ACHUKA Book of the Day 13 Aug 2021
“Filled with humor and theatrics.” KIRKUS
“With heaps of drama, cheesy goodness that soothes the soul, and a touch of forbidden love, XOXO is perfect for fans of fierce female friendships, chaotic K-dramas, and swoony band romances.” The Nerd Daily
“From musical interludes and well-thought-out metaphors to unbelievably adorable interactions between soulmates, XOXO is without a doubt one of my favorite YA romances. A love letter to music and belonging, [XOXO] is an absolute gem that proves you can chase your dreams and be capable of love, so long as you open your heart and embrace opportunity. Breaking the mold that practice makes perfect, Oh makes it clear that sometimes, all you need is to live for yourself – everything else follows. Paperback Paris
“I make playlists after each book I write as something fun for myself and they also provide some nice extra content for readers. I recently shared my playlist for XOXO, which I spent months on—it’s a K-pop book so I really wanted to showcase a variety of artists, and curate it well with songs that fit the book’s mood and tone. I even attempted to match each song to a chapter, so there are 40 songs on the playlist!” Axie Oh
Jenny’s never had much time for boys, K-pop, or really anything besides her dream of being a professional cellist. But when she finds herself falling for a K-pop idol, she has to decide whether their love is worth the risk in this modern forbidden romance wrapped in the glamorous and exclusive world of K-pop.
Jenny didn’t get to be an award-winning, classically trained cellist without choosing practice over fun. That is, until the night she meets Jaewoo. Mysterious, handsome, and just a little bit tormented, Jaewoo is exactly the kind of distraction Jenny would normally avoid. And yet, she finds herself pulled into spending an unforgettable evening wandering Los Angeles with him on the night before his flight home to South Korea.
With Jaewoo an ocean away, there’s no use in dreaming of what could have been. But when Jenny and her mother move to Seoul to take care of her ailing grandmother, who does she meet at the elite arts academy she’s just been accepted to? Jaewoo. Finding the dreamy stranger who swept you off your feet in your homeroom is one thing, but Jaewoo isn’t just any student. Turns out, Jaewoo is a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world. And like most K-pop idols, Jaewoo is strictly forbidden from dating anyone. When a relationship means not only jeopardizing her place at her dream music school but also endangering everything Jaewoo’s worked for, Jenny has to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.
XOXO is a captivating YA romance that proves chasing your dreams doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your heart.
The author has been interviewed on The Happy Writer podcast.