Don't Tell Me How It Ends
A Novel
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 14 Apr 2026
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- £6.99
Publisher Description
A floundering twenty-something who’s sworn off romance finds herself roped into her meddling sister’s matchmaking business in this sparkling debut romcom that asks: Can we protect ourselves while falling in love?
“A sharp, funny, feel-good love story about bad dates, big feelings, and one deliciously slow-burning love.”—Nikki Payne, USA Today bestselling author of The Princess and the P.I.
Kaia Harper may not have a plan for her life, but she knows what she won't be doing—falling for somebody's dusty son, promising forever. She'd rather spend the summer after college having disappointing one-night stands and watching crime show reruns. At least she won’t be caught off guard since she already knows how all those stories end.
But when her very pregnant and newly single sister calls for help, Kaia reroutes, stumbling back home to suburban Connecticut…and into the business plan of her sister's new matchmaking company. Kaia’s views on love remain as bleak as her career prospects, but if becoming the inaugural client can distract her from existential questions like "What am I even doing with my life?", Kaia can suffer through a few bad dates and call it a favor.
When Ro Jackson finds Kaia stalled on the side of the road, he isn’t put off by her attitude. His steady disposition is Kaia’s opposite and makes him exactly what she needs—a friend in town who can handle her just as she is. But as Ro talks Kaia through a summer of failed matches, she finds herself drawn to more than just his poetic outlook and friendship.
Kaia hadn’t seen this one coming, but as she and Ro grow closer, she’ll have to decide what’s more important: needing to know the end of every story, or jumping into the unknown.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A skeptical young woman, feeling directionless and disillusioned with love, agrees to be the first client for her older sister's matchmaking business in Thurman's refreshing and emotionally resonant debut. Dating apps have long been Kaia Harper's antidote for lonely nights, leading to countless meaningless hookups. After graduating from the University of Kansas with an education degree she has no desire to use, she returns to her Connecticut hometown, where her persistent sister and hopelessly romantic mother, both of whom have been unlucky in love themselves, convince her to go on three blind dates. She embarks on this quest for partnership with incredibly low expectations and a desire to quickly put an end to it, but finds an unlikely source of camaraderie and comfort in Ro Jackson, a tow truck driver who comes to her aid and proves to be the composed counterpart to her chaotic tendencies. Authentic and complex familial bonds, raw moments of past traumas explored, and flawed but endearing characters add heart. It's especially moving to witness Kaia grow and open herself up to genuine connection. There's enough comfort and tenderness in this warm hug of a novel to soften the heart of even the staunchest cynic.
