APRIL 2023 - AudioFile
Narrator Mimi Chang's youthful voice gives her performance a boost of authenticity as she portrays Eliza, a teenager who is struggling to fit in at her new school. Eliza's life changes overnight when an essay about her made-up boyfriend goes viral. She persuades her classmate Caz--a charming Chinese actor in need of some good PR--to play the part of her boyfriend. Chang keeps her tone decisively calm for Caz, who is used to fame and only pretending to fall in love. Chang's performance is full of mirth and ease as Eliza and Caz explore the city of Beijing and develop real feelings for each other. Chang's exuberant narration will have listeners eager to hear if these two can pull off the greatest fake relationship the Internet has ever seen. J.E.C. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
★ 01/02/2023
Constantly uprooted by her mother’s consulting career, 17-year-old Eliza Lin has lived in six countries and attended 12 elite schools. After years of impermanence, Eliza struggles to fit in anywhere, and feels that her senior year at Westbridge International School in Beijing is going to be her worst one yet. She speaks “mediocre” Chinese and has no friends, prompting her to bury herself in writing. Though she’s initially stumped by a homework assignment to detail a close relationship, she invents an imaginary boyfriend, and the resultant essay, posted online, goes viral. When a popular literary website reaches out to Eliza with an internship opportunity for which she’s expected to offer romantic advice based on her purported relationship, she approaches classmate and wildly popular actor Caz Song with “A Strategic, Mutually Beneficial and Romantically Oriented Alliance to Help Further Our Respective Careers.” Eliza is an enchanting, hilarious, and vulnerable heroine, while Caz proves the quintessential teasing, noble love interest; their cotton candy–sweet budding relationship and ensuing romance make for an irresistible tale by Liang (If You Could See the Sun). Main characters cue as Chinese. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Praise for This Time It's Real:
"A total delight. Laugh out loud funny, sweet, and romantic, this is a sparkling gem of a book." — Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries series and No Words
"Ann Liang's This Time it's Real has it all — a messy but lovable heroine, fake-dating, Beijing! In short, a fun rom-com with loads of heart that is easy to fall for." — Emiko Jean, New York Times bestselling author of Tokyo Ever After
"Poignant, charming, and threaded with undeniable tenderness. The fake dating delivers both epic swoons and profoundly heart-melting moments, and Eliza's journey from self-contained to self-assured is beautifully empowering. I can't wait to read more from Ann Liang." — Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of Today Tonight Tomorrow and See You Yesterday
"Ann Liang pens a rich cultural world in this sparkling coming of age story with beautiful takes on identity and authenticity, and so much heart I thought mine was going to burst. Caz And Eliza are absolutely delightful!" — Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow
"At once laugh-out-loud funny and taut with romantic tension, This Time It's Real is all the best parts of a fake dating romcom." — Adiba Jaigirdar, award-winning author of The Henna Wars and Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating
"In This Time It's Real, Liang's writing shines, weaving in cultural elements seamlessly while taking us through Beijing. A fun fake-dating romance to lose yourself in, filled with squeal-worthy moments." — Gloria Chao, author of Rent a Boyfriend and When You Wish Upon a Lantern
"A pitch-perfect romance! This Time It's Real is a ridiculously fun and adorable fake-dating, slow-burn story full of humor and charm. Perfect for fans of Gloria Chao, Sandhya Menon and Jenny Han." — Suzanne Park, author of Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous and The Christmas Clash
APRIL 2023 - AudioFile
Narrator Mimi Chang's youthful voice gives her performance a boost of authenticity as she portrays Eliza, a teenager who is struggling to fit in at her new school. Eliza's life changes overnight when an essay about her made-up boyfriend goes viral. She persuades her classmate Caz--a charming Chinese actor in need of some good PR--to play the part of her boyfriend. Chang keeps her tone decisively calm for Caz, who is used to fame and only pretending to fall in love. Chang's performance is full of mirth and ease as Eliza and Caz explore the city of Beijing and develop real feelings for each other. Chang's exuberant narration will have listeners eager to hear if these two can pull off the greatest fake relationship the Internet has ever seen. J.E.C. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-11-29
High school senior Eliza Lin, who recently returned to Beijing with her family, is stunned when her school assignment goes viral.
Eliza’s English essay, published on the school blog, describes her relationship with her devoted boyfriend in vivid prose—and turns out to resonate with lovelorn readers worldwide. It even catches the attention of a staff member at Craneswift, a website known for jump-starting the careers of acclaimed writers. Craneswift offers Eliza a six-month paid internship during which she’ll write weekly blog posts about her relationship and offer advice on romance. The internship is everything an aspiring writer could dream of, but its success rests upon a lie. Having grown up moving from country to country due to her mother’s career, Eliza has difficulties forming friendships, much less romantic relationships. Her boyfriend might be imaginary, but the opportunity is too good to pass up. Eliza strikes a bargain with Chinese American classmate Caz Song, a television heartthrob, to participate in a fake dating scheme in return for her help with his college application essays. The relationship can also rehabilitate his reputation, battered after a recent scandal. Pragmatism soon gives way to soul-searching as Eliza finds herself falling for Caz, whose smooth public persona hides unexpected vulnerabilities. This compulsively readable story comments on identity, social pressures, and the demands of the entertainment industry while developing an angst-y, heartstring-tugging romance between two sympathetic leads.
Irresistible fun with unexpected sincerity. (Romance. 13-18)
