Picking Daisies on Sundays Summary, Characters and Themes
Picking Daisies on Sundays by Liana Cincotti is a heartwarming, emotionally rich contemporary romance that explores love, personal growth, and second chances.
Set in New York City and peppered with nostalgic returns to the past, the story follows Daniella “Dani” as she unexpectedly reunites with her high school best friend—and long-time crush—Levi Coldwell. What begins as a fake-dating scheme to help Levi impress his ex’s mother quickly unravels into something deeper and more vulnerable. Told with humor, heart, and a dash of chaos, the book is about rediscovering not just love, but the version of yourself you left behind.
Summary
Daniella “Dani” lives in New York City, surrounded by a loyal friend group and driven by her passion for fashion design. Her life gets a dramatic twist when she runs into Levi Coldwell, her childhood best friend and the boy who broke her heart after high school. It’s been four years since they’ve spoken, but Levi re-enters her life with a strange request—he needs her to pretend to be his girlfriend.
He’s trying to land a job, and impressing his ex-girlfriend Bella’s influential mother is part of the deal. Reluctantly, Dani agrees, thinking she can handle a little playacting. But nothing is ever simple when old feelings resurface.
Thrown into a whirlwind of pre-wedding events for Levi’s sister Sarah, Dani finds herself once again entangled in the Coldwell family—particularly his twin sisters Claire and Rhea, who remember her with open arms. Between softball games, brunches, dress fittings, and emotionally-charged dance floors, Dani and Levi start to rekindle their friendship.
Moments that were supposed to be fake begin to feel dangerously real. Levi starts revealing pieces of his past—the pain of losing his father, his regrets about how they drifted apart, and the fact that he might never have stopped thinking about her.
Bella, Levi’s ex, isn’t pleased with the arrangement and tries multiple times to expose their fake relationship, but Levi consistently chooses Dani. As Levi and Dani spend more time together, the lines blur completely.
Levi confesses he never got over her. They share a kiss, but Dani, afraid of being hurt again, pulls away.
Dani seeks clarity in her own world—pouring herself into her final design project for school. Her creative block fades as her designs become more romantic, mirroring her emotional journey.
Levi, trying to win her trust, surprises her by organizing a showcase event for her collection at a flower shop—one of her dream locations. Slowly, Dani begins to believe in him again.
Eventually, they drop the charade and officially become a couple. The transformation is gentle, but meaningful.
At Sarah’s wedding, Levi openly declares his love for Dani in front of everyone, silencing any remaining doubt—including Bella’s. The couple dances under fairy lights and childhood memories, both recognizing how much they’ve changed and how much they still mean to each other.
Just when everything seems to align, Dani is offered a dream internship in Paris. It’s everything she’s worked for—but it could mean losing Levi. They face the reality of long-distance with bittersweet maturity. Dani decides to go, believing she shouldn’t have to choose between love and ambition.
They part with promises and letters, trying to make space for both dreams and each other.
In Paris, Dani grows even more into herself, writing Levi often and finding success in her internship. Back in New York, Levi starts writing a novel inspired by her—a symbol of how deeply she’s shaped his life.
The epilogue finds Dani back in New York, four months later. At the flower shop where it all began, Levi is waiting with a chapter of his novel and a question—will she move in with him?
It’s not a grand gesture. It’s tender, honest, and full of promise. For the first time, Dani sees her past, present, and future all in one place—with Levi standing at the center.
Characters
Daniella (Dani)
Dani is a complex and multi-layered character who embarks on a personal and emotional journey throughout the novel. She starts the story as a loyal and creative friend, helping others in their personal predicaments.
Initially, Dani’s life is marked by her involvement in a fake relationship with Levi, driven by her past feelings and her desire to support him. However, as the story progresses, her inner struggles surface. Her vulnerability becomes more evident as she navigates her feelings for Levi, which have never fully dissipated.
