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Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty, #1) by Diana Ma Published by Amulet Books on December 1, 2020
Genres: contemporary, romance
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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The first book in an epic and romantic YA series following the fictionalized descendants of the only officially recognized empress regent of China
Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:
car accident, homophobia (challenged).
☂️ DIVERSITY: Chinese American MC, a majority of the cast of characters is Chinese. There is an f/f relationship as well.
There are no spoilers in this review.
I ENJOYED…
☂️
- I’ve been in the mood for a fun, heartwarming contemporary in this, let’s face it, trash year and Heiress Apparently was absolutely perfect in that area.
- Gemma, the main character, was wonderful to follow. She’s an aspiring Chinese-American actress and manages to land an amazing role. The only problem? The filming location is in Beijing, a city her parents have forbidden her to go to for… aerm, a reason she can’t fathom. I have a weak spot for celebrities stories and… celebrities AND DRAMA? I’m SO in.
- I loved following Gemma’s adventures from the start and quickly grew fond of her as she grapples with her starting career, her family secrets and her own identity. I also loved seeing her grow thorough the story, speaking up for what matters and taking control of her own life and her own roles, too.
- Another thing I appreciated was the fact that Gemma is a recent high school graduate struggling with life after school. This book is classified as young adult, but with the main character’s age, it is more of an upper-young adult book and I’m always here for these stories!
- There is a whole mystery to this book that hooked me, right from the start. Why won’t Gemma’s parents let her go to Beijing? As we read on, we peel, little by little, family secrets, woven together with Beijing’s history itself and I loved that so much.
I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
☂️
- I unfortunately found the pacing of this book a little… off? I feel like a lot happened, but it took its sweet time happening, too, if you know what I mean. Still, I was entertained from page one and, despite the slow pacing at first, wanted to know what would happen next so… still all good here!
OVERALL
☂️
If you’re looking for a lovely contemporary read with movie sets and family secrets, I’d definitely recommend giving Heiress Apparently a try. I had so much fun reading this book and apparently it’s a series and.. well I’m curious to see the book releasing next!
FINAL RATING : 4 drops!
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Did you read Heiress Apparently or do you want to? Do you have some recommendations of books dealing with family secrets? Let me know in comments!
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I agree there were some pacing issues, but I still enjoyed this book. I really loved when the family came into play and found the ending very strong.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it too, Sam, it was a great read overall 😀
Ahh I’m so happy to read this review, Marie! I’ve been eyeing this one but also a bit on the fence about it, I don’t even know why! I’m so happy you enjoyed it since there is a high chance that I will enjoy it too then 🙂
Ohh yay! I really hope you’ll end up enjoying this book a lot, Tasya, it was such an entertaining read 🙂
Oof I’m unable to “like” your posts recently so I’m here to say that I love this reviews and all of your past posts! Nobody’s gonna stop me from showering you with compliments lol <3
Oh no thank you for letting me know, I’ll check this out! And thank you so much, Charvi, you’re too sweet 🥺