THE NAME DROP, by Susan Lee, Inkyard Press; Original edition, Sept. 12, 2023, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
A shared name leads to a summer of new opportunities for two teens in The Name Drop, a new young adult novel by Susan Lee.
When Elijah Ri arrives in New York City for an internship at his father’s massive tech company, Haneul Corporation, he expects the royal treatment that comes with being the future CEO — even if that’s the last thing he wants. But instead, he finds himself shuffled into a group of overworked, unpaid interns, all sharing a shoebox apartment for the summer.
When Jessica Lee arrives in New York City, she’s eager to make the most of her internship at Haneul Corporation, even if she’s at the bottom of the corporate ladder. But she’s shocked to be introduced as the new executive-in-training intern with a gorgeous brownstone all to herself.
It doesn’t take long for Elijah and Jessica to discover the source of the mistake: they share the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched — so Elijah can have a relaxing summer away from his controlling dad while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations.
As Elijah and Jessica work together to keep up the charade, a spark develops between them. Can they avoid discovery — and total disaster — with their feelings and futures on the line? —Synopsis provided by Inkyard Press
The Name Drop is a delightful rom-com that combines Korean cultural expectations with summer internships and budding relationships.
In perfect rom-com fashion, The Name Drop plays out cinematically with all the expected tropes. And it’s tons of fun. But if you look any deeper, you’re not going to find a whole lot.
The plausibility element is pretty low. Like if these kids going into these internships are the cream of the crop, wouldn’t they have done some research and seen some photos of the family that owns the company? I know things slip through the cracks, but would the airline really make that big of a mistake? And if you expected to be in coach, and your family is notoriously cheap, and suddenly you were in first class, wouldn’t you ask more questions? Or thank you father?
But this isn’t the sort of book where you’re supposed to ask those sorts of things. You’re supposed to sit back and enjoy the ride. And it’s a nice gentle one that you can relax into after a busy school day or on the weekend.
The Name Drop is a lighthearted romance with two main characters you want to root for. It’s a nice addition to the genre.
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