Sometimes the only way forward is to let go of the past.
Iris can’t let go, Jack can’t hold on—but when Iris is tasked with writing Jack’s story, will they find a happy ending of their own?
Journalist Iris Cooke thrives on crafting feel-good stories, but her latest assignment is anything but easy. She must profile Jack Jones, a billionaire with a reputation as a grump, whose dream of owning Strawberry House has been crushed by the owners’ refusal to sell.
Forced to spend time together, Iris and Jack clash at every turn—until they meet Peggy, a 79-year-old force of nature who changes everything. As Peggy pushes them to confront their own grief and fears, Iris and Jack begin to wonder if love is worth the risk after all.
Set in the heartwarming Strawberry Village, Do We Really Have To Do this? is a story of love, loss, and the courage to start again.
“Ellie Barker is fast becoming one of my very favourite authors!”
— Amazon review
Why I wrote this book:
It was while at work as a television journalist (at ITV News West Country) I came up with the idea of Iris. I could see her so vividly with her bright colours and stripy socks – and a wonderful wish that every story she covered would have a happy ending.
I know the reality of my job – sometimes we see the most miraculous things happen to wonderful people, but often we see the most unfair, almost unthinkable and tragic outcomes. I could empathise with Iris – she just wanted the best for everyone, but then I began to wonder what had happened to Iris to make the thought of writing the straight truth so unbearable?
What if she met someone just like her? Someone who was also struggling and striving but who was the exact opposite too. When Iris meets Jack Jones he is rich, successful – according to the modern world’s definition but he is more miserable and irritable than he has ever been.
The two of them are lost, they don’t like each other but they have to spend the next three months together. They need something, someone to give them perspective. We all know life is too short to keep chasing something which isn’t there, but somehow we do it anyway.
We all need someone to remind us nothing lasts forever, so when Iris and Jack meet Peggy she shows them just that. She reminds them love, joy and hope is still there, if we can just find the courage and love to face the painful grief that’s holding us back.