Sink or Swim, by Kirstie Pelling

7th May 2026: Kirstie Pelling's latest novel hits the shops, and what a fabulous read it is!  "Sink Or Swim" is a laugh-out-loud and spicy romance set in the Lake District, with Aria and Nic - will they or won't they... ? 

He’s a fish out of water, she’s fighting the current, but together will they Sink or Swim?

Arriving back in the small Lake District town of Inglemere, Aria thinks she’s reclaiming her childhood home after her dad’s untimely death. Resentful of her self-involved stepmother, and dodging her insufferable ex, Aria has no choice but to move into the falling-apart fishing hut she’s been left instead.

Enter Nic, a southern property tycoon with a desperate plan to transform the untouched lake shore into a luxury haven for the rich. But when his development plans hit a snag, the only way forward is to convince the locals he’s one of them.

With Aria’s financial situation worsening, a deal with this handsome devil feels like her only option…

This steamy small-town story is all about how thin the line between love and hate is, and about discovering what – and who – makes a home.

You can buy it as a paperback, ebook or audio book from Amazon, also on sale at Waterstones and Bookends (and probably other bookshops too!)