Dani is a character filled with emotional depth, torn between her professional aspirations and her unresolved romantic emotions. Her growth is symbolized by her development in the fashion world, as she learns to embrace both her creative talents and the complexities of love and relationships.
By the end of the book, Dani has reconciled her past and future, finding both personal fulfillment and romantic happiness.
Levi Coldwell
Levi is a charming and somewhat mysterious figure whose feelings for Dani evolve throughout the story. At the beginning, he seems to use Dani for a fake relationship, driven by his need to convince his ex, Bella, of his commitment.
However, as the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that Levi’s feelings for Dani are much deeper than initially presented. Levi struggles with past regrets and guilt, particularly over his rejection of Dani after high school. He harbors deep feelings of affection for her, and as they spend more time together, these emotions resurface.
Levi’s vulnerability is revealed through his past struggles, including the loss of his father and his fear of timing and rejection. He is depicted as a man of complexity—charming and emotionally distant at first, but ultimately sincere in his love for Dani.
His emotional evolution throughout the story marks his transformation from someone unsure of his feelings into a man ready to commit and build a future with Dani.
Jia
Jia is Dani’s close friend and confidante, offering emotional support and guidance throughout the narrative. She is pragmatic and protective, always looking out for Dani’s well-being, particularly when it comes to her complicated feelings for Levi.
Jia’s role as a friend is crucial in helping Dani make sense of her emotional turmoil, often encouraging her to be honest with herself. Though Jia’s storyline remains secondary to Dani and Levi’s romance, she serves as an essential voice of reason, providing balance and perspective during Dani’s more emotionally-driven moments.
Gabe
Gabe, like Jia, is part of Dani’s tight-knit friend group. He offers comic relief and support to Dani, particularly in the early chapters where he plays a role in helping her escape awkward situations.
While Gabe is less central to the romance, he helps to ground the narrative, providing a sense of familiarity and continuity for Dani. His presence represents stability and loyalty, as he remains a steady source of emotional support for Dani throughout the ups and downs of her relationship with Levi.
Bella
Bella is Levi’s ex-girlfriend and serves as a primary antagonist throughout the story. Her jealousy and territorial nature drive much of the tension between her, Dani, and Levi.
Bella’s insecurity is evident in her repeated attempts to undermine Dani, especially as Levi and Dani’s fake relationship begins to blur into something more real. Her role is pivotal in pushing Levi to confront his feelings for Dani and ultimately make a decision about what he truly wants.
Bella’s character acts as a foil to Dani, highlighting the contrast between Dani’s authenticity and Bella’s manipulative nature.
Rhea and Claire
Levi’s twin sisters, Rhea and Claire, represent warmth, familiarity, and support for Dani as she reconnects with Levi. They embrace her as part of the family, and their bond with her strengthens as they reminisce about their shared past.
Rhea and Claire add a layer of emotional depth to Levi’s character, as they are a reminder of his upbringing and the close-knit environment in which he grew up. Their loyalty to Dani and their gentle encouragement for the relationship to turn real make them key figures in Dani’s emotional journey.
Sarah
Sarah, Levi’s sister, plays a supporting yet emotionally significant role. As the bride-to-be, she offers Dani a sense of camaraderie, especially as Dani navigates the complexities of her relationship with Levi.
Sarah’s own fears about marriage provide a contrast to Dani’s concerns about love, helping Dani realize that vulnerability and fear are part of every significant relationship. Through Sarah, Dani gains insight into what it truly means to love and be loved, beyond the constraints of pretense.
Themes
The Exploration of Love, Regret, and Redemption
Picking Daisies on Sundays is the exploration of love, regret, and redemption. The protagonist, Dani, is caught between her feelings for Levi and the complications that arise from their shared past.
As the story unfolds, we see Dani navigating through the complexities of revisiting a past love while struggling to separate her emotional attachment from the performative aspects of their fake relationship. Levi’s return into her life is not just a rekindling of romance but also a reflection on the mistakes made and the opportunity for redemption.
