MINDFUL ROMANCE
MORE THAN AN ESCAPE
TWO FRIENDS, TWO UNFORGETTABLE STORIES - ONE JOURNEY TO DEEP SELF-TRUST
MEET TILLY
She’s dreaming of the dad she’s never known, grieving her grandmother and super angry at her mum for working - again. And she’s also grappling with these more-than-friends feelings for the boy next door.
MEET ELIZA
She’s trying to be the perfect girlfriend to the boy she met over summer, win the national debating championships and deal with the escalating family tension at home. Plus there’s a distracting new member of their debating team.
DON’T GHOST YOUR HEART - HONOUR IT
CURE YOUR FICTION HANGOVER
Bridge that gap between the story world and your own inner world
BEGIN YOUR INNER-READ RITUAL
Discover something deeper within the story - and yourself
DEEPEN YOUR SELF-TRUST
Honour the beautiful complexity of becoming you
BOOK 01
NEVER, NOT EVER
A summer of secrets and second chances
Every year, Tilly dreams of the dad she’s never known showing up for her birthday. But he never does. When she wakes up on the morning of her sixteenth birthday dadless yet again, she knows it’ll never happen.
In fact, it’s her worst birthday ever because her grandmother died a few months ago, her mum is working again, and the boy she’s in love with—the ridiculously gorgeous Josh—refuses to break up with his drama-queen girlfriend and notice her instead.
Then Tilly’s dad does show up, shocking everyone, and she works out an awful truth: Her mum and her grandma lied to her. For sixteen years! Tilly is drowning in her family’s lies. Worse, these feelings for her neighbour Zack—these stupid, flustering, more-than-friends feelings she’s been trying to ignore—mean she’s also lying to herself.
Never, not ever… the story she expected
BOOK 02
EVERYTHING’S ABSOLUTELY FINE
When perfect plans are perfectly ruined
This is Eliza’s year.
She’s got a hot new situationship with gorgeous Seb, she’s primed to win the national debating championships (wiping out last year’s epic fail), and she’s finally, finally going to make her mum proud.
But then her domineering grandmother moves in. She’s taking over Eliza’s bedroom, making toxic judgements at the dinner table and giving her opinions on everything.
Worse, her sister Ivy is acting weird, Seb missed the memo about the perfect relationship, and then there’s Declan, an intriguing new debater who’s way too distracting.
With her social life in upheaval and a storm of family traumas brewing, Eliza struggles to keep it all from erupting, including the secret she’s been hiding from everyone—including herself.
Everything’s absolutely fine… until it’s not.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! (Yes, all caps shouting with glee and minimum five exclamation marks). Deep compassion. I’m so hungry for more.”
— Reader
“Aww y’all this book was so endearing! I found myself falling in love with Tilly and rooting for her family. Such a heartfelt, coming of age story.”
— Reader
“I just wanted to thank you for your book. My daughter hasn’t read all morning for a while now, but it’s almost lunchtime and she’s still going!!”
— Mum
“This is a great read for older teens and adults who love a good family drama. I loved how carefully Jodie handled the hard things teenagers deal with. It was deep and sweet and makes you feel.”
— Reader
“It was the perfect way to combine the students’ love of books with covert personal development conversations based on issues they can relate to.”
— High School Principal
“Such an amazingly well written book- 10/10 recommend!”
— Reader
WHAT MAKES THESE BOOKS DIFFERENT
YOUR STORY ADVANTAGE
Stories that are romantic and real. You’ll get lost in a great story - and then you’ll find a way back to your own
YOUR INNER-READ RITUAL
Get the exclusive Mindful Romance Ritual Pack - included with every order - to turn story-insight into Deep Self-Trust
HELLO, I’M JODIE!
AUTHOR-PSYCHOLOGIST
I write Mindful Romance - stories for teens and adults about family dramas, friendships, first love and the beautiful complexity of becoming who we are.
My work is informed by my background as a psychologist and my training in Internal Family Systems (IFS).
I believe stories can be more than an escape - they can be a way back to ourselves.
My goal is to help you use your love of story to understand your own inner story better. That’s how we trade self-doubt for deeper Self-Trust.
CURE YOUR FICTION HANGOVER
Stop feeling emotionally stranded when the story ends.
Download your free Fiction Hangover Guide to learn the 4-step Inner-Read Ritual and bridge the gap between the story world and your own inner story.
Bonus: you’ll also be subscribed to Jodie’s Mindful Romantics Magazine on Substack