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A review by looseleafellie
XOXO by Axie Oh
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
This book follows cello player Jenny, who meets K-Pop star Jaewoo in her home city of Los Angeles and spends a wonderful day with him before he’s whisked away never to be seen again. But when she heads to Seoul to visit her sick grandmother, she finds that Jaewoo and his band are now her classmates at her new elite arts academy! Jaewoo’s management company forbids him from dating, but with their romance blossoming, will love find a way?
This was an adorable rom-com that made me feel sixteen again! The writing is also very smooth and the chapters simply flew by.
Amid the challenges and drama the characters face, friendship and romance shine through. While I love a celebrity romance — and Jaewoo and Jenny were certainly very cute — I also loved how Jenny became friends with the initially-frosty Sori. I really felt how hard it was going to be for Jenny to return to the US after having such a great time with her new classmates in Seoul.
I know nothing about the K-Pop industry, and don’t listen to K-Pop much, but the story made me feel the hype nonetheless! The conflicts between the stars and the management companies were super interesting and made me kind of angry for the poor kids. I don’t know how accurate it was to real life, but I felt super invested in the characters’ quest for fame and the risks they had to take to navigate the system.
Overall, if you’re looking for a light fun romance with a decent dose of angst, this one is for you! Just pack a snack because the descriptions of Korean food made me HUNGRY.
CWs: cancer, bullying, dieting mention.
This was an adorable rom-com that made me feel sixteen again! The writing is also very smooth and the chapters simply flew by.
Amid the challenges and drama the characters face, friendship and romance shine through. While I love a celebrity romance — and Jaewoo and Jenny were certainly very cute — I also loved how Jenny became friends with the initially-frosty Sori. I really felt how hard it was going to be for Jenny to return to the US after having such a great time with her new classmates in Seoul.
I know nothing about the K-Pop industry, and don’t listen to K-Pop much, but the story made me feel the hype nonetheless! The conflicts between the stars and the management companies were super interesting and made me kind of angry for the poor kids. I don’t know how accurate it was to real life, but I felt super invested in the characters’ quest for fame and the risks they had to take to navigate the system.
Overall, if you’re looking for a light fun romance with a decent dose of angst, this one is for you! Just pack a snack because the descriptions of Korean food made me HUNGRY.
CWs: cancer, bullying, dieting mention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Cancer