I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Written by Maurene Goo

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller

One of NPR's Best Books of 2017



One of Kirkus Reviews's Best Books of 2017



One of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2017



One of Seventeen.com's Best YA Books of 2017



Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That's how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it's how she'll get into Stanford. But she's never had a boyfriend. In fact, she's a disaster at romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It's a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her "K Drama Steps to True Love," Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Apr 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705204801

Maurene Goo

Maurene Goo grew up in a Los Angeles suburb surrounded by floral wallpaper, one thousand cousins, and piles of books. She studied communication at UC San Diego and then later received a Masters in publishing, writing, and literature at Emerson College. Before publishing her first book, Since You Asked, she worked in both textbook and art book publishing. She has very strong feelings about tacos and houseplants. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two cats.

Reviews for I Believe in a Thing Called Love

[Yna Gabrinao · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cute, fun, but there were some issues that I had to take down a star.

[Alyssa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really fun to read. I love the friendship and familial relationship in this book.

[daumari · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finished this a few days ago but was out of town-very cute YA read (and third in a row for my unintentional We Need Diverse Books read). Desi Lee is a super motivated Type A person in almost all aspects of her life... except for dating. When a cute new boy comes to their school, Desi decides she'll fix her flailures (flirting fails) by creating rules to get her man, derived from watching several series of K-Dramas.

I think I'd pick up on more references to tropes had I watched any k-dramas before, but it was a cute frame structure and she's such a likeable teen. Hooray for teen girls!

[lexilewords · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OH MY GOD LOVE LOVE LOVE

(thank you to my wonderful Sestra Samantha for lending me her copy)

I'll go a bit more into this closer to the date, but guys I think I needed to be best friends Desi in High school because honestly she's my kind of cool.

[CaoticaPaula · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is the typical novel you read to have a fun time and not think too much. The one you pick up when you are simultaneously reading other denser books or to fill a gap between dense readings (like resetting your brain). It is sweet, funny, and has subtle nuances that make it deeper than it actually seems.
In my opinion, I wouldn't have given it a happy ending because I think that would have made me understand that the story has a moral, but we can't forget that the story is a kind of drama in itself, so it's understandable that it ends the way it does.
Likewise (and I reiterate), for my taste, I would have made it even more comedic and ridiculous, I would have given it a twist making Desi clumsier, having everything go wrong or the opposite of what she intends, realizing that making a plan in love doesn't work... But we must remember that it is young adult literature (and I would even say a bit more childish than necessary).
Still, I enjoyed it, and I still believe it is a good option for quick, light, and addictive reading. (Translated from Spanish)

[Rachbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review:

We are introduced to our protagonist Desi, an extremely organized girl who is addicted to making lists about how to do things and is also somewhat prone to falling in love. Alongside Desi, we meet her friends and her father, who is a big fan of Korean dramas, which is why Desi has watched several of them.

One normal school day, with her group of friends, they meet Luca, the new boy. Desi feels attracted to him, so she decides to use her knowledge of lists and dramas to come up with the perfect plan to win Luca over.

