The Porch Pact
Amy is about to date her way to a breakthrough… or a breakdown.
When Amy Dunn-Kelly finds herself suddenly single at thirty-nine, after years of being a devoted mom and relentless workaholic, her friends stage an intervention.
Known unofficially as the Porch Party Girls, they’re not about to let her waste her prime sulking in sweatpants, eating cheese and watching true crime documentaries.
Their plan? The Porch Pact: Amy must go on as many first dates as possible, ending in a dramatic reveal - who will be her date to her upcoming fortieth birthday party?
What begins as a fun distraction quickly turns into a minefield of romantic chaos. There are boat guys named Brad, men emotionally entangled with their nannies, unsolicited d*ck pics, and more discussions about who pays for dinner than she anticipated. Amy’s accidental rise as the anonymous subject of a brutally honest local dating blog only adds to the emotional whiplash. And just when she least expects it, she starts catching feelings for Paul, the quiet, widowed soccer dad from school drop-off who smells like waffles and emotional availability.
As she navigates co-parenting with her ex, questions about her career relevance, and the realization that healing might require actual vulnerability, Amy is forced to ask herself what she really wants - and is she ready to stop running from the life she deserves?
The Porch Pact is a laugh-out-loud, heart-squeezing story of female friendship, personal reinvention, and the brave, awkward, gloriously messy road to falling in love again - at any age.
Perfect for anyone who’s ever rage-deleted a dating app and immediately re-downloaded it five minutes later.
A self-published page turner
The Porch Pact is a self-published debut loosely inspired by the author's own life.
It’s a story about starting over, figuring out who you really are after everything changes, and realizing that accepting love can be just as brave as seeking it.
Dating app mishaps
You'll tag along through hilarious dating disasters, one-night stands, and at least one unsolicited photo that was definitely not meant for our heroine.
Dating is messy, chaotic, and occasionally cringe, but sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh, pour another glass, and swipe on.
Friends who are soulmates
While dating chaos swirls, our heroine is anchored by her inner circle. Emma, Maya, and Shay, known in the group chat (and on Emma's porch) as The Porch Party. They’re more than friends. They’re chosen family.
The Porch Pact is a reminder that the people who cheer you on, call you out, and pour the wine when life gets weird are the ones who matter most. Because sometimes, your family is the one you build for yourself, and that is a beautiful thing.