THOUGHTFUL PUBLICATION TIMING FOR PAPERBACK FORMAT: With Richard Roper’s This Disaster Loves You set to publish as a TPO on 2/12/24, we’ve held this paperback publication so that it will follow what we expect to be a successful publication, giving us a fresh start for When We Were Young and its endearing story of friendship repaired.

SUCCESSFUL FORMAT FOR AUTHOR: Something to Live For found its audience in paperback, and we see an opportunity to grow Roper’s audience again at this lower price point. With the charm and heart of Gail Honeyman or Nick Hornby, Roper’s witty and touching sophomore novel offers exactly what readers are looking for.

TIMELESS HOOK FOR BOOK CLUBS: Time and time again, we’ve seen stories centered around the bonds of friendship break out such as Emma Straub’s Modern Lovers, Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings, and Elizabeth Berg’s The Confession Club. This story has the heart and nostalgia that readers love to discuss.

Richard Roper is a non-fiction editor at Headline, an imprint of Hachette UK. He lives in London and is the author of Something to Live For and This Disaster Loves You.

Author Residence: London, England

Author Hometown: Henley-on-Thames, England

Advance Praise for When We Were Young

One of Good Morning America’s 33 Books to Heart Up Your July

“Richard Roper writes with wit, soul, and beautiful prose.” –Good Morning America

“A funny, tender British bromance.” –People

“When We Were Young is such a warm, uplifting read. It’s a celebration of the bond we have with our oldest friends, and it’s so funny, without ever losing its poignancy—Richard Roper writes humour so brilliantly.” –Beth O’ Leary, author of The Flatshare and The Switch

“This delightful, endearing outing becomes a heartfelt meditation on male companionship, forgiveness, and navigating life’s ups and downs. Roper’s story shimmers.” –Publishers Weekly  

“Writing with both great humor and heart, Roper has a light touch that keeps the reader laughing even while he gently pulls on the heartstrings…A funny and poignant portrait of friendship.” –Kirkus

“Bittersweet and full of heart, this book will appeal to fans of Jonathan Tropper and Matthew Norman.” –Booklist

“Roper possesses a wry and formidable wit. But his real gift is the ability to infuse that humor with such immense heart that it becomes the path for an uplifting and redemptive journey. I loved this book.” —Steven Rowley, author of Lily and the Octopus

“Delightfully life-affirming and funny, a moving exploration of friendship and finding the path to redemption. Fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will love it!”—Bianca Marais, author of Hum If You Don’t Know the Words

"A beautifully bittersweet tale about the enduring power of friendship, reminding us how sometimes the best way to face life’s biggest challenges is to take them one step at a time with your best friend by your side.” —Oliver Sands, author of Breeda Looney Steps Forth


Praise for Something to Live For

“[An] offbeat and winning debut…Something to Live For earns its pathos. Even more to its credit, it gives resiliency and the triumph of the human spirit a good name.” —The Wall Street Journal
 
“[A] winning debut novel…Roper’s unbridled compassion for his characters is the book’s greatest strength.” —The New York Times Book Review
 
“Just the kind of book I wanted to read in these times. Charming, empathetic, witty, emotional, and hopeful, Roper’s cast of quirky, vulnerable characters make for a truly warm and affecting debut.” —J. Ryan Stradal, author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest
 
“Darkly humorous.”—Entertainment Weekly
 
“Wryly funny and quirkily charming–perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.” —Eleanor Brown, author of The Weird Sisters
 
“Richard Roper uplifts the human spirit and shows us how to embrace life and hope.” —Phaedra Patrick, author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper
 
“The pleasure in Roper’s winning, good-hearted tale is seeing this lonely sad sack cautiously rejoin the world.” —People