1. Be the living image of all that is pure and good.

2. Carry a heartbreaking family story.

3. Meet the most unattainable boy in the world.

4. Let the boy know about you, whether through irritation and obsession.

5. Have a secret dream that brings you closer to the boy.

6. Relentlessly pursue your dream, regardless of your well-being.

7. Even with the mystery surrounding the boy, investigate more.

8. Get caught up in a typical love triangle.

9. Get them into a situation that forces them to have a moment of intimate connection.

10. Discover the boy’s best-kept secret, preferably through embarrassing, recurring memories.

11. Prove that you are different from all the other women in the world.

12. Discover how real their love is through an event that threatens their lives.

13. Reveal your skills in a heartbreaking way.

14. Shut that boy up with a kiss once and for all!

15. Fall in love so tenderly and deeply that it makes you cringe.

16. Choose your romantic ballad to play at maximum volume over and over!

17. Let the worlds collide for a bit of comedic relief.

18. Meet his family and earn their approval.

19. Make an extreme sacrifice to prove your love.

20. You are not allowed to be happy until the very last possible minute.

21. Time for betrayals: make it seem like one of them has betrayed the other (but not!)

22. At your lowest point, your life consists only of memories of good times.

23. Take drastic measures to achieve your happy ending.

24. GET YOUR HAPPY ENDING

Desi recreates many situations that happen in dramas that make the boy start feeling attracted to her; the entire list she created seems to work, and the love between them appears to bloom in a very sweet way. But the boy realizes the list, and clearly, he does not take it well. So Desi carries out the last two steps of her list and goes after her ideal boy.

Personal Opinion:

I decided to read this book because it was about dramas...

Yes, I know I am Desi's father in this life, really addicted to dramas.

I found the book very entertaining; I adore Desi and Luca. All the characters in this book are well-developed, and the story has a perfect balance between comedy and romance. Honestly, I didn't think the list would work, but it did. I'll make a list when I'm done with this, dear Asian actors, I'm coming for you. (Translated from Spanish)

[AngelaNumo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's like reading a cartoon; I honestly laughed a lot at the stupid things the protagonist came up with, but to a certain extent, I thought the story would take a different turn, but it didn't. (Translated from Spanish)

[Alexa O. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

? PLOT DETAILS ?
A book that is so ridiculously cheesy, and ridiculously funny. I couldn't stop laughing while reading this book... our protagonist Desi Lee is incredible, both for her ideas and the "great luck" she has from chapter one. This young lady hooks you with everything she has to say. She's not your typical nerdy, heavy school girl; she's someone who has everything under control in her life and is perfect at everything she does and achieving her goals... except in love. I mean, sister, don't even start, and she said I had bad luck? Well, she beat me ? her romantic tragedies are super amusing. Until we meet Luca Drakos (honestly, I didn't fall in love with him, but I did with his name?? really good, honestly). The point is that Lady Tragedies decides to put an end to her bad luck and creates the ultimate list to win over a guy based on Korean dramas, and I’ve only seen one K-drama in my life, so I kind of knew where this was headed or what she was talking about... so this book is like watching a K-drama; you follow Des on her journey to win over Luca, and seriously, the ideas she comes up with are amazing. She always has a comment at the least opportune moment, which is why you can't stop laughing, and OMG, they work! In the end, she manages to win Luca's heart, and everything is so rosy, super cheesy and sweet, but well... as is logical, there has to be drama... so the protagonist did one thing that made me dislike her, which is why the book doesn't get a perfect rating. It was the decision she made to skip her interview to see Luca's unbearable mother in the hospital, risking her admission to Stanford University... I mean, nooooo!!! I just can't with someone risking their future for another person... in the end, she did get into a good university and all, but aggghhh that did disappoint me a little? I can't stand when they do that; they lose my favor... but well, in the end, not everything was lost in our protagonist's life, all the conflicts get resolved, and it literally has a "happily ever after" ending, and honestly, it's nice and okay... sometimes this kind of light reading is needed, nothing complicated, that overflows with romance and is super entertaining. I loved it so much that I felt like watching K-dramas? a great detail to add a beginner’s guide at the end ??

I give it 4.5 ⭐. (Translated from Spanish)

[sui.mz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun and light book to read, just right and precise to end the year ? (Translated from Spanish)

[martusm1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The plot is gripping (a bit slow at first), but that doesn't mean it can't create a good love story. I've read better, but that doesn't make the story bad. It's really light and addictive. (Translated from Spanish)

[TamiiJazmin29 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

?Review?
"For all the newcomers who have no idea where to start, fear no more! There's a Korean drama out there for everyone."

Hearts, today I bring you the review of this wonderful book with a light and innocent plot to disconnect and enjoy a pleasant moment full of laughter.

