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Seoul #2
Seoulmates
One of Amazon's best romances of January 2022!
A Korean-American adoptee fights to be with the one she loves while coming to terms with her new identity in this enthralling romantic drama and sequel to Heart and Seoul by USA Today best-selling author Jen Frederick.
When Hara Wilson lands in Seoul to find her birth mother, she doesn’t plan on falling in love with the first man she lays eyes on, but Choi Yujun is irresistible. If his broad shoulders and dimples weren’t enough, Choi Yujun is the most genuine, decent, gorgeous guy to exist. Too bad he’s also her stepbrother.
Fate brought her to the Choi doorstep, but the gift of family comes with burdens. A job in her mother’s company has perks of endless company dinners and super-resentful coworkers. A new country means learning a new language, which 25-year-old Hara is finding to be a Herculean task. A forbidden love means having to choose between her birth family or Choi Yujun.
All Hara wanted was to find a place to belong in this world - but in order to have it all, she’ll have to risk it all.
A Korean-American adoptee fights to be with the one she loves while coming to terms with her new identity in this enthralling romantic drama and sequel to Heart and Seoul by USA Today best-selling author Jen Frederick.
When Hara Wilson lands in Seoul to find her birth mother, she doesn’t plan on falling in love with the first man she lays eyes on, but Choi Yujun is irresistible. If his broad shoulders and dimples weren’t enough, Choi Yujun is the most genuine, decent, gorgeous guy to exist. Too bad he’s also her stepbrother.
Fate brought her to the Choi doorstep, but the gift of family comes with burdens. A job in her mother’s company has perks of endless company dinners and super-resentful coworkers. A new country means learning a new language, which 25-year-old Hara is finding to be a Herculean task. A forbidden love means having to choose between her birth family or Choi Yujun.
All Hara wanted was to find a place to belong in this world - but in order to have it all, she’ll have to risk it all.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
102 people are currently reading
7385 people want to read
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March 10, 2022
There are a couple of reasons to ask yourself why a book exists.
One is if it is simply purposeless. For example, if it's a previously unannounced surprise sequel to a book that appears to be conceived solely to avoid the backlash of accidentally calling a book without a happily ever after a "romance," flying in the face of the singular requirement for a book to be called that.
I just said book so many times.
Another is if it is simply terrible, bad on every level, with characters who are unbearable to read about and a total lack of plot and a writing style that is grating, so that every moment, every page, every paragraph is a burden and a punishment.
This book, you may have guessed, is impressive because I am asking why it exists for both reasons.
It has been a long time since I read something I actively hated this much!
And there are a lot of reasons for that!
For example: this book was clearly published because at the end of the first book, the couple was not together, and the lack of HEA meant it couldn't be a romance. You can see a bunch of negative reviews of it if you don't believe me.
But when this book starts......they are together???? So I don't understand what we're doing here??
There is a breakup scene at the end of the last book, I promise. I was not hallucinating. It was too vividly bad for me to forget, and believe me, I've been trying.
But here we are. As if nothing ever happened. It feels like the first book happened, then a second book's worth of events happened, but that happened in a three-month window that we skipped entirely and find ourselves here, in nonsense land of no story or events.
In other words, this is basically if you read a romance between, like, a prince and a commoner and the end of the first book they get married, and then the second book is just her like :( and his family like :(
So all the boring stuff. And also you don't get to see the happily ever after part. So even more boring stuff instead of good stuff.
As if that weren't enough to qualify this as the silliest and most frustrating read of all time, THERE'S MORE. It's all goofy and deus ex machina-y: Three characters previously established to be straight are suddenly gay, explanation-less-ly, so they can all date each other.
I don't know why that feels like an insurmountable problem, for even one background character to be single when this miserable duology slogs to its end, but here we are.
AND! In case you were tempted to be rooting for these wayward stepsiblings (although I don't know why you would be - they are annoying apart but even worse together), they f*ck at work! Where their mom (lol) gave them jobs! And are recorded! On security cameras!
And we are expected to sympathize!
With the two most unsympathize-able characters of all time!
I need to lie down.
Bottom line: I would get a lobotomy if it would help me forget this book.
----------------
pre-review
this manages to have no plot and still be filled with drama, toxicity, and unpleasantness at every second.
it's kinda impressive, in that way.
review to come / 1.5 stars
----------------
tbr review
a pun and a pretty cover. what more can a book have
(thanks to netgalley for the e-arc)
One is if it is simply purposeless. For example, if it's a previously unannounced surprise sequel to a book that appears to be conceived solely to avoid the backlash of accidentally calling a book without a happily ever after a "romance," flying in the face of the singular requirement for a book to be called that.
I just said book so many times.
Another is if it is simply terrible, bad on every level, with characters who are unbearable to read about and a total lack of plot and a writing style that is grating, so that every moment, every page, every paragraph is a burden and a punishment.
This book, you may have guessed, is impressive because I am asking why it exists for both reasons.
It has been a long time since I read something I actively hated this much!
And there are a lot of reasons for that!
For example: this book was clearly published because at the end of the first book, the couple was not together, and the lack of HEA meant it couldn't be a romance. You can see a bunch of negative reviews of it if you don't believe me.
But when this book starts......they are together???? So I don't understand what we're doing here??
There is a breakup scene at the end of the last book, I promise. I was not hallucinating. It was too vividly bad for me to forget, and believe me, I've been trying.
But here we are. As if nothing ever happened. It feels like the first book happened, then a second book's worth of events happened, but that happened in a three-month window that we skipped entirely and find ourselves here, in nonsense land of no story or events.
In other words, this is basically if you read a romance between, like, a prince and a commoner and the end of the first book they get married, and then the second book is just her like :( and his family like :(
So all the boring stuff. And also you don't get to see the happily ever after part. So even more boring stuff instead of good stuff.
As if that weren't enough to qualify this as the silliest and most frustrating read of all time, THERE'S MORE. It's all goofy and deus ex machina-y: Three characters previously established to be straight are suddenly gay, explanation-less-ly, so they can all date each other.
I don't know why that feels like an insurmountable problem, for even one background character to be single when this miserable duology slogs to its end, but here we are.
AND! In case you were tempted to be rooting for these wayward stepsiblings (although I don't know why you would be - they are annoying apart but even worse together), they f*ck at work! Where their mom (lol) gave them jobs! And are recorded! On security cameras!
And we are expected to sympathize!
With the two most unsympathize-able characters of all time!
I need to lie down.
Bottom line: I would get a lobotomy if it would help me forget this book.
