by K. X. Song
First published 2024
Phoenix knows her parents spent thousands to secure her an Ivy League future in America. They see dollar signs and status. She sees exile from the only place that feels like home. When Hong Kong's protest movement erupts, the city she loves faces erasure. Kai arrives from Shanghai carrying grief and resentment. His mother is dead. His estranged father, a police officer, has enrolled him in the academy. Kai craves approval but hates the uniform. When he accidentally swaps phones with Phoenix, he discovers her protest connections. He sees a chance to impress his father by becoming a spy. Phoenix organizes demonstrations while Kai reports her network's plans to the police. Neither knows the other's identity when they start falling for each other. Their romance grows as Hong Kong burns around them. Phoenix fights for her city's survival. Kai betrays the movement to earn his father's love. When their deception unravels, they must decide if their connection can survive the lies that built it.
Genres: romance, contemporary, young-adult, activism
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: America, Hong Kong, Shanghai
Period: contemporary
352 pages · Paperback · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers