First published 2020
Ava has had enough of online dating and algorithms telling her who to love. She escapes to a semi-silent writing retreat in Italy, seeking peace and creative inspiration. Romance couldn't be further from her mind until she encounters a charming stranger. She knows nothing about him except that he makes her laugh, treats her with kindness, and ignites an intense physical connection. He feels the same magnetic pull. Their anonymous affair becomes a passionate love story, and they commit to each other without exchanging real names. Back in the real world, the spell breaks. His eccentric family loves naked saunas. Her badly behaved dog destroys his shirts. Every quirk that seemed endearing now drives them crazy. Disaster strikes repeatedly as their incompatible lives collide. They face an agonizing question that tests whether love alone can bridge the gap between two people who adore each other but struggle to accept everything that comes with the package.
Genres: fiction, romance, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Italy
Period: 21st-century
356 pages · Hardcover · Bantam Press