Thank you to NetGalley, ABRAMS Kids and Diana Ma for sending me a copy of this book for review. This in no way effects my thoughts and opinions of this novel. They are all my own.

Gemma Huang has abandoned her plans for college in order to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now living in Los Angeles with her two best friends, auditioning for roles that hardly cover their rent. Gemma gets her big break when she is offered the role in a update of M Butterfly, filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives she is stopped by paparazzi at the airport she realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from.

I must say I like the concept of the story very much. I have weak spot of stories that have celebrity or royal attributes. No idea why but they have always appealed to me. So naturally I was more than happy to dive into the book.

I really enjoyed Gemma’s character. An ambitious, inspiring actress, I love her character growth through the book. I loved that she wanted to follow her dreams no matter how many times her parents and boyfriend try to get her to change her mind.

My knowledge of Chinese history is very limited so I love how the history and traditions are woven into the story. However, the amount of information that is thrown at you can be very overwhelming at times.
The pacing is very slow, especially in the start. That makes it a little boring. The plot bounces between Gemma wanting to make some major changes to the character and film that she is starring in and also trying to find out as much as she can about her mysterious heritage and the teenage socialite who looks exactly like her. The issue is that Gemma’s attention switches so passionately from one to the other without focusing enough on one of the other.

Now…the romance. I didn’t hate it, in fact I found myself very invested in it by the end of the book, it is also a very big part of what would make me pick up a sequel (If there will be one). However, I do wish that it would have been more of a slow burn romance.

The last third of the book is where I really got interested. When we start to discover what I going on with Gemma’s history and all the strange coincidence surrounding the characters. For me it is the best part of the story.

I am struggling with this book. A part of me didn’t enjoy it, the pacing really drags the story down and I feel that the onslaught of information at time was a little much and could have been executed a lot better. However, on the other hand I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book. I love the way the story all came together and wrapped up. I was left wanting to know what would happen with most of the characters in the future so I will definitely be reading a sequel.

I'm struggling to rate this book because, on the one hand, the concept, the cultural representation is everything I love, but this book also was bogged down with so many stereotypes and poor pacing that it was almost too hard to get through.

What did I like?
- I liked Gemma overall. She was a relatable, fun character and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective.
- I liked learning some of the histories of Bejing that was woven into this story and I really liked the overall representation of the Eastern culture.
- I think the way Diana went about exploring the other issues in this book was well done.

I think the overall issue for me here was the pacing. I don't think I have read a contemporary book quite so slow in my entire life. I found a lot of the book bogged down with unnecessary filler chapters and I was skipping a lot of it and still found I didn't miss anything from the story.
I also didn't care for the romance aspect at all, equally as much as I hated the Alyssa/Gemma thing. I just thought Alyssa would have spent more time explaining what happened between the families if she wanted to keep Gemma away more than she did. This part felt unrealistic to me.

Overall, I enjoyed Diana's writing and I would read something from her again. However, this book disappointed me.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a super fun, young adult read. I didn't really know what to expect while going into this one but it definitely exceeded these expectations. I liked that there was culture and history throughout the book as well. This helped me learn something and takeaway something while reading! I will be recommending this one to my friends and family!

Thank you to net galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this was a great and fun YA novel! I really enjoyed the plot, but the pacing was a little off for me. It took me a while to get into it.

I can't wait to see where this series goes. I really enjoyed this book. It felt similar to Crazy Rich Asians meets Gossip Girl meets Parent Trap. It was put together wonderfully. My only hold back is that I found Gemma to be extremely unlikable a lot of the time and it put me off from her story line at times. Other than that, bravo.

This book was a solid three stars for me. There was plenty I liked but sometimes the pacing didn’t work.

I will say that if you liked American Royals, Loveboat, Taipei, or even Crazy Rich Asians this could be the book for you!

Pros:
I enjoyed the main character, Gemma Huang. She is spirited and what you expect from a MC in a contemporary YA novel. I thought enjoyed the setting and thought the concept was unique. With the mostly white contemporary section of our libraries and bookstores, it is nice to see other cultures explored and have new faces on our covers.

I also enjoyed learning more about Chinese culture and the author’s approach to sensitive issues like LGBTQ rights, and racism.

Cons:
Again, my major issue was that the pacing could be slow. The fact that Gemma was constantly questioning herself got old after a while. Characters like that always remind me of Hamlet and his "woe is me" soliloquy. After a while I just want the story to move on. But that is completely my personal feeling.

Overall, I think that Heiress Apparently was a fun book that many readers will enjoy! I still want to read more books by the author because the plot and cultural elements were interesting.

Gemma Huang (ABC - American Born Chinese) graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago and since then, she's moved to LA (from Illinois) to take a gap year of acting (much to her mother's disappointment and her father's worry).

After a few "hard" (note - me being sarcastic) weeks of trying out for parts, she manages to land the lead role in a redo of M. Butterfly.

She plays Sonia, who dresses as a man (Song) to get a job with her ex-boyfriend. The script is awful but at least she gets to work with her dream director!

