How the Story Goes: A Novel

by Andrew Forrester

In this heartwarming, bookish debut, a young widower of a famous children’s fantasy author teams up with a down-on-her-luck MFA dropout to write the final book in his late wife’s series ... and find their own perfect ending along the way.

Whit Longacre has a monumental task and a looming deadline. After his wife, Helen, died of cancer, she left him with their grieving eight-year-old daughter and a surprise in her the small task of writing the final book in her mega-popular children’s fantasy series for her legions of waiting fans.

Whit is the author of moderately successful (but well-received!) literary mysteries. He doesn’t have the first idea of how to complete Helen’s beloved series, and his enigmatic wife seems to have left no clues behind on how the story is supposed to end. Writer’s block is one thing, but to fail in fulfilling his wife’s last wish? Whit is guilt-ridden and dodging calls in the school pick-up line from Helen’s publisher and agent as the deadline fast approaches.

Then Whit meets Merritt Pryor, who works at the local bookstore in their small New England town. Merritt has moved back home after a disastrous affair led to her dropping out of her prestigious MFA program. When Whit realizes that Merritt is a superfan of the Greenwood Castle series, they come up with a plan to tackle the book together. For the first time in years, Merritt finds herself falling back in love with writing … and perhaps with the coauthor offering her the opportunity of a lifetime.

But when Whit uncovers a buried secret about Helen’s final wishes, he questions everything about what he and Merritt have created together, endangering the tender, electrifying partnership that has transformed their lives.

Can Whit and Merritt come up with an ending that feels right … for both a beloved series and for their battered hearts? 

Genres: Romance, Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Andrew Forrester is a writer and former English teacher whose work has appeared in McSweeney's and Parents Magazine. He holds a PhD in 19th-century British literature and lives in Austin, Texas with his family. How the Story Goes is his first novel.

Reviews

[Andrew Forrester · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very good!

[Becca | bookedwithbecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this, and I am a picky romance reader!

The characters make this story: the FMC and MMC, of course, but the many lovable and endearing side characters add so much to the narrative, too. I loved the fresh and unique storyline, the character growth, the smart writing, the literary allusions, the rich setting details — all of it!

I am very excited for readers to meet Whit and Merritt in 2026, and I can’t wait for whatever is next from Andrew Forrester.

Many thanks to the author and Avon for my early copy. These thoughts are purely mine!

[Angel S · Rating 5 out of 5]

HYPED‼️

[jordan εїз · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 stars 🌟 what an amazing debut oh my goodness 🥹 i adored whitmerritt!! they were so refreshing, from their clear communication to their lighthearted banter 💖 books about books is one of my FAVORITE sub-tropes and this was done so well 📖🍁🧚‍♀️ i loved merritts mom, annie, evie, all the ladies at the bookshop and the town of whelk harbor so much!!

the writing made me laugh, feel pits in my stomach when something especially sad was happening, and it also made me excited to hear about how whit and merritts, and helen’s story would end 🫂 this was WONDERFUL and i will definitely be reading more by this author if he releases more in the future 😇

a special thank you to netgalley and avon publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Karen Axnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel that explores themes of love, grief, betrayal, self-doubt, creativity, and triumph. I read it more slowly than my usual pace to savor both the prose and unfoldment of the love story between two vulnerable and highly relatable people – each struggling with loss. The bond forged between the two begins with their mutual talent for writing and the challenge to fulfill a seemingly insurmountable task.

The character development is solid and portrays the protagonists as complex people with a wide range of emotional nuances. The heavier overtones are balanced by well-placed humorous passages. Overall, this is a satisfying read that fulfills what the book synopsis accurately describes. I look forward to more novels by this talented author.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

[Rebecca Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! While not at all similar to the TV series Younger, this book takes place in the broader publishing world which is a similar delight. Widower Whit is tasked with finishing his late wife’s extremely famous youth fantasy series and is completely stuck. Merritt is picking up the pieces of her life, and following a chance meeting finds herself helping Whit in his endeavor. This story is a celebration of humanity, with beautifully written characters and dialog in a cozy town setting (does it give Stars Hollow or is that just me?) with many nods to the goddess herself, Nora Ephron. I loved it. Read it!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, lovely story that I devoured in less than a day. So many great nods to the writing and publishing worlds that I really enjoyed in this one!

[Meredith Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merritt and Whit, you have my little romcom-loving heart 💛 This story has everything: the sweetest/most refreshing characters, stunning writing, clever dialogue, and so much heart on every page

Such a wonderful read. Congrats on the amazing debut, Andrew Forrester! Thank you for the early copy.

