Kiran Hargrave + Eli Rallo: Almost Life

Moderating this discussion is New York Times bestselling author and content creator, Eli Rallo. This event will be hosted in the Strand Book Store's 3rd floor Rare Book Room at 828 Broadway on 12th Street.

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Two young women meet in Paris one sultry summer in a decades-spanning tour de force about the enduring power of young love and the poignant heartbreak of missed chances—perfect for fans of One Day and Normal People.

Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet, the spark is undeniable, but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make…

Erica and Laure’s love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonizing changes—both personal and political—that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?
Beautifully capturing young love and all its complexities, Almost Life is a story of longing for the paths not taken, and the almost lives we live.

Photo credit: Tom de Freston

Kiran Millwood Hargrave is an award-winning, bestselling novelist. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize. Her debut novel for adults, The Mercies, was a New York Times Notable Book, USA Today Best Book of 2020, and won international awards including a Betty Trask Award and the Prix Rive Gauche à Paris.

Eli Rallo is a New York Times bestselling author and content creator who rose to prominence on TikTok in 2020 after sharing her family’s unconventional snack mix she coined “The Jarr.” Since then, more than 1.5 million people have joined her community for her unfiltered thoughts, ins-and-outs lists, and the big-sister commentary she brings to pop culture, relationships, the quarter-life crisis, and everything in between.

Raised in New Jersey, Eli has been a writer and performer since her suburban theater-kid days. She earned her BA from the University of Michigan in 2020—where she studied Playwriting, Creative Writing, and Political Science—before getting her Master’s in Journalism from Columbia University in 2021. She now splits her time between New York City and Houston with her fiancée.

Eli served as host of the E! News Creator Cam at the NYC Wicked: For Good premiere, has hosted panels for Reese’s Book Club, gave a TED Talk in 2022 about toxicity in and around social media, and is frequently asked to speak for college students and brands across the country. 

Her debut book, I Didn’t Know I Needed This, was published by Harvest (an imprint of HarperCollins) in December 2023. In October 2025, she published her sophomore essay collection, Does Anyone Else Feel This Way?, which became an instant New York Times bestseller––plus a fan favorite on social media. 

In January 2025, Eli launched Prose Hoes––a podcast, book club, and literary salon hosted on Patreon that blends monthly reads with curated playlists, food and wine pairings, journal prompts, themed discussions, and community events. In December 2025, she was named to Forbes’ 2026 30 Under 30 list, recognized by the publication as a “Gen Z Carrie Bradshaw.”

She’s currently working on her debut novel, I Hope Eden Reads This, a portrait of childhood female friendship and how it evolves, fractures, and competes with romantic love and the often overlooked grief in its aftermath. It is set to be released in 2027 with Grand Central Publishing (an imprint of Hachette).

When she isn’t writing or TikToking, you can find her doing Pilates, eating Chipotle, taking long existential walks, or belting out show tunes at piano bars in the Village.

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