Running Away is my Love Language

Mica is a pro at three things: avoiding relationships, avoiding her family's black magic, and switching countries. But the one thing she can't outrun is her own habit of self-sabotage.

Mica's life is working. Her friendships are solid, her perfume collection is good, and her passport is well-used. At thirty-five, she's happy in every area that doesn't involve emotional attachment-and she plans to keep it that way. Romance is messy and best avoided.

Then a tipsy night in London ends with a hand-holding incident, a massive hangover, and a brand-new girlfriend named Dot. Girlfriend!

When Mica realizes she's gone too far, she does the only sensible thing: she flees to the sun-drenched French Riviera, convinced that a change of scenery will fix her life-and make Dot disappear.

But when Dot follows her to Nice, Mica panics. The last thing she needs is for her Central American family-across the world in Australia-to find out and start casting black magic spells. Because while her family may distrust men, that doesn't mean they're open to women. Even she's not open to women. What is she doing?!

From the pubs of London to the glitter of the Côte d'Azur, and finally back to the beaches of Sydney, Mica is forced to face an uncomfortable truth: the problem isn't men, women, or geography-it's her.

Can Mica untangle her fears, quiet her overthinking, and get out of her own way long enough to let a good man into her life? Find out in this hilarious, heartwarming comedy about confusion, self-sabotage, and the courage it takes to stop running.

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Note to Readers: This story was originally released as Toffee Apple.