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Younger meets Writers and Lovers in this rollicking, charming romantic comedy about friendship, ambition, and love.

In the post-pandemic publishing industry, two rival editors are forced to share a “hot desk” on different days of the week, much to their chagrin. Having never set eyes on each other, Rebecca Blume and Ben Heath begin leaving passive-aggressive Post-it notes on the pot of their shared cactus. But when revered literary legend Edward David Adams (known as “the Lion”) dies, leaving his estate up for grabs, their banter escalates as both work feverishly to land this career-making opportunity. Their fierce rivalry ultimately forces each to decide how far they’ll go to get ahead, what role they want to play in the Lion’s legacy, and what they mean to each other.

As their battle for the estate gets more heated, Rebecca learns of a connection between her mother, Jane, and the Lion. The story travels back four decades earlier to when Jane arrives in Manhattan and meets Rose, soon her best friend. Jane and Rose are two strong, talented young women trying to make their mark in the publishing world at a time when art, the written word, and creative expression were at their height. But one fateful day during the April blizzard of 1982 will change the course of Jane’s life, and of their friendship, forever. As Rebecca learns more about her mother’s surprising past, the story lines converge, and all three women must reconcile with the decisions they have made and come together to navigate the choices that lie ahead.

Set in both the electric vibrancy of 1980s Manhattan and sparkling present-day New York, Hot Desk is a funny, sexy, unexpectedly moving novel. It weaves a contemporary workplace romance with a gripping historical narrative and tackles timely questions about appropriation, sexism, and who has the right to tell their story.

Praise for Hot Desk

“Rollicking and hilarious”
—People Magazine

"In a debut spanning generations, Dickerman leads readers on a funny, heartwarming journey through two generations’ involvement in the publishing industry… The story has a lot of moving parts, but once all the pieces finally come together, readers will find a touching, satisfying ending…A unique, decades-spanning story of friendship, love, and literature.”
—Kirkus Review, starred

“With depth and verve, Dickerman's debut is sure to please lovers of Manhattan-set, lit-world stories.”
—Booklist

"A snappy, entertaining read with a meaty backstory... Fiercely entertaining... its mix of historical fiction, comedy of manners, literary mystery, feminist examination of a beloved author and a splash of romance offers readers lots to love... Hot Desk is a colorful and satisfying debut."
—BookPage

“The enemies-to-lovers story line is appealing, as is the office intrigue…a dishy…tale of the literary world”
–Publishers Weekly

“This debut novel captures the 1980s New York City literary scene and contrasts it with the post-pandemic editing and publishing world. Readers who enjoy personal introspection in novels will find plenty to enjoy here.”
–Library Journal

"The funniest novel I've read in ages!! But also the most romantic!! Hot Desk had me, by turns, laughing and swooning. This is a comedy of manners for anyone who loves Curtis Sittenfeld, Nora Ephron, Alison Espach or, well, anyone. So spot-on in its depiction of literary world mores, I nearly sprained my neck nodding in recognition. I challenge any reader not to fall in love with this charming debut."
—Joanna Rakoff, bestelling author of MY SALINGER YEAR

“Hot Desk is a publishing meet-cute mash-up: both a revisionist story of literary fame and friendship and a gossipy, romantic romp full of heart.”
—Betsy Lerner, author of THE SHRED SISTERS

“A fun and funny immersion into the current generation of New Yorkers chasing big dreams in the world of book publishing. Amid all the laughs, a mother-daughter story touches the heart and delivers deep rewards.”
—Eric Zicklin, writer and producer, Younger

"A fresh take on classic rom-coms, Laura Dickerman's clever comedy of manners captures the timeless romance of literary New York." —Jillian Medoff, bestselling author of WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

"Hot Desk is pure, grade-A, reader's delight. Dickerman's satire of the publishing industry across decades is pitch-perfect, revealing all of its blindspots and absurdities. But beneath all the laughs (and they're a lot of them) are serious and important questions about legacy, friendship, and who gets the right to tell a story. It's the sexiest, funniest book party you'll be invited to this year, and I promise you don't want to miss it."
—Grant Ginder, author of THE PEOPLE WE HATE AT THE WEDDING