Once Upon a K-Prom

 

Publication date: May 17, 2022 by Kat Cho

My Thoughts:

If students enjoyed any of the following rom com teen novels, this is the next great read on the ladder:

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

This is a story of childhood friend Elena Soo and Robbie Choi. When they were 10, they separated as Robbieʻs family moved back to Korea but they did make a promise that he would take her to prom. Well it is prom time and Elena seems to be overshadowed by her more popular twin brother and the high school expectations set forth by her high achieving sisters. Elena finds herself ostracized and labeled as the prom hating weirdo because she wants everyone to spend less on prom and donate money to keep her community center alive.

Robbie in the meantime has hit it huge, BTS style in the K-Pop world and although he is highly managed as part of the most popular boy band, he wants to fulfill his promise to take Elena "Lani" to prom even if the two have not spoken in seven years. 

Miscommunication, cluelessness, secrets, misunderstandings and enough heart warming side stories to keep readers invested in multiple characters helps to round out this story and make it a devour worthy pick for a long weekend.

I read this over Valentines weekend, but it does not come out until May so put this on your TBR list for memorial day or the 4th of July.

From the Publisher:

What would you do if the world's biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.

Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing - she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that's always made her feel like she belonged.

So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.

Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants - even if she can't stop thinking about Robbie's smile...right?