From the publisher:
Childhood best friends and first loves are reunited on a make-or-break work trip to Iceland, with old feelings coming to the surface in this charming romance from debut author Megan Oliver.
Mona Miller lives her life by platitudes: she’s just fine, thanks; all good; not a problem! Everything is right as rain—even if it’s all a lie. Everyone at the travel magazine where she works knows her as a team player (in other words, the one who won’t complain about the endless fluff pieces pushed her way). But, feeling snubbed after being passed over for a promotion, Mona jumps at an international assignment to Iceland, even though she’s woefully unprepared.
She’s determined to prove her worth, though, and her can-do attitude will scale any glacier. But the freelance photographer paired with her is none other than Benjamin Carter. Ben, her childhood best friend who understood her even when her family didn’t. Ben, her first love—first everything. And Ben, the boy who ghosted her fourteen years ago and left her brokenhearted.
There is a decade’s worth of resentment Mona needs to ignore if she wants to make it through this trip. She’ll put on her “No worries!” façade and hold Ben at a distance. But the more time they spend together, the more the ice around her heart melts. And as those old feelings spark back to life, Mona must decide if she’s willing to go on the biggest adventure of all.
“This contemporary romance is engaging, well-written, and realistic. With well-developed characters who have immediate, almost tangible chemistry and a well-described atmospheric setting whose details pulls readers into the landscape of Iceland, Oliver’s debut is unputdownable.”—Library Journal (STARRED)
“Oliver’s debut is a stunning achievement, full of unresolved emotion and angst that results in feelings simmering to the surface, as well as proof that the embers of true love can never fully die down…An exceptional romance debut that doubles as a love letter to Iceland.”—Kirkus Reviews (STARRED)
“Oliver pens a moving second chance romance against the vivid backdrop of Iceland.” —Booklist
Mona Miller wants more out of life, but her people-pleasing ways have left her overlooked and taken for granted. A travel writer for a magazine, she’s been stuck covering local events while dreaming of far-off destinations. When one of the magazine’s top writers is injured and forced to drop out of a coveted trip to Iceland, Mona unexpectedly gets her chance. She’s thrilled—until she learns she’ll be traveling with world-renowned photographer Ben Carter, her childhood sweetheart and the man who ghosted her and shattered her heart.
There’s one more complication: Ben is a freelancer, and Mona’s boss expects her to convince him to join the magazine’s staff. Professional ambition collides with unresolved feelings, and the past Mona refuses to discuss looms over every interaction.
To make the trip a success, Mona and Ben must confront what went wrong between them—and whether there’s any chance for a future. In a refreshing twist on the usual communication trope, Mona is the one determined to keep the past buried. As she navigates heartbreak, career pressure, and the intimidating scale of her dream assignment, Mona finds herself in over her head. Watching her face her fears and discover her own strength is both satisfying and empowering, proving she’s far more capable than she ever believed.
There’s a welcome spark of heat between Mona and Ben, a perfect contrast to Iceland’s stark, icy landscape. The vivid descriptions of the country’s natural beauty—from its dramatic terrain to its otherworldly wonders—make the setting almost feel like another character. As someone who doesn’t handle cold weather well, this armchair journey to Iceland was perfect—I got all the beauty without the frostbite. Watching Mona and Ben navigate their baggage, overcome numerous obstacles, and ultimately find their way to a well-earned happy ending was deeply satisfying. This is a terrific debut set in an unusual and captivating location, and I’m eager to see what Oliver does next.
1/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
SECRET NIGHTS AND NORTHERN LIGHTS by Megan Oliver. Berkley. (November 18, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593952405. 384p.
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