What do you think?
Rate this book
I Could Give You the Moon
Everyone loves Chanel Cao—except Ares Yin.
While Chanel has spent her entire life curating a picture-perfect social media personality—from her body to her hair to her camera-ready smile—Ares has spent his trying to hide in the shadows. But Ares’s brother is missing, and Chanel’s parents have secretly separated, and their only hope is each other.
Ares is willing to do whatever it takes to find his brother, and Chanel will do anything to keep her parents’ secret. When the two meet and share a vision of the future—where Ares’s brother appears, as Chanel’s house burns to the ground—they are determined to use each other. Ares believes Chanel is the key to finding his brother, but Chanel is convinced if she gets Ares to fall in love with her, she’ll save her family house—and her parents’ crumbling marriage.
But Ares isn’t interested in the fake personality that Chanel has used her entire life to get affection and adoration. If she’s going to save her reputation, she’s going to have to let Ares get to know the real her—and risk real feelings.
While Chanel has spent her entire life curating a picture-perfect social media personality—from her body to her hair to her camera-ready smile—Ares has spent his trying to hide in the shadows. But Ares’s brother is missing, and Chanel’s parents have secretly separated, and their only hope is each other.
Ares is willing to do whatever it takes to find his brother, and Chanel will do anything to keep her parents’ secret. When the two meet and share a vision of the future—where Ares’s brother appears, as Chanel’s house burns to the ground—they are determined to use each other. Ares believes Chanel is the key to finding his brother, but Chanel is convinced if she gets Ares to fall in love with her, she’ll save her family house—and her parents’ crumbling marriage.
But Ares isn’t interested in the fake personality that Chanel has used her entire life to get affection and adoration. If she’s going to save her reputation, she’s going to have to let Ares get to know the real her—and risk real feelings.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2026
419 people are currently reading
37041 people want to read
About the author
Ann Liang
13 books15.1k followersAnn Liang is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the critically acclaimed YA novels This Time It’s Real, If You Could See the Sun, and I Hope This Doesn't Find You. Her books have sold into over twenty foreign territories. Born in Beijing, she grew up traveling back and forth between China and Australia, but somehow ended up with an American accent. She now lives in Melbourne, where she can be found making overambitious to do lists and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who’s a good dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 995 reviews
Want to Read
March 28, 2026🙏🙏🙏HENRY LI PLEASE MAKE AN APPEARANCE FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH AND SANITY🙏🙏🙏
Chanel’s story🫶 in 2026😫. "MORE ANGST, MORE YEARNING, MORE TENSION"!!!!!!!
"Anything that matters to you matters to me." CUT THE CAMERAS AND LET THE WATERWORKS BEGIN. THIS ARC HAS ME LEVITATING ALREADY🌌💜
Chanel’s story🫶 in 2026😫. "MORE ANGST, MORE YEARNING, MORE TENSION"!!!!!!!
"Anything that matters to you matters to me." CUT THE CAMERAS AND LET THE WATERWORKS BEGIN. THIS ARC HAS ME LEVITATING ALREADY🌌💜
May 7, 2026
— 3.5/5 stars
Okay, so this was my first Ann Liang book, and I was genuinely so excited going into it. I’ve seen people hype her books everywhere, and the premise sounded right up my alley, so I had pretty high expectations and honestly, I do get why people love her writing.
Because the way she writes? It’s beautiful. It’s so easy to get into, so smooth and flowy, almost like someone is just sitting beside you and telling you a story. And I love that kind of writing. It pulled me in so quickly that I ended up finishing the book in like two days, which, for me, is always a good sign.
The story itself, the premise, the overall vibe, it was all nice. It had that charm, that readability, that makes you want to keep turning pages. But at the same time there were a few things that I just couldn’t overlook, no matter how much I wanted to.
And that’s what made this experience a little bittersweet for me. Because I really wanted to give it a full five stars. I wanted to fall completely in love with it the way everyone else seems to. But those small issues kept pulling me back, stopping me from fully connecting the way I hoped I would.
➳ABOUT THE BOOK
Okay, so this book revolves around a girl named Chanel Cao. And let me tell you, this girl has everything. She’s rich, she’s gorgeous, she’s an influencer, basically living that dream life everyone lowkey envies. The kind of girl who seems to have it all together from the outside. But beneath all that glam, she’s deeply rooted in her love for her family.
And that’s where things start getting real.
Chanel has seen firsthand how one wrong decision can completely tear a family apart, and that fear stays with her. It’s not just a passing thought, it’s something that haunts her. Especially when she sees the vision of her family falling apart, of her mother suffering. And that’s when everything changes for her.
She decides she’s not going to sit back and let that happen.
She’s ready to do anything like literally anything to protect her family, especially her mother. And that determination? It becomes the driving force of the entire story.
That’s when she meets Ares Yin
And oh my God, Ares. I genuinely fell in love with his character. He’s easily one of the best parts of the book. There’s just something about him that pulls you in. But he’s not just there for romance, he has his own story, his own pain. He’s also trying to find his brother, trying to fix what’s broken in his own family.
So in a way, both Chanel and Ares are fighting the same battle just in different forms. They come together, not just as individuals, but as two people carrying the same kind of love and desperation for their families. And that’s what makes their bond so meaningful. They’re not just falling for each other they’re fighting for something bigger than themselves.
➳ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
Okay, let’s talk about the characters because I have a lot of thoughts.
ARES YIN
I absolutely loved Ares. Like, from the moment he entered the story, I was sold. He’s that classic “bad boy” on the outside piercings, tattoos, all black outfits, quiet, keeps to himself, the kind of guy everyone tells you to stay away from. But the moment you actually get to know him? He’s the complete opposite.
He’s kind, gentle, and so deeply loyal especially when it comes to his family. And that’s what made me fall for him even more. Despite everything he’s been through, especially the emotional baggage tied to his father (which, by the way, he absolutely did not deserve), he still chooses love. He still chooses to care.
The way he was so determined to find his brother? That dedication, that persistence, it just made his character so much more meaningful. You could feel how much his family meant to him, and honestly, that kind of love is so rare and so beautiful to read.
I also loved how he treated Chanel. Even when she misunderstood him multiple times, even when the world painted him as something he wasn’t, he never lost that softness. People judged him based on how he looked, but he turned out to be one of the most genuine and warm characters in the entire book.
And genuinely? I couldn’t find a single flaw in him. Not one. And that says a lot.
---
Chanel Cao
Now coming to Chanel , this is where my feelings get a little complicated. I wanted to love her. I really did. And toward the end, I did start appreciating her more but for a major part of the book, I just couldn’t fully connect with her.
There was something about her personality that felt a bit too… snobby at times. And I just couldn’t get past that. Even though she had her iconic moments, like that one scene where she wakes up in the hospital and immediately asks for lip gloss (I mean, okay ma’am, that was kind of iconic) although those moments weren’t enough to change my overall perception.
And my biggest issue? The way she handled Ares.
I understand that her intentions were good. She wanted to protect her family, her mother, and everything she did was tied to that vision she had. But the way she went about it manipulating Ares, emotionally pushing him, almost gaslighting him into falling for her, that just didn’t sit right with me. Because at the end of the day, he’s a real person with real feelings. And I just couldn’t overlook the fact that she treated him like a means to an end, even if her reasons were valid.
If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t have supported it and that’s exactly why I couldn’t fully support her actions either.
That being said, she did have her strong moments. Like when she stood up for her best friend against that horrible boyfriend, I was like, okay, queen energy. And honestly, if I could look past her flaws, I might’ve even admired her more, maybe even aspired to be like her in some ways. But overall, I had mixed feelings. I didn’t hate her but I didn’t fully love her either.
➳FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all, I wouldn’t call this a bad book by any means. In fact, it had a lot going for it. This was my first time reading Ann Liang, and I totally get why people hype her so much. Her writing is super easy to get into very flowy, very engaging, and it just pulls you into the story without you even realizing it. The storytelling, the premise, and the overall execution were honestly really good, and I did enjoy the book to a certain extent.
That said, there were a few things I just couldn’t look past. No matter how much I tried, certain character behaviors didn’t sit right with me. I get that intentions can be good, but that doesn’t always justify the actions, and that’s where I struggled a bit. I feel like if I could’ve overlooked that, I would’ve enjoyed this book so much more.
"Overall, I’d definitely pick up more books by Ann Liang because her writing style really works for me. And I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light, contemporary rom-com with a cute, satisfying ending. Just maybe go in knowing there are a few questionable moments and you’ll be fine". 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 6 April, 2026
reading my first Ann Liang book, hope she's as good as folks say 🤧🤞🏻
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so this was my first Ann Liang book, and I was genuinely so excited going into it. I’ve seen people hype her books everywhere, and the premise sounded right up my alley, so I had pretty high expectations and honestly, I do get why people love her writing.
Because the way she writes? It’s beautiful. It’s so easy to get into, so smooth and flowy, almost like someone is just sitting beside you and telling you a story. And I love that kind of writing. It pulled me in so quickly that I ended up finishing the book in like two days, which, for me, is always a good sign.
The story itself, the premise, the overall vibe, it was all nice. It had that charm, that readability, that makes you want to keep turning pages. But at the same time there were a few things that I just couldn’t overlook, no matter how much I wanted to.
And that’s what made this experience a little bittersweet for me. Because I really wanted to give it a full five stars. I wanted to fall completely in love with it the way everyone else seems to. But those small issues kept pulling me back, stopping me from fully connecting the way I hoped I would.
➳ABOUT THE BOOK
Okay, so this book revolves around a girl named Chanel Cao. And let me tell you, this girl has everything. She’s rich, she’s gorgeous, she’s an influencer, basically living that dream life everyone lowkey envies. The kind of girl who seems to have it all together from the outside. But beneath all that glam, she’s deeply rooted in her love for her family.
And that’s where things start getting real.
Chanel has seen firsthand how one wrong decision can completely tear a family apart, and that fear stays with her. It’s not just a passing thought, it’s something that haunts her. Especially when she sees the vision of her family falling apart, of her mother suffering. And that’s when everything changes for her.
She decides she’s not going to sit back and let that happen.
She’s ready to do anything like literally anything to protect her family, especially her mother. And that determination? It becomes the driving force of the entire story.
That’s when she meets Ares Yin
And oh my God, Ares. I genuinely fell in love with his character. He’s easily one of the best parts of the book. There’s just something about him that pulls you in. But he’s not just there for romance, he has his own story, his own pain. He’s also trying to find his brother, trying to fix what’s broken in his own family.
So in a way, both Chanel and Ares are fighting the same battle just in different forms. They come together, not just as individuals, but as two people carrying the same kind of love and desperation for their families. And that’s what makes their bond so meaningful. They’re not just falling for each other they’re fighting for something bigger than themselves.
➳ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
Okay, let’s talk about the characters because I have a lot of thoughts.
ARES YIN
I absolutely loved Ares. Like, from the moment he entered the story, I was sold. He’s that classic “bad boy” on the outside piercings, tattoos, all black outfits, quiet, keeps to himself, the kind of guy everyone tells you to stay away from. But the moment you actually get to know him? He’s the complete opposite.
He’s kind, gentle, and so deeply loyal especially when it comes to his family. And that’s what made me fall for him even more. Despite everything he’s been through, especially the emotional baggage tied to his father (which, by the way, he absolutely did not deserve), he still chooses love. He still chooses to care.
The way he was so determined to find his brother? That dedication, that persistence, it just made his character so much more meaningful. You could feel how much his family meant to him, and honestly, that kind of love is so rare and so beautiful to read.
I also loved how he treated Chanel. Even when she misunderstood him multiple times, even when the world painted him as something he wasn’t, he never lost that softness. People judged him based on how he looked, but he turned out to be one of the most genuine and warm characters in the entire book.
And genuinely? I couldn’t find a single flaw in him. Not one. And that says a lot.
