02/01/2021
In Bly's Lizzie & Dante, a Shakespearean scholar heads to Italy after an ugly breakup and an end-of-the-road health diagnosis and meets a handsome chef—but is this any time to start a relationship? In debuter Christie's The Rehearsals, Megan Givens and Tom Prescott plan to call off their wedding after a calamitous rehearsal dinner but wake up the next morning in a time loop, endlessly repeating the event until maybe they get it right (100,000-copy first printing). Clancy's Shoulder Season reveals what happens when shy young church organist Sherri Taylor switches paths after her parents' death to become a Playboy bunny (100,000-copy first printing). The New York Times best-selling Guillory's While We Were Dating features Ben Stephens, Theo's brother from The Wedding Party, who's trying to stay strictly professional while working with a famous actress. In Macomber's stand-alone It's Better This Way, Julia Jones has sold her business, moved into a condominium, and put her marital breakup behind her, but she isn't looking for love—until handsome resident Heath comes along. In Island Queen, romance writer Riley goes mainstream historical to reimagine the life of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, who rose from enslavement to become a rich and powerful landowner in the colonial West Indies (100,000-copy first printing). Pretty Little Liars author Shepard's Safe in My Arms stars three out-of-the-loop moms who try to discover why the principal of the children's elite California preschool was attacked. If you've got Nine Lives, take this journey with Steel from Chicago and Paris to London and Monaco. In Hugo/Bradbury/Eisner winner Straczynski's latest, an unsuccessful young writer pulls together a crew of equally disaffected folks, buys an old bus, and proclaims Together We Will Go—straight to California, where they will then drive off a cliff (100,000-copy first printing). In debuter Yoder's one-of-a-kind Nightbitch, a woman who's convinced that she is turning into a dog ferrets out answers in A Field Guide to Magical Women and links up with a group of mothers with their own secret persuasions. Optioned for film.
2021-05-05
After calling off their wedding, a young couple gets stuck in a time loop, reliving the day of their catastrophic rehearsal dinner.
Megan and Tom are a picture-perfect couple. With her job as senior visuals editor at GQand his job as a lawyer at his family’s firm, they’re living the dream. And now, they’re getting married on the picturesque San Juan Island, bringing together their friends and family as they celebrate their love. But all that perfection is merely hiding the problems under the surface. Megan’s and Tom’s families have never gotten along, and Megan has always felt that Tom takes his family’s side over hers. Unbeknownst to Megan, Tom has just accepted a job (at his family’s behest) in Missouri, meaning that they’ll have to move away from New York City and her job. Meanwhile, Megan privately feels guilt over having slept with Tom’s best friend (who is also his best man) years ago. When all the buried secrets come out at their disastrous rehearsal dinner, Megan and Tom angrily call off their wedding…but then they wake up on the morning of their rehearsal dinner, again. Megan and Tom figure out that they’re stuck in a Groundhog Day–style time loop, doomed to repeat the horrific day with the one person they never want to see again. Christie doesn’t hold any punches in her adult debut, allowing her characters to act out in surprisingly bold ways. Megan’s and Tom’s betrayals are explored compassionately and honestly, making both of them feel like fully rounded people who are, if not always completely likable, at least understandable. As Megan and Tom relive the same day and get to know each other in an entirely new way, it’s unclear until the very end what will happen with their relationship, creating a level of suspense that will keep readers turning the pages.
A compelling story about the power of second chances and forgiveness that’s sure to spark conversation.
