Ann Liang’s latest young adult romance, Never Thought I’d End Up Here, delivers a compelling exploration of identity, belonging, and the transformative power of travel. Following the success of her previous works including I Hope This Doesn’t Find You and This Time It’s Real, Liang demonstrates her growing mastery of the enemies-to-lovers trope while weaving in deeper themes of cultural identity and self-acceptance.
A Story That Bridges Two Worlds
The novel follows Leah Zhang, a former model grappling with the aftermath of leaving her career and feeling disconnected from her Chinese heritage. After a mortifying incident at her cousin’s wedding where she accidentally wishes the couple ill health in broken Mandarin, Leah’s parents enroll her in an intensive cultural immersion program across China. What should be a journey of cultural rediscovery becomes complicated when she discovers her childhood nemesis, Cyrus Sui, is also on the trip.
Liang crafts a narrative that resonates with many second-generation immigrants who find themselves caught between cultures. Leah’s struggle with her Mandarin skills and cultural disconnect feels authentic and relatable, avoiding the pitfall of making her incompetence purely comedic. Instead, her journey becomes a genuine exploration of what it means to belong to a culture you’ve grown distant from.
Character Development That Feels Earned
Leah’s Transformation
Leah begins as a character wounded by her past—both from her expulsion from school due to false accusations and her difficult exit from the modeling industry. Liang skillfully reveals Leah’s vulnerabilities without making her helpless, showing how her defensive mechanisms have protected but also isolated her. The progression from someone who feels she has “nothing left” to someone who recognizes her own worth happens gradually through small moments of connection and self-discovery.
Her relationship with her appearance and self-worth particularly stands out. Liang doesn’t simply dismiss Leah’s concerns about beauty standards but shows how they’ve shaped her worldview, making her eventual acceptance of herself more meaningful.
Cyrus: More Than a Love Interest
Cyrus could have easily fallen into the brooding bad boy archetype, but Liang gives him genuine depth. His nightmares, his parents’ divorce, and his desperate need to reconnect his family through academic achievement create a character whose actions stem from real pain. The revelation that he’s loved Leah since childhood, combined with his genuine remorse for the past incident, transforms him from antagonist to a fully realized person.
The Cultural Journey at the Heart of the Story
Perhaps the novel’s greatest strength lies in its portrayal of China itself. Liang’s vivid descriptions of Shanghai’s neon-lit streets, the misty peaks of Yellow Mountain, and the tranquil bamboo forests of Guilin create an immersive experience that goes beyond typical travel novel descriptions. The country becomes a character in its own right, with each location marking a different stage in Leah’s emotional journey.
The language acquisition subplot feels particularly authentic. Rather than having Leah magically become fluent, Liang shows the gradual return of forgotten words and phrases, the embarrassment of mispronunciation, and the joy of finally expressing complex thoughts in Mandarin. This realistic portrayal adds credibility to Leah’s cultural reconnection.
Examining the Revenge Plot
The initial premise of Leah seeking revenge on Cyrus provides narrative momentum, but it’s the gradual dissolution of this plan that creates the story’s emotional core. Liang handles this transformation carefully, showing how proximity and understanding can break down years of resentment. The moment when Leah realizes she no longer wants revenge but genuine connection feels organic rather than forced.
However, this subplot occasionally feels underdeveloped compared to the cultural exploration. Readers expecting a more elaborate revenge scheme might find the shift toward romance happening too quickly, though the emotional payoff ultimately justifies the pacing.
Supporting Characters That Enhance the Journey
Daisy: The True Friend
Daisy emerges as one of the novel’s most genuine relationships. Her friendship with Leah develops naturally, and their bond provides Leah with something she’s never had—unconditional support from a peer. Their late-night conversations and shared experiences create some of the book’s most heartwarming moments.
Oliver: Comic Relief with Depth
Oliver could have been mere comic relief, but Liang gives him surprising emotional intelligence. His revelation about his approach to relationships—deliberately staying surface-level to avoid rejection—adds layers to what could have been a throwaway character.
Writing Style and Narrative Choices
Liang’s prose strikes an effective balance between accessible and evocative. Her descriptions of food, particularly the detailed accounts of various Chinese dishes, create sensory experiences that enhance the cultural immersion. The dialogue feels natural for teenage characters while avoiding overly casual language that might date the novel.
The first-person narration allows readers intimate access to Leah’s thoughts while maintaining some mystery about other characters’ motivations. This choice particularly serves the romance well, as Cyrus’s feelings and past actions are revealed gradually.
Areas for Improvement
Pacing in the Final Act
While the cultural journey feels well-paced, the romance accelerates somewhat abruptly in the final chapters. The shift from enemies to lovers, while emotionally satisfying, could benefit from additional development. Some readers might find Leah’s forgiveness of Cyrus happening too quickly given years of resentment.
Secondary Plot Resolution
The modeling industry subplot, while providing important character background, feels somewhat disconnected from the main narrative. The photo shoot incident that drove Leah from modeling deserves more exploration, as it significantly shaped her character but receives relatively brief treatment.
Themes That Resonate
“Never Thought I’d End Up Here” successfully explores several interconnected themes:
- Cultural identity and belonging: How second-generation immigrants navigate their relationship with their heritage
- Self-worth beyond external validation: Leah’s journey from seeking approval through appearance to finding internal value
- The power of perspective: How understanding someone’s motivations can transform relationships
- Growth through travel: The transformative potential of experiencing new places and cultures
Comparisons and Context
Within Liang’s body of work, “Never Thought I’d End Up Here” shows her evolution as a writer. While maintaining the humor and romance that made I Hope This Doesn’t Find You successful, she adds greater emotional depth and cultural specificity. The travel setting distinguishes it from her previous contemporary works while maintaining her signature blend of humor and heart.
Final Thoughts
Never Thought I’d End Up Here succeeds as both a satisfying romance and a meaningful exploration of cultural identity. While some plot elements could use additional development, Liang’s authentic portrayal of the immigrant experience and her vivid depiction of China create a novel that offers both entertainment and insight.
For readers seeking romance with cultural depth, memorable supporting characters, and genuine character growth, this novel delivers. Liang continues to establish herself as a voice capable of addressing serious themes while maintaining the accessibility and humor that make young adult fiction compelling.
Similar Books You Might Enjoy
If you loved “Never Thought I’d End Up Here”, consider these similar reads:
- “The Summer I Turned Pretty” by Jenny Han – For the coming-of-age romance elements
- “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang – For cultural identity exploration
- “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han – For Asian-American romance
- “The Walled City” by Ryan Graudin – For immersive Asian settings
- “Saints and Misfits” by S.K. Ali – For complex cultural identity themes
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Never Thought I’d End Up Here stands as a testament to the power of travel to transform not just our understanding of places, but of ourselves and the people we thought we knew.
