Description

An engaging, charming and instant #1 New York Times bestseller by the author of Funny Story, praised as a favorite writer by bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

One summer. Two rivals. And one twist neither of them saw approaching.

Nora Stephens lives and breathes books. She’s read every story there is, and she’s certain that she’s not suited to be the heroine—definitely not the carefree sweetheart, not the spirited, quirky idealist, and certainly not the gentle type to easily fall for love. Instead, Nora is heroic only in two ways: fiercely advocating for her high-profile clients as a ruthless literary agent and unwaveringly protecting her adored younger sister, Libby.

When Libby insists they leave behind city life for an August getaway in the picturesque town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, Nora reluctantly agrees. Libby dreams that Nora will finally experience a transformative, happy-ending summer like those found in sweet small-town romances. But Nora’s visions of charming picnics, romantic countryside interactions, or flirty encounters with handsome local bartenders and friendly doctors quickly fade when she keeps running into Charlie Lastra.

Charlie—a brooding, bookish editor she knows very well from the city—is the last person Nora expects to keep meeting. In theory, their repeated meetings could’ve been cute chance encounters—but in reality, there’s nothing cute about their tense dynamics and complicated history.

Nora firmly believes she’s no one’s idea of a heroine; Charlie is certain he’s far from hero material. But as these two supposed anti-heroes collide again and again, forced together by circumstances no good editor could plausibly approve, they’re both forced to reevaluate the stories they’ve always believed about themselves—and face the idea they might just deserve a completely rewritten ending.