XOXO

by Axie Oh

Overview

Jenny’s never had much time for boys, K-pop, or really anything besides her dream of being a professional cellist. But when she finds herself falling for a K-pop idol, she has to decide whether their love is worth the risk. A modern forbidden romance wrapped in the glamorous and exclusive world of K-pop, XOXO is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Maurene Goo.

Jenny didn’t get to be an award-winning, classically trained cellist without choosing practice over fun. That is, until the night she meets Jaewoo. Mysterious, handsome, and just a little bit tormented, Jaewoo is exactly the kind of distraction Jenny would normally avoid. And yet, she finds herself pulled into spending an unforgettable evening wandering Los Angeles with him on the night before his flight home to South Korea.

With Jaewoo an ocean away, there’s no use in dreaming of what could have been. But when Jenny and her mother move to Seoul to take care of her ailing grandmother, who does she meet at the elite arts academy she’s just been accepted to? Jaewoo.

Finding the dreamy stranger who swept you off your feet in your homeroom is one thing, but Jaewoo isn’t just any student. Turns out, Jaewoo is a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world. And like most K-pop idols, Jaewoo is strictly forbidden from dating anyone.

When a relationship means not only jeopardizing her place at her dream music school but also endangering everything Jaewoo’s worked for, Jenny has to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love. XOXO is a new romance that proves chasing your dreams doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your heart, from acclaimed author Axie Oh. 

Indigo Best Teen Books of 2021

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063024991
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	07/13/2021
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	48,042
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Axie Oh is the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, XOXO, and the Rebel Seoul series. Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey, she studied Korean history and creative writing as an undergrad at the University of California San Diego and holds an MFA in writing for young people from Lesley University. Her passions include K-pop, anime, stationery supplies, and milk tea, and she currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her dogs, Leila and Toro. Visit her online at axieoh.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/31/2021

When her estranged grandmother requires surgery, Korean American cellist Jenny Go, 16, briefly relocates from L.A. to Seoul with her widowed mother. After a critique calls her performance technically proficient but lacking “spark,” Jenny jumps at the opportunity to enliven her playing through a semester of study at Seoul Arts Academy. A number of K-pop trainees and idols also attend SAA, including boy band XOXO, whose lead vocalist, Bae Jaewoo, turns out to be the mysterious Korean boy with whom Jenny had a spark-inducing encounter one L.A. night. As Jenny tries to balance commitment to her own musical aspirations with burgeoning romance under the gaze of ever-present paparazzi, Jaewoo grapples with the pressures of fame and the expectations of his other band members—especially after a previous dating scandal threatened the group’s chance at success. Despite early uneven pacing and information-heavy dialogue, Oh’s (Rebel Seoul) narrative reaches an enjoyable clip that is both accessible to readers unfamiliar with K-pop and pleasing for fans of K-dramas as well as anyone who enjoys a breezy contemporary romance. Ages 13–up. Agent: Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

07/01/2021

Gr 8 Up—High school junior Jenny Go is a technically perfect cello player whose life is dedicated to her craft. When a competition judge criticizes her performance, stating that she has no "spark," she doubts herself and her ability. Soon after, she meets a mysterious guy her age while working at her uncle's karaoke bar in Los Angeles. Jenny and Jaewoo spend several hours together, but at the end of the night, he disappears. Months later, Jenny and her mother move to Seoul temporarily to help her sick grandmother. Jenny starts at a boarding school, makes new friends, and discovers that the mystery guy is enrolled in her school and is a star in a famous K-pop band. She and Jaewoo, at first cautious, fall into a relationship, and she begins to find that "spark" that she was missing. However, as Jenny's time in South Korea ends, she worries that being tied to her could jeopardize Jaewoo's future. This novel includes common YA themes: finding yourself, making adult decisions, understanding your family, finding a soulmate. It is well written, and the characters are likable, relatable, and distinct. VERDICT A layered love story many readers will enjoy.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township H.S., Cape May Court House, NJ

School Library Journal

2021-05-17
A driven young woman learns to balance expectations and priorities with heart and passion.

