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The Do-Over
From the author of Loathe at First Sight and So We Meet Again, a fun rom-com about a young Korean-American woman having to return to college after discovering she’s a few credits shy of completing her degree—only to find one of her TAs is her old college boyfriend.
Lily Lee is a bestselling author of the How to Be a Supernova At Work series, and her editor wants her to strike while the iron’s hot with a new book, How to Land the Perfect Job. But when Lily is offered a coveted position at a top firm, the employer background check reveals she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree. Unbelievably, her worst nightmare has come true.
Lily returns to her alma mater, reliving her senior year of college ten years later. She enrolls in classes, gets invited to frat parties, eats most of her meals with “dining dollars,” and to make things even more weird and chaotic, she discovers that her computer science TA is her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho.
As Lily and Jake reconnect, she sees that her ex has done well for himself: the handsome, charming grad student appears to have his life together while Lily’s so close to losing her dream job opportunity and her book deal.
Things aren't so simple the second time around.
The Do-Over is a delightfully warm and hopeful story about second chances in love and life, and how the future we want may turn out far different than we imagined.
Lily Lee is a bestselling author of the How to Be a Supernova At Work series, and her editor wants her to strike while the iron’s hot with a new book, How to Land the Perfect Job. But when Lily is offered a coveted position at a top firm, the employer background check reveals she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree. Unbelievably, her worst nightmare has come true.
Lily returns to her alma mater, reliving her senior year of college ten years later. She enrolls in classes, gets invited to frat parties, eats most of her meals with “dining dollars,” and to make things even more weird and chaotic, she discovers that her computer science TA is her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho.
As Lily and Jake reconnect, she sees that her ex has done well for himself: the handsome, charming grad student appears to have his life together while Lily’s so close to losing her dream job opportunity and her book deal.
Things aren't so simple the second time around.
The Do-Over is a delightfully warm and hopeful story about second chances in love and life, and how the future we want may turn out far different than we imagined.
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2023
228 people are currently reading
24498 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Park
8 books1,150 followersSuzanne Park is a Korean-American writer who was born and raised in Tennessee. In her former life as a stand-up comedian, she was a finalist in the Oxygen Network's "Girls Behaving Badly" talent search, and appeared on BET's "Coming to the Stage." Suzanne was also the winner of the Seattle Sierra Mist Comedy Competition, and was a semi-finalist in NBC's "Stand Up For Diversity" showcase in San Francisco alongside comedians Ali Wong and Nico Santos.
More info about her books can be found at https://linktr.ee/suzannepark
More info about her books can be found at https://linktr.ee/suzannepark
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
December 31, 2022
didnt quite manage to get into this one, unfortunately.
i was hoping for a cute, light-hearted second chance rom com, but what i got was a womens fiction story about self-learning and empowerment instead. not a bad message by any means, but it just wasnt what i was expecting.
the romance is a sub plot, not the mention the love interest is a total dud. like zero personality. so the reasons i wanted to read this ended up not being a highlight. i do think lily bonding with her friend and roommate is super cute! and while i wasnt interested in lilys job, i can appreciate what her struggle represented.
so some good messages, but just not quite the book i was hoping for when i picked this up.
thanks for the ARC, avon and harper voyager!
↠ 2.5 stars
i was hoping for a cute, light-hearted second chance rom com, but what i got was a womens fiction story about self-learning and empowerment instead. not a bad message by any means, but it just wasnt what i was expecting.
the romance is a sub plot, not the mention the love interest is a total dud. like zero personality. so the reasons i wanted to read this ended up not being a highlight. i do think lily bonding with her friend and roommate is super cute! and while i wasnt interested in lilys job, i can appreciate what her struggle represented.
so some good messages, but just not quite the book i was hoping for when i picked this up.
thanks for the ARC, avon and harper voyager!
↠ 2.5 stars
July 11, 2024
$4.99 audiobooks sale @ Libro.fm
2023 API Month
Lily Lee is a published author. When she applies for a new job, she is flabbergasted when she fails their background check. Turns out she is a few credits short of a degree. I appreciate the concept that Suzanne put out here. Mental health and anxiety aren't talked about enough in Asian American households.
So the anxiety part of the book works for me. So do the friendships. Mia is a hoot. And a roomie who bakes? Sign me up. I also wanted a little something something with Ethan, because hello, a noona romance? But alas. Jake was fine. I was never hot forteacher TA. I was also never hot for returning to any of my past mistakes. So that I don't get. But I can see how that works for others.
📖 [redacted because bookstore owner is a Zionist]
2023 API Month
Lily Lee is a published author. When she applies for a new job, she is flabbergasted when she fails their background check. Turns out she is a few credits short of a degree. I appreciate the concept that Suzanne put out here. Mental health and anxiety aren't talked about enough in Asian American households.
So the anxiety part of the book works for me. So do the friendships. Mia is a hoot. And a roomie who bakes? Sign me up. I also wanted a little something something with Ethan, because hello, a noona romance? But alas. Jake was fine. I was never hot for
📖 [redacted because bookstore owner is a Zionist]
Read
May 1, 2023the romance was so painfully underbaked and the rest of it? i didn't care much about. the premise is my actual nightmare which doesn't help but honestly this felt more like someone summarizing a book than actually showing me what was happening. even with the flashbacks!
didn't hate it but this isn't what i was expecting.
didn't hate it but this isn't what i was expecting.
February 1, 2023
Well, this is not much my cup of almond milk vanilla latte! As soon as I read back to school plotline, I knew it was a little forced and unreliable! Even at Rebel Wilson’s cheerleader girl who is coming out of coma movie storyline was easier to buy for me! But I still wanted to give a chance this concept because I love Suzanne Park’s genuine, lighthearted novels and I cannot say no to second chances romance!
