This Time It's Real by Ann Liang
I never thought I’d still enjoy YA romances, but Ann Liang does such a wonderful job of bringing me back to those good old high school days when everything was new, exciting, and a little terrifying haha she captures that magic of falling in love for the first time so beautifully 🥹
This Time It’s Real is my third Ann Liang book and my second favorite so far. Just like her other stories, it was so easy to love. I don’t know how she does it, but her books always leave me feeling light, happy, and a little nostalgic every single time.
I loved everything about this book, even Eliza’s stubbornness when it came to trusting Caz and seeing the real him. Yes, it frustrated me at times, but I understood where she was coming from, and honestly, she and Caz are just perfect together 💖 As for Caz Song, I adore him. He’s thoughtful, caring, sweet, and impossible not to love. His and Eliza’s fake dating act felt like I was watching a C-Drama come alive in my head, and I enjoyed every second of it 😂
Beyond the romance (and all the heart-fluttering moments that made me grin like a teenager), I also appreciated how the book highlighted Eliza and Zoe’s friendship. It was such a beautiful reminder that friendship is something worth protecting, nurturing, and fighting for.
This Time It’s Real is perfect if you’re looking for a light and sweet romance that will make you laugh, swoon, and smile from beginning to end. I’ve mentioned this before, but just one book (I Hope This Doesn’t Find You) was enough to make me want to read everything Ann Liang writes and it’s been such a joy discovering her stories.
When 16-year-old Eliza Lin’s personal essay about meeting the love of her life goes viral, she gets everything she’s ever wanted: the approval of her new classmates, a rare internship opportunity at her favourite publisher, and a devoted online following who think her relationship is #couplegoals.
The only problem? Eliza made the whole essay up.
In fact, Eliza's never even been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right? Desperate to cover up the truth, Eliza makes a deal with her classmate Caz: she’ll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. But Caz plays the role of boyfriend a bit too well...
But Eliza's carefully crafted image begins to unravel as the relationship with Caz becomes more and more real. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?