----------------
pre-review
this manages to have no plot and still be filled with drama, toxicity, and unpleasantness at every second.
it's kinda impressive, in that way.
review to come / 1.5 stars
----------------
tbr review
a pun and a pretty cover. what more can a book have
(thanks to netgalley for the e-arc)
February 14, 2022
Oh boy! As a die hard fan of Paper Princess series that Jen Fredrick was the co writer with Elle Kennedy a.k.a Erin Watt, I was so intrigued by Seoul Series!
At the first book, I was a little disappointed not to see HEA like the most romance readers and that cliffhanger at the end made me bite my nails harder. I didn’t care too much to read women’s fiction story: it was still well written inner journey of Hara.
Of course my expectation was reading a romance : Yujun Chopin and Hara’s story hooked me up from the beginning. But the book centered on Hara’s revelations to fly to Korea for finding her biological parents. The culture, traditions were well depicted and interesting enough to attract your attention.
And at this book the author picks us up for she left the story. Hara finally finds her paternal mother. She also has to fight against the obstacles to reach her own happy ending! I have to admit I loved Yujun more at each chapter! That guy never gave up and fully stood for his love!
I think I loved the second book more than the first. Pacing was faster and more riveting! The supporting characters were adorable! Love story and evolving of characters were also great!
The story was also wrapped up adroitly! I devoured in one sit!
I advised you to read the first book to catch up the entire development.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
At the first book, I was a little disappointed not to see HEA like the most romance readers and that cliffhanger at the end made me bite my nails harder. I didn’t care too much to read women’s fiction story: it was still well written inner journey of Hara.
Of course my expectation was reading a romance : Yujun Chopin and Hara’s story hooked me up from the beginning. But the book centered on Hara’s revelations to fly to Korea for finding her biological parents. The culture, traditions were well depicted and interesting enough to attract your attention.
And at this book the author picks us up for she left the story. Hara finally finds her paternal mother. She also has to fight against the obstacles to reach her own happy ending! I have to admit I loved Yujun more at each chapter! That guy never gave up and fully stood for his love!
I think I loved the second book more than the first. Pacing was faster and more riveting! The supporting characters were adorable! Love story and evolving of characters were also great!
The story was also wrapped up adroitly! I devoured in one sit!
I advised you to read the first book to catch up the entire development.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
June 21, 2023
"Once I said to Yujun that I did not feel like a Korean and he'd replied that what is a Korean but a person who has suffered and survived? In the bitter and sweet of this city, I have found my person, my soul."
Bittersweet--a recurring word, one that describes this book well. It encompasses Hara's joy and pain as a transracial adoptee from Iowa finding her biological mother in South Korea; Hara's experience in Seoul as someone who looks Korean but does not fit in culturally; the highs and lows of Hara and Yujun's complicated relationship; Seoul's vibrant beauty contrasted with rigid cultural expectations.
Seoulmates is as deliciously dramatic (in the 🍿🍿🍿 way) as Heart and Seoul, and I loved the continuation of Hara's journey in South Korea. Hara is torn between familial duty towards her biological mother and her forbidden yet indomitable love for Yujun. 'Belonging' is an overarching theme, visible in Hara's attempts to fit in with her chilly coworkers, to build a relationship with Wansu, and learn about her birth culture and language.
Frederick seasons the novel with colorful descriptions of Seoul and food imagery to rival FoodTok. She incorporates Korean folktales, holiday traditions, Seoul history and geography. Super cute, captivating, and melodramatic.
Bittersweet--a recurring word, one that describes this book well. It encompasses Hara's joy and pain as a transracial adoptee from Iowa finding her biological mother in South Korea; Hara's experience in Seoul as someone who looks Korean but does not fit in culturally; the highs and lows of Hara and Yujun's complicated relationship; Seoul's vibrant beauty contrasted with rigid cultural expectations.
Seoulmates is as deliciously dramatic (in the 🍿🍿🍿 way) as Heart and Seoul, and I loved the continuation of Hara's journey in South Korea. Hara is torn between familial duty towards her biological mother and her forbidden yet indomitable love for Yujun. 'Belonging' is an overarching theme, visible in Hara's attempts to fit in with her chilly coworkers, to build a relationship with Wansu, and learn about her birth culture and language.
Frederick seasons the novel with colorful descriptions of Seoul and food imagery to rival FoodTok. She incorporates Korean folktales, holiday traditions, Seoul history and geography. Super cute, captivating, and melodramatic.
January 24, 2022
Seoulmates is the conclusion to the Seoul Series duology. This series is women's fiction mixed with romance.
I absolutely loved Heart & Seoul. When I read it I had no idea that there was going to be a second book. But once I found out about Seoulmates I was very excited to see what would happen next.
This is a series. And you really need to read the first book before reading this one as it's a continuing story.
The narrator is Hara Wilson (25 years old, 1st person POV). This book takes place in Korea, just weeks after the last book ended.. It was amazing to learn even more about Korean culture.
I did enjoy this book. But it didn't have the same impact on me as the first one. The beginning was slow. But we did get to see a lot of what Hara's new life in Korea was like.
I loved getting to see more of Yujun, Sangki, Jules and Wansu. But I was really unsure how the story would end. Overall, it didn't end exactly how I was expecting it to end. But the end was clever and the epilogue was so good!
Thanks to Berkley and netgalley and for allowing me to read this book!
I absolutely loved Heart & Seoul. When I read it I had no idea that there was going to be a second book. But once I found out about Seoulmates I was very excited to see what would happen next.
This is a series. And you really need to read the first book before reading this one as it's a continuing story.
The narrator is Hara Wilson (25 years old, 1st person POV). This book takes place in Korea, just weeks after the last book ended.. It was amazing to learn even more about Korean culture.
I did enjoy this book. But it didn't have the same impact on me as the first one. The beginning was slow. But we did get to see a lot of what Hara's new life in Korea was like.
I loved getting to see more of Yujun, Sangki, Jules and Wansu. But I was really unsure how the story would end. Overall, it didn't end exactly how I was expecting it to end. But the end was clever and the epilogue was so good!
Thanks to Berkley and netgalley and for allowing me to read this book!
February 1, 2022
5 STARS!!!
Love love loved this installment in Hara’s story of self discovery and love!! More in-depth review to come, but Y’ALL PICK THIS UP AND READ IT!!!!!
*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free review copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review*
————————————————————
Yeah I’m already rating this book BECAUSE I KNOW ITS GOING TO BE AMAZING AND I NEED THE FINALE TO HARA’S STORY RIGHT MEOW!
Love love loved this installment in Hara’s story of self discovery and love!! More in-depth review to come, but Y’ALL PICK THIS UP AND READ IT!!!!!
