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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
So here's the deal:
I Believe In a Thing Called Love is a super-cute and genuinely funny YA contemporary romance and I'm looking forward to checking out Maurene Goo's next book! I am genuinely interested in K-Dramas now (I even started one on Netflix!). It was feel-good and happy.
Still, it was kind of hard to look past the fact that Desi was being manipulative to get the guy. It's one thing to show up at a place you know your crush will be and hope to bump into them. Planting nails on a road so that he can pop his tires and get into a minor car accident? I think that might have been the thing that kept me from giving this more than 3 stars.
Again, K-Dramas have a formula that Desi sticks to and they aren't real. And sure, this book isn't "real" either. But it takes place in the real world and she is using things that happen in a controlled environment due to a script in a way that can be more harmful. I sound like a total square, but if I were Luca, I would be upset that I was put in danger or had to pay for damages and that it was sort of the plan the whole time. Not the kind of relationship I want.
I liked Goo's writing and, like many others, I adorrrrrrred the relationship between Desi and her father - super cute! It's just that I couldn't look past the plan as anything more than lies. Wah wahhhhh.
I Believe In a Thing Called Love is a super-cute and genuinely funny YA contemporary romance and I'm looking forward to checking out Maurene Goo's next book! I am genuinely interested in K-Dramas now (I even started one on Netflix!). It was feel-good and happy.
Still, it was kind of hard to look past the fact that Desi was being manipulative to get the guy. It's one thing to show up at a place you know your crush will be and hope to bump into them. Planting nails on a road so that he can pop his tires and get into a minor car accident? I think that might have been the thing that kept me from giving this more than 3 stars.
Again, K-Dramas have a formula that Desi sticks to and they aren't real. And sure, this book isn't "real" either. But it takes place in the real world and she is using things that happen in a controlled environment due to a script in a way that can be more harmful. I sound like a total square, but if I were Luca, I would be upset that I was put in danger or had to pay for damages and that it was sort of the plan the whole time. Not the kind of relationship I want.
I liked Goo's writing and, like many others, I adorrrrrrred the relationship between Desi and her father - super cute! It's just that I couldn't look past the plan as anything more than lies. Wah wahhhhh.
Why, yes, I did read this in one sitting while on vacation, why do you ask?
Totally enjoyable. Desi makes terrible, but teenager-ish, life choices, and I really enjoyed the time spent watching her grow.
Totally enjoyable. Desi makes terrible, but teenager-ish, life choices, and I really enjoyed the time spent watching her grow.
I am so glad that I found this book from another readers review!
I don't ordinarily read anything remotely 'Romantic Comedy' without some crime / fantasy, but I LOVED this.
I almost felt like I was intruding on Desi's personal thoughts (in a good way!). It was such a cool way to experience the story. It was a personal story, so the POV was great.
I really liked the characters, the story, and the writing style. It was funny, moving and interesting in all the right ways.
I'm officially going to have to add more Romance/Comedy books to my bookshelf!
I don't ordinarily read anything remotely 'Romantic Comedy' without some crime / fantasy, but I LOVED this.
I almost felt like I was intruding on Desi's personal thoughts (in a good way!). It was such a cool way to experience the story. It was a personal story, so the POV was great.
I really liked the characters, the story, and the writing style. It was funny, moving and interesting in all the right ways.
I'm officially going to have to add more Romance/Comedy books to my bookshelf!
I love K dramas and anyone who is familiar with K dramas, knows that this book is hilarious. From forbidden romances, evil family members, and car crashes, they have it all. And this book was just so funny, as soon as I saw K drama on the blurb, I knew I had to read this book and I’m so happy I did. The amount of laugh out loud and frustrated moments I had were wild, and I absolutely loved it.
More reviews at Beautiful Books
Do you guys ever just read a book that FILLS YOU WITH ALL OF THE FEELS AND JUST ENRAPTURES YOU AND TAKES YOU HOSTAGE UNTIL YOU BINGE READ THE HECK OUT OF IT? Well, for me that's what I Believe in a Thing Called Love was. Once I started, I couldn't stop. It was like finding a good k-drama during summer break. Incidentally, this book is about a girl using k-dramas to get the boy. Which I'm all about and thinking about implementing in my own life, because damn I could use some k-drama magic in my life.
What's so great about this book, you ask. Well, friends let me tell you all about it. First off, Desi is lovable and awkward and flails (flirting fails) as much as I do, which gives her instant likability points. She's also a major nerd. What a dork. She also has this beautiful and loving relationship with her Dad, who is as obsessed with k dramas as I am. Boy, I wish my own Dad was that invested in k dramas*. Not only that but her relationship with her friends was super cute and they were like real life friends. I wanted to hang out with them. They were very #squadgoals, just like the Healer super team.
*he's more into obscure corruption shows with twisted characters and not that fond of romance, but we can't all be perfect.
Then there was the actual romance itself, which was adorable and weird and very quirky. Desi and Luca don't seem to make much sense on paper, but they're both dorks. Don't let Luca fool you with the whole artist thing. Much like the k drama main lead he is a dork in hiding. Their romance was so well executed and just very cute. I also loved that throughout the whole getting the boy process there were drama references a plenty. I had a moment every time a k-drama was mentioned. As for the k-drama steps to finding true love there were some actual very k-drama-esque moments in the book. WHICH I LOVED, OF COURSE!
Now, if you're not a fan of k-dramas* this book is still for you. It's a cute contemporary with a huge heart. It's quirky and fun and watching Desi grow into herself and in a relationship was such an experience. There's also Luca, who also undergoes incredible character development. It's a read that's perfect for the summer for how honest and kind of ridiculous and funny and just feel-good it is. Besides, you can always get started on the path to k-drama fan. It's a sweet life, I promise.
