“If love is like a possession, maybe my letters are like my exorcisms” – Jenny Han, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
April 15, 2024 officially marks 10 years since the release of the novel To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. As someone who is a huge fan of both the book and movie series. I cannot believe that it has been 10 years since the release of the first book in her beloved series.
The To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (TATBILB) book is dear to me because I see so much of myself in Lara Jean Song Covey’s character. I am an Asian American girl who loves the romance genre, reading, baking, driving makes me anxious, and I have a strong bond with my older sister just to list a few similarities. Growing up as an Asian American I did not see Asian female characters portrayed in ways that felt relatable or were beyond stereotypes. However, when I first read TATBILB when I was in middle school that changed. I felt seen. I loved reading an Asian American girl as the main character in a romance novel and later seeing an Asian American female lead in the film adaptation of the first book. Jenny even acknowledges this in her letter to fans referring to Lara Jean as “the kind of girl who isn’t usually the main character” (Han, 2023). I also love the depiction of sisterhood between Asian American girls in the story, which also resonates with me. Additionally, I find Jenny Han to be an inspirational figure as she is a voice for women and the Asian American community through the arts as an author, screenwriter, and producer.
A little backstory, I first read the book when I was in middle school and immediately fell in love with Lara Jean’s character. I would bake the recipes included in limited editions of the book or try to find recipes on Pinterest on baked goods mentioned throughout the novel. I dressed up as Lara Jean for school on Book Character Dress Up Day by attempting to recreate the P.S. I Still Love You outfit the model wears on the book cover. As you can tell I am a fangirl for all things To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. My middle school librarian knew I was a fan of the series and when she attended a book convention she showed Jenny Han a picture of me in the costume and she signed a book for me telling me how much she loved it. It meant a lot to me that my librarian remembered that I loved Jenny’s work and that she got her to sign a book for me. This was something that made the book series extra sentimental to me even to this day.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary, I re-read the story by listening to the audiobook and I re-watched all three movies on Netflix. I am so happy it has been 10 years since the character Lara Jean was introduced into the world by Jenny Han. The books are light-hearted and fun reads for teens and older.
Jenny Han released a Special Keepsake edition of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before on March 19, 2024, to commemorate the 10th anniversary. If you are interested in purchasing one there are various retailers you can BUY it from. I ordered mine as soon as it was available and it is super cute. It is a lovely peach color with pretty daisy flower embellishments. It is formatted like a small journal and includes a touching letter from Jenny Han to her supporters, a sweet nod to the value that letters hold in the story.
I recommend reading Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before book and watching the film adaptation. I also suggest reading the entire trilogy or watching all the movies too. You could even try some baking recipes inspired by the book or movie. Happy 10 Years To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before!