"Fresh, surprising, and compulsively readable."--New York Times bestselling author Andrea Bartz

A psychic on the verge of stardom who isn’t sure she believes in herself and a cynical journalist with one last chance at redemption are brought together by secrets from the past that also threaten to tear them apart.

Psychic-medium Sylvie Young starts every show with her origin story, telling the audience how she discovered her abilities. But she leaves out a lot—the plane crash that killed her parents, an estranged adoptive family who tend orchards in rainy Oregon, panic attacks, and the fact that her agent insists she research some clients to ensure success.

After a catastrophic reporting error, Thomas Holmes’s next story at the L.A. Times may be his last, but he’s got a great personal pitch. “Grief vampires” like Sylvie who prey upon the loved ones of the deceased have bankrupted his mother. He’s dead set on using his last-chance article to expose Sylvie as a conniving fraud and resurrect his career.

When Sylvie and Thomas collide, a game of cat and mouse ensues, but the secrets they’re keeping from each other are nothing compared to the mysteries and lies they unearth about Sylvie’s past. Searching for the truth might destroy them both—but it’s the only way to find out what’s real.

A psychic who isn't sure she believes in herself and a skeptic journalist with one last chance at redemption are brought together by secrets from the past that also threaten to tear them apart.

Psychic-medium Sylvie Young starts every show with her origin story, telling the audience how she discovered her abilities. But she leaves out a lot-the plane crash that killed her parents when she was four, the estranged adoptive parents who tend orchards in rainy Oregon, and the fact that she researches her clients on social media so she can be sure to make at least some accurate predictions.



After a catastrophic reporting error, Thomas Holmes' next story at the LA Times may be his last, and he's got a great personal pitch. His mother was nearly bankrupted by "grief vampires" like Sylvie after a tragic accident, and he's dead set on using his last chance article to expose her for the conniving liar he's convinced she is.



But the secrets Sylvie and Thomas are keeping from each other are nothing compared to the secrets they are keeping from themselves. Almost all of Sylvie's origin story is a lie, even the parts she never tells. Searching for the truth about her past might destroy them both-or it might be the only way to find out what is real.

Story Locale: Portland, Oregon

"Fresh, surprising, and compulsively readable, Some of It Was Real sucked me right in with its rich characters, sparkling wit, and captivating story arc. This debut is more than a page-turner; it's an unflinching exploration of identity, trauma, and transcending the past, and it kept me riveted all the way up to its jaw-dropping conclusion."—New York Times bestselling author Andrea Bartz

"The perfect blend of mystery and love story, Some of It Was Real kept me guessing and turning pages way past my bedtime, all the way to its shocking denouement. An absolute must-read."—USA Today bestselling author Colleen Oakley