Book Review: XOXO by Axie Oh

XOXO

Axie Oh
Release date: 13th July 2021
★★★★

Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar, it’s clear he’s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure…before he disappears without a word.

Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester. And he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating.

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love. 

This is just a cute cliched adorable fluff. This is definitely more suited to younger audiences, maybe someone just starting in the Young adult genre. And it does read a lot like fanfiction (nothing wrong with fanfiction was just hoping for something more substantial here) I loved the side characters more than the main character. Youngmin is so freaking adorable. And I also really enjoyed the friendships in the book, maybe even more than the romance. While the romance to me felt inevitable and more like the course of the plot; however the friendships felt like some work was being done, there was beautiful character development in those moments. The relationships Jenny has with Sori and Angela and Gi Taek felt solid.

The rep is actually really casual with Korean culture seamlessly and beautifully explained. I do however think that the plot was just generalized rather than having much substance. The topic of icons not being able to date was brought up time and again but it didn't really have a huge payoff. I would have loved to see more of that. That would have been a much more interesting read, raising the stakes for both Jaewoo and Jenny. Overall this was a short light read. I am not a huge K-pop person so this was a little miss for me but I do think K-pop and K-drama fans would enjoy it.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher, Harper Teen for providing me with an e-arc for an honest review.