Lizzy “Overachiever” Chung, Esq. has her life mapped out neatly:
* Become a lawyer. Check.
* Join a prestigious law firm. Check.
* Make partner. In progress.
If all goes to plan, she will check off that last box in a couple years, make her parents proud, and live a successful, fulfilled life in L.A. What was not in her plans was passing out from a panic attack during a pivotal moment in her career. A few deep breaths and a four hour drive later, Lizzy is in Weldon for three weeks to shed the burnout and figure out what went wrong. And what better place to recharge than the small California town where she spent her childhood summers with her best friend, Jack Park.
Jack Park didn’t expect to see Lizzy back in Weldon, but now he’s got three weeks to spend with the girl of his dreams. Except she doesn’t know of his decades-long crush on her–and he intends to keep it that way. She’s a high-powered attorney who lives in L.A. and he’s a bookkeeper at his family’s brewery who never left his hometown. He can’t risk their friendship on a long shot. Can he? When Lizzy decides that the local bookstore needs a little revamp, of course, Jack is going to help her bring it back to life. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore there might be more than just friendship among the dusty shelves and books…
Sometimes the path to the rest of your life has been in front of you all along.
Release Date: Jul 26, 2022
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Macmillan
Imprint: St. Martin’s Press
Price: $10.99
Lizzy is very focused and determined. She is on the rise at her law firm. She has her first trial case and she is ready to show them all that she can be a trial attorney. The only problem is she has a panic attack during her moment to shine in the court room. She is mortified and escapes to Wheldon, a small town where her childhood bestie resides.
Jack is happy that Lizzy is in Wheldon. She starts working on an old bookstore and enlist his help. The chemistry is different with them now that they are adults. What they are feeling seems a bit more romantic and both are nervous.
Jack has always crushed on Lizzy. He is happy she is around. He is at a point where he has to figure out what he wants in life. He doesn’t have the same passion to work in the family brewery anymore. He is just scared to take a leap but Lizzy encourages him in more than one way.
This is such a cute friends-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed the quirky set of characters. They are both Korean Americans with similar backgrounds. Both are on a path of self-discovery while navigating the tricky waters of romance. The cultural aspects play a heavy part on why Lizzy is so hard on herself and why Jack feels obligated to work in the family business.
While I enjoyed the story and seeing the growth with them, I felt like the story lacked something memorable. There is no real tension or angst. Jack is just the perfect book boyfriend. Everything falls into place pretty nicely. The pop up of previous characters of the series is nice but if you haven’t read previous books, you won’t feel lost. They just add a familiar vibe to the story.
Overall, this is a quick and cute read. I recommend it for fans of contemporary romance.
~ Samantha
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