---
Chanel Cao
Now coming to Chanel , this is where my feelings get a little complicated. I wanted to love her. I really did. And toward the end, I did start appreciating her more but for a major part of the book, I just couldn’t fully connect with her.
There was something about her personality that felt a bit too… snobby at times. And I just couldn’t get past that. Even though she had her iconic moments, like that one scene where she wakes up in the hospital and immediately asks for lip gloss (I mean, okay ma’am, that was kind of iconic) although those moments weren’t enough to change my overall perception.
And my biggest issue? The way she handled Ares.
I understand that her intentions were good. She wanted to protect her family, her mother, and everything she did was tied to that vision she had. But the way she went about it manipulating Ares, emotionally pushing him, almost gaslighting him into falling for her, that just didn’t sit right with me. Because at the end of the day, he’s a real person with real feelings. And I just couldn’t overlook the fact that she treated him like a means to an end, even if her reasons were valid.
If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t have supported it and that’s exactly why I couldn’t fully support her actions either.
That being said, she did have her strong moments. Like when she stood up for her best friend against that horrible boyfriend, I was like, okay, queen energy. And honestly, if I could look past her flaws, I might’ve even admired her more, maybe even aspired to be like her in some ways. But overall, I had mixed feelings. I didn’t hate her but I didn’t fully love her either.
➳FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all, I wouldn’t call this a bad book by any means. In fact, it had a lot going for it. This was my first time reading Ann Liang, and I totally get why people hype her so much. Her writing is super easy to get into very flowy, very engaging, and it just pulls you into the story without you even realizing it. The storytelling, the premise, and the overall execution were honestly really good, and I did enjoy the book to a certain extent.
That said, there were a few things I just couldn’t look past. No matter how much I tried, certain character behaviors didn’t sit right with me. I get that intentions can be good, but that doesn’t always justify the actions, and that’s where I struggled a bit. I feel like if I could’ve overlooked that, I would’ve enjoyed this book so much more.
"Overall, I’d definitely pick up more books by Ann Liang because her writing style really works for me. And I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light, contemporary rom-com with a cute, satisfying ending. Just maybe go in knowing there are a few questionable moments and you’ll be fine". 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 6 April, 2026
reading my first Ann Liang book, hope she's as good as folks say 🤧🤞🏻
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
anticipated-books
October 12, 2025I COULD GIVE YOU MY HEART 🧎!!
2025 is already boring , waiting for 2026 🤧
2025 is already boring , waiting for 2026 🤧
August 31, 2025
── .✦ 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 💜⊹꒷꒦ ｡ﾟ
╰🌷 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 🥶₊°◞
₊˚ʚ ☔️𓂃˖˳ 𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 ⵢ₊˚. 🦋 ̟ !!
⤷ ☁️⸝⸝ 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+ (𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚, 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩.), 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+ (𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚.), 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: 13+ (𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨, 𝙛*𝙘𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝*𝙩) 🩷‧₊˚.
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
🎧 ︵︵₊˚now playing: 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5 👾‧₊˚⊹
˙ . ꒷ 🪼 — 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙖
⌞0:31 ——◦———— 3:00⌝
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ ┋🎀˖˳·˖
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. This book became my new reason for living in this insane corrupt world. THIS BOOK MADE ME HAVE FAITH IN TRUE LOVE. Because I kid you not, I was shattered and then pieced back together all within the span of MERE pages. 😫 I never felt so much joy and happiness (maybe even jealousy) reading a book that was a spin off from another one. BECAUSE IN MY OPNION, THIS BOOK WAS BETTER THAN IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN. And I will argue with anyone who disagrees. WE HAVE TENSION, DRAMA, ROMANCE, AND DARE I SAY THRILLER?? Because if you know Ann Liang you are bound to know she adds some kind of twist and magic in her writing. AND OH BOY, I CAN SAY WE GET THAT IN HERE. 👀 I'm actually going to be CRYING for the next 8ish months because this doesn't release until 2026 and I NEEEEEEED that psychical copy in my hands. (I also need the fastest ticket to getting inside this book as well thanks.) 🙂↕️🙂↕️
Oh and I do want to give a little mention to all my Henry Li fans... he does in fact show up in this book. 😋😋
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙎𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙢𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. In this story we follow the PRETTIEST, RICHEST, AND OFC BADDIEST GIRL KNOWN TO MANDKIND. 💅*drumroll* CHANEL CAO!!! This girl is RICH RICH. And I mean she doesn't just but her fave expensive dresses, OH NO HUN. SHE COULD BUY THE ENTIRE STORE. (lowkey giving young asian Kim Kardashian🧐🧐) She's that perfect picture model everyone wants be while they see her on their IG pages. But guess what? SHE ISN'T THAT PERFECT AFTER ALL!!! WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED!! (Not me guys, not me, I would not have known.🤫🤐) And what happens when you have this pretty girl with semi daddy issues AND the pressure of being perfect all the time, fall in love? Oh you get a JUICY MYSTERY FILLED PLOT, and ofc A JUICY mc who is the total opposite of her.
ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOLKS!!!
AND HERE WE MEET *drumroll* ARES YIN!!! We are talking, black wolf cut, piercings, a grumpy attitude, AND HES A BOXER? Holy mamacita I was in for a treat. 🤭🤭 And when I say words could not describe how much I loved him. I mean it. HIS CHEMISTRY WITH CHANEL WAS OFF THE DANG CHARTS. THE SLOW BURN?? THE YEARNING?? THE SUBTLE ACTIONS HE WOULD DO?? WHERE CAN I FIND HIM ON AMAZON?!! 📈📈 This guy right here might me the best book boyfriend in the Ann Liang universe. I was gagged, dead, astonished. And what made it worse was he remined me SOOOOOOOO much of someone I had a crush on in real life. (Even his mannerisms.) So it was safe to say I was over here swooning like there was no tomorrow. 😞😞😞
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙖, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. And what can I say? When you got characters like those it was SO hard not to love the plot. There was so much tension and mystery and I was just so invested. I MEAN WHO WOULDN'T BE WHEN YOU HAVE OPPOSITES ATTRACT X GRUMPY X SUNSHINE?? 🙊🙊 It was art purely in the form of words. And yes, I know you are probably wondering why I didn't rate this a five star. AND THAT IS BECAUSE I HAVE ONE ISSUE, AND ONE ISSUE THAT MADE THIS NOT PERFECT.
And that was the near ending. Because I cannot tell you how mad I was when it started getting rushed. 😭😞
We have this whole slow-burning going on and I felt like it was messy towards the end. It was like stargazing at a beautiful sky in peace only to be hit with an atomic bomb, YOU DID EVEN KNOW WAS COMING. (Which I mean is the point of bombs but we are going to ignore that.) And because everything about this book was so perfect and wonderful, I was disappointed when the ending become a bit messy and sort of predictable. 😫LIKE WHY COULDN’T WE TAKE OUR TIME AND CHILLAX GUYS?! 😫😫😫🥲🥲
BUT I'M NOT GONNA LIE AND SAY I DIDN'T ENJOY THE BOOK STILL, BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL DID. 🤝
🤍₊˚⊹ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 👛୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
🪻𓂃 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥: I don't know what it was about her in this book but I actually ATE THIS QUEEN UP. She was such a girl boss and gave badahh energy while still being feminine which I DEVOURED. Seeing her become vulnerable throughout the story really shattered me, NOT TO MENTION HOW RELATABLE AND REAL SHE WAS AT TIMES. I really loved that she got her own book because I enjoyed reading about her character so so much.
🪻𓂃 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐬: MY MAN. MY BABY. MY LOML. MY POOR LITTLE EMO BOY. I swear this character destroyed me. He was just the CUTEST thing on earth and his personality made it even better omg. THE WAY HE WAS WRITTEN WAS BEYOND PERFECT. Like I kid you not he even be more of a gentleman then THE Wes Bennett. Seeing his family struggles, his vulnerable side, the things he would DOOOOOO. And his style? Don't even get me started. IT'S GIVING THE MAN YOU SEE AT THE MALL AND NEVER SEE AGAIN BUT STILL DAYDREAM ABOUT. I honestly think he will be living rent free in my mind for the months to come. I literally love him so much it's hard to capture into words.
☂️.*• There is other characters that become HEAVILY invested into the plot of this book. But because this is a spoiler free review, that is for you to find out and discover. But let me warn you babes, THE TEA IS PIPING HOTTER THAN ALL THE KATSEYE MEMBERS ON THAT GAP AD. 😫😫😫
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🌌‧₊˚. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥:
I think this might be my new fave comfort book. I HONESTLY THINK SO GUYS. I loved every aspect of this and I seriously cannot wait for this to be released. If you are hesitant about adding this to your TBR and reading it, GIRL SHUT THE HECK UP AND JUST DO IT!! Because I swear this book was perfection and you will INDEED thank me later. Alright brb ima go make that Ares Yin Pinterest board, xoxo. 💋
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
🦋💗 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC FOR THIS CUTIE AFTER READING THE FIRST BOOK 🙈🙈 IM ACTUALLY SO EXCITED TO SEE CHANELS STORY IN THIS ONE 🤞🏻🤞🏻
╰🌷 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 🥶₊°◞
₊˚ʚ ☔️𓂃˖˳ 𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 ⵢ₊˚. 🦋 ̟ !!
⤷ ☁️⸝⸝ 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+ (𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚, 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩.), 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+ (𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚.), 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: 13+ (𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨, 𝙛*𝙘𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝*𝙩) 🩷‧₊˚.
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
🎧 ︵︵₊˚now playing: 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5 👾‧₊˚⊹
˙ . ꒷ 🪼 — 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙖
⌞0:31 ——◦———— 3:00⌝
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ ┋🎀˖˳·˖
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. This book became my new reason for living in this insane corrupt world. THIS BOOK MADE ME HAVE FAITH IN TRUE LOVE. Because I kid you not, I was shattered and then pieced back together all within the span of MERE pages. 😫 I never felt so much joy and happiness (maybe even jealousy) reading a book that was a spin off from another one. BECAUSE IN MY OPNION, THIS BOOK WAS BETTER THAN IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN. And I will argue with anyone who disagrees. WE HAVE TENSION, DRAMA, ROMANCE, AND DARE I SAY THRILLER?? Because if you know Ann Liang you are bound to know she adds some kind of twist and magic in her writing. AND OH BOY, I CAN SAY WE GET THAT IN HERE. 👀 I'm actually going to be CRYING for the next 8ish months because this doesn't release until 2026 and I NEEEEEEED that psychical copy in my hands. (I also need the fastest ticket to getting inside this book as well thanks.) 🙂↕️🙂↕️
Oh and I do want to give a little mention to all my Henry Li fans... he does in fact show up in this book. 😋😋
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙎𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙢𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. In this story we follow the PRETTIEST, RICHEST, AND OFC BADDIEST GIRL KNOWN TO MANDKIND. 💅*drumroll* CHANEL CAO!!! This girl is RICH RICH. And I mean she doesn't just but her fave expensive dresses, OH NO HUN. SHE COULD BUY THE ENTIRE STORE. (lowkey giving young asian Kim Kardashian🧐🧐) She's that perfect picture model everyone wants be while they see her on their IG pages. But guess what? SHE ISN'T THAT PERFECT AFTER ALL!!! WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED!! (Not me guys, not me, I would not have known.🤫🤐) And what happens when you have this pretty girl with semi daddy issues AND the pressure of being perfect all the time, fall in love? Oh you get a JUICY MYSTERY FILLED PLOT, and ofc A JUICY mc who is the total opposite of her.
ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOLKS!!!
