This Time It’s Real is a contemporary fiction, young adult romance and it is one of my favourite books I’ve read this year. It follows a young student named Eliza Lin who, upon writing an essay about her love life, finds that it’s gone viral. The only problem is that the entire essay was a lie.
Eliza ends up striking a deal with an actor in her class, Caz Song, who will act the part of her dream boyfriend while she helps him write his college applications.
The comedy in the book made me laugh more than I thought I would, and although I expected to be frustrated with the fake dating trope, Liang makes use of it perfectly, keeping the situation light-hearted throughout the entire book and leaving me enjoying every moment between Caz and Eliza.
Another good part of this book are the characters. All of them, including the side characters, felt fleshed out fully to the point where I found myself paying attention to each of their stories. This book may not be a really deep, challenging read, but I was invested throughout and fully content by the time it was over.
Reviewed by Deana, Year 10
Brigidine College, NSW
Age Guide 14+
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