Meet You in the Middle

What happens when the person you find most impossible becomes impossible to resist? Opposites distract in this hilarious romantic comedy, an across-the-aisle rivalry between Senate staffers who fall in love over a game of power plays. Learn more

The Rom Con

A modern battle of the sexes about a journalist who hatches an elaborate plan to take down her professional rival using her grandmother's vintage dating tips, in a rom-com that's perfect for fans of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

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Praise for Devon Daniels

“Daniels has written one of those romantic comedy masterpieces that makes your stomach flip, your heart explode, even as you can’t help but laugh out loud at the sheer cleverness of the writing. Absolute perfection—the best romantic comedy I’ve had the pleasure of reading, ever.”

—Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author

In recent weeks, I’ve gotten so many sweet messages from all of you that you’re re-reading Meet You in the Middle, and that it’s providing hope and comfort in a stressful time. I can’t tell you what a lovely compliment that is to hear. When I wrote the book in 2017, it was after what we *thought* would be the “most contentious election of our lifetimes” 🫠🧐 I certainly didn’t anticipate that the story’s message would resonate even more strongly today than it did then.

MYITM can feel like a tricky book to promote, but I’ve never had to worry about it because you guys do such an incredible job shouting about Ben & Kate from the rooftops. I so appreciate all of your kind and thoughtful notes, DMs, & emails, and I especially appreciate every one of you who continues to share this book even when it might feel risky to do so. ❤️💙🇺🇸

Back in June, I was lucky enough to attend a launch event for my friend @erobuckauthor ‘s new novel, THE LAST TWELVE MILES, at the DC @spymuseum (a supremely cool location for a book event, if you ask me). If you’re a historical fiction lover, you’ll inhale this tale of a codebreaker’s efforts to take down a notorious rum-runner during the time of Prohibition - and did I mention they’re both women? 💁🏼‍♀️ There’s sun, sand, intrigue & booze - what more could you ask for? ☀️🌊🍹

From the jacket copy:

“Two real, brilliant women on opposite sides of the law, in a deadly game of cat and mouse…

From the glamorous world of D.C. Intelligence to the sultry shores of the Straits of Florida, The Last Twelve Miles is based on the true story of two women masterminds trying to outwit each other in a dangerous high stakes game.”

Linking the book in my stories! 📚🔗

Guys, it happened 😭 Dreams do come true! You all know how much I love @thetimmcgraw (so much I wrote him into my book 😆), and having him sign a copy of Meet You in the Middle has been a major bucket list item for me. I’m still in shock. (Also, seeing Tim from front-row seats is life-changing! 🙌🏻)

*Big shout out to my husband for indulging my Tim obsession, plotting endlessly with me about how to get this book signed, and making sure to capture video at my best angles. That’s the stuff romance novels are truly made of. 💗

#timmcgraw #standingroomonly #standingroomonlytour #justtoseeyousmile

Feeling nostalgic for Ben & Kate, so here’s a #FlashbackFriday for ya! ❤️

Did you know that the first time I visited the Hart Senate building & saw the office layout with all the signs in the windows, it immediately inspired certain scenes & plot twists in MYITM? (You know the ones!) I never would have come up with those ideas if I didn’t experience it in person, which is why I think this type of research is so important. The details matter!

Can you spot how many of these landmarks made it into the book? 🇺🇸🏛️❤️💙

📚: Meet You in the Middle

OK who else thinks Ryan Reynolds knew *exactly* what he was doing to us here?! #catnip Also if you’ve never heard of the “sidewalk rule,” you must pick up THE ROM CON & immediately turn to page 143, Jack will help you out 😏 You’re welcome in advance ✨

If you’ve known me for any length of time then you’ll know I’m obsessed with The Sound or Music, so it should come as no surprise that I had to reference one of the most romantic scenes of all time in The Rom Con. (Also, the jury’s out on whether I can write a romance novel that *doesn’t* include a dancing scene 😆) Every time I watch this dance sequence, I marvel at how much is achieved in one (wordless!) scene. Truly a romance masterclass. 💗

This is a snippet from the TRC audiobook, narrated by the brilliant & talented @britpressley (who also did the audio for MYITM). I highly recommend the listen if you haven’t already! It’s 💯🙌🏻😍

#theromcon #devondaniels #audiobook #audio #romancebooks #brittanypressley #soundofmusic #thesoundofmusic #christopherplummer #julieandrews #romcom

Sometimes I get questions from aspiring authors asking me what I think of their idea, and if I think it will sell. My answer is always the same: Yes! Write the book you’re passionate about, the one you don’t see on shelves, the one you want to read, the one only you can write. There are readers out there for *every* book, no matter how niche it is. Someone out there is dying for your point of view - don’t disappoint them!

