This Time Next Year

This Time Next Year is a 2020 romance novel by debut British author Sophie Cousens. The novel follows Minnie Cooper and Quinn Hamilton, who were born at the same hospital just after midnight on New Year’s Eve. Quinn, born just moments before Minnie, won a cash prize for being the first baby born in London, setting off Minnie’s series of unlucky birthdays. The two meet for the first time on their 30th birthday and begin an unlikely friendship and romance. This Time Next Year was a New York Times bestseller and was selected for Good Morning America’s book club. Cousens has since published two other romance novels, Before I Do and Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

This guide refers to the 2020 Kindle e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss miscarriage and mental illness, including depression and panic attacks.

Plot Summary

The novel opens with Minnie Cooper attending a New Year’s Eve party in 2019 at a club with her boyfriend, Greg. As part of Minnie’s usual bad luck on her birthday, a stranger vomits on her, and Minnie spends the rest of the night accidentally trapped in a bathroom. A man lets her out of the bathroom, and she learns that he is Quinn Hamilton—the boy born a minute before her in the same hospital in 1990. Quinn won a cash prize as London’s first baby of the decade, and Minnie’s parents decided not to name her “Quinn” as they had planned.

Their meeting is awkward and stilted, as the story of Minnie’s birth is a minor tragedy in her family, while Quinn is optimistic about his new decade. Flashback chapters show Minnie’s and Quinn’s mothers bonding in labor, only for Connie Cooper to wind up disappointed and bitter. Minnie returns home after the New Year’s Eve party to find that she is being evicted, and she sleeps through the rest of the day. A flashback chapter shows that Minnie spent a happier birthday in 2015 in India, planning her new pie business with her friend Leila Swain after a missed flight.

On January 2, Minnie arrives at work to learn that a coworker has burned that day’s pies and that the delivery van has been impounded. Minnie accidentally dials Quinn, and he shocks her by agreeing to help. A flashback chapter reveals that Quinn also spent his birthday in 2015 in India, where he and Minnie befriended the same stray dog.

Quinn and Minnie do the deliveries together when she refuses to drive his expensive car alone. He invites her to take the last pie to his mother, Tara, and Minnie reluctantly agrees. She discovers that she and Quinn grew up near each other, though his childhood home is far more lavish. Tara is horrified when she learns that Minnie’s mother has animosity toward her. The warm atmosphere is interrupted when Leila calls with bad business news. Minnie knocks over a lamp in her haste to leave, bringing on an anxiety episode for Tara.

Soon after, Minnie visits her parents and tells them she is moving back in. Her mother, Connie, is upset to hear that Minnie has met Quinn and Tara and is sharply critical of Minnie’s career setbacks. A flashback shows that Minnie was once fired by an abusive boss on her birthday.

Back in the present, Minnie delivers pies to new corporate clients, including Quinn’s consulting company. Minnie becomes furious when Quinn offers her business advice, and an angry Quinn orders her to leave. The narrative flashes back to an 11-year-old Quinn, alone on his birthday while his mother experiences a severe depressive episode.

Minnie spends the weekend with Leila and her boyfriend, Ian. When Leila leaves for a meeting, Ian explains that he plans to propose to Leila, but the pie business is a huge obstacle to Leila’s career goals and future happiness. Ian’s devotion to Leila makes an impact on Minnie, and she seriously considers his argument.

Greg refuses to help Minnie move out of her apartment, and Minnie, realizing she deserves a better partner, ends their relationship. In a flashback to 2003, Quinn kisses a mysterious blond girl at midnight, later revealed to be Minnie with dyed hair.

In the present, Minnie goes for a walk and winds up at Quinn’s office. The two have a friendly conversation about their recent breakups, partly because Quinn is drunk. Just as Quinn comes close to confessing the truth of his family situation, a woman arrives for a date with him. Torn by her feelings of attraction, Minnie leaves.

Leila tells Minnie that the recent increase in orders has not saved the business. They fight when Minnie says this is a sign to move on to a new career, and Leila storms out. In a flashback to New Year’s Eve 2010, Quinn’s first love ends in heartbreak at the restaurant Minnie was fired from. His girlfriend grew weary of constantly sharing his attention with his mother.

The return to the narrative present moves forward three months, with Minnie working a catering job and spending her free time swimming at London’s Hampstead Heath. Minnie meets Quinn there by chance. She enjoys their conversation and is excited when Quinn invites her to the zoo with him. Quinn explains his mother’s anxiety, depression, and agoraphobia. Minnie becomes upset when Quinn nearly kisses her but then insists that he cannot pursue a relationship with her. She calls Leila for support, and they renew their friendship.

Minnie, with help from her coworkers, stages an elaborate proposal for Ian and Leila. As they celebrate the couple’s engagement, Minnie’s mother calls her unexpectedly, saying Tara is with her and having a serious panic attack. Minnie goes to help her mother and learns that the two women have reconnected. Quinn arrives and explains to Minnie that he would like to be friends, and Minnie agrees.

For the next several weeks, Minnie and Quinn meet regularly at the ponds. Leila pushes Minnie to realize that she has fallen for Quinn. Minnie asks Quinn to help her move into her new apartment, and the two passionately kiss. Minnie’s parents interrupt them, and Quinn soon flees.

Weeks later, while Minnie is getting her hair done for Leila’s wedding, Connie summons Minnie to help Tara set up a blog. Minnie and Quinn awkwardly speak on the phone, and he explains that he is not emotionally capable of relationships. A flashback reveals that Quinn spent New Year’s Eve in 2019 realizing he needed therapy for his issues with intimacy.

In the present, Minnie’s parents help her finance a new business model for her pie company, and Minnie successfully pitches it to a corporate client. Minnie finds a letter from Quinn asking for another chance. Quinn confesses his love and his desire to be a real partner due to therapy. Minnie rejects him, saying she needs to focus on her new life. Months later, on December 30, Minnie saves Leila’s wedding from near disaster, and Leila tells her not to give up on Quinn.

Minnie calls Quinn on New Year’s Eve, asking him to see her. He asks her to attend a boat party with him and is upset when she hesitates due to her fears of bad luck. To prove her love, Minnie rushes around London on various modes of transport to meet him, missing him by minutes. She arrives home to find Quinn waiting for her, and they passionately kiss. Later, they have a picnic in the park, and the two kiss at midnight. Minnie makes a chance remark revealing that she is the girl Quinn met years before, cementing their happy ending.