I'm Excited to Share My New Book With You

Tomorrow, The Peculiar Party on Pineapple Court officially releases into the world, and I honestly don't know if I'm feeling more excited, grateful, or slightly terrified.

Probably all three.

This book has been living in my head (and in various stages of one-lined drafts, and hilarious concepts) for a long time. Like all stories, it began with a simple question: What if everyone in my neighborhood was in some secret swingers club?

(Don’t ask…)

Either way, what started as a premise that made me laugh quickly became something much deeper. At its heart, The Peculiar Party on Pineapple Court is a story about friendship, self-discovery, and learning that it's never too late to ask yourself what you actually want from life. As it turns out, this novel quickly became my version of therapy.

As millennials, many of us grew up with a checklist. Go to school. Build a career. Find a partner. Buy a house. Follow the plan.

But what happens when the plan doesn't fit?

What happens when you realize the life you've built isn't necessarily the life you chose?

Those questions became the emotional center of Pineapple Court.

Yes, this book is spicy. Yes, there are plenty of “pineapples”. Yes, the neighborhood is perhaps a little too friendly. But beneath the humor and heat is a story about two people trying to figure themselves out while navigating love, friendship, identity, and the expectations they've carried for years.

One of my favorite things about this book is the community that surrounds the main couple. While the central romance is between a man and a woman, Pineapple Court is home to a diverse cast of LGBTQ+ characters, including M/M, bisexual, and nonbinary representation. I wanted the neighborhood to feel vibrant, welcoming, and reflective of the many ways people experience love, connection, and belonging.

I also wanted to write a romance where love isn't about changing someone.

It's about creating space for them to become who they are.

That idea shows up throughout the book, but nowhere more than in the relationship between the main characters. Their journey isn't just about falling in love—it's about supporting one another through growth, uncertainty, and self-discovery.

Tomorrow, readers will finally get to visit Pineapple Court for themselves, and that feels both surreal and wonderful.

Whether you've been following this book from the beginning or you've only recently stumbled across my little pineapple-filled corner of the internet, thank you for being here. Every preorder, share, review, comment, message, and recommendation has helped bring this story to life.

I cannot wait for you to meet these characters, experience their journey, and discover what all those pineapples are really about.

Welcome to Pineapple Court.

With gratitude,

Penelope Knayme