My first book by Ann and it won’t be my last! This book is filled with delicious banter and sizzling tension. Another wonderful example of why I love a slow burn romance! I saw so much of myself in Chanel and think that readers will find her very relatable.

the romance felt a bit rushed to me. this book was just okay, not her worst but definitely not her best

I’ve always loved Ann Liang’s writing, so I was really excited to pick this one up. Sadly, I felt the execution didn’t quite live up to the potential. The relationship between Chanel and Ares leaned too heavily on insta-love and progressed far too quickly, which made it hard for me to really root for them. Even though Ares had an interesting backstory, his character still lacked the depth to make him memorable and ended up feeling flat. Chanel’s character didn’t always work for me either, especially with the way the plot revolved around them using each other and her attempts to make Ares fall for her. It just made it harder for me to connect with her. The supernatural element seemed promising at first, but as the story went on it started to feel underwhelming, similar to what I noticed in her other book, If You Could See the Sun. It wasn’t explored enough to have the impact it could have had. The climax also didn’t hit very strongly, which left me a bit unsatisfied. On top of that, the book focused less on academia than her other works, which was disappointing since that’s something I really enjoy in her stories. That said, I did like some of the adorable moments between Chanel and Ares, and I loved seeing Alice and Henry again. I also found the themes of heartbreak here relatable. Overall, though, I still prefer her other books because they felt more layered and emotionally powerful, but this one was still an enjoyable read.

I Could Give You the Moon completely stole my heart! Chanel Cao and Ares Yin are an unforgettable pair—Chanel’s carefully curated, picture-perfect life and Ares’s intensity create a tension and chemistry that’s impossible not to root for. As my 4th Ann Liang read, this book once again showcases her talent for crafting characters who feel real, flawed, and utterly captivating, and her writing continues to satiate my hunger for C-drama like vibes in the most satisfying way.

The cameos and Easter eggs throughout were a delightful bonus, rewarding loyal readers without distracting from the story. Between the humor, the heartfelt moments, and the high-stakes tension, this book is a perfect blend of emotion and entertainment. I couldn’t put it down, and it left me eagerly anticipating what Ann Liang will write next.

I Could Give You the Moon follows Chanel Cao, first introduced as a side character in If You Could See the Sun, as she navigates her family's dissolution and what that means for herself during her final year of school. Much like its companion novel, ICGYTM introduces some paranormal elements into the story, which link Chanel and her love interest, Ares, together.

The book has a great premise, but I was disappointed by the execution. Liang takes the opportunity to write a more mature YA novel, which I did like, but the romance felt very rushed and insta-love-y to me. There were quite a few points in the story where it felt like the romance and plot were competing for development time rather than being intertwined. The plotline with Ares' brother and the boxing was underwhelming and never developed well enough to be compelling. I would have loved to spend more time digging into that side of the store and connecting it with the romance/Chanel's storyline throughout the novel, rather than just toward the end for the plot climax. As a result, Ares' character feels a bit flat alongside Chanel, and the "twist" doesn't have a natural buildup. I also feel like the plotline with Chanel and her family was lost throughout the story. Aside from a brief scene with her father (which is never fully addressed later), we never really see this dynamic resolved.

I did love the scenes with the Alice and Henry cameos! And I enjoyed Chanel's growth throughout the story, especially with regard to her outward appearance and where she learned to draw self-worth. I think one of Liang's strengths is how she writes friendships between young women (this is portrayed a bit with Alice and Chanel, but I missed seeing this here) and how she writes her women protagonists. She also does a great job with atmosphere; every book setting of hers feels easy to picture as I read. Overall, it was an entertaining read for a few hours.

If you've enjoyed most of Ann Liang's other releases, you might enjoy this one too, but unfortunately it missed the mark for me.