Remember: You can chase trends, or you can set them. ✨

“𝙄’𝙙 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.”

I’ve been so focused on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮 𝘊𝘰𝘯 lately that I thought it was time to show my firstborn some love! 😍

If you like:

💪🏻 Protective hero
👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏻 He falls first & HARD
💌 Prank mail
🫦 Nicknames as flirting
❤️‍🩹 Drunken caretaking
🛌 Only one bed
🚪 Doorway leaning
🌮 Cooking together
🤠 Line dancing
🏃🏼‍♀️ Running dates
🤫 Secret relationship
🇺🇸 Sexy politics
❤️‍🔥 “It’s always been you”

MEET YOU IN THE MIDDLE is the ultimate enemies-to-lovers tale: an unlikely love story between two rival Senate staffers who fall in love across the aisle. I wrote it in part b/c I was tired of ETL conflicts that felt contrived (she hates him b/c he…looked at her wrong? 🤔), so trust me when I tell you this one will give you all the pining, angst, & extreme tension you’re craving in an opposites-attract romance (and did I mention the slow-burn? The BANTER?! I get hot & bothered just thinking about it! 🥵)

The most-highlighted line in the book is also my favorite one I’ve ever written: “I’d rather argue with you than get along with anyone else.” DOES THAT NOT DESCRIBE THE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS GENRE PERFECTLY?! I’m pretty sure this line is also the reason I have rabid Ben fans in my DM’s begging me to find them their own Bens 🤭

*I thought I’d address a common objection I hear, which is: “I’m afraid to pick up this book b/c I don’t want to let politics into my romance safe space.” I totally get that! But let me assure you, that is *not* what this book is about. Politics serves as a backdrop to an emotional, intense romance that reminds us there’s more that unites us than divides us, that love can overcome the odds if we’re willing to see the best in each other despite our differences (you know, what romance novels are all about 😉). It’s a message that’s truly resonated with readers, and you don’t have to take my word for it: MYITM has a 65% 5⭐️ rating on Amazon (and 90% if you count the 4⭐️). Basically: readers love this book, and I’m confident you will too.

So, if you haven’t read it yet: What are you waiting for? ❤️💙

I thought Valentine’s Day was a fitting day to post this throwback ‘Tip to Hook a Husband’ I’ve been saving from The Rom Con 💖 Did any of you catch the Meet You in the Middle connection? An Easter egg for all you Ben lovers! 😍

Forget flowers and candy, for me the real act of love is holding my hair back when I’m sick 😷 What’s your ultimate act of love?❣️

POV: Forever coveting Samantha Stephens’ closet 😭🙌🏻 If you’ve ever wondered if you were born into the wrong era, I have a book for you! ✨💖

#theromcon #romancebooks #romcom #romanticcomedy #romcombooks #bookstagram #contemporaryromance #1950s #1950sstyle #1960s #1960sstyle #vintage #retro #bewitched #samanthastephens #ilovelucy #nostalgia #devondaniels #romanceauthor

Some of you may have seen me mention this in my Stories, but I came across The Rom Con in an airport for the very first time (thanks @bwi_airport!), and I needed to post the photo to my feed for posterity! 🤩

It’s a funny and kind of random, silly thing, but spotting my book at an airport bookstore has been *the* major publishing milestone my family (and especially my dad!) has been looking forward to the most. So much so, in fact, that for the past couple of years, my parents and siblings have been sending me photos of themselves posing in front of airport book displays with sad faces or thumbs down (to much amusement on the family group text). So of course, it’s only fitting that the first time I stumbled across one of my books was on the way out to visit them for Christmas. ❤️

Cheers to hitting more milestones in 2024! 🍾🥂

* UPDATE: This auction has ended. *
I'm honored to be participating in the Artists Against Antisemitism auction that kicked off today! I've donated an "Ask Me Anything" 1-hour virtual session - this could be a Zoom appearance for your book club, or if you're an aspiring romance author, an opportunity to pick my brain about the genre, publishing industry, or get a query or first chapter critique. Basically, I'm open to however you want to spend that hour. You’ll also receive signed & personalized copies of The Rom Con and Meet You in the Middle.

