32 Days in May - by Betty Corrello (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Return to the Jersey Shore with a new romance by Summertime Punchline author Betty Corrello in which a young woman recently diagnosed with lupus attempts a no-strings fling with a former television star, perfect for readers of Elissa Sussman or Tia Williams.

Nadia Fabiola wants to lose herself in Evergreen--the Jersey Shore town where she grew up vacationing with her family--and never look back at her glamorous, gainfully employed former self. After a shocking lupus diagnosis turned her life upside down, she's desperate for a sense of control over her body, her life, and her mental health. Nadia plans on keeping her life small and boring, while continuing to ignore her sister's relentless questioning.

Nadia's sister isn't the only person worried about her. When her rheumatologist not-so-subtly sets her up with his infamous former-actor cousin, Marco Antoniou, Nadia is skeptical. But Marco is gorgeous--despite carrying his own baggage from a very public burnout. After a messy (but fun) first date, they decide that a May-long fling could be just what the doctor ordered: no commitment, no strings, just one month of escape.

Their undeniable chemistry starts to feel a lot like something more and while Marco pulls Nadia deeper into his life, she is dead set on keeping her diagnosis from him. But there are only so many days in May, and only so much pretending she can do. As the stress of their whirlwind romance takes its toll on Nadia's health, she's forced to decide if a chance at love is worth the risk of trusting someone new.

Travel from the Jersey Shore to Rome and back in this delightfully funny, beautifully honest exploration of love, intimacy, and vulnerability while living with a chronic illness.

Review Quotes

"32 Days in May manages to be laugh-out-loud funny, deeply sexy and heartbreakingly real. This is the EGOT of books! It's a total knock-out, both as a thoughtful exploration of living with chronic illness and an intimate romance between two people who believe themselves to be broken. It cemented Betty Corrello as one of my all-time favorite authors." -- Lex Croucher, New York Times bestselling author

"Betty Corrello flawlessly weaves the struggles of chronic illness with the magic of falling in love in her absolute terrific and captivating sophomore novel. Corrello's combination of charm, wit, and vulnerability is truly unmatched." -- B.K. Borison, author of Lovelight Farms

"32 Days in May is raw, heartwarming and beautiful. Betty Corrello tells us a deep story about having the courage to let someone you love know you completely. I adored witnessing Nadia and Marco fall in love and fight for that love when life tested it. The representation in this book makes for what could be a timeless romance." -- Riss M. Neilson, author of A Love Like the Sun

"Marked by Betty Corrello's incisive prose and incisive wit, 32 Day in May is a refreshingly raw, honest and nuanced exploration of self-rediscovery and love in the face of chronic illness - that is sexy, funny, messy, and heartfelt to boot. You need this on your shelves and in your heart." -- Shirlene Obuobi, author of Between Friends and Lovers

"With a dazzling combination of wit and heart, 32 Days in May had me laughing out loud one minute and crying the next. Corrello's characters are relatable and real, and her voice is sharp and unique. Corrello is a writer to watch!" -- Falon Ballard, author of Right on Cue

"Sharp, wildly funny, hopeful, and incredibly sexy. Betty Corrello writes my favorite kind of love story." -- Tarah DeWitt, bestselling author of Savor It

"Betty Corrello makes me laugh and ache and sweat in the span of a few sentences. Her work is the very best escapism; it hurts so badly before it shines so brightly and it convinces me that I, too, might end up okay." -- Rachel Katz, author of Whenever You're Ready

"Betty is the rare romance author whose novels feel both relatable and escapist, smart and sexy. Her sharp, funny heroines are women we all know, or maybe are ourselves, and their love stories provide the catharsis of a real-life romance with the bingeability of a fantasy. Everything she writes is a must-read." -- Chelsea Fagan, author of A Perfect Vintage and founder of The Financial Diet

"This is a hilarious and sweeping love story about a comedian forced to return to her Jersey Shore hometown and confront everything she left behind ten summers before. A plucky heroine remaking herself. A beach setting. The meaning of home. Humor. Romance. This one ticks all the boxes." -- Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author, on Summertime Punchline

"This novel will provide the LOLs and feels for you this summer." -- Cosmopolitan on Summertime Punchline

"Fun and fresh...Wry observational humor and a dose of romance strike a good balance with some tough family dynamics." -- Kirkus Reviews on Summertime Punchline

"A vibrant sunbeam of a book--I simply inhaled it. Betty Corrello's writing is both achingly vulnerable and wildly funny. The ideal summertime (or anytime) read, guaranteed to make you crave both a funnel cake and a cute single dad." -- Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Business or Pleasure, on Summertime Punchline

"I'm in love with Corrello's voice. Vivid, fresh, and wholly singular, hers is a voice that's been missing from the romcom pantheon. Wonderfully real characters, unexpected heart-twists, and knee-buckling humor makes Summertime Punchline a surprising stand-out. What a delight. Please welcome to the stage... Betty Corrello!" -- Julia Whelan, author of Thank You for Listening