Tag: emiko jean

ALC Book Review: Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Emiko Jean
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: February 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Tokyo Ever After comes a laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving rom-com about a girl who starts receiving letters from the love of her life—writing to her from years in the future.

What if your true love could write to you from the future?

Seventeen-year-old Emma Nakamura-Thatcher doesn’t believe in love, not after her parents’ bitter divorce. So when she attends the festival of Tanabata, her wish is simple: proof that love is real and can last.

Emma thinks little of her wish…until she finds a note from someone claiming to be her greatest love writing to her from the future. It has to be a prank, right? But as the notes pour in, each revealing secrets only she knows, Emma is forced to accept the impossible: This is really happening. Someone is actually reaching out to her from across time.

But who? Ezra, the musical prodigy who makes her pulse race? Theo, the literal boy next door who’s known her since childhood? Or Colin, the overly confident, overly handsome, overly rich kid she meets while cleaning his mega-mansion?

As Emma races to uncover the identity of the letter writer, she’ll discover that love is more than real—it’s the most powerful force in the universe. And it’s been waiting for her all along.

Thank you Simon Teen for the eARC and Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

A SWEET READ.

I will say I loved that this felt truly YA and a book I could hand to that audience as well. It’s content appropriate with relatable characters and a storyline that works for the age group. As a fellow child of divorce I thought the rep here was on point too.

The one thing I’m still tilting my head at was the *letters from the future*. I was intrigued by the idea initially and based off of how I thought it would end I was excited to see everything come together. BUT BUT BUT then, when the ending did come up I felt like the letters didn’t even matter anymore and it took away from the overall story for me.

I adored the soft romance for Emma. And I just liked Emma. She’s likeable and endearing and making mistakes while also trying to do the right thing and was someone I wanted to cheer on. I liked seeing her relationship with her parents and those around her and how Emma tried to navigate many different situations.

I’ll definitely continue to read Emiko Jean’s books!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: divorce

Book Review: Tokyo Dreaming (Tokyo Ever After #2) by Emiko Jean

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Emiko Jean
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: May 31st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true.

Only…

Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.

But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?

Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Emiko Jean’s Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After

THE FIRST WAS BEST.

This was cute, don’t get me wrong. But I wish that the first was maybe a touch longer and that this book was nixed.

I didn’t love the drama between Izumi and her love interest. It basically created a filler point to add in a LOVE TRIANGLE that wasn’t necessary and let me feeling eh about the whole thing. Though I admit, I’m a sucker for a good grand gesture and this one was really sweet. Izumi nailed it and I am smitten all over again.

The story was filled with a lot of great coming of age discussions. Growing up and finding the right path. Not getting lost in the shuffle of a life someone else wants for you, etc. I adored all of these conversations and they felt very appropriate for the YA audience (even though we were dealing with royals). There’s good friendship learning moments, tough topics with parents and more. All things I really enjoy about the genre.

A solid read, and a great audiobook. I just think I was particular to the first book (of which I gave five stars). But I’m happy in the end with this duo and look forward to what Emiko Jean writes next!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: one closed door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: sexism, classism, panic disorders and panic attacks, bullying

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Book Review: Tokyo Ever After (Tokyo Ever After #1) by Emiko Jean

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Emiko Jean
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: May 18th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity… and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.

In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.

Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American” enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?

A NEW FAVORITE GEM.

I don’t know why I DNF this book the first time I picked it up, because it was AMAZING. OH MY GOODNESS. Maybe the audio really brought it to life to me, I just know everyone else needs to read this too.

Izumi was one of the best YA main characters I’ve ever read. I adored her positive outlook and her pure nature. She was kind to everyone around her and not afraid to apologize, learn, and do better. Izumi was passionate about learning her Japanese heritage and I liked the conversations about being Asian-American in the US and balancing cultures as she lived in Japan.

Talk about an absolutely PRECIOUS romance between the princess and bodyguard!! It was everything. I loved all of the tiny moments they got together, that ending had me absolutely swooning and I just couldn’t get enough.

Also, Izumi’s Dad was amazing??? I had big fears he was going to be closed-off, upset, whatever it may be after finding out about having a daughter. BUT NO, HE WAS SO WONDERFUL. I loved the way he loved Izumi and how they both worked through getting to know one another and all that entails as a parent/child relationship.

I could truly keep going. I have nothing but good things to say about this absolute gem and will be talking it up for awhile.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary + Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: bullying, racism, stereotyping

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