More than a Star

by Lucy Gold, Christina Kagerer (Translator)

Verliebt in einen K-Pop-Star

Die Amerikanerin Madison liebt K-Pop, kann jeden Song ihrer Lieblingsband mitsingen und hat ihr Herz an den Sänger Wooyeong verloren. Als sie einen Job in Seoul ergattert, scheint ihr Glück perfekt. Doch dann sitzt sie in einem Restaurant plötzlich ihrem Schwarm gegenüber und ahnt, dass die Dinge in Zukunft ein bisschen komplizierter werden dürften.

Wooyeong ist ein K-Pop-Idol, und er kennt die wichtigste Regel im K-Pop-Business: Date niemals einen Fan! Er hatte nie ein Problem damit. Bis zu dem Moment, als er Madison kennenlernt. Denn er kann seither nicht mehr aufhören, an sie zu denken.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Celebrity, Clean Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

Lucy Gold is a debut author who loves Korean food, reading, writing, anime, and – of course – K-pop music. She was born on New Year’s Eve, making her Korean age two years ‘ahead’ instead of just one.

Reviews

[Jimin'sRamenNoodles (Jinlo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT!!!

All my friends would know about my constant search for K-Pop novels. Every one I have tried is really been a disappointment. Until I saw this one. FINALLY A LEGIT KPOP ROMANCE!!!



This was actually really cheap on Amazon and I was suspicious at first, but was so desperate for K-POP I was willing to give it a try and BOY I AM GLAD I DID!!!!!
This is the BEST K-Pop novel I have read so far, and I have been looking EVERYwhere for K-Pop romance.

Oh my WORD this book was sooo cute and satisfying. It's set in Seoul, South Korean, (Which was finally described pretty well, THANK YOU.) in the wintertime.
I wanted to keep reading forever. Like, seriously, you guys don't even know how long I've been wanting this, I almost cried when I read it. LOL.

Language: None

Sexual: Nothing except they kissed (because DUH, it's a romance novel!)



Okay now it's time to talk plot. *hyperventilates from excitement*
The plot was actually pretty good, although the book was sort of slow at the beginning, it quickly picked up, which I was glad for. The criticism I would have is that I wished I could have longer chapters with Wooyeong in it. UGHHHH. Oh yeah, and prepare for a lot of angst, it was pretty emotional.


ALSO: The food in there was described so well, like LEGIT KOREAN FOOD. THANK YOU AGAIN.



I am rating 5 stars just because the book gets extra points for being K-Pop themed (THANK YOU x3) and capturing the idol life/Korea well.

If there are any more K-Pop books, GIVE DEM ALL TO ME I NEED THEM.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book was actually pretty good. I'm a student learning Korean, and I also happen to like romance (Mostly Kasie West, which is clean. I'm a Christian and that's important to me.)

I really enjoyed reading this because the mc, Madison, has just traveled to Seoul after learning Korean for 4 years, so I really got to live it through her eyes which was exciting and new. Not to mention she meets a hot K-Pop guy on the way, but we'll get to that later. :)

The food descriptions in here were AMAZING. I love Korean food, and this just totally hit the spot. I was drooling over the paperback book. (Oops.)

This novel was 100% clean, which was really enjoyable, and it gave off a nice Kasie West feel. The plot was crafted very well and there was a lot of tension. A lot. You pretty much have to read all in one sitting, so grab your Yakult and let's get this party started.

All in all, I'm glad I got to read a K-Pop romance book, because I don't really see those around. 5 stars. ^^

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m on BookTube now! =)

”After watching too many of their videos, and the interactions between Wooyeong, Tai, Dyeong, and Chin-hyuk, I had felt a strong desire to understand them. That’s why I had learned Korean.”

This must be every k-pop fan ever, because I know no one who followed the journey of their favourite k-pop band without wanting to learn Korean. *lol* Once you get attached to your idols you want to understand them and so many of the things Madison spoke about in this book felt extremely relatable. I mean we usually admire our idols from afar and if we get lucky enough to go to a concert or get the chance of a lifetime to attend one of their fan signs every k-pop fan is over the moon. I was never lucky enough to even get a chance to go to a BTS concert, but I’ve been ARMY for more than 7 years and I’ll never stop rooting for them. (I probably will never see them in real life, but that’s okay, they still have my support.) Madison in this book? Well, she’s the lucky 0,001% who actually met her idol and reacts the same way about 90% of the k-pop stan population would:

"I'd dreamed about meeting Lee Wooyeong for years while knowing for a fact it would never happen. And now that he was right in front of me, across the table, I was completely immobilized.
This was never meant to be a real-life crush. I didn't know what to do."

Haha! I mean #relatable! Just imagine going to Korea, trying to eat all the food you heard about in k-dramas and suddenly standing in front of your bias. I absolutely loved the way they met and laughed so hard when Madison kinda put her foot in it. Thankfully, Wooyeong was rather amused by her and didn’t take it personally. Still, I would have wished the earth to open up beneath me if I’d have left such a first impression meeting my bias. XD Anyway! They get over it quickly and find out that they’re both foodies! I swear, Madison and Wooyeong bonding over food was another thing I could relate to because I can appreciate amazing food and it’s not every day you realize your idol is a foodie as well.