*first, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR FREE TIME???? Second, why would you not be???? Third, go watch one now.
come join us, you'll have fun
Do you guys ever just read a book that FILLS YOU WITH ALL OF THE FEELS AND JUST ENRAPTURES YOU AND TAKES YOU HOSTAGE UNTIL YOU BINGE READ THE HECK OUT OF IT? Well, for me that's what I Believe in a Thing Called Love was. Once I started, I couldn't stop. It was like finding a good k-drama during summer break. Incidentally, this book is about a girl using k-dramas to get the boy. Which I'm all about and thinking about implementing in my own life, because damn I could use some k-drama magic in my life.
What's so great about this book, you ask. Well, friends let me tell you all about it. First off, Desi is lovable and awkward and flails (flirting fails) as much as I do, which gives her instant likability points. She's also a major nerd. What a dork. She also has this beautiful and loving relationship with her Dad, who is as obsessed with k dramas as I am. Boy, I wish my own Dad was that invested in k dramas*. Not only that but her relationship with her friends was super cute and they were like real life friends. I wanted to hang out with them. They were very #squadgoals, just like the Healer super team.
*he's more into obscure corruption shows with twisted characters and not that fond of romance, but we can't all be perfect.
Then there was the actual romance itself, which was adorable and weird and very quirky. Desi and Luca don't seem to make much sense on paper, but they're both dorks. Don't let Luca fool you with the whole artist thing. Much like the k drama main lead he is a dork in hiding. Their romance was so well executed and just very cute. I also loved that throughout the whole getting the boy process there were drama references a plenty. I had a moment every time a k-drama was mentioned. As for the k-drama steps to finding true love there were some actual very k-drama-esque moments in the book. WHICH I LOVED, OF COURSE!
Now, if you're not a fan of k-dramas* this book is still for you. It's a cute contemporary with a huge heart. It's quirky and fun and watching Desi grow into herself and in a relationship was such an experience. There's also Luca, who also undergoes incredible character development. It's a read that's perfect for the summer for how honest and kind of ridiculous and funny and just feel-good it is. Besides, you can always get started on the path to k-drama fan. It's a sweet life, I promise.
*first, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR FREE TIME???? Second, why would you not be???? Third, go watch one now.
come join us, you'll have fun
I Believe in a Thing Called Love is the perfect book for anyone who a believer of the power of a good romantic comedy. We follow Desi (a romance challenged but otherwise over achieving, sassy girl) as she tries to figure out how to become successful in relationships. The best way for a type-A person like Desi to do this is by creating a step by step guide to romance based off the K-Dramas she watches with her Dad. It was so fun to see all the absurd steps of a romantic comedy written out on paper. Let’s be real, people who love rom-coms do so because the formula is always the same and there’s always a happy ending. I really enjoyed reading a rom-com that poked fun at the whole idea of rom-coms.
I loved Maurene Goo’s writing style so much. It was super easy to read and also so freaking hilarious. I was reading on the treadmill at the gym and at one point Desi refers to herself as a “sassy jackhammer” and I laughed so loud everyone looked at me like I was the crazy lady running in place. However, it was totally worth the momentary embarrassment because the whole book was adorably hilarious and light hearted. It was just so darn delightful to read this the entire time.
If I have to give some criticism I would have to say that the emotional backgrounds of the characters aren’t as explored as they could have been. For example, the idea of Desi being “type-A” because her over achieving is bandage to cover up the hurt of her Mother’s death as a child was hinted at throughout the story. Sadly, we never really get to really dig deep into that. Considering that this is a romantic comedy, I didn’t expect to get really mellow dramatic about traumatic back stories. As it is, we just skim the surface of this emotional goldmine but it could have been an interesting subject to dig deeper into.
I Believe in a Thing Called Love was just delightful, fluffy, funny, and full of sweet romance and it was everything I needed at the moment. Well, I need stories like these at every moment because I’m a total sucker for rom-coms. Now that I’ve read I Believe in a Thing Called Love I officially want to read everything that Maurene Goo has written. I NEED to.
I loved Maurene Goo’s writing style so much. It was super easy to read and also so freaking hilarious. I was reading on the treadmill at the gym and at one point Desi refers to herself as a “sassy jackhammer” and I laughed so loud everyone looked at me like I was the crazy lady running in place. However, it was totally worth the momentary embarrassment because the whole book was adorably hilarious and light hearted. It was just so darn delightful to read this the entire time.
If I have to give some criticism I would have to say that the emotional backgrounds of the characters aren’t as explored as they could have been. For example, the idea of Desi being “type-A” because her over achieving is bandage to cover up the hurt of her Mother’s death as a child was hinted at throughout the story. Sadly, we never really get to really dig deep into that. Considering that this is a romantic comedy, I didn’t expect to get really mellow dramatic about traumatic back stories. As it is, we just skim the surface of this emotional goldmine but it could have been an interesting subject to dig deeper into.
I Believe in a Thing Called Love was just delightful, fluffy, funny, and full of sweet romance and it was everything I needed at the moment. Well, I need stories like these at every moment because I’m a total sucker for rom-coms. Now that I’ve read I Believe in a Thing Called Love I officially want to read everything that Maurene Goo has written. I NEED to.
3.5⭐
ok but why do i imagine luca as a tiktok e-boy ?????
ok but why do i imagine luca as a tiktok e-boy ?????
2.75-3ish. Cute concept but mostly cringe-y and insane. Probably better for a younger audience. I didn’t like any of the male characters in this book except for her dad.