A year ago, Meg Mackworth hid a warning in the wedding invitations she was designing: the couple wasn’t meant for each other.  Reid, the groom, found her message and took her advice.  But now he’s wondering what Meg could see that he didn’t?  A lot, it turns out.  This book is an absolutely gorgeous homage to craft, friendship, New York City, and love.

This book is one of my favorites to introduce people to the world of romance.  What a great premise -- a hidden message in a wedding invite, and a former groom who’s looking for answers.  The way their relationship blossoms is so lovely and warm and extraordinary, and pairing it with the personal growth they’re each going through ends in a book that’s more than the sum of its parts.  What a gorgeous exploration of new and changing friendships, understanding your parents, understanding your own goals, and being present.  Plus, it has one of the best love letters of all time.

I often encourage people to read this book by telling them it changed my life, because it’s true.  This was one of the last books i read before the pandemic, and Meg and Reid’s photo walks became a huge part of my pandemic walk routine.  I found myself being more present to my route, looking for hidden letters and signs, paying attention to the way people have decorated their world.  This book is so cozy and superb -- my first Kate Clayborn and certainly not the last.