Brenda Whitman’s love life is abysmal. Aged forty-eight, she has been divorced twice, has no children and is incredibly lonely. She always thought she would meet the right man one day, but unfortunately this never happened. Most of her friends are married with grown-up children.

One day, while she is watching her favourite reality TV show, The Neophyte, one of the contestants caught her eye: a gorgeous young man called James Lyman. Amazingly, Brenda and James have a chance encounter in a Fleet Street wine bar. They start seeing each other, and Brenda becomes happier than she’s ever been. However, James is soon conflicted; he meets a young, beautiful woman who ‘ticks all the boxes’ — Elizabeth Cooker. Will he pursue his new love interest, or will he continue dating Brenda?