*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free review copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review*
————————————————————
Yeah I’m already rating this book BECAUSE I KNOW ITS GOING TO BE AMAZING AND I NEED THE FINALE TO HARA’S STORY RIGHT MEOW!
December 19, 2021
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*4.5 Stars!*
𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
❧ First things first, if you haven't already read Heart and Seoul then please correct that error immediately so you can read about Hara's journey from the start!
❧ After Heart and Seoul ended with a cliffhanger, I immediately knew that I had to pick up Seoulmates soon so I could see how Hara's story would end and have all my questions answered. I was praying my hardest for an HEA for these Hara and Yujun and I needed to see my wish come true.
❧ Seoulmates picks up right where Heart and Seoul left off: Hara is now employed at the company where her mother is the CEO and struggles to find her role in the company while navigating her way through a foreign country that is suppose to be her "home".
❧ I really grew to love Hara in this book. She felt more dimensional and you could see her start to come out of her shell. She was standing her grounds and making her voice heard.
❧ Culture is such a big part of this duology and I think Frederick's did a good job at exploring the cultural norms of Korea and showing how Hara adapted to some while challenging others.
❧ While Seoulmates does lean more towards women's fiction than romance, there were still some tender and steamy moments between Hara and Yujun. Yujun really wasn't the one to mess with. He didn't care who objected (even if it was Hara herself!), that man was defending his love for Hara to everybody and anybody and I was here for it!
❧ I was living for our secondary characters! It was never a dull moment when Jules, Bomi and Sangki were involved.
❧ Someone who really ended up surprising me in this book was Hara's birth mother, Wansu. I really didn't like her for the first half of the book because I felt like she wasn't trying to be supportive of Hara, but then my feelings quickly changed in the second half when Wansu comes to Hara's defense and we get to see the length Wansu is willing to go to ensure Hara's happiness.
❧ If this is the end of the Seoul series, then I am happy how things were wrapped up—but I will say, I totally wouldn't mind it if Jen Frederick's decides to give us more stories set in this world. I know a character or two who definitely deserve a happily-ever-after of their own...😉
*4.5 Stars!*
𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
❧ First things first, if you haven't already read Heart and Seoul then please correct that error immediately so you can read about Hara's journey from the start!
❧ After Heart and Seoul ended with a cliffhanger, I immediately knew that I had to pick up Seoulmates soon so I could see how Hara's story would end and have all my questions answered. I was praying my hardest for an HEA for these Hara and Yujun and I needed to see my wish come true.
❧ Seoulmates picks up right where Heart and Seoul left off: Hara is now employed at the company where her mother is the CEO and struggles to find her role in the company while navigating her way through a foreign country that is suppose to be her "home".
❧ I really grew to love Hara in this book. She felt more dimensional and you could see her start to come out of her shell. She was standing her grounds and making her voice heard.
❧ Culture is such a big part of this duology and I think Frederick's did a good job at exploring the cultural norms of Korea and showing how Hara adapted to some while challenging others.
❧ While Seoulmates does lean more towards women's fiction than romance, there were still some tender and steamy moments between Hara and Yujun. Yujun really wasn't the one to mess with. He didn't care who objected (even if it was Hara herself!), that man was defending his love for Hara to everybody and anybody and I was here for it!
❧ I was living for our secondary characters! It was never a dull moment when Jules, Bomi and Sangki were involved.
❧ Someone who really ended up surprising me in this book was Hara's birth mother, Wansu. I really didn't like her for the first half of the book because I felt like she wasn't trying to be supportive of Hara, but then my feelings quickly changed in the second half when Wansu comes to Hara's defense and we get to see the length Wansu is willing to go to ensure Hara's happiness.
❧ If this is the end of the Seoul series, then I am happy how things were wrapped up—but I will say, I totally wouldn't mind it if Jen Frederick's decides to give us more stories set in this world. I know a character or two who definitely deserve a happily-ever-after of their own...😉
October 18, 2023
Den ersten Teil hab ich Anfang des Jahres gelesen und da hatte ich so meine kleinen Problemen mit dem Namen und der Kultur. Aber nur in dem Sinne, das ich sie nicht wirklich gut verstanden habe. Einige Wochen später, also heute, habe ich mit diesem Buch angefangen und auch gleich beendet. Ich fand relativ schnell in die Geschichte und habe auch einiges besser verstanden. Die Namen waren anfangs wieder verwirrend, aber auch das legte sich mit der Zeit. Fand diesen Teil sogar noch besser als seinen Vorgänger. Auch das Cover ist absolut meins, ich liebe ja alles was blau ist. ☺️ Schöner Abschluss dieser Serie.
4 Sterne
4 Sterne
February 1, 2022
I read Heart & Seoul earlier this year and I was left feeling devastated for Hara and anxious to read the conclusion to her story. I am happy to say that Seoulmates was everything I hoped for and more.
Hara is trying her best to cope with her current circumstances. After coming to Korea to find her biological parents and hoping to finally stop feeling like an outsider, she soon realizes that she still doesn't feel at home and her problems are quickly adding up.
She starts a job at her Korean mom's company and is subsequently hated by her co-workers, who accurately feel she's a product of nepotism, she has not yet mastered the Korean language, and she's terribly homesick. Her greatest source of heartache, however, is the fact that she has been instructed to stay away from Yujun, her boyfriend. He may well be the love of her life, but she just found out he is also her stepbrother. They were not raised together, nor did they know about their connection when they met, but in Korean culture it's a huge no-no.
In Seoulmates we get to see Hara navigate her way through all of these obstacles. Jen Frederick did a fantastic job in writing Hara's journey of self-discovery. Hera has never felt as though she truly belongs anywhere, and as a result she constantly seeks people's approval or keeps herself closed off as a defense mechanism. In this story, after years of self-doubt, Hara finally realizes that she's the master of her own happiness.
"I came to Korea to find my family, to figure out where I belonged, and what I learned was that family has never been about blood. Family is about the people you love and the people who love you back, and in that circle, you are never an outsider, a person with no name. You always belong."
I would also like to say that the love story between Hara and Yujun is so pure. Yujun is truly the sweetest, most supportive boyfriend ever written. He stands by Hara throughout the entire story. No silly breakups or misunderstandings for these two. He and Hara constantly communicate and support one another and stand up to those who say they do not belong together. It was lovely to see them get their happy ending.
"He's a steady presence in a not-so-familiar place. I want to crawl onto his lap and inside his shirt, inside his heart. It's safe there. That's where my home is."
Seoulmates was a wonderful story of self-discovery, love, friendship (I loved all of the friends featured in this story; Sangki was a particular favorite) and finding family and an absolutely delightful read.
