Book Reviews

Review: The Do-Over by Suzanne Park

The Do-Over is a book about second chances and changing dreams. For anyone who has ever felt a little stuck, this is for you. As a longtime fan of Suzanne Park, this was another winner. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.

Summary

Lily Lee is a bestselling author of the How to Be a Supernova At Work series, and her editor wants her to strike while the iron’s hot with a new book, How to Land the Perfect Job. But when Lily is offered a coveted position at a top firm, the employer background check reveals she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree. Unbelievably, her worst nightmare has come true.

Lily returns to her alma mater, reliving her senior year of college ten years later. She enrolls in classes, gets invited to frat parties, eats most of her meals with “dining dollars,” and to make things even more weird and chaotic, she discovers that her computer science TA is her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho.

As Lily and Jake reconnect, she sees that her ex has done well for himself: the handsome, charming grad student appears to have his life together while Lily’s so close to losing her dream job opportunity and her book deal.

Things aren’t so simple the second time around.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The Do-Over is a book that explores mental health in the Asian community, the pressure to succeed, and second chances. I instantly connected with Lily. Maybe it’s our similar names? But I loved how she’s always looking to the next thing. She’s gone through so many periods of re-invention, but she’s always trying to prepare and jump the next hurdle. To try to always do the next right thing. So when she finds out she hasn’t actually graduated, it throws a huge wrench in her plans.

I can’t even imagine how much I’d be thrown for a loop! She’s given advice to see this as another chance – and not punishment – but for her it’s a difficult piece of advice to actualize. From the beginning, I saw myself reflected in Lily. In her fears and vulnerabilities especially in looking at a possible different career direction? The Do-Over is a testament to how we can never have new experiences too late.

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Now we don’t all have to go back to college, but it’s a reminder that it’s never too late to try a new approach. And that, most importantly, we have permission to fail. It’s just another step in our success. I loved how Park still instills The Do-Over with characteristic charming side characters. The Do-Over flew before my eyes. It is heart warming and charming at the same time. Find The Do-Over on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

Who is your favorite unconventional college student MC?


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