The Way We Are Now: The BRAND NEW second chance Yorkshire romance from Julie Houston for 2026

First love, long-hidden secrets and second chances.

Anna Piasecki thought she had left her university heartbreak behind. After spending decades building a successful life, she arrives at sixty with everything as she wants it – a glittering career, a devoted partner and brightest star of all, her brilliant son Noah, the apple of her eye.

Theo Mandeville is trapped. Bound by aristocratic duty to his sprawling Yorkshire estate, he has spent decades living the life that was expected of him while regretting the star-crossed romance he walked away from.

When their children meet at college, Anna and Theo suddenly find their carefully constructed lives colliding. With a devastating forty-year-old secret hanging over them, can their families survive the truth and do they dare to trust that fate has other plans for them?

Spanning decades, The Way We Are Now is a sweeping, heartwarming and life-affirming tale of first love, friendship and second chances perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes, David Nichols and Ruth Jones.

Readers love Julie Houston:

‘Sometimes a book just grabs you and takes you along for the ride and this did that, it was a book I just needed to read it made me feel joyful, I laughed so much, it was also heartwarming and a story of second chances. A book that would definitely get you out of a reading slump.’

‘An absolute roller coaster emotional ride. Ms Houston is a master in crafting well-drawn, complex characters. The family relationships and situations really resonate. In turns, laugh-out-loud funny, heart-wrenching, and warm.’

‘Great story telling, wonderful characters and warm humour. I absolutely love Julie’s books, I’ve read every single one and I’ve adored them all. I couldn’t put it down.’