It’s about being brave enough to embrace your true self and doing what makes you happy. At its heart, it is about discovering your passion and believing your dream is worth pursuing. Somewhere Only We Know goes beyond telling a love story between two Korean American teens. The novel is peppered with lots of sumptuous descriptions of food that will leave you craving Korean food! We get a glimpse of the night life, music scene, and are treated to many savory meals.

Her wonder and excitement at finally getting to the tour city jumps off the page. I really loved the setting of Hong Kong! Goo paints a lively, vibrant picture of this bustling city that we get to experience right along with Lucky. The dual perspective narration is flawlessly done. Their bond is built on this shared understanding and the chemistry is just an added bonus. Some of my favorite scenes are when Lucky and Jack have honest and deep conversations about self-doubt, fear of disappointing loved ones, and finding their place between two cultures. Their flirty banter is interspersed with meaningful discussions about who they are and their life. Jack is sweet, considerate, and an all-around good guy, but is unsure of what he wants his life to be. Lucky is confident, goofy, and feisty, but is discontent with her successful life. Goo has a talent for writing lovable main characters that are fleshed out and layered. As the two teens get closer, they are forced to consider what they truly want out of life and whether they are brave enough to go after it. A chance encounter on a bus between Lucky and Jack leads to a whirlwind adventure through Hong Kong.

Jack Lim is a part time paparazzo looking for his next big story.

It follows Lucky, a K-pop star burned out from her hectic life, as she roams the streets of Hong Kong in search of a hamburger. Goo’s upcoming Somewhere Only We Know is a K-pop inspired retelling of the classic film Roman Holiday.

Her first two novels, I Believe in a Thing Called Love and The Way You Make Me Feel, feature endearing Korean American characters, sweet love stories, and plenty of laughs. Her stories are fun, fresh, and follow classic rom-com storytelling. There are very few YA contemporary authors that are an automatic must read for me.

Somewhere only we know maurene goo