❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃

Review: Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Frank Li is a Korean-American whose parents only allow him to date Korean girls. When Frank falls for Brit, a white girl, he is unsure how to break the news to his parents. But, lucky for him, he doesn’t have to. Joy, a family friend, is stuck in a similar situation with her Chinese boyfriend, and thus the two decide to fake date in order to satisfy their parents while they continue to date their actual partners in secret. However, things don’t go as smoothly when Frank and Joy start to fall in love for real.

❀ Frank is relatable, yet stereotypical

I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about Frank. I suppose he is relatable as he is struggling with his identity, but I think he’s kind of a bad person. He cheats on his girlfriend and acts like he is ashamed of her in order to impress his parents, and he doesn’t see an issue with this. Honestly, Frank is a stereotypical teenager, and this seems to be the trend for many other aspects of the book.

❀ Pacing is Slow

My main issue with the book is how poorly it is written. For starters, the pacing is a mess. The majority of the book is incredibly slow paced with little to no plot, but at the same time, there is way too much going on, and out of nowhere. Events that seem pretty significant are just thrown in for the sake of attempting to create plot. One instance of this is when Frank’s dad gets shot. Without context or reason behind this, I don’t care. There is far too much drama and not enough time spent actually calling out the racism that the book suggests it will defy.

❀ Pretentious writing style

To me, the book would have been much more impactful had Frank ended up with Bri, the person his parents forbid him from dating, instead of dumping her for Joy, the Korean girl his parents always wanted for him, as this would have shown more resistance to Frank’s parents’ racism. On top of this, the author goes for the pretentious, overly metaphorical writing style, but it only makes him come across as though he is trying too hard. Yes, the Frank Li/Frankly bit is clever, but not when it is repeated that many times. This writing style allows for the book to drag on with internal monologue that is meant to sound profound, and I would have preferred actual action.

❀ Clichéd Story

Frankly in Love by David Yoon is a clichéd and stereotypical story about fake dating and identity. The main character is difficult to root for, and the writing is subpar. I’m not sure I would recommend this one as it is not only boring, but in my opinion, it also fails to comment and truly oppose Frank’s parents’ racism which seems to be its main goal.

About David Yoon

David Yoon grew up in Orange County, California, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Nicola Yoon, and their daughter. He drew the illustrations for Nicola’s #1 New York Times bestseller Everything, Everything. Frankly in Love is his first novel.

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About The Candid Cover

Olivia ❀ YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, novice New Yorker, & professional bibliophile.