This Bird Has Flown

This Bird Has Flown follows Jane Start, a thirty-three-year-old singer who’s been reduced to karaokeing her decade-old hit at a creepy Las Vegas bachelor party. The night spins wildly when she crosses paths with Alfie Lloyd, a gorgeous young pop star, and—on her flight to London—Tom Hardy, an Oxford literature professor who feels like a miracle in human form. Jane escapes to England with her best friend and manager, Pippa, hoping to write again, heal, and reclaim a life that isn’t defined by her cheating ex.

But Jane’s fresh start turns into a pressure cooker: tabloid attention, a secret invitation to perform with the enigmatic rock icon Jonesy at the Royal Albert Hall, and a romance with Tom that burns fast and deep. As Jane chases love and art, she’s forced to confront what she truly wants—fame, security, revenge, or authenticity—and what it costs when you build a future on secrets. The story crescendos into a career-defining stage moment where Jane must decide whether to be controlled by the industry—or fly free.

• Listeners who love witty, voice-driven romantic comedies with messy, real emotional stakes
• Music lovers curious about the pressure, glamour, and absurdity behind “one-hit wonder” fame
• Fans of stories about reinvention after betrayal—especially women reclaiming ambition and desire

Susanna Hoffs is a singer, songwriter, and cofounder of The Bangles, known for hit songs including “Manic Monday,” “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Hazy Shade of Winter,” and “Eternal Flame.” This Bird Has Flown is her debut novel.