Picked by Cosmopolitan and RED as a best book of 2025.

Picked by The Bookseller as Book of the Month for March 2025

'Tender as a ballad and pleasurable as a pop song' COCO MELLORS

'Clever and heart-wrenching and addictive' MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER

'An incredibly special book' BETH O'LEARY

'So relatable and enjoyable' GILLIAN MCALLISTER

The first time Joe plays Percy one of his songs in his college room in 2000, she instantly realises three things:

One, she is watching a star in the making.

Two, she can shape his music into something extraordinary.

Three, she will always be on the sidelines.

She swallows her jealousy and throws herself into collaboration, transforming Joe’s songs into indie hits with her blistering critiques.

But there’s an undercurrent to the music they’re making – something undeniably electric, hurtling towards love. And then, almost inevitably, towards heartbreak.

As Joe steps into the spotlight, can Percy bear to watch on in silence?

And can he exist there without her?