A K-pop idol and a classical cellist help each other find balance in this sweet, uplifting YA romance from Korean American author Axie Oh (Rebel Seoul).
Seventeen-year-old Korean American cellist Jenny Go dreams of going pro, but a recent critique that her playing lacks "spark" makes her worry that she won't get into a top music school. Her mom feels she should work harder, but free-spirited Uncle Jay encourages her to find out what "lights that fire within you." When she impulsively challenges gorgeous stranger Jaewoo to a karaoke battle, their playful animosity blossoms into a magical night at a Los Angeles Korean cultural festival. But Jaewoo departs suddenly and then doesn't answer texts, leaving Jenny confused. Soon after, she and her mother temporarily relocate to Seoul to care for her ailing grandmother. Jenny is astonished to find Jaewoo also attends her new performing arts school--and flabbergasted to learn he's a member of trending K-pop boy band XOXO. Their chemistry grows into love, but pop-idol life comes with strict schedules, potential scandals and paparazzi ambushes. As career pressures mount and her return to the U.S. looms, Jenny fears their relationship may drop off the charts.
K-pop and K-drama fans should love Oh's fandom-friendly setup, while juicy boarding school drama and mother-daughter tension add even broader appeal. Although the worthy message of work-play balance occasionally gets lost amid multiple subplots, this delightful comfort read is BTS: bound to satisfy. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager at Main Branch, Dayton Metro Library