pleasantly surprised. For such a short book, this one was very well written and handled all the topics it was about amazingly. Aro representation in this one was on point and the fact that Jiyoon and Danny had quite an honest conversation about what it means to be in a relationship with aromantic person was undoubtedly the best aspect of this book.
I was sometimes taken aback especially during the graphic description of sex and that was something I could have lived without honestly. The book definitely would have felt more wholesome and appealing to me if it wasn't watered down with those particular components imo.
3 stars.
Danny and Jiyoon made quite a decent couple imo. I stumbled across this book purely by coincidence and would definitely not have picked it up otherwise but I was pleasantly surprised. For such a short book, this one was very well written and handled all the topics it was about amazingly. Aro representation in this one was on point and the fact that Jiyoon and Danny had quite an honest conversation about what it means to be in a relationship with aromantic person was undoubtedly the best aspect of this book.
I was sometimes taken aback especially during the graphic description of sex and that was something I could have lived without honestly. The book definitely would have felt more wholesome and appealing to me if it wasn't watered down with those particular components imo.
3 stars.
December 3, 2022
more aro rep in books, please!! this one was a gem set in a college setting with a found family who absolutely adore music, and a relationship that was bursting with chemistry.
if that doesn’t convince publishers to give books like these a chance, then i don’t know what will.
if that doesn’t convince publishers to give books like these a chance, then i don’t know what will.
June 2, 2017
The Trouble by Daria Defore is a contemporary romance. Danny Kim is the frontman of a Seattle indie rock band. He's also struggling to graduate from college. After rudely hitting on a cute guy at one of his concerts, he gets in even deeper trouble when the guy proves to be the TA of his accounting class. Though Jiyoon clearly would prefer never to see Danny again, a rough breakup brings then unexpectedly together and a tentative friendship forms. But Danny can barely keep his band afloat and pass all his classes, never mind learn how to make time for what is rapidly becoming the most important person in his life.
The Trouble is a book that rang as realistic, showing the diverse characters facing common struggles, and I think it will be very appealing to the new adults that are currently facing some of the some issues. I mean specifically struggling with college, career, and figuring out who and what they want. I like that the characters were not what I normally see in my romance, not only is this a same sex romance but the main players are of Korean decent. What I really liked about the portrayal of all the characters is that all the little pieces of their lives, history, and personality are there- but none define them. Just like any well written character, you get a feel for the shape of the character and their world but no one or two traits defined them. I will admit that I had a couple moments with Danny when I just wanted to kick him and tell him to grow up, but the other characters in the book shared that urge, and it was part of Danny's journey in figuring out how to be an adult, and how to function in a relationship. I liked the interplay between Danny and Jiyoon- as well as the way Danny and his band interacted with each other and those outside of their circle. Again, having seen and been part oft he music scene, this felt very realistically done.
The Trouble is a romance that realistically portrays the struggles that the characters would face in their circumstances. I enjoyed the story and think it was very well done.
The Trouble is a book that rang as realistic, showing the diverse characters facing common struggles, and I think it will be very appealing to the new adults that are currently facing some of the some issues. I mean specifically struggling with college, career, and figuring out who and what they want. I like that the characters were not what I normally see in my romance, not only is this a same sex romance but the main players are of Korean decent. What I really liked about the portrayal of all the characters is that all the little pieces of their lives, history, and personality are there- but none define them. Just like any well written character, you get a feel for the shape of the character and their world but no one or two traits defined them. I will admit that I had a couple moments with Danny when I just wanted to kick him and tell him to grow up, but the other characters in the book shared that urge, and it was part of Danny's journey in figuring out how to be an adult, and how to function in a relationship. I liked the interplay between Danny and Jiyoon- as well as the way Danny and his band interacted with each other and those outside of their circle. Again, having seen and been part oft he music scene, this felt very realistically done.
The Trouble is a romance that realistically portrays the struggles that the characters would face in their circumstances. I enjoyed the story and think it was very well done.
December 15, 2024
This is a really solid new adult romance (or should I say aromance) centring an aromantic queer Asian man!
