Counterfeit Love by Julie Fison

Hardie Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN 9781742977386
Recommended for ages 13+ (senior school) The ambitious Lucy Yang has arrived in Hong Kong in hopes of making it as a TV news anchor before she's 21. She has no time for boys, especially when it comes to relationships and love. So when she is given a mysterious package not meant for her, Lucy is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery despite the unknown dangers ahead. When she catches the eye of Byron, a seemingly perfect and ticks- all-the-boxes type of guy, Lucy may be willing to ignore the warning signs that keep popping up whenever he's around. Lucy is juggling a thrilling mystery and a not-so-open guy all at once but the question is, will she ruin her chances at becoming a TV news anchor or will she get what she's always wanted?
Julie Fison's light-hearted Counterfeit Love sets aside the normality of Hong Kong and delivers a whole new dark and dangerous side of the majestic city. With jewelled criminals and bizarre safari-suit men, the author grants us entry into a re-imagined Hong Kong. Although the concept of the novel was creative at best, the feeling of wanting more was left desired. As I, like many others, am a die-hard romantic, I anticipated the dialogue between Lucy and Byron that screamed romance but unfortunately, it was more sexual desire than love.
Even though it was not my cup of tea, the book provided a new spin on the up-market Hong Kong which I did enjoy. Although I favor the fantasy genre over chick lit, this story has opened my eyes to another dimension of book genres that at first I wouldn't have looked at. Novels that are similar in genre include We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and The Rapunzel Dilemma written by Jennifer Kloester.
Samantha May (Student)