I have disappointments about the entire premise. Firstly this is not a second chance romance that I expected! It is women’s fiction centers on the self growth, empowerment of Lily Lee. It was still fine with me as soon as the girl power and a woman’s journey to explore her purpose would be well reflected! Women friendship was the best thing about the book but romance subplot and book boyfriend failed me. I didn’t see any chemistry and I didn’t see anything interesting about Leo. He was okay but that was it. No extra charm or individual characteristics!
So I stick with my three mediocre stars! I loved the author’s previous works a little more. And I wish the romance part of the story would be the main plot. But I’m still looking forward to read her upcoming works. Unfortunately this book didn’t pique my interest!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
I have disappointments about the entire premise. Firstly this is not a second chance romance that I expected! It is women’s fiction centers on the self growth, empowerment of Lily Lee. It was still fine with me as soon as the girl power and a woman’s journey to explore her purpose would be well reflected! Women friendship was the best thing about the book but romance subplot and book boyfriend failed me. I didn’t see any chemistry and I didn’t see anything interesting about Leo. He was okay but that was it. No extra charm or individual characteristics!
So I stick with my three mediocre stars! I loved the author’s previous works a little more. And I wish the romance part of the story would be the main plot. But I’m still looking forward to read her upcoming works. Unfortunately this book didn’t pique my interest!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
April 15, 2023
2.5 Stars
I actually enjoyed the premise but the writing felt a bit flat to me. There were a lot of explanations of thoughts and actions that were not written in an engaging way. The focus of the story is Lily's journey and the empowerment of women in a male dominated business world. The romance wasn't great but I did enjoy the female friendships.
I actually enjoyed the premise but the writing felt a bit flat to me. There were a lot of explanations of thoughts and actions that were not written in an engaging way. The focus of the story is Lily's journey and the empowerment of women in a male dominated business world. The romance wasn't great but I did enjoy the female friendships.
March 30, 2023
Starting over....
Lily Lee thought she had things in the bag. She is offered the top position at a firm to be turned down because her background check shows she did not graduate from college. She knows that she did. Except, walking the stage and taking part in the graduation ceremony does not mean that you graduated. So back to school she goes.
She is shocked when she sees that her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho is one of her TA's. He seems to have everything going for him while she is on the verge of losing it all.
This book touches on many things such as family expectations, tough choices, friendship, second chances, mental health, taking care of yourself, and school life. I thought I would love it, unfortunately it was good not great.
If you are reading this book thinking it will be heavy on the romance, it is not. It is more like a journey that Lily is on. It is about her taking care of herself, about empowerment, and going back so you can go forward. Yes, there is romance, but it is not the focus.
Overall, an okay book but should be labeled a tad differently. I believe readers will enjoy this book more if they go in thinking less about romance and more about it being a women's fiction book.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Lily Lee thought she had things in the bag. She is offered the top position at a firm to be turned down because her background check shows she did not graduate from college. She knows that she did. Except, walking the stage and taking part in the graduation ceremony does not mean that you graduated. So back to school she goes.
She is shocked when she sees that her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho is one of her TA's. He seems to have everything going for him while she is on the verge of losing it all.
This book touches on many things such as family expectations, tough choices, friendship, second chances, mental health, taking care of yourself, and school life. I thought I would love it, unfortunately it was good not great.
If you are reading this book thinking it will be heavy on the romance, it is not. It is more like a journey that Lily is on. It is about her taking care of herself, about empowerment, and going back so you can go forward. Yes, there is romance, but it is not the focus.
Overall, an okay book but should be labeled a tad differently. I believe readers will enjoy this book more if they go in thinking less about romance and more about it being a women's fiction book.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
June 1, 2023
The Do-Over took one determined and feisty female and pulled the rug out from under her, her qualifications and left her with no option but to return to university. The literal stuff of nightmares! There, Lily found her ex still lurking the halls but now as a TA and PhD candidate. Can you see the foreshadowing?
Jake was pretty charming and although it took a while to find out the whys of their break up, it also gave time for them to reconnect. I fully enjoyed Lily’s return to campus, her battling with inner self over being there. Life as a mature student and her dynamic with younger students was entertaining.
The romance had a roller coaster feeling to it and I enjoyed the ride. This was a low steam but bubbling chemistry kind of read.
This book would suit that easy summer reading vibe and its a recommend from me.
Thank you to Harper 360UK for the review copy.
Jake was pretty charming and although it took a while to find out the whys of their break up, it also gave time for them to reconnect. I fully enjoyed Lily’s return to campus, her battling with inner self over being there. Life as a mature student and her dynamic with younger students was entertaining.
The romance had a roller coaster feeling to it and I enjoyed the ride. This was a low steam but bubbling chemistry kind of read.
This book would suit that easy summer reading vibe and its a recommend from me.
Thank you to Harper 360UK for the review copy.
April 4, 2023
This second chance romance sees self-help/business writer Lily Lee forced to return to college for a semester to earn the credits she needs to finally finish her degree ten years after she thought she graduated.
What she finds is her college boyfriend as her new TA and through flashbacks we get to see what went wrong the first time around.
The idea of having to go back to school now would be my literal nightmare but Lily thrives the second time around finding a new idea for her next book and forgiveness for what Jake did in the past.
Great on audio narrated by Joy Osmanski with excellent mental health (anxiety and panic attacks) rep. This just might be my new favorite from Suzanne Park - I so enjoyed reading about a woman in her thirties taking a chance on a new career direction!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
What she finds is her college boyfriend as her new TA and through flashbacks we get to see what went wrong the first time around.
The idea of having to go back to school now would be my literal nightmare but Lily thrives the second time around finding a new idea for her next book and forgiveness for what Jake did in the past.
