To the Boners: Aurora Palit, Christina Arellano, Jessica Joyce, Mae Bennett, Rebecca Osberg. Publishing can be hard on the heart. You were my lifeline in the toughest parts, pulling me out of the rough waters with snail dicks and Joshua Jackson in a cable-knit sweater.
My first readers (this title does not do you justice, let’s instead go with dear friends), Amanda Wilson, Blue, Kathryn Ferrer, Mae, Maggie North, Sarah T. Dubb, and Shannon Bright, you made me feel funny and smart. Your ideas made this book so much better. I hope you see your fingerprints on these pages.
To the SmutFest 2.0 community, you are my people. You bring joy (and some very fine smut) into my life every day. Thank you for being my safe space. Toronto Romance Writers, there’s clearly something in the water up here. We the North! And we know our romance. You’ve been a welcoming and supportive community from my very first meeting. Extra thanks to Hudson Lin for the retreats that gave me time and mental space to bring this baby into the world, and Farah Heron and Anya Simha for answering my endless publishing questions.
Noel and Dave, my loving parents, who told me I could be anything I wanted to be (as long as I got a business degree first). Thank you for telling me every day that I was smart, making me carry the ski bags, buying me Baby-Sitters Club packs every time we went to BJ’s, and setting the perfect example of what a happily ever after looks like.
Howie Wabb, you made it easy to write about two sisters who will always and forever have each other’s backs (and also hate owls, even though they made me cut that part out).
To Andrew, your penis obviously inspired all the sex scenes. (I’m only writing this because our kids still refuse to read books without pictures.) Love your guts. Thanks for giving me the space to do this.
My sweet boys, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably read the paragraph above. Sorry about that. But I hope I’m setting a good example of what a loving relationship looks like. I’m incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what you become (after you get your business degrees). Also, a big shout-out to my very kind MIL, Cathy, for all of the free babysitting.
To my girls. If you’re asking yourself, “Does this mean me?” the answer is yes. If you’ve made it this far in the acknowledgments, you are clearly one of the gems in my life who have been cheering and cheersing me all along the way. I am blessed to have a life filled with smart, talented women who inspire and push me. Love you all to pieces.
To every reader who has given this book and its debut author a chance, thank you! I hope I made you laugh or hug your sister.
And, finally, to Joshua Jackson and whoever knit him that damn sweater.