“A gorgeous, stirring book; a stellar debut.” ―Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of The Serpent King

Star-crossed teens meet during the Hong Kong protests in this searing contemporary novel about falling in love in a time of change, for fans of Malinda Lo and Axie Oh.

Sixteen-year-old Phoenix knows her parents have invested thousands of dollars to help her leave Hong Kong and get an elite Ivy League education. They think America means big status, big dreams, and big bank accounts. But Phoenix doesn’t want big; she just wants home. The trouble is, she doesn’t know where that is … until the Hong Kong protest movement unfolds, and she learns the city she’s come to love is in danger of disappearing.

Seventeen-year-old Kai sees himself as an artist, not a filial son, and certainly not a cop. But when his mother dies, he’s forced to leave Shanghai to reunite with his estranged father, a respected police officer, who’s already enrolled him in the Hong Kong police academy. Kai wants to hate his job, but instead, he finds himself craving his father’s approval. And when he accidentally swaps phones with Phoenix and discovers she’s part of a protest network, he finds a way to earn it: by infiltrating the group and reporting their plans back to the police.

As Kai and Phoenix join the struggle for the future of Hong Kong, a spark forms between them, pulling them together even as their two worlds try to force them apart. But when their relationship is built on secrets and deception, will they still love the person left behind when the lies fall away?

Perfect for fans of:
★ Romeo and Juliet
★ Star-crossed lovers trope
★ Activism
★ Diaspora lit
★ International politics

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$19.99

$25.99 CAD

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From NOVL Nation

“I loved every second of it! I don’t know how to put into words about all the emotion I felt whilst reading this. Throughout, Song created this send of hope whilst incorporating history.”

–Em, @smellofnewbooks

“This was a compelling read for the star-crossed lovers romance, but it also brought a lot of information about the state of Hong Kong and the reasons for the protests… Nix and Kai were both compelling and flawed characters who are figuring out what they want and who they want to be, as well as falling in love.”

–Olivia, @onemused

“Extremely powerful. It shows the nuance about social conflict that you just won’t get from news sound bites that report on issues like the HK protests. Can’t recommend highly enough!”

–Colette, Goodreads

“This book felt like it was written just for me—it hugged me and let me know my experiences as a diasporic Hong Kong-American were valid while making me swell with pride in my ancestors and kin, even if I will never know them.”

–Sydney, @a_heart_full_of_books_

“K.X. Song writes from both sides of riot gear, giving the story a very human lens. At its heart, it’s a story about Hong Kong, its people, its spirit, and its fight for freedom, but it’s told on such a personal level, through two teenagers with seemingly nothing to gain and love, innocence, and life to lose.”

– Veronica, Little Corner Reads