The Name Drop
Ratings6
Average rating3.7
New from the author of Seoulmates comes a story of mistaken identities, the summer of a lifetime, and a love to risk everything for. 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 mistake: 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? Praise for Seoulmates "The perfect childhood friends-to-lovers story--full stop." --Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners and The Soulmate Equation "Adorable, heartfelt, and guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!" --Gloria Chao, author of American Panda and Rent a Boyfriend "A deliciously swoony romance." --Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle
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3.5 stars. This is a cute, multi-cultural take on “The Prince and the Pauper,” in which the Elijah (the Prince) is the heir to a huge Korean tech company and Jessica (the Pauper) is a working class Korean-American whose college aspirations are limited by her family's financial situation. When their Korean names are switched upon arrival in New York City, Elijah is assumed to be one of ten summer worker-bee interns and Jessica is whisked away in a limousine to serve in the Executive Leadership program (aka “keeping the rebellious child under control”).
Once the two MCs figure out the reason for the mix-up, they decide to continue the ruse, mostly at Elijah's urging. He loves the freedom of exploring the City without his family's surveillance and the friendships he makes with the other interns. Jessica is more cautious, knowing that she has more to lose than Elijah, but she goes along with him because it is her opportunity to shine professionally and possibly earn a college scholarship. Plus she thinks Elijah is hot. What could go wrong (besides everything)?
The Name Drop is a breezy, predictable read. I appreciated learning about Korean business culture, traditions and cuisines. The differences between Elijah's and Jessica's family dynamics are incisively explored. The romance is marred slightly by Jessica's tendency to overshare when she's nervous, which Elijah considers “adorable” but is one of my least favorite heroine clichés. Also Elijah is supposed to be a selfish asshole who learns How to Be a Good Person, but while he keeps telling the reader about his dickishness, a far more altruistic person is shown. Those little niggles aside, this is a charming YA romcom with a well-deserved HEA.
ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for review.