[Kate Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are living in a time of abundance when it comes to romance novels featuring authors either competing for the right to adapt a beloved author’s work, to write their life story, or to complete their unfinished manuscript. I am HERE FOR ALL these stories, so I was thrilled to see the description of How the Story Goes.

This book has the sweetest main characters: Merritt, the MFA dropout who left school in shame to go live with her mom, and Whit, the author who’s spent the past year flailing as he attempts to complete his late wife’s final book. The two find a comfortable rapport almost instantly when he meets her at his daughter’s school, subbing for the librarian. Soon, White learns about Merritt’s writing prowess, and that, coupled with her passion for his late wife’s beloved children’s literature series, makes her the ideal candidate to help him write the final book, one that will please legions of fans and honor Helen’s intentions.

The novel features all the cozy New England vibes that make it perfect to read with a hot cup of tea. The relationship between these two writers develops so organically and patiently, and I just loved watching them encourage each other in their writing, helping unlock abilities and confidence they’ve both allowed to fade. Book lovers, writers, and other creatives will love this charming novel about healing after loss and following your joy. There’s no spice whatsoever, just beautiful human emotion.

[Katie Lavoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using Andrew Forrester’s own words, “in the end, it’s a story about the things we do for the people we love”.

Forrester’s debut is a heartwarming story of coping with grief and loss. While Whit’s character arc was focused on learning to live again after the death of a loved one, including all the mixed emotions that come with grief, Merritt represented a different type of grief, having lost her self confidence and sense of self worth. Watching both of them grow, struggle, and ultimately get to a better place (Whit finding joy again, Merritt regaining her agency) made for a lovely read.

It took me awhile to get into the book - both because the first third of the book is very slow (as compared to the rest of the book), and because I was slow to warm to Merritt (I found her a bit self absorbed and lacking empathy towards Whit).

Thanks to Andrew Forrester, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up

“It’s all about the things we do for the people we love”❤️
I love books about books and this debut novel most definitely fits the bill! This charming story explores grief and love beautifully. Along with its cozy New England setting, Whit and Merritt provided lots of fun and light hearted banter. A romance written with no spice but loads of emotions.

For some reason this book took me longer to finish than normal. The first half felt really slow and I wasn’t enthralled. It did pick up in the second half, but overall I felt like the pacing just wasn’t working for me.

Thanks to the author, Avon Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Expected Publication May 5, 2026.

[Adrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book overall, it did have some slow moments but was generally well paced. I especially liked the setting and the way the author painted this beautiful picture of the small cozy town and Whit’s home. There was so much going on in the book, and I mean this in a good way. Characters dealing with grief, growth, romance, self discovery, all mixed in a cozy sad but sometimes funny read. I do wish the epilogue included what happened after Merritt’s interview with Ian and more of an update on Merritt, Whitt, and Annie but it still left a smile on my face. This is a perfect fall/winter read.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for my advance reader copy of this book in return for my honest review

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself wasn’t bad, and I liked the premise, but the pacing really held it back for me. The book moved very slowly, especially in the beginning, and many scenes felt longer than they needed to be.
While the writing was competent, I found myself getting tired as I read and struggling to stay engaged. By the end, I was more relieved to be finished than excited to see how things resolved. As this is an early ARC, the pacing may have been cleaned up. At best, I think this is library rental.

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a sweet fast read. Could easily be described as a "beach read." You know, something you want to read when you are just trying to relax but, you know you are going to enjoy it. I personally loved all of the pop culture references sprinkled throughout the book. This book shows the loss of a loved one without making it too sad but, still staying true to the depth of the emotions. Not only do you feel you got to know the two main characters but, all of the side characters as well. All in all an excellent premier novel for Andre Forrester. I look forward to what he comes up with for his next book.

[Alex Sudan]

This book was so heartfelt and sweet! I love seeing main characters grow through out the story and discover more about themselves and that is the case with both main characters in this story. It also is a different plot than most rom-com type stories, which I appreciated bc so many of the rom-com storylines feel predictable and lack creativity. Also, I love the nod to all the literary references through out! highly recommend!! well done Andrew Forrester for this debut novel!!

[Kate Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambles along gently, letting us get to know the characters, slowly getting to know each other. Two authors wracked by self doubt for different reasons, find they are a terrific complement to each other in their approach to writing. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jessica Felleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cozy and sweet! Loved the behind the scenes look at author life and the small New England town setting. An empathetic, funny, and ultimately uplifting book about how falling in love can be the perfect solution to heartbreak and loss.