All I Want Is You, page 1
Advance Praise for All I Want is You
“Ballard cements herself as one of the genre’s most binge-worthy authors. Delay those holiday plans because you will not be able to put this book down. Dim the lights, top off the cocoa, and snuggle up—All I Want Is You is the season’s sweetest and steamiest addiction!”
—Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of Love
“Somehow simultaneously heart-wrenching and cozy, Ballard has written the most stunning second-chance holiday romance. Filled to the brim with spice and tension, All I Want Is You is a fast-paced, sincere, and unputdownable read. It is a love letter to fans of the romance genre as well as those who write it. I will be revisiting Nick and Jess’s love story every holiday season from here on out, just to fall in love with them all over again.”
—Hannah Bonam-Young, author of Out on a Limb
“All I Want Is You made me laugh out loud because what’s not to love about this second-chance, forced-proximity, enemies-to-lovers Christmas romance about two competing authors? A fun, sexy read that romance lovers are sure to adore. Add this sugar’n’spice treat to your holiday reading list right away.”
—Holly Cassidy, author of The Christmas Countdown
“Falon’s writing sizzles with wry humor, spiced holiday heat, and boughs of charm—this is her best yet! All I Want Is You is a one-sitting read that will make you believe in the miracle of happily ever after.”
—Jen Comfort, author of What Is Love?
Praise for Right on Cue
One of Elle’s Best Romance Books of 2024
“Falon Ballard injects the Hallmark rom-com with some much-needed acidity in this Hollywood co-stars-with-benefits sparkler.”
—Elle
“Ballard’s lively and fun rom-com will have readers hoping that these two have their second chance.”
—Booklist
“Ballard (Just My Type) delivers a feisty and fast-paced Hollywood fantasy in this addictive contemporary…. It’s a fun, exciting peek at the magic that can happen behind the camera.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Ballard creates a winning romantic comedy full of simmering chemistry. Emmy and Grayson’s intense sexual tension makes the pages fly by. The cozy small-town setting gives the story all the charm of a Hallmark movie—but with way more steam and snark. A fun and sexy ode to rom-coms, full of joy and chemistry.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Full of winks to the rom-com genre and packed with steamy tension.”
—Library Journal
“Falon Ballard is a master of chemistry-filled banter and lovable characters!”
—Sarah Adams, author of The Cheat Sheet
“Falon Ballard is the queen of sharp-wit and swoony romances…. I will devour everything she writes and beg for more.”
—Mazey Eddings, author of The Plus One
“Right on Cue is a perfectly crafted rom-com…. Ballard is right on track with this delightfully satisfying read.”
—Sophie Sullivan, author of Ten Rules for Faking It
“Falon Ballard’s writing sucks me in like a best friend sharing a juicy story…. This adorable, charming, and spicy rom-com will hold you captive until the very last page.”
—Meredith Schorr, author of Someone Just Like You
Praise for Just My Type
“[A] charming ode to writers’ passion and love.”
—PopSugar
“Seth and Lana have instant chemistry on the page, and it’s a joy to read their snarky banter that transforms into something more heartfelt. Their longing for each other, and the obstacles in their way, feel realistic…. A compulsively readable second-chance romance that’s full of pining and laughs.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“This entertaining rom-com from Ballard…refreshingly sees both protagonists undergoing therapy for their respective issues while reassessing their personal and professional goals, is one of healing and emotional growth as much as romance.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A clever, upbeat rom-com that will leave a smile on readers’ faces and joy in their hearts…. A great showcase for Ballard’s talents: Her voice is fresh and flirty, her characters well developed…and her pacing brisk and never boring. Romance readers—of all types—will be immensely entertained.”
—BookPage
“A unique and humorous tale. Ballard hits all the right notes in a second-chance romance with smart, appealing lead characters.”
—Booklist
“This spicy, tropey read will have most rom-com fans declaring, ‘It’s just my type of book!’ ”
—Library Journal
“Falon Ballard delivers a page-turning, second-chance romance bursting with crackling banter and delightful characters, anchored by a layered, emotional, and sexy love story at the center.”
—Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in Hollywood
“Just My Type sparks with enemies-to-lovers wit and dazzles with Los Angeles flair.”
—Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft
“With its sharp writing, hilarious banter, and delightful characters, Just My Type is an absolutely perfect romantic comedy.”
—Lacie Waldon, author of The Layover
“Everything about Falon Ballard’s writing cuts straight to the heart…. Just My Type is an unputdownable showstopper!”
—Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of Love
“With the perfect swirl of lovable characters, sizzling chemistry, and perfectly crafted humor, Ballard’s sophomore novel is a story you won’t want to put down.”
—Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting
Praise for Lease on Love
“[A] fun and light read…Ballard intersperses the book with text conversations (emojis and all) between Sadie and Jack, as well as her group conversation with her friends, that make readers feel like they’re really part of the story. When Sadie and Jack’s feelings for one another are finally realized, you can’t help but celebrate alongside the characters.”
—USA Today
“Laugh-out-loud banter, smart characters, and heartfelt charm…this rom-com has it all!”
—Woman’s World
“[A] cozy romance.”
—PopSugar
“[A] quirky, heartwarming contemporary romance…This is a treat.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fantastic read…a sharply funny roommates-to-lovers, opposites-attract rom-com.”
—Booklist
“This charming story of new beginnings and emotional growth has a sassy and likable narrator in Sadie, and the novel keeps a light tone despite touching on difficult subjects like toxic families and grief…. Readers who enjoy female entrepreneurs, found family, and gentle romantic leads will enjoy.”
—Library Journal
“The romantic beats and the slow-burning attraction between [Sadie and Jack] are things to savor…. Ballard sweetly explores the ways they complement one another and also how they hope to reinvent themselves following catastrophic personal changes.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A delight on every level…A beautiful love story about finding something precious that seems out of reach.”
—Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting
“A hopeful, heartwarming debut. With a relatable disaster of a protagonist and an adorably nerdy hero, this opposites-attract, roommates-to-lovers romance is a true delight.”
—Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Business or Pleasure and The Ex Talk
“Lease on Love warmly and wittily underscores that none of us are perfect, but we are all worthy, we are all enough: we all deserve to be loved, not just by others, but by ourselves too.”
—Sarah Hogle, author of Twice Shy and You Deserve Each Other
“A crackling, compulsively readable debut about forging new career and romantic paths, finding strength in found family, and discovering what it truly means to be ‘home.’ ”
—Suzanne Park, author of Loathe at First Sight and So We Meet Again
Also by Falon Ballard
Right on Cue
Just My Type
Lease on Love
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publishers Since 1838
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
penguinrandomhouse.com
Copyright © 2024 by Falon Ballard
Penguin Random House values and supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader. Please note that no part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ballard, Falon, author.
Title: All I want is you : a novel / Falon Ballard.
Description: New York : G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2024.
Identifiers: LCCN 2024013718 (print) | LCCN 202401371
Subjects: LCGFT: Romance fiction. | Novels.
Classification: LCC PS3602.A621125 A79 2024 (print) | LCC PS3602.A621125 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23/eng/20240328
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024013718
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024013719
Ebook ISBN 9780593851852
Cover design and illustration: Sandra Chiu
Book design by Shannon Nicole Plunkett, adapted for ebook by Maggie Hunt
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
First Christmas
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Second Christmas
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Third Christmas
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
_148332238_
To Gaby Mongelli, for getting me this far
Chapter One
Jess
I used to love the holidays. All holidays, really, but Christmas in particular. I was that person, breaking out my decorations the day after Halloween (I love you, Thanksgiving, but not enough to stave off the garland and lights and stockings hung by the fire for any longer than absolutely necessary). You could find me ordering a grande peppermint mocha the moment the red cups were released, Mariah Carey queued up the second the clock struck midnight on November 1.
To be totally honest, I still do all of those things. My tree is already set up in the corner of my studio apartment, decked out in all her sparkly finery. Lights wrap around the metal railing enclosing my tiny balcony. And a single, solitary stocking has been hung, though not by the fireplace because I can’t afford one of those. Instead, it dangles from a plastic hook right next to the tree, still hung with very much care. So yeah, I still do Christmas these days; there’s just slightly less joy and fervor to my holiday rush. Now it’s more like a holiday trickle. But I suppose that’s normal when you get dumped on Christmas (fine, it was two weeks after Christmas, but it still counts and was remarkably shitty timing).
