Review Detail

Hannah has the summer and her senior year all planned out, and they all revolve around her boyfriend Nate. But when he breaks up with her at the beginning of summer, she finds herself lost and willing to do anything to get him back. Even if it involves searching into her Korean roots and putting up with lifeguard training. With the explosion of popularity for Korean culture, Hannah is forced to address the parts of her heritage that she pushed to the back of her mind.

Then, something unexpected happens. Her ex-best friend Jacob comes to stay at her house with his family for a couple of weeks. Like everyone else in her life, he left her and broke her heart in the process. Now that he's back, Hannah doesn't want to forgive him and instead, puts all her attention on getting Nate back. Jacob, however, has other plans. He's missed Hannah all these years and wants nothing more than to make up with her. Even his life of fame can't replace the emptiness he feels with Hannah's absence. As they interact, they realize that their past friendship might lead to something more. It isn't long before Hannah feels like she's living a k-drama of her own.

SEOULMATES is a sweet contemporary romance that features Korean culture and reads like a mild k-drama, light on the drama part. I love the character growth we see in both Jacob and Hannah. The two of them address their faults on their own time and realize how important happiness is. It's a nice touch how Jacob leaves San Diego a loser and comes back a star, yet he doesn't let it go to his head. Instead, he's still humble and kind. It makes his character so much more appealing than the typical jerks we're used to them coming back as.


Final Verdict: Overall, this is a light and easy read that would be perfect to consume while curled up under the sun. I would recommend this to fans of contemporary romance and Korean culture. I've always loved Korean dramas and I'm loving all these books coming out featuring similar subjects. It's funny how when enough steam gets behind something, it picks up like you wouldn't believe. As an avid fan of Asian culture, I'm more than okay with it and looking forward to more books like these.