Why it's essential
Growing up and having crushes is hard. Jenny Han captures the joys and struggles of high school and first love, as well as the heartaches of loss and betrayal, through the singular eyes of Lara Jean and the voice of Ali Ahn.
Featured in The Top 100 Romance Listens of All Time and The Top 100 Screen Adaptations of All Time.
What is To All the Boys I've Loved Before about?
A young adult romance, To All the Boys I've Loved Before is also a coming-of-age story and an exploration of the bond between sisters. It centers on 16-year-old Lara Jean Song Covey, a smart, shy half-Korean girl and the middle of three sisters whose mother died six years ago, and how her life is upended when five boys receive the letters she has written about her secret feelings for them but never intended to send.
Editor's review
Mysia ("Misha") is a book person who loves escaping into twisty mysteries and contemporary fiction driven by complicated characters.
Ah, young love! The thrill never gets old. That’s why one of my favorite escapes is YA Romance—and I’m far from alone. Based on a study by Publisher’s Weekly, more than half of young adult fiction fans are older adults. I also have a fondness for the art of writing love letters. (Though I'm hoping a certain ex-boyfriend burned the many gushy missives I mailed him over the course of our three-year long-distance relationship.) So, it’s no surprise that I was drawn to Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. I first heard about the book when I saw the trailer for the Netflix movie, which features one of my fave actors, the hunky and sensitive John Corbett. in the role of a caring single dad. (Yes, back in my Sex in the City fangirl days, I was team Aidan—and I absolutely adored Corbett in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.) After watching the movie, I wanted to spend more time with these characters, so, naturally, I gave the book a listen.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the story of 16-year-old Lara Jean Song Covey, who lives in Virginia with her two sisters and their dad. She’s the middle child and, though they’re only two years apart, has been protected by her big sister, Margot, since their mom died six years ago. Lara Jean cherishes the lovely teal hatbox her mother gave her, and that’s where she keeps her secret letters. Whenever she has a crush on a boy, she writes him a love letter, pouring out her heart and soul. She addresses them to each boy but never intends to send them—they’re a way for her to work through her feelings. The letters are for her eyes only. Lara Jean has written love letters to five boys—including Peter from seventh grade and their neighbor Josh, who is now Margot’s boyfriend—and moved on. Or so she thinks—until, one by one, the boys tell her they got her letter.
The plot, which centers on Peter and Josh, is filled with twists and tension. It involves a carefully orchestrated fake relationship, rumors, jealousy, misunderstandings, and the spark of first love. Romance aside, what I love about this novel is how Lara Jean evolves from a naïve, shy, dreamy girl to a self-aware, responsible young woman. Throughout, Han emphasizes the importance of culture—the girls are half Korean and honor their mom’s heritage—and family. Surviving pettiness and anger, the bond between the Song sisters is unshakeable, and that’s truly something for readers and listeners of all ages to love.
Did you know?
Author Jenny Han was inspired to write the novel by her own habit of writing love letters to boys she had crushes on as a teenager. Like the Song sisters, she is Korean-American and grew up in Virginia.
The massive success of the Netflix adaptation of To All the Boys I've Loved Before sparked a search for similarly kind-hearted, emotionally intelligent rom-coms within the book industry, dubbed by Publisher’s Weekly as "the Han Effect."
What listeners said
"This story was wonderful. I was unsure if I would enjoy this or not, since it is intended for a younger audience. but ohmygosh, I enjoyed this so much. It is sweet and precious. and the love that persists and grows is so enchanting. I cannot wait to listen to the next audiobooks in this series." –Kelsey, Audible listener
"Loved it! I wasn’t ready for the teenage drama. I knew it would make [me] cry. And the family drama too. Urgh! I loved Ali Ahn’s narration; she does know how to tell a story." –Aline, Audible listener
"Even though this was a story about high school kids, I loved it as a 31 year old. It had a good story about family and character development. I liked it so much I got the next book because I have to know what comes next." –Megan, Audible listener
Quotes from To All the Boys I've Loved Before
"When someone's been gone a long time, at first you save up all the things you want to tell them. You try to keep track of everything in your head. But it's like trying to hold on to a fistful of sand: all the little bits slip out of your hands, and then you're just clutching air and grit."
"It’s fun to think of the what-if. Scary, but fun. It’s like, I thought this door was closed before, but here it is open just the tiniest crack. What if?"
"Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore."
"Do you think there's a difference? Between belonging with and belonging to?"
"It's not like in the movies. It's better, because it's real."
Adaptations
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was adapted into a Netflix film, starring Lana Condor as Lara Jean and Noah Centineo as Peter, in 2018. More than 85 million subscribers watched the film in its first month of release. The successive books in the trilogy, P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, Lara Jean were also adapted into wildly popular Netflix films, with Lana Condor reprising her role as Lara Jean.
About the author
Jenny Han is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two YA Romance series, To All the Boys I've Loved Before and the Summer trilogy, kicking off with The Summer I Turned Pretty. Her books have been published in more than 30 languages and adapted for screen. She served as an executive producer on the films To All the Boys I've Loved Before, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, and To All the Boys: Always and Forever, all on Netflix, and is the creator and co-showrunner of XO Kitty, a spinoff series starring the youngest Song sister, which released on Netflix in May 2023. She is also the creator and co-showrunner of The Summer I Turned Pretty series on Prime Video.
About the performer
Ali Ahn has been featured in more than a dozen television series, including Ugly Betty, Louie, Supernatural, Billions, and most recently in the role of Suzanne Wu on Netflix's Raising Dion and as Eidra Park on Prime Video's The Diplomat. Her film credits include Liberal Arts (2012) and Landline (2017). As a voice actor, she has narrated numerous audiobooks across a range of genres, including Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson and several installments in the beloved series, The Baby-Sitters Club.
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