As the rich son of a techie billionaire, Elijah Ri has had everything handed to him. Jessica Lee, meanwhile, grew up with no extra benefits and didn't even bother applying for scholarships, knowing she lacks the connections to impress anyone. But the two have the same Korean name and accidentally end up switching their summer internships at Haneul, Elijah's dad's company: Elijah finds himself in a packed dorm with nine other teens, and Jessica is in a fancy brownstone with a chef/maid, assistant at the company, and a brand-new wardrobe. Since Elijah is desperate for a summer as a regular person and Jessica needs exposure and connections, they agree to stay in their accidentally switched places. They work together on a big event for Haneul and grow closer while lying to their parents together. Soon enough, they're head over heels, too. But as different as they are, can their relationship last? Romance and rom-com lovers will enjoy this case of mistaken identity with flair.

A modern spin on The Prince and the Pauper with a little romance thrown in.Jessica Lee and Elijah Ri are accidentally assigned each other's seats on a Los Angeles to New York City flight because their Korean names, which appear on their IDs, are the same: Yoo-Jin Lee. Jessica, a top student who will be attending junior college while she saves money, worked hard to win a coveted summer intern position with Korean tech company Haneul Corporation despite the misgivings of her Haneul employee father, who feels the company treats its employees poorly. Elijah, the privileged but stifled son of Haneul's Seoul-based CEO, will reluctantly be spending the summer as an executive trainee in the New York office. When they land, the name confusion continues, with Jessica being whisked off to a luxurious townhouse, while Elijah is taken to a cramped, shared apartment. By the time the two figure out what happened, Elijah, tantalized by this glimpse of a life utterly different from his own, proposes they continue as they are, and Jessica agrees. She proves to be an excellent leader, and Elijah makes real friends and real choices for the first time. The teens' navigation of their precarious arrangement and their budding romantic feelings are well depicted and entertaining even as social class and misogyny are thoughtfully explored. Some dialogue contains heavy exposition, sounding unnatural, but the alternating first-person narrative structure works.An amusing and romantic exploration, grounded by serious themes, of living life for yourself. (Fiction. 13-18)

A case of mistaken identity allows two Korean American teens the chance to experience first-time independence while navigating class differences in this dynamic rom-com by Lee (Seoulmates). Eighteen-year-old Los Angeleno Jessica Lee is determined to make the most of her N.Y.C. internship opportunity at Korean tech company Haneul; because of her family’s precarious finances, she believes the company’s prestige is her “one shot to get a step ahead.” Meanwhile, teenage Elijah Ri, who yearns to experience a “life less sheltered,” dreads having to spend the summer managing high expectations while working at his father’s company—Haneul. When the two are mistaken for each other due to sharing the same Korean name, Jessica is whisked into a world of VIP treatment as the executive-in-training, while Elijah enjoys communing with fellow interns who treat him like one of their own. Elijah convinces Jessica to keep up the switch for the summer, and the two bond over their shared passions even as differing life perspectives threaten their budding romance. Told in the two teens’ alternating perspectives and brimming with classic K-drama tropes, this humorous and romantic story sparkles brightest when focused on the protagonist’s rapid-fire banter and gripping emotional connection. Ages 13–up. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary. (Sept.)