17 discussion topics
Cassia Park, nearly 40, believes in soul mates. Fated love stories. It’s her family business, after all—for centuries, from Korea...
Cassia Park, nearly 40, believes in soul mates. Fated love stories. It’s her family business, after all—for centuries, from Korea to Los Angeles, Park women have peered into clients’ past lives to find their one true love, their “fated.” This magical secret (they can see past life connections by reading faces) is why One & Only Matchmaking has a 100% guarantee…for everyone but Cassia.
Ten years ago, Cassia glimpsed her own fated: Daniel Nam, a landscape architect. Problem: she hasn’t been able to find him since. She’s searched everywhere. Daniel is a ghost. Tired of waiting, on the eve of her 40th birthday, Cassia decides to forget her troubles through an uncharacteristically impulsive weekend fling with Ellis—a 28-year-old landscape architect she meets by chance. He’s young, carefree, spontaneous, everything Daniel presumably isn’t. Their connection is immediate, undeniable, wildly sexy. Cassia knows he’s not her fated, but maybe that’s okay. Maybe she can have fun anyway. Then Ellis introduces her to his boss.
His boss is Daniel Nam. Cassia is torn between the security of stability with 42-year-old Daniel (her fated, the man she’s searched for a decade) and the excitement of spontaneity with carefree 28-year-old Ellis. As she battles between fate and chance, head and heart, a family secret is revealed that will make her question everything she’s ever known about fated matches, her family’s gift, and what love really means. Cassia will have to decide if she’ll follow her fate…or make her own.
The Plot/Key Appeal: Maurene Goo’s adult debut (known for acclaimed YA). Think In Five Years meets millennial The Joy Luck Club. Korean-American family magic woven throughout—matchmaking practices going back generations. The love triangle is genuinely compelling: Daniel represents security, the “right” choice, what she’s supposed to want. Ellis represents freedom, passion, choosing for herself. But Goo subverts expectations brilliantly. Cassia is 40, mature, independent woman running family business—refreshing protagonist. Family dynamics rich and textured: her mother’s expectations, generational pressures, cultural traditions vs. modern life. Los Angeles setting vibrant—food descriptions are luscious. Romance is steamy without being gratuitous. Questions asked: is true love fated? How much control do we have? Is there a “right” choice? What happens when destiny disappoints? Goo deftly weaves swoon-worthy story brimming with heart, doesn’t shy from tougher topics of grief (Cassia’s father died), but core is absolute delight. Library Journal starred review.
Why It’s Trending:
- Read with Jenna Pick February 2026!
- Released February 3, 2026 (yesterday).
- Jenna Bush Hager: “perfect book for February…you’ll read it in one sitting. About fate versus free will, love and commitment, mother and daughters.”
- Oprah Daily Most Anticipated.
- Town & Country Most Anticipated Romance.
- Goodreads New Red-Hot Romance.
- Harper’s Bazaar Most Anticipated.
- Rebecca Serle: “swoony, funny, romantic novel about fate, love, and the best food in Los Angeles.”
- Veronica Roth: “warm, lush, addictive story with just the right amount of magic.”
- Katherine Center: “meet my new favorite book!”
For fans of: Emily Henry, magical realism romance, Korean-American fiction, love triangles, food-centric novels, later-in-life romance, family business stories, fate vs. free will debates.
Book clubs will devour: discussions about soulmates (do you believe?), family expectations, cultural traditions, choosing passion vs. security, mother-daughter relationships, magical realism in romance.
