“Wonderfully quirky.“ —Story Circle Reviews
“Witty and Raw” —Foreword Reviews
Coming October 27, 2026 from Regal House Publishing!
ISBN: 9781646037056
Preorder now:
If you’re looking for a story that will make you laugh, cry, and leave you feeling hopeful, you’ve found it here.
In Love and Other Incurable Ailments, I created Serenity, an overthinker who’s spent years trying to suppress what she feels while convincing herself she can outrun it. She imagines the lives behind discarded love letters, but often those stories feel more real than the one she’s actually living.
You’ll love Love and Other Incurable Ailments if you’re drawn to:
- Character-driven fiction with warmth and humor
- Quirky awkward heroines
- Found family and communities that change people
- Small-town charm and unique coastal settings
- Mysteries centered on people rather than crimes
- Stories of healing, self-discovery, and second chances
- Contemporary romance with strong women’s fiction elements
- Ordinary people navigating emotional crossroads
- Awkward conversations, dry humor, and unexpected friendships
- Introverts, overthinkers, and authentic mental health representation
- Books that leave you feeling hopeful
Meet Serenity:
She has spent 30+ years convincing herself that if she thinks hard enough, plans carefully enough, and worries long enough, she can keep her life from falling apart.
When she discovers a box of discarded love letters, she becomes consumed by the mystery of the stranger who wrote them. Certain that finding him will restore something she’s lost in herself, she leaves Michigan for Ocracoke, a remote island off the coast of North Carolina, to find out.
Instead of finding answers, she discovers a community that dismantles the stories she’s been telling herself for years.
Serenity often feels out of step with the people around her. Her anxiety shapes how she interprets the world, relationships, and even love. Her journey is ultimately about learning that healing comes from allowing yourself to be who you are.
Praise for Love and Other Incurable Ailments:
When Serenity Tomczyk hauls a mysterious package out of a dumpster, you know things are about to get messy—in the best possible way. Equal parts ballsy and fainthearted, [she] is a character you can’t help but root for. A smart, satisfying story about reinvention, resilience, and the beauty of beginning again.
–Kristin Bair, author of Clementine Crane Prefers Not To
… Funny, voice-driven, and heartbreaking, Love and Other Incurable Ailments speaks to the healing power of taking a leap of faith and finding a soft landing in the waves, sands, and salty air of true community.
–Heather Frese, author of The Baddest Girl on the Beach and The Saddest Girl on the Planet
Love and Other Incurable Ailments features an eccentric protagonist and a quirky community in which to explore the transformative power of human connection… Serenity is appealing from the get-go—vulnerable, hopeful, and often laugh-out-loud funny. The result is a heartwarming novel about grief, courage, and the possibility of creating a new life when the old one no longer fits
–Five Directions Press Review
A nuanced exploration of healing, vulnerability, and the surprising ways love can surface later in life. This book is a tender and layered story for readers who gravitate toward character-driven fiction steeped in emotion and human connection. It’s a book that doesn’t just entertain—it lingers.
–Suzie Housley for Midwest Book Review
So many of us will see ourselves reflected in this beautifully written character … she shows us that it’s through accepting all the messy parts of ourselves and our lives that we find the freedom to truly live.
–Dr. Suzanne Manser, author of I Hate You (A Love Letter to My Mother)
… Breezy, funny, compassionate, and deliciously sexy. The story welcomes you into an oceanside community full of characters you’ll love getting to know and spending time with.
–Lisa Peers, author of Love at 350