I enjoyed the romance between Ari & Jihoon, and how it started slowly but grew quickly due to their sudden roommate situation. They're both loveable, sweet though flawed characters and their story is more than how they come together but how they also grow as people. This is my second Lily Chu book and, so far, I love how she writes grounded characters in outlandish set-ups.

As in The Stand-In, The Comeback also has a subplot centred around family dynamics and in this book Ari has to deal with her strained relationship with her older sister and managing the expectations of her workaholic father. I mostly enjoyed this subplot as well though I was hoping for a more cathartic confrontation between Ari and her older sister Phoebe. 

To be blunt: Phoebe came off as a hypocrite when she was calling out Ari's issues. I get that the focus is on Ari's growth and Phoebe's presence & tough love are supposed to push that but all I could think was "Who is Phoebe to get on Ari's case? Also, Ari's not wrong in reading Phoebe's comments as judgment because they read like passive-aggressive judgment and are condescending". 

Hana also has a similar role, being the friend to push Ari out of her comfort zone and voice certain truths Ari doesn't want to hear. I think Hana does it better because she's more respectful of Ari's boundaries and less dismissive compared to Phoebe. So I feel like this role could have just been filled by Hana rather than dividing it between Hana & Phoebe.

Even with that minor issue, it was still an enjoyable read and an interesting look at the world of K-pop. I've already added Chu's next book to my TBR and can't wait to read more of her work.

Such a fun listen! Loved the Asian representation and the overall plot. I also liked that the problems in the relationship felt realistic (at least in the context of the plot). Satisfying and lighthearted