── .✦ 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 💜⊹꒷꒦ ｡ﾟ
╰🌷 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸! 🥶₊°◞

₊˚ʚ ☔️𓂃˖˳ 𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 ⵢ₊˚. 🦋 ̟ !!
⤷ ☁️⸝⸝ 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+ (𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚, 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩.), 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+ (𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚.), 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: 13+ (𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨, 𝙛*𝙘𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝*𝙩) 🩷‧₊˚.
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
🎧 ︵︵₊˚now playing: 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5 👾‧₊˚⊹
˙ . ꒷ 🪼 — 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙖
⌞0:31 ——◦———— 3:00⌝
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ ┋🎀˖˳·˖
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹

🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧

⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. This book became my new reason for living in this insane corrupt world. THIS BOOK MADE ME HAVE FAITH IN TRUE LOVE. Because I kid you not, I was shattered and then pieced back together all within the span of MERE pages. 😫 I never felt so much joy and happiness (maybe even jealousy) reading a book that was a spin off from another one. BECAUSE IN MY OPNION, THIS BOOK WAS BETTER THAN IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN. And I will argue with anyone who disagrees. WE HAVE TENSION, DRAMA, ROMANCE, AND DARE I SAY THRILLER?? Because if you know Ann Liang you are bound to know she adds some kind of twist and magic in her writing. AND OH BOY, I CAN SAY WE GET THAT IN HERE. 👀 I'm actually going to be CRYING for the next 8ish months because this doesn't release until 2026 and I NEEEEEEED that psychical copy in my hands. (I also need the fastest ticket to getting inside this book as well thanks.) 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

Oh and I do want to give a little mention to all my Henry Li fans... he does in fact show up in this book. 😋😋

🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙎𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙢𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧

⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. In this story we follow the PRETTIEST, RICHEST, AND OFC BADDIEST GIRL KNOWN TO MANDKIND. 💅*drumroll* CHANEL CAO!!! This girl is RICH RICH. And I mean she doesn't just but her fave expensive dresses, OH NO HUN. SHE COULD BUY THE ENTIRE STORE. She's that perfect picture model everyone wants be while they see her on their IG pages. But guess what? SHE ISN'T THAT PERFECT AFTER ALL!!! WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED!! (Not me guys, not me, I would not have known.🤫🤐) And what happens when you have this pretty girl with semi daddy issues AND the pressure of being perfect all the time, fall in love? Oh you get a JUICY MYSTERY FILLED PLOT, and ofc A JUICY mc who is the total opposite of her.

ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET FOLKS!!!

<img src = "https://media1.tenor.com/m/AHHcXuV8k40AAAAd/sungjae-red-carpet-prodsnik.gif"description"/>

AND HERE WE MEET *drumroll* ARES YIN!!! We are talking, black wolf cut, piercings, a grumpy attitude, AND HES A BOXER? Holy mamacita I was in for a treat. 🤭🤭 And when I say words could not describe how much I loved him. I mean it. HIS CHEMISTRY WITH CHANEL WAS OFF THE DANG CHARTS. THE SLOW BURN?? THE YEARNING?? THE SUBTLE ACTIONS HE WOULD DO?? 📈📈 This guy right here might me the best book boyfriend in the Ann Liang universe. I was gagged, dead, astonished. And what made it worse was he remined me SOOOOOOOO much of someone I had a crush on in real life. (Even his mannerisms.) So it was safe to say I was over here swooning like there was no tomorrow.

🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙖, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧

⸝⸝🫧‧₊˚. And what can I say? When you got characters like those it was SO hard not to love the plot. There was so much tension and mystery and I was just so invested. I MEAN WHO WOULDN'T BE WHEN YOU HAVE OPPOSITES ATTRACT X GRUMPY X SUNSHINE?? 🙊🙊 It was art purely in the form of words. And yes, I know you are probably wondering why I didn't rate this a five star. AND THAT IS BECAUSE I HAVE ONE ISSUE, AND ONE ISSUE THAT MADE THIS NOT PERFECT.

And that was the near ending. Because I cannot tell you how mad I was when it started getting rushed. 😭😞

We have this whole slow-burning going on and I felt like it was messy towards the end. It was like stargazing at a beautiful sky in peace only to be hit with an atomic bomb, YOU DID EVEN KNOW WAS COMING. (Which I mean is the point of bombs but we are going to ignore that.) And because everything about this book was so perfect and wonderful, I was disappointed when the ending become a bit messy and sort of predictable. BUT I'M NOT GONNA LIE AND SAY I DIDN'T ENJOY THE BOOK STILL, BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL DID.