”Maybe that was why I had invited to meet again on a whim. She was quietly smart without flaunting it, interesting, and was excited and adventurous about trying new Korean food. I’d never found someone that I’d been able to share that passion for food with before.”

Obviously Madison left quite the impression and Wooyeong seemed to be smitten with her from the start. Which was interesting to read about! I’ve read a couple of k-pop books already but I never got an idols POV before so this was amazing! To see things through Wooyeong’s perspective added an entirely new layer to the story and I appreciated all the little glimpses into the life of an idol. Their contracts seem to be extremely extensive and strict and I’ve always wondered what happens if they can’t stand the pressure anymore. I mean, many idols have been around for years and are constantly scrutinized by their fans and the press. It sounds like such a tough life and as an ARMY I worry about my seven boys a lot. I want them to be happy and to have a life once their fame fades, but I can’t help but wonder if that is even in their cards. I mean imagine never being allowed to date anyone and then you’re 40 and to get to know someone you want to spend the rest of life with gets harder and harder every year.

He leaned on the counter, fiddling with the label of one of the bottles. “I worry about you sometimes,” he said quietly. “You get more cynical every year. More guarded.”
I didn’t say anything.
Chin-hyuk sighed. “I’m just concerned for you, is all.”
“Like you always are,” I said, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You’re a good leader.”

When Wooyeong meets Madison he’s already depressed and everything he does leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, so you might say she came at the right time. Even his band mates noticed that he’s not fully into his career anymore and after Madison appears, things get more and more serious. Meeting her seems to make everything better and Wooyeong finds joy in life again. Which would be a good thing, if it wouldn’t lead to conflicts within the band. Some of his band mates are wary and suspicious of Madison and don’t want Wooyeong to go out with a girl, because it might threaten their career. Of course, that leads to a lot of trouble and I thought that this aspect of the book was done extremely well. Those boys are a band but they spent so much time together, they became family over the years. They are concerned and only want what’s best for Wooyeong, but they also want to keep going as a band as long as they are able to.

”She’s American?” Tai gasped.
“And you met her again today?” said Chin-hyuk.
“And you didn’t tell us?” Tai asked incredulously.

”You should know the dangers of fans!” he said, venom lacing his voice. “Obsessive, toxic, willing to bring down this group as quickly as they supported it.”
“She’s not like that. Not her. I know that now.”

I could understand where Dyeong and Manager Gu were coming from, but because of Wooyeong’s and Madison’s POVs to listen to their accusations and worries was pretty hard. Yes, Madison was a fan before she met Wooyeong but not all fans are crazy stalkers and sasaengs. I think if it comes down to it only about 1% of k-pop fans might fall into that category. The rest is just like Madison and me and don’t even expect to ever meet their idol in real life. Or like Madison put it: She worked in Seoul but she never actually expected to meet one of her idols there. It just doesn’t happen. To meet your bias, to start a friendship, to fall in love and for that love to be reciprocated?! Haha! That’s like a one in a billion chance, but it’s exactly what happened to Madison and Wooyeong. So yeah, I could understand the Managers animosity and the kinda misguided worry of Dyeong, but what I could comprehend even better were Wooyeong’s worries concerning Madison.

”Even if I got what I wanted – Madison feeling the same way about me that I did about her – how could I know how it started? If she hadn’t been an Ambition fan, hadn’t already seen my face everywhere, would she have found me attractive in the first place? Would she have liked my personality? Or was it just because I was an idol that this all started?”

As a k-pop idol you might never get an answer to a question like that because literally everyone knows you. It makes it hard to trust new people, but then again I suppose that Western stars have the same troubles and that’s probably why their dating lives are all over the place. >_< Sometime you just gotta take a leap and hope that you’ll land on your feet. Sure, for celebrities that’s even harder because so much is at risk if a scandal happens, but I suppose that if you never try, you’ll also never know if it was worth it. Wooyeong is trying with Madison and the way their foodie friendship developed into more was really so adorable and cute. Was it a little bit too fast? Yes, but then again they didn’t get a lot of chances to actually meet and for an idol to risk everything just to be with someone? Well, there must be really strong feelings involved.

”You know why you fell?” Wooyeong said, his voice low and husky. He wasn’t looking at me, but was staring intensely up ahead, his hands crossed as he crouched on the ground, his long coat brushing the smooth floor. His profile was severe, set. “It’s because you weren’t holding my hand.”
He turned his head and looked straight at me. Butterflies exploded in my stomach at the passionate intensity of his dark gaze. I was speechless.
“You told me ‘don’t let go’,” he continued quietly. “But I did.”

"I've told myself what to feel," he said, his voice quiet and husky. "But it never works..." His free hand, slow and trembling, reached up and lightly touched the hair on my forehead, gently brushing it back.

Madison never had a chance with Wooyeong saying things like that! <3 And speaking of Madison, boy, that poor girl didn’t have it any easier. She was a foreigner in South Korea and due to a little accident; she got exposed to the heat and hatred of a million fans. Fan culture can be one of the best things ever, but it also can be toxic af and unfortunately Madison experienced that hatred first hand. Just to read those comments on the internet would be enough to force you to keep your distance from your favourite idol forever. If you’re a normal person you don’t want things like that to become your daily routine, if there are real feelings involved, like in Madison’s and Wooyeong’s case, everything gets more difficult, though.