The book tells us the story of Desi Lee, a 17-year-old intelligent and very organized young woman with a long history of romantic disasters. Desi is completely determined to break this streak of bad luck once and for all when she meets Luca, the new student, and using her greatest talent, Desi begins a list to succeed in love based on Korean dramas. Will Desi be able to achieve her happy ending?

I really enjoyed this book and it made me laugh with Desi's antics, and if, like me, you know a thing or two about K-dramas, you'll understand where all those ideas and absurdities come from, and you might even find some sense in them.

The author manages to create a fun and simple story based on love and friendship. I really recommend it a lot, and if you haven't given K-dramas a chance yet, this could be your moment?

?Rating?
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~Tamii? (Translated from Spanish)

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

teen fiction (rom-com, k-drama style, diverse cast, set in modern Orange County). This was a light read, recommended for those who are or might be interested in Korean drama series (with a helpful primer at the end, in case you are new to them but want to learn more).

[JoseLuisGryffindor · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Desi, our protagonist, is 17 years old and in her last year of high school. Her dream is to attend the Stanford School of Medicine. She lives with her dad, who took on the responsibility of raising her after her mother passed away when she was just 7 years old. Since then, she has always wanted to make him proud. She is a perfectionist, likes to have everything under control and organized, and is always trying to improve herself.

But what Desi can't control is her situation in love, because when the new guy at school, Luca, arrives, she realizes she needs to do something to win him over, so she devises a plan where typical Korean dramas will help her overcome her bad luck in love.

"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is an easy-to-read book, fun to a certain extent, but it ends up being extremely predictable and falls into the typical already-told and worn-out story, becoming somewhat boring and incoherent.

The protagonist, despite being a perfectionist, ends up being a disaster and never evolves.

I have to admit, I didn't like the book, but if it catches your attention and you were planning to read it, don't let my opinion sway you; give it a chance, as every reader is a world of their own. (Translated from Spanish)

[AranzaSanFer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It made me cry and laugh; this side of me that loves dramas adored the book. (Translated from Spanish)

[marenpergamino · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I ate this lump without water or garnish and here I come to regurgitate my review. The book is plain and simple a piece of crap.
Starting from the fact that it's a copy, and not precisely a good one, of another young adult book ("To All the Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han). Maurene Goo saw someone else's success and said, "this is mine! I'm Korean too!!", and, ohh! What a coincidence, another book with a Korean protagonist, an orphaned girl, and wrapped up in a completely contrived plan regarding her love life, which, obviously, is nonexistent. Zero boyfriends. Immaculate.
A point to consider if you copy: try to improve it because otherwise, you end up looking like a fool. Jenny Han's book is sweet and has endearing characters. This one is incredibly boring, and the protagonist is unbearable. The little Korean girl initially seems nice but turns out to be quite the manipulator.
Another issue is that usually in young adult books there tends to be some evolution... well, not in this case! (?‍♀️) She's silly at the beginning and she's silly at the end.
Desi Lee wants to be perfect to avoid making her widowed father, who is obviously a sweetheart, suffer. The teenager is good at everything except love because, surprise, she can't control it; and she has the brilliant idea of writing down the steps that protagonists in Korean dramas (series) follow that always repeat and always end up with the handsome guy. Following that... recipe?... is how she believes she'll get some naive and unsuspecting teenage sweetheart to fall into her nets like a fool.
Up to that point, it's endearing. But the girl manages to get the aforementioned sweetheart she has her eye on within 100 pages, and then there are 200 more pages where sewing underpants would be more enjoyable than reading this garbage. Sleep-inducing.
I'm not even going to get into the message it conveys ("girls lie and manipulate to get a guy because in the end, everyone falls") because I don't underestimate all teenagers: I don't believe that if a book tells them to jump into a well... they would go straight to the well. It's fiction. They know that. If any dimwit thinks that by following the steps of the dramas they'll get a boyfriend, more than banning books, they need an appointment with a psychiatrist.
In short: the book is a bore. If I were you, I'd go for Jenny Han's book which, besides being the original, is much better.
(I realized I repeated the word "obviously" a lot... well, it applies. THIS GARBAGE IS OBVIOUS FROM BEGINNING TO END!! TOTALLY PREDICTABLE?) (Translated from Spanish)

