Kapitel 1
When Hearts Collide: A Journey of Love Rediscovered
Have you ever wondered what happens when your high school crush reappears in your life years later? In Liana Cincotti's debut novel "Picking Daisies on Sundays," readers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster that explores second chances, family bonds, and finding courage to pursue dreams. This coming-of-age romance has captured the hearts of readers seeking authentic portrayals of young love and self-discovery. The novel has gained popularity among BookTok influencers for its relatable characters and swoon-worthy moments, with many readers claiming they devoured it in a single sitting. Cincotti's personal experience as a marketing professional brings authenticity to her protagonist's creative journey, making this story resonate with anyone who's ever struggled to balance passion with practicality.
Kapitel 2
The Reunion That Changed Everything
Four years after an emotionally devastating prom night that left permanent scars, Daniella finds herself crouched in a dimly lit restaurant booth with her best friend Jia, attempting to remain inconspicuous while spying on their friend Gabe's date. The restaurant, Rosemary's, holds countless memories from their high school days - the same worn leather seats, the familiar scent of garlic bread, and the soft jazz music that always seemed to play in the background. What begins as a typical evening of friendly surveillance transforms into something entirely unexpected when she literally collides with Levi Coldwell-her former best friend who shattered her heart in high school.
The moment is charged with electric tension as their eyes meet. Levi looks different now - more mature, with broader shoulders and a confidence that comes from years in New York City, but his eyes are the same warm brown she remembers from countless shared afternoons. Despite her internal panic and racing heart, they manage to engage in stilted small talk. To her surprise, Levi not only remembers her preferred drink - an iced caramel latte with an extra shot - but reveals a detail that catches her off guard: he once asked her mother for her address in Boston but never worked up the courage to visit.
Their awkward reunion is interrupted by Bella Martinez, who practically floats across the restaurant floor to embrace Levi warmly, suggesting an intimate history between them. Bella, with her perfect hair and designer dress, represents everything Daniella isn't. When Bella casually mentions seeing them at "the game tomorrow," Levi makes an impulsive decision that sets off a chain reaction - he introduces Daniella as his girlfriend. Later, over hastily ordered drinks, he explains the complicated situation: Bella's mother, Maria Martinez, runs the prestigious Arts department at The New York Times where he's desperately seeking employment. The catch? She believes he won't commit to the city since he wouldn't commit to her daughter two years ago.
Despite her initial reluctance about deceiving his family and potentially reopening old wounds, Daniella finds herself agreeing when Levi sweetens the deal with "free strawberry shortcake for life" from his family's bakery - proving he still remembers how she used to sneak extra portions during their study sessions. The offer brings a flood of memories: summer afternoons in the bakery's kitchen, flour fights, and the taste of fresh strawberries.
What starts as a seemingly straightforward fake dating arrangement quickly reveals itself to be anything but simple. The chemistry between them crackles with unresolved tension, every accidental touch sparking memories of their shared past. When Levi looks at Daniella, there's a depth of emotion in his gaze that suggests their connection never truly died - it merely lay dormant. As they part ways that evening, with the city lights reflecting off puddles from an earlier rain, both are left wondering if this charade might reawaken feelings they've spent years trying to bury beneath layers of careful distance and practiced indifference.
Kapitel 3
Family Ties and White Lies
Daniella's return to Levi's family life feels both wonderful and painful, like pressing on an old bruise. When she accompanies him to a family softball game on a crisp autumn afternoon, his younger sisters Rhea and Claire sprint across the field to her with unbridled excitement, shouting "Daisy!"- the intimate nickname that only they use. Memories cascade through her mind: driving Rhea to soccer practice in her beat-up Honda, staying up late baking rainbow-sprinkled cupcakes for Claire's science fair, and spending rainy afternoons painting their nails in wild patterns when they were dealing with middle school drama. This was precisely why she had bottled up her feelings for Levi; she feared losing not just him but his entire family who had become her surrogate support system after her father's sudden death three years ago.
The situation grows more complicated at the post-game barbecue when twelve-year-old Rhea innocently announces to everyone gathered around the picnic tables that Daniella is "dating Levi now," and his older sister Sarah nearly knocks over her lemonade as she jumps up, hugging her while shouting "FINALLY!" The family's enthusiasm - from their mother's knowing smile to their aunt Martha's whispered "I always knew you two would figure it out" - makes it painfully clear they've been hoping for this relationship for years. Every warm embrace and excited comment feels like another weight on Daniella's conscience, knowing Levi's feelings don't match their expectations-or her own carefully guarded desires.
