Review: This Time It's Real by Ann Liang

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Scholastic Canada in exchange for an honest review.

 This Time It's Real

by Ann Liang 

February 7, 2023

Goodreads Summary:

Get ready to fall in love in this hilarious romcom about a girl who begins a fake relationship with the famous actor in her class, perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han.

When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin’s essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favorite magazine…and a massive secret to keep.

Eliza made her essay up. She’s never been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right?

Desperate to hide the truth, Eliza strikes a deal with the famous actor in her class, the charming but aloof Caz Song. She’ll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. Caz is a dream boyfriend -- he passes handwritten notes to her in class, makes her little sister laugh, and takes her out on motorcycle rides to the best snack stalls around the city.

But when her relationship with Caz starts feeling a little too convincing, all of Eliza’s carefully laid plans are threatened. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?

Review

It's been a while since I've picked up a YA contemporary novel that gave me all the warm and fuzzy feels. This Time It's Real is a beautiful exploration of one's fears and doubts. The cultural representation especially was so accurate and relatable.

The family dynamics in This Time It's Real was the best. Eliza respected her parents and they gave her space to grow and learn on her own. And while they were not the best of friends, Eliza and her sister got along nicely. When Eliza needed advice, her family was there to help her. They were so lovely.

Growing up the way Eliza had (moving around a lot), it was no wonder she felt insecure and vulnerable. Her pushing people away was a form of self-protection. I was sad for how alone she felt then very glad her views started shifting after meeting Caz. Now, I would've liked to see Eliza face the consequences of her lies. In fact, I feel a bit dissatisfied that we saw no actual punishment...

Caz Song was pretty dreamy. Maybe a little too perfect with how good he was at most things. I loved that he showed Eliza what she was missing out on. They were funny and genuine together and later on surprisingly quite sweet. Caz really put himself out there for Eliza.

Full of realistic fears and tender moments, This Time It's Real was thought-provoking and heartwarming. Teenage me would've loved this book. It's the real deal.

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.