Exciting Times author Naoise Dolan announces second novel

Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times has taken to Instagram to announce news of a second book deal.

Publishing house W&N has scooped up the rights for Dolan’s second novel, The Happy Couple, which details the lives of Luke and Celine, a soon-to-be married couple in a “comedy of errors”.

Having already garnered rave reviews from other writers, the best-selling author’s second book promises a clever and entertaining story, and a marriage plot Dolan has seemingly made entirely her own.

In its synopsis, the story weaves a thread of interesting and nuanced characters such as protagonist Luke's best man-Archie, who battles with his romantic feelings for the groom, and bridesmaid Phoebe, who as Celine's sister has no long-term aspiration other than to continue her career in chain-smoking.

Taking to her Instagram stories to answer fans' questions comparing her upcoming release with her debut novel, Dolan writes, "I think there's more variety because it's getting into a lot of different characters' heads. I was more conscious as well of having the style more closely reflect how each character talks...I did try to give the prose a tase of everyone's specific personality."

The 30-year old's debut novel Exciting Times was met with comparisons to Sally Rooney's Normal People, and like Rooney's, is currently in production for release of a limited television series, starring Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor.

You can find an exclusive preview of the first chapter here.

The expected publication date is set for the 25th March 2023.