I’m a huge fan of Lyla Lee having adored I’ll Be the One. So when I saw the reveal for Flip the Script, I knew I had to read it! If you’re searching for the perfect summer romance, then you have to add this to your TBR! Even more so if you’re a K-Drama fan. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
As an avid watcher of K-dramas, Hana knows all the tropes to avoid when she finally lands a starring role in a buzzy new drama. And she can totally handle her fake co-star boyfriend who might be falling in love with her. After all, she promised the producers a contract romance, and that’s all they’re going to get from her.
But when showrunners bring on a new girl to challenge Hana’s role as main love interest—and worse, it’s someone Hana knows all too well—can Hana fight for her position on the show while falling for her on-screen rival in real life?
-K-drama lovers will fall for all the fan-favorite tropes that make for a hit show.
-Romance is everywhere in this swoony, joy-filled novel, with fake dating, a secret relationship, and a classic love triangle!
-Visit South Korea as Hana takes readers through popular spots and hidden gems.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: sexism, homophobia
What I love about Flip the Script is how its soul lies in the characters. The premise of being cast in a K-Drama where your nemesis is actually your maybe crush? That went straight to the heart. Flip the Script is swoony. I loved watching this tentative love bloom. At the same time, Lee does not shy away from the homophobia in the industry. The ways that a crush is never just a crush. It can become a career ender, threatening of our safety, or even just the delicate balancing act of admitting it to someone who might not return our feelings.
Flip the Script tackles very real issues of censorship and the pressures of show business – in connection with homophobia. At the same time, Lee illustrates the pressures of acting. How tentative and tenuous everything feels. The knowledge that our ruin could just be around the corner. Flip the Script highlights the necessity of always hustling, of appeasing our fans, and of maintaining an image. But what room does it leave for love and our personal lives?
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
In Flip the Script the romance is wonderfully balanced with the realism. The precious moments of butterflies with the secret lives we maintain in order to be safe. The hatred she gets online from fans with the joy of a bisexual romance heroine falling in love. The question is just whether their love is going to be enough to withstand the storm. If in this industry of perception, she can trust anyone to make out a space for themselves. Fans of K-Dramas and heroines who struggle with the imposter syndrome and diaspora feels will love Flip the Script.
Find Flip the Script on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.