Edda Leveroni receives an unexpected gift from her father on her 21st birthday: a one-year placement at the prestigious advertising agency of Bianca B. Miller in New York. There, as she faces the fast-paced world of a brilliant, creative, and fiercely competitive industry, Edda will not only discover her true talent but also fall in love—passionately and inevitably—with her boss. A story of love and desire with a wide cast of characters, set in one of the most fascinating universes, written by a bestselling Catalan author beloved by both Spanish and American audiences.
At the twilight of the 1980s, the advertising world is booming with splendor, cynicism, and excess. Brauli Leveroni, a Barcelona-based advertiser and co-owner of the BLOC agency with his partner Óscar Casas, is trying to balance his professional life with his role as father to Edda Leveroni. As a “gift” for her 21st birthday, Brauli decides to send Edda to New York to work for a year at Bianca B. Miller’s agency. Insecure but eager to find her place in the world, Edda reluctantly accepts.
New York proves a shock: a dazzling yet hostile city. At the agency, Edda encounters rivalries and cutthroat competition. However, her relationship with Bianca, the agency’s director, quickly intensifies. Bianca—sophisticated and enigmatic—sees in Edda more than just creative potential. What starts as a professional alliance turns into an intimate bond that goes beyond work, evolving into a discreet but intense love affair.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Brauli’s life begins to unravel: his relationship with Cristina, his colleague and lover, falters; his official partner, Sonia, is on the verge of emotional collapse and threatens to leave him when she finds out about Cristina; and a ghost from the past, Farias (a criminal involved in a long-ago incident with Brauli and Óscar), resurfaces with threats. On top of that, a shady proposal arises involving a multimillion-euro advertising campaign for the State Lottery—whose representative demands an under-the-table commission—forcing the partners to confront their ethical boundaries.
The narrative alternates between these two cities, where father and daughter struggle with their respective crises. Edda, initially doubtful about her place in New York, begins to love her new life, marked by intense experiences, new friendships, and the discovery of desire. Bianca, for her part, battles with the consequences of a failed marriage and a looming scandal: compromising photos of her ex-husband (a well-known figure in New York) in drag that are at risk of being leaked.
But the sudden death of Brauli from a heart attack shocks everyone. Edda returns to Barcelona for the funeral and, through memories and tributes, begins to reconcile with her father’s legacy and reconnect with Óscar. After Brauli’s death, Óscar devotes his days to thanking those who showed kindness to his family over the years. This leads Edda to reconnect with old friends, view life with greater compassion, and learn to show gratitude and forgiveness when the time is right.
Edda returns to Manhattan, where she becomes embroiled in the conflict between Bianca and her ex-husband. Amid media harassment and haunting past secrets, Bianca and Edda solidify their relationship, facing public scrutiny together and without fear.
In the end, an unexpected visit from Óscar and his wife Teresa to New York surprises Edda. Óscar offers her the chance to return to Barcelona and take over the BLOC agency, as he plans to retire soon. After several days of reflection, Edda declines the offer—she wants to stay in New York. However, Óscar and Bianca agree on the possibility of merging both agencies and building a new joint project on both sides of the Atlantic, opening up exciting new possibilities for Bianca and Edda’s relationship.
RELEVANT INFORMATION: Diagonal Manhattan is the tenth novel by this acclaimed author, a new showcase of his narrative mastery. With deeply drawn characters, he unveils the cynical and ruthless underside of marketing while immersing us in a compelling story of love, drama, and personal growth.
A seasoned journalist, Xavier Bosch has been a key figure in Catalan media, having created successful formats in radio and television such as Alguna pregunta més?, El món a RAC1, and El gran dictat. He has also directed classical music documentaries like La fleur and Revolutionary Quartet: l’enigma Gerhard.
Xavier Bosch is the best-selling author in the Catalan language and has been translated into multiple languages. He is the recipient of both the Sant Jordi Novel Prize and the Ramon Llull Prize for his novel Algú com tu (Someone Like You).
Reviews and praise:
“A story that […] raises questions about whether advertising should change the world or reflect reality, whether the customer is always right, or whether history has hidden women in advertising.” — Goodreads
“In this exuberant novel, Xavier Bosch […] captivates us with characters we always want to know more about, dissects the raw, hidden side of marketing, and keeps us hooked in a story that takes us further than we imagined.” — De Lector a Lector.
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Movie
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish, Catalan
Adquirir los derechos
Para ponerte en contacto con nosotros completa el siguiente formulario y te responderemos en breve.