🤍₊˚⊹ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 👛୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ

🪻𓂃 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥: I don't know what it was about her in this book but I actually ATE THIS QUEEN UP. She was such a girl boss and gave badahh energy while still being feminine which I DEVOURED. Seeing her become vulnerable throughout the story really shattered me, NOT TO MENTION HOW RELATABLE AND REAL SHE WAS AT TIMES. I really loved that she got her own book because I enjoyed reading about her character so so much.
🪻𓂃 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐬: MY MAN. MY BABY. MY LOML. MY POOR LITTLE EMO BOY. I swear this character destroyed me. He was just the CUTEST thing on earth and his personality made it even better omg. THE WAY HE WAS WRITTEN WAS BEYOND PERFECT. Like I kid you not he even be more of a gentleman then THE Wes Bennett. Seeing his family struggles, his vulnerable side, the things he would DOOOOOO. And his style? Don't even get me started. IT'S GIVING THE MAN YOU SEE AT THE MALL AND NEVER SEE AGAIN BUT STILL DAYDREAM ABOUT. I honestly think he will be living rent free in my mind for the months to come. I literally love him so much it's hard to capture into words.

☂️.*• There is other characters that become HEAVILY invested into the plot of this book. But because this is a spoiler free review, that is for you to find out and discover. But let me warn you babes, THE TEA IS PIPING HOTTER THAN ALL THE KATSEYE MEMBERS ON THAT GAP AD. 😫😫😫

🌊 ₊˚‧꒰ "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙤. 5"꒱ 💗 ₊˚‧

⸝⸝🌌‧₊˚. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥:
I think this might be my new fave comfort book. I HONESTLY THINK SO GUYS. I loved every aspect of this and I seriously cannot wait for this to be released. If you are hesitant about adding this to your TBR and reading it, GIRL SHUT THE HECK UP AND JUST DO IT!! Because I swear this book was perfection and you will INDEED thank me later. Alright brb ima go make that Ares Yin Pinterest board, xoxo. 💋

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
🦋💗 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC FOR THIS CUTIE AFTER READING THE FIRST BOOK 🙈🙈 IM ACTUALLY SO EXCITED TO SEE CHANELS STORY IN THIS ONE 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Ann Liang has become my comfort author. Her writing style is top tier, her characters are beautiful.

I love when books are realistic with a touch of magic, and this one hit the mark. The characters are relatable, even if you may not love them in the beginning. The tension, the slow burn UHG.

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!

4.5~
I literally screamed when i finished this.

Spoiler free review!
If you could see the moon has a different mood to it that I really enjoyed!
For starters, the atmosphere.
From beautifully worded descriptions of the iridescent moon glowing over a lake, to the quiet details and emotions in a characters face down to their very finger tips; it was extremely immersive.
The story itself I think has both parallel elements that kind of remind me of if you could see the sun, and moments that feel very much unique to this story.
For the characters I felt Chanel and Ares were pretty different from her usual protagonists and I REALLY liked them both.
(Also the dual POV was so good…)
As far as drawbacks go I don’t have much, I guess I will say it can feel a bit idealistic or exaggerated. There was a time or two I thought a certain line sounded like I was pulled from a melodrama or something. But that didn’t bother me a whole lot, especially because the dialogue felt natural otherwise!
So if you’re looking for a new read that has good pacing, with a bit of mystery, and plenty of romance, then this is a good pick!
It was such an honor to read this early!
To get to return to Airington, and find out more about Chanel was such a treat!

ALSO
I really do recommend reading if you could see the sun first. Just because there’s lots of references and Easter eggs and I won’t spoil. BUT it definitely works as a spin off standalone as well, so it’s your preference!

3.5 ⭐️
🌙I have some conflicting feelings about this book. I wanted to love it with my entire heart really badly—and I did really like it, and perhaps it will even grow to be love after a reread or some time to sit with it—but, unfortunately while I was reading it, I just felt like I was missing something. Maybe it was a connection with the characters, or just that the plot felt a bit underdeveloped at certain points.

🌙A big thing for me, was that I don’t like when the couple only gets close because of ulterior motives. Like, I enjoyed the tension it built, but seeing Chanel flirt first was giving me so much second hand embarrassment! And those things never even get discussed later.

🌙I will say, by the end Chanel and Ares were adorable! This book definitely reads more like a fanfiction than Ann Liang’s other books, in my opinion. And that’s not really a bad thing, I just found myself thinking it at multiple points lol. I also loved that it felt a little more aged up and mature, I think that was a good call since the OG fans of If You Could See the Sun have, obviously, gotten older.

