Name: This Time It's Real
ISBN: 9781338827118

Ann Liang

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?

This Time It's Real

Words move me. A beautiful sentence will sneak under my skin and crack me open the way a phrase of music might, or a climatic scene from a movie. A well-crafted story can make me laugh and gasp for breath and weep.

This is not how an actual conversation will go in the average Asian household, I assure you.

 to be inconvenienced-- you wouldn't mind being inconvenienced by them every day for the rest of your life. That's what love is. That's all love really is."

fc ♡

 He nods at the laptop. “S.M.B.R.O.A.H.F.O.R.C. Though I really think we could come up with a better name.”

He pauses. Leans closer, until there is nothing between us but the dark, thin air, the green-apple scent of his shampoo. I instinctively take a step backward.

“Yes, Eliza,” he says, his voice somber. “I really do think we need a better name.”

I do at once, wrapping my arms in a viselike grip around his stomach and pressing my face between the sharp blades of his shoulders. This close, I can feel the heat of his skin through his T-shirt, the way his muscles contract beneath my fingertips. 

He makes a choking sound. “Holy sh—not that tight—” 

“I don’t want to fall off,” I protest, but I loosen my hold just a little, enough to let him breathe.

 “You won’t fall,” he says, like the notion itself is ridiculous. “I won’t let you.”

Caz hesitates a second, opens his mouth and closes it again, then reaches out and brushes the tear aside with one gentle thumb.

When I turn around to check if Caz has fallen asleep, he’s watching me, his black gaze inexpressibly soft. Serious. It makes me nervous.

 “What are you staring at?” I ask, trying to sound casual despite the heat rushing to my cheeks. 

He tilts his head, but the intensity of his gaze doesn’t waver. “Nothing.”

“To, um.” My voice is failing. “To clean up—”

 “Stay,” he whispers, the word falling so fast from his lips it could be instinct, a slip of the tongue, a mistake. He looks almost surprised himself, almost shy, though he doesn’t take it back

"… I just want—” He sucks in a breath, and he might have once claimed to never beg anyone for anything, but his voice is painfully close to pleading when he says, “I want this to be real.”

Emily Klo

Sometimes I think loneliness is my default setting.

I guess my point is that I do believe in love. Really. I'm just not convinced that kind of love could ever happen to mne.

A— a painting of Jesus just fell to the ground for some reason. Weird. 

But aren't small things exactly what friendships are made up of? Frayed string bracelets and late-night texts and compilations of your favorite songs?

When you care about someone, you want to be inconvenienced—you wouldn't mind being inconvenienced by them every day for the rest of your life. That's what love is. That's all love really is.

Thinking of all those rooms I walked through at eight, ten, fourteen years old and all the people I met in them ... if maybe I left a piece of myself in them and took a piece of them with me too; isn't that what homes are made of? A collection of the things that shape you?

Hope is not weakness. It's oxygen, a crack in the window, the pale slash of moonlight across a dusty room. 

shiya

“I miss you even when you’re close to me…”

“If someone asks me whether or not you have abs, do I say that you do?”

“I guess my point is that I do believe in love. Really. I’m just not convinced that kind of love could ever happen to me.”

I really love this book. Not only the story, but everything in it. This is Ann Liang's second book I've read, but I didn't expect it to be this good. It exceeded my expectations, and I think it was the one that made me fall in love with her writing, her cute and adorable story.

This love story that started from a fake dating thing actually left an impression on me. Not just a cliche story, nor a cringe one, but from this book I can feel the warmth given by both Eliza's family and Caz's family (even though their families are always busy especially Caz's). Knowing how they open up, and interact with each other makes my heart melt, and I really love it. I couldn't even hold back my smile.

And of courseeeeee, you will never find any guy like Caz Song. Like a drama character who makes everyone's hearts flutter, without exception, for no particular reason, including mine. Even when he expresses his feelings, it feels so perfect. Even though I know there's probably no one like Caz in real life, I can't help but imagine him. He's the real picture perfect.

One thing that was a little annoying was Eliza's fear and insecurity. But, I can't blame her completely, considering that not everyone can handle the hardships of living abroad for a long time easily. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book. It might become one of my favorite Ann Liang's books, or maybe I might even worship it.

ℛ.

I'M KICKING MY FEET IN THE AIR.

I really love this book. Not only the story, but everything in it. This is Ann Liang's second book I've read, but I didn't expect it to be this good. It exceeded my expectations, and I think it was the one that made me fall in love with her writing, her cute and adorable story.

This love story that started from a fake dating thing actually left an impression on me. Not just a cliche story, nor a cringe one, but from this book I can feel the warmth given by both Eliza's family and Caz's family (even though their families are always busy especially Caz's). Knowing how they open up, and interact with each other makes my heart melt, and I really love it. I couldn't even hold back my smile.

And of courseeeeee, you will never find any guy like Caz Song. Like a drama character who makes everyone's hearts flutter, without exception, for no particular reason, including mine. Even when he expresses his feelings, it feels so perfect. Even though I know there's probably no one like Caz in real life, I can't help but imagine him. He's the real picture perfect.

One thing that was a little annoying was Eliza's fear and insecurity. But, I can't blame her completely, considering that not everyone can handle the hardships of living abroad for a long time easily. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book. It might become one of my favorite Ann Liang's books, or maybe I might even worship it.

This book is so well written. The characters are written with such intensity and I really loved it because it seriously only takes one date to know all your plans to not fall deeply for someone has gone to shit. So realistic lmao. 