"I felt sick to my stomach. The nasty comments stuck to my mind like thorns. Some random ugly girl... I hope she feels like killing herself...
I swallowed, taking short, fast breaths. People on the internet were cruel. I shouldn't take this to heart. I could not let them break me."

Bless Wooyeong for not giving up on Madison that easily! And bless Chin-hyuk for being such a damn good band leader. We didn’t get a lot of Dyeong and Tai in this book, so their characters were mostly on the surface and they stayed in my memory because of their actions rather than of who they were. Which is kinda sad, but then again this book has only about 195 pages and you just can’t pack everything into a short story like that. I think considering the short length of the book, Lucy Gold did an amazing job at tackling a couple of interesting and important issues. Moreover she actually managed to give those topics some room and handled them with care. Of all the side-characters Chin-hyuk, the band leader, was definitely among the better developed ones. Still, I really wish we had gotten a little bit more of him as well. XD

Chin-hyuk glanced at the door. “Just don’t let Dyeong get a word of this. You know he’ll be angry. And to be honest, I can understand why.”
“But you’re not,” I said.
He smiled. “I know that our heads often get overruled by our hearts. Even the most logical of us can’t help how we feel. But you’re being careful. Idols … we still have to be people. If you be only Ambition Wooyeong instead of Wooyeong, you will destroy yourself.”

Before Madison and Wooyeong get their happily ever after, they have to go through hell and back, though. And let me tell you, this was so hard to read! I was in tears at some parts of the book and I could feel the pain radiating from the pages. Madison as well as Wooyeong want to do what seems to be right, but they feel so torn about it all, it physically hurts to follow their perspectives. The heartbreak is real, my friends! T_T Prepare some tissues because the last 20% of the book will hit you in the feels. There, I gave you a heads-up, but that’s all I’m going to say! ;-)

”The pain in my chest came from the impossible choice he wanted me to make: Her, or the group. Her, or our friendship.
Had I truly ever thought it would be possible to have both?”

Conclusion:

As k-pop idol romances go, “Bias – A K-Pop Romance” was actually pretty good! =) I liked both main characters and found myself rooting for their foodie friendship that developed into more! Sometimes the progress of their relationship felt a little bit too fast, but considering Lucy Gold only had about 195 pages to write their HEA, I didn’t mind the fast pacing that much. Madison and Wooyeong were two sweet MCs and I really enjoyed getting the idols POV for once! It added so much to the story and definitely gave it more depth! 4 stars it is!

___________________________

This was so cute. <3
I really loved how Madison and Wooyeong met and became friends.
Seriously, this is like every k-pop fan’s dream. *lol* Also, the way the serious themes were addressed and handled was great as well.

Full RTC soon! =)
____________________________

I initially wanted to read “Bias - A K-Pop Romance” in July, but what can I say?!
The summer was over so fast I didn’t even manage to get to it. XD

Since I’ve been told that this is one of the best K-Pop romances ever, I decided to finally read it, though. I’m kinda sceptical because the title is so … blunt? Too on the nose?! I dunno! *lol*
But I honestly hope I’ll stand corrected. So many of my k-pop friends loved this, it just has to be good! Let’s find out if all the praise is true! ;-)

Find me on:
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[♠ TABI⁷ ♠ · Rating 5 out of 5]

'That was the exact moment I spotted him running down the road. Our eyes locked across the crowd, his phone still pressed to his ear. He smiled.
"There you are," he said, his low voice in my ear startling me. In that moment I’d forgotten we were still on call.



This was such a fun, light-hearted and DRAMATIC fluffy story that was the right blend between fanfic vibes and classic kdrama tropes . And food!! So much food descriptions in here of all the wonderful flavors Korean cuisine has to offer (except I'm a wee bit upset my beloved japchae wasn't even given a cameo) and how the two characters bonded first over food . . . that was a particular aspect of the book that I really appreciated.

And the romance?? The sweet build of friends-to-lovers? It was so beautiful I could feel each new reveal plucking at my heartstrings like a skilled harpist. It wasn't as romance-centric as I maybe would have preferred, but that also led into a very sweet, clean read that's perfect for kdrama lovers looking for something to, as a commenter said before I read this, "occasionally you have to embrace your inner y/n".

Can't wait for this author's comeback!!

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 5 out of 5]

*dying whale shriek*

Dis book. 😍 I can’t even think straight.

WHERE IS THE NEXT ONE

[Amelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might as well stop saying, “I never read books like this” because recently, I’ve read so many books outside my “normal” genres. I am not the target audience for dramatic romances, but this one wasn’t too bad.

I’ve only heard about three or four K-pop songs, but this was still a rather enjoyable story with very believable Korean flavorings. Cute, slightly cheesy, predictable, light, and fluffy, it was perfect for reading after a long, exhausting day. I’m rather disillusioned with the contemporary genre as it starts feeling formulaic after a while, but I do enjoy a good contemporary every once in a while. After seeing Bias on Kindle Unlimited and reading positive reviews for it, I decided to give it a shot.

