Chicken House Press Ventures Into Spicy Romance with Mr. Tuesday by Marina L. Reed
Chicken House Press is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Marina L. Reed’s novel, Mr. Tuesday, slated for a Summer 2026 release.
In a bold step forward for the press, CHP is expanding its catalogue to embrace romance that celebrates women’s empowerment, authentic desire, and the transformative power of reclaiming your sensual self—at any age.
Mr. Tuesday follows Valerie Pert, a woman in her mid-forties who feels stuck. She's lost in work and kids and laundry and lunches. Her husband works late, a lot. She wants more. She needs more and she knows it. But where does she start? When a professional opportunity reunites her with her best friend Jen—and unexpectedly with an old flame who once made her feel powerful and alive—everything ignites. What begins as a work trip becomes an awakening as Valerie rediscovers not just passion, but her own agency, her own voice, and her own right to desire and be desired.
This isn’t a story about being rescued. This is a story about a woman choosing herself—and about the women who hold space for each other to do exactly that.
Reed writes with confidence and heat, delivering authentic emotional depth alongside the chemistry that will have readers fanning themselves. But beyond the spice, Mr. Tuesday asks important questions: What happens when we settle for less than we deserve? What does it mean to wake up after years of feeling asleep? And why shouldn’t women over forty be the heroines of their own steamy, transformative love stories?
At its heart, this is also a story about the power of women’s friendship. Valerie’s reconnection with her friend Jen becomes just as transformative as her reunion with her old flame. Jen sees her, supports her, encourages her to reclaim the parts of herself she’d buried—and champions Valerie’s bold choices without judgment. Reed understands that women’s empowerment isn’t just about romantic love; it’s about the friendships that remind us who we are and give us permission to become who we’re meant to be.
Early reader Julie Paul says, “It is incredibly sensual with high-heat, but it never loses its emotional core... it's steamy without feeling cheap. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a romance with substance.”
Marina L. Reed brings a wealth of experience to this story. As a journalist, educator, and artist who has lived and worked around the world, she understands the complexity of women’s lives and the courage it takes to choose authenticity over comfort. She is the author of multiple books and believes deeply in the power and magic of the written word—a belief that radiates through every page of Mr. Tuesday.
This is romance with guts and growth. It’s a story that refuses to diminish women’s sexuality as they age, that celebrates the wisdom and confidence that comes with experience, and that centres a woman’s journey to reclaim her own narrative. Valerie doesn’t just find love—she finds herself. And that’s what CHP is all about.
Mr. Tuesday will be the perfect beach read for Summer 2026. But it’s also a declaration that women’s desire doesn’t have an expiration date, that passion and empowerment go hand in hand, and that the most important love story is often the one we write for ourselves.
Watch for Mr. Tuesday in Summer 2026.
Want to be part of the launch? CHP is building a review team for Mr. Tuesday and we need early readers who appreciate romance that sizzles and empowers. If you’re ready for a story that celebrates women choosing themselves, sign up to join the review team and be among the first to help generate buzz for this groundbreaking addition to CHP's catalogue. Reviewers should be prepared to read in Spring 2026.
