‘Exciting Times’ by Naoise Dolan

The truth is, you like Julian because he enables this perception you have of yourself as a detached person. Plenty of people are willing to offer you intimacy. That terrifies you. You prefer feeling like no one will ever love you.

'Exciting Times' by Naoise Dolan is set in Hong Kong and centers on young Ava, who has fled Dublin to find happiness (and maybe herself?) in Hong Kong.

Ava teaches English to the children of rich parents. She doesn't particularly like her colleagues and tends to keep to herself. At first, she shares an Airbnb—where she doesn't feel welcome.

When she meets Julian, a British banker, and then Edith, a Hong Kong-born lawyer, she finds herself in two very different relationships ...

CW: toxic relationship, homophobia, sexism, rape, racism