Great on audio narrated by Joy Osmanski with excellent mental health (anxiety and panic attacks) rep. This just might be my new favorite from Suzanne Park - I so enjoyed reading about a woman in her thirties taking a chance on a new career direction!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
April 16, 2023
Summary: When Bestselling non-fiction writer Lily Lee applied for her dream job, she’s shocked to learn a background check found she never completed her college degree. With just a few credits left to graduate, Lily heads back to her former university where she is reunited with old love Jake Cho, who just so happens to be her new TA.
Thoughts: This was a light hearted, very charming read that was perfect for the blah mood I’ve been in lately. Sometimes you just need a romcom filled with collegiate fun, and this book did a fantastic job of filling that need for me.
Although Lily and I share the same worst nightmare, it is always a hoot for me to read stories about returning to college, years later, and having that huge culture shock moment. Is there a part of me that would love to return to university? Perhaps. I think this is why I connected to that element of this story.
Witnessing Lily develop connections with other students after struggling so deeply to form them the first time around, was incredibly heart warming and showed her vast emotional growth. I am also a sucker for second chance romance, and although this book is about so much more than that, I loved seeing Lily get that chance to reconnect with Jake.
I listened to this one primarily on audio, and enjoyed Joy Osmanksi’s narration. She brought Lily to life and added the perfect amount of levity. I highly recommend this format.
Read if you like:
•second chance love
•university settings
•women’s fiction
•light hearted romcoms
Thank you Kathleen Carter Communications and Avon Books for my gifted advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thoughts: This was a light hearted, very charming read that was perfect for the blah mood I’ve been in lately. Sometimes you just need a romcom filled with collegiate fun, and this book did a fantastic job of filling that need for me.
Although Lily and I share the same worst nightmare, it is always a hoot for me to read stories about returning to college, years later, and having that huge culture shock moment. Is there a part of me that would love to return to university? Perhaps. I think this is why I connected to that element of this story.
Witnessing Lily develop connections with other students after struggling so deeply to form them the first time around, was incredibly heart warming and showed her vast emotional growth. I am also a sucker for second chance romance, and although this book is about so much more than that, I loved seeing Lily get that chance to reconnect with Jake.
I listened to this one primarily on audio, and enjoyed Joy Osmanksi’s narration. She brought Lily to life and added the perfect amount of levity. I highly recommend this format.
Read if you like:
•second chance love
•university settings
•women’s fiction
•light hearted romcoms
Thank you Kathleen Carter Communications and Avon Books for my gifted advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 15, 2023
Lily Lee, a critically acclaimed nonfiction writer, discovers after a job interview that she is short a few college credits—meaning she didn't officially graduate. Now forced to return to school, she discovers her Computer Science TA is none other than Jake Cho, her ex-boyfriend. What a fun premise this was! And very horrifying to imagine happening!
I loved the discussions on imposter syndrome, accepting help when needed, women empowerment, and self love. Overall it was so nice to see a college perspective from a non-college aged character. I was deeply cheering for Lily as she meets new friends, attends frat parties, excels in class, and finds love.
With sprinkles of chapters from the past, her second chance with Jake Cho was cute. It wasn't developed enough for me to completely feel their chemistry, but I was happy with the focus being more on Lily and her career anyways! I liked this one.
(heat level: closed door)
I loved the discussions on imposter syndrome, accepting help when needed, women empowerment, and self love. Overall it was so nice to see a college perspective from a non-college aged character. I was deeply cheering for Lily as she meets new friends, attends frat parties, excels in class, and finds love.
With sprinkles of chapters from the past, her second chance with Jake Cho was cute. It wasn't developed enough for me to completely feel their chemistry, but I was happy with the focus being more on Lily and her career anyways! I liked this one.
(heat level: closed door)
October 13, 2023
Second chance romance!! 🥰
I also loved the portrayal/discussion of strong female friendships and mental health.
Content warning: sexism, panic/anxiety attacks
I also loved the portrayal/discussion of strong female friendships and mental health.
Content warning: sexism, panic/anxiety attacks
June 27, 2024
I gave this four stars because parts of it dragged and I think Park took way too long to show what happened between Lily and Jake the first time. I don't know if I would have judged him like she did in the end. Also, I don't think that things were really resolved between Lily and her parents, it felt like she blamed Jake a lot more than them and it felt lopsided. I just think in the end, her parents, her sister, were barely in the story and honestly should have been considering all of the actions that went on which caused Lily to have her initial incident.
"The Do-Over" follows 30 something year old Lily Lee. She's a best-selling author and about to land her dream job. However, she gets told the job offer is a no go after they find out that Lily did not graduate college. Through calls, Lily finds out she was several credits shy of getting her degree and wasn't informed. In order to get her dream job and keep things under wraps, Lily goes back to college to finish her degree. At college though she meets her college boyfriend Jake, who is now a TA in a class she is taking.
So that's a short summary. I thought that Lily was great and loved the characters of Mia and Beth. Honestly those two needed to have a spin off because I loved reading about them and their antics. But, as some readers said, the romance with Jake isn't given enough time to focus on and we keep going back to the "past" way too much at a certain point. I wish that Park had flipped the order of things and maybe set up what happened way up front so you can get why Lily has the feelings she does about him. But, as I said above, when you do read the whole thing you have to wonder about Lily and her family. They just don't seem to play much into the plot and they should.
There's a sideplot about Lily being discovered and a brother/sister author team and honestly I had zero interest in it and it should have been cut.
All in all, a good solid 3 star romance.
"The Do-Over" follows 30 something year old Lily Lee. She's a best-selling author and about to land her dream job. However, she gets told the job offer is a no go after they find out that Lily did not graduate college. Through calls, Lily finds out she was several credits shy of getting her degree and wasn't informed. In order to get her dream job and keep things under wraps, Lily goes back to college to finish her degree. At college though she meets her college boyfriend Jake, who is now a TA in a class she is taking.