Hara is trying her best to cope with her current circumstances. After coming to Korea to find her biological parents and hoping to finally stop feeling like an outsider, she soon realizes that she still doesn't feel at home and her problems are quickly adding up.
She starts a job at her Korean mom's company and is subsequently hated by her co-workers, who accurately feel she's a product of nepotism, she has not yet mastered the Korean language, and she's terribly homesick. Her greatest source of heartache, however, is the fact that she has been instructed to stay away from Yujun, her boyfriend. He may well be the love of her life, but she just found out he is also her stepbrother. They were not raised together, nor did they know about their connection when they met, but in Korean culture it's a huge no-no.
In Seoulmates we get to see Hara navigate her way through all of these obstacles. Jen Frederick did a fantastic job in writing Hara's journey of self-discovery. Hera has never felt as though she truly belongs anywhere, and as a result she constantly seeks people's approval or keeps herself closed off as a defense mechanism. In this story, after years of self-doubt, Hara finally realizes that she's the master of her own happiness.
"I came to Korea to find my family, to figure out where I belonged, and what I learned was that family has never been about blood. Family is about the people you love and the people who love you back, and in that circle, you are never an outsider, a person with no name. You always belong."
I would also like to say that the love story between Hara and Yujun is so pure. Yujun is truly the sweetest, most supportive boyfriend ever written. He stands by Hara throughout the entire story. No silly breakups or misunderstandings for these two. He and Hara constantly communicate and support one another and stand up to those who say they do not belong together. It was lovely to see them get their happy ending.
"He's a steady presence in a not-so-familiar place. I want to crawl onto his lap and inside his shirt, inside his heart. It's safe there. That's where my home is."
Seoulmates was a wonderful story of self-discovery, love, friendship (I loved all of the friends featured in this story; Sangki was a particular favorite) and finding family and an absolutely delightful read.
January 17, 2022
Rating: 4.5 Stars
It was no secret that I was devastated at the end of Heart & Seoul, but I had faith in Frederick. I am happy to report that I loved the direction this story took and was overjoyed by the end of the book.
This was a continuation of Hara’s personal journey. She still had a great deal to come to terms with regarding her mothers, her fathers, and her identity. She recognized that these issues were keeping her from establishing meaningful relationships, and though she was making progress, there was a still a ways to go. I was really proud of Hara and the progress she made. She was taking important steps and lowering her defenses in order to build solid connections.
And I adored those connections so much. I am a fan of found family, and Hara found herself a wonderful group of people. Jules, Bomi, and Sangki were such steadfast friends, and Yujun. *fans self* That man was all sorts of perfection. He was willing to walk away from everything to be with Hara. There was this lovely little subplot where Hara made some career decisions too, and these four were her biggest supporters and champions.
There was a bigger focus on the romance in this installment as well. With the reveal at the end of Heart & Seoul, the romance between Hara and Yujun turned to one of a forbidden nature. This became a big obstacle for them as they grappled with the decision to be together or be ostracized by their family and community. With the romance playing a larger role, I got to see how swoony and incredible Yujun was. I didn’t get enough of that in the previous book, so I ate up every morsel I was given here. He was such a heart-on-his-sleeve romantic, and I will admit, he owned my heart.
Overall: What a fantastic ending for Hara! It was a pleasure being part of her journey, and I applaud the way Frederick tied up all those loose ends. I enjoyed my time in this world and would be delighted to return should Frederick have more stories to tell.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
It was no secret that I was devastated at the end of Heart & Seoul, but I had faith in Frederick. I am happy to report that I loved the direction this story took and was overjoyed by the end of the book.
This was a continuation of Hara’s personal journey. She still had a great deal to come to terms with regarding her mothers, her fathers, and her identity. She recognized that these issues were keeping her from establishing meaningful relationships, and though she was making progress, there was a still a ways to go. I was really proud of Hara and the progress she made. She was taking important steps and lowering her defenses in order to build solid connections.
And I adored those connections so much. I am a fan of found family, and Hara found herself a wonderful group of people. Jules, Bomi, and Sangki were such steadfast friends, and Yujun. *fans self* That man was all sorts of perfection. He was willing to walk away from everything to be with Hara. There was this lovely little subplot where Hara made some career decisions too, and these four were her biggest supporters and champions.
There was a bigger focus on the romance in this installment as well. With the reveal at the end of Heart & Seoul, the romance between Hara and Yujun turned to one of a forbidden nature. This became a big obstacle for them as they grappled with the decision to be together or be ostracized by their family and community. With the romance playing a larger role, I got to see how swoony and incredible Yujun was. I didn’t get enough of that in the previous book, so I ate up every morsel I was given here. He was such a heart-on-his-sleeve romantic, and I will admit, he owned my heart.
Overall: What a fantastic ending for Hara! It was a pleasure being part of her journey, and I applaud the way Frederick tied up all those loose ends. I enjoyed my time in this world and would be delighted to return should Frederick have more stories to tell.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
February 3, 2022
rating: ⭐️⭐️
true rating: 1.8/5
i would recommend this to:
🦆 those who like womens literature
🦆 people who love a good setting in a book
🦆 those who read the first and refuse to accept the ending
review: omg, i wanted to love it. i didn’t like the first one and hate giving negative reviews, but i told ppl i’d give them my final reveiw on this so i’ll deliver. i think the actual writing was quite good and the setting was 10/10. however this book didn’t even feel like it connected much to the last one- the characters felt different (like qualities and the relationship between them?) and i was not rooting for the main couple like AT ALL. i hated the ending of the last one, and this one although slightly better it still felt so easy/like a bit of a cop out. this one was better than the first, but i still don’t recommend? idk man it was just a miss for me. i also didn’t love any of the mc’s and that disconnect doesn’t help.
my main reactions: 😐😶🤤🤔
brief summary: following the revelations of the last book, hara must fight harder to figure out who she is, where she truly belongs and how to love the one she wants to be with. the world seems to be against her, but hara is determined to figure out how to have it all.
true rating: 1.8/5
i would recommend this to:
🦆 those who like womens literature
🦆 people who love a good setting in a book
🦆 those who read the first and refuse to accept the ending
review: omg, i wanted to love it. i didn’t like the first one and hate giving negative reviews, but i told ppl i’d give them my final reveiw on this so i’ll deliver. i think the actual writing was quite good and the setting was 10/10. however this book didn’t even feel like it connected much to the last one- the characters felt different (like qualities and the relationship between them?) and i was not rooting for the main couple like AT ALL. i hated the ending of the last one, and this one although slightly better it still felt so easy/like a bit of a cop out. this one was better than the first, but i still don’t recommend? idk man it was just a miss for me. i also didn’t love any of the mc’s and that disconnect doesn’t help.
my main reactions: 😐😶🤤🤔
brief summary: following the revelations of the last book, hara must fight harder to figure out who she is, where she truly belongs and how to love the one she wants to be with. the world seems to be against her, but hara is determined to figure out how to have it all.