🌙This review is getting really long, so to sum it up: This might not be my favorite Ann Liang book, but I still have so much love for it, and the characters in her universe! I am so excited to buy a copy when it releases and see it sitting next to IYCSTY on my shelf <3

<b>*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*</b>

Does he love you enough? Would he give you the moon, if you would ask for it? Or were you never enough for him? Never satisfying enough. Not pretty enough. Not famous enough. Not smart enough. Did you ever question yourself, if he would give you the moon, if you would ask for it?

<b><u>Recommendation</b></u>

If you experienced heartbreak first-hand then you will definitely bond with these characters. After all, the main theme of this book is about heartbreak and how it influences one's lifes and relationships.

If you were toyed with in the past, then I would advise to skip this one. One of the protagonists is toying with the other to reach their own goals. This could be triggering for some, making it possibly an unfitting read.

This book isn't really long and the drama around the themes of heartbreak and performing (putting on an act) instead of being authentic makes this read so compelling.

This time, the story is from the perspective of Alice Sun's best friend Chanel, meaning that while Alice and Henry are still part of the story they are more in the background. So, all fans of If You Could See the Sun: Don't hope to see them often. You will be disappointed.

<b><u>Introduction</b></u>

I Could Give You the Moon is a spin-off from If You Could See the Sun. It's directly set after the events of the first book, but one doesn't need to read both to understand them. It's a standalone spin-off.

The story is about heartbreak told from female perspectives. But it's not only about the ugly parts of love but also about embracing one's true self, not hidding behind a facade as well as learning to trust others and showing vulnerability.

<b><u>Pacing</b></u>

This book is about 300 pages long, which fits well for this story. The pacing never felt too slow or fast, it felt exactly right. Important moments received the length they needed to built connection to the reader and all the drama came as fast as it vanished. I did like the drama but I was also glad that it wasn't dragged and just stayed for as long as it was needed.

<b><u>Writing Style</b></u>

Ann Liang always had the talent to not only write emotional books but also make the reader feel emotions while reading it. Sometimes, not only the characters felt down but the reader too. For me personally, If You Could See the Sun was so emotional that it stayed in my head for days. Unfortunately I Could Give You the Moon wasn't able to connect to me that much, but I still see the potential of it since the writing style is the same, not changed. Most moments are spent for dialogues and the plot but there are also pages full of thoughts and just so full of emotions that it makes one stop and think about them.
Is heartbreak predictable?
Do we really miss the experience, not the person?
Should one avoid love altogether to spare oneself from heartbreak?

There are so many questions and for me they often float around in my head reading her books which makes it really thought-provoking. I believe that emotional books such as these need to be thought-provoking to actually reach the reader. It works, as long as one can resonate with the theme of the book.

<b><u>Themes & Symbolism</b></u>

<u>Main themes</u>
Even though it focuses the most about heartbreak it's also about true love. In addition, it's about (sharing a) fate and finding one's true self, not hidding behind a fake image. Not only were the romantic relationships toxic but the family dynamics of the two protagonists showed how great family pressure can be if one has a social media presence.

<u>Symbolism</u>
The moon is a recurring symbol for this book, not only expressing the willingness to do anything for love but also how unrealistic expectations will always crush relationships.

<u>The perspective of a rich family</u>
I liked the most how the reader once again, just like from Alice Sun's and Henry Li's perspective, was able to not dive into a life of someone rich who also has a family with great influence. From an outsider's view one might think they are all just arrogant, but there is much more to it. Seeing how kids from rich families struggle with not only their daily lives but also by forming real and meaningful relationships with others was really interesting and made me wonder if that also applies to real life.

<b><u>Characters</b></u>

<u>Chanel Cao</u>
She is a famous influencer, who struggles with her own identity as she play pretends since her childhood, not allowed to show or express her true feelings or thoughts.

I personally didn't like her at all. She felt overly fake even till the end which led me to kinda wish her a bad ending as I wasn't a fan of her actions and how she had some set rules (which were manipulation tactics in disguise) which she got from her mother. She was so insecure that it hurt seeing how precise she was to follow her plan.

<u>Ares Yin</u>
He's a fighter which added to the tension of this book. I preferred his backstory over Chanel's as it felt more like something not almost everyone would experience. His passive presence made him appear more mysterious which made him ultimately more interesting in the end than Chanel.

<u>The romance</u>
While it reads like an enemies to lovers romance sometimes, it's per se not one. It's rather characterised by misunderstandings. I think that it's actually more a sunshine x grumpy romance. And it was often times filled by fear and curiosity.

