I Believe in a Thing Called Love

A funny young adult novel about a Korean-American girl who uses K-Drama techniques to snag the boyfriend of her dreams.

One of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2017 One of Seventeen.com's Best YA Books of 2017 Hilarious. --Publishers Weekly, starred review Powerful messages of inclusion and acceptance. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review Desi Lee knows how carburetors work. She learned CPR at the age of five. As a high school senior, she has never missed a day of school and never had a B. But in her charmed school life, there's one thing missing--she's never had a boyfriend. In fact, she's a known disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet. When the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides it's time to tackle her flirting failures. She finds her answer in the Korean dramas her father has watched obsessively for years--in which the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. Armed with her K Drama Rules for True Love, Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos. All's fair in love and Korean dramas, right? But when the fun and games turn to feelings, Desi finds out that real-life love is about way more than just drama. Maurene Goo's I Believe in a Thing Called Love is a fun, heartwarming story of falling in love--for real. A Margaret Ferguson Book

Praise for I Believe in a Thing Called Love: Desi's implementation of measures such as 'Be Caught in an Obviously Lopsided Love Triangle' yields hilarious, at times unintended results, lending this teen rom-com a surprisingly thoughtful conclusion . . . Goo's] funny, engaging narrative also delivers powerful messages of inclusion and acceptance. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review The art-centric romance that develops between Desi and Luca is rewarding to follow, as are their parental relationships, particularly that between Desi and her widowed Appa. Goo simultaneously honors and deconstructs romantic tropes, both in general and specific to K dramas, and does so using a wonderfully diverse cast. --Publishers Weekly, starred review In the tradition of best-laid plans, Desi's goes painfully awry in ways that elevate the story above the level of fluffy, cross-cultural rom-com. Friends and family are well crafted to inspire discussions about the comfort and complications they afford . . . Readers who crave believability with their fun and wit will be satisfied with the way t