Title: The Name Drop
Author: Susan Lee
Publication: September 12, 2023
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Genre: Teens, YA Fiction
Pages: 304
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
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?
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
The Name Drop sounded like a good coming-of-age YA fiction and romance mixed into one when I first saw The Name Drop. I hadn’t read a lot of books that had Korean-based culture wound in and I was interested to learn more as I enjoyed this book.
Right off the bat I loved this story. Jessica is such a fun character and a bit type A with her control and wanting things to go perfect. I loved how she wanted to break away from her family and earn her spot in the world. She was naive and a little sheltered almost, which was fun to read as she grew. Elijah was entitled, but at the same time not snooty about it. I knew the two characters would form some kind of connection, so it wasn’t a surprise, but the journey was the joy of this story.
I loved learning about the male-dominated culture of Koreans as that aspect of this book was wound in. As a female, I found it sad for the women in the story, but I also found the empowerment was great. While I know this book is not a history of Korean culture, I really enjoy learning about the little tidbits I didn’t know and think that added something more to the enjoyment of this book. The characters were easily loved (or hated) and the story flowed smoothly. I almost wish there was more to it. That would be my only complaint. I wanted more. Maybe a sequel?
Susan Lee’s story was a fun, quick read that had me digging myself out of a recent readings lump quite quickly. I cannot wait to go check out her other book I have now heard so much about. An absolute must-read for fans of YA Fiction!
