Yearning Difficulties

It's autumn in Lake Pristine! Discover the brand new standalone romance from Elle McNicoll, award-winning author of Wish You Were Her.

Zella has just landed her dream student job as the co-host of a show on Radio Panache, Lake Pristine High School - if only she didn’t have to share the gig with her chauvinistic ex-boyfriend.

Her classmate Killian seems shy, but has no qualms calling out Zella’s ex live on air - making Zella immediately warm to him. The thing is: Killian’s been secretly in love with her for years, and now, as friendship blossoms between them, he’s terrified to make a move and ruin it.

When Killian learns Zella is hoping to be chosen for his mother’s writing seminar next semester, he comes up with a plan: he’ll be her fake-boyfriend for the autumn, allowing her complete access to his family under the guise of being his girlfriend - and it’s doubly appealing for Zella, who gets revenge on her ex by ‘dating’ the person who humiliated him.

But as Killan, desperate to keep his feelings a secret, begins to trip up on his own lies and their friendship starts to fracture, Zella will have to open her heart to the possibility that what she’s looking for has been there the whole time.

© 2026 First Ink (Audiobook): 9781037402203

Release date

Audiobook: 8 October 2026