Their facade deepens when Levi unexpectedly shows up at Daniella's mother's monthly Sunday brunch. Despite her frantic text messages and attempt to intercept him at the door, he strides into the kitchen and announces they're dating, sending her mother Rosa and Aunt Carmen into such excited squeals that the neighbors' dog starts barking. "I knew it!" her mother exclaims, embracing Levi warmly while pulling him toward the dining room to "fatten him up properly." Daniella stands mortified in the doorway, watching as her mother brings out the special occasion china and her aunt starts planning their wedding. The web of deception grows more intricate with each passing hour, trapping them in a performance that feels increasingly real with each family interaction.
What makes this situation particularly poignant is how seamlessly Daniella fits into the Coldwell family dynamic, like the final piece of a puzzle they've been working on for years. During Sunday dinner at Levi's mother's new townhouse, she moves through the evening fulfilling promises to each family member - hemming Claire's dance recital skirt while discussing her upcoming performance, patiently showing Sarah how to download library books to her new Kindle, and surprising Rhea with a collection of vintage-inspired scrunchies she'd found at a craft fair. The dinner feels wonderfully chaotic yet intimate, with mismatched plates passed around the crowded table and three conversations happening simultaneously. Watching Levi care for his family, she sees how he embodies pieces of each woman in his life: Rhea's infectious silliness when he tells dad jokes, Claire's thoughtful attention when he remembers everyone's favorite desserts, and Sarah's fierce tenacity when he advocates for his youngest sisters' dreams.
Kapitel 4
Grief, Growth, and Secret Letters
Beneath the romance lies a deeper story about grief and healing. Daniella and Levi's friendship began during freshman year of high school, just three months after she lost her father to cancer. Levi, who had lost his own father two years prior in a car accident, taught her how to cope by writing emails to her dad as if he could read them. What began as tear-filled messages became a therapeutic ritual, evolving from raw expressions of pain to thoughtful reflections and even moments of joy shared with her father's memory.
"I write to preserve my memories of Dad, fearing they'll slip away," Daniella explains. "Sometimes it's the little things - the way he hummed while cooking Sunday breakfast, his terrible dad jokes at the dinner table, or how he always smelled like coffee and mint." This coping mechanism reveals her deep-seated fear that time will erode the precious details of their life together, just as she fears her connection to Levi might dissolve into distant memory.
The parallel between these two significant losses creates a powerful emotional undercurrent throughout her story. Her relationship with grief has evolved from the overwhelming waves of early loss to a more gentle ache, but the pain of potentially losing Levi again feels eerily similar to the grief she experienced after her father's death. This fear manifests in her reluctance to fully embrace her feelings for Levi or pursue her dreams of studying fashion in Paris, where her father once promised to take her to see the great fashion houses.
Their unique method of communication through letters becomes a cornerstone of their relationship. When conflicts arise, they revert to their high school habit of resolving disagreements through written words. After a particularly heated argument where Daniella asks if Levi is "acting like my brother," deeply wounding him, she writes an apology letter on strawberry-scented parchment paper - the same kind they used to pass notes in high school. These letters serve multiple purposes: they allow for uninterrupted expression, provide time for reflection, and create tangible memories they both cherish.
The evolution of their letter-writing mirrors their emotional growth. Early letters focus on shared grief and mutual support, gradually transforming into deeper explorations of their feelings, dreams, and fears. This communication method becomes symbolic of their unique bond - one that transcends typical friendship but remains undefined until they can both acknowledge their true feelings. Through their letters, they create a private world where vulnerability is safe and healing is possible, proving that sometimes the most profound connections are built on shared pain transformed into understanding.
Kapitel 5
Creative Passion and Professional Dreams
Daniella's journey as a fashion design student weaves intricately throughout the narrative, serving as both a personal quest and a metaphor for her emotional growth. Her struggle to complete her graduate school applications, particularly for the highly competitive Lazaro program-known for accepting only twelve students annually from thousands of applicants-mirrors her complex emotional journey with Levi. Just as she second-guesses her feelings in romance, she questions every creative decision in her professional pursuits, often redrafting her essays multiple times until the pages are worn thin with erasures.
Her advisor Ethan, a seasoned industry professional who's guided countless students to prestigious programs, suggests writing about her father's death for her application. He believes this personal tragedy could make her stand out among applicants. However, Daniella instinctively recoils from using such intimate pain as a stepping stone to success, feeling it would somehow cheapen both her grief and her artistic vision. This internal conflict reflects her larger struggle with authenticity versus expectations.
During a late-night subway ride, where the fluorescent lights cast shadows on their tired faces, Levi offers perspective that shifts her approach entirely. "Make it uniquely you," he tells her, explaining how the best designs, like the best stories, come from personal truth rather than trying to guess what others want. His words echo her own suppressed creative instincts, which she'd been ignoring in favor of safer, more conventional approaches.
