Missed Connections A Novel

By: Aimie K. Runyan

Published by HarperCollins Focus, 2026-05-05

What if you had the chance to revisit every relationship that mattered?

Sabrina Sorensen is 37, single, and recently finished her tenure as the general manager of a posh Parisian restaurant. When her younger sister gets engaged at Christmas, it's an open door for her mother and siblings to prod Sabrina for her itinerate lifestyle and her inability to commit to any of her previous relationships. What they don't know is that Sabrina, after fifteen long years, has attained her goal of becoming a MICHELIN Guide Inspector. And due to the anonymity required to preserve the integrity of the ratings, they never will. After her mother's final clumsy attempt to fix her up with the charming "boy next door," Sabrina is more than ready to return to DC where she will begin her dream job.

She arrives at the airport, resolved to put the family conflict behind her and focus on her work, but now her mother's critical voice fills her with doubts. Sure, she attained the job she's always wanted, but at what cost? She's neglected not only romantic relationships but meaningful friendships as well. Once in her concourse, Sabrina's airline is hosting a "Spin the Wheel" game. Sabrina plays along, hoping for perhaps a free drink ticket or a bit of extra legroom. She lands on "Time Travel for NYE": the chance to fly to Tokyo, then back to Hawaii to experience the turning of the new year twice.

Once in the airport's lounge, the ticket agent offers her something far more unique: the opportunity to revisit each of her past relationships to answer the burning question: had any of these relationships been worth salvaging, or was she, as her mother accuses, too quick to cast these men aside? Spanning fifteen years and thousands of miles, Sabrina will have the rare opportunity to know for certain if all her choices had led her down the right path.