A great book with a healthy dose of feel good thrown in along with some ups and downs. An easy read that keeps you hooked in and invested in the story.

Still unwritten by Caroline Khoury is a light, short read about an aspiring actress and a k-pop idol that find each other when they needed it the most.
I really liked the diversity in the book, there were characters from Korea, Italy, Brazil, England and the journey of the fmc took her in many countries over the time span of one week. The author manages to describe each of this places beautifully and that helped me feel more connected to their sotries.
The story was a bit unrealistic at times. I feel like their relationship was too intense and not written about enough to make me belive it. The mcs stories unravels in the second half of the book and i think it made the book seem more real. But the end felt a little bit rushed.
And also Taylor Swift was mentioned too much.

The genuine and relatable friendship between Francesca and Clara was the standout highlight for me in this book. Their connection added profound depth to the narrative, portraying a bond that felt authentic and tangible. Beyond being heartwarming, their moments together radiated a remarkable strength that enriched the overall storytelling experience.

Francesca's journey of self-discovery and personal growth emerged as a captivating thread throughout the book. Witnessing her evolution, maturation, and the opening of her heart added layers of complexity to her character, making her narrative truly compelling. Simultaneously, Jae-seung embarked on his own quest, navigating his past and unraveling a deeper sense of self-awareness.

As the story unfolded, it transitioned into an easier, more relaxed read, creating a laid-back vibe towards the end. This shift in tone contributed to the book's overall enjoyability, making it an accessible and engaging read for those seeking a more leisurely literary experience.


This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The standout highlight for me in this book was the genuine friendship shared between Francesca and Clara. It felt relatable and real—a bond that added so much depth to the story. Their moments together weren't just heartwarming; they exuded this incredible strength that truly enhanced the narrative.

Fran's journey of self-discovery and growth was a captivating aspect throughout the book. She evolved, matured, and opened her heart in a way that felt truly compelling. Meanwhile, Jae-seung was on his own quest, navigating his past and discovering a deeper sense of self-awareness.

As the story unfolded, it became an easier, more relaxed read. Towards the end, it offered a laid-back vibe, making it an enjoyable and accessible book to dive into.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

Still Unwritten follows Fran, an aspiring actress in London trying to accomplish her dream and find her MIA mom, when her path crosses with K-Pop idol Jaeseung and romance ensues,
Except, it falls short of becoming a romance you feel for.
While I found Jaeseung loveable and Fran sweet, and I did like their chemistry, the book's pacing becomes its major weak link: the romance is incredibly insta-lovey and there is simply an unrealistic and awfully convenient lot of traveling for a broke actress (Seoul, Sicily, New York in just ONE WEEK? girl.)
The book's pacing is simply too hectic and fast to develop any strong foundation for an impactful romance, it feels like the author wanted to write three different books and packed it all in one. Even then, the bond between the characters was cute, just too rushed for my liking.
My other big gripe with this book is how it discusses the world of K-Pop. At first, I thought maybe I was just too knowledgeable and invested in the subject matter but if K-pop fans can't enjoy this book because of the way it's handled, then who will? My guess is this book is aimed towards K-pop fans so it feels like this book doesn't recognize its audience. Ranging from simply incorrect facts (such as K-Pop acts ever opening for other groups or needing openers) down to some stereotypical assumptions ("his physique was manufactured" "idols can't write their own songs") which frankly made me uncomfortable, and the use of real artists (BTS) as a HEAVY plot point to the point where it almost feels like fanfiction ("I remember Jungkook talking about the pressure he felt as the main vocalist of BTS" like...) which also made me uncomfortable: it almost felt like the author hates kpop but wanted to write about a hot idol.
All in all, the characters were fine, but there is not much else that grabbed my attention or made me fall in love with the book, more like turned me a bit off from the general story. 2.7.

Still Unwritten is indeed a fast-paced romance that follows Fran and Jae-seung's journey of finding each other, opening up themselves to the possibilities in front of them and just accepting love.

