100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Thanks for supporting our 100% NZ-owned independent bookstore โค๏ธ Open Sat & Sun until 5pm

This Time It's Real

4.03 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 28,338 ratings, 6,571 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
This Time It's Real by Ann Liang is a young adult novel that follows the journey of a teenager who fabricates a love story for a school essay, only for it to gain viral attention online. To maintain her credibility, she enlists her classmate to pose as her boyfriend, but as the lines between fiction and reality blur, she discovers what truly matters in relationships and self-discovery.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2200
Elsewhere:
$2400
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy stories about navigating the complexities of teenage life, including the pursuit of authentic love and personal growth. Its engaging narrative combines romance with themes of identity and self-discovery, making it a captivating read for fans of heartwarming coming-of-age tales.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Get ready to fall in love in this hilarious romcom about a girl who begins a fake relationship with the famous actor in her class, perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han.

When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin's essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favourite magazine ... and a massive secret to keep.

Eliza made her essay up. She's never been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right?

Desperate to hide the truth, Eliza strikes a deal with the famous actor in her class, the charming but aloof Caz Song. She'll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. Caz is a dream boyfriend โ€” he passes handwritten notes to her in class, makes her little sister laugh, and takes her out on motorcycle rides to the best snack stalls around the city.

But when her relationship with Caz starts feeling a little too convincing, all of Eliza's carefully laid plans are threatened. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?

A total delight. Laugh out loud funny, sweet, and romantic, this is a sparkling gem of a book. โ€“ MEG CABOT, author of the Princess Diaries series and No Words

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

This Time It's Real by Ann Liang is praised for its engaging storytelling and well-developed characters, striking a balance between humour and heartfelt moments. Readers appreciate the authenticity of the protagonist's journey and the cultural nuances woven into the narrative. The novel resonates well with its young adult audience, delivering a refreshing take on themes of identity, belonging, and love.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761049804

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 21 February 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 266g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Ann Liang is a graduate of the University of Melbourne and author of the critically acclaimed YA novels This Time It's Real and If You Could See the Sun. Born in Beijing, she grew up traveling back and forth between China and Australia, but somehow ended up with an American accent. When she isn't writing, she can be found making overambitious to-do lists, binge-watching dramas, and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who's a good dog. You can find her online at annliang.com.

Also by Ann Liang

View all
  • I Am Not Jessica Chen
    Jenna Chen has spent her life in the shadow of her flawless cousin. Jessica Chen is so smart she gets the top score on every test. Jessica Chen is so beautiful people stop in the hallway to stare at her. Jessica Chen is so perfect she got into Harvard. And Jenna Chen will only ever be a disappointment. So when...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • I Hope This Doesn't Find You
    Unforgettable, snarky, and romantic, I Hope This Doesn't Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters. Sadie Wen is perfect on paperโ€”school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It's not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • If You Could See the Sun
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Never Thought I'd End Up Here
    Another gorgeous YA rom-com from Chinese Australian author Ann Liang. Leah Zhang has spent her whole life in LA - it's all she's ever known. But after accidentally wishing her cousin ill health and a very depressing marriage at her wedding, her parents stage an intervention. She's forgotten most of her Mandarin, has zero regard for etiquette, and can't hold...
    Paperback
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Song to Drown Rivers
    A love story that transcends time and place. Xishi's beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue, where the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of Fanli, the famous young military advisor, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a...
    Paperback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • I Could Give You the Moon
    New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang returns to the world of her acclaimed debut, If You Could See the Sun, as a picture-perfect influencer teams up with the bad boy after they share a vision of the future. Everyone loves Chanel Cao โ€” except Ares Yin. While Chanel has spent her entire life curating a picture-perfect social media personalityโ€”from...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

More from Young Adult

View all
  • Song of the Saltings
    On the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Eight years ago, it should have taken Lotta. Instead, the monster spared her and claimed her pony, shattering tradition and anointing her both folk hero and object of suspicion. Now...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Tell Me with Kisses
    From New York Times bestselling author and Wattpad sensation Mercedes Ron comes the English translation of the third in the Tell Me series, where Kamila Hamilton is caught between the two Di Bianco brothers after they burst back into her life. From New York Times bestselling author and Wattpad sensation Mercedes Ron comes the English translation of the third in...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Release Me
    The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment. Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelleโ€™s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her...
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Language of Dragons
    The most exciting debut of 2025 โ€“ an incredible fantasy Dark Academia, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy. EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK. Welcome to Bletchley Parkโ€ฆ with dragons. London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isnโ€™t worried. Sheโ€™s going to follow the rules,...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Shatter Me: Shatter Me series 1
    Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a gripping dystopian novel that plunges readers into a world where society is on the brink of collapse. At the heart of this chaos is Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a fatal touchโ€”literally. For 264 days, Juliette has been imprisoned in solitary confinement, her only crime being an accidental touch that resulted in death....
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Cozy Corner
    Relax and unwind with this adorable colouring book โ€“ itโ€™s time to get cozy! Step into a world of calm and comfort with Cozy Corner, featuring 45 beautiful hand-drawn pages ready for you to colour in. Settle into your very own cozy corner with these brand new colouring pages! This follow-up to Coco Wyo's beloved Little Corner promises a new...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch (a Phoenix Comic Book): the instant number one bestselling book from Jamie Smart, Illustrator of the Year
    When Bunny, Monkey and friends discover a glitch in reality, life gets even crazier than normal: Bunny declares himself The Woods' Magical Protector, Pig becomes a superspy, plus there's complete metal Monkey mayhem! Experience the laughs and chaos in Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch (a Phoenix Comic Book), the instant number one bestselling book from Jamie Smart, Illustrator...
    Paperback
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty
    The Summer I Turned Pretty is now a major new TV series on Amazon Prime! If you loved The Kissing Booth and Jenny Han's smash-hit Netflix movie series To All the Boys I Loved Before, then you'll adore this gorgeously funny, romantic story! Everything that happened this past summer, and every summer before it, has all led up to this....
    Paperback
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
    A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is the New York Times No.1 bestselling YA crime thriller that has captivated readers globally. Now adapted into a major BBC series, this intricately plotted and intensely gripping novel is being lauded as a modern classic in young adult literature. Pippa Fitz-Amobi, an intelligent and determined high school student, is looking...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Powerless
    OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD! THE INSTANT NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON. โ€˜Nothing short of epicโ€™ - Rosie Talbot, bestselling author of Sixteen Souls โ€˜A thrilling fantasy with the most delicious slow-burn romanceโ€™ - M.A. Kuzniar, bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood โ€˜[A] titillating debutโ€™ - Publishers Weekly โ€˜A masterpieceโ€™ - Goodreads Reader Review โ€˜Everyone needs to read itโ€™ -...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks
    Louise Rennison for the Dork Diaries generation - hilarious, relatable and full of heart. The first book in the hilarious new series for children by the bestselling creator of Hurrah For Gin. The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks follows Lottie Brooks, who is 11 and feels like her life is already officially over. Not only is she about to...
    Paperback
    $1799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    Lottie Brooks's Totally Disastrous School-Trip
    The fourth book in this hilarious bestselling series full of friendship, family, and first experiences from the creator of Hurrah for Gin. Lottie Brooks's Totally Disastrous School-Trip continues to navigate the many perils of growing up in this fantastically funny illustrated series for a 9-12 audience, filled with friendship, embarrassing moments, and plenty of lols. Woe is me. So much...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.