I’m beyond grateful to everyone at Knopf for having faith in this book and guiding it to fruition, including: Sonny Mehta, Gabrielle Brooks, Abby Endler, Emily DeHuff, Nicholas Thomson, Kelly Blair, Nicholas Latimer, Sara Eagle, Paul Bogaards, Katherine Burns, and especially to my amazing editor Jordan Pavlin, who strengthened every page with her careful pen and encouragement.
And to everyone at Hutchinson for their devotion, keen-eye, and creativity. Thanks to Jocasta Hamilton, Najma Finlay, Susan Sandon, Rebecca Ikin, Sarah Ridley, Amber Bennett-Ford, Mat Watterson, Claire Simmonds, Glenn O’Neil, and my brilliant U.K. editor Selina Walker.
Thank you to my incredible agents Jeff Kleinman and Jamie Chambliss, who saw the first twenty-five pages of the novel—years before it was completed—and believed. You have changed my life. And to Melissa Sarver White and Lorella Belli for helping bring my book to the world.
To all my friends—from Greensburg (the Motley Crew!) to D.C. to Norfolk to Austin and beyond: I don’t know what I’d do without you.
To my family—Sara, Nathan, Ben, Sam, Owen, Grandma, Uncle Ron, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, Janet, Hillary, Bruce, Parker, Noah, Scout, and Clementine—thanks for always being by my side.
To my parents, Bob and Patti, for naming me Lara and showing me what love can be.
And above all, to Matt, my first and last reader. Not only did you encourage me to pick up the pen, you made each page of this book stronger. I owe you everything.