“I wanted to write about it from the perspective of someone who learns, through a lucky bet, the value and meaning of professional sport, “ Nick Hornby tells PEOPLE

NEED TO KNOW

• Nick Hornby’s new novel Cash Out explores soccer, love and self-discovery, inspired by Leicester City’s 2016 underdog triumph
• The story follows Sophie, whose life changes after a long-shot bet on Leicester City is placed in her name
• Cash Out will be released on Jan. 12, 2027, and is available for preorder now wherever books are sold

Nick Hornby’s love of soccer and his deep understanding of relationships come together as one to form his next novel, Cash Out.

The author, known for books like High Fidelity and Fever Pitch, has created a new story about soccer, love and not selling yourself short.

Hornby tells PEOPLE that he has “been a soccer fan for a long time, and the greatest underdog story of the last few decades, maybe in any sport, anywhere in the world, was Leicester City’s triumph in the English Premier League in 2016.”

Cash Out follows Sophie, who is not a soccer fan but has always humored her uncle Keith’s passion for the Premier League team.

For that reason, when Keith places a long-shot bet on Leicester City to win the championship, he places one in her name too.

While the odds are 5,000 to one, Sophie’s life suddenly begins to improve in every way.

“The team starts winning, their wins become a streak and suddenly the bookies are offering Sophie good money to cash out,” according to the official synopsis. “Maybe she can finally pull herself and her slacker boyfriend out of the financial holes he keeps digging. In fact, maybe she no longer has to settle for the slacker boyfriend at all.”

Sophie soon finds herself fully immersed in the world of sports, full of unexpected connections, spontaneity and camaraderie.

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But when a potential windfall is in her reach, Sophie is tasked with deciding whether to play it safe and cash out or risk it all, both in soccer and in life.

“I wanted to write about it from the perspective of someone who learns, through a lucky bet, the value and meaning of professional sport — the excitement, the sense of community, the way it can light up our lives,” Hornby says.

Cash Out will hit shelves on Jan. 12, 2027, and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

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