The Plus One

Indira Papadakis seemingly has everything together—until she catches her boyfriend cheating on her, shortly before her brother’s wedding. After that, the last thing she needs is her childhood adversary, Jude Bailey, crashing at her place, even if it is only temporary. Jude is also not happy, but Indira’s brother is his best friend. He won’t miss out on his wedding and needs a place to stay. As the new roommates settle in, they learn, despite their constant bickering and awkward attempts to make conversation as adults, that they have more in common than they thought. With Jude struggling with PTSD and Indira anxious about encounters with her ex, they strike a deal to be each other’s fake date to the wedding. But then their fake displays of affection start to feel real, and they realize they might just have a chance at a beautiful relationship as they also work through their mental health struggles and trauma. Jude’s PTSD, formed through his medical profession, and Indira’s experience of parental abandonment and anxiety challenge their relationship throughout the story.