April 20, 2022
Bro…. What??? I really wanted to like this series y’all bc it was recommended to me as a k drama in a book but I just didn’t like anything about this one. The first book is a bit better fs but this second one…. oof fr 😳
January 29, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
I really enjoyed this continuation of Hara's journey to self-discovery and love in her birth country. Raised in America by her adopted parents, Hara traveled to Korea to find her birth mom and ends getting a job working for her company. She also is struggling to adjust to the Korean culture and language while waiting for her boyfriend Choi (who is also her step-brother) to return. The story really picks up when Choi and Hara get to finally be together and start fighting for the chance to have an open relationship (something that is very taboo in Korean culture even though they aren't related by blood). This book was also full of lots of amazing food as Hara starts a food truck business which I loved for her. Great on audio, this was a fun, feel-good #ownvoices romance. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for my advance review copy!
Steam level: a few open door scenes (as opposed to book one which was kissing only)
Favorite quote:
"I came to Korea to find my family, to figure out where I belonged. And what I learned is that family has never been about blood. Family is about the people you love and the people who love you back. And in that circle, you are never an outsider, a person with no name. You always belong."
I really enjoyed this continuation of Hara's journey to self-discovery and love in her birth country. Raised in America by her adopted parents, Hara traveled to Korea to find her birth mom and ends getting a job working for her company. She also is struggling to adjust to the Korean culture and language while waiting for her boyfriend Choi (who is also her step-brother) to return. The story really picks up when Choi and Hara get to finally be together and start fighting for the chance to have an open relationship (something that is very taboo in Korean culture even though they aren't related by blood). This book was also full of lots of amazing food as Hara starts a food truck business which I loved for her. Great on audio, this was a fun, feel-good #ownvoices romance. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for my advance review copy!
Steam level: a few open door scenes (as opposed to book one which was kissing only)
Favorite quote:
"I came to Korea to find my family, to figure out where I belonged. And what I learned is that family has never been about blood. Family is about the people you love and the people who love you back. And in that circle, you are never an outsider, a person with no name. You always belong."
January 30, 2022
i liked it but it was a step down from the first book
August 25, 2024
A good conclusion to a good story. I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed learning more about South Korea as I made my way through these two books and even saved some places I'd like to actually see in real life. I want to have a meal sitting near the Han River. 🇰🇷
February 16, 2022
This was not anything like what I wanted it to be. Hara has the opportunity to work in a new country, assimilate and really make a name for herself in her mother's company, rather than seem like a nepotism hire. In the half that I read, she did nothing to establish herself as competent and rather just pined away for her "stepbrother" who was sent away. This was boring which is a shame because it could have highlighted and showcased what life is like in Korea for an immigrant but all she does is complain about how no one likes her and does nothing to fix it.
February 3, 2022
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I couldn’t help myself, another book that plays out like a k-drama? Sign me up! Since I read both together back to back, I’m just going to do a review of the series as a whole, but it’s going to be spoiler free :) So let’s dive in!
Hara Wilson, has always felt like the outsider in her small community in Iowa. She was adopted as in infant by the Wilsons after being abandoned by her birth mother outside of a police station in Seoul, South Korea. Now Hara is 25 years old and has lead a pretty uneventful life. She has no real ties holding her to Iowa and she is desperate to find belonging. After a data breech occurs and her birth father suddenly reaches out Hara decides to take the trip of her life to Seoul, South Korea. Here she hops to find her sense of belonging. However, staying on track of her mission, proves to be quite difficult when suddenly Hara mistakes a very handsome chaebol as her driver. From there, Hara and Choi Yujun start to go on adventures and become more and more involved with each other. The only problem is what happens when Hara has to go home to Iowa? Is this just a vacation fling or is it real?
First of all, I feel so giddy after completing this series. For starters this is 100% new adult and not YA. I honestly, do not read smut and some of these scenes defiantly had me blushing haha, but I can’t say i hated it. I will say, this story read like a k-drama for me. For someone who doesn’t watch k-drama, this story might not read as easily. I’ve read a few reviews where the overall flow was criticized and I have to say I whole heartedly disagree. I think this story was a fantastic burn and build up. Now, did this story necessarily need two novels? Ehhh… debatable, BUT I cannot say I didn’t love spending more time with Hara as she grew into the fantastic character she was. I loved the connection Hara and Yujun had and I loved the journey i went through with them.
Overall, if you like books that read like k-dramas, you will 100% love this novel. I sped through both of these books in a matter of 3 days. It’s a very fun light hearted read. The first book defiantly was a slow burn and does leave off on a cliff hanger, which defiantly sucks! If I did not have the second book already, I probably would’ve lost my mind. So be prepared when you start this to just read both in one go! I also loved that unlike a lot of novels that are k-drama/kpop themed, this had so much explanation of Hangul words. For someone who knows basic vocabulary already, I still loved the overall explanation of words and there were a few in there that I actually didn’t know so that was defiantly a refreshing addition to the story.
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I couldn’t help myself, another book that plays out like a k-drama? Sign me up! Since I read both together back to back, I’m just going to do a review of the series as a whole, but it’s going to be spoiler free :) So let’s dive in!
Hara Wilson, has always felt like the outsider in her small community in Iowa. She was adopted as in infant by the Wilsons after being abandoned by her birth mother outside of a police station in Seoul, South Korea. Now Hara is 25 years old and has lead a pretty uneventful life. She has no real ties holding her to Iowa and she is desperate to find belonging. After a data breech occurs and her birth father suddenly reaches out Hara decides to take the trip of her life to Seoul, South Korea. Here she hops to find her sense of belonging. However, staying on track of her mission, proves to be quite difficult when suddenly Hara mistakes a very handsome chaebol as her driver. From there, Hara and Choi Yujun start to go on adventures and become more and more involved with each other. The only problem is what happens when Hara has to go home to Iowa? Is this just a vacation fling or is it real?
First of all, I feel so giddy after completing this series. For starters this is 100% new adult and not YA. I honestly, do not read smut and some of these scenes defiantly had me blushing haha, but I can’t say i hated it. I will say, this story read like a k-drama for me. For someone who doesn’t watch k-drama, this story might not read as easily. I’ve read a few reviews where the overall flow was criticized and I have to say I whole heartedly disagree. I think this story was a fantastic burn and build up. Now, did this story necessarily need two novels? Ehhh… debatable, BUT I cannot say I didn’t love spending more time with Hara as she grew into the fantastic character she was. I loved the connection Hara and Yujun had and I loved the journey i went through with them.
