International Love and Misadventure

A love-obsessed spy and a therapist with a hero complex fall for each other while working to take down a nefarious Silicon Valley tech lord. Daphne Redgrave believes every crush could be her soulmate. Cinnamon Cheung believes she'll never find love again. Now that they know the other exists, the lies they tell themselves to stay alone begin to lose their hold. As they try to navigate what they could mean to each other, their dangerous projects align, putting everything in jeopardy. And it'll take a lot more than stealing a monkey or ignoring the problem to get through it with their relationship, careers, and lives intact.

Mattie Redgrave has no doubt that her isolation in an Auckland quarantine hotel will be the most enjoyable part of her brother's wedding. She won't have to see her terrible family, can catch up on all her freelance work, and can finally dive into her to-be-read pile. But when her neighbor in the adjoining room slides a letter beneath their door, Mattie can't help getting swept up in the romance of starting a correspondence with a handsome stranger. Raphael Callan is fully aware of the irony of finding escape in a locked room. But New Zealand should be far enough away to sidestep the pressures of his increasingly public acting career and the continued unwanted attention of his ex. When he realizes the intriguing woman he sat beside on the plane is staying in the room next door, he sees an opportunity, at last, to get to know someone without his celebrity getting in the way. As their letters become more personal, their days in isolation dwindle. Real life presses in, and soon, they'll have to face it. All their scandals, bad choices, bullies, and exes are waiting to test whether the romantic bubble of their courtship can withstand their neglected real-world problems in the swiftly changing world of a global pandemic. This contemporary queer romance features two bisexual leads and classic romance tropes like forced proximity, secret identity, and celebrity romance. It doesn't shy away from the Covid pandemic, but embraces the idea that someone could still find love when their life--and the world--get turned upside-down.

Luke is drifting. His acting career has stalled, his bank accounts are low, his kids are growing up too fast, and two years later, he's still not over his breakup with Rin. Luckily, a chance encounter with them in Scotland a week before their documentary premiere inspires a great idea: get Rin back. All it will take is a trusty steed, a few slow days in the Scottish countryside, and car snacks. Rin has a deadline. In one week, their friends will finally see their documentary and learn that Rin bankrupted their deceased parents' travel business. They'd love to find the courage to tell anyone before then and finally get some support. Surely the best way to do that is to take several days driving to the premiere with their ex. They can practice being vulnerable-and maybe rekindle something between them-as long as the weather and their ancient sedan stay steady. Between the chaotic moments of imminent car destruction, attacks by animals both wild and domesticated, getting lost in the woods, and escaping a possibly murderous eccentric, Luke and Rin explore what they got right together, what they got wrong, and what it will take to fall in love all over again. This contemporary queer romance features bisexual and nonbinary partners embarking on a second chance at love by way of a disastrous road trip through Scotland, because second chances don't come with directions.