<b><u>Outroduction</b></u>

The author feels seen by writing and publishing books, the readers feel seen by the themes of these books. While I felt more seen by If You Could See the Sun than the spin-off I Could Give You the Moon, I still enjoyed this read. If You Could See the Sun was about school stress which resonated with me more than heartbreak.

I also reduced a star from my rating as it bothered me that one of the protagonist took advantage of the other, meaning they toyed with the other. While I do understand how it impacted the overall growth/development of both, I still disliked it.

Thanks a lot NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced reader copy of I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang.

Started the book: 30. August 2025
Finished the book: 30. August 2025
Wrote the review: 30. August 2025

Definitely more of a 4.5!

If You Could See the Sun is genuinely one of my favorite books of all time, so I have been anxiously anticipating this spinoff since the moment it was announced and (to no one's surprised) also loved it!

I enjoyed the overall plot and the fantasy elements, as well as the suspense and mystery, and also enjoyed the dynamic and relationship between our protagonists, Chanel and Ares. They feel a bit different from the typical dynamics of Ann Liang's couples, but that made their development really interesting to see (and the epilogue!!! the epilogue!!!).

I did struggle a little to relate to Chanel at first -- I think I just related so much, so quickly, to some of Ann Liang's other protagonists (Alice and Sadie to be exact) that it took a little to feel that way about Chanel -- but by the end, I felt very seen by her struggles, with one paragraph near the end describing just so perfectly how I feel that I (once again) question whether Ann Liang pried open my brain and stole my exact thoughts when writing her FMCs.

I also kind of wish we could have spent a little more time at Airington since I loved the academic vibes of IYCSTS, but I also feel like the vibes of this perfectly captured Chanel's character, so I didn't mind!

Overall, it was so great to step back into this world and see some of my favorite characters again (shout out to Alice and Henry 🫶) -- Ann Liang, you've done it again! (I am also now mourning that I have no new announced Ann Liang books to anticipate... time to reread I guess!)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!!

I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang is a smart and heartfelt young adult romance. It creatively blends a touch of magic with a compelling enemies-to-lovers story.

nothing compares to the rush of dopamine i get when finishing an ann liang book! she is genuinely such a master of her craft and has a way of making each book stand out from each other.

what i loved most about i could give you the moon is the fact that the story is not just driven by the characters, but also by the plot. ann liang’s blend of magical realism into her novels just works, and does a wonderful job of driving the story and raising the stakes. despite so much of the story being deliberately calculated, everything flowed so naturally and i loooved how genuine chanel and ares’ connection came to be (i may even be a bit too parasocial about this couple).

to continue off this point, ares is such a well crafted character because his motives, backstory, and character add so much substance to him and made him feel like his own character rather than simply an accomplice to chanel. although there were some backstory points that i wished were addressed more, ares felt like a very fleshed out character and one that is a breath of fresh air compared to ann liang’s other mmcs.

i enjoyed chanel as a character, though there were definitely moments where she felt a bit disconnected from the reality of the story. ann liang does a wonderful job exploring the life of someone like chanel, and i really appreciated how the author made her a character unafraid to be vain, calculating, and confident without taking away from how genuine she is as a person.

4.5 stars! thank you to harpercollins and netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I loved this and I might be totally biased but I love Ann Liang and her writing never fails to impress me more and more each time.

I think her way of creating such different characters and making them feel so real is so impressive; you'll always find comfort in these characters, relate to them even a bit.

This story was quite different from her usual ones, there's much more to it than the romance and that was really exciting. It just felt like the romance came to life a bit abruptly and that's the only thing I didn't love.

Ann Liang did it again! Not as good as If You Could See the Sun, but so so good!! The characters had such great emotional depth and the story telling was masterful.

so thankful i was able to get an arc copy for one of my favorites authors!! being able to read chanel’s story was so sad but so beautiful at the same time! ares was so precious and my heart hurt for him. definitely plan on re reading this book multiple times🤣💕

This was not what I expected, a very different book from If you could see the sun. Though I was very happy to see some returning characters! There's a magical realism aspect to this one also, but if felt way less of an academia setting and more a fighting ring setting. There's also a big spotlight on the main character being an influencer, and I didn't love her character for the most part. I still enjoyed Ann Liang's writing and the flow of it.

