Hot Desk - by Laura Dickerman (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Rival editors Rebecca and Ben work for competing publishing houses that share a space in the same building. As they compete for the rights to a posthumous work based on notes left in a literary giant's desk, Rebecca learns startling information about her family, and herself, including her mother's connection to the late literary legend"--

Book Synopsis

Younger meets Writers & Lovers in this rollicking, sparkling, and funny novel that spans decades and generations of a family in the publishing industry.

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...

Review Quotes

"A funny, deeply wise novel that captures all the thrills and aches of setting out in the world. Toggling seamlessly between 1981 and 2022 in New York City, Dickerman shows us that while Gen X and Gen Z may be very different, some things--friendship, ambition, the restorative magic of hangover takeout--are eternal." --Morgan Dick, author of THE FAVOURITE DAUGHTER

"So charming, and so accomplished, HOT DESK is by turns hilarious, heart-breaking, satirical, cutting and FUN. I absolutely loved it, and got way more than I bargained for in this dual-timeline tale of love and lust in publishing." --Laura Jane Williams, bestselling author of OUR STOP

"Dickerman leads readers on a funny, heartwarming journey through two generations' involvement in the publishing industry... A unique, decades-spanning story of friendship, love, and literature."--Kirkus (Starred Review)

"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 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, bestselling author of MY SALINGER YEAR

"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 emerges to touch the heart and deliver deep rewards." --Eric Zicklin, writer and producer, Younger

"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

"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

"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

About the Author

Laura Dickerman has an MA in fiction from NYU and an MA in English from Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English. She has taught high school English at the Hopkins School, the Collegiate School, and Germantown Friends. She was an intern at The Paris Review many, many years ago. At her lowest point, she spent a month temping for her youngest brother who was critical of her photocopying skills. She's been a book club leader, tutor, and recipient of an NEH grant. She lives in Atlanta with her husband. They have two grown daughters. Hot Desk is her first novel.