Cover Reveal: The Twenty Dates By Ko Porteous

I am very excited as we help to unveil the cover for The Twenty Dates, the upcoming novel from Ko Porteous.

The kids have left, assuming love endures. But can yours?

Book #2 in The Empty Nesters Series

Claire’s marriage is in (total!) crisis. Her husband, Mark, is distracted, presumptuous, and utterly clueless – smart scales for their 19th wedding anniversary? Really? Perhaps she’d be better off alone. At least there’d be less laundry.

When Claire suggests separating, Mark panics. He asks for one last chance: twenty dates, one for each year of their marriage, to prove they’re better off together than apart.

What follows is a series of adventures Claire never saw coming – some mortifying, some exhilarating, and some that make her question everything she thought she knew. About Mark. About marriage. And about the woman she’s quietly become while she wasn’t paying attention.

As the dates tick down, Claire must decide: is the spark still there – or has their marriage simply run its course?

OK, so now we know a little about the book, it’s time to reveal the cover. Are you ready? 

Drumroll…three…two…one…

Ta-dah! What do you think? Personally, I love it. I like the colour choices – bold, bright, brilliant.

The Twenty Dates is book two in The Empty Nesters series and is due to be released on 8^th October 2026 by All Ways Books. 

Click to pre-order on Amazon UK and Amazon US. I’ll race you over there. 

About Ko Porteous –

Ko Porteous lived in a tiny fishing village in the north of Scotland before moving to Edinburgh aged 10.   

Ko loves meeting people with interesting stories to tell and is constantly on the lookout for knotty story themes, particularly involving women navigating the messiness of mid-life. She has worked as a Research Chemist, Assistant Chef, Teacher and School Leader.   

As well as writing, Ko works as a Business Manager and a Funeral Celebrant.   

In her free time Ko loves to run, meditate and travel; preferably all on the same day.    

Ko has been married for 25 years, has 2 children of her own and is now navigating her own empty nest.   

The Twenty Dates is Ko’s second novel and the second book in ‘The Empty Nesters’ series.   

Say hello to Ko on Instagram and Facebook. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.