Author(s): Emiko Jean

Fiction

AT 35, MIKA SUZUKI IS STRUGGLING. She's been fired (again). Her last relationship went up in flames. Her fervently traditional mother is perpetually disappointed in her. And now, she's had a phone call from sixteen-year-old Penny Calvin. The baby she reluctantly gave up for adoption when she was just a teenager herself. Mika is desperate to meet her girl. But she barely feels like she can take care of herself. Is she ready to show Penny who her mother really is? Review: Definitely 'best books of 2022' material * Glamour US * A poignant and compelling exploration of identity, love and what it means to be a mother. Mika and Penny swept me along on their emotional and unforgettable journey, leaving me uplifted yet bereft when I turned the final page. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a total joy of a read -- Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You Mika's story is a beautiful exploration of the bond between mother and child - what we pass along, what we long for, and what we withhold. As Mika rescues herself from a downward spiral of heartbreak and loss, she weaves for us a primer on healing our broken relationships. A must read for anyone who's ever had a mother or been one -- Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script Touching and heartfelt ... captures the essence of mothers and daughters, the nuances that make a family, and where we've come from and where we're going. Sharp and brimming with heart, this tender read will have you alternating between laughter and tears (the very best kind) and missing the characters long after the last page. Mika In Real Life is a sheer delight to read -- Rochelle Weinstein author of This Is Not How It Ends Tender and profound, Emiko Jean's writing had me laughing, crying, and cheering for Mika -- Lauren Kate, author of By Any Other Name Bighearted, sometimes bawdy, and always brave, Mika in Real Life explores the inescapable bonds between mothers and daughters, the enduring families by friendship that we make, and the weight of secrets that keep us from creating ourselves. This hilarious, tender, and very real novel is for every human trying to figure it out-basically, all of us -- Nancy Jooyoun Kim, bestselling author of The Last Story of Mina Lee A wonderful, life-affirming story about second chances, parenthood and love. By turns tender, funny, and deeply romantic, I was rooting for Mika, Penny and Thomas -- Lauren Ho, author of Lucie Yi Is Not A Romantic and Last Tang Standing