First published on my blog [a cup of tea and an armful of books]
I recommend this book for readers who like contemporary fiction, the fake-dating trope, and novels where characters discover who they are. Fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before may like this one!
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Frank Li calls himself a Limbo––his term for Korean-American kids who are stuck between their parents’ expectations and their own Southern California upbringing. They only have one rule for Frank when it comes to romance: date Korean. This proves to be complicated when he falls for the beautiful and smart Brit Means, who happens to be white. When he learns that his fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, they enter into a pact: they’ll pretend to date to keep their parents happy, while actually dating who they want. It seems like the perfect plan, but nothing is as simple as it seems.
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While this book promises that it’s going to be a contemporary romance, Frankly in Love ended up being so much more than that. A huge part of the book does involve the fake-dating scheme that he and Joy cook up, but I was surprised by how much more this book became.
Throughout Frankly in Love, Frank was exploring his identity as both Korean and America, while also having to navigate the pressures of senior year. I really enjoyed his discovery of self throughout the novel. His growth throughout the novel was done well, with a careful balance between forging his own path but also respecting and understanding where his parents were coming from. Frank was able to understand why his parents had certain expectations of him through some intense conversations and moments with them. I loved how his perception of his parents and their lives changed throughout the novel.
I really liked that the novel wasn’t only about the romance because I was frustrated with Frank in that department. I do think he has a bit more growing up to do when it comes to relationships. I’m glad that this was hinted at throughout the novel, but I wish that there’d been a bit more change.
I feel that this was a book with a satisfying ending. Though Frank does still have a ways to go in terms of growth in some areas, I like that David Yoon allows us to imagine that he has a life after the events of this novel.
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Have you read Frankly in Love? Let me know what you thought!
I recommend this book for readers who like contemporary fiction, the fake-dating trope, and novels where characters discover who they are. Fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before may like this one!
* * *
Frank Li calls himself a Limbo––his term for Korean-American kids who are stuck between their parents’ expectations and their own Southern California upbringing. They only have one rule for Frank when it comes to romance: date Korean. This proves to be complicated when he falls for the beautiful and smart Brit Means, who happens to be white. When he learns that his fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, they enter into a pact: they’ll pretend to date to keep their parents happy, while actually dating who they want. It seems like the perfect plan, but nothing is as simple as it seems.
*
While this book promises that it’s going to be a contemporary romance, Frankly in Love ended up being so much more than that. A huge part of the book does involve the fake-dating scheme that he and Joy cook up, but I was surprised by how much more this book became.
Throughout Frankly in Love, Frank was exploring his identity as both Korean and America, while also having to navigate the pressures of senior year. I really enjoyed his discovery of self throughout the novel. His growth throughout the novel was done well, with a careful balance between forging his own path but also respecting and understanding where his parents were coming from. Frank was able to understand why his parents had certain expectations of him through some intense conversations and moments with them. I loved how his perception of his parents and their lives changed throughout the novel.
I really liked that the novel wasn’t only about the romance because I was frustrated with Frank in that department. I do think he has a bit more growing up to do when it comes to relationships. I’m glad that this was hinted at throughout the novel, but I wish that there’d been a bit more change.
I feel that this was a book with a satisfying ending. Though Frank does still have a ways to go in terms of growth in some areas, I like that David Yoon allows us to imagine that he has a life after the events of this novel.
* * *
Have you read Frankly in Love? Let me know what you thought!