Dear Alexandra
A quick pitch for your summer fiction radar.
Lisa Doyle is Absolutely Fine is a new romantic comedy by Mo Fanning, out 18 June. A woman panics at thirty-nine, invents a fiancé called Brian after four glasses of wine, and then discovers her very married boss is also called Brian. It’s set in Manchester, it’s warm and sharp, and it’s the kind of grown-up romcom that’s been quietly edged off the shelves by romantasy — until now.
Mo is an award-winning indie novelist (Husbands won the 2025 IndieReader Discovery Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction) making a deliberate move into mainstream romcom territory. He’s a male author writing a female-led ensemble comedy with genuine emotional credibility — think Mhairi McFarlane’s Cover Story meets Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare.
I think it’s a strong fit for the i’s summer reading coverage or a wider piece on the resurgence of contemporary romcom. Happy to send a review copy immediately.
Best,
Adrian Bedford
ABC Book Marketing
Tel: 07881 925376