Josie Lloyd Emlyn Rees Background That Changes Everything
- 01. Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees: The Collaborative Powerhouse Behind Come Together
- 02. Early life and individual careers
- 03. How Lloyd and Rees began collaborating
- 04. Key books and collaborative projects
- 05. Pen names and cross-genre experimentation
- 06. Current projects and latest releases
- 07. Residence, family, and public persona
- 08. Commercial performance and international reach
- 09. Timeline and milestones
- 10. Comparative profile: Josie vs Emlyn
- 11. Frequent questions about Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees
Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees: The Collaborative Powerhouse Behind Come Together
Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees are British authors who have co-written multiple bestselling novels and parodies, most notably the Sunday Times number-one hit "Come Together," which has been translated into at least 26-27 languages and adapted into a film by Working Title. Both writers live in Brighton with their three daughters and a dog, and they have worked together professionally for more than two decades, blending romantic comedy, crime fiction, and satirical parody books under multiple pen names.
Early life and individual careers
Josie Lloyd grew up in Essex and later studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths' College, graduating with an honours degree. After a brief stint training traders in the City and working in the sales-promotion industry, she left that world to waitress and freelance while writing her first novel, "It Could Be You," published in 1997. That debut marked the start of a run of more than twenty novels under her own name and various aliases, including later hits such as "The Cancer Ladies' Running Club" and "Lifesaving for Beginners."
Emlyn Rees, by contrast, built a parallel career as a novelist, editor, and ghostwriter, with a particular focus on crime fiction. He has authored, at minimum, eleven novels and has worked as a commissioning crime-fiction editor and copywriter, which has helped inform his tightly structured plotting in both standalone thrillers and co-written rom-coms. His early professional experience in publishing and editing gave him a strong sense of market-ready pacing, something that later proved crucial when he and Josie Lloyd began collaborating on commercial fiction.
How Lloyd and Rees began collaborating
Josie and Emlyn first met when he was working as an assistant at the literary agency that represented her; they bonded over a shared love of storytelling and a somewhat irreverent sense of humour. They famously started "Come Together" as an experimental back-and-forth exercise: Emlyn wrote a chapter from a male teenage perspective, then Josie responded from the female point of view, and the pattern continued until they had a full manuscript.
Published in the mid-1990s, "Come Together" became a Sunday Times number-one bestseller and remained at the top of the charts for roughly 10 weeks, a strong performance for a debut co-written novel. It has since been translated into all of 26-27 languages and adapted into a film, which has kept the book in print and introduced new generations of readers to the Lloyd-Rees partnership.
Key books and collaborative projects
After the success of "Come Together," Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees went on to co-write a further six bestselling romantic comedies, all released in the UK market and collectively building their reputation as a trusted commercial writing duo. Their joint back-catalogue includes titles such as "Platinum," "A Twist of Fate," "The Teenager Who Came to Tea," and "We're Going on a Bar Hunt," among others, spanning formats from mainstream fiction to illustrated parodies.
In addition to their mainstream novels, the pair have written several popular parody books that riff on classic children's stories, such as "We're Going on a Bar Hunt" and "The Very Hungover Caterpillar." These parodies have become international bestsellers in their own right, often repackaged for adult audiences and used in promotional campaigns by major retailers, which has helped sustain their visibility beyond the traditional print-fiction market.
Pen names and cross-genre experimentation
Josie Lloyd has also published under the alias Joanna Rees, adding to her already extensive catalogue of more than 20 novels across genres including romance, women's fiction, and cosy crime. This flexible use of pen names has allowed her to separate different strands of her work-such as the rom-com series with Emlyn from her more recent, standalone women's fiction titles like "Miss Beeton's Murder Agency."
Sample titles and formats from their joint and individual work include everything from light-hearted self-help parodies ("Switch It Off!") to emotionally driven contemporary women's fiction ("The Cancer Ladies' Running Club"). Over time, their readership has broadened from the teen-oriented audience of "Come Together" to include adult women who read women's fiction and readers who enjoy clever, irreverent humour in the parody line.
Current projects and latest releases
One of their most recent joint novels is "You & Me & You & Me & You & Me," a 2026 time-bending romance-drama about a long-married couple whose life unravels after they discover a mysterious box of old mixtapes. The book was published by Penguin UK and Penguin US, signalling its status as a major international title, and reviewers have highlighted its blend of emotional realism and playful structure.
Separately, Josie has continued to expand her portfolio with projects such as a podcast called "Show Us Your Bits," which explores the personal stories behind jewellery and keepsakes, and a new cosy crime series that began with "Miss Beeton's Murder Agency." Emlyn, meanwhile, remains active as a teacher and mentor in creative-writing workshops, frequently appearing at festivals and university events to discuss both his crime fiction and collaborative writing process.
Residence, family, and public persona
Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees live by the sea in Brighton, England, with their three daughters and a dog, a domestic setting that often echoes the family-centred worlds of their fiction. In interviews, Josie has described how their shared household life-rushed mornings, school runs, and evening walks by the sea-often feeds directly into the domestic realism and everyday tensions in their joint novels.
Emlyn's public profile includes a fondness for quirky hobbies such as "marauding" across the countryside with the family dog and entering local chilli-eating contests, which publishers frequently highlight in author bios to emphasise a relatable, slightly eccentric persona. Josie, in contrast, often positions herself as a warm, empathetic voice for readers navigating life crises, particularly in books like "The Cancer Ladies' Running Club," which draws on her own experiences with breast cancer.
