I fell in love with Mika Suzuki. She is the best friend whose life isn’t together and has had some bad stuff happen to her, but you love her, and are always rooting for her.

Mika is thirty-five and just lost her job and is wandering around Target when she gets a phone call from Penny. Penny is the daughter who Mika placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Mika has never seen Penny since her birth and only receives periodic updates from her adoptive mother as part of a closed adoption. Penny just lost her adoptive mom and through the grieving process wants to create a relationship with Mika.

Mika has a strong desire to impress Penny but doesn’t have much to be proud of in her life. So, starting with one simple lie, Mika creates a whole new life for herself – a long-term boyfriend, lots of travel, a degree, an art gallery and lots of other things. Problems start to arise when Penny wants to come and visit Mika and bring her adoptive father, Thomas. Now Mika needs to create her fantasy world to keep her relationship with Penny.

How long can Mika fool Penny and Thomas – especially as they want to know more about Mika? The fantasy world also starts Mike thinking about what she really wants out of life and how her life has impacted her inability to pursue her true dreams.

Mother-daughter relationship are always complex, and this novel delves deep into Mika’s relationship with Penny and even Mika’s relationship with her own mother. This novel explores so many emotions and family dynamics as well.

Emiko Jean is a brilliant author, and this novel deserves 5++ stars!

Read this if you like: Multicultural representation, mother daughter friendships, slightly steamy 🔥

One phone call changes everything for Mika. At thirty-five, Mika Suzuki’s life is a mess. Her last relationship ended in flames. Her roommate-slash-best friend might be a hoarder. She’s a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents. Most recently, she’s been fired from her latest dead-end job.

Mika is at her lowest point when she receives a phone call from Penny. She's the daughter she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Penny is determined to have a relationship with her birth mother. Mika longs to be someone Penny is proud of but feels she's not enough so she lies about her life. What starts as a tiny white lie slowly turns into a whole made up life. In thst lifr she is mature, put-together, successful in love and her career.

This book was so good. It's such a heartwarming deep story. We get a good look at adoption, trauma, culture, and more. There are such strong bonds in this book. This was funny, sweet, mildly steamy. I loved this book. The characters were developed perfectly. It was a bit slow at times but not big deal. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you for NetGalley, the author, and William Morrow for the gifted book! ❤️

This is my third book by Emiko Jean and this might just be my favorite. This book was like three books in one- and handled all three parts of the story expertly. There was so much. The book lures you into a false sense of security with a fun little “white lie” that leads to fake dating and pretending to bike everywhere… then there is a huge tone shift and the book focuses on the more serious subject matter.

I loved how Penny and Mika were simultaneously searching for an answer to the question, “who am I?” I liked how it shows that we never stop asking that question. The family, found and biological, in this story is so heartwarming, complex, and complicated. Questions of culture and how someone can feel not enough in terms of their culture due to being an immigrant, adopted, etc. The trauma dealt with in this story was handled in a meaningful and delicate manner, which is worth noting.

The characters in this story were so lovable, even Leif 😉 This is one of those special books that I cannot wait to reread in a few months. It truly is something special.

Lovely novel about a woman finding her way - reconciling her family and choices and circumstances and becoming her true self. Every reader will relate to parts of this which is a true gift in the book. Although at times it got a bit Hallmark movie-esque which, for me, detracted from the authenticity of the themes of the book. I kept telling myself that lots of people love hallmark movies - which means this book will be hugely popular. Heartfelt thanks to Harper Collins for the advanced copy!

3.5, rounded up. I love Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After books, so I thought I'd give her adult debut a try.

The beginning focuses on Mika, a thirty-five-year-old who has just been let go from her job and is not traditionally successful--especially not to her parents, who moved with her from Japan to the U.S. in search of better opportunities. When her sixteen-year-old biological child, Penny, reaches out to her, Mika finds herself entangled in a web of lies of her own making to seem more impressive to her daughter.

I have a huge problem with books based on the main character's lies, so I was prepared to cringe the entire way through the rest of the book. Thankfully, that aspect of the plot is resolved about halfway through the book and gives way to a more in-depth exploration of trauma (particularly generational trauma), motherhood, and the nature of creativity. It feels more personal than Jean's other books, but it still has its moments of funny dialogue and compelling side characters. The romance feels abrupt but makes sense, in the end.

Try this if you're looking for a tender, diverse read about motherhood and, well, being an adult.

What a beautiful, moving and heartfelt book that gave me all the feels! I knew I was in for an emotional ride when I felt tears welling up in my eyes at the opening chapter. I loved every moment of Mika's journey as she grapples with unemployment, fractured relationships with her parents, adulting, a budding romance and newfound parenthood.

Emiko Jean tackles a variety of difficult topics with tenderness and through exquisite prose. I feel like everything was handled really well, be it adoption or trauma and healing or the immigrant experience etc. The pacing was just nice, with the lively cast and different subplots sufficiently fleshed out. I also adored all the characters and felt deeply for them.

As someone who's very close to my mother, I was left mildly unsatisfied at the storyline involving Mika and Hiromi. Yet it's also a very realistic take on the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, which I appreciate.

