The New Beach Read: Friendship Novels
Alexandra Potter has perfected the unexpected friendship arc in SO, I MET THIS GUY . . . and ONE GOOD THING
“So much is written about romantic love, but the relationships you have with your friends are often the most important and enduring,” says Alexandra Potter, the mega-bestselling author from the U.K., who is publishing two books with Zibby Publishing this year: So, I Met This Guy . . . (February) and One Good Thing (December). “I love writing about the life-changing power of friendship and reinvention,” she says. “It’s not your typical love story, and, to me, that’s the ultimate beach read!”
Alex, who has written more than 15 novels, is known for her charming, multi-generational characters and perfect escapist stories—funny, whip-smart, and light, with undercurrents of deeper, emotional messages. Her secret to writing friendship novels: Create relatable characters that have an unexpected, meaningful connection.
So, I Met This Guy… is the story of Maggie, a successful art gallery owner in her late forties, and Flick, an ambitious journalist in her twenties who’s desperate for her big break. When Flick hears that Maggie has been the victim of romance fraud, she convinces Maggie to help her track down the con man when he goes on the run across Europe.
As the unlikely pair embark on the road-trip of their lives, from playing roulette in Monte Carlo and navigating the hairpin bends of the Amalfi Coast to dancing at midnight in Sicily and getting lost in the Souks of Tangier, unexpected twists, hidden secrets, and truths are revealed. Beneath the humor and adventure, this is a story about having the courage to be vulnerable, reclaiming your confidence, and finding true friendship.
Alex’s second book with Zibby Publishing, One Good Thing, is an uplifting, heart-warming love story that’s been described as a “must-read, turn-your-life-around hug of a book.” Set over the course of a year, it’s the story of Liv who, recently divorced and desperate for a fresh start, risks everything by leaving her life in London and escaping to a village in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales countryside to renovate a crumbling, three-hundred-year old cottage.
But mending a broken heart isn’t so easy; feeling lonely, she adopts an elderly rescue dog named Harry, who unexpectedly introduces her to a whole cast of wonderful characters, and brings new friendships, hope, and even love into all of their lives.
P.S. We just shared the cover reveal for One Good Thing—check it out here and let us know what you think!
Behind the Acquisitions
Zibby first hosted Alex on her podcast to discuss Confessions of a Forty-Something F**-Up. She loved their conversation—it was fun, lively, engaging, so she then asked Alex to moderate her own book launch for Blank at Zibby’s Bookshop. When Zibby started introducing Alex to the Zibby authors present, Alex joked, “I’d love to be one of these authors!” Now, she’s a Zibby author, too, with one book out and another on the way.