AND HERE WE MEET *drumroll* ARES YIN!!! We are talking, black wolf cut, piercings, a grumpy attitude, AND HES A BOXER? Holy mamacita I was in for a treat. 🤭🤭 And when I say words could not describe how much I loved him. I mean it. HIS CHEMISTRY WITH CHANEL WAS OFF THE DANG CHARTS. THE SLOW BURN?? THE YEARNING?? THE SUBTLE ACTIONS HE WOULD DO?? WHERE CAN I FIND HIM ON AMAZON?!! 📈📈 This guy right here might me the best book boyfriend in the Ann Liang universe. I was gagged, dead, astonished. And what made it worse was he remined me SOOOOOOOO much of someone I had a crush on in real life. (Even his mannerisms.) So it was safe to say I was over here swooning like there was no tomorrow. 😞😞😞
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙖, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. And what can I say? When you got characters like those it was SO hard not to love the plot. There was so much tension and mystery and I was just so invested. I MEAN WHO WOULDN'T BE WHEN YOU HAVE OPPOSITES ATTRACT X GRUMPY X SUNSHINE?? 🙊🙊 It was art purely in the form of words. And yes, I know you are probably wondering why I didn't rate this a five star. AND THAT IS BECAUSE I HAVE ONE ISSUE, AND ONE ISSUE THAT MADE THIS NOT PERFECT.
And that was the near ending. Because I cannot tell you how mad I was when it started getting rushed. 😭😞
We have this whole slow-burning going on and I felt like it was messy towards the end. It was like stargazing at a beautiful sky in peace only to be hit with an atomic bomb, YOU DID EVEN KNOW WAS COMING. (Which I mean is the point of bombs but we are going to ignore that.) And because everything about this book was so perfect and wonderful, I was disappointed when the ending become a bit messy and sort of predictable. 😫LIKE WHY COULDN’T WE TAKE OUR TIME AND CHILLAX GUYS?! 😫😫😫🥲🥲
BUT I'M NOT GONNA LIE AND SAY I DIDN'T ENJOY THE BOOK STILL, BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL DID. 🤝
🤍₊˚⊹ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 👛୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
🪻𓂃 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥: I don't know what it was about her in this book but I actually ATE THIS QUEEN UP. She was such a girl boss and gave badahh energy while still being feminine which I DEVOURED. Seeing her become vulnerable throughout the story really shattered me, NOT TO MENTION HOW RELATABLE AND REAL SHE WAS AT TIMES. I really loved that she got her own book because I enjoyed reading about her character so so much.
🪻𓂃 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐬: MY MAN. MY BABY. MY LOML. MY POOR LITTLE EMO BOY. I swear this character destroyed me. He was just the CUTEST thing on earth and his personality made it even better omg. THE WAY HE WAS WRITTEN WAS BEYOND PERFECT. Like I kid you not he even be more of a gentleman then THE Wes Bennett. Seeing his family struggles, his vulnerable side, the things he would DOOOOOO. And his style? Don't even get me started. IT'S GIVING THE MAN YOU SEE AT THE MALL AND NEVER SEE AGAIN BUT STILL DAYDREAM ABOUT. I honestly think he will be living rent free in my mind for the months to come. I literally love him so much it's hard to capture into words.
☂️.*• There is other characters that become HEAVILY invested into the plot of this book. But because this is a spoiler free review, that is for you to find out and discover. But let me warn you babes, THE TEA IS PIPING HOTTER THAN ALL THE KATSEYE MEMBERS ON THAT GAP AD. 😫😫😫
🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧
⸝⸝🌌‧₊˚. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥:
I think this might be my new fave comfort book. I HONESTLY THINK SO GUYS. I loved every aspect of this and I seriously cannot wait for this to be released. If you are hesitant about adding this to your TBR and reading it, GIRL SHUT THE HECK UP AND JUST DO IT!! Because I swear this book was perfection and you will INDEED thank me later. Alright brb ima go make that Ares Yin Pinterest board, xoxo. 💋
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
🦋💗 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC FOR THIS CUTIE AFTER READING THE FIRST BOOK 🙈🙈 IM ACTUALLY SO EXCITED TO SEE CHANELS STORY IN THIS ONE 🤞🏻🤞🏻
Read
May 2, 2026This will be my first ann liang book. 😛😛
April 14, 2026
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!! ann releases should be international holidays 🪽
4 stars ✧ no spoilers!
⟡ ladies and gentlemen, this book may be in my top 3 ann liang books of all time. she continues to surprise me with her love stories, her characters that we can’t help but feel empathetic towards - even if we might dislike them at the beginning - her ever-changing storylines, and her beautiful writing style. it genuinely surprises me everytime she releases a book and it immediately becomes my new obsession - so many authors continue to disappoint me with their releases, but she continues to deliver hit after hit. i wish i could unread this so i could experience the euphoric feeling of this book for the first time once again.
i could give you the moon follows chanel cao, our extremely rich and famous instagram model fmc and our stoic and straightforward mmc, ares yin. (i’m on my knees for this man.) the two of them share a vision together at a lake - essentially tying their fates together. both of them realize they have to work together, whether they like it or not. ares & chanel both have secrets they’re unwillingly to tell the other party, and throughout the story, we see them desperately trying to save themselves from this inevitable fate - but of course, they fall in love along the way.
♯ chanel cao. i’m so surprised at how much i enjoyed her character. in the beginning i was a bit skeptical because her biggest dream and goal in life was to be crowned the prom queen at her school. this made me laugh out loud sometimes - the emphasis on how important this was to her was a bit ridiculous. there were moments where she would break down because she thought she wasn’t going to win prom queen. however, we see her transform into a practical and down-to-earth character. one of my favorite moments in this book was where she realized that these moments that give you only a fleeting moment of satisfaction are generally useless - and that what is most important is the moments with the people you love. chanel is definitely ann’s least relatable fmc, however, i don’t think that was ann’s goal in this book - more so the love story.
♯ ares yin. OKAY MY MAN MY MAN!! while reading every book i write down my thoughts and the sum of all my thoughts for this book is how much i ADORE ares yin. he, as every ann mmc starts out, is extremely closed off, but as the story develops, we see how much he genuinely cares about the people he loves. the little things he would do for chanel were so touching (where can I get my own?) exhibit A: a few months before they started dating, when they were still “enemies”, chanel mentioned how she would buy this dress if only it had spaghetti straps, and months later when they began dating, ares got her the dress she wanted, even though the store didn’t do adjustments 🥹 exhibit B: waiting in line for hours to buy her a lychee pink cake because she wasn’t able to eat one for her birthday C: buying a flood of bots to remove comments about her parents’ divorce because she thought it would ruin her image. the list goes on and on and on. the way i was giggling when he talked to her 😍🤭 ann liang mmc’s are always the elite.
꒱ ┊the romance. oh my gosh they were the most adorable couple ever. i always eat the sunshine grumpy trope up (as long as the sunshine isn’t annoying). he was so grumpy but in the best way possible. she was so sweet and sunshine-y in the best way possible, too. some people might not like the way chanel used some of her “techniques” to manipulate him & make him fall in love with her at times, but honestly, she was the hottest when she did that 🫦 the lipgloss scene with chanel on the sink 🧎🏻♀️ the tension in this whole book was INSANE. i loved how their relationship didn’t move that fast - it was more of a slowburn. yearning and tension will always get me over insta lust.
side characters.
- long ge - this guy was GOOFY get him out of here!!
- coco cao - it confused me how she suddenly redeemed herself at the end of the book, but i guess whatever works
- i thought that maybe the relationship between coco and chanel’s dad would somehow get a side plotline - because at the beginning, i thought they were both hiding something. it would’ve been nice if we got a little more of a deep dive into that, but that could’ve possibly made the story way more complicated.
- alicehenry fans: the mention of them in here was adorable, the alicehenry fans will eat it up
bottom line: i wish ann liang could release a book every week.
- thank you so much to my lovely girl yienne for reading this book with me <3 i couldn't have chosen a better reading partner for this book 🥹💌 here's to many more 💫🧸🕯️
thank you to netgalley for this eARC!
˗📨 pre - read
♯ cue me screaming when i got the email telling me i got this ARC 🥹
. buddy reading this with my best friend, yienne (i cannot believe we're finally doing a br together 🩵, i adore u twin)
- thank you to netgalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars ✧ no spoilers!
'anything that matters to you matters to me.’
⟡ ladies and gentlemen, this book may be in my top 3 ann liang books of all time. she continues to surprise me with her love stories, her characters that we can’t help but feel empathetic towards - even if we might dislike them at the beginning - her ever-changing storylines, and her beautiful writing style. it genuinely surprises me everytime she releases a book and it immediately becomes my new obsession - so many authors continue to disappoint me with their releases, but she continues to deliver hit after hit. i wish i could unread this so i could experience the euphoric feeling of this book for the first time once again.
i could give you the moon follows chanel cao, our extremely rich and famous instagram model fmc and our stoic and straightforward mmc, ares yin. (i’m on my knees for this man.) the two of them share a vision together at a lake - essentially tying their fates together. both of them realize they have to work together, whether they like it or not. ares & chanel both have secrets they’re unwillingly to tell the other party, and throughout the story, we see them desperately trying to save themselves from this inevitable fate - but of course, they fall in love along the way.
♯ chanel cao. i’m so surprised at how much i enjoyed her character. in the beginning i was a bit skeptical because her biggest dream and goal in life was to be crowned the prom queen at her school. this made me laugh out loud sometimes - the emphasis on how important this was to her was a bit ridiculous. there were moments where she would break down because she thought she wasn’t going to win prom queen. however, we see her transform into a practical and down-to-earth character. one of my favorite moments in this book was where she realized that these moments that give you only a fleeting moment of satisfaction are generally useless - and that what is most important is the moments with the people you love. chanel is definitely ann’s least relatable fmc, however, i don’t think that was ann’s goal in this book - more so the love story.
♯ ares yin. OKAY MY MAN MY MAN!! while reading every book i write down my thoughts and the sum of all my thoughts for this book is how much i ADORE ares yin. he, as every ann mmc starts out, is extremely closed off, but as the story develops, we see how much he genuinely cares about the people he loves. the little things he would do for chanel were so touching (where can I get my own?) exhibit A: a few months before they started dating, when they were still “enemies”, chanel mentioned how she would buy this dress if only it had spaghetti straps, and months later when they began dating, ares got her the dress she wanted, even though the store didn’t do adjustments 🥹 exhibit B: waiting in line for hours to buy her a lychee pink cake because she wasn’t able to eat one for her birthday C: buying a flood of bots to remove comments about her parents’ divorce because she thought it would ruin her image. the list goes on and on and on. the way i was giggling when he talked to her 😍🤭 ann liang mmc’s are always the elite.
꒱ ┊the romance. oh my gosh they were the most adorable couple ever. i always eat the sunshine grumpy trope up (as long as the sunshine isn’t annoying). he was so grumpy but in the best way possible. she was so sweet and sunshine-y in the best way possible, too. some people might not like the way chanel used some of her “techniques” to manipulate him & make him fall in love with her at times, but honestly, she was the hottest when she did that 🫦 the lipgloss scene with chanel on the sink 🧎🏻♀️ the tension in this whole book was INSANE. i loved how their relationship didn’t move that fast - it was more of a slowburn. yearning and tension will always get me over insta lust.
side characters.
- long ge - this guy was GOOFY get him out of here!!
- coco cao - it confused me how she suddenly redeemed herself at the end of the book, but i guess whatever works
- i thought that maybe the relationship between coco and chanel’s dad would somehow get a side plotline - because at the beginning, i thought they were both hiding something. it would’ve been nice if we got a little more of a deep dive into that, but that could’ve possibly made the story way more complicated.
- alicehenry fans: the mention of them in here was adorable, the alicehenry fans will eat it up
bottom line: i wish ann liang could release a book every week.
- thank you so much to my lovely girl yienne for reading this book with me <3 i couldn't have chosen a better reading partner for this book 🥹💌 here's to many more 💫🧸🕯️
thank you to netgalley for this eARC!
˗📨 pre - read
♯ cue me screaming when i got the email telling me i got this ARC 🥹
. buddy reading this with my best friend, yienne (i cannot believe we're finally doing a br together 🩵, i adore u twin)
- thank you to netgalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
May 16, 2023JANUARY 1ST 2026?!?! WHAT? THAT'S SO FAR AWAY😭😭!!!!!!!