I really, really, really enjoyed this. The characters were interesting, and both Danny and Jiyoon felt like real, fleshed out people with their own distinct voices. Danny is a hot mess and Jiyoon is reserved and hyper organised, and I loved their opposites-attract dynamic.
Before I proceed, I’m gonna need to take a moment to scream about the wonderful aro representation here!!! Danny is *never* asked to compromise his identity for Jiyoon, and there’s not even a hint of arophobia here. The two of them communicate openly about what they require from a relationship, which allows the reader to see how relationships between aro and non-aro people are normal and fulfilling, and that relationships have so many facets other than romantic love.
(There’s also great rep more broadly: virtually everyone here is queer and Asian, except for One Token Straight)
And yes hellooooo we have SMUT here! I went into this expecting light fluffy contemporary, but there were maaany smutty sex scenes which are all steamy, full of sexual tension, and exceptionally well written.
On the subject of tension, the author does a great job of writing the struggle of balancing academic pressure, the long hours that go into being a creative trying to establish a career, and maintaining social relationships. I was STRESSEDT reading this!
Unfortunately it wasn’t all perfect, with this book losing a star from me in its final act. The inevitable conflict between Danny and Jiyoon happens at the last minute and escalates quickly.....but then it’s resolved a hot minute later in a really cheesy, stereotypical rom-com way. I needed more time with the characters to stew in the conflict, to see both sides of the equation, and then work up to a resolution. An extra 10 pages wouldn’t have gone astray.
But all in all, this was a REALLY solid 4-star queer male romance. It’s steamy, stressful, and shows how fucking wonderful relationships can be when you communicate.
I really, really, really enjoyed this. The characters were interesting, and both Danny and Jiyoon felt like real, fleshed out people with their own distinct voices. Danny is a hot mess and Jiyoon is reserved and hyper organised, and I loved their opposites-attract dynamic.
Before I proceed, I’m gonna need to take a moment to scream about the wonderful aro representation here!!! Danny is *never* asked to compromise his identity for Jiyoon, and there’s not even a hint of arophobia here. The two of them communicate openly about what they require from a relationship, which allows the reader to see how relationships between aro and non-aro people are normal and fulfilling, and that relationships have so many facets other than romantic love.
(There’s also great rep more broadly: virtually everyone here is queer and Asian, except for One Token Straight)
And yes hellooooo we have SMUT here! I went into this expecting light fluffy contemporary, but there were maaany smutty sex scenes which are all steamy, full of sexual tension, and exceptionally well written.
On the subject of tension, the author does a great job of writing the struggle of balancing academic pressure, the long hours that go into being a creative trying to establish a career, and maintaining social relationships. I was STRESSEDT reading this!
Unfortunately it wasn’t all perfect, with this book losing a star from me in its final act. The inevitable conflict between Danny and Jiyoon happens at the last minute and escalates quickly.....but then it’s resolved a hot minute later in a really cheesy, stereotypical rom-com way. I needed more time with the characters to stew in the conflict, to see both sides of the equation, and then work up to a resolution. An extra 10 pages wouldn’t have gone astray.
But all in all, this was a REALLY solid 4-star queer male romance. It’s steamy, stressful, and shows how fucking wonderful relationships can be when you communicate.
March 14, 2017
3.5 stars
This was a fun little story. Lots of great representation here with a decent storyline and interesting characters. I think it could have been a bit tighter with maybe a touch more conflict for interest sake, but I found it an engaging read nevertheless.
This was a fun little story. Lots of great representation here with a decent storyline and interesting characters. I think it could have been a bit tighter with maybe a touch more conflict for interest sake, but I found it an engaging read nevertheless.
August 26, 2020
I loved the concept of the book : an aromantic lead character and a "romance" with a guy he antagonized... It's great representation and the first time I actually see a main queerplatonic relationship. It was well depicted in my opinion.
But... that's about all that I liked in this book. It's short, so it makes sense that everything seems fast and easely solved, but that's really not what I enjoy. Plus, the characters were really underdeveloped and even incoherent (the narrator is really a douchebag at the beginning and then... he's somehow not anymore ?)
