A review by abbynlewis
Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Pablo has been struggling with finances, with finding a passion, with discovering what he wants to devote his life to. At the moment, he’s working the graveyard shift at a 24-hour bodega. He’s avoiding telling his parents how over his head he is from student loans and the credit card he opened when he first started college. Basically, his life is a mess. Then one night, famous pop star Leanna Smart wanders into the bodega and everything changes. There’s an instant connection, but Leanna is crazy busy all the time, zipping from one continent to another making albums and movies and business deals while Pablo spends his time working and avoiding taking responsibility for all his problems. Is there any way they can make their relationship work, or were they doomed from the start?

I’ve never read a book about encountering a celebrity. I’m sure there are plenty of books of that nature out there, but Mary H. K. Choi’s novel is the first encounter I have had with a narrative that revolves around a celebrity and a civilian dating. Because of this, I was really interested in the logistics of how jarring it is to have someone sweep into your life with a whirlwind entourage including a manager, body guards, publicist, and whoever else trailing paparazzi. And then having to treat all that as if it’s normal and seem unfazed by the complete disruption caused by just being around this person.

Pablo is a likeable guy, and I truly enjoyed this novel, but I never felt emotionally connected to Pablo or Leanna. If anything, I felt more for Pablo’s family and the married couple who run the bodega Pablo works at. Some of Pablo’s roommates even seemed more interesting. Essentially, all the secondary characters had more life and vibrancy to them than the main characters did. What kept me reading this novel was my curiosity as to whether Pablo and Leanna actually work things out. 

Continue reading: https://freeairforfish.com/2021/08/25/book-review-permanent-record-mary-h-k-choi/