A few thoughts:
• I was expecting this, but maybe dial down the physical attraction a bit? Madison is just a bit obsessed with Wooyeong. XD However, I really loved how Madison was not a flirt, and the characters actually grew to love each other based on more than their looks. Also, I loved how the main characters were actually fairly selfless. I’m used to seeing romances starring entitled, selfish characters who moan and pine when they can’t get what they want. But here, they actually care about each other and love each other so much that they make selfless choices, trying to do the best for each other. It was so refreshing.
• Maybe I’m still in a City Between mood, but Wooyeong basically seems like a less creepy and less vain version of JinYeong. XD
• THE FOOD DESCRIPTIONS. I need to try some Korean food now.
• The found family dynamics of Ambition!

Some of the writing is a little stilted, but it’s a fairly well-written book overall. Most of the story/plot flowed nicely, although there were a few contradictory things that jumped out at me. (For example, Wooyeong is on a diet as a member of Ambition, but he goes out to eat with Madison all the time without getting caught.) There were also a couple spots in the narrative where the tense changed; it looked like the author originally wrote it in present tense and changed it to past tense.

So, this book is not my typical genre, but it was a light, fluffy, easy read after a long taxing day, and I actually enjoyed it a good deal.

Content: Mention of swearing (no actual words). Lots of physical attraction. A couple kisses. Mentions of drowning sorrows in alcohol. Very brief mentions of people suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts.

[tobi10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

K-Pop Romance in Seoul

In dem Buch More than a Star von Lucy Gold, geht es um Madison, welche ein riesen Fan von der Band Ambition in Seoul ist. Weil sie ein so großer Fan der Band und besonders dem Sänger Lee Wooyeong ist, lernt sie die Sprache koreanisch und zieht sogar nach Seoul, um ihrem Schwarm näher zu sein. Glücklichweise sitzt sie ihrem großen K-Pop-Idol Lee Wooyeong sogar in einem Restaurant gegenüber, aber darf eine Liebe sein, die eigentlich verboten ist vom Unternehmen des K-Pop-Business ?

Meine Meinung:
Ich fand die Geschichte spannend geschrieben und flüssig zu lesen. Ach, die Geschichte ist zwar kurz aber trotzdem sehr gefühlvoll und wunderschön. Ich bin ein absoluter Fan der Geschichte, die Protagonistin konnte ich gut verstehen, auch wenn mir kurzzeitig das hin und her auf die Nerven ging, aber im echten Leben ist es nunmal manchmal auch so.

Die Situation von der Band und ihrer Berühmtheit wurden gut dargestellt und alle Bandmitglieder hatten ihre Persönlichkeit, sowie auch Madison und ihre Arbeitskollegin, die ein paar Mal drin vorkam.

Über Seoul an sich, habe ich wenig erfahren nur über ein paar Traditionen davon und über einige Speisen dazu. Wooyeong und Madison gehen nämlich öfter mal Essen und dabei konnte ich die Speisen, die es dort gibt kennenlernen.

Fazit:
Eine schöne kurze Romance mit einem K-Pop Star und einem Fangirl, welches sich in ihn verliebt hat.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

edit after reread--

tbh I still don't exactly relate to Madison BUT this book did turn me into a kpop enthusiast so I have much to thank it for *bow* it was fun to reread it with all my new found *understanding* and it was still as funny and annoying-in-a-good-sort-of-way as before haha

--

if you like kpop, korean food, asian settings, romance, or are just looking for a cute fluffy read THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. tbh, I never would have expected to find myself reading a kpop romance novel in a thousand years (O_o) but all goes to show you how life (no, actually, friends) suprises you XDD

this book is very engaging and fun and I laughed a lot (mostly because dramatic irony in romance tickles my funny bone)! it has a lot of DELICIOUS food and food descriptions and eating and you will totally get hungry for korean cuisine while reading! I think the korean setting was my favorite part because I'm so done with american settings in general. like, can we pls have some variety? this definitely satisfied my craving for variety in settings XD

the characters were super cute and loveable too! madison was a tiny bit of a cliche herione who thinks she's super plain and unattractive but *spoiler* she meets a super cool and cute guy who doesn't agree!! all the same, madison was a really smart, reasonable, sensible person like THANK YOU we don't get that enough in YA these days *sigh* Wooyeong was an adorable baby who needs all the sparkles and happy things *showers him with chocolate*

my favorite parts were when they were all together with the band members because idk why but the band dynamic is something that I find so fun to watch (says me based on watching run bts). it was so happy and cheerful!!

list of reasons you should pick up this book in case you prefer reading lists (other than that I say so and that it's pretty cheap on kindle):

- set in korea!
- THERES SO MUCH GORGEOUS FOOD
- tramping around seoul to find tasty dishes
- the main characters literally bond over food
- I just really wanna go back to asia
- characters cooking for one another
- you get the idea right? FOOD LOTSA FOOD
- for a chiclit novel it has a lot of heart and depth when talking about what really matters--relationships or success, your own happiness or other people's, etc etc.
- madison x wooyeong is super cute!!
- what's a good ship name, ppl? madiyeong? wooson? I'm confused.
- the ambition band members were so much fun! I wish there was more time spent getting to know them! they seem super rad and I wish I could watch them all on some reality show *pouts*
- for a contemporary romance it was really engaging and actually pretty exciting moving on from the middle
- skating! games!
- it was just a really good fun fluffy happy book ok

all in all it was a really heart warming fun read!! SO GO READ IT <3

[Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable K-Pop Romance(the first of its kind for me) that was short and sweet. I love the South Korean setting-though I would have liked to have more Korean words included during the conversations, I understand why the author would want to keep it simple, but that was really my only real complaint. Characters were all likeable and amazingly rational-yes, this is very important to me especially in romances*cringes* I'll be looking out for the author's next book in the series!