So that's a short summary. I thought that Lily was great and loved the characters of Mia and Beth. Honestly those two needed to have a spin off because I loved reading about them and their antics. But, as some readers said, the romance with Jake isn't given enough time to focus on and we keep going back to the "past" way too much at a certain point. I wish that Park had flipped the order of things and maybe set up what happened way up front so you can get why Lily has the feelings she does about him. But, as I said above, when you do read the whole thing you have to wonder about Lily and her family. They just don't seem to play much into the plot and they should.
There's a sideplot about Lily being discovered and a brother/sister author team and honestly I had zero interest in it and it should have been cut.
All in all, a good solid 3 star romance.
August 2, 2023
The Do Over
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Suzanne Park
GR: 3.32
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Avon Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Lily Lee is a bestselling author of the How to Be a Supernova At Work series, and her editor wants her to strike while the iron’s hot with a new book, How to Land the Perfect Job. But when Lily is offered a coveted position at a top firm, the employer background check reveals she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree. Unbelievably, her worst nightmare has come true.
Lily returns to her alma mater, reliving her senior year of college ten years later. She enrolls in classes, gets invited to frat parties, eats most of her meals with “dining dollars,” and to make things even more weird and chaotic, she discovers that her computer science TA is her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho.
As Lily and Jake reconnect, she sees that her ex has done well for himself: the handsome, charming grad student appears to have his life together while Lily’s so close to losing her dream job opportunity and her book deal.
Things aren't so simple the second time around
My Thoughts: This book was more women’s fiction with an aspect of romance. It carried a good message, women should empower themselves and always stand in their truth. The best way I can describe this book is Lily’s journey to discover what she truly wants out of life and the steps to get there. The romance was not as strong as I would have liked, it was more like a subplot than the whole plot. Not to say this was not a good novel, I did enjoy reading it, I just wanted more in the romance department, more chemistry, more banter, did I say more chemistry? This was not a bad read, I did enjoy it, but believed I would have enjoyed it more if it was labeled as a women’s fiction versus a romance.
The story is narrated by Lily, mostly in the present with flashbacks to the past. Lily is unsure of herself, even though she had always thought she was confident. The female relationships were heartfelt and I loved them. There is the dialogue between the characters and there is also Lily’s inner dialogue, where you find out a great deal about her. While the book is premised on a second chance romance, it is also Lily’s opportunity at a second chance at life. The author did a fantastic job at addressing mental health and did it so gracefully. Lily had a tremendous amount of growth throughout the novel. Overall, this was a good story and I would recommend to others.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Suzanne Park
GR: 3.32
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Avon Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Lily Lee is a bestselling author of the How to Be a Supernova At Work series, and her editor wants her to strike while the iron’s hot with a new book, How to Land the Perfect Job. But when Lily is offered a coveted position at a top firm, the employer background check reveals she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree. Unbelievably, her worst nightmare has come true.
Lily returns to her alma mater, reliving her senior year of college ten years later. She enrolls in classes, gets invited to frat parties, eats most of her meals with “dining dollars,” and to make things even more weird and chaotic, she discovers that her computer science TA is her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho.
As Lily and Jake reconnect, she sees that her ex has done well for himself: the handsome, charming grad student appears to have his life together while Lily’s so close to losing her dream job opportunity and her book deal.
Things aren't so simple the second time around
My Thoughts: This book was more women’s fiction with an aspect of romance. It carried a good message, women should empower themselves and always stand in their truth. The best way I can describe this book is Lily’s journey to discover what she truly wants out of life and the steps to get there. The romance was not as strong as I would have liked, it was more like a subplot than the whole plot. Not to say this was not a good novel, I did enjoy reading it, I just wanted more in the romance department, more chemistry, more banter, did I say more chemistry? This was not a bad read, I did enjoy it, but believed I would have enjoyed it more if it was labeled as a women’s fiction versus a romance.
The story is narrated by Lily, mostly in the present with flashbacks to the past. Lily is unsure of herself, even though she had always thought she was confident. The female relationships were heartfelt and I loved them. There is the dialogue between the characters and there is also Lily’s inner dialogue, where you find out a great deal about her. While the book is premised on a second chance romance, it is also Lily’s opportunity at a second chance at life. The author did a fantastic job at addressing mental health and did it so gracefully. Lily had a tremendous amount of growth throughout the novel. Overall, this was a good story and I would recommend to others.
March 4, 2023
Book Review
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 35/100
💫Genre: Women’s Fiction/Romance
📲ARC📲
Written by: Suzanne Park
✨✨✨✨
🥠🗽💞👩🏻💻👨🏻🏫
This was more of a Women’s Fiction read with a cute sprinkle of Romance. It takes us into Lily Lee’s journey of her second chance (do over) of life and love. The theme of empowering other women and self-growth was awesome. I even loved how Park wrote about Lily’s college experience because we all know going back at a later age can be challenging. The friends she has and made was a great addition and added so much fun to this plot. Our girl Lily who by the way is an inspirational writer is offered a great job opportunity. However, there’s a small hiccup and to her surprise she discovers that she really never got her Bachelor’s Degree….yes she walked the graduation walk and got her diploma, but as per the registrar’s records she really didn’t! She makes the decision to go back and earn that degree but runs into Jake who broke her heart💔❤️🩹💔
✨✨✨✨
📌Publication Date: April 4, 2023
💫Thank you @netgalley @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus for this amazing read in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley
#TheDoOver #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #bookstagrammersunite
#bookreview #booktok #book #books #booksarelife #booksaremagical #bookrecommendations #nycbooks #bookrecommendation #bookclubforintroverts #booklovers #booklover #romancebooks #fictionbooks #secondchanceromance #womensfiction #booknerd #bookworm #bibliophile #secondchancebooks #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreader #arcreader #netgalleyarc#igreads
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 35/100
💫Genre: Women’s Fiction/Romance
📲ARC📲
Written by: Suzanne Park
✨✨✨✨
🥠🗽💞👩🏻💻👨🏻🏫
This was more of a Women’s Fiction read with a cute sprinkle of Romance. It takes us into Lily Lee’s journey of her second chance (do over) of life and love. The theme of empowering other women and self-growth was awesome. I even loved how Park wrote about Lily’s college experience because we all know going back at a later age can be challenging. The friends she has and made was a great addition and added so much fun to this plot. Our girl Lily who by the way is an inspirational writer is offered a great job opportunity. However, there’s a small hiccup and to her surprise she discovers that she really never got her Bachelor’s Degree….yes she walked the graduation walk and got her diploma, but as per the registrar’s records she really didn’t! She makes the decision to go back and earn that degree but runs into Jake who broke her heart💔❤️🩹💔
✨✨✨✨
📌Publication Date: April 4, 2023
💫Thank you @netgalley @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus for this amazing read in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley
#TheDoOver #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #bookstagrammersunite
#bookreview #booktok #book #books #booksarelife #booksaremagical #bookrecommendations #nycbooks #bookrecommendation #bookclubforintroverts #booklovers #booklover #romancebooks #fictionbooks #secondchanceromance #womensfiction #booknerd #bookworm #bibliophile #secondchancebooks #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreader #arcreader #netgalleyarc#igreads
March 14, 2023
2/16/23 - HC strike is over!
