Heart-Shaped Karaoke Box by E.R. Hann

I was fortunate to have read an early copy of this book. As well as being a fun read for fans of romance, Heart-Shaped Karaoke Box has an intriguing storyline with more going for it than the traditional romantic tale. Part coming-of-age story, part romance novel, and part cultural book, it explores the theme of a young woman coming into her own and finding satisfaction in her relationships and within herself when she moves from Canada to Japan.

Dissatisfied with her life in Canada, Eva leaves behind her home and parents to take on a teaching position in Japan, joining Tobio, a former classmate. Through Eva’s new job and her relationship with Tobio and his parents, author E. R. Hann immerses the reader in the Japanese culture and way of life and shows how Eva, a foreigner, feels self-conscious about her language and actions. 

In this new country, several relationships have a major impact on Eva’s life. Themes of cultural expectations, abusive situations, and the effects of fame, are brought to the surface as Eva gets to know Tobio, then a new guy, Yuya, who sweeps her off her feet. And to complicate matters, Eva meets Miriko, a famous singer, and has to deal with the impact and possible discrimination as their lives come under the scrutiny of the public. Each of those love interests/friendships brings out the various prejudices of society—about preconceptions of different cultures, of tattoo guys with a bad home life and reputation, about sexuality—all of which adds depth to the relationships and the issues they face. 

Eva struggles with these issues as she seeks to find her way in the world and find a genuine long-term relationship. Be prepared for a few twisty turns along her journey of self-discovery. It's a memorable story. I really enjoyed reading Heart-Shaped Karaoke Box, and the further I got into the book, the harder it was to put down.