Pownal Street Press is thrilled to announce Sugar Shack’s inaugural title: Forever is the Sweetest Con by Joanna Thurlow, releasing in June 2026.
Love wasn’t supposed to be part of the plan—neither was survival.
Clever, intoxicating, and filled with crackling chemistry, Forever Is the Sweetest Con explores what happens when survival, ambition, and attraction collide. Cleo has made a career out of faking it, until a mysterious offer lands her on a reality-TV set where the line between truth and performance blurs in dangerously seductive ways. Equal parts suspense and slow-burn romance, it’s twisty, sharp, and utterly addictive — a love story wrapped in a con you’ll never see coming.
Kristin Wollett, author of As a Last Resort
Cleo Des Rochelles doesn’t believe in love—not after being swindled by her ex and left to repay his debts or risk losing her home and her mother’s safety. Desperate for cash, she signs up for Camp Couple-Up, a reality dating show with a $250k prize.
But instead of a glamorous retreat, Cleo finds herself in the wilds of Canada’s Northern Ontario, scrubbing toilets and faking romance with Kei, a charming musician with lofty dreams of stardom. Their pact is simple: play pretend, win big, and never catch feelings.
Then the crew vanishes. With no food, no phones, and no refill of Kei’s insulin, the stakes skyrocket from love and money to sheer survival. As danger closes in, Cleo discovers a strength she never knew she had—and a love too real to fake.
Forever is the Sweetest Con
9781998129805
$24.95 CAD| Paperback
Release Date: June 1, 2026
About the Author
Joanna Thurlow is a writer & editor, yoga teacher, and professionally trained baker who proudly claims to make the world’s best chocolate chip cookies. Over the past two decades, she has taught yoga with @modoyoga, owned several studios, and lived in five different countries while completing her MA in Spanish. A lover of books, sunsets at the family cottage, and “pie-in-a-bathing-suit” season, Joanna is happiest with her husband, their two children, and the dog she never expected to adore. This is her debut novel. Find her online at www.joannathurlow.com.
Sugar Shack Books is the new traditional published romance imprint of Pownal Street Press. Sugar Shack Books is a natural extension of Pownal Street Press’s mission to uplift brave stories and build connection through storytelling. With Sugar Shack, that mission comes to life through contemporary romance: stories that center belonging, care, and place—woven with wit, warmth, and hope.