This is a contemporary family-and-romance story about Frank negotiating his parents’ expectations, his relationships and his Korean American identity. A serious illness and bereavement also shape the family story.
More about this book
"High school senior Frank Li takes a risk to go after a girl his parents would never approve of, but his plans will leave him wondering if he ever really understood love--or himself--at all"--
High school senior Frank Li is caught between his parents' traditional expectations and his own Southern California upbringing. His parents have one rule when it comes to romance: 'Date Korean. But Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful-- and white. Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and they make a pact: they'll pretend to date each other in order to gain their freedom. It seems like the perfect plan, until their fake-dating maneuver leaves Frank wondering if he ever really understood love- or himself- at all. -- adapted from jacket
FamilyThe available evidence does not establish the book's treatment of this theme. See Confidence & Basis for the evidence gap.IdentityThe available evidence does not establish the book's treatment of this theme. See Confidence & Basis for the evidence gap.DatingThe available evidence does not establish the book's treatment of this theme. See Confidence & Basis for the evidence gap.
Consider
Grief and lossViolence and harmRelationships and intimacy
Personalised Fit
Sign in to see how this book fits your child and family preferences.
familyidentitydatingKorean American experiencehonestytrustromantic relationshipsfriendship
FictionNovel
◎
Themes in Context
Family expectations and identity
Frank’s parents expect him to date Korean girls, while he falls for Brit, who is white. His story also concerns his relationship with his family and his Korean American identity.MixedMixed: the book presents both supportive and critical signals.Mixed: the book presents both supportive and critical signals.
How the book presents it: The book presents competing or mixed signals about this.
Talk about: How might Frank honour his family while making choices about his own identity and relationships?
Communication and relationships
Frank and Joy pretend to date to make it easier to see other people, and Frank’s relationships lead him to reconsider love and himself.Provisional readingProvisional: the reviewed evidence does not establish how the book treats this theme. The evidence gap is listed under Confidence & Basis.Provisional: the reviewed evidence does not establish how the book treats this theme. The evidence gap is listed under Confidence & Basis.
Talk about: What might honesty and trust look like when people use a shared plan to manage family expectations?
✦
Why It May Be Worth Reading
It may prompt thoughtful conversation about what honesty and trust require when family rules conflict with a young person’s choices, and how culture and identity shape belonging.
!
What Deserves Attention
Content includes a parent’s death, a shooting and a fight; kissing and sex, including loss of virginity and sexual jokes; racial slurs and frequent strong language; and references to drugs, cigarettes and drinking, sometimes to excess.
↔
A Conversation Worth Having
If Frank’s family expectations feel familiar, how might someone balance respect for family with honesty about their own relationships and identity?
◇
Reading Approach
Consider checking in before and after the sections involving illness and loss. If sexual content or slurs are a concern, agree whether your reader would prefer to discuss those passages together.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
Family expectations and identity: Family expectations differ, and the story centres on Frank’s experience.
Communication and relationships: The pretend-dating pact leads to complications in Frank and Joy’s relationships.
Suitabook