Loved this second chance romance where Lily has to go back to college to finish her degree, due to poor advice given by an administrator. There's a lot of unpack in Lily's journey, including mental health, forgiveness as well as self care. Her BFF and new roommate were fantastic supporters and I would love if they got their own romances, especially, Mia.
Oddly enough, this is the third book in the last few months that mentions Garrett Popcorn. Must try soon.
WTF HC Management. The strike has been going on since 11/10/22 and management won't even go to the table. Demands are reasonable, especially given by record breaking profits and for a publisher that is allegedly committed to DEI, this strike not only hurts the employees but authors.
ETA: Staff Pick 4/23
HarperCollins union employees are currently on strike. HC has not met with the union to negotiate. HC employees deserve a fair contract, living wages, and an inclusive workplace. Donate to the Strike Fund here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/...
RTC once the strike is over.
Loved this second chance romance where Lily has to go back to college to finish her degree, due to poor advice given by an administrator. There's a lot of unpack in Lily's journey, including mental health, forgiveness as well as self care. Her BFF and new roommate were fantastic supporters and I would love if they got their own romances, especially, Mia.
Oddly enough, this is the third book in the last few months that mentions Garrett Popcorn. Must try soon.
WTF HC Management. The strike has been going on since 11/10/22 and management won't even go to the table. Demands are reasonable, especially given by record breaking profits and for a publisher that is allegedly committed to DEI, this strike not only hurts the employees but authors.
ETA: Staff Pick 4/23
HarperCollins union employees are currently on strike. HC has not met with the union to negotiate. HC employees deserve a fair contract, living wages, and an inclusive workplace. Donate to the Strike Fund here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/...
RTC once the strike is over.
April 3, 2023
Thank you @avonbooks for a copy of this book. This was a fun rom com about Lily, a semi-famous writer that discovers she missed a few credits and never graduated from college. Lily goes back is paired with a bubbly roommate and her BFF visits and enjoys Lily's second chance in college. Lily's TA is her college sweetheart and must decide how to act with him. I enjoyed the flash back and the shenanigans Lily gets into this time around in college. I enjoyed the women's empowerment focus on the story as well. I didn't really buy the second chance romance between Jake and Lily but did not impact my enjoyment.
October 26, 2022
Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
After seeing the cover of this new Asian contemporary novel (which is so beautiful by the way!), I was super excited to read The Do-Over. However, the actual novel didn't meet most of my expectations, and I found myself not fully engaged with most of the story. The premise of the novel alludes to this story being a second chance romance and states the novel is a rom-com, but I would definitely classify it more as Women's Fiction than a rom-com. While the book did have a romantic arc, it definitely was more of a sub-plot. I barely felt any connection between Lily and Jake (who seems like a total douchebag, by the way), and felt that the friendship between Lily and Mia, as well as her new college friends, was a much more prominent part of the story. I also enjoyed the subplot of Lily navigating her relationship with her parents, who placed unrealistic expectations on her from a young age, causing her anxiety to worsen over time. All in all though, these two aspects were probably the only elements of the story that I enjoyed. The other plots about Lily's CS group and writing career also didn't stand out to me as much as I hoped it would. All in all, I definitely wouldn't recommend this book for the romance, but I do recommend Suzanne Park's So We Meet Again if you are looking for a more romance-heavy plot. 2.75 stars rounded up.
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After seeing the cover of this new Asian contemporary novel (which is so beautiful by the way!), I was super excited to read The Do-Over. However, the actual novel didn't meet most of my expectations, and I found myself not fully engaged with most of the story. The premise of the novel alludes to this story being a second chance romance and states the novel is a rom-com, but I would definitely classify it more as Women's Fiction than a rom-com. While the book did have a romantic arc, it definitely was more of a sub-plot. I barely felt any connection between Lily and Jake (who seems like a total douchebag, by the way), and felt that the friendship between Lily and Mia, as well as her new college friends, was a much more prominent part of the story. I also enjoyed the subplot of Lily navigating her relationship with her parents, who placed unrealistic expectations on her from a young age, causing her anxiety to worsen over time. All in all though, these two aspects were probably the only elements of the story that I enjoyed. The other plots about Lily's CS group and writing career also didn't stand out to me as much as I hoped it would. All in all, I definitely wouldn't recommend this book for the romance, but I do recommend Suzanne Park's So We Meet Again if you are looking for a more romance-heavy plot. 2.75 stars rounded up.
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February 13, 2023
3.5/5 ☆
Unexpectedly enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to!