Clean Rating 5/5
Squeaky Clean

[Carina Shephard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I've never listened to K-pop and knew virtually nothing about it when I started reading Bias. Despite that, I really enjoyed this book! The cultural aspects were really fascinating, and warning: this book might make you hungry, because the food descriptions are amazing. The romance is sweet, with some angsty bits at the end but still a HEA. I loved Ambition's family dynamic and how each of the characters are different and unique.

Only complaint might be the cover? It's pink- *wrinkles nose* -and looks sort of like a fanfic? But that's just a personal preference.

Content: Squeaky clean! 😊

[Kacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow....that was overly dramatic 😂 fun tho! Even though I'm not a fan of kpop. I was mostly just there for the food :p I really wanted to drown my sorrows in a big bowl of hot tteokbokki....or rabokki. Legit my favorite korean food 😂🤤🤤🤤🤤

[Insi Eule · Rating 2 out of 5]

Puuuuh... Ich habs ja ganz tapfer durchgezogen, weil es ein Challenge Buch war. Aber Leute, ich hab mich echt schwer getan 🥲
Normalerweise lieb ich ja solche K-Pop Stories und auch besonders dann wenn sie in Seoul spielen, weil ich die Stadt so spannend finde. Das war auch hier durchaus positiv, denn man bekommt unglaublich viel von Seoul und der koreanischen Kultur und vor allem auch von der Kulinarik mit (bitte nur lesen wenn ihr satt seid ☝️)

Aber alles andere? Sorry but nope.
Schreibstil? Platt und hölzern, fast kindlich. Liest sich wie eine eher unterdurchschnittliche Wattpad Fanfiction mit ständigen Wiederholungen.

Charaktere? Genauso platt und beliebig wie der Stil. Besonders bei der Protagonistin habe ich null verstanden warum die jetzt so besonders toll sein soll... Sie hatte gefühlt eher einen so aufregenden Charakter wie ein Stein...

Lovestory? Instalove, voll mit Klischees und es wird plötzlich von der großen Liebe gesprochen und dass man ohne den jeweils anderen nicht mehr leben kann, obwohl man sich noch nicht einmal geküsst hat. Wow. Rekord.

Story/Handlung? Kaum vorhanden und natürlich auch voll beladen mit Klischees.
Das war leider nichts. Fürs Augenrollen hats gereicht aber leider nicht für mehr 🙈

[Emily(Marauders version)&#x1f3a7;⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

O MY GOSH O MY GOSH O MY GOSH

THAT WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!
(There will be lots of caps lock and exclamation points in this review btw :)


Okay *takes deep breath*
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
how can i even begin this review? This book is just too good for words I absolutely LOVED it!!!!!
The characters were amazing the food sounded SO FREAKING GOOD and the plot was fantastic!!!

The main plot was a girl moving to Korea and meeting her bias (for you people who aren’t kpop stans, it’s basically her celebrity crush, just, kpop version xD)
And they fall in love!!!! What is cuter?!?!?!?! (Kim namjoon is, but that’s besides the point)

The descriptions were AMAZING it’s like I could taste all the amazing foods and see all of the beautiful sights! And for an international stan, this is the closest I’m getting to Korea xD

The characters…


STOP IT YOURE MAKING ME HURT
they were soooooo well thought out and adorable!
Without giving away ‘too’ much I’ll just say that the romance was ADORABLE and clean! And there was no language as well with automatically gave it another star! If I could rate a book 10 stars….

Borahae armys!!!!! 💜💜💜
(And a shoutout to every other kpop stan!!!!)

[Ela's Welt der Bücher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich bin zwar noch nicht so drinnen in der K-Pop Szene aber ich probiere gerne was Neues aus, daher ist dieses eingezogen. Es klang auch echt gut und die Geschichte war relativ süß, aber irgendwie ist der Funke nicht so richtig übergesprungen. Trotzdem glaube ich, dass es sicher einige gibt, denen es besser gefallen wird
4 Sterne

[Feyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Madison and Wooyeong. They were both so incredibly sweet! Especially the way that Madison was discovering Korea was a little magical for me. All these first moments... everytime I wondered what it would be like to see all that in person. Their story was a little fast but I usually think this in romance novels. I recommend having a tissue ready because towards the ending I needed one (to make this my "on my way to work"-novel wasn't excactly a great idea), my heart broke for them.

[Juliiii · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,75⭐️

[Hannah (Hannah, Fully) · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a scale of good and bad, this would fall under good, but Bias isn't the best K-Pop novel I've ever read. Personally, I would recommend I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee more, but that's not too say I wouldn't recommend this one.

I think my biggest disappointment with Lucy Gold's debut novel is how short it is. Bias is a quick and light read, perfect for those who love a romance set in the K-Pop industry, but it's not for those who want more from the story beyond the romance focus. Which to be fair, this is a romance novel, and a romance reader I am not, so this is definitely a personal preference rather than "this book is trash."