May 8, 2026
I loved Chanel sm in the first book!! I'm excited to see where her story goes!!
April 16, 2026
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・“𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓾𝓲𝓵𝓭 𝓪 𝓽𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓵𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓬𝓮𝓪𝓷 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓽. 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓴𝔂 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓸𝓷. 𝓐𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰.”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🌙15/04/26
➸4.75 stars ~spoiler-free review💫~
release date: OUT NOW!!
I could give you my heart, my soul, my everything if it means I could read this book for the first time again! Like why did it have to end so soon?!😭💔 I would say this was probably one of the best spin-off I have ever read, I loved being in this world every second. This book has become my sanctuary now in this terrible world where human lives are taken for granted, it made me believe that true love still exist, the least where you expect it to be. This book was such a soothing balm to my aching soul. For the entirety of time I was in this world, I forgot real world even exist. I LOVE this book so much for that, for putting all those shattered pieces of my heart back in place. ANN DID IT AGAIN Y'ALL, honestly this woman has me in her clutches ever since I read her first book three years ago. What sorcery did she craft into her books to make me like this—YEARN for all her men every damn time I read her books? My single ass won't get married with the standards I set because of these MMCs setting the bar HIGH ngl 😩🖐🏻
what to expect 💌:
❤️🔥 bad boy x rich girl
❤️🔥 dual pov
❤️🔥 fate vs. free will
❤️🔥 a lot of scheming
❤️🔥 c-drama vibes
❤️🔥 enemies-to-lovers
❤️🔥 standalone spin-off
❤️🔥 alicehenry sneakpeeks
✨Let's meet the characters 🎬✨
Chanel Cao 💄~ she is the definition of "IT girl". She is me, I am her especially when it comes to boys and trust issues, although I wish I was half rich as her 🤧 Dare I say she's probably one of the badass FMCs Ann has ever written. Each and every second she was scheming against Ares, to make him fall in love with her, I was absolutely devouring it because I expected nothing less from my girl, Chanel 🙂↕️💅🏻
Ares Yin 🥊~ THE MAN HE IS OMG, he made me fold so fast, the SECOND he talked 🙂↔️🖐🏻 The bad boy persona he played here, gaaaa it was like I was not reading a book, but I am watching one of those cdramas 🙂↕️ He is that bad boy your mama warns you to stay away from, but did that stop me from falling for him? ABSOLUTELY NOT. The definition of bad boy is him, I take no other answer. To top everything off, he has to be a boxer too OMG 😩❤️🔥 I wanted to give him the biggest hug, because my guy had gone through a lot, especially being an eldest sibling, had to growp up fast in a way to look after your sibling because your parent thinks it is right. As an eldest sibling myself, I could relate to him so much 🥺🫂❤️🩹
the tension, the off-the-charts chemistry, the drama, and everything about ARES & CHANEL was so fire to say the least 😩🤌🏻❤️🔥 And add on top of that, the mystery of that vision kept me on the edge of my bed with the turn of each page.
And the best one for the last, any guesses? 🤭 *drum rolls please*
Henry Li, my husband, my go to crime-partner no less. I was actually grasping at every scenes my alicehenry appeared. Get ready to see them again pals 🙂↕️🖐🏻
Thankyou to the Author, HarperCollins & Netgalley for giving this incredible masterpiece ARC! I'm forever grateful🫶🏻💕
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 💌:
ˏˋ°•*��➷・❥・𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🌙14/04/26
Happy Release Day!!! finally starting my arc and getting ready to fall in love with the ARES YIN 😩❤️🔥 (I already know I love him). Also lowkey so excited to meet my baes alicehenry again 🥹💖
1 year and 3 months ago...
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・“𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 ... 𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓮, 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓾𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮, 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓮𝓵.”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
Ann, this is so CRUEL of you to tease us with 3 chps, HAND US THE BOOK ALREADY!!!!😩🙌🏻 ASDFGHJKL HOW AM I REALLY SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR A WHOLE YEAR TO MEET ARES YIN & CHANEL CAO?!😭😭😭 2026 is like 10 years away, I MIGHT DIE from waiting 🤧
⤿🌙15/04/26
➸4.75 stars ~spoiler-free review💫~
release date: OUT NOW!!
I could give you my heart, my soul, my everything if it means I could read this book for the first time again! Like why did it have to end so soon?!😭💔 I would say this was probably one of the best spin-off I have ever read, I loved being in this world every second. This book has become my sanctuary now in this terrible world where human lives are taken for granted, it made me believe that true love still exist, the least where you expect it to be. This book was such a soothing balm to my aching soul. For the entirety of time I was in this world, I forgot real world even exist. I LOVE this book so much for that, for putting all those shattered pieces of my heart back in place. ANN DID IT AGAIN Y'ALL, honestly this woman has me in her clutches ever since I read her first book three years ago. What sorcery did she craft into her books to make me like this—YEARN for all her men every damn time I read her books? My single ass won't get married with the standards I set because of these MMCs setting the bar HIGH ngl 😩🖐🏻
what to expect 💌:
❤️🔥 bad boy x rich girl
❤️🔥 dual pov
❤️🔥 fate vs. free will
❤️🔥 a lot of scheming
❤️🔥 c-drama vibes
❤️🔥 enemies-to-lovers
❤️🔥 standalone spin-off
❤️🔥 alicehenry sneakpeeks
✨Let's meet the characters 🎬✨
“You can cry over a stained dress, but you should never cry over a boy.”
Chanel Cao 💄~ she is the definition of "IT girl". She is me, I am her especially when it comes to boys and trust issues, although I wish I was half rich as her 🤧 Dare I say she's probably one of the badass FMCs Ann has ever written. Each and every second she was scheming against Ares, to make him fall in love with her, I was absolutely devouring it because I expected nothing less from my girl, Chanel 🙂↕️💅🏻
“If this is how you act when you hate me, then I wouldn't mind if you hated me more.”
Ares Yin 🥊~ THE MAN HE IS OMG, he made me fold so fast, the SECOND he talked 🙂↔️🖐🏻 The bad boy persona he played here, gaaaa it was like I was not reading a book, but I am watching one of those cdramas 🙂↕️ He is that bad boy your mama warns you to stay away from, but did that stop me from falling for him? ABSOLUTELY NOT. The definition of bad boy is him, I take no other answer. To top everything off, he has to be a boxer too OMG 😩❤️🔥 I wanted to give him the biggest hug, because my guy had gone through a lot, especially being an eldest sibling, had to growp up fast in a way to look after your sibling because your parent thinks it is right. As an eldest sibling myself, I could relate to him so much 🥺🫂❤️🩹
“You know, I don't think I'm used to you like this. I didn't know you be this nice.”
“I'm not this nice to anyone else.”
the tension, the off-the-charts chemistry, the drama, and everything about ARES & CHANEL was so fire to say the least 😩🤌🏻❤️🔥 And add on top of that, the mystery of that vision kept me on the edge of my bed with the turn of each page.
And the best one for the last, any guesses? 🤭 *drum rolls please*
“Alice, you know I would break you out of prison in a heartbeat. But I would most prefer not to”
Henry Li, my husband, my go to crime-partner no less. I was actually grasping at every scenes my alicehenry appeared. Get ready to see them again pals 🙂↕️🖐🏻
Thankyou to the Author, HarperCollins & Netgalley for giving this incredible masterpiece ARC! I'm forever grateful🫶🏻💕
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 💌:
“All I ever do is think about what people might say, and I'm exhausted.”
“My pain means something to you?”
“Ofcourse it does,” I say.
“Ofcourse it does,” he repeats, like he can't quite believe it.
“Yet when the best things do fall in my lap, I find myself questioning if I really deserve it. I suspect that everyoe pretends to enjoy hanging out with me far more than they actually do. I laugh loudest when I'm saddest, and I'm vain enough to believ that plenty of people are interested in me-but give it time, and they'll inevitably find out that I'm not really very interesting at all.”
“Think I can pull this look off?”
“You can pull anything off.”
“He's pleased that she's pleased. Feels the sickening, pathetic urge to do anything to please her more.”
“You came for me.”
“Ofcourse I did.”
ˏˋ°•*��➷・❥・𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
⤿🌙14/04/26
Happy Release Day!!! finally starting my arc and getting ready to fall in love with the ARES YIN 😩❤️🔥 (I already know I love him). Also lowkey so excited to meet my baes alicehenry again 🥹💖
1 year and 3 months ago...
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・“𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 ... 𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓮, 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓾𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮, 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓮𝓵.”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
Ann, this is so CRUEL of you to tease us with 3 chps, HAND US THE BOOK ALREADY!!!!😩🙌🏻 ASDFGHJKL HOW AM I REALLY SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR A WHOLE YEAR TO MEET ARES YIN & CHANEL CAO?!😭😭😭 2026 is like 10 years away, I MIGHT DIE from waiting 🤧
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
──⟡⋆˙✩ 3 stars ✩ ⋆˙⟡──
꧁ᬊᬁ “You can cry over a stained dress, but you should never cry over a boy.” ᬊ᭄꧂ツ
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 βօօҟͲąցʂ 𓍯𓂃
➽ Enemies to Lovers
➽ Tattooed bad boy × Rich girl
➽ Influencer FMC × Boxer MMC
➽ Fighting against fate
𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕀𝕤 𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥: ℕ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪 𝔼𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★
Chanel Cao, the perfect rich and pretty influencer loved by everyone, meets the one guy who doesn’t immediately fold under her charm. Not only that, he even seems like he might burn down her house and hurt her and her mom. (At least… that’s what she thinks.)
So naturally, the only logical solution is to make him fall for her. Easy, right? Boys can never resist her.
Unfortunately, what starts as a mission to claim his heart slowly turns into him accidentally stealing hers instead.
ೃ⁀➷ Chanel Cao
MY BESTIE.
She is the best part of this book. She carried the entire story on her small, fragile back. It must have hurt. Poor thing.
I love fashionable women. Chanel will spend an hour getting ready in the morning, doing her makeup flawlessly and dressing in the most stylish outfits. She’s also rich. Like, super rich. She proudly says she doesn’t need a man to give her princess treatment because she can give it to herself just fine.
She is an icon.
But beyond the glamour, she also has such a good heart. She may be excellent at manipulation and smiling sweetly while scheming on the inside, but she will go above and beyond for the people she loves. She would absolutely stop to feed every puppy she sees on the street.
That said… she also broke my heart.
I really hate her mother. It killed me every time Chanel felt guilty for eating. Eating.
I might have bawled over this once or twice. Hey, don’t judge me. I cannot keep my composure when someone starts starving themselves just to stay skinny.
ೃ⁀➷ Ares Yin
He was okay.
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔾𝕆𝕆𝔻 ᯓ★
I'm forever amazed by how real Ann Liang’s writing feels. She has written so many different FMCs, yet they are all flawed, human, and relatable in their own unique ways.
Every time I read her books, there are always a few lines that make me pause and look around my room for the hidden camera she must be using to spy on me. Because how else does she keep hitting so close to home?
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔹𝔸𝔻 ᯓ★
★ The way this book keeps reminding us that he’s been with other girls before.
Like… please. Can we not?
It’s bad enough that he told us. Then we got confirmation from her stalker friend. But the book itself keeps rubbing it in my face.
Do you want me to be mad and upset?
And Chanel keeps thinking about it too. Girl. No. We don’t do that. We pretend there were no other girls. Just because she likes torturing herself doesn’t mean I do too. My personal strategy is ignoring my problems until they magically disappear. Not dragging them back into the spotlight every five minutes.
★ Also this wasn't as slowburn as I had hoped. I mean for someone who is as cynical about men as Chanel, she falls WAY too fast. Seeing her sky high standards for men, I was really excited thinking, "Oh just how amazing would this Ares have to be for her to fall for him?"
The answer is: He just needed to exist.