This advice catalyzes a transformation in Daniella's application process. She crafts an essay that chronicles her journey through failure and resilience-starting with a painful memory of seventh grade, when classmates mocked her thrift store clothes, spurring her to create a Givenchy-inspired dress that earned her first recognition. She details designing prom dresses from her basement after rejection from a prestigious summer program, turning disappointment into determination. The narrative culminates with her most vulnerable piece: a gown embroidered with sonnets, created in the aftermath of seeing Levi kiss another girl at a party, transforming heartache into art.
The parallel between her creative awakening and emotional growth reaches its apex at her senior fashion exhibit. The event transforms the university's austere gallery into a celebration of color and texture. Wearing her signature creation-a clementine-colored dress with hand-stitched details that took over 200 hours to complete-she stands before the crowd. Surrounded by her support system, including Levi (now viewing her work with pride rather than just friendly encouragement), her mother (who helped hem countless prototypes), and friends who witnessed her journey, she walks the runway with newfound confidence. "My smile radiates brighter than a field of daisies," she describes, finally understanding that her worth extends beyond others' validation, whether in love or in art. The moment represents not just a fashion show, but a declaration of self-acceptance and artistic authenticity.
Kapitel 6
Hidden Meanings and Unspoken Words
Throughout their rekindled relationship, Levi and Daniella communicate through subtle gestures and meaningful gifts, creating layers of unspoken understanding between them. When he brings her daisies-her namesake flower-it carries significance beyond a simple bouquet. The flowers become a recurring symbol of his devotion, appearing at key moments in their story. "I'll buy you flowers every day for the rest of my life if it makes you this happy," he promises when she hugs him in gratitude, his voice carrying the weight of past regrets and future promises.
The title "Picking Daisies on Sundays" takes on deeper meaning when Daniella discovers it's also the title of Levi's published book of love poems. Though he initially keeps the book from her, his roommate Oliver cryptically suggests she'd "learn quite a few things" if she read it. The book becomes a physical manifestation of Levi's unexpressed feelings-something he's simultaneously proud of and afraid to share with her. Within its pages lie three years of longing, carefully crafted into verses that trace their separation and his enduring hope for reunion. Each poem becomes a timestamp of their time apart, revealing the depth of his continued connection to her.
Their communication extends to physical touch and proximity, creating moments charged with unspoken emotion. During a dance class for Sarah's wedding, the instructor demands they stand closer together, creating electric tension between them. Their bodies remember old rhythms as they move in sync, each touch carrying echoes of their shared past. When Daniella stumbles during a complicated turn, Levi's steadying hands linger longer than necessary, speaking volumes in their gentle pressure.
The emotional current between them surfaces in moments of vulnerability. When Daniella confesses her anxiety about not hearing from Lazaro after submitting her application, Levi's response reveals both his unwavering faith in her and his protective instincts. "You are incredible. They would be absolutely senseless not to want you," he declares with fierce conviction. Despite her resistance, he makes her say the words "I am incredible" out loud, helping her internalize her worth. His insistence comes from witnessing her doubt herself for too long, determined now to be the mirror that reflects her true value back to her.
Perhaps most telling is their game of questions played while cleaning up toys after a movie night with Levi's sisters. Each successful toss into a basket earns them the right to ask a question, turning a mundane task into an intimate exchange of truths. The questions start playfully but grow increasingly meaningful. When Levi asks what Daniella wants most in the world, she confesses she wants all-consuming love-to be truly wanted, noticed, and desired. Her answer hangs in the air between them, heavy with implication. The tension builds as they sit inches apart, both afraid to acknowledge that what they're seeking might be sitting right beside them, their shared silence filled with years of unspoken feelings and missed opportunities.
Kapitel 7
The Courage to Choose Love
The climactic moments of their story unfold against the backdrop of two significant events-an elegant engagement ball for Levi's sister Sarah and Daniella's acceptance to ESMOD Paris fashion school. At the ball, Levi finally expresses his admiration for Daniella, telling her she's "absolute sunshine and spring." Overwhelmed, she flees the ballroom, unable to believe his words are sincere.
When he follows her outside, she confesses her deepest insecurity: "I'm not beautiful, Vi." His face crumbles at her words, and he insists that people everywhere are infatuated by her, including himself. Their first real kiss follows-a transformative moment where Daniella realizes she's "madly, deeply, undeniably in love with him."
However, their moment is interrupted by news of Daniella's acceptance to the Paris program. The misunderstanding that follows-with Daniella believing Levi was only pretending for Bella's benefit-creates the final hurdle to their happiness. This miscommunication parallels their high school separation, when Daniella confessed her love at prom only to find Levi kissing someone else shortly after.
Resolution comes when Daniella writes an emotional letter confessing her feelings to Levi. When he appears at her door with the letter in hand, their final kiss is described with poetic intensity: "The sun lights in my heart as his lips meet mine... He tastes sweet, smells of cologne, and feels like an angelic piano melody." Their reunion represents not just romantic fulfillment but emotional healing for both characters.
