April & Oliver

“In the delicious tradition of Jane Austen . . . an elaborate mating dance between two resistant . . . protagonists . . . a moving story . . . an impressive debut.” —Heller McAlpin, The Boston Globe

Best friends since childhood, the sexual tension between April and Oliver has always been palpable. Years after being completely inseparable, they become strangers, but the wildly different paths of their lives cross once again with the sudden death of April’s brother. Oliver, the responsible, newly engaged law student finds himself drawn more than ever to the reckless, mystifying April—and cracks begin to appear in his carefully constructed life.

Even as Oliver attempts to “save” his childhood friend from her grief, her menacing boyfriend and herself, it soon becomes apparent that Oliver has some secrets of his own—secrets he hasn’t shared with anyone, even his fiance. But April knows, and her reappearance in his life derails him. Is it really April’s life that is unraveling, or is it his own? The answer awaits at the end of a downward spiral . . . towards salvation.

“Compelling . . . a sensitive and emotional account of two people grappling with the complicated force of mutual attraction when it strikes the right people at the wrong time.” —The Washington Post

“A tense, gratifying narrative. The characters . . . feel inexorable—either destined or doomed to be together. The need to discover which—and how—keeps the reader turning pages.” —Sven Birkerts, author of Reading Life: Books for the Ages

“A memorable debut . . . Callahan’s descriptions are vivid . . . sure to engage, sadden, and enthrall readers, especially in a bittersweet, somewhat surprising finale.” —Publishers Weekly

“An excellent novel by a gifted writer.” —Jill McCorkle, award-winning, New York Times–bestselling author of Old Crimes