Book Review
The Name Drop by Susan Lee
Romance | YA | Contemporary
This was a super sweet rom-com featuring two characters who share the same Korean name and are accidentally mistaken for each other. With k-drama vibes and an adorable YA romance, this was an entertaining and fluffy story that is calling for an on-screen adaptation.
Reader’s Thoughts:
Elijah arrives in New York for his internship at Hanuel Corporation. But as the son of the CEO, Elijah is shocked to discover that he’s getting no special treatment. Meanwhile, Jessica arrives for her summer internship, only to discover she’s the new executive-in-training. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they have the same Korean name? When they realize what’s happened, they decide to go along with this case of mistaken identity, each experiencing a summer in a vastly different lifestyle than what they’re used to.
I’m always a fan of closed-door, rom-coms and this was a fun and cute read to relax with. Obviously, with the mistaken-identity trope, there is a large element of suspending disbelief throughout the novel — but it was an easy and light read, complete with the HEA you want in a book like this.
Since finishing the book, I have read some reviews from individuals in the tech industry who mentioned inaccuracies in how the gaming industry was presented. As someone who is not familiar with the inner workings of this industry, this was not an issue for me. I do, however, agree that some elements didn’t fully work, including the level of misogyny within the workplace never really being addressed and some plot holes regarding Jessica’s financial inability to attend college (or perhaps, just her naivety as to her father’s real role and income?)
I also felt that the ending of the novel was very rushed. Most of the drama occurs in the last few chapters and I wish that would have been fleshed out a little more. I also really wanted to experience more of the hackathon (a major part of the plot.) I thought the fact that it only earned a few scenes was a missed opportunity.
But despite these minor critiques, this was an entertaining read — evidenced by the fact that I finished it in a single sitting. I enjoyed Elijah and Jessica’s characters and was sincerely rooting for them to end up together. (This is the number one thing I look for when reading rom-coms, and the author nailed that.)
The Name Drop met all my YA rom-com expectations and I will definitely be on the lookout for more reads by Susan Lee!
Recommended for:
Fans of contemporary romance, K-Pop, and sweet, YA fiction!
This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Copy of the book provided courtesy of the publisher, Harper Collins Canada. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the book:
(From the publisher) When Elijah Ri arrives in New York City for an internship at his father’s massive tech company, Haneul Corporation, he expects the royal treatment that comes with being the future CEO—even if that’s the last thing he wants. But instead, he finds himself shuffled into a group of overworked, unpaid interns, all sharing a shoebox apartment for the summer.
When Jessica Lee arrives in New York City, she’s eager to make the most of her internship at Haneul Corporation, even if she’s at the bottom of the corporate ladder. But she’s shocked to be introduced as the new executive-in-training intern with a gorgeous brownstone all to herself.
It doesn’t take long for Elijah and Jessica to discover the source of the they share the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched—so Elijah can have a relaxing summer away from his controlling dad while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations.
As Elijah and Jessica work together to keep up the charade, a spark develops between them. Can they avoid discovery—and total disaster—with their feelings and futures on the line?