I really do not understand why she is so in love with him. I mean sure he made her some noodles. I can't cook to save my life but even I can make noodles. PLEASE. She might as well just date ME (pls Chanel, I'm available if you ever decide Ares is trash)
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ ALSO THAT ALICE AND HENRY CAMEO?! I WAS SQUEALING. Aside from Chanel, they were the highlight of this book.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
₊𖥔 Connect with me on Instagram ׄ໑୧ ׅ𖥔ׄ
꧁ᬊᬁ “You can cry over a stained dress, but you should never cry over a boy.” ᬊ᭄꧂ツ
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 βօօҟͲąցʂ 𓍯𓂃
➽ Enemies to Lovers
➽ Tattooed bad boy × Rich girl
➽ Influencer FMC × Boxer MMC
➽ Fighting against fate
𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕀𝕤 𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥: ℕ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪 𝔼𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★
Chanel Cao, the perfect rich and pretty influencer loved by everyone, meets the one guy who doesn’t immediately fold under her charm. Not only that, he even seems like he might burn down her house and hurt her and her mom. (At least… that’s what she thinks.)
So naturally, the only logical solution is to make him fall for her. Easy, right? Boys can never resist her.
Unfortunately, what starts as a mission to claim his heart slowly turns into him accidentally stealing hers instead.
ೃ⁀➷ Chanel Cao
MY BESTIE.
She is the best part of this book. She carried the entire story on her small, fragile back. It must have hurt. Poor thing.
I love fashionable women. Chanel will spend an hour getting ready in the morning, doing her makeup flawlessly and dressing in the most stylish outfits. She’s also rich. Like, super rich. She proudly says she doesn’t need a man to give her princess treatment because she can give it to herself just fine.
She is an icon.
But beyond the glamour, she also has such a good heart. She may be excellent at manipulation and smiling sweetly while scheming on the inside, but she will go above and beyond for the people she loves. She would absolutely stop to feed every puppy she sees on the street.
That said… she also broke my heart.
I really hate her mother. It killed me every time Chanel felt guilty for eating. Eating.
I might have bawled over this once or twice. Hey, don’t judge me. I cannot keep my composure when someone starts starving themselves just to stay skinny.
ೃ⁀➷ Ares Yin
He was okay.
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔾𝕆𝕆𝔻 ᯓ★
I'm forever amazed by how real Ann Liang’s writing feels. She has written so many different FMCs, yet they are all flawed, human, and relatable in their own unique ways.
Every time I read her books, there are always a few lines that make me pause and look around my room for the hidden camera she must be using to spy on me. Because how else does she keep hitting so close to home?
𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔹𝔸𝔻 ᯓ★
★ The way this book keeps reminding us that he’s been with other girls before.
Like… please. Can we not?
It’s bad enough that he told us. Then we got confirmation from her stalker friend. But the book itself keeps rubbing it in my face.
Do you want me to be mad and upset?
And Chanel keeps thinking about it too. Girl. No. We don’t do that. We pretend there were no other girls. Just because she likes torturing herself doesn’t mean I do too. My personal strategy is ignoring my problems until they magically disappear. Not dragging them back into the spotlight every five minutes.
★ Also this wasn't as slowburn as I had hoped. I mean for someone who is as cynical about men as Chanel, she falls WAY too fast. Seeing her sky high standards for men, I was really excited thinking, "Oh just how amazing would this Ares have to be for her to fall for him?"
The answer is: He just needed to exist.
I really do not understand why she is so in love with him. I mean sure he made her some noodles. I can't cook to save my life but even I can make noodles. PLEASE. She might as well just date ME (pls Chanel, I'm available if you ever decide Ares is trash)
⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ ALSO THAT ALICE AND HENRY CAMEO?! I WAS SQUEALING. Aside from Chanel, they were the highlight of this book.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
₊𖥔 Connect with me on Instagram ׄ໑୧ ׅ𖥔ׄ
Want to Read
September 13, 2025im not ok make this come out sooner pls!!! 🫰🫰
May 3, 2026
꒰💜꒱ —— 3 stars ☆ ‧₊
no spoilers ᯓ★
⋆.𐙚 ̊ I'd plant an entire field of your favourite pink lillies and pluck the brightest ones to deliver to your door. I could build a tower in the middle of the ocean just to give you a better view of the sunset. I could claw the stars from the sky for you. I could give you the moon. ⋆˙⟡
Lucky me had the BEST time reading this with four stunning girls shreya + yumi + lisa + mimi!!! Cheers to shreya for assembling us like an avengers team for ann liang supremacy 🤡
See their gorgeous reviews below:
shreya & yumi & lisa & mimi
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｓ
੭୧ I was sadly disappointed by this. My expectations of Ann Liang are horribly high (her books almost always deliver), but this one had some aspects that I didn't enjoy. I love Ann's books because of their yearning, angst and slow burn (julius, caz and cyrus I'm talking about you) but sadly... I didn't get any of these.
However, this was a super fast, easy and enjoyable read, and ignoring the flaws, I sped through this! I will never get over her talent. Her writing style is gorgeous - lyrical but not overly flowery - and her characters are always so carefully crafted so you can't help but feel empathetic towards them. I adored the darker vibe of this story, and the dual povs added so much personality and depth.
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｑｕｏｔｅｓ
⤿ "He's pleased that she's pleased. Feels the sickening, pathetic urge to do anything to please her more.”
⤿ "You came for me.” “Of course I did.”
⤿ "Even in the darkness, even from a distance, he knows it’s her."
⤿ "You can cry over a stained dress, but you should never cry over a boy."
⤿ “The best thing about heartbreak is how spectacularly predictable it is.”
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓ
꒰ ⌗🌙 chanel ⭑.ᐟ
੭୧ I actually really loved Chanel. Although she could be viewed as spoilt or vain, she was so sweet on the inside (penguin mascot iykyk) and as the sunshine to Ares grumpy, she was just the sweetest and most caring person ever.
But I'm sorry, but her whole goal in life being to "get prom queen" will never not be ridiculous. And the way the third act breakup was over something as stupid as Ares not going to prom with her due to MUCH MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE , and Chanel being angry over that is just preposterous.
However, I feel like a big issue in this book for me was the family development. The family issues and the way they were handled in this felt so immature and amateur. The way Chanel easily forgave her mum at the end with no resistance was so sudden and really horribly potrayed.
Btw can we talk about the lipstick scene 🌚 IM ON MY KNEES
꒰ ⌗🌙 ares ⭑.ᐟ
੭୧ I'm sorry to all my moots, but bro was just...
meh
꒰ ⌗🌙 chanel + ares ⭑.ᐟ
੭୧ The romance in this was just so... insta-love 🤢🤢 The way Ares kept yapping on about how he had dated multiple girls before Chanel (I DON'T NEED TO KNOW) and how he went from indifferent, not noticing and ignoring Chanel to somehow being obsessed and in love with her, screaming stanzas of poetry in ONLY THREE WEEKS just felt so insta-lusty. Their relationship was the OPPOSITE of slow-burn, and I felt like there was never really a reason for the sudden change.
⤿ alice + henry: I NEED more of their relationship, time to go read IYCSTS!
⤿ coco cao: Award for the worst mum of the year goes to...
⤿ chanel's dad: I thought he would have a bigger role in this, but bro literally had no purpose.
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｃｏｎｃｌｕｓｉｏｎ
੭୧ Least favourite Ann Liang book but still a three stars 🙂↕️ TIME TO GO READ IYCSTS!! shreya you win 😭
THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH FOR READING ALL THIS!!
ilyilyily
dawn <3
-----------
⊹ ࣪ ˖🩷꒰ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ꒱ ♡⭑.
⋆.𐙚 ̊ If ann liang released a book every week,
my life would be complete 🙂↕️ ⋆˙⟡
I'm so excited to be buddy reading this with a group of ICONIC queens 🤭💗 cheers to ann liang supremacy and this combo of gorgeous girls: shreya + lisa + yumi + mimi!!!
ps: why is the cover so pretty 😭
no spoilers ᯓ★
⋆.𐙚 ̊ I'd plant an entire field of your favourite pink lillies and pluck the brightest ones to deliver to your door. I could build a tower in the middle of the ocean just to give you a better view of the sunset. I could claw the stars from the sky for you. I could give you the moon. ⋆˙⟡
Lucky me had the BEST time reading this with four stunning girls shreya + yumi + lisa + mimi!!! Cheers to shreya for assembling us like an avengers team for ann liang supremacy 🤡
See their gorgeous reviews below:
shreya & yumi & lisa & mimi
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｓ
੭୧ I was sadly disappointed by this. My expectations of Ann Liang are horribly high (her books almost always deliver), but this one had some aspects that I didn't enjoy. I love Ann's books because of their yearning, angst and slow burn (julius, caz and cyrus I'm talking about you) but sadly... I didn't get any of these.
However, this was a super fast, easy and enjoyable read, and ignoring the flaws, I sped through this! I will never get over her talent. Her writing style is gorgeous - lyrical but not overly flowery - and her characters are always so carefully crafted so you can't help but feel empathetic towards them. I adored the darker vibe of this story, and the dual povs added so much personality and depth.
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｑｕｏｔｅｓ
⤿ "He's pleased that she's pleased. Feels the sickening, pathetic urge to do anything to please her more.”
⤿ "You came for me.” “Of course I did.”
⤿ "Even in the darkness, even from a distance, he knows it’s her."
⤿ "You can cry over a stained dress, but you should never cry over a boy."
⤿ “The best thing about heartbreak is how spectacularly predictable it is.”
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓ
꒰ ⌗🌙 chanel ⭑.ᐟ
੭୧ I actually really loved Chanel. Although she could be viewed as spoilt or vain, she was so sweet on the inside (penguin mascot iykyk) and as the sunshine to Ares grumpy, she was just the sweetest and most caring person ever.
But I'm sorry, but her whole goal in life being to "get prom queen" will never not be ridiculous. And the way the third act breakup was over something as stupid as Ares not going to prom with her due to MUCH MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE , and Chanel being angry over that is just preposterous.
However, I feel like a big issue in this book for me was the family development. The family issues and the way they were handled in this felt so immature and amateur. The way Chanel easily forgave her mum at the end with no resistance was so sudden and really horribly potrayed.
Btw can we talk about the lipstick scene 🌚 IM ON MY KNEES
꒰ ⌗🌙 ares ⭑.ᐟ
੭୧ I'm sorry to all my moots, but bro was just...
meh
꒰ ⌗🌙 chanel + ares ⭑.ᐟ
੭୧ The romance in this was just so... insta-love 🤢🤢 The way Ares kept yapping on about how he had dated multiple girls before Chanel (I DON'T NEED TO KNOW) and how he went from indifferent, not noticing and ignoring Chanel to somehow being obsessed and in love with her, screaming stanzas of poetry in ONLY THREE WEEKS just felt so insta-lusty. Their relationship was the OPPOSITE of slow-burn, and I felt like there was never really a reason for the sudden change.
⤿ alice + henry: I NEED more of their relationship, time to go read IYCSTS!
⤿ coco cao: Award for the worst mum of the year goes to...
⤿ chanel's dad: I thought he would have a bigger role in this, but bro literally had no purpose.
꒰ ⌗ 🌑┆ｃｏｎｃｌｕｓｉｏｎ
੭୧ Least favourite Ann Liang book but still a three stars 🙂↕️ TIME TO GO READ IYCSTS!! shreya you win 😭
THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH FOR READING ALL THIS!!
ilyilyily
dawn <3
-----------
⊹ ࣪ ˖🩷꒰ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ꒱ ♡⭑.
