Books Like This Time It's Real
Families who loved This Time It's Real by Ann Liang often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved This Time It's Real by Ann Liang often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your teen is grappling with the crushing weight of high expectations or feels they must project a perfect image to be worthy of success. Set in an elite international school in Beijing, the story follows Eliza, whose viral essay about a fake boyfriend lands her in a high stakes lie. To keep her college prospects alive, she enters a fake dating pact with a famous young actor. While the premise is a fun romantic comedy, the heart of the book explores the deep seated fear of being ordinary and the struggle to be authentic in a world obsessed with status. It is a sophisticated, sweet, and emotionally resonant choice for high schoolers navigating social media pressures and the terrifying leap of letting someone see their true, unpolished self.
