In Five Years: A Novel

Book Preface

Dear Reader,
It is my pleasure to share with you this early copy of Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years. In my two decades in publishing, I have never discovered a love story this fresh and unforgettable. I have never encountered a friendship story this moving and magical. I have never witnessed a book move like wildfire through a company in the way this one has—people have to read it (overnight); people have to share it (with their best friend); and people have to talk it about it (especially about how they cried and also how, for the record, they are not criers).
With great poignancy and warmth, Rebecca Serle brings us the story of Dannie, an ambitious young lawyer determined to succeed in the big city alongside her best friend, and total opposite, Bella. Dannie is certainly living in the right place. Manhattan perfectly matches her energy and drive—and her reverential feelings about efficiency. Dannie’s a planner, and so far, her life is unfolding according to the plan she laid out long ago. On the night of her engagement, however, everything will unravel—and the only person who will understand how devastating this is for Dannie is Bella. Joined at the hip since elementary school, they have been each other’s family for over twenty years, and watching them navigate life’s twists and turns makes for one of the most touching and memorable love stories I have ever had the privilege of reading.
So yes, this is a love story, brimming with joy and heartbreak, but it is definitely not the one you’re expecting. I hope these words inspire you to turn the first page of In Five Years, and that you will find yourself as swept away as I was. If so, I would love to hear from you.
All best,