Cover

PRAISE FOR LAURA JANE WILLIAMS

‘A joyful, romantic and life-affirming love story’

Red

‘Laura Jane Williams combines sharp, relatable wit and bold, joyful sincerity’

Dolly Alderton

‘Hilarious, heart-warming and truly authentic – your modern rom com must-read’

Hello!

‘A fresh, smart, modern rom com. This is romance seen through the wry eyes of a cynic, and that’s what makes it so special – and, ultimately, so uplifting. It had me totally gripped’

Beth O’Leary

‘LJ’s honesty and voice are unique’

Stylist

‘Laura Jane Williams offers another dose of smart, sisterly storytelling … You can practically feel modern romance evolving as you’re reading it’

Emma Jane Unsworth

‘A perfect summer read that will leave you grinning’

Closer

‘Tender, energetic and authentic … Such a current love story, but so timeless too’

Daisy Buchanan

‘Uplifting and witty, filled with so much real emotion’

Health & Wellbeing

‘Laura Jane Williams’ writing sees you, and gives you so much … Exactly the joyful escapism you need for your next beach holiday’

Lucy Vine

‘This is the laugh-out-loud love story you need to read this summer’

Glamour

‘So funny and wonderful and life-affirming’

Lorna Cook

‘We devoured this book in one sitting!’

Bella

‘This is the feminist rom-com of the summer’

Holly Bourne

‘A cult hit’

Grazia

Dedication

For J & A

Your love inspires me

Prologue

‘That’s the last of it, then,’ he said sadly, looking into the boot of the small hire car loaded with pillows and chairs, vases and lamps. ‘Everything that’s most important to you, packed and ready to go.’

What he meant was: me. Take me. Ask me to go with you. I’m important. I’m yours, too.

‘Great,’ she replied, not meeting his eye. She said it too loudly, too brightly. She was over-compensating. ‘Thanks so much. That was a lot. I’m knackered already!’

What she meant was: I don’t know how to say goodbye. I wish things were different. I’m scared.

Francesco Cipolla and Penny Bridge stood looking at anything but each other, both wishing they were back in the flat together, making brunch to sit with knees knocking and tasting food off each other’s forks, like yesterday morning, or in bed, twisting the sheets around them as they giggled, like last night.