The Idea of You (2017) is Robinne Lee’s debut novel, which chronicles the passionate relationship between the female protagonist, Solène Marchand, and a younger man, Hayes Campbell. A “sleeper success,” Lee’s novel skyrocketed in sales and popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to advance in sales every year since its publication due to a prominent internet presence. Rumored to be inspired by former boy band member and current solo artist Harry Styles, The Idea of You taps into a fervent fanbase. In 2022, a film adaptation went into production with Anne Hathaway starring as protagonist Solène Marchand. The film is due for release in 2023.

The Idea of You draws on modern-day issues around female roles and identity, celebrity and privacy, sexual power and changing attitudes in the wake of the #MeToo movement, and age-gap relationships. The novel is divided into a series of chapters set in various—mostly glamorous—locations across the world, drawing on the aspirational aspects of modern celebrity, as well as revealing its darker side. These aspects come together to create the themes of Reality Versus Fantasy, Society’s Disregard for Aging Women, and The Complexities of Celebrity. The Idea of You belongs to the genre of romantic fiction. Characteristic of this genre, it combines humor and pathos to tell an emotional human story. The Idea of You is told in the first person in the voice of Solène.

This guide refers to the St. Martin’s Press e-book edition of The Idea of You.

Content Warning: This guide and the source text contain references to unwanted sexual comments and touching, sexual violence, and self-harm.

Plot Summary

When her ex-husband Daniel must go on a last-minute business trip, Solène Marchand, a 39-year-old single mother, must accompany her 12-year-old daughter Isabelle and her friends to an August Moon concert in Las Vegas. A popular boy band, August Moon features five British members. Solène meets 20-year-old Hayes Campbell, the band’s founder, lead singer, and songwriter. The two feel an instant chemistry and flirt heavily, despite Solène’s reservations due to their age gap.

Five days later, Solène reluctantly meets Hayes for lunch. They connect, and Hayes confides that his first sexual experience was with an older girl—the sister of his bandmate and best friend, Oliver Hoyt-Knight.

Two weeks later, Solène attends a work trip in New York and meets Hayes in his hotel room, where they kiss. They meet again later that night and have a sexual encounter, breaking Solène’s three-year celibacy streak since her divorce. When Solène panics over their age difference, Hayes comforts her and invites her to join him next month in the south of France.

The next month, Solène lies to her family and travels to France to see Hayes. Solène experiences the immense lack of privacy that comes with Hayes’s fame. After a day of yachting, they have passionate sex. When she returns to Los Angeles, Solène confides in her best friend and business partner Lulit Raphel about her relationship with Hayes. Lulit encourages Solène to continue enjoying sex with Hayes but warns her about the possibility of Hayes having multiple sexual partners.

Later that evening, Hayes promises to inform Solène if he sleeps with anyone besides her. The next morning, he accompanies Solène to work and purchases one of the pieces featured in her gallery. After visiting Isabelle at camp, Solène meets Hayes in New York. The pair travel to the Hamptons with Oliver and his girlfriend and enjoy a weekend of sex and their growing emotional connection. One day, Oliver enters their bedroom when Solène is alone and changing. Solène grows suspicious of Oliver’s intentions.

Back in Los Angeles, Solène’s ex-husband Daniel confronts her about rumors regarding Solène and Hayes; he warns about the damage they could inflict on Isabelle. Hayes attends an opening at Solène’s gallery and purchases a work of art that she loves. He has it delivered to her home, and the two have sex in front of the art without a condom, which signifies Solène’s growing trust.

In Chapter 8, Solène travels to Paris to attend an art fair and celebrate her birthday with Hayes. On the trip, Hayes demonstrates a newfound knowledge of art and expresses his growing love for Solène. While Solène continues to struggle with the publicization of their relationship in the press, the trip ends with Hayes referring to himself as Solène’s boyfriend and gifting her a diamond bracelet.

Hayes makes plans to rent a home with Solène in Los Angeles. They argue when Solène must keep Isabelle due to a last-minute business trip. Hayes takes Solène to dinner while Isabelle remains at home. Upon seeing Hayes and Solène kiss in the driveway, Isabelle angrily confronts her mother and does not speak to her for a week. To help, Hayes speaks to Isabelle and invites her and her friends to the premiere of the August Moon documentary in New York.

Solène meets Hayes for the weekend in Miami. After encountering two of Hayes’s former sexual partners, Solène struggles to trust Hayes. Solène learns that her relationship with Hayes has been written about on a gossip site. Solène attempts to end the relationship due to the pressures of Hayes’s fame. He refuses and declares his commitment to her.

Solène and Isabelle travel to New York for the premiere of an August Moon documentary. At the after party, Hayes kisses Solène publicly. Oliver continues to make advances toward Solène. Hayes introduces Solène to his parents and warns her that the new publicity surrounding their relationship will lead to an influx of criticism from his fans. After the premiere, Solène struggles to follow Hayes’s advice and not read the comments about their relationship. Isabelle alerts Solène of a video on the Internet of her and Solène with Hayes in New York.

For Christmas, Solène and Isabelle travel to Boston to see Solène’s parents. Solène confides in her mother about the relationship before traveling to Anguilla to meet Hayes. Hayes confesses his love for Solène and brings up the possibility of having a child; however, Solène wants to prioritize her work. Later, they learn that photos of them engaging in oral sex on their boat have been released to the public.

Ashamed, Solène returns home. Isabelle is anguished over the photos and regularly undergoes teasing from her peers from that point forward. For Hayes’s birthday, Solène and Hayes travel to Aspen. Solène finally confesses her love for Hayes. In Chapter 14, Hayes returns to attend the Grammys, as August Moon has been nominated for two awards. Early in the morning, Solène discovers a distressed 16-year-old girl in the hallway after having sex with one of Hayes’s bandmates. Hayes and the band leave for their tour in South America.

While August Moon tours South America, Solène grapples with an influx of harassment at the gallery and at her home. She receives multiple death threats and mysterious packages in the mail filled with sex toys and warnings to leave Hayes. Solène searches for her name on the Internet and discovers multiple hate pages dedicated to her. She flies to Argentina to join Hayes on tour. Oliver continues to act suspiciously, and Solène confides in Hayes. Minutes before they are to perform on stage in Brazil, Oliver and Hayes fight over Hayes’s past sexual relationship with Oliver’s sister. When Hayes alludes to Oliver’s possible attraction to Hayes, Oliver fractures Hayes’s nose.

Solène travels to New York for business. After losing a prospective artist due to her newfound reputation, Solène breaks. She decides to end her relationship with Hayes. Hayes begs her to wait until she travels to Japan for a visit.

Solène travels to Japan in Chapter 16 and undergoes continued harassment from crowds of fans. On the last day of her trip, Solène ends their relationship. In the last chapter, Solène nurses her heartbreak at home. Isabelle comforts her mother, who encourages Isabelle to maintain an open heart for love. Without notice, Hayes arrives at Solène’s home later that evening. They have sex. When Hayes informs Solène that he has quit the band for her, Solène chooses to end the relationship again to free Hayes from the limitations inflicted on their relationship by their age difference and her responsibilities as a mother. He reluctantly leaves and attempts to contact Solène for months, but she refuses to respond and continues to love him from a distance.