I loved how the story flowed with soft promises of healing and happiness. The author explores the other side of the music industry in South Korea, bringing out the discipline and routine maintained to achieve the perfection that is seen outside. This was quite interesting and at times difficult to read about as we discover Jae-seung's insecurities, vulnerabilities and what is most beautiful is how he learns to grow from it. In this respect, his connection with Fran and their journey together to find her mother helps him to heal in some ways.

I also enjoyed reading about Fran's journey and though her story was a sad one, her eventual acceptance of it and healing is wonderful. The author does not gloss over the emotions of the characters. She takes time to explore them and bring them to the forefront, helping the characters to express themselves. Through their journey, she gives insight that might help readers who identify with those emotions.

The story is set across different cities in the world and the reader will feel as if they are in each place with the characters as they explore both the places and their thoughts. This is also a story of healing, finding oneself, as well as what starts out as a forbidden romance and turns into something else entirely. In the end, this is a love story that deserves mention and to be told.

Forty-eight hours to find her passion. Seven days to find his way back on stage. One chance to take a risk on love. If Fran doesn’t nail this audition for a major TV role, she’s officially done as an actress. She just needs to tap into her inner seductress… who doesn’t seem to exist.

Enter stage Jae-seung.

To Fran, he’s just her landlord’s ridiculously hot nephew, helping her rehearse. To the rest of the world, Jae-seung is lead singer of global sensation, JYNKS – and he’s missing in action.

Together, they embark on an international journey of Fran, to track down her estranged mother and unlock her tightly guarded heart; Jae-seung, to continue (reluctantly) with his tour rehearsals. The chemistry between them is off the charts. But Jae-seung’s life is in South Korea, under strict contracts and constant scrutiny. Would a fling unleash Fran’s passion, or break the heart she’s learning to open?

Fran is a very difficult character to relate to. The choices she makes are so confusing and at times feel flakey and immature. I didn't find the chemistry between these characters believable and I also think this may skew to a younger audience as the "K-pop" theme is even younger than what my kids listen to. Over all, just not a perfect fit for me.

More young adult than adult fiction. I initially liked the story before it became a little juvenile and far fetched. Perhaps I was the wrong audience.

Struggling actress + K- pop Singer + Taking a chance on love = This book!

She needs to find her passion, quick! And he's willing to help her.

This book opened my eyes and taught me so many things about the Korean Culture and K - pop.
The bulb & cover may bring this book across as a light hearted comedy ready which in some parts it is, but it also has some hard hitting topics. It includes & mentions anxiety, dementia, suicide, parental abandonment and lying. This might be noting before reading as it may become a trigger for some.

I enjoyed this book and it kept me hooked throughout the read. Wanting to see how they progressed as a couple, how she struggled through her life and finding her answers.
I was left with a few questions with how some of the scenarios became realistic, how did she afford everything ( some expenses were covered by him) and how they both delt with the jet lag.

I will be giving this book 3.5 stars.

I was kindly gifted an ARC copy of this book in return of a honest review.

A romance involving a k-pop idol?!? I’m in! The premise of this — a failing Italian actress meets a Korean idol while living in England — was so promising to me, but ultimately it just wasn’t really for me.

I loved the diversity here, with representation from all over the globe, especially bilingual characters — I feel like I haven’t read many romances with that. But at the same time, it almost read like the author had never been to any of the places the characters were from/visited. Some copy editing or fact-checking would have helped some of this, like the fact that hurricanes don’t move south on the east coast or cover the whole thing all at once, or that there two US states in which you are not allowed to pump your own gas and Virginia is not one of them. It also rubbed me the wrong way that almost immediately the stereotype of Koreans being “the most polite culture in the world” is mentioned multiple times, but Italians, Brazilians, Americans, and Brits — of whom there are many — are not commented on as a cultural monolith, even off the cuff or inconsequentially.

I also had a hard time believing the two main characters’ connection. Their stilted, unrealistic dialogue didn’t really help, but maybe the instant love trope just isn’t for me. The fact that they both had an incredible amount of trauma to work through grew really frustrating as well because the themes felt very YA, which isn’t what I signed up for.

Part of why I struggled to connect with both the characters and dialogue might be due to the fact that there’s a lot of telling instead of showing, and unfortunately that made the writing feel less strong to me than it could have been.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is not a light romance but is a light read. This story goes deep into the two main characters and their struggles. This book does require you suspend disbelief but if you can do that it is in excellent read. I was very invested in the female lead and her growth throughout the book. Once I started reading I could not put it down.

