J. L. Simmonds grew up by the seaside but now lives in Bristol. She studied English Literature and worked in marketing and communications for ten years before returning to Bath Spa for her MA in Writing for Young People. She writes joyful LGBTQ+ YA, bad poetry and text messages with too many emojis. Run Away with Me is her debut novel.

"Seedy motel rooms and cassette tapes blend with a sweet, slow-burn romance on a twisty road trip adventure." --Kirkus

"Unique blend of thriller, fun-times road trip, and sapphic romance." --BCCB

"Simmonds builds lived-in character dynamics using natural-feeling dialogue that smoothly sows the seeds toward the girls' simmering romance, while evenly paced revelations and a plot riddled with high stakes and near misses add grit." --Publishers Weekly

"A thrilling, evocative coming-of-age story. I devoured it." --Cynthia Murphy, author of Win Lose Kill Die

"Run Away With Me is the emotionally-and literally-high-stakes road trip book I never knew I needed. Buckle up, because you're in for one heck of a ride." --Kayvion Lewis, author of Thieves' Gambit

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company

Pub date: 2025-10-14

Length: 352 pages