Overall, this is well-written and emotionally charged novel not just about being a parent, but also about being human ❤️

Mika in Real Life is the story of Mika and Penny, the daughter Mika gave up for adoption sixteen years earlier but who she still loves and thinks of often. All these years after the adoption, Mika meets Penny. As Mika gets to know her, she wants Penny to be proud of her as her birth mother - except Mika’s life isn’t what she dreamed it would be. Mika begins to make up stories about her life (job, house, etc.) to impress Penny. The story goes on to show how their relationship develops.
I appreciated the author showing the complexities of adoption. Even though a loving family adopted Penny, Mika and Penny both felt the effects of the adoption. I also enjoyed watching Mika mature into not only wanting to be a mother Penny would be proud of but actually becoming that person.
Overall I enjoyed the book, although it did take me a little longer than some books to become invested in the story. If you've read Tokyo Ever After and the sequel (both of which I really liked), know that Mika in Real Life, Emiko's first adult novel, has a heavier storyline. Even so, I still found it to be an excellent read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thoughts From a Page Podcast for the advanced copy!

Mika In Real Life is a book about the mothers and daughters. It explores their relationships and expectations and shortcomings, while simultaneously exploring the Asian-American immigrant experience.

Mika is a first generation Japanese American, born in Japan but moved to the US as a small child, and is brought up steeped in both Japanese culture at home and American culture at school. An artist, Mika goes to college to study art despite her parents’ desire for her to study business or something else practical. She has an unintended pregnancy and gives the baby, Penny, up for adoption.

Penny, age 16, has lost her adoptive mother to cancer and is seeking out her roots. She finds Mika’s information and calls her, starting their relationship. She wants to learn more about her Japanese heritage, wants to get to know Mika, and wants to find somewhere that she feels that she belongs.

When Mika receives the first call from Penny, she has just lost her job and fabricates the details of her life in order to glam herself up for Penny. When Penny and her father come for a visit, Mika has to either come clean about the lies or really fabricate her life.

This was a beautiful story for so many reasons. As much as I cringed with every lie Mika told Penny, I was really rooting for her to find her path forward.

I really liked this novel about Mika and her reconnection with the daughter she gave up for adoption 16 years earlier. It was heartfelt and emotionally but also real. I can't imagine the pain Mika went through her whole life as she recovered from a sexual assault and gave up her child. It's like her life stopped progressing at that moment.

The scenes between her and her daughter, Penny, were my favorite. They navigated the treacherous waters of parenting a teenager well and it made me commiserate along with Mika at how hard it is to deal with teens at times!

I loved the adoptive dad as well, however, I wasn't as sold on the eventual romance between him and Mika. But he was a great dad and person!

I'm glad that Mika was able to get her life back on track and return to herself. She had been stunted for too long.

I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more by the author.

5/5 Wow. This book was wonderful. A bit hard to read at times as an adoptee it often brought me to tears . It was an emotional read thinking of my own adoption story and how my own birth mother might have felt. I really connected with Penny and Mika and loved how heartfelt and raw this story was. The story explored many complex feelings between being adopted and giving up a child for adoption. It also explored a bit of romance, strong female friendships and mother daughter relationships.

Mika’s character was beautiful and flawed. I loved how relatable she was and how we delved into her guilt, longing, sadness, regret and finding happiness. I really enjoyed the letters about Penny and how it gave the book almost a diary/memoir kind of feel. I also loved Mika’s friendship with Hana. I feel like everyone needs a Hana in their life and it really was bright spot in the story.

I also loved how this story included the many facets of adoption. Not just stories from the birth mother but from Penny and her adoptive family. How often times being a child adoptee and being in a transracial adoption can have lasting effects. I really related to this because I’ve often felt these very same things not being quite American enough and not fitting into my previous culture. Emiko does a beautiful job addressing these feelings and sharing more about Japanese culture.

Overall this is a beautifully written heartwarming story that I highly recommend. Even if you aren’t touched by adoption I think anyone can relate to this story. It feels a bit like a coming of age story but Mika is already an adult. It is wholly imperfectly perfect.

Thank you so much to William Marrow for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

MIKA IN REAL LIFE snuck up on me. The book follows Mika, a 35-year-old whose life is a mess. Her relationship ended in flames, she’s a disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents, and, most recently, she’s been fired from her latest dead-end job.

But then she gets a phone call from the daughter she placed for adoption 16 years ago. When Penny asks Mika about her life, Mika pretends she’s successful and happy to make Penny proud of where she came from. When Penny announces she’s visiting, Mika has a short time frame to become the person Penny thinks she is.

The above synopsis hooked me, but this book is so much more. It’s a touching and insightful look into adoption, trauma, culture, friendship and the mother-daughter relationship. And while a book that covers all of that could’ve been melodramatic and heavy, this felt anything but; it’s written in a humorous, loving way that makes you adore each character, despite their flaws.

MIKA IN REAL LIFE also touches on the long-term impacts of pregnancy, specifically, in this book, when that pregnancy ends in adoption. In the aftermath of Roe v. Wade being overturned, I think books that depict the many shades of unplanned pregnancy and motherhood are more important than ever.

