It's All in Your Head - by Sabina Nordqvist (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A "poignant and swoony" romance about a woman with a rare neurological condition who agrees to fake-date the hot guy in her chronic pain support group--only to discover he's an Olympic snowboarder whose career-ending injury is as infamous as his dating history (Gigi Griffis, author of The Empress).

Your fake relationship shouldn't come with chronic feelings.

Skylar is done with offline relationships--especially romantic ones. Living with chronic illness means she's heard it all before: unreliable, high-maintenance, too much. She'd rather spend her free time in her online chronic pain support group, and lately, she can't help but notice Pike, the hot new guy with a penchant for broody poetry. When a chaotic night in the group forces her to pose as his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees to keep up the charade in real life. Surprisingly, he's thoughtful, sweet, and--most importantly--doesn't flinch at the things that have scared others away.

Fake dating gets a lot more complicated when she discovers Pike isn't just some guy. He's a professional snowboarder whose career-ending injury is as infamous as his playboy past. He won't talk about that, though. He's fine. Really. But pretending to be in love with Skylar turns out to be the least depressing thing he's done in months. As they spend more time together, she starts to notice the cracks in his carefully crafted image, and for once, he doesn't mind being seen.

After all the bed-sharing and late-night talks, it becomes harder for both of them to pretend. But just as things start turning real, the paparazzi catch on, wanting the scoop on how everyone's favorite Olympic medalist is doing post-accident. Dating while disabled comes with challenges of its own, but public speculation and invasive questions are something else entirely. If their newfound feelings can't survive the spotlight, their not-so-fake relationship may be over before it ever truly begins.

Review Quotes

"Charming and heartfelt! A While You Were Sleeping-style mix-up sets off sweet, poignant, and swoony consequences. From perfect setup to triumphant end--this book has its sights set on readers' hearts, minds, and understanding of disability."--Gigi Griffis, author of the Netflix tie-in The Empress

"Nordqvist deftly tackles the pervasiveness of ableism in familial, platonic, and romantic relationships--even in the relationships the characters have with their own selves. Her writing is unflinching, funny, and heart wrenching. It's All in Your Head is one of the first books I've ever read that accurately depicts what it is like to date, be in love, and navigate the world as a disabled woman, all without shying away from the parts of ourselves society has taught us to hide."--Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All, an NPR Best Book of 2022

About the Author

Sabina Nordqvist began writing as a way to distract herself from chronic pain and illness, and before long, she couldn't stop creating imaginary worlds and swoony book boyfriends. When not immersed in her latest project, she's likely doing physical therapy, reading, or searching for answers to her latest mystery symptom. A polyglot with three nationalities, she's spent many years abroad and loves nerding out over intercultural communication and the languages she's picked up along the way. IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD is her debut novel.