"An enchanting and compelling look at life's what-ifs. Christie writes with honesty, heart, and a great deal of charm."—Helen Hoang, USA Today bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test
“Irresistible . . . Annette Christie has written a fun, yet thought-provoking, rom-com.”—Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of Golden Girl
“A funny, clever, enchanting story about finding our way back to ourselves and to those we truly love. It had me spellbound from the first page. . . . The Rehearsals is refreshingly honest about the ups and downs of long-term relationships, whether romantic or family, handling its themes with wit and zest. Terrific fun from beginning to end!”—Sarah Haywood, author of the New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon X Hello Sunshine Book Club pick The Cactus
“A delightful debut . . . Christie’s clever time-loop plot allows for great depth of emotion as her protagonists explore different paths and come to terms with what they can and can’t change about themselves and each other. This charming story delivers equal amounts of honesty and hope and is bound to win the hearts of rom-com fans.”—Publishers Weekly
“Funny, romantic, and surprisingly thought-provoking, The Rehearsals is both a highly enjoyable romp and a poignant meditation on love and second chances.”—Shelf Awareness
“Megan’s and Tom’s betrayals are explored compassionately and honestly . . . As Megan and Tom relive the same day and get to know each other in an entirely new way, it’s unclear until the very end what will happen with their relationship, creating a level of suspense that will keep readers turning the pages. A compelling story about the power of second chances and forgiveness that’s sure to spark conversation.”—Kirkus Reviews
"A truly absorbing read, told with wit and heart, and impossible to put down. Annette Christie is a master of creating characters that feel like friends, where you hate to turn that last page and say goodbye."—Jen DeLuca, author of Well Met
"Christie's sparkling and witty debut explores the tangled web of the night before a wedding. Through Tom and Megan, we discover the importance of second or more chances, and how learning to listen (to others and yourself) is the key to love and happiness." —Roselle Lim, author of Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune and Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop
“Christie keeps the tone light, inserting repeating scenarios into each day, and turning the nightmare time loop into a journey of self-discovery. There’s a feeling of resolution at the end, which isn’t what the characters expected, but it’s what they needed. Fans of Christina Lauren and Meg Cabot will savor this charming relationship comedy.”—Booklist
“I was thrilled when the story delivered, one hundred percent, on the promise of its intriguing premise. Christie grabbed me on the first page and didn’t let me go until the end, when I closed and book and smiled. A warm and touching novel by a wonderfully talented author.” —Mary Simses, author of The Wedding Thief
“A compelling, clever look at the hard work of growing up in our relationships—with friends, family, lovers, and ourselves—woven through with humor and tremendous heart.” —Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate
“A deeply special book, warm and wise and filled with undeniable tenderness. Annette Christie draws her not-quite-newlyweds Megan and Tom with tremendous empathy, and I rooted for them on all their wild misadventures, eager to find out what would happen each time they woke up. An effervescent, one-of-a-kind love story.”—Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow
"A refreshing and very astute observation of relationships, both the ones you have with the people closest to you and the one you have with yourself. It's smart and nuanced, the kind of book that makes its reader feel seen. Anything set around a wedding is kryptonite for me, and Annette Christie beautifully weaves wedding angst with secrets, betrayals, confrontation, and what it really means to choose someone else, and yourself. . . . A beautiful, fun, surprising book.”—Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here
"A humorous, honest look at the complexities of relationships and the sacrifices we make to maintain them. A refreshing read for fans of Rachel Lynn Solomon and Emily Henry."—Suzanne Park, author of Loathe at First Sight
“Clever and engrossing . . . I loved the picturesque wedding venue, the clashing families, and the way the recurring day developed layers and surprises as Megan and Tom tried to get themselves out of the loop.”—Helen Cooper, author of The Downstairs Neighbor
"Utterly captivating, charming, and brilliant. With a compelling plot and relatable characters, The Rehearsals explores the raw emotions behind the question of 'what if' and the true meaning of second chances."—Sonia Hartl, author of Heartbreak for Hire and Have a Little Faith in Me
“A whip-smart Groundhog Day reincarnation that will have you laughing and cringing in equal measure. The Rehearsals not only takes you on a wild ride, it forces you to ask yourself if you’re living your best life. Hilarious, heartfelt, and stay-up-all-night addictive.”—Kelly Siskind, author of New Orleans Rush