Gold's novel is a solid debut novel, with descriptive writing that will make your mouth water at the food descriptions, so if you're hungry, it's probably not a good idea to dive into this. But I feel like there was room for overall development to make Bias amazing, at least 100 pages more. Personally, I wanted more from the Ambition members and Wooyeong's relationship with them, and Madison's overall experience in Korea beyond her food dates with Wooyeong. However, there's enough information to get by that it doesn't make the novel feel empty even with the short length, leaving readers with a satisfying end to the story.

While Bias didn't blow my socks away (mainly because personal preference), I am definitely interested in Gold's future works and will be keeping my eye out.

This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.

[thereadingrainbowpal · Rating 4 out of 5]

"People said that this music has saved their lives– when they’re depressed or even thinking about harming themselves, Ambition was there. The songs gave them hope that there was still happiness and love in the world, and they would find it. I believed it. I knew what songs could do."

Well, this was such a cute K-Pop romance^^

I enjoyed the plot without too much drama, authentic characters and an absolutely captivating style of writing.
What I liked best was the description of Seoul, because it felt realistic, like you were really there.

With only 200 pages it didn't take long, but it was an enjoyable novel for in-between.
4/5☆

[Inda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I actually shed a tear over this one. Can’t remember the last time that happened. This was just a solid, well thought out story that left me content the entire time. And why I cried is because it makes me so sad to think that so many idols don’t get to love because of crazy, possessive fans. It freaking needs to stop, and companies need to stop enforcing this policy. But, overall, I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it for any music/romance fan.

[Leonie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Puh, das war leider wirklich nicht gut. Eine Fanfiction die gefühlt von einer 14 Jährigen geschrieben wurde. Dreitausend Wiederholungen mit Klischees bis zum Abwinken. Und teilweise so unlogisch und absolut too much. Das die Autorin selbst ein Fangirl ist, trieft von jeder Seite. Ich war am Ende einfach nur froh, dass es vorbei war.

[Melissa Mcatee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute!

This was a very cute and well-written sweet romance novel! I liked that the K-pop inferences weren't overdone and the character development was nice!

[Jeanette Omo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really heart warming, sweet read

Enjoyed this romantic kpop book. Finished it one sitting! Good characters, well researched and as a new kpop fan, a really fun read.

[Siobhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Perfect for kpop fans

I love this! I need more of these two they were so cute! I highly recommend! Perfect for kpop fans.

[lorien ‧͙⁺˚*･༓ଳ · Rating 4 out of 5]

AAAAHHHHAHAHAH. This is the cutest book I've read in a while. I feel like this was exactly what I needed especially since being cooped up at home has made me want to travel once we get back to normal. For the time being, I guess we all can rely on cute books like this to keep us motivated.


I think we all know the reason some of us picked this up. The fact that it's main theme is about the kpop industry and the challenges of being in a relationship at the same time. The author did a really good job of this. One thing I would've liked to see better portrayed was when a tabloid takes a picture of Madison getting a piggyback ride with one of the members from Ambition. It kind of felt like it was brushed off. We got to know what Madison had to go through but not so much Wooyeong? Maybe the author could've included something like the boys having to go to fansign and the fans bringing up the photo shown throughout the internet???? But the author did a good job with all the challenges that would probably come with an idol dating. And a fan at that. Come on, we all know that when reading these kinds of books we're bound to get some cheesiness but with everything going on, I feel like we need more books like these. To relish the impossible. Yeah, it did get kind of annoying, at times, when Madison constantly put herself down over the fact of her and Wooyeong being together would be impossible but then again, that's probably what many of us would be thinking as well.

This is just a little pet peeve but I kinda wanted to know how Ambiton's comeback would've turned out. It seemed like it was building up to that point but sadly we didn't get to read about the boys' glorious return (and would the stakes be even higher since they're officially together???? I just think it would've been interesting to see. But maybe we'll get to have a second book Please?? It kinda seemed like there would be a second book or some kind of next installment. Like "Behind the Idol??" Is that a spinoff or something? I'm dying over here.



Can we also just talked about the wonderful food that was surprisingly in great detail? It was like I was actually stuffing my face with heavenly food. I know that another one of the main focuses on this book was the fact that Wooyeong LOVES food but still. It was great to feel like I was eating with Madison and Wooyeong. Another thing I really loved was the dynamic between Wooyeong and the members. It was so cute and agh. I'll protect those little cinnamon buns. They're all so adorable and sweet.

That being said, the not so sweet stuff was the tension between Madison and Wooyeong when they both doubted whether or not the other would really be interested in them. Both had valid reasons.

Madison: he couldn't possibly like me. i'm just another crazy fan to him
Wooyeong: i'm just a kpop idol. what if she likes me just for that and not cause of who i am?

Or something along those lines. It's moments like these where I'm sure we all wish we could shake the characters to show that the other person really does like them and they should make the first move. They've got a big tinker up there, after all, they should use it.

But it was all worth it in the end. I'm sure you can probably guess but I'll just leave you hanging.

I seriously could go on how much I wished I was in Seoul. I know we all can't, just cause of the obvious, but SOME DAY we can. And that's why I think books are so amazing. They can transport you to a whole new place and you wished you could hang around for a little while longer before it's time to start heading home. Seriously, I can't remember the last time a book like this made me so happy.