⋆.𐙚 ̊ If ann liang released a book every week,
my life would be complete 🙂↕️ ⋆˙⟡
I'm so excited to be buddy reading this with a group of ICONIC queens 🤭💗 cheers to ann liang supremacy and this combo of gorgeous girls: shreya + lisa + yumi + mimi!!!
ps: why is the cover so pretty 😭
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
➳ 3 ☆
firstly, thank you so much for the arc.
as always, ann liang is such an amazing author to read from if you are diving into the romance genre for the first time or want something new to read. she always brings something new to the table, and i especially loved the magical realism elements of her book. i absolutely loved everything about both of our main characters and i’m so happy that this was in dual POV. i love the element that both of them are able to share this vision, and they are essentially forced to work together both in school and out of school. this ended up being a really compelling part of their romance. as most of her books go, they do start off on the wrong foot, but i love how both of them were able to come together and support each other and ultimately grow into a very beautiful relationship.
chanel is so different from all of ann’s FMC’s. i was always very curious of her when i read the previous book in the series because i thought she had so much to offer. unlike a lot of other interconnected standalone’s, i was not really worried that her character was going to be watered down once we got her book. right now, she is probably my favorite character ann has written about. while in the beginning, she is portrayed a little bit sketchy and materialistic, by the time we actually get to know her, i ended up falling in love with her character and was rooting for her so hard.
ares was probably the perfect MMC because most of AL men do start off very closed off, reserved, and quiet. but, as the plot progresses—he cares so much for chanel, and we can see the growing friendship and admiration that they both have for each other as the story progresses. he was such a charming MMC and i loved everything about his personality. i am also grateful that we got his point of view because most authors who strictly write in one POV don't give us that. however, i do wish we stuck to a consistent narrative structure because chanel having first person POV and ares having third person POV was a little jarring. other than that, their romance was to die for and ann never lets me down.
thank you to my queenie, vee! i loved reading this with you, as always.
firstly, thank you so much for the arc.
as always, ann liang is such an amazing author to read from if you are diving into the romance genre for the first time or want something new to read. she always brings something new to the table, and i especially loved the magical realism elements of her book. i absolutely loved everything about both of our main characters and i’m so happy that this was in dual POV. i love the element that both of them are able to share this vision, and they are essentially forced to work together both in school and out of school. this ended up being a really compelling part of their romance. as most of her books go, they do start off on the wrong foot, but i love how both of them were able to come together and support each other and ultimately grow into a very beautiful relationship.
chanel is so different from all of ann’s FMC’s. i was always very curious of her when i read the previous book in the series because i thought she had so much to offer. unlike a lot of other interconnected standalone’s, i was not really worried that her character was going to be watered down once we got her book. right now, she is probably my favorite character ann has written about. while in the beginning, she is portrayed a little bit sketchy and materialistic, by the time we actually get to know her, i ended up falling in love with her character and was rooting for her so hard.
ares was probably the perfect MMC because most of AL men do start off very closed off, reserved, and quiet. but, as the plot progresses—he cares so much for chanel, and we can see the growing friendship and admiration that they both have for each other as the story progresses. he was such a charming MMC and i loved everything about his personality. i am also grateful that we got his point of view because most authors who strictly write in one POV don't give us that. however, i do wish we stuck to a consistent narrative structure because chanel having first person POV and ares having third person POV was a little jarring. other than that, their romance was to die for and ann never lets me down.
thank you to my queenie, vee! i loved reading this with you, as always.
Currently Reading
May 7, 2026✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ⋆˚⋆｡˚☽˚｡✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
⭑𓂃꒰ ᎮᏒᏋ-ᏒᏋᏗᎴ ꒱
❥ I could NOT give you the moon.
But, I could give you a nickel for every time I said an Ann Liang release was my most anticipated release of the year.
You would have 4 nickels then. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird I’m repetitive enough that it got to 4, no?
Lowkey scared, because a little birdie told me Ares is a bit different from the usual Ann-Liang blueprint of a perfect man ~
I did not wait for more than year to be disappointed by an Ann Liang book! NO, YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE PAIN OF A RABID, JOBLESS FANGIRL (ಡ᎔ಡ)
Going into this ride with my girlie pop Pallavi (╥﹏╥)
P.S. 12% in and I already see a Caz Song reference. Ann Liang isn’t even trying to make a case! CAN WE PLEASE SEE JULIUS TOO?! PRETTY PLEASE?!
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ⋆˚⋆｡˚☽˚｡✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Read
October 11, 2025pre-read:
i’ve decided that before going back to small-town romance books, i’ll be reading chanel’s story first! i absolutely loved her in if you could see the sun and i’m just so curious about her!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-release:
OMG OMG OMG OMG!! i got the arc of this book 🥹🩷 i can’t believe it, i’m so so so excited to read this book ✨ and who wouldn’t be?! just look at THE COVER of this book?
i’ve decided that before going back to small-town romance books, i’ll be reading chanel’s story first! i absolutely loved her in if you could see the sun and i’m just so curious about her!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-release:
OMG OMG OMG OMG!! i got the arc of this book 🥹🩷 i can’t believe it, i’m so so so excited to read this book ✨ and who wouldn’t be?! just look at THE COVER of this book?
September 29, 2025
I officially have my favorite Ann Liang mmc. And my favorite couple. And my favorite world(okay that’s cheating, if you could see the sun was already my favorite world of hers).
The rating is actually 4.5 stars, it’s close to perfect.
In the introduction Liang says this book is a more mature work compared to if you could see the sun, and it sure felt like it. This is a plot that would work perfectly in an adult novel, but she made it work for ya. My only complaint(and I think that’s probably where the bad reviews are stemming from) is that it feels a little messy in some parts, but I think that was the vibe the author was going for.
Personally, I loved I could give you the moon a lot more than Ann Liang’s previous books since her debut. It reminded me why I like her as a writer. Her last two ones seriously made me consider not continuing following her releases but I’m really glad I read this one. Oh, and if she ever writes an adult novel I’ll be first in line because she would do great at it, I just know it.
Anyway, I couldn't recommend it enough, even if you are not usually a fan of the author, this one was very different from her previous works.
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!
The rating is actually 4.5 stars, it’s close to perfect.
In the introduction Liang says this book is a more mature work compared to if you could see the sun, and it sure felt like it. This is a plot that would work perfectly in an adult novel, but she made it work for ya. My only complaint(and I think that’s probably where the bad reviews are stemming from) is that it feels a little messy in some parts, but I think that was the vibe the author was going for.
Personally, I loved I could give you the moon a lot more than Ann Liang’s previous books since her debut. It reminded me why I like her as a writer. Her last two ones seriously made me consider not continuing following her releases but I’m really glad I read this one. Oh, and if she ever writes an adult novel I’ll be first in line because she would do great at it, I just know it.
Anyway, I couldn't recommend it enough, even if you are not usually a fan of the author, this one was very different from her previous works.
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!
August 31, 2025
✨Well, I absolutely loved Alice and Henry Li’s paranormal romance in If You Could See the Sun, so when I found out there was a sequel—this time focusing on Alice’s glamorous former roommate, the It Girl and social media star Chanel Cao—I literally fist-pumped the air and shouted YAY! It felt so good to return to Airington, especially for an enemies-to-lovers romance laced with supernatural intrigue. I devoured this in one sitting, loved it just as much as the first book, and I’m already crossing my fingers for a third installment (please let it be Luke’s story!).
The story opens on a rooftop, where Chanel—Airington’s own “Beijing Serena van der Woodsen”—is helping a friend confront her cheating boyfriend. But what she doesn’t expect is to cross paths with mysterious new student Ares Yin. He’s intimidating, brooding, a boy of few words with a magnetic presence that pulls people toward him like moths to a flame. Intrigued, Chanel follows him…and stumbles upon a hidden lakeside spot where the moonlit water reveals visions of the future like a crystal ball.
When Chanel sees her own house in flames, a scarred man watching with a young boy at his side, and Ares holding a lighter that makes him look like the arsonist, she’s shaken to her core. Ares, however, realizes he’s not the only one with this ability, and suddenly their fates are tangled together.
Chanel keeps her terrifying vision secret, trying to use her charms to get closer to Ares in hopes of protecting her family. Meanwhile, Ares is fighting for his kidnapped little brother Luke, dragged into the dangerous world of underground fight clubs and ruthless men tied to Chanel’s family. Both Chanel and Ares are hiding agendas, circling each other with mistrust, but as they spend more time together the masks begin to slip.
Chanel discovers that Ares isn’t just a cold, brooding fighter—he’s protective, thoughtful, and far more tender than she imagined. And Ares learns Chanel isn’t the shallow, narcissistic girl she pretends to be; beneath the “It Girl” image, she’s sensitive, determined, and willing to risk everything for the people she loves. Together, they begin to ask: what if destiny isn’t set in stone? What if love is strong enough to rewrite the future?
💫 This was a fascinating romance with an addictive paranormal edge, brimming with sizzling chemistry between Chanel and Ares. Their banter, tension, and slow-burn trust made this story impossible to put down. I adored every moment, and I’m hoping Ann Liang keeps bringing us back to Airington—again and again.
🌟 Huge thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the digital review copy of this amazing YA romance/fantasy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter
The story opens on a rooftop, where Chanel—Airington’s own “Beijing Serena van der Woodsen”—is helping a friend confront her cheating boyfriend. But what she doesn’t expect is to cross paths with mysterious new student Ares Yin. He’s intimidating, brooding, a boy of few words with a magnetic presence that pulls people toward him like moths to a flame. Intrigued, Chanel follows him…and stumbles upon a hidden lakeside spot where the moonlit water reveals visions of the future like a crystal ball.
When Chanel sees her own house in flames, a scarred man watching with a young boy at his side, and Ares holding a lighter that makes him look like the arsonist, she’s shaken to her core. Ares, however, realizes he’s not the only one with this ability, and suddenly their fates are tangled together.
Chanel keeps her terrifying vision secret, trying to use her charms to get closer to Ares in hopes of protecting her family. Meanwhile, Ares is fighting for his kidnapped little brother Luke, dragged into the dangerous world of underground fight clubs and ruthless men tied to Chanel’s family. Both Chanel and Ares are hiding agendas, circling each other with mistrust, but as they spend more time together the masks begin to slip.
Chanel discovers that Ares isn’t just a cold, brooding fighter—he’s protective, thoughtful, and far more tender than she imagined. And Ares learns Chanel isn’t the shallow, narcissistic girl she pretends to be; beneath the “It Girl” image, she’s sensitive, determined, and willing to risk everything for the people she loves. Together, they begin to ask: what if destiny isn’t set in stone? What if love is strong enough to rewrite the future?
💫 This was a fascinating romance with an addictive paranormal edge, brimming with sizzling chemistry between Chanel and Ares. Their banter, tension, and slow-burn trust made this story impossible to put down. I adored every moment, and I’m hoping Ann Liang keeps bringing us back to Airington—again and again.
🌟 Huge thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the digital review copy of this amazing YA romance/fantasy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
April 14, 2026
˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚.🎀༘⋆ 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
five. freakin. stars 👏
happy freaking release day. here's my favorite quote from my whole review.
i could give this book the moon and i'd come right back to devour this masterpiece every single time. it's ares yin. of course im giving it five stars.
pov when ur scrolling and somehow find your little goodreads review partially featured on EpicReads Instagram!?? Hello, I'm famous now 🤭🤭
💗 𝒉𝒖𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘. 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ ann liang always devours in everything and she must eat slayness for breakfast lunch and dinner because icgytm is nothing less than a five out of five stars. i could give this book the moon and i'd come right back to devour this masterpiece every single time.
it's ares yin. of course im giving it five stars.
also i find it so hard to write a review on a book i love. im so good at writing ranty hate reviews on things i dont like that when i have to write something i like i just sit there like ??? um it was good ?? so enjoy my thoughts not making sense.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝙿𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
(primadonna girl)
0:09 ━●────────── 2:47
◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷
🪩 ᴘʀɪᴍᴀᴅᴏɴɴᴀ ɢɪʀʟ, ʏᴇᴀʜ 🪩
ᴀʟʟ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ
💮 ɪ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ 💮
🎀 ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪᴍᴀᴅᴏɴɴᴀ ʟɪꜰᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴀʟʟ 🎀
🌷 ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ'ꜱ ꜰᴀᴜʟᴛ 🌷
💜ɢᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍʏ ꜰɪɴɢᴇʀ, ʙᴀʙᴇ 💜
🩰 ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍɪꜱʙᴇʜᴀᴠᴇ 🩰
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ ᰔᩚ
so please go out and buy this book. if not for me, buy it for ares yin (mhmmm) and read it and yap about it with me. see you in april besties for when this book releases. buy some highlighters and tabs because you'll be quoting ares and chanels quotes more than you know it. it's that good.
mother ann has done it again. 🤭
happy reading besties!!! 💖💜
xxjo
🌷🍒☁️
pre-read
I AM FANGIRLING SO HARD OVER THE COVER REVEAL IT IS FRICKING GORGINA.
