Ava, hands down, is one of the most relatable millennial characters I've encountered. She teaches English in Hong Kong while sort of drifting through her own life, which honestly? Big mood. Her affair with Julius starts almost by accident, and her later relationship with Edith feels equally precarious. What struck me was how Dolan uses Ava's outsider status to critique expat culture—like when Ava notes how Julius's privilege lets him treat Hong Kong as temporary, while she's scrambling to belong.
The protagonist of 'Exciting Times' is Ava, a young Irish expat navigating life in Hong Kong. She's this fascinating blend of self-doubt and sharp wit, constantly analyzing her relationships with Julius, a wealthy British banker, and Edith, a charismatic Hong Kong lawyer. What I love about Ava is how her internal monologue feels so authentic—she overthinks every interaction, yet her dry humor keeps it from feeling heavy. The way she oscillates between Julius and Edith isn't just about romance; it's this layered exploration of identity, privilege, and belonging.
Naoise Dolan writes Ava with such precision that her awkwardness becomes endearing. There's a scene where she practices conversations in her head that had me cackling in recognition. The book's brilliance lies in how Ava's passivity gradually gives way to self-awareness, especially in her dynamic with Edith. Their relationship crackles with tension—linguistic, cultural, and emotional—making Ava's journey far more compelling than your typical love triangle.
Ava's voice in 'Exciting Times' is what hooked me—she's painfully self-aware yet constantly second-guessing. That scene where she Googles 'how to be gay' after meeting Edith? Iconic. Her relationships serve as mirrors: Julius reflects her financial instability, Edith her cultural displacement. Dolan crafts Ava's journey with such dry humor that even her cringe-worthy moments become endearing.
Reading 'Exciting Times' felt like watching someone poke at their own emotional bruises, in the best way possible. Ava's the kind of character who'd text you 'lol' while having a full existential crisis. Her dynamic with Edith is particularly gripping—they communicate in this deliciously coded way, using language as both weapon and shield. I kept highlighting passages where Ava dissects their power imbalances, like how Edith's Cantonese fluency highlights Ava's own linguistic insecurity. It's rare to find a protagonist who's this observant yet still makes terrible decisions.
2026-03-19 13:27:13
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Lots of people are asking so here it is:
Branston high series order - Jake, Nathan, Shane, Luke, Billy
Thank you all so much for reading!
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Jake has one goal in life - protect his brothers and keep his family together. He has to find a job, earn his keep. He doesn't have time for trivial things like friends and girlfriends.
Kim wants freedom, adventure and excitement. She's not interested in living a life of regrets or what if's.
A chance encounter with the stoic and mysterious new guy in school, has Kim adamant to bring a little joy to his life, even if he doesn't think he wants it.
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Milo , a famous member of Spitfire Strip, extremely popular, filthy rich and a woman's magnet while adored by millions of his screaming fans. He has everything could ask -- sold out concerts, album, world tour concerts year after year, money, and women. But despite everything he has, he knows there's still something missing in his life because he wants a woman that can love him not for his fame or because he is Milo Beckett from Spitfire Strip.
One wicked night Canada, Lindy managed to lose her phone and once she found it, she didn't realize that it was not hers until she receives an unknown number calling her. Only to realize that an English cheeky boy had accidentally swapped phones with her who is now on his way back home to England. She kept communicating for a week with the man named as Mill who is five years older than her.
When she retrieved her phone, she found out that she had swapped phones and had eventually fallen in love with a man who she didn't expect at all.
Will it be easy for Lindy to date a famous celebrity?
All questions she has in her head but she did not know she just got lucky.
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This is raw, passionate and sexy. And she can't escape it.
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She doesn't gossip with her friends and she doesn't giggle about boys. When girls her age are out shopping, she's out on the streets doing graffiti on walls... so no, she isn't your typical average teen. Her father may have all the money in the world, but even he can't get her a new attitude. And all the love he showered her with still didn't manage to soften her heart.
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'Nothing good could come out of this' she told herself, 'a total waste of valuable time.
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Well...
Read and find out!!!
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