She's whisked away to China to film BUT (and this is a big BUT), she hides it all from her parents. Her mother has expressly forbidden her from talking about what life was like for her parents in China.

Gemma gets there and is immediately mistaken for Alyssa Chua - a wealthy socialite (19 yrs old). Turns out they're cousins and together they begin to unravel why Gemma's mom fled to America and has hidden their chinese heritage.

So. On paper this one worked really well.

I loved the concept - it seemed like it was going to be a YA Crazy Rich Asians…except…it flopped for me.

There were elements that worked (LOVED the inclusion of Chinese culture and how the MC had issues trying to fit in with her American life and her Chinese heritage...but it felt like everything was handed to her.

She was in LA for like a week working "very hard" and then lands a major role. She gets one hot boy, meets another and then dates the hottest/richest boy.

She expresses the slightest doubt (despite having no movie experience) and she gets script changes. She learns that she's rich and eventually gets money.

I wanted to watch her struggle and try and do her best and fail before hitting it big.

In addition, there were elements that just didn't feel very well thought out.

If something is so serious that no one even talks about Tienanmen Square (and it's been erased from the history books) why is she constantly blabbing about it? Isn't she worried about consequences?

In addition, her mom told her that she couldn't go to China and that she would have no idea what will happen if she does go.

To me...it clearly sounds crazy-dangerous to run to China and just talk to everyone she sees about her mom and Tienanmen Square but Gemma just barrels through. It felt like she needed more societal awareness.

Ultimately, there were elements that worked well but most of it just didn't work for me. I'm leaving off my rating on Goodreads cause I don't want people to be influenced by my interpretation.

A perfect read for fans of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. I loved this story about Gemma, an up and coming actress, finding herself onscreen while also unravelling the mysteries of her family while filming onsite in Beijing (a place she's never been, and been forbidden to go by her mother). A wealthy socialite, Alyssa Chua, who happens to look almost exactly like Gemma provides some answers and also a fun Prince and the Pauper flavor to the story. Heiress Apparently is fun. exciting, and contains beautiful depictions of some of Beijing's most famous historical locations. I would have enjoyed more exploration of the city, as we're a little bit limited by the few places Gemma goes as a tourist and the upscale locations visited by Alyssa, but I found the descriptions of the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, and a handful of street markets to be lovely. The main draw here are the characters, who are rich and varied and delightful to get to know. A very fun escapist read.

I stayed up until after 3:00am reading this straight through. It's a fun rom-com that has a bit of a family mystery twist. The movie making aspect is interesting and the romance is sweet. It's the proper amount of unbelievable for a romantic comedy. A little bit, but not too much. It's a book that made me smile and decide that I didn't care if it was a little far-fetched.

This is a lovely summer read or book to pick up when you need a few giggles and sighs.

Overall I just couldn't get into this book. I found myself reading it but I was not connecting to the story or characters at all. Thank you for the chance to read it but it wasn't for me.

dnf @ 40 pages. I really felt no interest in continuing with this story. I predicted the entire plot within the first 15 pages. super basic story and premise. i'd rather watch Monte Carlo.

*LINK GOES LIVE DECEMBER 1*

When Gemma took a gap year and left Illinois to follow her dreams in LA, she didn’t have expectations of making it big overnight. ..but she had certainly hoped for more than fighting for bit parts in toothpaste commercials and emptying her savings just to pay rent.

Things begin to look up with an audition as the lead in an updated take on M. Butterfly – co-directed by one of Gemma’s heroes and favorite actresses. Much to Gemma’s delight (and, honestly, shock – one of the other actresses vying for the role was a surefire hit), she receives a call from her agent announcing she’s landed the part. The only catch? Filming will be taking place in Beijing…a city her parents have strictly forbidden her from ever visiting.

Going against her parents’ wishes (aka not telling them and hoping for the best that they don’t suddenly decide to hop a plane to LA for a visit), Gemma accepts the role and takes off for China. The moment the plane lands, eyes begin turning her way, cameras and cell phones are suddenly whipped out. Turns out Gemma is practically the spitting image of Alyssa Chua, a social media superstar with millions of fans and followers…and a grandfather no one would ever want to cross.

With each passing day – and each new photo snapped mistakenly identifying her as Alyssa – Gemma digs deeper into the mystery of her family and, more importantly, why her parents were so adamant she never visit.

The moment I first heard of Heiress Apparently I knew it was one I wanted to read: comparisons to American Royals, secret descendants of the only officially recognized empress regent, references galore (Crazy Rich Asians, Kim’s Convenience, etc)! I’m thrilled to say this book is every bit as fun and breezy as I had hoped.

While Gemma loves her parents, they’re the only family she has. She knows her mother has relatives back in China, but the topic was a forbidden one growing up. Gemma knows her mom was kicked out of the family, but she doesn’t know why and any time she tries to hint at questions, she’s instantly shot down. So when she finally lands a part that looks like it could be a real start to her career (not to mention she gets to work with a woman she fiercely admires), having to fly to Beijing to film is both exciting and worrisome. Surely there must be a reason why her parents warned her to stay out of the city, right?