I NEED APRIL 2026 SO BAD OMG
five. freakin. stars 👏
happy freaking release day. here's my favorite quote from my whole review.
i could give this book the moon and i'd come right back to devour this masterpiece every single time. it's ares yin. of course im giving it five stars.
pov when ur scrolling and somehow find your little goodreads review partially featured on EpicReads Instagram!?? Hello, I'm famous now 🤭🤭
💗 𝒉𝒖𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘. 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ ann liang always devours in everything and she must eat slayness for breakfast lunch and dinner because icgytm is nothing less than a five out of five stars. i could give this book the moon and i'd come right back to devour this masterpiece every single time.
it's ares yin. of course im giving it five stars.
also i find it so hard to write a review on a book i love. im so good at writing ranty hate reviews on things i dont like that when i have to write something i like i just sit there like ??? um it was good ?? so enjoy my thoughts not making sense.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝙿𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
(primadonna girl)
0:09 ━●────────── 2:47
◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷
🪩 ᴘʀɪᴍᴀᴅᴏɴɴᴀ ɢɪʀʟ, ʏᴇᴀʜ 🪩
chanel cao is the ultimate diva. the girl who we all know and love from iycsts and for being the most at everuthing. she's rich and she knows it. everyone wants to be her (yes babes even me) and who wouldn't want to read about a rich girlipop who has issues? and ofc fall in love. yeah me too girl. i wanna read it. chanel has the best comebacks and quips to everything. i love her character sm and if you are thinking oh shes this spoiled little brat she's spoiled fs fs but she's also
ᴀʟʟ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ
so set up that plot with some tea and a hot character who everyone...doesn't talk to? who's that? oh that's--
💮 ɪ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ 💮
i need ares yin. and thats saying something when julius gong IS my book boyfriend and i dont take that statement lightly. but fear not. ares yin is up for second place in this case. this mans is literally like a parents worst nightmare in walking hotness form. he legit was chemistry off the charts and believe me when i say that i need more of him ASAP. hear that ann??? i need more ares yin. throw in some julius gong to while u are at it.
🎀 ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪᴍᴀᴅᴏɴɴᴀ ʟɪꜰᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴀʟʟ 🎀
the plot was tense omg. like i was turning the page at 2am in the morning like "omg omg whats gonna happen next" i fear i was a fly on the wall.
🌷 ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ'ꜱ ꜰᴀᴜʟᴛ 🌷
my one complaint is how quickly the plot wrapped up but that's minor and i still enjoyed the plot anyway so im not docking anything !!! i loved this book because it also had henry li and alice crumbs. my babiessssss🤭
💜ɢᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍʏ ꜰɪɴɢᴇʀ, ʙᴀʙᴇ 💜
this lyric is literally chanel cao in an instant. sure ares let himself slowly be wrapped around chanels finger but chanel could wrap a worm around her finger i kid you not. she said yes. like the bathroom scene? I was literally dying because I CUOLDNT SQUEAL AT LIKE MIDNIGHT IT HAD NO RIGHT TO BE THAT HOT OMG i was literally blushing omgosh
🩰 ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍɪꜱʙᴇʜᴀᴠᴇ 🩰
all in all. this book is everything to me. it feels so insane to think that i've been reading ann liang since the og days. like i remember reading if you could see the sun when it first came out and i requested it from the library and went Yes i like this author. and i haven't looked back since. ann liang is my top tier autobuy author and im afraid that no one will ever top her so this book is perfect in perfect form. ares yin would literally burn down the world for chanel and chanel would buy it for him. power couple.
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ ᰔᩚ
so please go out and buy this book. if not for me, buy it for ares yin (mhmmm) and read it and yap about it with me. see you in april besties for when this book releases. buy some highlighters and tabs because you'll be quoting ares and chanels quotes more than you know it. it's that good.
mother ann has done it again. 🤭
happy reading besties!!! 💖💜
xxjo
🌷🍒☁️
pre-read
I AM FANGIRLING SO HARD OVER THE COVER REVEAL IT IS FRICKING GORGINA.
I NEED APRIL 2026 SO BAD OMG
Want to Read
July 1, 2025the cover is so pretty oh my
Currently Reading
May 17, 2023yes i am waiting for 3 years for this bc a) ann liang b) possible Henry appearance & c) chanel's story!!
March 30, 2026
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.85 stars
ann has done it again! wrote the most beautiful story
this is out in 2 weeks!!!! full rtc!! one of my fav reads of last fall <3
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
secured an arc of my fav author EVER and one of my top 5 antipacted reads of 2026?!! got the arc with a 20% ratio 💪 cannot wait to read chanel's story filled with tension and yearning men 🤭
sooo excited to read this with my bsf justine !!! adore u so much 💗🫂 can't wait to yap and scream about this together our second br!!!!
↪ started sept 5
ann has done it again! wrote the most beautiful story
this is out in 2 weeks!!!! full rtc!! one of my fav reads of last fall <3
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
secured an arc of my fav author EVER and one of my top 5 antipacted reads of 2026?!! got the arc with a 20% ratio 💪 cannot wait to read chanel's story filled with tension and yearning men 🤭
sooo excited to read this with my bsf justine !!! adore u so much 💗🫂 can't wait to yap and scream about this together our second br!!!!
↪ started sept 5
Want to Read
February 17, 2024my girl chanel getting her own book as she should 🤧❤️🩹
![Profile Image for ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1757265812i%2F180071670._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 15, 2025
big thanks to netgalley and harper teen for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
5⭐
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ there is no universe where he doesn’t want her. ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
spoiler free
15+
romance: 6/10 (passionate making out, and obvious innuendo, characters come close to doing it a few times
cursing: 4/10 (semi-frequent moderate cursing, f-ck used a few times)
violence: 7/10 (illegal fight ring scenes, sexual harassment, a character is stabbed, someone’s house burns down with a person inside, stalking)
other: drugs and alcohol are mentioned or used by main characters
tw: divorce, familial estrangement, emotional abuse
tropes: rich girl x bad boy
first person, present tense
third person mmc pov
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ she was as inevitable as the future, as familiar as his own past ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
– OVERVIEW –
OH MY WORD WHEN I TELL YOU THIS BOOK WAS SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS
you guys…you guys are NOT ready for this book ✋😩
this isn’t something that i experience often, but i literally want to DROWN in this book.
ares is officially my favorite ann liang mmc HANDS DOWN 😏😛
– PLOT –
romance
intrigue
SOMEHOW ALSO WITH THRILLER ELEMENTS??!?
our queen has cooked with this one.
– CHARACTERS –
channel cao
⤷ i loved her in iycsts and i loved her in icgytm. she’s one of those icons who, no matter what they do, i’ll defend until my last breath
ares yin
⤷ have i mentioned that he’s hot? he’s amazing. i’m so hideously obsessed with this man it’s ACTUALLY NOT FUNNY
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ she seems determined to remain unknowable. yet he’s addicted to the process of trying to know her. ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
– CONCLUSION –
i could live a thousand more lifetimes and never experience a feeling like this book again
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ wouldn’t it be nice if we weren’t destined to ruin each other? ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
– post-read –
i am unwell
– pre-read –
NO WAY IN HELL I GOT THIS ARC
NOOOOO WAY OML
BUT I DID ACKKK
5⭐
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ there is no universe where he doesn’t want her. ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
spoiler free
15+
romance: 6/10 (passionate making out, and obvious innuendo, characters come close to doing it a few times
cursing: 4/10 (semi-frequent moderate cursing, f-ck used a few times)
violence: 7/10 (illegal fight ring scenes, sexual harassment, a character is stabbed, someone’s house burns down with a person inside, stalking)
other: drugs and alcohol are mentioned or used by main characters
tw: divorce, familial estrangement, emotional abuse
tropes: rich girl x bad boy
first person, present tense
third person mmc pov
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ she was as inevitable as the future, as familiar as his own past ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
– OVERVIEW –
OH MY WORD WHEN I TELL YOU THIS BOOK WAS SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS
you guys…you guys are NOT ready for this book ✋😩
this isn’t something that i experience often, but i literally want to DROWN in this book.
ares is officially my favorite ann liang mmc HANDS DOWN 😏😛
– PLOT –
romance
intrigue
SOMEHOW ALSO WITH THRILLER ELEMENTS??!?
our queen has cooked with this one.
– CHARACTERS –
channel cao
⤷ i loved her in iycsts and i loved her in icgytm. she’s one of those icons who, no matter what they do, i’ll defend until my last breath
ares yin
⤷ have i mentioned that he’s hot? he’s amazing. i’m so hideously obsessed with this man it’s ACTUALLY NOT FUNNY
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ she seems determined to remain unknowable. yet he’s addicted to the process of trying to know her. ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
– CONCLUSION –
i could live a thousand more lifetimes and never experience a feeling like this book again
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ wouldn’t it be nice if we weren’t destined to ruin each other? ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
– post-read –
i am unwell
– pre-read –
NO WAY IN HELL I GOT THIS ARC
NOOOOO WAY OML
BUT I DID ACKKK
September 3, 2025
this was so good omg and ares is officially my new favorite ann liang mmc 🤭💌
⟢ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc!
⟢ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc!
September 22, 2025
ann in upper ya is the best thing that’s ever happened 💋 this truly is if you could see the sun’s bolder, older sister and i devoured it like a man starved. the plot was honestly so unhinged it made this book impossible to put down. the dual pov was also such a fun addition!! it felt extra exciting to get both sides of the story and i desperately hope ann writes more of it <3
i’m so, so irrevocably in love with chanel and ares. chanel was such a breath of fresh air, a reminder that even the people we admire most don’t have picture perfect lives. and ares, oh my god. this man is the epitome of my type and easily my favourite book boyfriend in the ann liang universe. he’s so mwah and his devotion to chanel has set my standards unreasonably high forever.
ⓘ thank you to netgalley and harpercollins for the arc!
i’m so, so irrevocably in love with chanel and ares. chanel was such a breath of fresh air, a reminder that even the people we admire most don’t have picture perfect lives. and ares, oh my god. this man is the epitome of my type and easily my favourite book boyfriend in the ann liang universe. he’s so mwah and his devotion to chanel has set my standards unreasonably high forever.
ⓘ thank you to netgalley and harpercollins for the arc!
March 30, 2026
thank you netgalley & harpercollins for the eARC—all thoughts are my own!
