Modern romance
Swipes, matches, read receipts and second chances — a clear-eyed look at how people search for love today.
The debut book from Cindy Meister
The Idea of You
In a world where an app can learn what you want before you do, what does it really mean to fall for someone? A story about love, loneliness and the algorithms in between.
A debut
The Ideaof You
About the book
Love, in the age of artificial intelligence
Dating has always been a leap of faith. But today, the person on the other side of the screen might be shaped by filters, prompts and suggestions — or might not be a person at all. The Idea of You explores what happens to romance when technology promises to give us exactly what we think we want.
Drawing on a lifetime of watching people fall in and out of love — and a front-row seat to how her own family and friends now meet, match and message — Cindy Meister asks a simple, unsettling question: when we can design the perfect partner, are we still falling for a person, or just for the idea of one?
- Genre: Contemporary · Relationships · Technology
- Format: Paperback & eBook
- Published: 2026
Artificial intelligence
What happens when the algorithm knows your type better than you do — and starts writing your messages for you?
Real connection
Beneath the technology, a story about the very human need to be seen, known and chosen.
“Can you fall in love with the idea of someone — and is that love any less real?” The question at the heart of The Idea of You
Get your copy
Where to buy
Available in paperback and eBook. Ask for it at your local bookstore or library, too!
Reader reactions
What readers are saying
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Meet the author
Hi, I’m Cindy.
Former attorney, proud mom of two daughters, grandmother, and a lifelong Chicagoland local.
After years of reading contracts, I finally got to write the story I’d been thinking about for a long time. The Idea of You grew out of watching the people I love try to find each other in a world full of apps, algorithms and AI — and wondering what all of it means for the heart.
Come say hi
Upcoming events
Book signings, readings, library talks and virtual visits.
New events coming soon
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For readers
Let’s keep the conversation going
The best part of writing a book is hearing what it sparks in the people who read it.
Book club guide
Discussion questions and tips for reading The Idea of You with your group.
Get the guide →Invite Cindy
Cindy loves joining book clubs in person around Chicagoland or by video call anywhere.
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Questions, thoughts, your own dating-app stories — every message is read by Cindy herself.
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