Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through YA Midwest Book Festival in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Susan Lee’s newest release is a fun summer romance!

“The Name Drop” follows Jessica Lee (an aspiring college student) and Elijah Ri (a future CEO) whose identities are mistaken when they arrive in New York City for internships at Haneul Corporation. Rather than give up the charade, the two decide to stay switched so that Elijah can explore life at the bottom of the corporate ladder while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations as the new executive-in-training intern. As they work together to avoid discovery, a spark develops between them that is impossible to ignore. 

I really like how Lee’s novel alternates between the viewpoints of Jessica and Elijah. Both characters lead wildly different lives because of their status in society—Jessica being considered lower middle by American standards and Elijah being considered “elite” by Korean standards—which allows the reader to compare and contrast their respective upbringings and discern how it affects their character motivations. Lee also broaches important topics like sexism and misogyny in relation to Korean culture and the impact such norms have on women through the perspective of Jessica. 

Jessica and Elijah’s chance meeting upon learning that they share the same Korean name is the perfect foundation for their reluctant romance. Before the two even act on the chemistry they have, they develop an easygoing friendship that I loved following. Their shared moments exploring New York together, trying new restaurants, and working together as part of the internship program made made my heart flutter, so much so that when they finally became a couple, I nearly suffered from a cuteness overload. 

I could not recommend this enough to those who love reading upper ya romance books and cannot wait to see what Lee puts out next!