The Ick

A hilarious, heartwarming romantic comedy about a girl with a chronic case of the ick - can she get over it and find love?

Gem's date is looking promising. Atlas is 6'2, with blue eyes, dimples and strong hands that look like they would be at home wielding an axe. But when he says he eats soup for lunch, Gem is immediately hit with the ick. Suddenly she's painfully aware of his giant backpack that makes him look like a turtle, his colourful socks, and his hair that's just a bit too floppy.

Gem, who collects icks like others collect loyalty points, is adamant that the phenomenon is her instinct kicking in, but her housemate and best friend Shanti disagrees, and challenges Gem to take part in a study for her psychology course: Is intuition real?

Gem eventually decides to take part, but doing so means she has to break all her own rules. She sees Atlas for a second date, a third, and even a fourth, until she starts losing count. It's all for research purposes, of course - but what if the impossible happens and Gem falls for Atlas? And if he finds out she's being paid to date him, will he ever forgive her?

Forced-proximity meets enemies-to-lovers in this spicy, swoon-worthy and totally hilarious romantic comedy. Fans of Emily Henry, Ali Hazlewood and Mhairi McFarlane won't be able to put this sizzling romance down.

Review

Holly is the queen of the clever feel-good read - hilarious, heart-warming and real, with characters you'll fall in love with and be thinking about long after you finish the final page ― Lucy Foley

Holly has perfected the art of comedy writing ― Sophie Cousens

The perfect subject: icks are hilarious and Holly has managed to weave them into a gorgeous, heartfelt and sexy story ― Abigail Mann

Hilarious and charming, The Ick explores what happens when an immoveable avoidant-attachment meets an unstoppable hunk. McCulloch's gift for comedic asides shines brightly here but never overwhelms the delicious, tender romance blossoming between Atlas and Gem. An absolute must for rom-com fans! ― Lindz Mcleod

Opening a new Holly McCulloch book is a real treat, and The Ick contains everything I love in a novel: relatable characters, hilarious one-liners, and romance that gives you spaghetti legs ― Nicola Gill

I raced through this funny story. It romps along ― Daily Mail

About the Author

As the fourth child in a busy household, Holly was often left to entertain herself. She wasn't cool enough to hand out with her oldest siblings, and she wasn't a good enough goalie to hang out with her younger sibling. Luckily, she quickly found the world of books and since then, she has never looked back. As a kid, Holly often went to sleep with at least four books underneath her pillow just in case she needed them. And she often did. Books have saved her time and time again.

After a stint working at a literary agency, then a stint working at a big four publisher, and then a stint working as a book buyer, Holly made the terrible decision to become a management consultant. After four years, and still no idea what the job actually entailed, books saved her once again. She wrote her first novel Just Friends (published by Transworld in 2020) when she needed to escape. Her second novel, The Mix-Up followed in 2021.

She is currently working as a freelance editor and writer, and lives in the outskirts of Oxford with her dog, who she lovingly named Schitthead (Ted) after the best TV programme known to man. She is fuelled by baked goods and a need to make people laugh.

If you want to get to know Holly (and Ted) better, follow her over on Instagram (@by.holly.mcculloch) where she mainly shares dog photos and curates memes.