Bananapants: A Bonkers Romantic Comedy

Estranged childhood friends unexpectedly reunite under bizarre circumstances and bicker their way to love in this bonkers romantic comedy.

Ava Archer misses her best childhood friend most especially during the month of April. Ask any tax attorney, it’s a lonely, grueling time of year. Luckily, Ava has just received a surprising and delectably absurd offer from her posh doppelgänger at work. She must pretend to be the aforementioned posh co-worker for one night at an extremely fancy party; a party so fancy, there exists absolutely no chance anyone will recognize her or suspect her ruse. . .

Desmond (Des) Sullivan is a thief. And not the heart-of-gold kind. He’s the steal-from-the-rich-and-give-to-the-also-rich-so-he-can-get-paid kind. He does, however, have one firm rule: never steal what the target can’t afford to lose. After a brutal falling out with his father, Desmond hasn’t returned to Chicago in over ten years. But when a good friend is swindled and something priceless is stolen, Desmond must return home, both as himself and his thieving alter ego.

Infiltrate a dangerous secret society of the world’s most elite billionaires while leveraging his estranged father’s resources and not blowing his cover? Sure. No problem. Or it wouldn’t be a problem if Ava Archer hadn’t just walked into the room, wearing a ridiculous wig, speaking with a preposterous accent, and pretending (badly) to be someone she’s not.

Bananapants is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy filled with hijinks and shenanigans. It can be read as a standalone, but the parents of the main characters will be familiar to anyone who has read the Knitting in the City series.

Content Warnings

The characters use humor and jokes, and oftentimes very dark humor, as a coping mechanism for all of the following (and all of the following are discussed): teenage and adult chronic mental illness, impulse control and mood disorders, discussion of self-harm, use of the words “crazy” and “normal,” discussion of attempted suicide and suicidal ideation, taking medication, drugs, thievery, taxes, tax attorneys, the IRS, (bad) tax puns, and absolutely bananapants situations with bonkers resolutions—most of which are inspired by actual events.

And yes, for the record, I still consider this book a romantic comedy. I hope to perpetuate the idea that everyone (who wants to or aspires to) deserves an epic, fun, funny, silly love story. Every single person. No matter what they’ve lived through or their “label.” I’ve always maintained, no matter what a person is struggling with, replaceing great love is always possible. There are moments of joy in every life. No life is ‘such a tragedy’ that joy is not possible.