A Book Review by Arthi Sivendra, West Orange Public Library Teen Book Reviewer
High school senior Desi Lee always has a plan, it’s what made her the valedictorian of her class and keeps her on track to go to Stanford. However, are all her lists and preparation enough to score her a boyfriend? After meeting the cute and artsy new kid, Luca, Desi decides to put this question to the test. Armed with the infinite wisdom of the Korean dramas she has watched with her father, Desi creates a foolproof plan to get the guy and her happily ever after…that is, if she can pull it off.
I Believe In a Thing Called Love was an enjoyable book to read, I found Desi to be an entertaining and witty protagonist and the story was never dull. This being said, the story was also very predictable, it starts out giving you a list outlining exactly what is going to happen, leaving very little room for surprise. Also, while Desi’s antics were wild and comedic, they seemed too much like a Korean drama rather than a realistic fiction novel. While this was the point, it made it difficult for me to understand how someone as smart and logical as Desi would continue with such an outrageous plan. All this aside, this was an easy read based on an interesting concept that would be great for any teen looking for a cute romance with plenty of swoon-worthy moments.
Arthi Sivendra, West Orange Public Library Teen Book Reviewer