New Renée Ahdieh Book: Park Avenue
I just read the New Renee Ahdieh book: Park Avenue. This Author Spotlight looks at Renée Ahdieh, the NYT Bestselling Korean American author of 2010s YA fantasy. And, she’s just written a new women’s fiction title, Park Avenue. Let’s look back at her work and see if you’d enjoy Park Avenue!
Author Spotlight: Renee Ahdieh
Renee wrote The Wrath & the Dawn, the first book in a YA fantasy duology, in 2015. The book was a #1 New York Times Bestseller, and US Weekly called it “A riveting Game of Thrones meets Arabian Nights love story.”
In 2017, Ahdieh published the first book in the Flame in the Mist YA fantasy series, a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan. The Washington Post called it a “ fun feudal samurai drama. . .action-packed and well-paced,” while Paste Magazine said, “If you live for books that have lush worlds, swoony romance and non-stop action, you’ll want to read this.”
Ahdieh then wrote a historical vampire book, The Beautiful, in 2019. This was the first book of a four-book series that readers called a sumptuous, sultry, romantic YA vampire story.
But, like many YA authors, Ahdieh has branched out to adult fiction!
Park Avenue by Renee Ahdieh comes out in June 2025!
I thought Park Avenue would be an Upper East Side family drama.
But I’d describe it more as Crazy Rich Asians meets The Partner Track on Netflix.
Aspiring senior law firm partner Jia Song is summoned by the firm’s managing partner for a hand-picked and very important assignment: handle a highly sensitive matter dividing the members of the Park family, who own a multi-billion dollar Korean skin care business.
Yes, the Parks live on Park Avenue, but the story is less about New York and more about a scandal that’s about to tear the family apart. The marriage of Seven and Jenny Park is crumbling.
The three Park children are at each other’s throats:
Chilly Sora is always perfectly dressed yet simmering with unexpressed anger. Amiable MInsoo is hard person to read. And rebellious Suzy seems to take nothing (and no-one) seriously.
As Jia tries to balance diplomacy with some old fashioned manipulation and even underhanded behavior, she will come to understand her own Korean American identity in a new way and reconsider her definition of success.
No, there are no vampires in Park Avenue (666 Park Avenue was where that paranormal stuff was) , but there is a cute house manager, some really well-written characters, a secret mole, and a whole lot of jet setting around the globe.
If you are looking for a fun, page-turning summer book club pick that also has a lot of depth and heart, Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh should be on your list!
Check out some of my other recent book club picks:
The Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Other YA authors I have featured that branched from YA to adult books:
The Park family is a bit Succession adjacent, so check out my list of Suspense Books Like Succession!
OR if you want mysteries and thrillers set in New York City Apartment buildings, check out this list!
