I really enjoyed this one. I wasn’t sure how I’ll feel about it before I went into it, simply because this is a YA contemporary romance about teenagers. And I’m not a teenager anymore, haven’t been for quite a few years, so I didn’t know whether I could connect to the characters etc. But it did really surprise me. The premise sounded promises and, even though it has the fake-dating trope, sounded rather unique in its setting. I really enjoy reading diaspora stories, but this one is unlike others, because not only was/is Eliza forced to move due to outside forces (namely her mother’s job), but she also moves back to Beijing, were she was born and hasn’t been back to for over ten years. So it’s almost sort of a story about returning, but also not really. Eliza’s struggles with adapting to her new old environment, not being able to speak Mandarin fluently and also dealing with her anxiety and trauma (if I can classify it as such) and hence not wanting to get attached to anyone felt real. It was at times heartbreaking to read her thoughts and anxiety, and some of her anxiety honestly felt a bit close to home for me. This set up about the viral essay and the following fake-dating was very funny, but also felt a bit over the top. But then again, going unintentionally viral partnered with anxiety probably feels like this and also makes you act unlike your normal self. Caz was really sweet though. And funny. It was also very interesting to get a look into the Chinese entertainment industry. Him and Eliza were also really cute together, and her awkwardness was sometimes difficult to read but also very funny and adorable (for the reader). I also understood her struggles with trying to decipher Caz’s feelings. As he is an actor with experience and Eliza has no experience in relationships, I guess it can probably be difficult to see, whether an actor’s feelings are genuine or not. However, it was also a bit annoying that she still thought though until almost the end. In that case I would’ve loved to see Caz’s point of view, even for a second, because I still yearn to see what he thought in multiple scenes and also what made him confess to her in the end. Because through only Eliza’s POV I did not really see him falling, simply because she was so caught up in her overthinking. Sure, we saw some gestures and his behaviour, but looking at it from his perspective definitely would’ve made me feel even more connected. I also liked that we did not get the usual third act break-up. There was a conflict, yes, and understandable one at that, but they did not break-up per se. And that I liked. Additionally, I would’ve loved to read more about Eliza exploring Beijing with Caz - we only got two real scenes of them going out, everything else was told in retrospect. I also loved that friendship was also a big theme in this, as well as long distance friendships. Because those can be tough. Emily was also a really cute and supportive sister and I also liked the families. Overall, I really recommend this novel. Yes, it is definitely aimed at a younger audience, but I do think you can also read it when you are a bit older. It’s fun and fast-paced, and includes many interesting themes and tropes. The characters also feel quiet round and relatable. As mentioned, I would’ve loved to see his POV and for me it could’ve been a bit longer as I really would want to see what happens after the ending. But I’m still satisfied and had a good time.