Somewhere only we know
(Book)

K-pop star Lucky is wrapping up her tour in Hong Kong and getting ready to debut in America, and all she wants is a hamburger. The problem is, she's on total lockdown K-pop stars are kept on a short leash, and her reputation is pristine so she's going to have to sneak out of her hotel. It's the same hotel that tabloid photographer Jack is sneaking into on an assignment. When he runs into Lucky, it could be his big break. She doesn't realize he knows who she is, and they hit the town together as she pretends to be just an ordinary girl. But as they explore Hong Kong, Jack starts to regret the photos he's planning on selling, while Lucky finds herself unsure about returning to her regulated life. Jack and Lucky's whirlwind romance is given life by Goo's (The Way You Make Me Feel, 2018) rapid-fire dialogue and enthusiastic embrace of rom-com tropes. A buoyant romance that's as much about self-­discovery as it is about new love.--Maggie Reagan Copyright 2019 Booklist

In this modern-day take on the classic film Roman Holiday, K-pop superstar Lucky seems to have it allbut her performances now feel rote and joyless, and she resents her overscheduled, oversupervised life. That is, until one night in Hong Kong, when she sneaks out of her hotel room and meets Jack on a city bus. The American-born son of Korean immigrants, Jack also feels unfulfilled: he works as a part-time paparazzo for a sleazy tabloid. Though Lucky uses a fake name, its not long before Jack figures out who she is, and he knows he can land a full-time job at the paper if he sends the scoop to his boss. He just needs to keep Lucky occupied for the day. (And what a day it is; the diverse, bustling city setting comes alive through stops at a park, a temple, a bookstore, a mountaintop, a karaoke bar, and, to Luckys delight, what seems like every single place to eat.) As Jack secretly photographs Lucky, he realizes the problem with his plan: hes falling for her. And Lucky, unaware that Jack knows who she really is, is falling for him too. Lucky and Jack are both charming, funny narrators with serious chemistry (Jack: We were so into each other it was ridiculous). They share comfortable banter, smoldering looks, a few intense kissesand, in between, earnest existential conversations about pursuing their dreams and living meaningful lives. Readers, no matter their celebrity status, should relate. rachel l. smith September/October 2019 p.87(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A K-pop star finds love and adventure with an aspiring photographer in this modern retelling of Roman Holiday.Lucky, a Korean-American K-pop star suffering an existential crisis over her career, plays hooky one night after a big concert in Hong Kong, escaping her handlers and bodyguard in search of a hamburger. Woozy on anti-anxiety medication and sleeping pills, she loses her way only to be rescued by Jack, an attractive stranger and fellow Korean-American who at first has no idea who she is and is struggling through his own personal crisis over whether to study banking to please his parents or pursue the photography he's so passionate about. As Lucky and Jack adventure through Hong Kong, they begin to fall for one another, but their budding connection is threatened by the lies they've told one another: Lucky hides her real identity, pretending to be an ordinary girl who is on tour with her church choir, while Jack has secret plans to sell photographs of their day together to a tabloid to help launch his career. Narrated in short chapters that alternate between Jack's and Lucky's first-person perspectives, Goo (The Way You Make Me Feel, 2018, etc.) develops each character's voice with clarity. A quick-paced, entertaining plot, witty banter, and expert characterization make this a light and satisfying read, and a wealth of local details effortlessly immerse the reader in the worlds of Hong Kong and K-pop stardom.Charming and swoonworthy. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

K-pop star Lucky is wrapping up her tour in Hong Kong and getting ready to debut in America, and all she wants is a hamburger. The problem is, she's on total lockdown—K-pop stars are kept on a short leash, and her reputation is pristine—so she's going to have to sneak out of her hotel. It's the same hotel that tabloid photographer Jack is sneaking into on an assignment. When he runs into Lucky, it could be his big break. She doesn't realize he knows who she is, and they hit the town together as she pretends to be just an ordinary girl. But as they explore Hong Kong, Jack starts to regret the photos he's planning on selling, while Lucky finds herself unsure about returning to her regulated life. Jack and Lucky's whirlwind romance is given life by Goo's (The Way You Make Me Feel, 2018) rapid-fire dialogue and enthusiastic embrace of rom-com tropes. A buoyant romance that's as much about self-­discovery as it is about new love. Grades 9-12. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.