The ultimate demonstration of love comes when Levi reveals he's moving to Paris with her. Having turned down The New York Times job for a teaching position in French literature at an American school in Paris, he explains, "Because when you find out the person you've been in love with for your entire life loves you back, you'll spend the rest of your life making up for lost time."
Kapitel 8
Finding Home in Each Other
The epilogue unfolds in the romantic backdrop of Paris, where Daniella and Levi have crafted their shared life together. While she immerses herself in the creative world of ESMOD fashion school, mastering the intricacies of design and pattern-making, Levi channels his passion for literature into teaching French classics at a local university. Their schedules, though demanding, interweave perfectly as they carve out precious moments to discover their adopted city together.
Their Parisian adventures become a tapestry of small, meaningful moments: sharing croissants at corner cafes, sketching designs in Luxembourg Gardens, and making weekly pilgrimages to the Eiffel Tower, which Daniella insists looks different every time - sometimes bold and dramatic, other times delicate and lace-like against the evening sky. Their small apartment in the 7th arrondissement becomes a gathering spot for visiting family and friends, filling their space with laughter, stories, and the comfort of familiar faces in a foreign land.
The depth of their relationship reveals itself through its evolution across time. "At sixteen, I fell in love with Levi for who he was-the boy who drove me home from work, twirled my hair in the cafeteria, and chased his sisters around during movie nights," Daniella reflects. "At twenty-two, I fell in love with him for how he made me feel-through light touches, stolen glances, and poetic compliments." This transformation speaks to the layers of their connection, each stage building upon the last, creating something richer and more complex.
Their journey from adolescent sweethearts to mature partners illustrates the different dimensions of love. What began as stolen moments in high school hallways and nervous first dates has blossomed into a partnership built on understanding, respect, and unwavering support. They've moved beyond picking daisies on Sundays-those ephemeral moments of young love-to nurturing a garden of shared dreams, mutual growth, and lasting commitment. Their relationship now encompasses both the excitement of new adventures and the comfort of deep familiarity.
The novel's final scene captures this evolution perfectly: Daniella, fresh from her fashion classes, running across the cobblestone street to leap into Levi's waiting arms. Her sketchbook tumbles forgotten to the ground as he catches her, both laughing in the golden Parisian light. This moment encapsulates their truth: home isn't found in the charming streets of Paris or the familiar corners of their hometown, but in each other's embrace-a place they've been gradually, inevitably moving toward all along. Their story concludes not with an ending, but with the promise of countless more chapters to come, each one written together in the language of shared dreams and mutual understanding.
Kapitel 9
The Power of Authentic Self-Expression
At its core, "Picking Daisies on Sundays" is about finding the courage to express your authentic self-whether through fashion design, poetry, or declarations of love. Daniella's journey from hiding her feelings to boldly pursuing both her professional dreams and her heart's desire mirrors the universal struggle to overcome fear of rejection. Throughout the narrative, we see her transformation unfold in subtle yet meaningful ways - from sketching designs in secret late at night to eventually sharing them with her closest friends, and finally with the world.
When she finally visits her father's grave on his birthday for the first time since his death, she deletes all her unsent email drafts to him and simply talks to him directly. This symbolic act represents her growth-she no longer needs to hide behind written words but can face her emotions directly. The scene is particularly poignant as she reads aloud the acceptance letter from Fashion Institute of Technology, sharing with him the dream they once discussed over Sunday morning pancakes. Though her grief doesn't disappear, she takes "the first step toward facing what I can't control," marking a crucial turning point in her emotional development.
The theme of authentic expression manifests in various relationships throughout the book. With her mother, Daniella learns to voice her true career aspirations rather than following the expected path to law school. In her friendship with Sarah, she gradually opens up about her father's death, sharing the pain she had bottled up for years. Even in smaller moments - like defending her use of sustainable fabrics to skeptical professors or standing up to her critical aunt at family gatherings - Daniella demonstrates growing confidence in her convictions.
Similarly, when she walks the runway at her senior exhibit, surrounded by everyone who loves her, her confidence radiates. The collection itself tells a story - each piece incorporating elements from her father's old ties and her mother's vintage dresses, creating something entirely new yet deeply personal. The shy girl who once hid her designs has become a woman who proudly displays her work and her heart. Like the daisies that symbolize her throughout the story - hardy flowers that push through concrete to bloom in unexpected places - she has finally bloomed into her full potential, nurtured by love, family support, and the courage to pursue her dreams.
In this way, Cincotti delivers a story that resonates beyond romance, touching on universal themes of grief, growth, and the transformative power of being truly seen and accepted by someone who loves you completely. The narrative suggests that authentic self-expression isn't just about speaking your truth - it's about living it, even when that path is difficult or unconventional.