Lily Lee is 32 year old in need of a career change. When she finds out she didn’t actually finish her degree, she heads back to undergrad to finish out her remaining units. There, she is reunited with her ex-boyfriend Jake Cho, who coincidentally is the TA for the computer science class she’s registered to take. Trying to balance school, author-life, and nosy parents - Lily finds herself overwhelmed navigating it all.
This definitely isn’t a romance. I agree with most reviews that this more women’s fiction with a romance sub plot. That was probably the least interesting part of the whole book. Don’t go into this book expecting an amazing, second chance love story. It wasn’t one.
I was more interested in Lily going back to school, her friendships with her new roommate and best friend, and how she planned to live this “double life” as a student and author. I love the message of the story and how empowering it was - it’s never too late to go back to school and learn something new. Very big fan coming from someone who works in the higher ed industry! Her relationship with her parents also hit home for me. I could relate to a lot of what Lily felt when I was in college, trying to meet my own parents’ expectations. Very thoughtful and accurate.
This was my first book by Suzanne Park and I enjoyed it! Hope to read more of her backlist soon.
Unexpectedly enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to!
Lily Lee is 32 year old in need of a career change. When she finds out she didn’t actually finish her degree, she heads back to undergrad to finish out her remaining units. There, she is reunited with her ex-boyfriend Jake Cho, who coincidentally is the TA for the computer science class she’s registered to take. Trying to balance school, author-life, and nosy parents - Lily finds herself overwhelmed navigating it all.
This definitely isn’t a romance. I agree with most reviews that this more women’s fiction with a romance sub plot. That was probably the least interesting part of the whole book. Don’t go into this book expecting an amazing, second chance love story. It wasn’t one.
I was more interested in Lily going back to school, her friendships with her new roommate and best friend, and how she planned to live this “double life” as a student and author. I love the message of the story and how empowering it was - it’s never too late to go back to school and learn something new. Very big fan coming from someone who works in the higher ed industry! Her relationship with her parents also hit home for me. I could relate to a lot of what Lily felt when I was in college, trying to meet my own parents’ expectations. Very thoughtful and accurate.
This was my first book by Suzanne Park and I enjoyed it! Hope to read more of her backlist soon.
April 5, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this story. Lily is a bestselling author and is hoping to start her dream job. She is shocked to learn that she failed the background screening because she didn’t actually complete the degree she thought she had earned a decade earlier. So she is back to school to finish those final credits and get her diploma. When she realizes the TA is none other than her college boyfriend, Jake Cho, she is more than a little surprised.
I went into this book expecting a fun romance and romance does play a role in the story but I felt this book was women’s fiction more than anything since the focus is on Lily’s journey and growth. I couldn’t imagine finding out I needed to go back to school after a decade and I respected that Lily immediately took the steps necessary to correct the error. Her roommate and best friend were fantastic and I loved the way they always seemed to be ready to do whatever they could to be supportive. It does take some time for Jake and Lily to work out all of their issues but I was thrilled to see them get a second chance and loved the chemistry that they shared.
I would recommend this book to others. I really enjoyed being able to tag along with Lily as she took this journey and loved watching her work through some pretty big issues. I look forward to reading more of Suzanne Park’s writing in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Avon Books.
I really enjoyed this story. Lily is a bestselling author and is hoping to start her dream job. She is shocked to learn that she failed the background screening because she didn’t actually complete the degree she thought she had earned a decade earlier. So she is back to school to finish those final credits and get her diploma. When she realizes the TA is none other than her college boyfriend, Jake Cho, she is more than a little surprised.
I went into this book expecting a fun romance and romance does play a role in the story but I felt this book was women’s fiction more than anything since the focus is on Lily’s journey and growth. I couldn’t imagine finding out I needed to go back to school after a decade and I respected that Lily immediately took the steps necessary to correct the error. Her roommate and best friend were fantastic and I loved the way they always seemed to be ready to do whatever they could to be supportive. It does take some time for Jake and Lily to work out all of their issues but I was thrilled to see them get a second chance and loved the chemistry that they shared.
I would recommend this book to others. I really enjoyed being able to tag along with Lily as she took this journey and loved watching her work through some pretty big issues. I look forward to reading more of Suzanne Park’s writing in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Avon Books.
June 26, 2023
STOP DECIDING EVERY BOOK A WOMAN WRITES IS ROMANCE. THIS BOOK ISN’T A ROMANCE. WHICH MEANS ITS GONNA GET RATED LOW WHEN PEOPLE PICK IT UP LOOKING FOR ROMANCE OH MY GOD.
i’ve been “The Heart Principle”ed again. i hate it here.
I had a hard time reading this one. The author is writing what should be empowering women's fiction probably but was called a romance. The romance is barely a subplot. They spend so little time on the page together and when they do, there are no sparks. This book is about a woman going back to complete her college degree and finding a new career she loves while also discussing the issues of age, race, gender, and class in the workplace.
Unfortunately, even as women's fiction, I wouldn't have enjoyed this one. The book does a lot of telling instead of showing and it felt very boring to follow the MC from class to work to seminar etc. until she achieved her goals. Throw in a dorky Southern roommate and a best friend that was literally copy and paste Awkwafina (but the author was like "she just gets COMPARED to Awkwafina a lot, which???) supporting her all the way but having almost no nuance themselves? Pass.
I think people looking for something light-hearted and inspirational might want to pick this one up as well as those who like a more low-level romance in their stories. I would recommend to people looking for fiction, not romance!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!
i’ve been “The Heart Principle”ed again. i hate it here.
I had a hard time reading this one. The author is writing what should be empowering women's fiction probably but was called a romance. The romance is barely a subplot. They spend so little time on the page together and when they do, there are no sparks. This book is about a woman going back to complete her college degree and finding a new career she loves while also discussing the issues of age, race, gender, and class in the workplace.
