Call It What You Want: A Novel

Call It What You Want is a nostalgic, emotional coming-of-age romance about love, heartbreak, and the gray areas in between—perfect for anyone who’s ever been caught in an almost-relationship.

Set in 2016, the story follows Sloane Hart, a college senior eager to make her final year unforgettable before starting her dream career in New York City. Her days are filled with writing and her nights with parties, laughter, and cheap vodka with her closest friends. The last thing she wants is a relationship to distract her from her goals.

But everything changes when she meets her upstairs neighbor, Ethan Brady—a tall, enigmatic, and magnetic man whose presence pulls her in despite her better judgment. Their connection is instant and electric, yet complicated. Ethan carries emotional scars from his past and is terrified of vulnerability. While Sloane begins to fall deeply for him, Ethan struggles to let her past his defenses.

As their bond deepens, their story becomes one of passion, pain, and unspoken feelings, blurring the line between love and heartbreak. Through moments of euphoria and aching uncertainty, Sloane learns that not every love story comes with labels or guarantees—but that doesn’t make it any less real.

Bittersweet, relatable, and deeply heartfelt, Call It What You Want captures the raw beauty of first love and the heartbreak of “almost” relationships, reminding readers how even fleeting connections can change us forever.