Brothers of the Vine
Forever Evermore
Women of W.A.R.
Netflix’s adaptation of Jenny Han’s novel To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was a raging success, we even raved about it here on Romance.com.au!
Off the back of the three-movie story of Peter and Lara Netflix have launched a spin-off K-drama inspired show about Lara’s younger sister Kitty.
XO Kitty premiered last week on Netflix, and suffice to say we are HOOKED.
If, like me, you’ve fallen for the adorable characters of XO Kitty here’s what to read next!
Kitty
The heart and soul of the series. Would-be matchmaker Kitty Song Covey wins a scholarship to an exclusive South Korean boarding school so she can reunite with her boyfriend Dae, and discover more about her mother.
For more K-Pop romanticism read Seoulmates by Susan Kim
Her ex-boyfriend wants her back. Her former best friend is in town. When did Hannah’s life become a K-drama?
Hannah Cho had the next year all planned out — the perfect summer with her boyfriend, Nate, and then a fun senior year with their friends.
But then Nate does what everyone else in Hannah’s life seems to do — he leaves her, claiming they have nothing in common. He and all her friends are newly obsessed with K-pop and K-dramas, and Hannah is not. After years of trying to embrace the American part and shunning the Korean side of her Korean American identity to fit in, Hannah finds that’s exactly what now has her on the outs.
But someone who does know K-dramas — so well that he’s actually starring in one — is Jacob Kim, Hannah’s former best friend, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s desperate for a break from the fame, so a family trip back to San Diego might be just what he needs…that is, if he and Hannah can figure out what went wrong when they last parted and navigate the new feelings developing between them.
Dae
Dae is kind, sweet and quiet. He’s a high achiever at school, and while he makes some bad decisions along the way, his heart of gold.
Love emotionally vulnerable, soft academic heroes? Read If You Could See The Sun by Ann Liang
No secret is safe.
Alice Sun has always felt invisible at her elite Beijing international boarding school, where she’s the only scholarship student in a sea of uber-wealthy classmates. But she has a plan: be top in the class, attend a prestigious university, secure a killer job, and finally lift her family out of poverty.
Then her parents drop a bomb — they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship. But that’s the least of Alice’s problems, because she has started uncontrollably turning invisible. As in completely, physically invisible.
Alice realises there’s an upside to her strange new power — unparalleled access to the secrets of China’s most rich and influential teens. Soon, Alice has a new plan: offer her invisibility services to find out what her classmates want to know — for a price.
But between balancing schoolwork, a growing relationship with academic-rival-turned-business-partner Henry, and stealing secrets, things start to fall through the cracks. As the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if helping her family is worth losing her conscience — or even her life.
Min Ho
Min is the annoyingly handsome roommate of Dae. He and Kitty spark a rivalry from almost the first time they meet, but does that rivalry hide something deeper?
For more enemies-to-lovers romance read So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park.
When investment banker Jessie Kim is laid off in a virtual meeting and then overhears why (“she’s already being overpaid anyway for a woman” and “Asians are worker bees, not someone who can drum up new deals”) she delivers an “eff you guys” speech and storms out.
After moving back home to Tennessee to live with her loving but meddling mother and father, she runs into her childhood nemesis—golden child Daniel Choi—at the local Asian grocery store. The smart, charming lawyer appears to have it all…while Jessie has nothing.
Jess begrudgingly accepts Daniel’s help to relaunch her long abandoned Korean cooking YouTube channel: HANGUK HACKS, showcasing easy meal prep for busy professionals. But just as she discovers Daniel’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems and there’s more to him than meets the eye, he shows up for a life-changing business opportunity, and their rivalry is back on . . .
Alex
The kind Australian teacher. We’re just hoping he gets his own cute homecoming romance in series two!
Read: Short Soup by Coleen Kwan.
A story about best friends, childhood dreams, and the healing power of Chinese food…
Toni Lau and Dion Chan were connected from birth – first via their parents’ jointly–owned restaurant, then via their bone–deep friendship. But children grow up, and Toni leaves their sleepy hometown looking for more than it can offer.
Now Toni is back, raw with the knowledge that not all childhood dreams come true. Dion is on the brink of realising that both his own ambitions and his childhood friend have the power to derail all of his hard work. But loving Toni – and winning her love in return – has always been on his wish list. Can Dion really put her on the back burner while frying up his chef dreams? Or is it possible that together they can come up with a recipe for happiness?
