Between Friends and Lovers

To thousands of Instagram followers, Josephine Boateng is the dazzling Dr. Jojo, and her opinions on health and self-love matter. Her message: Be smart, be significant, and do not put up with foolish men.

Off-camera, Jo’s story is more complicated. She’s grappling with depression and the pressures of her career, and her love life is nonexistent, thanks to a decade-long unrequited crush on her best friend, rom-com heartthrob Ezra Adelman. But when Ezra shows up to his thirtieth birthday party with her childhood bully on his arm, Jo realizes it’s time to take her own advice.

No one is more shocked than Malcolm Waters when his debut novel transforms him into a literary darling, the type who gets invited to a swanky party to discuss film opportunities. Rubbing elbows with entertainment’s elite could be great for his career—except he’s terrible with people.

Just when Mal is ready to escape, he’s rescued by none other than Dr. Jojo. He’s been following her on social media for years, and she’s even more impressive in real life. And to his bewilderment, the admiration seems mutual.

But Jo, Ezra, and Mal exist in a world where the line between private and public is as blurred as the one between friendship and love. The question is, can any of them risk defining those lines to create something real?

Paperback, July 30th 2024