LOVE YOU MADLY by John McDonnell
2026 NEW WORKS WINNER
Jayne is a cautious, timid woman whose predictable life revolves around her son, Josh, and her long-term job at a stationery shop. Her routine is disrupted when she meets Douglas, an eccentric man who claims he is being stalked by his ex-girlfriend, Natasha. Despite her initial skepticism, Jayne is drawn into their drama when Natasha appears and accuses her of having an affair with Douglas. Though her son warns her to stay away, Jayne returns to the park and becomes increasingly entangled in Douglas's world of rotating personas and Natasha’s unpredictable threats. As the characters' lives collide in a climax of mutual declarations of love, Jayne finds herself torn between her desire for safety and her attraction to this newfound excitement. Ultimately, a final twist leaves Jayne with a newfound resolve to abandon her fears and embrace a life of risk, adventure, and love.