Quincy “Q”
Fellow American Q quickly becomes Kitty’s best friend and confidante. He is one of the school’s few openly gay students. He has a romantic side and loves to daydream about his crush…
Want a swoony queer romantic read? Try The Queer Principles of Kit Webb.
Kit Webb has left his stand-and-deliver days behind him. But dreary days at his coffee shop have begun to make him pine for the heady rush of thievery. When a handsome yet arrogant aristocrat storms into his shop, Kit quickly realizes he may be unable to deny whatever this highborn man desires.
In order to save himself and a beloved friend, Percy, Lord Holland must go against every gentlemanly behavior he holds dear to gain what he needs most: a book that once belonged to his mother, a book his father never lets out of his sight and could be Percy’s savior. More comfortable in silk-filled ballrooms than coffee shops frequented by criminals, his attempts to hire the roughly hewn highwayman, formerly known as Gladhand Jack, proves equal parts frustrating and electrifying.
Kit refuses to participate in the robbery but agrees to teach Percy how to do the deed. Percy knows he has little choice but to submit and as the lessons in thievery begin, he discovers thievery isn’t the only crime he’s desperate to commit with Kit.
But when their careful plan goes dangerously wrong and shocking revelations threaten to tear them apart, can these stolen hearts overcome the impediments in their path
Yuri
Rich, gorgeous social media star Yuri is the daughter of two extremely successful parents: a high-powered businessman and the principal of KISS. She’s a paparazzi magnet, which means she has to keep her deepest secrets close to the vest.
Read: Flip The Script by Lyla Lee.
In this simmering, joyous novel, I’ll Be the One author Lyla Lee delivers a tender romance set between two brave teens who decide that when the script isn’t working, it’s time to rewrite it themselves.
The first rule of watching K-dramas: Never fall in love with the second lead.
As an avid watcher of K-dramas, Hana knows all the tropes to avoid when she finally lands a starring role in a buzzy new drama. And she can totally handle her fake co-star boyfriend, heartthrob Bryan Yoon, who might be falling in love with her. After all, she promised the TV producers a contract romance, and that’s all they’re going to get from her.
But when showrunners bring on a new lead actress to challenge Hana’s role as main love interest—and worse, it’s someone Hana knows all too well—can Hana fight for her position on the show, while falling for her on-screen rival in real life?
Florian
Florian doesn’t have time for love, he’s too busy with the demands of a high-pressure school.
For a queer romance with a hero who must balance his personal life with his schoolwork read If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber.
Sometimes love has its own script.
Harry wants nothing more than to write Hollywood screenplays. The first step? Winning the screenwriting competition that will guarantee admission into the college of his dreams. With his priorities set, he’s determined to spend his summer free of distractions — also known as boys — and finish his script. After last year, Harry is certain love only exists in the movies anyway.
But then the cause of his first heartbreak, Grant, returns with a secret that could change everything — not to mention, there’s a new boy in town, Logan, who is so charming and sweet, he’s making Harry question everything he knows about romance. As Harry tries to keep his emotions in check and stick to his perfect plan for the future, he’s about to learn that life doesn’t always follow a script.
Juliana
One of Yuri’s closest friends, Juliana is also a student at KISS.
Love a friends-to-lovers romance? Read Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandra Bellefleur.
Margot Cooper doesn’t do relationships. She tried and it blew up in her face, so she’ll stick with casual hookups, thank you very much. But now her entire crew has found “the one” and she’s beginning to feel like a fifth wheel. And then fate (the heartless bitch) intervenes. While touring a wedding venue with her engaged friends, Margot comes face-to-face with Olivia Grant—her childhood friend, her first love, her first… well, everything. It’s been ten years, but the moment they lock eyes, Margot’s cold, dead heart thumps in her chest.
Olivia must be hallucinating. In the decade since she last saw Margot, her life hasn’t gone exactly as planned. At almost thirty, she’s been married… and divorced. However, a wedding planner job in Seattle means a fresh start and a chance to follow her dreams. Never in a million years did she expect her important new client’s Best Woman would be the one that got away.
When a series of unfortunate events leaves Olivia without a place to stay, Margot offers up her spare room because she’s a Very Good Person. Obviously. It has nothing to do with the fact that Olivia is as beautiful as ever and the sparks between them still make Margot tingle. As they spend time in close quarters, Margot starts to question her no-strings stance. Olivia is everything she’s ever wanted, but Margot let her in once and it ended in disaster. Will history repeat itself or should she count her lucky stars that she gets a second chance with her first love
Happy reading!