Overall, if you like books that read like k-dramas, you will 100% love this novel. I sped through both of these books in a matter of 3 days. It’s a very fun light hearted read. The first book defiantly was a slow burn and does leave off on a cliff hanger, which defiantly sucks! If I did not have the second book already, I probably would’ve lost my mind. So be prepared when you start this to just read both in one go! I also loved that unlike a lot of novels that are k-drama/kpop themed, this had so much explanation of Hangul words. For someone who knows basic vocabulary already, I still loved the overall explanation of words and there were a few in there that I actually didn’t know so that was defiantly a refreshing addition to the story.
October 17, 2021
Original review: A Novel Glimpse
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.
The ending of Heart & Seoul left me with a ton of feelings. Hara's life was still in turmoil at the end of that book, and I needed some concrete resolutions for just about everything that happened. To say I was excited for Seoulmates would be an understatement. I couldn't wait to read it, and I am happy to report that fans of Heart & Seoul are going to be pleased with the ending Hara gets in Seoulmates.
Seoulmates begins pretty much where Heart & Seoul ended. Hara is working at Wansu's company, navigating what being her daughter means, and trying to make her relationship with Yujun work. Everything is kind of a big mess for Hara, and Korean customs and language are not making anything easier. I loved the journey Hara went on to get to the place she needed to be emotionally. There were a lot of ups and downs for her. I can only imagine how stressful going through everything would be in a new country with a language barrier. I loved how Hara had strong friendships to help her along this journey. Some of my favorite moments were those with Hara and Sangki. That friendship was precious I want him to get his own book!
I also loved Hara and Yujun's romance. Yujun was so supportive and unwavering in their relationship. That was so important and nice to read. The forbidden aspect of their romantic relationship was interesting. I loved learning about why and what their relationship meant to Korean society. I learned a lot about Korean culture in Heart & Seoul and that knowledge expanded with the relationships, customs and holidays in this book.
My favorite thing about this book was how everything wrapped up. Each and every storyline was dealt with in the best of ways. Hara's feelings about it all and where her life was headed left me feeling content. This book and series were truly special.
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.
The ending of Heart & Seoul left me with a ton of feelings. Hara's life was still in turmoil at the end of that book, and I needed some concrete resolutions for just about everything that happened. To say I was excited for Seoulmates would be an understatement. I couldn't wait to read it, and I am happy to report that fans of Heart & Seoul are going to be pleased with the ending Hara gets in Seoulmates.
Seoulmates begins pretty much where Heart & Seoul ended. Hara is working at Wansu's company, navigating what being her daughter means, and trying to make her relationship with Yujun work. Everything is kind of a big mess for Hara, and Korean customs and language are not making anything easier. I loved the journey Hara went on to get to the place she needed to be emotionally. There were a lot of ups and downs for her. I can only imagine how stressful going through everything would be in a new country with a language barrier. I loved how Hara had strong friendships to help her along this journey. Some of my favorite moments were those with Hara and Sangki. That friendship was precious I want him to get his own book!
I also loved Hara and Yujun's romance. Yujun was so supportive and unwavering in their relationship. That was so important and nice to read. The forbidden aspect of their romantic relationship was interesting. I loved learning about why and what their relationship meant to Korean society. I learned a lot about Korean culture in Heart & Seoul and that knowledge expanded with the relationships, customs and holidays in this book.
My favorite thing about this book was how everything wrapped up. Each and every storyline was dealt with in the best of ways. Hara's feelings about it all and where her life was headed left me feeling content. This book and series were truly special.
April 3, 2022
Oh good! I finally finished a duology, but really I just read this without realizing it was the last in a duology and I have duologies on my shelves where I've only read the first book and never finished... so do I win or lose here? 🤣
Like with most Korean-centric books, there's SO MUCH FOOD within the pages. I'm continuously hungry and craving Korean food while reading listening to this book. I could really relate to Hara's finding her place within the Korean community - learning the language, dealing with the girl drama. 🙄 I didn't read the first book but I don't think I need to as this book seems to sum up the first book explicitly enough that it's unnecessary.
I will say that this felt more like a YA novel to me. I have no idea why I didn't pick up on the fact that Hara is in her mid-twenties for quite some time. And the romance part with the weird sex scenes (especially so as I still for some reason thought this was a YA Novel), just felt thrown in. Considering they're together/not together/stepsiblings?! Is this K-Drama? Am I a terrible Korean for not liking K-Drama of K-Pop?
Love the representation. Cute novel over all but I can't relate to the first book of the duology with never having have read it. Not sure if this is *quite* in my wheelhouse but not hating that I read it.
Like with most Korean-centric books, there's SO MUCH FOOD within the pages. I'm continuously hungry and craving Korean food while reading listening to this book. I could really relate to Hara's finding her place within the Korean community - learning the language, dealing with the girl drama. 🙄 I didn't read the first book but I don't think I need to as this book seems to sum up the first book explicitly enough that it's unnecessary.
I will say that this felt more like a YA novel to me. I have no idea why I didn't pick up on the fact that Hara is in her mid-twenties for quite some time. And the romance part with the weird sex scenes (especially so as I still for some reason thought this was a YA Novel), just felt thrown in. Considering they're together/not together/stepsiblings?! Is this K-Drama? Am I a terrible Korean for not liking K-Drama of K-Pop?
Love the representation. Cute novel over all but I can't relate to the first book of the duology with never having have read it. Not sure if this is *quite* in my wheelhouse but not hating that I read it.
November 7, 2024
"...So listen to me. You're lovable. Don't tie yourself to the first person who says those words because you think he's the only one who will ever love you."
The sequel for I Heart Seoul, this book is the continuation story of Hara after she found her birth mother in Seoul, South Korea. The conflicts of her status in the family, discrimination at her new workplace and her own inferiority made Hara's life in Seoul not as good as what she thought. But after a while, she started to realise the flaw in her attitude and started to change for the better. She realised what she wanted to do and who's the important people in her life.
I love this sequel. Hara is as timid as the first book throughout the prologue, but she gained a newfound confidence in herself and started to value herself more after that. Her relationships with the people around her like Yang Ilhwa, Wansu, Yujun, Jules, Bomi, Sangki and even to Soyou, really warms my heart. She also suddenly became a good cook in this book. Wow, the food mentioned, really makes me crave to have some Korean food right now.
This book is heartwarming. It pins the value of family and friends surrounding Hara and to take the your life matter into your own hands and not put them in others.