I officially have my favorite Ann Liang mmc. And my favorite couple. And my favorite world(okay that’s cheating, if you could see the sun was already my favorite world of hers).
The rating is actually 4.5 stars, it’s close to perfect.
In the introduction Liang says this book is a more mature work compared to if you could see the sun, and it sure felt like it. This is a plot that would work perfectly in an adult novel, but she made it work for ya. My only complaint(and I think that’s probably where the bad reviews are stemming from) is that it feels a little messy in some parts, but I think that was the vibe the author was going for.
Personally, I loved I could give you the moon a lot more than Ann Liang’s previous books since her debut. It reminded me why I like her as a writer. Her last two ones seriously made me consider not continuing following her releases but I’m really glad I read this one. Oh, and if she ever writes an adult novel I’ll be first in line because she would do great at it, I just know it.
Anyway, I couldn't recommend it enough, even if you are not usually a fan of the author, this one was very different from her previous works.

Ann Liang has done it again!!! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC :)

Chanel and Ares were both interesting characters, neither being the "typical" love interest. I absolutely loved their entire dynamic, and Liang's choice for dual POV really highlighted it! Chanel was calculating, her entire goal was to change the future that she in the vision. She attempted to do this by manipulating Ares into falling in love with her, but instead she couldn't avoid falling in love with him. Ares wasn't necessarily trying to fall in love, but he knew that Chanel was part of his future no matter what, and he was determined to use her to find his brother. I thought that this dynamic was extremely interesting, and it kept me hooked. Both Chanel and Ares were using each other, but with different end goals in mind, and they both slowly began to trust one another. Liang did a wonderful job of portraying both character's emotions, particularly their desperation about their goals and the fear that they both felt surrounding the future and each other.

For the plot, their entire situation was dangerous. I do think that there could have been more development for Chanel and Ares being aware of the danger that they were in, sometimes it felt as if it was no big deal. But I do understand the sheer determination that Ares felt in reaching the future, doing everything possible to get there, and Chanel's unwavering confidence in changing the future herself.

I always love the supernatural elements that Liang brings to her stories, it truly makes her novels feel completely original! I think that a magical lake showing visions was a little goofy, but that didn't make it bad at all. I like that Ares thought he was losing his mind seeing it, until Chanel came along. For Chanel, it made sense that she wasn't as fazed by the supernatural, given her experience with Alice. I also liked the theme about whether or not the future could be changed, this, in combination with the character dynamic, really made the book stick out to me!

Ann Liang did a great job in making the romance feel genuine despite both characters being insanely calculating about every situation. For Chanel, falling in love with Ares felt like something she couldn't avoid, even though she didn't believe in love, and I liked that development. It felt tied to fate. For Ares, Chanel was not the type of girl that he expected to love, especially not when he was so focused on finding his brother. I enjoyed how both Chanel and Ares slowly fell in love with each other as their relationship built, I felt very immersed in both characters emotions.

Of course, I can't forget about Alice and Henry :) Their features were so freaking cute, and I liked the funny dynamic between Chanel and Henry
AND ARES, he isn't the usual love interest that I swoon over but the last few chapters and epilogue were absolutely perfect, I couldn't help but have a huge smile on my face!!!

Honestly, I will read anything that Ann Liang writes, consider me obsessed, and this was no exception! I Could Give You the Moon is DEFINITELY WORTH A READ!!!
Once again, thank you to NetGalley for the eARC and THANK YOU TO ANN LIANG FOR CONTINUING TO WRITE THE BEST ROMANCES <3

When I heard Ann Liang was returning to the world of her debut, I was so excited! I loved all of the tropes that Ann was sharing about this book and Chanel/Ares' backstories caught my interest immediately. I love when people who are at first glance, completely opposite, fall in love. I love seeing the contrast in the way they see the world.

Chanel and Ares definitely gave me the butterflies that are typical of her books. I expected to not like Chanel much as her background would lead you to believe she is a snooty rich girl. She has a heart of gold! Ares... is so fine! I can picture him perfectly and I loved how intensely he cared for her and how much effort he puts into Chanel and their relationship. If I saw them both on the street, I would say they are definitely couple goals!

The conflict felt a little unrealistic at times and I was not super thrilled about the side character arcs, but I did really enjoy Chanel and Ares' parts! I think so many readers will love this book. Ares is such a book boyfriend - perhaps the most book boyfriend out of her books to date!

Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC! I had a lot of fun reading this and I finished it SO quick.