Initially, I thought this book started out really well; a wannabe actress practising for a starring role, enter a mysterious guy who she is charmed by. The chemistry between them is well depicted throughout, it made me feel excited that this mysterious K Pop sensation would fall for an aspiring actress. But during the middle and the end of the novel, it felt a bit rushed as there we're secrets being spilled by Jae Seung and then Fran and I felt it could have been distributed more evenly throughout the novel.The way this novel is written is more YA as opposed to general fiction - with the song lyrics/poetry at the end of each chapter, it is something out of a YA novel. It didn't stop me from enjoying it though. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

I really enjoyed Caroline Khoury's third book, which whisks the reader around the world from bustling Seoul. idyllic Sicilian beaches, hectic New York and the more familiar South London setting of New Malden.

'Still Unwritten' is a delicious romantic tale with two people who don't want to fall in love. Francesca, an aspiring actress who can't quite catch a break, and Jae-Seung, who appears in Fran's life as a barista but is so much more. In fact, he's the front man of one of Korea's hottest pop bands, JYNKS.

Sparks fly as soon as the two see each other, but Jae-Seung is only in town for 48 hours and Fran's not a one-night stand kind of girl so what can they do? Fran's best friend is the exhuberant Clara, a Brazilian woman who encourages Francesca to follow her dreams whatever they may be, and to live a little in love.

The romance between Francesca and Jae-Seung is beautifully written, they are both quite sheltered people who can't quite believe they feel like this about someone else. Their friends and family provide extra storylines that added a lot to both of their backstories, and I appreciated the sensitivity in how the dementia journey was portrayed.

All in all, another wonderful international romance from this lovely author.

I really liked this one! It was a pretty quick read for me, which is always a plus! I had never read anything from this author before, but I will def be reading more! Thank you, Netgalley!

I received this ARC in return for an honest review
I feel like some of it was far fetched. It was an easy read but I guess not what I was expecting. Seemed more juvenile than adult reading. Overall I think it was an okay book, just not for me,

Let me get this straight: You have two extremely part time jobs, occasionally get walk on roles in forgettable endeavors, and can still manage to not only fly around the world with almost no advance notice, but live without roommates in one of the most expensive cities in the world? I never got to the suspension of disbelief with this one, is my point.

I wanted to enjoy this book a lot more but it didn't expire me as much as I thought it would unfortunately.

I have heard how rigorous the training and touring schedules are for K Pop bands and the infatuation that the fans have for the members. It is not coincidence that Jae-sung felt the need to take a step back and surround himself with family and a simpler way of life. I enjoyed the first encounter that Francesca had with him and the magic that surrounded it. Francesca was admirable in the fact that she left everything behind in Sicily to pursue her dream of becoming an actress even though she had a career as a nurse and the purported love of her life. It was sad at first her driving factor to be an actress due to her mother's abandonment; however, she pushed on. Her caring spirit was evident in her taking care of her grandma and how she looked after Clara. I was glad she follows her heart both professionally and personally and as a result, found great success in both. She believed in herself. Her and Jae were certainly better together than apart.

This book was a lot more than the cover and blurb promised - instead of a light-hearted romcom it was a story of two lost souls trying to find their place in life; a lot of trauma and anxiety, complex familial relationships and explorations of stardom and the entertainment industry. I really liked the back stories of both mcs and was invested in their developments. I also loved the diversity of the characters and the inclusion of bilingualism.

That being said, the writing was a little bit cheesy at times and some inclusions of Italian words and phrases were downright jarring to read. As a person that grew up in Italy and now lives in an English speaking country I could both relate to Francesca and also frequently rolled my eyes at her. Ma dai indeed.

I also wasn't fully convinced by the romance. It was cute and I didn't mind it, but it definitely wasn't the focal point of the book for me. Overall this was a solid 3.5 stars for me.

Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC!

The characters were adult age but this felt very much like they were teenagers? I had a fanfiction vibe that isn’t something I want in an adult romance novel. It just wasn’t for me, I think.