Read this if you loved TOKYO EVER AFTER or THE KISS QUOTIENT.

CW: rape, death of a parent, cancer, racism, sexism

I loved this very human take on love, relationships, and trauma. Mika made a trying decision as a young adult which comes back to impact her life in her 30s - navigating it, while dealing with professional and personal pitfalls, is a lesson in kindness, resilience, empathy, and more.

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC.

Mika was a 19-year old college freshman who becomes pregnant and gives her baby up for adoption. Mika struggles to reach her potential due to her trauma. Sixteen later a surprise call from her daughter starts Mika on her path to self discovery and revisiting old wounds.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I've enjoyed a few Emiko Jean's previous books but this book really surprised me at the depth of issues addressed in this story. What does it mean to be a good mother/parent, interracial adoption, long term effects of sexual assault/rape were some of the larger themes covered. This book had me on a rollercoaster of emotions, from the very first chapter starting with Mika's gut wrenching letter describing her birth experience and surrender of her baby, to the laugh out loud dialogue of Mika and her best friend, cheering when Mika finds love and self acceptance and finally shedding tears while reading the adoptive mother's last letter to her daughter. I also loved that the ending was wrapped in a beautiful bow but allowed the reader to make some assumptions about Mika's future. Highly recommend!

Mika’s story starts with a closed adoption. Her closed adoption, a baby she wanted to keep but because of her age, parents, and heritage she gave up.

Fast forward 16 years when that baby comes searching for her. She is not in a great place and ends up making some poor choices in an effort impress her daughter and the adoptive father.

I think many people will enjoy this read. But I had some trouble connecting with the main character and trying to understand the choices she was making.

There is nothing I dislike more than absolutely panning an upcoming book. Sometimes, it cannot be helped. Mika in Real Life tells the story of Mika, a 35-year-old woman living in Portland, Oregon in an extremely messy house with her best friend Hana, an ASL interpreter. Mika’s life is stagnant. She got pregnant when she was 19 and ended up giving the baby up for adoption. Since then Mika has not gotten along with her mom, quit college, abandoned her passion for art, was involved in a relationship during which she was emotionally unavailable. She’s done nothing to work on her issues or get her life together. I wanted to shake her. She’s also incredibly selfish.

Then her 16-year-old biological daughter, Penny, reaches out to her and wants to visit. Penny and her father, Thomas, make plans to visit and Mika makes up a whole fake life to make herself look better. It’s pretty pathetic. And the plot twist is gross and selfish.

Also, this was written like a young adult book and I could not connect. Nope. The sequel should be Mika in Therapy.

I loved Mika in Real Life. On the surface, I have very little in common with the main character, Mika. She is a 35 year old Japanese American woman who unexpectedly reconnects with her biological daughter, who she gave up for adoption when she was born. The themes of motherhood and finding your purpose are themes many women can easily identify with. Reconnecting with her now sixteen year old daughter causes Mika to re-evaluate her life, including her strained relationship with her own mother. Every character in the book is richly drawn, and Mika is easy to love, despite the mistakes she makes. I especially loved the relationship between Mika and her best friend Hana. It was very raw and real, and showed a friendship that was unconditionally supportive.
After finishing this book, I kept wanting to pick it up again, as though I could continue to read about Mika, Penny, Hana, and Thomas, and see where life takes them next.
This was a #BookClubGirlEarlyRead

4.5 stars rounded up. This is such a beautiful book that tackles some very big and difficult topics. My gosh, the combination of humor, pain/trauma, love, growth etc was incredible. The characters were layered and Mika's journey and development through this book was just perfect. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it!

The mother/daughter relationship and all its varieties is at the heart of this story. There is the strained relationship between Mika and her mother, Hirome, who wields her life disappointments like an axe; Mika, who gave up for adoption her baby daughter, Penny, longs to be a mother to Penny but doesn't know how; then there's the hopeful relationship between the adoptive mother, Caroline, and, Penny, though like real life it has flaws and imperfections. Finally, there's the beautiful friendship between Mika and Hana. Hana has supported and loved Mika throughout her life, and she is the friend we all long for and wish to be. What makes a woman a good or a failed mother? And at what point in time does one make this judgment? These are some of the thorny questions the author explores in the book, and she does so with honesty and insight.

This was a very enjoyable book with big themes but handled with a soft touch. It's about mothers and daughters, about how one event can hold you back later in life and how you can ultimately get out of your own way. I enjoyed all of the characters in this story and think they felt like fully developed characters which made the situations they were in feel authentic and not 'movie of the week-ish.' It was a reminder that we will all face challenges in life and even though they are often not of our own making, we each have the power to accept and move forward.

Mika in Real Life tells the story of a woman in her mid-thirties as she desperately tries to be good enough for her daughter she placed up for adoption years ago. The story addresses many difficult subjects including grief, trauma, and assault, while also twisting into a whirlwind romance. In doing so, the novel paints a real-world - one with the terrible and the great, where characters can be multifaceted and make, sometimes poorly, complicated decisions that you won't always root for. The novel holds love, familial love, and love for oneself front and center, demonstrating how important it is to allow people to care for you as you are, and how it is to recognize the good within yourself.