There were also a lot of sex scenes for such a short book, and they didn't deepen the characters or anything really...
But... that's about all that I liked in this book. It's short, so it makes sense that everything seems fast and easely solved, but that's really not what I enjoy. Plus, the characters were really underdeveloped and even incoherent (the narrator is really a douchebag at the beginning and then... he's somehow not anymore ?)
There were also a lot of sex scenes for such a short book, and they didn't deepen the characters or anything really...
April 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this! Danny is sometimes a jerk but he cares so much about his friends and music, and he's a delight to read. I love his friendship with Sam and his relationships with the other members of The Trouble. And Jiyoon is super sweet. I appreciated the tutoring scenes a lot, both as part of how the relationship between Danny and Jiyoon grows and on their own. Danny's not lesser for having trouble with accounting, and Jiyoon doesn't think he is. (Jiyoon making him stop when Danny is clearly having a panic attack was *such* an important thing to see, I think.)
I appreciated that the issues Danny and Jiyoon had with their relationship were around communication and stability. They'd talked about it and thought they were on the same page, and they weren't, and then they (eventually, when Danny stopped moping) worked it out. Danny crossed the boundary (not the best way to put it, but not sure how else to say?), and he made it as right as he could. It would have been so easy to write this such that Danny's aromanticism was the issue, but this was so much better.
For a good chunk of the book, Jiyoon is Danny's TA. Jiyoon is good at tutoring/explaining accounting. He is... not a great TA, for a whole lot of this. Ignoring Danny initially is a very bad move, and then the two of them cross all kinds of other ethical boundaries. (I don't think the extra study help is all that unethical, actually? It's made clear that Jiyoon isn't doing Danny's work for him. But the homework extension he doesn't really have the authority to grant and the sex are problems.) They do talk about it a lot, which I appreciated (though how Danny or Sam doesn't initially realize this is a problem baffles me), but that doesn't make the issue go away.
There's a lot of explicit, on-page sex. It's kind of skimmable (I skimmed decent chunks of it), but a lot of it is referenced in other conversations, and some of it is important for relationship dynamics.
Danny is aromantic allosexual, so some notes on that:
*Danny's aromanticism is very much on-page. It's mentioned multiple times, including quite early on, with a brief description. His allosexuality and sex-favorability are also very much on-page.
*He's clearly had experiences with people being jerks about this in the past, but none of the relationship tension between Danny and Jiyoon is related to Danny's aromanticism. Danny worries about it a couple of times; Jiyoon immediately reassures him. Their discussion of what they want and need in a relationship with each other is really lovely. I like that Jiyoon did research about aromanticism and also recognizes that all the research in the world is no substitute for talking to Danny.
*On the point about jerks: we don't spend a ton of time there, but Danny mentions people needing extensive 101 and people asking who had hurt him. He also references people being "shitty" generally, without more detail.
*Jiyoon does love Danny romantically, and they talk about that (very briefly because there's a whole lot else going on in that conversation).
CW: TA/student relationship, references to anti-aro comments/actions, explicit sex, panic attack.
I appreciated that the issues Danny and Jiyoon had with their relationship were around communication and stability. They'd talked about it and thought they were on the same page, and they weren't, and then they (eventually, when Danny stopped moping) worked it out. Danny crossed the boundary (not the best way to put it, but not sure how else to say?), and he made it as right as he could. It would have been so easy to write this such that Danny's aromanticism was the issue, but this was so much better.
For a good chunk of the book, Jiyoon is Danny's TA. Jiyoon is good at tutoring/explaining accounting. He is... not a great TA, for a whole lot of this. Ignoring Danny initially is a very bad move, and then the two of them cross all kinds of other ethical boundaries. (I don't think the extra study help is all that unethical, actually? It's made clear that Jiyoon isn't doing Danny's work for him. But the homework extension he doesn't really have the authority to grant and the sex are problems.) They do talk about it a lot, which I appreciated (though how Danny or Sam doesn't initially realize this is a problem baffles me), but that doesn't make the issue go away.