Unfortunately, even as women's fiction, I wouldn't have enjoyed this one. The book does a lot of telling instead of showing and it felt very boring to follow the MC from class to work to seminar etc. until she achieved her goals. Throw in a dorky Southern roommate and a best friend that was literally copy and paste Awkwafina (but the author was like "she just gets COMPARED to Awkwafina a lot, which???) supporting her all the way but having almost no nuance themselves? Pass.
I think people looking for something light-hearted and inspirational might want to pick this one up as well as those who like a more low-level romance in their stories. I would recommend to people looking for fiction, not romance!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!
July 17, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for digital advanced reader copy of The Do-Over for my honest review.
The Do-Over by Suzanne Park was just OK for me. The story of a 32 year old, high achieving woman suffering from imposter syndrome having to go back to college to finish her degree due to a clerical error was very relatable at times but the story seemed to lack focus.
I struggled with the pace and the back & forth between second chance romance and a critique of corporate America. The romance felt forced and the critique was constantly interrupted by the romance.
I really loved Lily's relationships with Mia and her roommate, Beth. I also appreciated that Lily had some really good growth over the course of the book. Overall, I wanted to like this more but it sadly did not deliver.
The Do-Over by Suzanne Park was just OK for me. The story of a 32 year old, high achieving woman suffering from imposter syndrome having to go back to college to finish her degree due to a clerical error was very relatable at times but the story seemed to lack focus.
I struggled with the pace and the back & forth between second chance romance and a critique of corporate America. The romance felt forced and the critique was constantly interrupted by the romance.
I really loved Lily's relationships with Mia and her roommate, Beth. I also appreciated that Lily had some really good growth over the course of the book. Overall, I wanted to like this more but it sadly did not deliver.
dnf
May 14, 2023I really liked the idea of Lily being forced to go back to college & running into her ex-boyfriend turned TA. But i've been really struggling to get through the book. Any time she's around the "typical" college age students from her classes, that's the only thing the book seems to focus on. It really feels like the author had a personal fear or dislike of turning 30 and could only focus on that while writing the book. Even in Lily's interactions with Jake, she acts like he could never be attracted to her because "she's 30 and wrinkled".
There are some genuinely funny banter & comments throughout the book which made it more enjoyable to read. But I just don't see myself enjoying the rest of this book.
Thank you to Avon and Suzanne Park for sending me an ARC!
There are some genuinely funny banter & comments throughout the book which made it more enjoyable to read. But I just don't see myself enjoying the rest of this book.
Thank you to Avon and Suzanne Park for sending me an ARC!
November 30, 2025
A great cover and an interesting book about female friendships. I had hoped this would be a little more of a light, sweet romance but I don't feel like that was the main focus. It was a quick read but I just wasn't feeling the main love interest. I liked the focus on the friendships. Maybe just not for me.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
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March 7, 2024DNF.
The premise, first of all, is a real life nightmare. If I woke up deep into my career one day to realize I was two courses short of graduating with the degree I thought I had already earned I’d probably die on the spot.
But I couldn’t get past the incredibly unbelievable “the plot demands this” scenario in which somehow this YEARS-out-of-college woman MOVES IN ON CAMPUS to do her two remaining courses?? With a roommate? Like the COST ALONE, never mind how intensely frustrating it would be to move into dorms for literally half a year. Absolutely not. I can’t.
The premise, first of all, is a real life nightmare. If I woke up deep into my career one day to realize I was two courses short of graduating with the degree I thought I had already earned I’d probably die on the spot.
But I couldn’t get past the incredibly unbelievable “the plot demands this” scenario in which somehow this YEARS-out-of-college woman MOVES IN ON CAMPUS to do her two remaining courses?? With a roommate? Like the COST ALONE, never mind how intensely frustrating it would be to move into dorms for literally half a year. Absolutely not. I can’t.
August 1, 2023
Such a cute, feel good story! I couldn’t decide if I should rate it 4 or 5 stars, but I ultimately rated it 5 stars because I really did enjoy it. It was such a fun & quick read, I didn’t want to put it down. It had romance, friendship & family stuff + it was different than anything else I’d read(plot line wise) - definitely recommend!
February 13, 2024
2.5
Lily discovers she's short credits for graduating. Unfortunately, she discovers this ten years later after entering the workforce and assuming she had her degree. To save her professional reputation she needs to go back and complete her degree, as quietly as possible. On campus, she runs into an old flame. Is there time for a do-over in more than one way?
I liked the way her goals changed throughout the book. I loved the study group. Learning about some of the titles used in Asian culture was interesting too, and not something you see as normalized in books.
However, this read was a bit meh. Her inner journey got repetitive and took away pages from having her interact with people. I thought she and Jake weren't given much real attention, which surprised me since this is a romance. They didn't interact a lot and their interactions were bland.
Mia, the best friend reminded me of the one in Isn't it Romantic- a movie mocking romcoms, where the best friend has no life except to help the main character. She moved into Lily's off campus apartment with no storyline of her own. It was odd and felt like a weak way to keep her in the story, motivating Lily.
Perky roommate Beth was my favorite character and the most redeeming part about this read. It just underwhelmed.
Lily discovers she's short credits for graduating. Unfortunately, she discovers this ten years later after entering the workforce and assuming she had her degree. To save her professional reputation she needs to go back and complete her degree, as quietly as possible. On campus, she runs into an old flame. Is there time for a do-over in more than one way?
I liked the way her goals changed throughout the book. I loved the study group. Learning about some of the titles used in Asian culture was interesting too, and not something you see as normalized in books.
However, this read was a bit meh. Her inner journey got repetitive and took away pages from having her interact with people. I thought she and Jake weren't given much real attention, which surprised me since this is a romance. They didn't interact a lot and their interactions were bland.
Mia, the best friend reminded me of the one in Isn't it Romantic- a movie mocking romcoms, where the best friend has no life except to help the main character. She moved into Lily's off campus apartment with no storyline of her own. It was odd and felt like a weak way to keep her in the story, motivating Lily.
