Almost You Again

By Jacqueline Ramsden

Can love help you build the life you want?

Serious, self-possessed Iris Dean has, for better or worse, worked with bold, confident Barrett Campbell at their queer New York architecture firm for years. But after escaping a bad relationship, Iris has been keeping her distance from Barrett and the cute little nickname she has for Iris. Explaining why either of them likes it so much would be far too complicated.

However, when a friend starts dating Iris’ abusive ex and drags her back into her life, Barrett is the one to sweep in and help. As Iris faces the scars from her past, Barrett reveals her own, and, with growing understanding between them, they must confront whether avoiding love is worth it or whether, just maybe, their person has been sitting across from them all these years.

Almost You Again is an opposites-attract, slow-burn, one-sided antagonist-to-friends-to-lovers workplace romance, featuring a secret crush, found family, mutual hurt-comfort, and so much healing, helped by a one-eyed dog. Content warnings for CPTSD from a past abusive relationship and parentification/poverty as a child, an abusive ex reappearing, discussion of past sexual assault, friendship breakup, disordered eating (not because the fat MC hates her body), discussion of a rescue dog’s past, and open-door sex scenes.