This Time It's Real
Ratings31
Average rating3.9
3.5 Stars
I'm really sad, because I really wanted to enjoy this considering it's my first Ann Liang book (an author I've heard nothing but great things about). Unfortunately, this didn't start clicking with me until around the 70-80% mark, and I believe the reasoning to be in part the writing style, and in part that this felt more like contemporary fiction than contemporary romance— which I was not expecting. I still want to give Liang's other books a try though, as their synopses all sound very intriguing.
This book is the epitome of fluff and a splash of angst. The writing was so good, the characters were to die for. I love the dynamics and the relationship though I needed more from them. Ann Liang just writes one of the best romances in the industry and I can't wait to read her other books. Caz and Amelia is just ❤️ Their love is just so teeth-rooting fluff and I love them with my heart 💕
I really wanna call myself Ann Liang's biggest fan. I love her books so far. First she creates the masterpiece If You Could See the Sun and then she makes this and I wanna re-read it already.
I don't know who I love more, Henry Li or Caz Song. I'd like to say Henry Li because he's the first Ann Liang mmc I read about, but there's something I value in Caz that edges on Henry even more. But then again, Henry is Henry and that's enough.
I rarely scream while reading a book but I screamed today at one point roughly 65-70% of the way through. To say it was startling is an understatement, I never knew it was possible to freak out at my own scream.
I shouted on many occassions, mostly anger. I laughed a LOT, many thanks to Eliza Lin. I loved that her friendship with Zoe could defy all odds and wish I could have a speck of that with anyone. I've only ever moved schools twice but still could never keep in touch with friends for long, who knows if it's ever my fault or theirs. So I felt a lot of Eliza's hurt and isolation as if it were my own, it got far too personal MANY times.
Okay, well that got deep... Thank you, Ann Liang, you made me feel something!!!
4.5 stars!
This is so fluffy and adorable. It contains all the emotions of a good shoujo manga, and I would've binged this in one sitting if only I didn't have work. Eliza is such a relatable main character, which sadly also means I personally felt so called out by the issues she's facing LOL. The romance is cute, but the portrayal of friendship is honestly so well done.
“Romantic breakups are romanticized constantly, talked about everywhere by everyone, but platonic breakups are swept to the side, suffered in secret, as if they're somehow less important.”
“I had always feared Caz Song would break my heart, but this—
This is the kind of heartbreak you never recover from.”
This is like a C-drama but a bit westernized. It was cute but I didn't feel “butterflies in my stomach” while reading it.
This book made me sob, it made me feel all the emotions and I didn't want it to end. Caz and Eliza have my heart,