A vivid, comical scene of everyday life in Koreatown introduces narrator Jenny Jooyoung Go, a high school junior and classical cellist aiming for a top conservatory. While her single-minded focus yields technical perfection, competition judges deem Jenny lacking in soulful spark. Her Uncle Jay advises her to experience more of life and broaden her horizons. An opportunity soon beckons, and the plot unfolds like a minidrama amid the Los Angeles Korean Festival, launching Jenny and her new acquaintance, Jaewoo, on an accidental adventure that foreshadows romance. When her mom, a widowed immigration lawyer, needs to return to Seoul to care for her dying mother, Jenny negotiates to go along for her first visit to Korea. Attending Seoul Arts Academy, Jenny witnesses the institutional grooming of K-pop idols—including (surprise!) classmate Jaewoo, who, as it turns out, is popular band XOXO’s lead singer. She also shares in the student performers’ duty-bound lives: Behind the glamour, they are burdened with obligations to their communities that can require sacrifice of their personal happiness. Themes of responsibility, regret, and reconciliation weave through the intergenerational dynamics in Jenny’s family, adding dimension and depth. The author incorporates Korean honorifics to convey a conversational tone and signal dialogue occurring in both languages.

K-pop helps a cellist develop musically and emotionally in this novel filled with humor and theatrics. (Fiction. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews

A dreamy dose of K-pop idols and secret romances.” 
— Maurene Goo, author of Somewhere Only We Know

“With fun K-drama vibes, XOXO delivers a lot of heart and warmth in its protagonist who stays true to herself to the very end.” — Lyla Lee, author of I’ll Be the One 

“When it was over, I immediately wanted to read it for the first time again.” — Kasie West, author of The Fill-In Boyfriend

“Simply put, this book made me happy. I guess you could say . . . I’m just a big fan.” — Emery Lord, author of The Map from Here to There

“A handwritten letter to falling in love and opening yourself up to the world. A delicious treat!” — Aminah Mae Safi, author of Tell Me How You Really Feel

 “A feel-good, page-turning, swoony read!” — Gloria Chao, author of American Panda and Rent a Boyfriend 

“A sparkling story of self-discovery—I was utterly charmed.” — Sarah Kuhn,  author of I Love You So Mochi

“An utterly delightful love song dedicated to the intersection between dreams and romance."
— Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running with Lions

“Immensely fun, funny, and romantic.”  — Emma Mills, author of Lucky Caller and First & Then

"K-pop helps a cellist develop musically and emotionally in this novel filled with humor and theatrics. Themes of responsibility, regret, and reconciliation weave through the intergenerational dynamics in Jenny’s family, adding dimension and depth." — Kirkus Reviews

"Oh’s narrative reaches an enjoyable clip that is both accessible to readers unfamiliar with K-pop and pleasing for fans of K-dramas as well as anyone who enjoys a breezy contemporary romance." — Publishers Weekly

"This book was pure joy to read. If you're looking for a lighthearted, fresh, and fun romance, Oh's latest is absolutely for you" — Buzzfeed

"Jenny's journey is never defined by her love story but instead pushed forward by stolen moments that will make romance fans swoon. At its core, this is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that will remind readers love for a friend, family, your art, and a partner can all find space in your heart." — Booklist

"Narrator Greta Jung creates a world of voices that easily draws readers in and makes them feel each character’s uniqueness. A must-buy on audio to recommend to K-pop fans and also to readers who enjoy a bit of drama in their love stories." — School Library Journal (starred review)

From the Publisher

Immensely fun, funny, and romantic.” 

Emma Mills

Simply put, this book made me happy. I guess you could say . . . I’m just a big fan.

Emery Lord

A feel-good, page-turning, swoony read!

Gloria Chao

With fun K-drama vibes, XOXO delivers a lot of heart and warmth in its protagonist who stays true to herself to the very end.

Lyla Lee

When it was over, I immediately wanted to read it for the first time again.

Kasie West

An utterly delightful love song dedicated to the intersection between dreams and romance."

Julian Winters

A handwritten letter to falling in love and opening yourself up to the world. A delicious treat!

Aminah Mae Safi

A dreamy dose of K-pop idols and secret romances.” 

Maurene Goo

A sparkling story of self-discovery—I was utterly charmed.

Sarah Kuhn

"Jenny's journey is never defined by her love story but instead pushed forward by stolen moments that will make romance fans swoon. At its core, this is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that will remind readers love for a friend, family, your art, and a partner can all find space in your heart."

Booklist

"This book was pure joy to read. If you're looking for a lighthearted, fresh, and fun romance, Oh's latest is absolutely for you"

Buzzfeed

"Jenny's journey is never defined by her love story but instead pushed forward by stolen moments that will make romance fans swoon. At its core, this is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that will remind readers love for a friend, family, your art, and a partner can all find space in your heart."

Booklist