Bidding closes on Friday, December 22nd at 4pm EST. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Project Shema, a non-profit organization committed to building bridges through understanding. The funds will be used to subsidize essential training on college campuses to help students understand anti-Jewish harm and combat contemporary antisemitism.

The link to bid on this item is in my bio, and I encourage you to look through the 400+ auction items donated by some of your favorite authors, musicians, celebrities, and more. If you, like me, have wondered how you can support your friends in the Jewish community during this difficult moment, this is a great place to start. 💙

@theartistsagainstantisemitism
#theartistsagainstantisemitism #artistsagainstantisemitism #projectshema #keepthelightgoing

Happy one month-aversary to Cassidy & Jack! 💖✨

I can’t thank you all enough for your creative posts, photos & videos, as well as your lovely compliments & thoughtful reviews. I feel very spoiled by the kindness of this community - bookstagram is truly the best corner of the internet. 🫶🏻

There’s nothing like Christmas in NYC 😍 Trip highlights: Seeing the @rockefellercenter tree 🎄& the stunning @stpatrickscathedral ⛪️, shopping, eating at @serendipity3nyc 🍨, @papillonbistronyc, & @ellensstardust, seeing @chicagomusical 🎭…and of course I took Jack and Cassidy for a spin in @timessquarenyc (if you know you know) 😉

Also, we need to talk about the Barnes & Noble Union Square - how have I never been to this location?! Hello, there are FOUR stories?? It was incredible (with super welcoming & helpful staff as well). I signed all the TRC & MYITM stock they had in store, so if you want to get your hands on signed copies, head over to @bnunionsqnyc! 📚

I’m surprised he didn’t clean the gutters tbh 🍁🍃
#Thanksgiving #marriagehumor #husbandhumor #dadhumor #cleaninghacks #momlife

One of the best things I’ve been hearing from all of you this past week is that THE ROM CON feels like a mash-up of your favorite early-aughts rom-coms, and honestly, this was by design - I miss the rom-com golden age too!! Who’s ready for a rom-com renaissance?! 🙋🏼‍♀️ Maybe if we collectively speak it into the universe, we’ll see this one on-screen too 🎬 (hey, manifesting worked for Travis Kelce!)

To everyone who came out for my launch event last week, I can’t thank you enough for your support! I had a blast chatting with all of you about THE ROM CON (& hopefully you enjoyed my husband’s and my antics 😜). It was lovely to finally meet so many of you in person after chatting here on Instagram! A special thank you to @parkbooksmd for hosting, and for putting on such a fantastic event. I was telling my husband that a launch party kind of reminds me of my wedding reception, in that I wanted to make sure everyone had a good time, and that to I got to talk to each person individually. I think we accomplished it! ✨

I appreciate all of you so much - you made my release week so special. My heart is very full. 🫶🏻💙

Last week, I did an interview with anchor @jummy_olabanji for @nbcwashington about The Rom Con. I absolutely loved chatting with Jummy, who is a romance fan & book lover herself (and an all-around delightful human!) A huge thank you to Jummy and NBC for having me, as well as for their commitment to showcasing local authors. 📚

THE ROM CON is here! 🎉

By now, I’m sure many of you are already feverishly reading, and I hope it’s making you laugh, cry, & swoon. 😍 I think you’ll agree that it’s my funniest book yet, and I’m so proud of the charming, nostalgic energy that runs through the love story. Reading this book feels like home for me, and I hope it does for you as well.

Writing my second novel was a daunting thing, both because I put so much pressure on myself to improve as a writer and storyteller, but also because I felt a huge responsibility to give you all a follow-up novel that was worthy, that you’d feel just as passionately about, and that you’d compulsively re-read as many times as you do Meet You in the Middle (a tall order!) I hope I’ve delivered.