Keira 💫

As someone who changed school twice in my childhood, I deeply feel this. All I’ve been longing for since entering university was for all my old classmates, old friends, to greet me when we crossed paths and all. But nothing ever came, and sometimes I’m wondering whether I’m the only one remembering them as they walk past me without so much of a glance, I’m wondering if they ever even thought about reaching out, or just about me at all. They’re composing all my childhood memories, but maybe memories don’t need to be reciprocated.

Anyway, Ann Liang always hurts the little me trapped inside my chest. The love story was good too.

Romy

As someone who changed school twice in my childhood, I deeply feel this. All I’ve been longing for since entering university was for all my old classmates, old friends, to greet me when we crossed paths and all. But nothing ever came, and sometimes I’m wondering whether I’m the only one remembering them as they walk past me without so much of a glance, I’m wondering if they ever even thought about reaching out, or just about me at all. They’re composing all my childhood memories, but maybe memories don’t need to be reciprocated.

Anyway, Ann Liang always hurts the little me trapped inside my chest. The love story was good too.

this is my second book by ann liang i read and i was very satisfied. ann liang always write cute but reletable high school romances. loved it!

adela

I feel like there could’ve been more, explored more especially on her friendship with Zoe, her concerns about constantly moving. It was mentioned, yes, but I wanted more out of it. Ending fell short too. 

Ysabela

if I asked a 13/14 year old who is just discovering fan fiction websites to write me a book on what they think a relationship looks like, this is what they would have written...

there is no chemistry, no passion, no intensity, nothing is properly developed from their fake to real relationship, eliza's friendship with zoe, the parents being in the dark about her internship and sudden rise to fame...here and there is a cliche quote that is so obviously placed and it's very obvious this was written around tropes...very disappointing

logan lea

i adored this so cute so innocent literally straight out of a drama

Linta

I literally devoured this book.
ngl miss ann liang writes the best romance like what was this book. It was everything 

The fake dating trope was literally written so well. Caz Song was a freaking dream…

Eine romantisch-witzige Lovestory im Herzen von Peking

Winona

i love this book so much. ANN LIANG NEVER DISAPPOINTS. i loved the little bits and cameos of iycsts characters, it was so cute!!! eliza has a special place in my heart, i feel like she TRULY gets me. AND CAZ?????? oh god i love him. ANYWAY EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK *SCREAMS*

Winona Santiago

Ellie M.

For everyone who seeks comfort in the world of rom-com books, this is perfect for you. 

Ann Liang’s books feel like a breath of fresh air after a long and exhausting day. She easily manages to capture her readers’ attention and is able to convey the story of her characters through exquisite writing. Caz and Eliza brought back my love for rom-coms: confessing in the rain, motorcycle rides, and just the things in between that matter the most. As someone who’s moved around many times due to the nature of my parents’ jobs, I could easily understand how hard it is for Eliza to keep people. I’ve drifted apart from everyone I’ve considered friends growing up and felt isolated, and I ended up bringing those fears with me as an adult. This book gave me a fresh perspective on friendships and adulthood and it taught me a lot more than I expected. Caz’s character is just as beautifully-written, and I’ve met a lot of people like him who just need that little push to come through and I know that I also became him at one point in my life when I was struggling. This book perfectly captured the essence of finding your home, which at most times is not even a place but rather it’s a person that you can come home to. 

Now for the biggest question, when is it my turn to be happy?

the cutest couple, i can't believe this is the author's debut book I'M IN LOVEE WITH CAZ AND ELIZA

The fake dating will always do it for me! This was a really lovely read - I adored Eliza and Caz so much, and enjoyed the relationship development. The moments in which reality became blurred for them were so achingly sweet, I literally had to put the book down to breathe.

ang ིྀ 

BOOK SLUMP? THIS IS A GOOD START TO GET OUT OF THAT PHASE! The books is easy to comprehend, and doesn't have MUCH drama. It's light and full of fluff! Had me giggling and squeeling into my pillow at 4am😩🤞🏼

4.5 bcs I kinda expected more. I wasn't contented w the ending🥹 but overall, everything was worth to read! 

Chalia Renea 

BOOK SLUMP? THIS IS A GOOD START TO GET OUT OF THAT PHASE! The books is easy to comprehend, and doesn't have MUCH drama. It's light and full of fluff! Had me giggling and squeeling into my pillow at 4am😩🤞🏼

4.5 bcs I kinda expected more. I wasn't contented w the ending🥹 but overall, everything was worth to read! 



perfect perfect perfect book, i love this with my entire being

Danyella Barajas

Malia

Whats with the universe somehow always bringing me the right books at the right time?

Isabella 

got me out of a slump! v light hearted and cute wish there was more tho

four — the number of times i cried over this book. 

comforted me in so many ways i didnt know i needed rn :( i love every word and every second i read this book /crying/

ann liang really has this writing technique that just gets u. 

turtle

comforted me in so many ways i didnt know i needed rn :( i love every word and every second i read this book /crying/

ann liang really has this writing technique that just gets u. 

twas cute !! i know this is a romance book but tbh just wish the book dove deeper into caz's relationship w his parents... i wldve loved to learn more about his background like . his dad did not appear once in this story

val 𝜗𝜚 

Julia Moran 

4/5
This is a perfect example of a book that could've been a 5-star if it had been just a little bit longer!!!
I LOVED every second of it, it was so so good BUT I feel like there were moments where the author could've added more substance and gone a bit more in-depth, I would've especially loved to see more of their "dates" and gotten to see a slower but steadier development of feelings. I also feel like the ending was kind of rushed, I think getting to read her final essay would've been awsome :(