[Jackie Herrera · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's okay, but honestly, it didn't fulfill me; I think I should say that I have a bittersweet taste in my mouth. They try to teach you a lesson that, in my opinion, didn't quite come across and is very bland. I think it would have been better if it had ended differently, although I like how everything crumbles at one point; you can't plan for that kind of thing. I even wanted to empathize with the protagonist, but the truth is that the situation speaks for itself; she was very selfish and manipulative. I like how there are no typical stereotypes of the beautiful girl who doesn't know it; instead, she's a somewhat popular but very smart Asian girl, which is cool. In that sense, I liked it; I think the characters are okay, but in the end, I don't feel they are very memorable, but I also don't complain that they were very bad. I like the pace of the book; it's good, not dense, complicated, or overly sappy. If you're looking for a young adult romance that tries to break the mold, this book is fine, but don't expect the best love story. Young people might like it, but for adults, it can be a bit bland and embarrassing at times, which doesn't always have to be the case; there are young adult romance books that aren't like that. I don't complain, but it's not the best in the world. That said, it has very few memorable lines, especially for a romance book. I expected to like it more, yes, but in the end, it doesn't bother me. (Translated from Spanish)

[Mliteraria · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The romance was lovely! It’s incredible all the things that happen in Korean romance dramas ?. The Desi friends are loyal at all times and support their craziness no matter what. It's a sweet and super light story that leaves your heart feeling light ? ? because of how sweet it is. (Translated from Spanish)

[lovelysoobder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My heart.... this is a very lovely book, I was constantly saying Oh my God how sweet, and since I love kdramas, this book was one of the best for me. (Translated from Spanish)

[GalaGio · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Incredible for lovers of young adult literature, it is very entertaining, it will bring you many laughs and smiles, I really wasn't bored and I read it in three days. Recommended. (Translated from Spanish)

[ChloeEntreLineas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this novel

The truth is that I wanted to read it due to my recent obsession with Korean dramas, and I can say that this story made me love them even more and brought out everything I like about them. This doesn't have much to do with the novel itself, but it did make me appreciate the story much more.

Now about the story... I loved it; yes, it's full of clichés, but that's part of the fun of the story, which makes it brilliant and funny. As it says in one part of the book about the dramas, the story can have a few clichés—and in this case, it pokes a bit of fun at them—but the most important part of the story are the characters. The fact that they are strong and well-developed makes the story fresh and enjoyable. Even though it has some clichés, it is also very original, as it is not very common to find books with characters and aspects from another culture—in this case, Korean—that are also so fundamental to the story. Korean dramas are super important in this narrative, and yes, you can understand the story without having seen a drama, but if you didn't know about them, you will learn a bit about that and Korean culture, and if you already knew, well, you will enjoy the story a lot.

I loved the characters; the protagonist is amazing, a nerd who ends up embarrassing herself whenever she likes someone. Sometimes you want to hit her for not noticing things, but she's so sweet. Desi's friends are great; they aren't very developed and don't appear much in the story, but they are still awesome—those friends who always support and stand by her. The father is the cutest in the world. And I also love Luca.

As for the author's writing style, I really liked it; the story reads in no time. I was completely hooked; it's easy to read. And it left me wanting to read more of her work.

So if you like romantic comedies—yes, you will laugh a lot—and especially if you like K-dramas, you will definitely like this book. (Translated from Spanish)

[Literatura sin límites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's a very addictive and entertaining read. It's quick to read, and you laugh at the embarrassing situations the protagonist faces, but also at her outrageous plans, some of which are quite extreme.

The story is about a high school girl who always embarrasses herself in front of the boy she likes, without exception. One day, a new transfer student arrives at the school, she likes him, and for a moment, they share a special moment where sparks fly. She, determined, tries to flirt, and the result is disastrous.

