Welcome to Litsy!

Can a modern woman take lessons in love from Shakespeare? Beth O'Leary meets 10 Things I Hate About You in this sparkling romantic comedy from beloved Aussie author Jessica Dettmann. 'Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever ...' Since she was sixteen, Willa's curious touchstone in life and work has been the 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing. She's always looking for The Feeling, the stirring in her heart - and loins - that she gets when watching the opening scenes. Now she's navigating her mid-thirties, her career as a romance publisher in an unusual family business, and her determination to remain child-free, while quietly holding out for a love as big as Beatrice and Benedick's. But when relationships start to get complicated between Willa, her cousin Imogen and the four sons of the family she works for, and the events of her own life begin to mirror the plot of her beloved comedy, Willa must consider whether there is such a thing as too much ado. A delightfully Shakespearean romantic comedy about modern love, women's roles and how the films and stories we grow up with shape us. 'Without Further Ado has genuine heart, proper out-loud laughs, and a perfect not-too-Hollywood ending. Dettmann has created a one-off in her protagonist, Willa. Smart as a whip, fiercely independent, hilarious, loyal, fearful and self-sabotaging, she's a romantic heroine for our times (whilst having one foot planted in the late 1500s!).' Tim Minchin 'Glorious, full of laughs, love and realness. I loved it so much I want to live between the covers.' Sacha Horler Praise for Jessica Dettmann: 'Sharp and crisp and funny. I was dazzled' Mia Freedman 'Heartwarming yet biting' Sunday Telegraph 'A totally engaging and disarmingly charming writer' Kathy Lette 'Sparkling and heartwarming reading' Ben Elton 'Dettmann is such a clever writer - her imagery is fresh and hilarious and her take on life is so dry and funny' Cassie Hamer