I wish all the best to the author and HOPEFULLY she could write more korean/kpop books, God knows we need good books circulating more in the book industry. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???? GO ON AMAZON AND BUY IT ALREADY!!!!

[Wenyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was awesome!! As a writer myself, I really enjoyed the conflicts the characters faced and the scenery descriptions were very vivid and it made the experience seem like a really nice daydream! For me personally though, cheesy romance is not exactly my thing, but the drama and fun characters made the book a lot more interesting! Although the ending was a little cheesy, it still didn't fail to make me giggle :D

The food descriptions in the book is probably something that makes it iconic, I could picture them really well and it described in a way to make you hungry! I also liked the point of view switches for some of the chapters! It helped me understand the character's thoughts and feelings as Madison and Wooyeong started to spend more time together in the book (Madison totally should've given him the chocolates >:( I can't believe her smh).

The group Ambition was also one of my favorite parts of the book as well! Each of the members had their own distinct personality, and the author of this book made their dialogue have a smooth flow to it and nothing looked too awkward between them. My Ambition bias is Tai! ^^

The pacing was also good in the story, the scenes didn't feel they moved too quick or rushed but they didn't feel unrealistically slow either. The scenery didn't feel under-described, but they weren't over-the-top described either, which I really like! I also really appreciate the places that the author did research on and also made up during the story! It makes me really happy when writers or authors do their research on a place and how they work to give the story that extra flare and embellishments. It doesn't seem like much overall, but I think it made a good impact on helping me imagine the placed Madison and Wooyeong went to.

I would recommend to anyone who loves a K-Pop style romance! Please do support the author, she did very well on the book!

[justpeachyXO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I get a Netflix show?

Ultimate sweetness!!! Can I get a Netflix show???? I lovvve how the relationship blooms. It would be awesome to see a show based on an American fan truly falling for her kpop idol

[Amanda Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! ☺ I love how the author made you feel like you were in Seoul. It definitely made it to my favorite books list. I can't wait to read the next one when it comes out.

[Neide Gomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

So cute! Review to come 😍

[Tobias · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I lost a bet...
And as Jinlo requested, here is a lengthy review on "Every single little thing" I thought of it. I hope you're happy now, Jinlo. *Coughs* I will not be making any deals with you in the future.

Overall, I'd rate this book 4.5 stars (I'm rounding up, as Romance is a genre I never pick up, and adding Korean to it just makes my knowledge of the subject on both of these at 0.09%, so I am trying to be careful not too judge too harshly.)

This book was... interesting. I was aware of the "K-pop" trend that seems to be increasing at an alarmingly fast rate to global popularity, but now I can positively say I have a better understanding of the draw towards it.

I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of surroundings (And found that several of the places actually exist in the book, like the skating rink they go to!). I also appreciated the sheer amount of detail put in to describing the culture and differences it has with the normal experiences such as paying for food, as well as the mouth-watering food descriptions of several dishes. I might be making my way to a Korean restaurant soon to satisfy my curiosity on the food mentioned...

In short, it was overflowing with knowledge of what it is like living in Korea, and as I want to get the most out of every book I read, this was a major part of the high stars I am giving it. The author didn't cut out the informative experience to make way for the romance, instead crafting them both together.

Now, let's get to the second half.
The other reason why I find myself rating this MUCH higher than I expected: The writing.
This was the best part of the entire book. Now hold on and let my explain myself- I am always on the lookout for GOOD WRITING. This is a LOT harder to come by than most people would be aware of!
It read pretty smoothly, and Gold's vivid writing played almost like a movie in my mind, overflowing with descriptions I can only count as luxurious. (How many times must I mention the descriptions before you get it?!)
I may never understand "k-pop" to the fullest as the audience this is targeted for, but I do know a talented writer when I see one.

Why I did not like this book: As I mentioned earlier, Romance is not my genre. It does get automatic points off for this fact (Personal preference). I will likely be NOT reading a book like this any time in the future- the climax and ending was very emotional (Rather dramatic, don't you think? Running out to catch a train while ripping out your hair? [Right, okay, I added in the "Ripping out hair part" but Wooyeong could've handled it a little better] That is what most people call a "Cry baby".) and I suppose that is WHY some of the people rated it 5 stars, I generally get annoyed by having my emotions twisted by something I am more than aware is fiction.
And the whole ordeal was silly! She blocked his phone number, not killed his dog!

All in all though, this book surpassed my expectations in quality.
Lucy Gold has captured my attention, and I will be keeping my eye on her other works in the future, which will hopefully turn to other genres.

