If you’re like me, you’ve most likely seen a TikTok or Pinterest board about a book titled Picking Daisies On Sundays. It was originally self-published by the author herself, Liana Cincotti, on Amazon until it got picked up by a publisher and is now sold in bookstores like Barnes & Noble.
I got this book less than a week ago as a birthday gift to myself, and I’m ten pages away from being done with it. It’s a really good book! Especially if you’re into cheesy romance novels that are closed-door and remind you of early 2000’s rom coms.
The story is about “a hopeless romantic finishing college who agrees to embark on a fake relationship with her childhood best friend, who, unfortunately for her, also happens to be her first love.” The main characters are the relatable hopeless romantic, Daniella Daisy Maria, and her childhood best friend, Levi Coldwell. There are also some amazing side characters, such as Dani’s friends, Jia and Gabe, and the story takes place in New York City.
I don’t want to spoil much, so here’s a quick summary. After bumping into Levi at a bar, Daniella is reminded of the feelings she had for her first love, but also of the heartbreak he caused her. However, she can never say no to him. And when he asks her to be his fake girlfriend for his sister’s wedding, she can’t refuse. But being around her first love almost every day is making it harder for her to suppress her past feelings. She doesn’t want to get hurt again, but what if things have changed? What if Levi feels the same way? To find out, you’ll have to read the book!
I’ll admit it was difficult for me to start because I was in a reading slump, but this book got me right out of it. I love this story so much! Daniella gives off the same vibes as those early 2000s rom-com protagonists where nothing goes their way, and they constantly embarrass themselves, but that’s what makes her such a relatable character.
I also thoroughly enjoyed how the books gave Levi’s character a lot of backstory that helps the reader understand him really well. Often in romance books, I feel that we only get to know the main character and not the love interest. So getting a more in-depth look on Levi made the overall story much more interesting.
While reading, I cringed, laughed, giggled, and even cried. I have never cried while reading a book before, but there is a part towards the end that was so sweet and wholesome, it actually brought me to tears.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was that it was set in New York, which added to the whole 2000’s rom-com theme. Additionally, Daniella’s friends in the books were such good side characters. They were great friends, and I loved the dialogue between Dani, Jia, and Gabe.
From what I’ve heard, if you love Lynn Painter’s books, especially Better than the Movies, you’ll enjoy this book too. This book has similar vibes to the movie and book series To All the Boys I Loved Before, by Jenny Han.
If you read this book and enjoy it, I also recommend reading The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther (one of my favorite books). Both books share
well-written love interests and great scenery.
Also, here’s something to keep in mind while reading the book: the short sentences that title each chapter are important later on…
In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s currently one of my favorite romance novels; it’s just so cute, cheesy, and sweet!
Enjoy reading!
Works Cited:
Cincotti, Liana. Picking Daisies on Sundays. Grand Central Publishing, 2026
“Picking Daisies on Sundays by Liana Cincotti.” Goodreads, 30 July 2023, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195440254-picking-daisies-on-sundays. Accessed 26 February 2026.