What follows is a rapid-fire, page-turning adventure as Gemma takes in famous landmarks, makes a stand for herself at work (she has an image of her character and it most definitely does not involve disgusting stereotypes), and gets hounded by both the paparazzi and fans. When Gemma isn’t working, she’s delving into the mystery of her family, aided by Eric, the son of a family Alyssa’s family detests.

As a history lover, I was pleasantly surprised by how much it factored into the story. Heiress Apparently isn’t just a light-hearted Hollywood-meets-China story. Instead it’s one that addresses Communism, censorship in China, and the Tienanmen Square massacre head on and does so unflinchingly. I found myself constantly pausing to Google places, landmarks, and people – specifically Wu Zetian who plays a massive role.

Another aspect I greatly enjoyed was the exploration of being Chinese (and Asian in general) in Hollywood, particularly when it comes to portrayal of characters. Asian characters are rarely seen as the leads, instead are relegated to the comic relief roles and are often subjected to racist and degrading stereotypes for that humor. To watch Gemma rise up and push back on the (white) director, telling him that no, she wouldn’t play up her character’s ‘Asianess’ that way was an absolute joy to see. There’s also an LGBT storyline and so much focus on women/women in history.

I went into Heiress Apparently expecting a fun romp through Hollywood and Beijing with some royalty mixed in. What I got? A fun romp through Hollywood and Beijing with some royalty mixed in but also a brutal take down of how the film industry treats Asian actors and actresses, a shocking look at how certain historical events (such as the Tienanmen Square massacre) are portrayed in China as opposed to the rest of the world, so much cultural history and women’s history, a look at China’s views on LGBT individuals and rights. I tore through this book cheering every second of the way and can’t wait for the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley and Abrams Kids for this book in exchange for an honest review. As always all my opinions are my own.
Short Summary: Heiress Apparently follows Gemma, a girl trying to start an acting career. When Gemma is offered a part in a new rom-com movie, she accepts. The only drawback is that the movie is going to be filmed in Bejing, a place her parents have forbidden her to go to. Gemma ignores her parent's rule and goes anyway. Eventually, she will find out the shocking reason why her parents didn't want her to come.
Opinions: I thought this book was okay. I thought that it was a bit slow at first but got better at the end. Also, the main character Gemma was kinda annoying in my opinion. I also thought that the story felt sloppily put together. Still, the plot was interesting and kept me reading.

I wasn't sure quite what to expect between the title and the cover that made it look like a simple twist on all the rich people YA series. But I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the actual plot of this book. It was nice to see some of the obvious tropes being sidestepped, and a few twists I didn't quite expect. I'm recommending this to a certain Chinese American teenager I know who has been looking for something to read, it's much appreciated to have another option of something that's not just another white person story.

I love royalty fiction, and I was eager to read this book! While the pacing lagged at times, it was an enjoyable read. I liked the main character, but the best part of the book is the focus on Chinese history and culture. It was integrated naturally as part of the plot, and I found myself wanting to visit places as Gemma explored her ancestry. It was almost as the location became another character in the book.

Overall, it's a fun read for fans of royalty.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.

I love the style of this book and the representation. I thought the voice and tone were just fantastic from the beginning. It did take me a while to read this one, as I kept losing interest in it. I don't know exactly why, but maybe the setting was something I was into. The whole "Hollywood" setting in YA stories can be a bit of a yawn since that is all we see on television nowadays. However, the representation was fantastic. I missed the romance, I didn't have that aspect which is why I wanted to read it, but it was a good read. I have to say, this is one of the few that I regret not finishing in one sitting. It did have a lot of what I expected and wanted, aside from the lack of romance.

Gemma is an actress who gets her big break in a movie roll. She heads off to China, where her parents are from, and said she can never go there. While there she unravels the mystery about her parent's past.

One thing I really liked about this book learning about China, its history, and places to visit.

Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma was a fun read following a young actress as she lands her first movie role and sets off to China. I learned so much about China's history and finished the book wanting to make a visit to Beijing myself. I enjoyed the drama, which gave me Crazy Rich Asians vibes in the best ways, but I felt the LGBT threads were really heavy-handed. Overall, I liked this book, but I don't know that I'd recommend it to students or continue reading if it continues as a series.

Pack your bags because you’re traveling to Beijing in this captivating novel. I was reading an ARC of this book to decide if it’s a contender for my organization’s book club and it exceeded expectations. Four gorgeous stars for Heiress Apparently! This novel was Crazy Rich Asians meets Lizzie McGuire Movie meets American Royals and I finished it in one sitting. It weaved fashion and glamour with history and culture beautifully and I loved learning more about Chinese culture and history. I’m already looking forward to more from the Daughters of the Dynasty series! Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Though I really wanted to like this book, I struggled so much to make it through. Perhaps it was the time in which I was reading, but the introspection and circular thoughts of Gemma were exhausting. However, I did enjoy the acknowledgment of casual racism and problematic behavior. It's an interesting premise and hits some good notes, but overall, this would be a secondary purchase for me.