But this will be the year I get my Christmas groove back.
As I walk from the studio apartment the ad described as “cozy” down the five blocks to the coffee shop where I make most of my income, I try to focus on the holiday magic instead of lingering on my ghosts of Christmas past. It’s been five years, but the holiday season always brings memories to the surface. So this year will be all about making new memories.
The shop is packed, and after I clock in, I barely have time to greet my favorite coworker, Josie, before I’m pulling espresso shots and foaming milk.
“Does this count as a holiday rush?” I ask her with a groan when the line has finally died down and we both have a minute to breathe.
It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving, but with the crowds swarming the shop, you’d think everyone was fueling up for another run at Black Friday deals.
Josie wipes down the counter while I restock the baked goods. “All I know is that there’s been a serious lack of holiday tipping.” She tucks a strand of her long black hair back into her bun that’s veered from sleek to messy, her golden-brown skin flushed from running around.
I suppress another groan. The owner of the coffee shop pays us well, but I was counting on some tip money this month to help tide me over until my next payment from my publisher.
People tend to be surprised when they find out I’m a published romance author. Not because I don’t seem like the type—I probably fit the stereotypical bill as far as appearances go—but because they assume authors make enough money to not have to work at coffee shops. Well, you know what they say about assumptions.
My phone vibrates in my pocket just as I’m about to head to the back for my break. My feet are already aching, and I’m only halfway done with my shift, but my mood lifts slightly when I see the email notification.
The subject line of the email from Sonia, my agent for the past seven years and also a friend, is promising. Incredible Opportunity, it reads. Respond ASAP.
Lately the only emails I’ve been getting from Sonia have been incessant questions about when she can expect my next manuscript. Hopefully this sense of urgency means something good is coming. Maybe an offer for a new IP project, or some promising news from my editor. Maybe one of my books finally earned out its advance and my next royalty payment won’t be as pitiful as the last one.
I scan through the email quickly, eyes searching for something with dollar signs, some good news, something to celebrate.
It’s the absolute opposite of good news. As a writer, I should maybe know a word or phrase for “opposite of good news,” but spoiler alert, I spend half my writing time googling “synonym for smile,” so I got nothing.
I force myself to go back to the beginning of the email and read it again. Surely Sonia is playing a very mean prank on me and is not actually suggesting what she seems to be suggesting. Because what she seems to be suggesting is fucking ludicrous, and she knows I would never, not in one million years, accept this “opportunity” she’s so thrilled to present.
Jess,
I spoke with the pub team earlier today and they wanted me to pass along this invitation. As you know, the annual SVP holiday ball is coming up in just a few weeks and they would love for you to be involved in the awards ceremony! (For a second here, I thought she was going to tell me I was to be presented with an award, which would be amazing, even though as far as I know there’s no money attached to any of my publisher’s annual vanity awards.) Nick Matthews is going to be receiving the Romance Author of the Year award and they want you to be the one to give it to him! (There are so many things I would like to give Nick Matthews, and an award is nowhere on that list.) I know you and Nick don’t have the best history (this is when I snorted out loud while reading—both times), but I think this could be a great opportunity for some exposure. Plus, if you say no (obviously I’m going to say no), it makes it look like you don’t want to be a team player, and you know how important it is for everyone at Saint Valentine’s Press to show support for one another. (Gag.) WHEN you agree to do this, as I know you will because you are a smart woman who will take personal issues out of the equation and focus on the business (sure, Sonia), it’s going to position us favorably when we pitch your next book. So think about it. Seriously. You need to say yes, Jess. (Ugh, I can hear her voice in that tone that lets me know this “choice” is no choice at all.) Bonus, as a presenter, SVP will cover your hotel room for the night of the ball! (Well, there is that one piece of good news because I don’t think I could afford to go otherwise.) I’ll wait for your official yes before I respond. Which I expect to receive shortly. Don’t throw your phone at the wall—you can’t afford a new one.
Warmly,
Sonia
My grip tightens around my plastic phone case—red and sparkly with a reindeer on the back, though I did forgo changing my ringtone to “Jingle Bells” this year—and I’m tempted to ignore her instructions, but Sonia is, as always, right.