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe bisher nie K-Pop Geschichten gelesen, abgesehen von Mangas, aber ich muss sagen das ich jetzt ein totaler Fan davon bin. Dieses Buch ist purer Zucker und lässt einem das Herz bis zum Hals schlagen. Ich hatte das Gefühl auf Wolken zu schweben und zugleich auf ein Abenteuer zu gehen. Denn dieses Buch zeigt uns viele Perspektiven von Seoul und tatsächlich würde ich jetzt gerne mal dorthin reisen. Die Story finde ich an sich sehr schön. Es gibt viele interessante und süße Momente, aber auch lustige und unbeholfene Situationen. Ich habe gefühlt genauso viel geschmunzelt wie gelacht, was sehr schön war. Doch da eine Geschichte nur halb so interessant wäre ohne ein zentrales Problem, gibt es auch hier eine Problematik, mit der sich unsere Protagonisten auseinandersetzen müssen. Zum einen wäre das die Auseinandersetzung mit den eigenen Gefühlen und die Angst vor Veränderungen, als auch die negativen Seiten des Show-Business. Das wurde ziemlich gut in den Gesamtverlauf der Geschichte integriert. Ich finde schön wie verdeutlicht wird das es viele schlechte Seiten an dem Ruhm gibt und wie viel Stars von sich geben müssen. Da die Geschichte aus zwei Perspektiven geschrieben wurde, können wir sowohl Madisons als auch Wooyeongs Seite verstehen. Zugleich werden die Charaktere dadurch sympathischer, da wir relativ schnell eine Bindung zu beiden aufbauen. Hierbei liebe ich Madisons natürliche Art und Wooyeongs liebe zu Essen besonders. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist übrigens super fluffig und lässt einen die Zeit vergessen, weshalb ich viel zu schnell am Ende angekommen bin. Bei dem ich zugegebenermaßen ziemlich viel geweint habe. Doch schlussendlich habe ich ja mein Happy End bekommen und bin wunschlos glücklich. Da ich durch dieses Buch das Gefühl von Freiheit hatte und die Beschreibung des Settings traumhaft war bekommt das Buch volle fünf Herzen von mir.
Die Story ist super süß. Eine Amerikanerin zieht nach Seoul und lernt ihren Schwarm kennen. Dieser ist kein geringeres als einer der bekanntesten K-Pop Stars weit und breit. Alles fängt mit ihrer gemeinsamen Liebe zum Essen an und endet im viel Drama und wunderschönen Momenten. Madison ist eine Amerikanerin, die nach Seoul geht, um sich ihren Traum zu erfüllen. Dabei zieht sie in eine kleine Wohnung und arbeitet für ein Unternehmen. Sie liebt K-Pop und hat deswegen angefangen koreanisch zu lernen. Ihr Leben in Amerika war ihr zu langweilig, weshalb sie auf ein Abenteuer gegangen ist. Sie hat eine große Familie in ihrer Heimat mit vielen Geschwistern, die sie liebt. Außerdem liebt sie Essen und war mir deshalb sofort sympathisch. Sie ist eine freundliche, hilfsbereite, lebensfrohe, lustige und starke junge Frau. Ihre Entwicklung zeigt sich darin das sich Ihre Gefühle für die Zukunft ihrer Liebe zurückstellt. Dabei kämpft sie gleichzeitig um ihrer Zukunft und hört nie auf zu hoffen und gewinnt schlussendlich den Hauptpreis. Ihr Glück und ihre Liebe. Sie ist eine superliebe und natürliche Persönlichkeit, die ich sehr mag.
Wooyeong ist ein K-Pop-Idol und ein sehr berührtes noch dazu. Er lebt mit seiner K-Pop Gruppe in einem Appartement und arbeitet rund um die Uhr. Er kann sich nicht mal mehr unmaskiert in der Öffentlichkeit zeigen, weil er sofort erkannt wird. Er liebt es gut zu essen und kochen kann er auch. Seine Familie ist eher streng. Er ist ein cooler, freundlicher, gutmütiger und charmanter junger Mann, der es in jungen Jahren nie leicht hatte. Er wurde erst beliebt als er anfing zu singen und zu tanzen, davor wurde er nicht beachtet. Dadurch hat er eine Angst entwickelt, denn er befürchtet das ihn alle nur mögen könnten, weil er ein Star ist. Zugleich darf er auch keine Freundin haben, da dies seine Karriere beeinträchtigen könnte und auch die seiner Gruppe ruinieren kann. Seine Entwicklung zeigt sich darin, dass er es schafft über seinen Schatten zu springen und dabei das findet, was er braucht und ohne Wissen immer gesucht hat. Die wahre Liebe, die Möglichkeit ganz man selbst zu sein. Ich finde ihn super sympathisch und lieb.
Zusammen sind die beiden ein richtig süßes Paar. So unterschiedlich ihre Herkunft auch ist, umso mehr schlagen ihre Herzen im gleichen Takt. Sie sind auf einer tiefergehenden Ebenen miteinander verbunden und lieben die gleichen Sachen. Ich finde sie so toll zusammen und mag es wie sie harmonieren.
Das Ende war überaus dramatisch und herzzerreißend. Denn die Protagonisten kommen sich immer näher und doch ist es zwischen ihnen alles andere als leicht. Ihre Gefühle füreinander sind schwer zu beschreiben und doch so groß, dass sie alles füreinander tun würden, um den jeweils anderen zu schützen. Auch wenn es bedeutet den Kontakt abzubrechen, damit die Band nicht auseinanderbricht. Jedoch wäre es keine wahre Liebesgeschichte, wenn die Protagonisten nicht ihr Happy End bekommen würden. Weshalb sie für ihre Liebe kämpfen und doch noch zusammen glücklich werden. Ich finde das Ende sehr gelungen und habe sogar die ein oder andere Träne vergossen. Es war wirklich eine schöne Geschichte und ich würde mir mehr solcher Bücher wünschen. Das Buch bekommt volle fünf Herzen von mir und eine große Leseempfehlung.