Humiliated and fed up, she suddenly comes up with the idea to create a plan to win the boy over without messing it up. She is very good at organization; she excels when following a plan. So, if she has a list with a conquering plan, it’s bound to work, because she notices the formula for love success from Korean dramas, and as a Korean, she takes it seriously.

On the other hand, it’s all very comedic, but if we look at it critically, the girl is a stalker, putting herself and the boy in danger on three different occasions where things could have gone very wrong. Yes, she’s a little bit crazy.

Did I like it? Yes, as I said, it's entertaining.

Do I recommend it? If you like dramas, go ahead. But please, don't be like the protagonist; don’t come up with such a crazy plan to win someone over. That doesn’t work in real life, seriously. (Translated from Spanish)

[MimiEstrada · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's horrible to start a book with high expectations; I think many times that is the risk we take when we follow a recommendation without details.

I began this book hoping to have an entertaining time, laughing and sighing every now and then, but what I actually encountered was a story about a girl who is crazier than any psychopath could ever be... well, maybe I'm exaggerating.

The point is, we are told the story of Desi, a high school girl who is absolutely perfect in everything she does, whether it's sports, school, community service, she wins everything she sets her mind to, except for a boyfriend. She has bad luck with the boys she likes.

The thing is, she creates a list based on Korean dramas, which according to her will ensure she gets the guy of her dreams. It's almost like saying: look at any novel and come up with a recipe to catch a husband...

But I really don't exaggerate when I say Desi is crazy, because it's true... she gets into every dangerous situation that makes it impossible not to see her as a girl desperate to escape singlehood at any cost.

I think it's a story that entertains, but for me, not enough to overlook certain things; nonetheless, I wouldn't give this book to anyone under 18, I think it would cause too many problems.

In short, I like the references it makes, but I wish she weren't so crazy. Other than that... well, it's a very chaotic book, but it serves to pass the time. (Translated from Spanish)

[Ailed Rguez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's been a while since I've watched a drama, and this book perfectly captured its essence. It was fun to see all those ridiculous scenes in "real life," and the protagonist's dad is the sweetest and funniest person ever. I would love to see more about these characters or this type of story. (Translated from Spanish)

[norabelle414 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Desi Lee is perfect at everything. She has a 4.25 GPA, is captain of the soccer team, student body president, and she's right on track to go to Stanford pre-med next year. (Just like her mom, who died when Desi was 6.) But when it comes to boys, she's a flailure (that's flirting+failure). After completely embarrassing herself in front of the gorgeous new guy at school she spends all weekend wallowing in her dad's favorite Korean Drama shows, and suddenly it hits her ... what Desi needs is a plan. If she comes up with a plan (using K-Dramas as her guide), and follows all the steps, Desi can be perfect at romance, just like everything else ... Right?

This was very cute and I mostly didn't have any problems with it. The things that Desi does are very stupid, but she and everyone else mostly realize that. Both of the romantic characters have lots of character growth. I liked the tiny bit of a twist that Luca's mom mostly sucks and he fully admits it but still likes her better anyway. The author does a great job of telling you that romances have a formula, and then sticking to the formula while also making you forget that there is a formula. Desi's friends are great fun. Definitely recommended if you like teen romance.

[lilrongal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book so much!

Desi is relatable, funny, ADORABLE and my favorite protagonist of 2017 so far!

The book will cause so much second hand embarrassment but it's worth it, and now I want to check out all the k-dramas!!

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Desi Lee is a very driven, likable character. Hoping to get into Stanford University, she has applied herself throughout her school years in various academic and sport activities. What’s been missing all this time is an important rite of teenhood, the first boyfriend. Her attempts at romance so far have resulted in klutzy moments she and her friends call flailures.Taking a page out of her father’s favorite tv programs, the K dramas he enjoys from his home country of Korea, she embarks on a mission to catch the eye of new student Luca. I enjoyed the relationship between Desi Lee and her father (Appa). I knew next to nothing about K dramas, so if Appa says they are nothing like American soap operas, I believe him!