Perky roommate Beth was my favorite character and the most redeeming part about this read. It just underwhelmed.
April 3, 2023
I went into this book expecting one thing and got something... very different? I think I was anticipating more of a romance, but this landed a lot closer to women's fiction instead, in terms of Lily's road to realizing that revisiting her past doesn't have to be considered a setback or a failure. The parts between her and Jake were so promising, and then the book barely focused on them in light of shining more focus on its protagonist's individual arc. In other words, that might not necessarily be a deal-breaker for other readers, but I was hoping for something divergent from what this turned out to be.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2023
I thought this book would center on a 2nd chance romance, but the romance really took a backseat to the plot of Lily returning to finish her college degree.
The romance felt like the weakest aspect of the story.
The romance felt like the weakest aspect of the story.
January 2, 2024
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
Content Warning: panic attacks (described and on screen), anxiety, imposter syndrome, racism, sexism, alcohol use, classism
I think this was a bit mischaracterized as a romance novel when it's really a "second coming of age" story. There is romance, but there is much more emphasis placed on the self-love and grace to give yourself when you're experiencing anxiety, fear, and challenging your held beliefs.
I loved the premise of Lily having to go back to college to complete a few credits for her degree. Combine that with a second chance romance and it should have been a fantastic read, but it fell a little flat for me throughout.
I loved the non-traditional student aspect and seeing college from the perspective of coming of age again rather than as a fresh adult in the world. It was cathartic to see Lily learn more about herself and her talents in her 30s as someone who is also in their 30s. I really liked the introspective look at anxiety.
While the premise was interesting, I wasn't quite convinced that this would happen. Lily is a best-selling non-fiction writer about the workforce, but can't get hired and it seems like she has never had a professional job? These singularly aren't out of the realm of possibility, but together they don't quite fit into the narrative properly. Maybe if it had just been one or the other: that she was trying to get a job and they noticed her degree wasn't complete OR that she wanted to write about getting a job and went back to school to get a better sense of the landscape now, that would have been stronger. But together, it felt like a mashup of things that didn't quite fit together.
I did like the second chance romance - it was sweet and made sense for the context. There wasn't as much focus on it as the rest of the plotline, but the moments that we did see were great! I am not typically a second chance romance lover but this was done in a really good way with flashbacks to the past and explanations of the future.
I really liked this one overall even though I thought it could be better. I recommend it!
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Content Warning: panic attacks (described and on screen), anxiety, imposter syndrome, racism, sexism, alcohol use, classism
I think this was a bit mischaracterized as a romance novel when it's really a "second coming of age" story. There is romance, but there is much more emphasis placed on the self-love and grace to give yourself when you're experiencing anxiety, fear, and challenging your held beliefs.
I loved the premise of Lily having to go back to college to complete a few credits for her degree. Combine that with a second chance romance and it should have been a fantastic read, but it fell a little flat for me throughout.
I loved the non-traditional student aspect and seeing college from the perspective of coming of age again rather than as a fresh adult in the world. It was cathartic to see Lily learn more about herself and her talents in her 30s as someone who is also in their 30s. I really liked the introspective look at anxiety.
While the premise was interesting, I wasn't quite convinced that this would happen. Lily is a best-selling non-fiction writer about the workforce, but can't get hired and it seems like she has never had a professional job? These singularly aren't out of the realm of possibility, but together they don't quite fit into the narrative properly. Maybe if it had just been one or the other: that she was trying to get a job and they noticed her degree wasn't complete OR that she wanted to write about getting a job and went back to school to get a better sense of the landscape now, that would have been stronger. But together, it felt like a mashup of things that didn't quite fit together.
I did like the second chance romance - it was sweet and made sense for the context. There wasn't as much focus on it as the rest of the plotline, but the moments that we did see were great! I am not typically a second chance romance lover but this was done in a really good way with flashbacks to the past and explanations of the future.
I really liked this one overall even though I thought it could be better. I recommend it!
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April 2, 2023
Even though Lily is only in her early 30s, she's a bestselling author of a book about how to find the perfect job. She's working on a new book but even though the deadline for submitting the book is getting close, she can't seem to make herself work on it. When she's offered a job at a top firm, the back-ground check causes her to not be considered. Why? It turns out that Lily was several credits short of getting her degree - something that she never realized because she did get a diploma and walk across the stage at the graduation ceremony. To move ahead in her work life, she decides to go back to college and get enough credits so that she has her degree. it's pretty tough going back to college in your 30s and spending so much time around people who are 10 years or more younger. She decides to make the best of it - goes to frat parties, drinks too much and then to her totally dismay finds that the man who broke her heart in college is now the teaching assistant in one of her classes. When they begin to spend some time together, she realizes that it isn't easy the second time around. This book is a warm story about second chances in life and love and how the future may end up totally differently than had been planned.
Lily was a great main character as she tried to find her way around her new college life. She is saddled with anxiety and parental issues as she works to get her degree. Along with Lily, the two other characters, her best friend Mia and Beth her roommate provided a lot of laughs. I liked all of the female main characters but the one person that I didn't like was Jake -- the old boyfriend and current TA in Lily's class. He had a major ego issue and didn't really make any excuses for the break up that he and Lily had years before. I didn't like him at all but could tolerate him by the end of the story.
This book is an easy-read about second chances in life and love and how things never turn out the way you planned.
Lily was a great main character as she tried to find her way around her new college life. She is saddled with anxiety and parental issues as she works to get her degree. Along with Lily, the two other characters, her best friend Mia and Beth her roommate provided a lot of laughs. I liked all of the female main characters but the one person that I didn't like was Jake -- the old boyfriend and current TA in Lily's class. He had a major ego issue and didn't really make any excuses for the break up that he and Lily had years before. I didn't like him at all but could tolerate him by the end of the story.
This book is an easy-read about second chances in life and love and how things never turn out the way you planned.
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