There's a lot of explicit, on-page sex. It's kind of skimmable (I skimmed decent chunks of it), but a lot of it is referenced in other conversations, and some of it is important for relationship dynamics.
Danny is aromantic allosexual, so some notes on that:
*Danny's aromanticism is very much on-page. It's mentioned multiple times, including quite early on, with a brief description. His allosexuality and sex-favorability are also very much on-page.
*He's clearly had experiences with people being jerks about this in the past, but none of the relationship tension between Danny and Jiyoon is related to Danny's aromanticism. Danny worries about it a couple of times; Jiyoon immediately reassures him. Their discussion of what they want and need in a relationship with each other is really lovely. I like that Jiyoon did research about aromanticism and also recognizes that all the research in the world is no substitute for talking to Danny.
*On the point about jerks: we don't spend a ton of time there, but Danny mentions people needing extensive 101 and people asking who had hurt him. He also references people being "shitty" generally, without more detail.
*Jiyoon does love Danny romantically, and they talk about that (very briefly because there's a whole lot else going on in that conversation).
CW: TA/student relationship, references to anti-aro comments/actions, explicit sex, panic attack.
December 9, 2023
Rep: aromantic achilliean Korean-American MC, achilliean Korean-American character, bi Korean-American side character, Asian side characters
Yooo!! Danny is exactly, exactly the type of aro character I'm looking for 😭 Aroallo rep, YES!
The only thing that I'd critize is probably the writing at certaine times. Just, at some places wahtever happened was so abruptly. Like, when Like 😭 This is basically a glorified novella but man, a liiiiittle more build up would have helped the plot to feel a little smoother.
That being said, I DEVOURED this. Like, it was, what, 2:30 a.m.? And I was getting in the mood to read this book finally and it was Saturday, so I decided fuck it, I'm starting this. And gods!! I was hooked! I was 30% thinking how I am absolutely loving this. A little after 4 a.m I stopped, around 80% done (and it was a very good place to stop, as I found out letter). I can't understand how I haven't picked up this book sooner despite it being on my TBR for ages!
Yooo!! Danny is exactly, exactly the type of aro character I'm looking for 😭 Aroallo rep, YES!
The only thing that I'd critize is probably the writing at certaine times. Just, at some places wahtever happened was so abruptly. Like, when Like 😭 This is basically a glorified novella but man, a liiiiittle more build up would have helped the plot to feel a little smoother.
That being said, I DEVOURED this. Like, it was, what, 2:30 a.m.? And I was getting in the mood to read this book finally and it was Saturday, so I decided fuck it, I'm starting this. And gods!! I was hooked! I was 30% thinking how I am absolutely loving this. A little after 4 a.m I stopped, around 80% done (and it was a very good place to stop, as I found out letter). I can't understand how I haven't picked up this book sooner despite it being on my TBR for ages!
March 25, 2024
Un petit livre super sympa à lire ! Clairement, ça parle de musique, de queerness et de relation queer platonique, c'était le meilleur moyen de m'embarquer dans l'histoire.
Danny, c'est le chanteur principal d'un groupe de musique un peu indé et qui rêve d'en faire sa vie. Après avoir dragué un homme et s'être prit un violent stop, il le revoie le lendemain... En cours, lorsqu'il se rend compte qu'il s'agit de son professeur.
Sincèrement, au début je ne savais pas du tout à quoi m'attendre, parce que ça démarre vraiment comme un pitch de romance et je n'avais pas vraiment envie de ça. Pourtant, dès le départ, Danny met en avant son aromantisme et continuera de mettre ses limites au fil de la relation qui se fera.
Plus que ça, il y aura aussi pas mal de communications (réussis ou non) qui ont même réussit à m'arracher quelques larmes.
Le livre est assez court, 150 pages environ donc il était difficile de plus développer les personnages secondaires, mais j'aurai pourtant aimé un peu mieux les découvrir !
Bref, c'était quand même une petite lecture sympa !
Danny, c'est le chanteur principal d'un groupe de musique un peu indé et qui rêve d'en faire sa vie. Après avoir dragué un homme et s'être prit un violent stop, il le revoie le lendemain... En cours, lorsqu'il se rend compte qu'il s'agit de son professeur.
