An irresistible story of a woman remaking her life after her husband’s betrayal leads to a year of travel, art, and passion in Paris, from the award-winning author of This Close to Okay .   Vincent, having grown up as the privileged daughter of artists, has a lovely life in many ways. At forty-four, she enjoys strolling the streets of Paris and teaching at the modern art museum; she has a vibrant group of friends; and she’s even caught the eye of a young, charismatic man named Loup. But Vincent is also in Paris to escape a painful betrayal: her husband, Cillian, has published a bestselling book divulging secrets about their marriage and his own past, hinting that when he was a teenager, he may have had a child with a young woman back in Dublin—before he moved to California and never returned.   Now estranged from her husband, Vincent has agreed to see Cillian again at their son’s wedding the following summer, but Loup introduces new complications. Soon they begin an intense affair, and somewhere between dinners made together, cigarettes smoked in the moonlight, hazy evenings in nightclubs, and long, starry walks along the Seine, Vincent feels herself loosening and blossoming.   In a journey that is both transportive and intimate, Half-Blown Rose traverses Paris, art, travel, liminal spaces, and the messy complexities of relationships and romance, with excerpts from Cillian’s novel, playlists, and journal entries woven throughout. As Cillian does all he can to win her back, Vincent must decide what she wants . . . and who she will be. An Amazon Best Book of June 2022: Half-Blown Rose is an intoxicating read that will remind you what falling in love is all about—the uncontrollable swoon, the unfettered joy, the certainty that anything is possible. Vincent has left her lying American husband for the freedom of Paris. As she begins to uncover more about her husband’s deceit she also starts to fall hard for a student in her class. But don’t let the romance plot line fool you, this is a smart and empowering read about female identity and desire, family relationships, art and race. Filled with love, lust, music, and the sparkle of Paris, Half-Blown Rose is another breath of fresh air from the wildly talented Leesa Cross-Smith. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor “Leesa Cross-Smith’s richly vivid prose pulls you in and transports you to Paris. Sharp-edged and sexy, Half-Blown Rose is an utterly intoxicating story of love, betrayal, and loyalty.”  ― Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising “With Half-Blown Rose , Leesa Cross-Smith has given us a brilliant, sexy, funny masterpiece. Reading her stunning prose is a full-blown experience. Within the deeply intimate worlds she conjures, she captures love, lust, and longing with such emotional intricacy and verve, I’m fairly certain I read this entire book with my hand pressed against my heart.”  ― Deesha Philyaw, author of National Book Award 2020 finalist The Secret Lives of Church Ladies “By far the most exhilarating and sexy American-in-Paris story I’ve ever read. Leesa Cross-Smith’s  Half-Blown Rose  is smart, intriguing, and pure delight.”  ― Lily King, New York Times bestselling author of Writers & Lovers "Leesa Cross-Smith is a consummate storyteller."― Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author "A story of love and betrayal set against the glittering backdrop of the City of Lights."― Atlanta Journal-Constitution "A smoothly written, enjoyable novel that gives due to the social and emotional complexities of middle age. Vincent is a lovable protagonist; the narrative is also interspersed with her diary entries and letters, creating a self-aware, three-dimensional character. Cross-Smith sensitively explores the many permutations of romantic and platonic love and the idea that, especially in Paris, one’s love may not be limited to a single other person. Charming and lively."― Kirkus Reviews "Absolutely ripe for conversation, introspection and self-discovery...Cross-Smith is a confident, deft writer who is comfortable exploring any dynamic as long as she has a strong character to start with. Lucky for her, this too comes naturally, making her grander exaltations of love and passion feel every bit as fate-driven and heady as they do grounded and deeply raw and human....Perfect for readers of Miranda Cowley Heller, Emma Straub and Georgia Clark, HALF-BLOWN ROSE is a guaranteed summer steamer and a surefire book club pick for readers of all ages."― Bookreporter "Cross-Smith continues to weave spellbinding tales of love and lust in the wake of adversity. . . [Vincent] is an utterly appealing heroine. Another winning novel."― Booklist "A refreshing take on a woman’s story of midlife upheaval." ― Publishers Weekly “ This Close to Okay  hits the ground running. Cross-Smith writes tenderly about the trial and error of intimacy and draws you in with enormous warmth and control.”― Raven Leilani, New York Times b