The Ick

Is it love? Is it hate? Or is it a chronic case of the ick?

Gem is chronically single, with a chronic case of the ick. Every man she meets seems perfect on paper, some of them even seem perfect in person - until she notices something... They snort when they laugh, they use too many exclamation marks, they love wearing a silk dressing gown, their jeans are just a bit too blue and a bit too skinny - and she's completely, irrevocably put off.

Gem claims it's her intuition telling her that they're incompatible, but her housemate, Shanti, doesn't agree. After a string of bad dates, Shanti, who is training to become a Clinical Psychologist, tells Gem that she'll pay her to take part in her study: Is intuition real?

Cue Atlas, who's putting the theory to the test. On paper, he passes with flying colours. He's employed, his hair appears to be his own, he has friends, a nice smile, and a decent sense of humour. But, as soon as she sees Atlas in person, Gem gets hit by the ick. He's carrying a bag that is so big it makes him look like a turtle. This, combined with his ridiculous name, means he already has two strikes against him. Every fibre of her body is telling her to leave the date early, but thanks to Shanti's study, Gem breaks all her own rules -- going on a second date, a third, and even a fourth, until she starts losing count.

Can Gem do the impossible and actually start falling for Atlas? And what happens when he finds out she's being paid to date him?

A sexy, swoon-worthy and hilarious romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazlewood.

As the fourth child in a busy household, Holly was often left to entertain herself. She wasn't cool enough to hand out with her oldest siblings, and she wasn't a good enough goalie to hang out with her younger sibling. Luckily, she quickly found the world of books and since then, she has never looked back. As a kid, Holly often went to sleep with at least four books underneath her pillow just in case she needed them. And she often did. Books have saved her time and time again.

After a stint working at a literary agency, then a stint working at a big four publisher, and then a stint working as a book buyer, Holly made the terrible decision to become a management consultant. After four years, and still no idea what the job actually entailed, books saved her once again. She wrote her first novel Just Friends (published by Transworld in 2020) when she needed to escape. Her second novel, The Mix-Up followed in 2021.

She is currently working as a freelance editor and writer, and lives in the outskirts of Oxford with her dog, who she lovingly named Schitthead (Ted) after the best TV programme known to man. She is fuelled by baked goods and a need to make people laugh.

If you want to get to know Holly (and Ted) better, follow her over on Instagram (@by.holly.mcculloch) where she mainly shares dog photos and curates memes.

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