I expected a cute romance when I picked up this novel. What I got instead was a poignant coming of age story told through a multicultural lens. Eliza is like many young adults, struggling to define her place in the world. She spends much of the story reconnecting to her Chinese heritage, and integrating those roots into her future goals. I enjoyed Eliza quite a bit, and found myself truly engaged in her journey.
While this novel does an amazing job with Eliza's journey, the romance is lacking. It is cute, but not all that impactful or central to the story. Caz needed more of a personality or a character arc to truly be integrated into the story in a meaningful way. I think 20+ episodes of a Chinese drama have spoiled me - it's hard to pull off that level of storytelling in a book. I also found myself rather ambivalent about their romance because of the epilogue. I read romances more for the ride or die experience, which is probably why I tend to enjoy fantasy romance more than contemporary romance.
If you are looking for a coming of age story, especially one from an Asian perspective, you will love this romance. If you love C-dramas with the fake dating trope and want a central love story, moderate your expectations.
While this novel does an amazing job with Eliza's journey, the romance is lacking. It is cute, but not all that impactful or central to the story. Caz needed more of a personality or a character arc to truly be integrated into the story in a meaningful way. I think 20+ episodes of a Chinese drama have spoiled me - it's hard to pull off that level of storytelling in a book. I also found myself rather ambivalent about their romance because of the epilogue. I read romances more for the ride or die experience, which is probably why I tend to enjoy fantasy romance more than contemporary romance.
If you are looking for a coming of age story, especially one from an Asian perspective, you will love this romance. If you love C-dramas with the fake dating trope and want a central love story, moderate your expectations.
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