Commercial performance and international reach
Together, Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees have sold millions of copies worldwide, with their co-written works alone appearing in at least 26-27 languages across more than 30 territories. Industry estimates suggest that the "Come Together" franchise-book, sequel novels, and film-has generated well over 10 million units in print and licensed formats when factoring in re-issues and foreign editions.
Their parody books, although lower-page-count titles, have achieved unusually strong repeat sales in gift and novelty categories, with some retailers reporting that "We're Going on a Bar Hunt" remains a top-selling item in the adult humour section for more than a decade. This durability across formats has made the Lloyd-Rees duo a case study in how hybrid authors can span mass-market fiction, niche humour, and transmedia adaptations.
Timeline and milestones
Here is a simplified timeline of key milestones in the Josie Lloyd-Emlyn Rees partnership:
- 1997: Josie Lloyd publishes her first novel, "It Could Be You," under her own name.
- Mid-1990s: Josie and Emlyn meet at the literary agency where he works as an assistant; they begin work on "Come Together."
- 1997-1998: "Come Together" is published, climbs to the top of the Sunday Times bestseller list, and stays at number one for about 10 weeks.
- Late 1990s-early 2000s: The couple co-write five to six additional romantic comedies, expanding their presence in the UK fiction market.
- 2000s-2010s: They launch a series of adult parody books under joint bylines, including "We're Going on a Bar Hunt" and "The Very Hungover Caterpillar."
- 2010s-2020s: Josie begins publishing women's fiction and cosy crime titles under her own name and as Joanna Rees, while Emlyn continues writing thrillers and editing projects.
- 2026: "You & Me & You & Me & You & Me" is published by Penguin in the UK and US, marking their latest major co-written release.
Comparative profile: Josie vs Emlyn
The following table summarises how the two authors' careers diverge while still overlapping in key areas.
| Attribute | Josie Lloyd | Emlyn Rees |
|---|---|---|
| First published novel | "It Could Be You," 1997 | Early 1990s-mid-1990s crime-focused fiction (exact debut title not specified) |
| Primary genres | Rom-com, women's fiction, cosy crime | Crime fiction, thrillers, co-written rom-coms |
| Notable pen names | Joanna Rees, Jo Rees | Mainly writes under his own name |
| Languages of publication | At least 26-27 languages across all titles | Same; often shared via joint books |
| Key collaborative books | "Come Together," "You & Me & You & Me & You & Me," various parodies | Same core titles as co-author |
| Other professional roles | Podcast host, public speaker on women's fiction | Commissioning editor, ghostwriter, creative-writing tutor |
Frequent questions about Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees
Expert answers to Josie Lloyd Emlyn Rees Background That Changes Everything queries
Who are Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees?
Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees are British authors and husband-and-wife collaborators best known for the Sunday Times number-one bestseller "Come Together," which they co-wrote in the late 1990s. Over the past 25 years, they have published more than 20 joint and individual titles across romantic comedy, women's fiction, and parody formats, all of which have been released in multiple languages.
How did Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees start writing together?
The pair began collaborating when Emlyn was working as an assistant at the literary agency that represented Josie; they decided to experiment with alternating chapters from male and female perspectives, which eventually became "Come Together." This back-and-forth method proved effective enough that they went on to use a similar collaborative process for several sequels and other co-written novels.
What are their most famous books?
Their best-known work is "Come Together," a teenage romance that became a Sunday Times bestseller and was adapted into a Working Title film. Among their most popular parodies are "We're Going on a Bar Hunt" and "The Very Hungover Caterpillar," which have become bestsellers in the adult-humour category.
Do Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees live together?
Yes; Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees live by the sea in Brighton, England, with their three daughters and a dog. Their coastal lifestyle and family life frequently inform the domestic settings and emotional arcs of their co-written novels.
How many books have they written together?
Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees have co-authored at least seven major novels, including "Come Together" and six subsequent romantic comedies, plus several parody titles and activity books such as "Switch It Off!" In total, their joint and individual works amount to more than 20 books across fiction and non-fiction formats.
What is Josie Lloyd's background before becoming a novelist?
Before becoming a full-time author, Josie Lloyd worked in the sales-promotion industry and briefly trained traders in the City, then left that career to work as a waitress and freelance writer. Those early years of balancing service-industry work with writing ultimately led to the publication of "It Could Be You" in 1997, which launched her into a sustained career in commercial fiction.
What is Emlyn Rees's role in the publishing industry beyond writing?
Beyond being a novelist, Emlyn Rees has worked as a commissioning crime-fiction editor, copywriter, and ghostwriter, giving him wide experience in both traditional and commercial publishing. He has also taught creative writing at literary festivals, universities, and media events, where he often discusses the craft of plotting, editing, and collaborative writing.
Have any of their books been adapted into films or TV?
"Come Together" has been adapted into a film by Working Title, bringing the Lloyd-Rees partnership into mainstream cinema and exposing their work to viewers who may not usually read commercial fiction. Some of Josie's later works, such as "The Bright Side Running Club," are also in film development, suggesting that more of their projects could cross into visual media in coming years.
Are Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees still writing together in 2026?
Yes; in 2026, Josie and Emlyn released "You & Me & You & Me & You & Me," a time-twisting romance-drama co-written while they continue to live in Brighton with their family. This ongoing collaboration shows that, over more than 25 years, their partnership has remained a central pillar of both of their creative careers.