Harper Academic

Mika in Real Life

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

by Emiko Jean

On Sale: 08/08/2023

Price: $18.99

Mika in Real Life

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Mika in Real Life

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

by Emiko Jean

On Sale: 08/08/2023

Format:

Price: $18.99

About the Book

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK

A #READ WITH MC BOOK CLUB PICK

"A wonderful, life-affirming story about second chances, parenthood, and love..."--Lauren Ho, author of Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic and Last Tang Standing

From Emiko Jean, the author of the New York Times bestselling young adult novels Tokyo Ever After and Tokyo Dreaming, comes a whip-smart, laugh-out-loud funny, and utterly heartwarming novel about motherhood, daughterhood, and love—how we find it, keep it, and how it always returns.

Mika Suzuki’s life is a mess. Fired from a dead-end job, she shares a home with her best friend, who just might be a hoarder if all the unopened deliveries are a sign. Her last relationship—to a burnout named Leif—ended in flames. And she’s a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents, especially to her mother, who keeps presenting her with dating prospects found in church.

Then she receives the surprise of her life—a phone call from Penny, the baby she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Now a headstrong teenager, Penny is eager to learn all about Mika, who she is and what her dreams are. The harder-won heart belongs to Thomas Calvin, Penny’s adoptive widower father. What starts as a rocky relationship with him slowly blossoms into friendship and, just maybe, something more.

Faced with her own insecurities, Mika at first embellishes the facts about her life. But Penny’s love revives so many of the dreams she once had, especially those about being an artist and making a difference in the world… ultimately forcing her to answer the question, Just who is Mika in real life?

Critical Praise

“A poignant coming-of-age story that deals with race, adoption, and bodily autonomy.” — Marie Claire, A ReadWithMC pick (September 2022)

"Tender and profound, Emiko Jean's writing had me laughing, crying, and cheering for Mika in Real Life." — Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author 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, New York Times bestselling author

“With warmth, humor, and heart, Mika in Real Life explores the challenges and complexities of mother-daughter relationships in their many different forms.” — Nikki Erlick, New York Times bestselling author of The Measure

"Touching and heartfelt, Jean 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, bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends

“Mika’s story is a beautiful exploration of the bond between mother and child... 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

"Mika In Real Life is 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... By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a total joy of a read." — Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You

"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

“A beautiful tale of love, trust and forgiveness." — Good Housekeeping

“Definitely ‘best books of 2022’ material.” — Glamour

Mika in Real Life has heart, and it touched mine.”
Associated Press

Mika in Real Life is the kind of book that will surely get you back into reading.” — Shondaland

“Jean gives us authentic characters, a lot of laughs, and a chance to see our own relationships—with our mothers, our children, and ourselves—in a new and refreshing light.” — Amazon Book Review

"Jean gently balances the comedy of Mika juggling her fabrications with the complicated nature of adoption, ultimately offering readers a book that’s sure to make them laugh, cry, and hug when it’s over. Mika in Real Life is a moving blend of humor and heart.” — Bust Magazine

“Jean (Tokyo Ever After, 2021) sets her novel within the Asian American community of Portland, Oregon. Her characters are modern and honest, and the romance is realistic. Smart, funny, and affecting.” — Booklist (starred review)

“The story captures disappointments, forgiveness and unconditional connection, all complicated by differences in culture and race. Jean's persuasive characters excel in vivacious banter and vulnerable reveals, populating a rewarding narrative about crucial learning and absolute loving.”  — Shelf Awareness

"...a heartfelt story about the bonds between mothers and daughters." — BookBub

“This is a perfect summer read that will leave you wishing you could stay in Mika’s world forever.” — Soapberry

“Mika didn’t just bust the model minority myth, she ran it over with a Mack truck.” — The Daily Waffle

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Product Details

  • ISBN: 9780063215696
  • ISBN 10: 0063215691
  • Imprint: William Morrow Paperbacks
  • On Sale: 08/08/2023
  • Trimsize: 5.310 in (w) x 8.000 in (h) x 0.860 in (d)
  • Pages: 384
  • List Price: $18.99
  • BISAC1 : FICTION / Friendship
  • BISAC2 : FICTION / Contemporary Women
  • BISAC3 : FICTION / Family Life
  • BISAC4 : FICTION / Asian American