A massive thank you to all of you who cheered me on as I wrote, sent me supportive messages, posted about my books, and patiently (okay, more like impatiently 😉) waited for this novel. And an extra special thank you to everyone at @berkleyromance, including my editor @kathleen_seaver, @amanda.m.books, marketing & PR gurus Lauren & Jessica, cover designers, and audiobook producers & narrator @britpressley, for turning The Rom Con into such a beautiful finished product. ✨

I hope you love reading Cassidy & Jack’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. 💖

Thanks to my sweet friend & Mindy Kaling-approved superstar author @amyleabooks for her kind words about the THE ROM CON! 💖💫 And if you haven’t read her latest WOKE UP LIKE THIS yet, what are you waiting for?! (It’s 13 Going on 30 meets Never Have I Ever - need I say more?)

Less than 24 hours left! 😱⏰

One of my favorite lines from THE ROM CON. 🥰 T-2 days!!

All’s fair in love & war. 😏🔥 THE ROM CON is out in 5 days!

#howtoloseaguyin10days #youresovain #andieanderson #katehudson #matthewmcconaughey #battleofthesexes #enemiestolovers #rivalstolovers #fakedating #romcombooks #romancebooks #bookstagram #devondaniels #theromcon

🚨 Important reminder: There’s officially only one more week to preorder THE ROM CON if you want access to the MEET YOU IN THE MIDDLE bonus content! You *must* upload your proof of preorder by Monday, November 6 if you want to get your hands on the bonus chapters. I will not be posting this content on my website later - this is truly a perk just for those who preorder. To upload your preorder screenshot, click the link in my bio that says “Preorder Campaign: MYITM Bonus Content.” Any questions, let me know in the comments! ❤️💙

Okay ladies, be honest - have you ever done this? I'm guilty of "forgetting" to bring my jacket so I can borrow his... 😉

Only 8 days left! #theromcon

Let me tell you a story about @annabelmonaghan.

In author world, one of our least favorite tasks is asking other authors for endorsement quotes (also known as blurbs) for our upcoming releases. Not only is it super awkward to ask for the favor, but you're essentially asking friends to do homework for you. It's. The. Worst.

Anyway, I asked the incomparable superstar writer Annabel Monaghan for a blurb for The Rom Con basically the same day she was set to leave on her own book release tour for Same Time Next Summer (AKA the worst timing possible for someone who's just released the bestselling book of the summer). 100% justifiably, she said she probably couldn't get it to me by my deadline, to which I apologized for even asking and then backed away slowly.

Lo and behold, I am in Costco some weeks later with my husband pushing one of our 3 carts (we have a copious amount of children) when I see an email's popped up from Annabel. I'll paraphrase: "Quick - I have 2 days free & I'm determined to read your book & get you a blurb! How fast can you get it to me?" Picture me frantically tearing through Costco and harassing my husband to drive faster so I could email her back before she changed her mind. 🤣

All that's to say, Annabel is an absolute hero who goes out of her way for others when she truly does not have to (a rare quality both in publishing & life). So a massive thank you to @annabelmonaghan - I'm so honored that your blurb is on my cover. 💙

And if there's anyone reading this who hasn't read one of Annabel's books yet (honestly doubtful), go out and pick up Same Time Next Summer or Nora Goes Off Script. You will *not* be disappointed, and you're welcome in advance. 💖

I’ve talked a lot about the hilariously absurd old-fashioned dating advice you’ll find in THE ROM CON, and here’s just a teaser: “Things to do with your hands that men like.” Spoiler: ‘Frolic in his chest hairs’ is just one of the tips that made it into the book. Which ones are your favorite?

Yes, this article is real, printed in the January 1970 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. You can view the full list on my website via the link in my bio! #12days

I can't wait for you guys to read all the creative ways Cassidy antagonizes poor Jack 🤥 🤭 Only 13 days left!! ⏰ #theromcon #nov7

3 words: Big Grandma Energy 👵🏻 (but seriously, get ready for some A+ Golden Girls content, I’m talking absolute bangers) #theromcon #goldengirls #bettywhiteforever

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