✦ publication date: april 14, 2026
I AM NOT OKAY!! i have to say it’s one of her best works. i actually cried a little while reading because i missed this world, i love the main characters chanel and ares, and most of all i felt like i got to meet my children, henry and sadie. after finishing if you could see the sun, i was desperate for more of this universe, and when ann announced this new book i was hella excited. as always, her writing is easy to follow and beautiful, which made the whole reading experience enjoyable.
the story follows chanel cao, a rich girl who is a social media influencer. on the surface she seems perfect: she has a fancy lifestyle, lots of followers, and a constantly smiling face. but underneath the glamour she hides deep insecurities. she has both daddy and mommy issues and constantly feels the need to be seen for who she really is, not just for her online persona.
ares yin on the other hand is known for being dark, brooding, and a little scary, so most people stay away from him. what most people are unaware of is the fact that ares is actually an older brother who has spent years looking for his missing younger brother. his search is the driving force of his life and only motive.
chanel believes that ares hates her, but she soon discovers a secret that changes everything. something she is fated to see appears, and that fate brings her into ares’s life in a way that could give him clues about his brother’s disappearance. unfortunately, that same fate also threatens chanel’s own future. to change what might happen, chanel must fit into his good books, while ares must decide whether to stay away from the very person he thinks will ruin him.
the romance in this book is intense. the tension between chanel and ares (i was feral!!) made it hard to put the book down. even though the story is aimed at upper YA—a category ann doesn’t usually write for—i found the chemistry between the two of them absolutely insane.
chanel may be wealthy, but she isn’t a spoiled brat. she is genuinely kind, always willing to help others, and she has a strong sense of loyalty. ares, on the other hand, is brooding yet caring. he protects chanel in many ways, and i wanted to hug him whenever i read about his self less actions. the moments when ares looks after chanel are some of the sweetest parts of the book. their interactions feel so cute and natural, and the way they slowly open up to each other makes the romance feel real, not just a trope.
ann liang usually blended magical realism into her previous book, and this novel is no different. howeverrrrr, i felt the magical realism element was not as strong as in her previous book. at times the plot dragged a little because the magical parts were less vivid and didn’t always push the story forward. still, the occasional magical details added a nice touch and kept the world feeling a bit otherworldly.
even with the few flaws, i really enjoyed this book. the characters are well drawn, the romance is very sweet, and the mystery of ares’s missing brother adds an amazing layer of suspense.
now i'm craving some egg-and-tomato noodles 🌚
a very huge thank you to fatty patty manas for reading this with me! i love you 💗
⤿ c-drama vibes
⤿ beijing setting
⤿ enemies and lovers
⤿ rich girl x bad boy
⤿ upper YA
⤿ dual pov
⤿ fate v/s freewill
౨ৎ ⋮ more by ann liang
— if you could see the sun
— this time it's real
— i hope this doesn't find you
— a song to drown rivers
— i am not jessica chen
— never thought i'd end up here
✦ publication date: april 14, 2026
I AM NOT OKAY!! i have to say it’s one of her best works. i actually cried a little while reading because i missed this world, i love the main characters chanel and ares, and most of all i felt like i got to meet my children, henry and sadie. after finishing if you could see the sun, i was desperate for more of this universe, and when ann announced this new book i was hella excited. as always, her writing is easy to follow and beautiful, which made the whole reading experience enjoyable.
the story follows chanel cao, a rich girl who is a social media influencer. on the surface she seems perfect: she has a fancy lifestyle, lots of followers, and a constantly smiling face. but underneath the glamour she hides deep insecurities. she has both daddy and mommy issues and constantly feels the need to be seen for who she really is, not just for her online persona.
ares yin on the other hand is known for being dark, brooding, and a little scary, so most people stay away from him. what most people are unaware of is the fact that ares is actually an older brother who has spent years looking for his missing younger brother. his search is the driving force of his life and only motive.
chanel believes that ares hates her, but she soon discovers a secret that changes everything. something she is fated to see appears, and that fate brings her into ares’s life in a way that could give him clues about his brother’s disappearance. unfortunately, that same fate also threatens chanel’s own future. to change what might happen, chanel must fit into his good books, while ares must decide whether to stay away from the very person he thinks will ruin him.
the romance in this book is intense. the tension between chanel and ares (i was feral!!) made it hard to put the book down. even though the story is aimed at upper YA—a category ann doesn’t usually write for—i found the chemistry between the two of them absolutely insane.
chanel may be wealthy, but she isn’t a spoiled brat. she is genuinely kind, always willing to help others, and she has a strong sense of loyalty. ares, on the other hand, is brooding yet caring. he protects chanel in many ways, and i wanted to hug him whenever i read about his self less actions. the moments when ares looks after chanel are some of the sweetest parts of the book. their interactions feel so cute and natural, and the way they slowly open up to each other makes the romance feel real, not just a trope.
ann liang usually blended magical realism into her previous book, and this novel is no different. howeverrrrr, i felt the magical realism element was not as strong as in her previous book. at times the plot dragged a little because the magical parts were less vivid and didn’t always push the story forward. still, the occasional magical details added a nice touch and kept the world feeling a bit otherworldly.
even with the few flaws, i really enjoyed this book. the characters are well drawn, the romance is very sweet, and the mystery of ares’s missing brother adds an amazing layer of suspense.
now i'm craving some egg-and-tomato noodles 🌚
a very huge thank you to fatty patty manas for reading this with me! i love you 💗
⤿ c-drama vibes
⤿ beijing setting
⤿ enemies and lovers
⤿ rich girl x bad boy
⤿ upper YA
⤿ dual pov
⤿ fate v/s freewill
౨ৎ ⋮ more by ann liang
— if you could see the sun
— this time it's real
— i hope this doesn't find you
— a song to drown rivers
— i am not jessica chen
— never thought i'd end up here
Want to Read
June 10, 2024edit 6/10: ITS CONFIRMED THAT THIS FOLLOWS CHANEL I LOVED HER SM
OMG? 2026?? IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN SPIN-OFF??
OMG? 2026?? IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN SPIN-OFF??
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
oooh this was a TREAT the hype is real (rtc)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I GOT THE ARC EVERYONE AHHHHHH PREPARE TO BE SICK OF ME
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I GOT THE ARC EVERYONE AHHHHHH PREPARE TO BE SICK OF ME
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
July 12, 2025OH MY!! COVER REVEAL (ignore how late i am) but wow give this cover an award because wow.
currently counting down the days until this master piece will be released!! 👀 (2026 has never been so far).
currently counting down the days until this master piece will be released!! 👀 (2026 has never been so far).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
੭୧ 5 stars . ۫
“ i'd plant an entire field of your favourite pink lillies and pluck the brightest ones to deliver to your door. i could build a tower in the middle of the ocean just to give you a better view of the sunset. i could claw the stars from the sky for you. i could give you the moon. ”
overall thoughts — this was so splendidly, spectacularly delicious !!! i remember when chanel's book was announced back in 2022/2023, and now being able to read it (early at that) in 2026 is a surreal and full circle moment. i must admit i wasn't the biggest fan of ann liang's last 2 releases. i think the similar dynamics between her characters have started to become repetitive for me, but this book !!!! i fear it has turned me into the utmost chanel cao and ares yin truther 🤞🤞
the dual pov was torturously delicious. seeing the mmc's indifference through chanel's perspective, then switching to his pov to find overwhelming need and emotional suppression GOSH.
her personality both contrasts with and fits ares so well. i found myself relating to her more times than i would like to admit. i think chanel cao encapsulates girlhood in a very honest way, with all its flaws and highs. the need to be loved and accepted, constant self-consciousness, overanalyzing the smallest interactions, struggling with beauty standards, the inability to be normal and sane about anything and everything.......
“ i occasionally loathe myself, but i always, always want the best for myself. ”
the alicehenry appearances were so sweet and offered a perfect contrast to chanel and ares. i find that ann liang's ya couples always follow the same lovable (albeit overused) dynamic of acadmic rivals/girl who doesn't feel like enough x guy who helps her feel loved. but chanel and ares gave such a refreshing duo that worked really well. just two people, each deeply guarded in different ways, learning to exist honestly around one another. i am so wholly and utterly invested in them.
i also noticed some small, but nevertheless important improvements within ann's storytelling. for one, the writing felt a tad bit more mature than her usual ya. second, its clear she carefully thought out and constructed the characters. the mmc especially felt much more dimensional and developed (likely due to the dual pov). i also really enjoyed chanel's character who differs in many ways from ann's usual academic, overachiever fmc. it's evident ann wanted to give chanel a different vibe and it very much worked. there's still lots of room for growth, especially in terms of plot, but it's always nice to see ann liang branching out. i hope she continues to do so as she releases more books.
lastly, ARES YIN. this man is so unbelievably attractive. i am sooo normal about him. i am soooo normal about them. the slow burn between him and chanel was excellent. the surface level indifference contrasted with his internal fixation. MY MAN WAS TORTURED. my man was hungry. my man was aching for chanel. i have never appreciated tortured and achy men more than in times like these <3 the way he so easily allows chanel, a girl who's only at ease when everything is under her control and who's so opposed to love, to give in to him. to them ☹️☹️ him and chanel have genuinely cemented themselves as my favorite ann liang couple and fmc/mmc.
“ yet he runs to her anyway. ”
final thoughts — move aside sadiejulius, chanelares did not come to play 🙏 (/j i still love u sadiejulius!)
thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!
CW: eating disorder, violence
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
finished: 01/25/26
RENT WAS DUE !!!!!!!
pre read: 01/24/26
cleared my schedule, put phone on do not disturb, chanel cao diaries i am so ready for u <3
“ i'd plant an entire field of your favourite pink lillies and pluck the brightest ones to deliver to your door. i could build a tower in the middle of the ocean just to give you a better view of the sunset. i could claw the stars from the sky for you. i could give you the moon. ”
overall thoughts — this was so splendidly, spectacularly delicious !!! i remember when chanel's book was announced back in 2022/2023, and now being able to read it (early at that) in 2026 is a surreal and full circle moment. i must admit i wasn't the biggest fan of ann liang's last 2 releases. i think the similar dynamics between her characters have started to become repetitive for me, but this book !!!! i fear it has turned me into the utmost chanel cao and ares yin truther 🤞🤞
the dual pov was torturously delicious. seeing the mmc's indifference through chanel's perspective, then switching to his pov to find overwhelming need and emotional suppression GOSH.
chanel caoㆍ“ i hate the effect you have on me. i hate that my own body won't listen to me when you're around. ”
her personality both contrasts with and fits ares so well. i found myself relating to her more times than i would like to admit. i think chanel cao encapsulates girlhood in a very honest way, with all its flaws and highs. the need to be loved and accepted, constant self-consciousness, overanalyzing the smallest interactions, struggling with beauty standards, the inability to be normal and sane about anything and everything.......
“ i occasionally loathe myself, but i always, always want the best for myself. ”
the alicehenry appearances were so sweet and offered a perfect contrast to chanel and ares. i find that ann liang's ya couples always follow the same lovable (albeit overused) dynamic of acadmic rivals/girl who doesn't feel like enough x guy who helps her feel loved. but chanel and ares gave such a refreshing duo that worked really well. just two people, each deeply guarded in different ways, learning to exist honestly around one another. i am so wholly and utterly invested in them.
i also noticed some small, but nevertheless important improvements within ann's storytelling. for one, the writing felt a tad bit more mature than her usual ya. second, its clear she carefully thought out and constructed the characters. the mmc especially felt much more dimensional and developed (likely due to the dual pov). i also really enjoyed chanel's character who differs in many ways from ann's usual academic, overachiever fmc. it's evident ann wanted to give chanel a different vibe and it very much worked. there's still lots of room for growth, especially in terms of plot, but it's always nice to see ann liang branching out. i hope she continues to do so as she releases more books.
ares yinㆍ“ he's pleased that she's pleased. feels the sickening, pathetic urge to do anything to please her more. ”
lastly, ARES YIN. this man is so unbelievably attractive. i am sooo normal about him. i am soooo normal about them. the slow burn between him and chanel was excellent. the surface level indifference contrasted with his internal fixation. MY MAN WAS TORTURED. my man was hungry. my man was aching for chanel. i have never appreciated tortured and achy men more than in times like these <3 the way he so easily allows chanel, a girl who's only at ease when everything is under her control and who's so opposed to love, to give in to him. to them ☹️☹️ him and chanel have genuinely cemented themselves as my favorite ann liang couple and fmc/mmc.
“ yet he runs to her anyway. ”
final thoughts — move aside sadiejulius, chanelares did not come to play 🙏 (/j i still love u sadiejulius!)
thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!
CW: eating disorder, violence
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
finished: 01/25/26
RENT WAS DUE !!!!!!!
pre read: 01/24/26
cleared my schedule, put phone on do not disturb, chanel cao diaries i am so ready for u <3
Displaying 1 - 30 of 995 reviews