Brief

Mena Straszewski has a great job at a New York City publishing firm, wonderful friends, and a boyfriend in Virginia who she loves, but when distance and her charming boss put a strain on her relationship, Mena must evaluate what's most important to her, and whether she belongs in New York or in Virginia.

What We Liked

This is well paced, confidently written, and emotionally exciting story filled with unexpected twists and turns. Mena is a super unique main character. She’s quirky and competent, and she always says what she’s thinking. For the most part, it's incredibly easy to like her and root for her. This book is thematically impressive as well. The theme of second chance love is endearing. It's refreshing to read a book that looks at moving back home as a step forward, rather than a step backward.

Film: This project has a clear beginning, middle, and end that naturally lends itself to film. Mena's journey feels complete and emotionally satisfying by the end. Fans of romance, drama, and romantic comedy would love the ups and downs of Mena's romantic life. This project is also full of humor, as Mena is an exceptionally funny character.

TV: With a strong cast of supporting characters who all have their own distinct storylines, this project has plenty of potential stories to tell. From Elle's journey of meeting her father, to Jo's relationship realizations, to Mena's struggles with love, there are countless emotional journeys to explore. A TV adaptation would give this project the space it needs to really dive into the emotions of its stellar characters.

Key points: 1. Mena's memorable character 2. The vast and colorful cast of supporting characters 3. Strong, confident pacing 4. Dreamy love interests 5. Powerful and poignant emotional themes at play.

Synopsis

Mena is a driven young woman who works for a publishing company. She’s great at her job and she loves her life in New York City. But she also loves her boyfriend, Peter Monroe. Peter lives in Virginia and though Mena and Peter visit each other regularly, the distance is a problem for them. Still, Mena tries to focus on the positives as she takes on more responsibility at work and grows more intimate with Peter.

When Elle and Luke, two of Mena and Peter’s close friends, get engaged, it pushes Peter and Mena to examine their own relationship. Peter decides it’s time for Mena to finally meet his young son. She does, and the meeting goes quite well.

When Peter meets Mena’s boss, the charming and attractive Phineas, he sees how stable her life in NYC really is. But he also knows that until Jackson, his son, is older, he won’t be able to move from Virginia to New York. Mena and Peter love each other though, so they decide to keep giving this relationship a shot. Meanwhile, Elle takes a DNA test to confirm whether or not a man who contacted her online is really her father. Mena is supportive of her, and it’s clear that Elle has a lot of family turmoil. Mena meets Elle’s other bridesmaids and they pick their dresses for the wedding. At the meeting, one of the bridesmaids mentions a mole on Mena’s back that she doesn’t like the look of. Mena has it removed at the doctor, but thinks little of it.

Mena’s relationship with her boss grows closer when he invites her to a movie premiere and closer still when he saves her from a rude, overly touchy man at a chance meeting at a club. Mena and Phineas spend the rest of the night together. They open up to each other, and it’s clear there’s a lot of chemistry between the two of them. Nothing happens, but Mena does spend the night in Phineas’ room.

The next day, Peter calls and breaks up with Mena. He’s upset about the decision, but it’s one he seems confident about. They live in different worlds and unfortunately, Peter doesn’t seem to think it’s possible for those worlds to collide. Immediately after getting the news, a tearful Mena gets a call from Elle and learns that the man who contacted her online, Mark, is indeed her father.

Mena goes with Elle to meet her father. It is a joyous, tearful reunion. When she gets home, she tells Elle about her connection with Phineas after he texts her. Elle pokes fun at Mena, but she doesn’t push the subject.

Back at work, Mena hears back from the doctor about the mole she had removed. She learns she has melanoma. Phineas comforts her and she tells him about her breakup with Peter. Elle and Mena spot Peter with his child and ex-wife, happily walking down the street.

Two months later, Mena has surgery to determine just how bad the cancer is. When she wakes up, Elle and Luke are with her, but so it Phineas. Mena learns that the cancer hasn’t spread and she is cancer free currently. To celebrate, she goes with Phineas to the opera, where the two kiss passionately.

Phineas breaks things off in an effort to keep the relationship professional, but he still asks Mena to attend a red carpet event with him. She agrees, but is interrupted from dwelling on the moment when she gets a phone call from Elle. Peter’s father was killed in a car accident.

Mena and Phineas finally admit their feelings for each other and begin a relationship that is something like friends with benefits. Mena attends the funeral for Peter’s father, reconnects with Peter, and tells him she’s moved on with Phineas. Mena also discovers during Elle’s bachelorette party that Elle is pregnant.

With Elle and Luke’s wedding rapidly approaching, Mena begins to doubt her relationship with Phineas. Feelings she thought she had left behind for Peter start bubbling to the surface. Right as Mena begins to confront those feelings, Phineas arrives at the venue. Mena realizes that she really craves stability, but who can give it to her?

When Jackson runs away and Mena finds him, she realizes that she is still in love with Peter. Virginia is her home and it’s where she really wants to be. Phineas goes back to New York City after he and Mena end things.

Mena and Peter finally admit their feelings for each other at Luke and Elle’s beautiful wedding. One year later, Mena moves to Virginia, moves in with Peter, and works remotely for Drake Publishing. While it’s clear Phineas is hurting, he does his best to stay professional around Mena. In the final pages of the book, Peter proposes to Mena and she says yes.

About The Author

Sara Furlong Burr is an author of contemporary, dystopian, and young adult romance, including "When Time Stands Still," the winner of the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Award for best romance. She was born and raised in Michigan.