Sincèrement, au début je ne savais pas du tout à quoi m'attendre, parce que ça démarre vraiment comme un pitch de romance et je n'avais pas vraiment envie de ça. Pourtant, dès le départ, Danny met en avant son aromantisme et continuera de mettre ses limites au fil de la relation qui se fera.
Plus que ça, il y aura aussi pas mal de communications (réussis ou non) qui ont même réussit à m'arracher quelques larmes.
Le livre est assez court, 150 pages environ donc il était difficile de plus développer les personnages secondaires, mais j'aurai pourtant aimé un peu mieux les découvrir !
Bref, c'était quand même une petite lecture sympa !
February 21, 2018
The Trouble was the first book I've read in over a year. It's also been sitting on a list of books-to-read saved in a note on my desktop for over a year. I can't say I've been the best reader lately. I can't even figure out how to sign in to my other account here anymore.
I'm glad I started here. The Trouble is a charming book. It's slightly underwritten in places, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it gave my brain a little space to play. I finished it quickly and was sad when it ended because I liked the characters and wanted to keep hanging out with them. I got what I needed from a romance novel: Laughter, frustration, some nice sexy visuals for my brain, and a little angst.
I liked it enough that I skipped ahead on my list to the next Daria Defore book right away.
I'm glad I started here. The Trouble is a charming book. It's slightly underwritten in places, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it gave my brain a little space to play. I finished it quickly and was sad when it ended because I liked the characters and wanted to keep hanging out with them. I got what I needed from a romance novel: Laughter, frustration, some nice sexy visuals for my brain, and a little angst.
I liked it enough that I skipped ahead on my list to the next Daria Defore book right away.
April 12, 2018
This book made me incredibly emotional. Reading this, and seeing Danny being open about who he was and that he is aro meant the world to me-- as someone who is aro, I've never really seen myself represented in something, and even then, it's more speculative and the word "aromantic" is never used in the text. But here we have Danny, stating explicitly early on in the book that he's aro. I can't thank Daria Defore enough for this representation.
July 1, 2020
Honestly, I'm just so fucking happy. Reading about an alloaro protagonist? Who has a fulfilling relationship? Where there is no drama because of his aromanticism, where he isn't treated as some kind of heartless monster who's just using people for sex?
This really warmed my aro heart, I love seeing aros being happy. And it helps a lot that this one actually made me laugh out loud.
And honestly, I'm just rambling. So in a few words: I loved, loved, loved this! (no romo tho)
This really warmed my aro heart, I love seeing aros being happy. And it helps a lot that this one actually made me laugh out loud.
And honestly, I'm just rambling. So in a few words: I loved, loved, loved this! (no romo tho)
February 9, 2021
Final score: 71 (good) ending was weird but the protagonist was fun to follow
After one of his concerts, Danny hits on a guy in the crowd only to find out later that the guy is the TA of his accounting class.
I thought the ending was a bit weird? A conflict seemed to have come out of nowhere, got way overblown and then resolved in like 2 seconds? At times it felt a little fanficy but the first half of the book was pretty good, mostly just because I really enjoyed Danny's character, and is was very cute at times. Sam was great too but the rest of the characters were either kinda forgettable or annoying.
After one of his concerts, Danny hits on a guy in the crowd only to find out later that the guy is the TA of his accounting class.
I thought the ending was a bit weird? A conflict seemed to have come out of nowhere, got way overblown and then resolved in like 2 seconds? At times it felt a little fanficy but the first half of the book was pretty good, mostly just because I really enjoyed Danny's character, and is was very cute at times. Sam was great too but the rest of the characters were either kinda forgettable or annoying.
November 4, 2018
Cute! 3.5 stars rounded up. I was interested to see how a romance book with an aromatic character would work. I still have some questions but I think I have a better sense, overall, of how you would need to navigate those particular boundaries.
October 25, 2020
I really loved this book, it was so cute but not in a cheesy way and there wasn't "drama" because the characters knew how to communicate and i even cried in a certain point of the book! Highly recommend!
December 24, 2017
This book was very cute.
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