Both characters, particularly Levi, face the weight of their past decisions and the emotional scars left by time apart. This theme is continuously explored as Dani and Levi try to reconcile the love they once had with their need for personal growth.
Their journey is a reminder that redemption often requires vulnerability, forgiveness, and the courage to face one’s past, even when it seems daunting.
The Intersection of Career, Identity, and Personal Desire
Another complex theme in the novel revolves around the struggle between career aspirations and the desire to maintain meaningful relationships. Dani is a young woman at the crossroads of her professional dreams and her personal life, particularly as her relationship with Levi intensifies.
Her passion for fashion design is more than just a career choice—it is deeply intertwined with her identity and how she views her future. The tension arises when she is offered a prestigious internship in Paris, forcing her to confront the possibility of sacrificing her dream for love or navigating a long-distance relationship with Levi.
The challenge of balancing personal desire with the pursuit of career ambitions is a central aspect of Dani’s emotional journey. The novel underscores the difficult decisions that come with balancing these two aspects of life, ultimately demonstrating that it is possible to pursue both, but it requires compromise, understanding, and a sense of self-awareness.
The Role of Family and Friendship in Shaping the Self
The theme of how family and friendships shape personal identity and choices is intricately woven throughout the narrative. Dani’s relationship with Levi is not solely about the two of them; it is deeply affected by the presence of their families and friends.
From the outset, Dani’s connection to Levi is complicated by his ex, Bella, and the role of his family in their lives. Yet, the family dynamics between Levi, his sisters, and his mother provide a lens through which Dani’s own relationship with her family is examined.
Levi’s sisters, particularly, offer support and subtle encouragement, reminding Dani of the familiar bond they share from their past. Similarly, Dani’s friendship with Jia is a pillar of emotional support throughout the novel.
Jia serves as the voice of reason, offering guidance and insight into Dani’s tangled emotions. The theme illustrates that the people closest to us—whether by blood or choice—play an integral role in shaping our perceptions of ourselves and the decisions we make in our romantic lives.
It is through these external relationships that Dani gains clarity on her own desires, ultimately helping her navigate the complexities of love, career, and personal growth.
The Thin Line Between Pretense and Reality
A central theme in Picking Daisies on Sundays is the concept of fake relationships and the blurred line between pretense and genuine connection. What begins as a charade between Dani and Levi—where they pretend to be in a relationship for the sake of convenience—slowly morphs into something far more complicated.
As their emotional bond deepens, Dani struggles to differentiate between what’s real and what’s simply a product of their shared history and the need to maintain appearances. This theme is exemplified in the constant tug-of-war between Dani’s fear of getting hurt and the undeniable pull of their reawakened feelings.
The novel delves into how the artificial aspects of a relationship can inadvertently lead to genuine emotions, raising questions about the authenticity of love and the circumstances that allow it to thrive.
The development of Dani and Levi’s relationship serves as an exploration of how boundaries can be blurred and how, at times, love arises in the most unexpected and seemingly contrived situations. It highlights the vulnerability that comes with opening oneself up to another person, even in a context that started as an illusion.
The Transformation of Self From Past Memories to Future Possibilities
Another theme that resonates throughout the story is the transformation of self as characters evolve from who they were to who they hope to become. For Dani, her journey is not just about reconciling with Levi, but also about rediscovering her passion and purpose in life.
Early in the novel, Dani is portrayed as someone caught between nostalgia and uncertainty, unable to fully step into the future due to her unresolved feelings for Levi. However, as the story progresses, Dani begins to find her own footing.
Her growth is marked by her dedication to her fashion design career, her deeper understanding of her personal desires, and her willingness to embrace vulnerability in her relationship with Levi.
The transformation is symbolized through her capstone project, which evolves from a simple design into a deeply personal expression of her own emotional journey. This theme underscores the idea that the process of becoming is rarely linear, and that growth often requires letting go of past hurts while stepping into new and uncertain possibilities.
The novel suggests that true transformation comes when we embrace both our past and future, merging them into a coherent narrative that defines who we are becoming.