The sequel for I Heart Seoul, this book is the continuation story of Hara after she found her birth mother in Seoul, South Korea. The conflicts of her status in the family, discrimination at her new workplace and her own inferiority made Hara's life in Seoul not as good as what she thought. But after a while, she started to realise the flaw in her attitude and started to change for the better. She realised what she wanted to do and who's the important people in her life.
I love this sequel. Hara is as timid as the first book throughout the prologue, but she gained a newfound confidence in herself and started to value herself more after that. Her relationships with the people around her like Yang Ilhwa, Wansu, Yujun, Jules, Bomi, Sangki and even to Soyou, really warms my heart. She also suddenly became a good cook in this book. Wow, the food mentioned, really makes me crave to have some Korean food right now.
This book is heartwarming. It pins the value of family and friends surrounding Hara and to take the your life matter into your own hands and not put them in others.
December 1, 2021
This book made it all okay for the two main characters in such a beautiful way. I won’t spoil anything, but I simply loved it. I hope the side characters will get stories too!
February 6, 2022
*Actual Rating 3.5/5 Stars*
While I loved the first book in this series "Heart & Seoul", the second book "Seoulmates" did not live up to the magic of the first book. Though the core group of characters remained the same from the first book, and I thought for those characters there was a better job at showing their own growth and arc into who they were, the second book failed I think as standing as its own book seperate from the first book.
"Seoulmates" picks up roughly six weeks after the end of the first book, with Hara and Yunjun facing the fact that under Korean law and by the eyes of Korean society, they are step-siblings, and therefore any romantic relationship between them not only would be taboo, but frowned upon by Korean society, and would cause Hara (both as a woman and a girl that was given up for adoption and born out of wedlock) to be cast aside by the Choi clan that Yunjun belongs to. Hara, who initally came to Korea to find her family and identity, is struggling to balance both finding her birth mother, adapting to Korea, and also make a relationship with Yunjun last. The second book lost the luster of the K-drame allure, and I also still stand by the assessment that the second book should've just been a part of the first book.
While I appreciated the HEA that came at the end of the novel (Jen, I also need you to give Sangki his own book - I am curious how his would play out especially given his unique role in your world), I can't get my thoughts away from what Ellen (her adoptive mother) said to Hara about how she handles feelings of acceptance and want - that she latches onto the first thing that she sees. While I know that Yunjun and Hara have chemistry, and while I can somewhat ignore the fact that Yunjun willingly seems ignorant of his family and cultural aversion to his relationship, I was annoyed that he was willing to be blind and not warn Hara about it either. It reminded me of Nick Young from Kwan's "Crazy Rich Asians" where Nick Young was ignorant of how his family would react to his girlfriend and her background, which also happened here. Also, I became annoyed at Hara talking about Yunjun not being able to handle the microagressions that he might experience in LA - which seemed incredibly dense of her to say when 1) LA has one of the largest Korean expat communites in the States, 2) her experience is only with Iowa and her adoptive family, 3) the man speaks fluent English and works in a company that has international mergers, and 4) she sounded as if Koreans don't exist in America. Don't get me wrong, I get that this novel is particular because of Jen also being a Korean adoptee, but I still have a hard time letting that portion of the novel go, and that Hara was actually serious in her reasoning behind that.
Despite its flaws, the book does a good job of delivering the delayed HEA from the first book, and I think the infusion of Korean language, food, culture and history along with an incredible cast of characters does a great job in balancing the book out. Hopefully, Jen comes back for further books with these characters.
While I loved the first book in this series "Heart & Seoul", the second book "Seoulmates" did not live up to the magic of the first book. Though the core group of characters remained the same from the first book, and I thought for those characters there was a better job at showing their own growth and arc into who they were, the second book failed I think as standing as its own book seperate from the first book.
"Seoulmates" picks up roughly six weeks after the end of the first book, with Hara and Yunjun facing the fact that under Korean law and by the eyes of Korean society, they are step-siblings, and therefore any romantic relationship between them not only would be taboo, but frowned upon by Korean society, and would cause Hara (both as a woman and a girl that was given up for adoption and born out of wedlock) to be cast aside by the Choi clan that Yunjun belongs to. Hara, who initally came to Korea to find her family and identity, is struggling to balance both finding her birth mother, adapting to Korea, and also make a relationship with Yunjun last. The second book lost the luster of the K-drame allure, and I also still stand by the assessment that the second book should've just been a part of the first book.
While I appreciated the HEA that came at the end of the novel (Jen, I also need you to give Sangki his own book - I am curious how his would play out especially given his unique role in your world), I can't get my thoughts away from what Ellen (her adoptive mother) said to Hara about how she handles feelings of acceptance and want - that she latches onto the first thing that she sees. While I know that Yunjun and Hara have chemistry, and while I can somewhat ignore the fact that Yunjun willingly seems ignorant of his family and cultural aversion to his relationship, I was annoyed that he was willing to be blind and not warn Hara about it either. It reminded me of Nick Young from Kwan's "Crazy Rich Asians" where Nick Young was ignorant of how his family would react to his girlfriend and her background, which also happened here. Also, I became annoyed at Hara talking about Yunjun not being able to handle the microagressions that he might experience in LA - which seemed incredibly dense of her to say when 1) LA has one of the largest Korean expat communites in the States, 2) her experience is only with Iowa and her adoptive family, 3) the man speaks fluent English and works in a company that has international mergers, and 4) she sounded as if Koreans don't exist in America. Don't get me wrong, I get that this novel is particular because of Jen also being a Korean adoptee, but I still have a hard time letting that portion of the novel go, and that Hara was actually serious in her reasoning behind that.
Despite its flaws, the book does a good job of delivering the delayed HEA from the first book, and I think the infusion of Korean language, food, culture and history along with an incredible cast of characters does a great job in balancing the book out. Hopefully, Jen comes back for further books with these characters.
March 25, 2022
3 Stars
Honestly, if it weren't for the cliffhanger in Heart & Seoul , I wouldn't have picked up Seoulmates. Hara's story just wasn't what I expected.
The storyline of this book mainly focuses on Hara's work experiences at her birth mother's company as well as her relationship with Yu-jun. The story was nice but also so very dramatic in certain scenes. The most interesting thing for me, however, were the descriptions and infos about the family dynamics in Korea. As the Korean culture is the total opposite from the culture I grew up in, I was fascinated but also surprised during many family situations.
Greta Jung, the narrator of Seoulmates as well as Heart & Seoul, was the same: her normal narrative voice was fine but as soon as she talked "as someone", her voice turned up at leat 5 octaves higher. It was as if she was yelling, expecially when she talked as Hara. It was so cringy.
