The Unexpected Joy of Writing This Book
- Sarah Harris
- Feb 9
- 2 min read
Yes, that’s a caricature, and yes, there’s van life involved.
Okay, so... I’ve jumped on the bandwagon.
The caricature one.
The author announcing a new book and suddenly being very visible about it one.
I’m sure I’ll look back on this in a few years and think, was that really necessary? But right now it feels fun, so I’m going with it.
And all because my new book is coming out on 17 March 2026.
I’m so excited about it! This one felt different to write, not in a dramatic, tortured-artist way, but in a this-is-working-why-is-this-working kind of way.
It came together naturally, the scenes flowing, the characters behaving themselves (mostly), and me realising somewhere along the way that I was having a really good time.
Which is always a nice surprise.
Western Australia had a lot to do with that. There’s something about WA that makes everything feel a little less urgent. The roads are long. The skies are huge. The coastline quietly reminds you that maybe not everything needs to be solved immediately. You start a drive thinking about one thing and end it thinking about something completely different, which feels like a small kind of magic.
And then there’s van life.
I’ve always loved the idea of it, the freedom, the forced simplicity, the way everything you own suddenly matters because you can’t just shove it in a spare room and forget about it. Living small, moving often, sharing space you didn’t necessarily plan to share. It’s chaotic, funny, occasionally inconvenient, and strangely intimate. Perfect, really, for a romantic comedy.
This book is about burnout, sure, but it’s also about letting go of the plan you were clinging to a bit too tightly. About laughing when things go wrong. About the unexpected joy of detours, mess, and connection. About discovering that sometimes the thing you didn’t plan for is the thing that ends up mattering most.
The caricature felt right because this story doesn’t take itself too seriously, even when the feelings show up. There’s humour, heart, and a gentle awareness that life is rarely tidy, but it usually gives you something good if you’re paying attention.
I’ll share more soon, but for now, here’s what the book is about.
Van Life with Benefits
Three weeks. One campervan. Two people who were not supposed to share it.
Lara Hart is this close to burnout, so she books herself the ultimate solo escape: a three-week road trip up the coast with an immaculate itinerary and a first-aid kit that could service a small village.
Only… the rental company accidentally double-books her van.
Enter Jesse Reid. Barefoot. Relaxed. Maddeningly gorgeous. And apparently now her road-trip roommate.
Suddenly Lara’s peaceful getaway turns into a comedy of errors: plumbing catastrophes, unapproved detours, snack-based arguments, and chemistry she absolutely did not plan for.
But Jesse is hiding something, and when Lara finds out his secret, their trip becomes a journey neither of them expected.
Available 17 March 2026
Made for beach bags, road trips, and reading until your drink goes warm.
I can’t wait for you to meet Lara and Jesse, and maybe feel like packing a bag when you do.
With gratitude,
Sarah xx
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