Two books by Jodie Benveniste displayed against a purple background. The first book titled "Never, Not Ever" with colorful illustrations and a woman on the cover. The second book titled "Everything's Absolutely Fine" with illustrations of people and objects on the cover.

MINDFUL ROMANCE

THE STORIES THAT FIND YOU - AND BRING YOU BACK TO YOURSELF

TWO FRIENDS, TWO UNFORGETTABLE STORIES - ONE JOURNEY TO DEEP SELF-TRUST

An illustration of a young woman with brown hair and a neutral expression, wearing a beige collared shirt, against a pink background.

MEET TILLY

She's been waiting her whole life for her dad to show up. She's also been pretending she hasn't.

Digital illustration of a woman with strawberry blonde hair, wearing a black top, against a purple background.

MEET ELIZA

She has a plan for everything. What she doesn't have is a plan for what happens when the plan falls apart.

DON’T GHOST YOUR HEART - HONOUR IT

A simple line drawing of a sitting cat with closed eyes, on an orange background.
Line drawing of a house with a porch, gabled roof, and chimney, set against a pink background.

CURE YOUR FICTION HANGOVER

Bridge that gap between the story world and your own inner world

BEGIN YOUR INNER-READ RITUAL

Discover something deeper within the story - and yourself

Simple black line drawing of a boat on water with a yellow background.

DEEPEN YOUR SELF-TRUST

Honour the beautiful complexity of becoming you

Book cover with illustrated portraits of a woman and a man, colorful background, and bold black text that reads "NEVER, NOT, EVER."

BOOK 01

NEVER, NOT EVER

A summer of secrets and second chances

Every year, Tilly dreams of the dad she’s never known showing up for her birthday. But he never does. When she wakes up on the morning of her sixteenth birthday dadless yet again, she knows it’ll never happen.

In fact, it’s her worst birthday ever because her grandmother died a few months ago, her mum is working again, and the boy she’s in love with—the ridiculously gorgeous Josh—refuses to break up with his drama-queen girlfriend and notice her instead.

Then Tilly’s dad does show up, shocking everyone, and she works out an awful truth: Her mum and her grandma lied to her. For sixteen years! Tilly is drowning in her family’s lies. Worse, these feelings for her neighbour Zack—these stupid, flustering, more-than-friends feelings she’s been trying to ignore—mean she’s also lying to herself.

Never, not ever… the story she expected

Book cover titled "Everything's Absolutely Fine" with colorful illustrated portraits and icons, including a woman's face, a house, a person holding a phone, and abstract geometric designs.

BOOK 02

EVERYTHING’S ABSOLUTELY FINE

When perfect plans are perfectly ruined

This is Eliza’s year.

She’s got a hot new situationship with gorgeous Seb, she’s primed to win the national debating championships (wiping out last year’s epic fail), and she’s finally, finally going to make her mum proud.

But then her domineering grandmother moves in. She’s taking over Eliza’s bedroom, making toxic judgements at the dinner table and giving her opinions on everything.

Worse, her sister Ivy is acting weird, Seb missed the memo about the perfect relationship, and then there’s Declan, an intriguing new debater who’s way too distracting.

With her social life in upheaval and a storm of family traumas brewing, Eliza struggles to keep it all from erupting, including the secret she’s been hiding from everyone—including herself.

Everything’s absolutely fine… until it’s not.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! (Yes, all caps shouting with glee and minimum five exclamation marks). Deep compassion. I’m so hungry for more.”

— Reader

Aww y’all this book was so endearing! I found myself falling in love with Tilly and rooting for her family. Such a heartfelt, coming of age story.

— Reader

“I just wanted to thank you for your book. My daughter hasn’t read all morning for a while now, but it’s almost lunchtime and she’s still going!!”

— Mum

This is a great read for older teens and adults who love a good family drama. I loved how carefully Jodie handled the hard things teenagers deal with. It was deep and sweet and makes you feel.

— Reader

“It was the perfect way to combine the students’ love of books with covert personal development conversations based on issues they can relate to.”

— High School Principal

Such an amazingly well written book- 10/10 recommend!

— Reader

Two books by Jodie Benveniste with colorful, grid-like cover designs, featuring illustrations of people, objects, and icons against a purple background.

WHAT MAKES THESE BOOKS DIFFERENT

YOUR STORY ADVANTAGE

Stories that are romantic and real. You’ll get lost in a great story - and then you’ll find a way back to your own

Open book with stars and sparkles emerging from it on purple background.

YOUR INNER-READ RITUAL

Get the exclusive Mindful Romance Ritual Pack - included with every order - to turn story-insight into Deep Self-Trust

A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing a pink dress, sitting in a black chair in a cozy room with bookshelves, a white brick wall, and green plants around her, smiling and holding a notebook and pen.

HELLO, I’M JODIE!

AUTHOR-PSYCHOLOGIST

I write Mindful Romance - stories for Gen Z and adult readers about family dramas, friendships, first love and the beautiful complexity of becoming who we are.

My work is informed by my background as a psychologist and a deep belief that most of us are carrying parts of ourselves that have never been fully heard - and that story is one of the safest ways to finally meet them.

I believe stories can be more than an escape - they can be a way back to ourselves.

My goal is to help you use your love of story to understand your own inner story better. That’s how we trade self-doubt for Deep Self-Trust.

Colorful grid with four quadrants; top left pink, top right orange, bottom left yellow, bottom right purple, featuring a medical-themed line drawing of a clipboard with a cross symbol and a medical syringe in the lower right quadrant.

CURE YOUR FICTION HANGOVER

Stop feeling emotionally stranded when the story ends.

Download your free Fiction Hangover Guide to learn the 4-step Inner-Read Ritual and bridge the gap between the story world and your own inner story.

Bonus: you’ll also be subscribed to Jodie’s Mindful Romantics Magazine on Substack