All in all, the Seoul series is a nice and short-winded story about love, friendship, coming home, and embracing yourself and your culture. As Jen Fredrick is a Korean American adoptee herself, her personal experience and knowledge gives Hara's story the perfect dose of authenticity.
Honestly, if it weren't for the cliffhanger in Heart & Seoul , I wouldn't have picked up Seoulmates. Hara's story just wasn't what I expected.
The storyline of this book mainly focuses on Hara's work experiences at her birth mother's company as well as her relationship with Yu-jun. The story was nice but also so very dramatic in certain scenes. The most interesting thing for me, however, were the descriptions and infos about the family dynamics in Korea. As the Korean culture is the total opposite from the culture I grew up in, I was fascinated but also surprised during many family situations.
Greta Jung, the narrator of Seoulmates as well as Heart & Seoul, was the same: her normal narrative voice was fine but as soon as she talked "as someone", her voice turned up at leat 5 octaves higher. It was as if she was yelling, expecially when she talked as Hara. It was so cringy.
All in all, the Seoul series is a nice and short-winded story about love, friendship, coming home, and embracing yourself and your culture. As Jen Fredrick is a Korean American adoptee herself, her personal experience and knowledge gives Hara's story the perfect dose of authenticity.
February 19, 2022
The first few chapters of this book were extremely slow, thoroughly recapping the last book. I pushed through hoping the story would pick up, but it never did. I enjoyed the first book, and I had already come up with a solution of how Hara and Yujun could be together before reading the second in the series. It took THE WHOLE BOOK (LITERALLY UNTIL THE LAST CHAPTER) to come up with this solution. If you liked the first book, you should probably stop there.
February 15, 2022
Fantastic
I adore this two book set and was sad to see the author say she is done with Hara's story. But as long as the author writes more books set in Korea or detailing Korean culture, I will keep reading.
These books are the best of Rom-com fiction. There are no cliches or over done tropes just plenty of drama, humor, steam, and great little tidbits of Korean language and culture. Most importantly to me the main character Hara grows, matures, and finds happiness (not just love) over the course of the two books.
Both this and the first book (where Hara and Yujun meet) are great reads. Five enthusiastic stars.
I adore this two book set and was sad to see the author say she is done with Hara's story. But as long as the author writes more books set in Korea or detailing Korean culture, I will keep reading.
These books are the best of Rom-com fiction. There are no cliches or over done tropes just plenty of drama, humor, steam, and great little tidbits of Korean language and culture. Most importantly to me the main character Hara grows, matures, and finds happiness (not just love) over the course of the two books.
Both this and the first book (where Hara and Yujun meet) are great reads. Five enthusiastic stars.
February 18, 2022
Adore this two book series. Highly recommend both books. This is a smart, steamy, fun Rom Com where the heroine comes to terms with adoption, Korean culture, and her own goals in life. The author does a great job.
April 27, 2022
This book was only slightly better than the 1st one in that it has a HEA. But all in all, this is more a coming of age book than actually women's fiction. The author should have pushed to be marketed as YA.
April 29, 2023
2,75/5⭐
September 21, 2022
Really enjoyed this as a second to the beginning book. Loved revisiting the characters and seeing some growth. It was fun to learn about Korean traditions as well!
April 27, 2022
I just adore found families and I haven't experienced all of the dynamics and social constructs identified in this book, but I appreciated them.
Hara Wilson was raised in Iowa and since the first book she has moved in to live with her biological mother in Seoul.
Her romance with Yujun who she met and fell for out of context is now off limits. She doesn't fit in at her biological mother's company where she is seen as a nepotism hire. She doesn't know the language and everyone speaks behind her back.
This is a theme I've seen in other books, where she didn't fit in in Iowa cause of racism then she goes to her birth country and she doesn't fit in cause she's American. It feels so unfair there seems to be no place and I hate that the world is set up that way. How do we change that? It's only a couple of millenia of conditioning. I feel so simple when I say things like this but it just hurts my heart that there are so many populations that feel on the fringe of acceptance and society.
I had fun with the growth of Hara's cooking and food journey and her experience with her food truck lady.
Also the second chance, forbidden romance between her and Yujun which all of a sudden was her step brother, was steamy. Ugh what do you do if you fall in love and you aren't blood related or raised together but like everyone is hating?
I mean she eventually stands up for herself, finds a place for herself and leaves the toxic workplace behind. Luckily, she had a group of solid friends to lean on or else this journey would have been ten times harder.
Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
Hara Wilson was raised in Iowa and since the first book she has moved in to live with her biological mother in Seoul.
Her romance with Yujun who she met and fell for out of context is now off limits. She doesn't fit in at her biological mother's company where she is seen as a nepotism hire. She doesn't know the language and everyone speaks behind her back.
This is a theme I've seen in other books, where she didn't fit in in Iowa cause of racism then she goes to her birth country and she doesn't fit in cause she's American. It feels so unfair there seems to be no place and I hate that the world is set up that way. How do we change that? It's only a couple of millenia of conditioning. I feel so simple when I say things like this but it just hurts my heart that there are so many populations that feel on the fringe of acceptance and society.
I had fun with the growth of Hara's cooking and food journey and her experience with her food truck lady.
Also the second chance, forbidden romance between her and Yujun which all of a sudden was her step brother, was steamy. Ugh what do you do if you fall in love and you aren't blood related or raised together but like everyone is hating?
I mean she eventually stands up for herself, finds a place for herself and leaves the toxic workplace behind. Luckily, she had a group of solid friends to lean on or else this journey would have been ten times harder.
Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
January 23, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an earc to review!
I read the first book to this series last year without realizing it was going to have a sequel. I think marketing needs to get better when it comes to things like. The ending was very much open but without knowing there would be a sequel I rated it lower.
Since the ending of the first book was a cliffhanger, I was curious to see where Hara’s story would go when it comes to family and her relationship. Big secrets were revealed and it left her trying to figure it all out. I could understand her decisions or reasoning for a lot of her choices but I also felt like her and Yujun were a bit selfish at times. I get wanting to break free from traditions and following your heart but at the same time there is a lot more involved than just their feelings.
The plot does have many plotlines and at times it felt like too much, especially towards the end. Everything was being resolved rather quickly and almost too conveniently. I would say that this was where my biggest gripe was with the book. The drama could be entertaining but it also felt like that’s all the book was. The romance was very minimal as Yujun was usually away on trips. I did like the found family aspect though because I liked her friends who were along for the ride since book one.
Overall, this was kind of a mixed bag but still good for a conclusion. I at least got my answers and that’s all that matters.
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