‘When you keep losing the ones you love,
a single, steady partner just isn’t enough
to feel truly secure.
A road trip back to the roots of togetherness
and the kind of love that truly sets you free.’

What are the key issues?

A central theme of the contemporary novel Metamour – Why Two Aren’t Enough is the exploration of loss, burnout, and unconventional relationship models such as polyamory. These compel the protagonist, Ole, and his travelling companion, Anne, to confront jealousy and traditional relationship patterns.

Throughout their journey, the characters also grapple with their pasts, their socialisation, and complex family dynamics, all of which influence their interpersonal relationships. The novel delves into themes of trauma and healing, portraying Ole’s inner transformation as a symbol of his embrace of a new way of life.

Who is the main character?

The story revolves around the complex and multi-layered characters Ole, Lotta, and Anne. Each of them carries their own challenges, hopes, and dreams, bringing the narrative to life and making it both engaging and compelling.

Ole is an outsider. At 35, he suffers from severe depression stemming from a traumatic childhood.

A workaholic by nature, he is an IT specialist who prefers immersing himself in technical challenges and his career rather than engaging with his emotions or connecting with other people.

As a result, he withdraws from those around him, only to realise later that their closeness is essential for his solace and healing.

Lotta is the child of two hippies who settled on La Gomera while travelling the Hippie Trail. At 32, she is polyamorous, balanced, and deeply committed to living in harmony and peace with herself and the environment.

Anne becomes Ole’s companion on his journey. The 28-year-old teacher trainee struggles with her repressed bisexuality and her overbearing, conservative father. She longs to be more than just an object of desire. Until she can achieve that, she channels her frustration through exercise-induced anorexia.

Cover Text

What If Love Knew No Boundaries?

After a devastating loss, all I wanted was to get away — to escape across Europe in my camper van, hoping to find solace with my cousin in Spain. But fate had other plans.

It brought me Lotta — a free-spirited hippie woman who challenged everything I thought I knew about life and love. Not long after, we met Anne, a hitchhiker who, only hours after our first encounter, attempted to slit her wrists — a silent cry for help that irrevocably bound our lives together in unexpected ways.

We found refuge in a remote commune in Wendland, among people who had embraced the ideals of the 1968 movement and still lived by them. There, I discovered a way of life that was radically different — and yet made so much more sense. What had started as an escape soon turned into a journey into a world where love knew no boundaries and relationships were redefined.

But how does one navigate a world where physical and romantic love isn't confined to two people? What if love were free from possessiveness? And what does it feel like when hearts connect without shackling one another?

Metamour: Why Two Aren't Enough by Jörn Holtz is a novel about the yearning for freedom, coping with loss, and the invisible boundaries we impose on life and love. A profound story that dares to ask: What if we could rethink life and love?

‘Highly recommended! Thrilling until the very end and thought-provoking.’
‘Warmly recommended. The story grabs you from the very first moment.’

FAQs

What makes your books unique?

I think my novels are characterised by a deep narrative style and multifaceted characters. It is important to me to portray complex emotions and relationships in an authentic way. Each story should transport the reader into a realistic yet fascinating world and immerse him or her in the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
Using a mixture of subtle humour, metaphorical language and vivid description, I explore themes of love, loss and self-discovery in a unique way. In this way, my books not only tell exciting stories, but also make you think about what it means to be human.

Which books are planned in English language?

There are 2 novels in this series so far:


Book 1: Why Two Is Not Enough
The book is out!


Book 2: Wings of Led
will be published in English in the second quarter of 2026.

How did the idea for a book series come about?

The idea for the Metamour series came to me in 2008, when I was suddenly unemployed because my American employer decided to close its EMEA office overnight.
At the time, there were a lot of TV shows on the subject: 40 Years of Summer Love, and I wondered what would happen if a hardened, overworked IT specialist on the verge of burnout, or who had already survived it, met a cool hippie kid?
I kept asking myself this question and dreaming myself far away.
And so one thing led to another, until I finally decided to make a story out of it.
And now I invite you to follow me into a utopian world of love, loss and self-discovery.

What Band 1 is about: Why two is not enough

In a world where love and relationships often follow pre-fabricated patterns, Metamour - Three Are None Too Many boldly breaks the mould. This bizarre and heartwarming novel invites us to question conventions and reflect on the complexity of human relationships.

The novel follows the tragic life of Ole. A sabbatical year is supposed to help the severely traumatised 35-year-old computer scientist find inner peace. But then he meets hippie Lotta and unstable student Anne, two fascinating women from very different backgrounds. A journey begins in which their lives intertwine in unexpected and exciting ways.
Set against a backdrop of picturesque landscapes and unconventional relationships, this is a story of self-discovery, emotional healing and the many forms of love and partnership that are often restricted by convention and prejudice.

This book is for anyone who appreciates stories about the diversity of love, the beauty of human relationships and the power of self-acceptance. It is a book that will not only entertain, but also inspire and provoke thought.

What Band 2 is about: Wings og led

After the events of the first novel, Metamour - Three are not too many, Anne and Ole decide to stay on La Gomera and live with Lotta in the polyamorous hippie settlement "El paraíso en el charco".

The initial harmony is shattered when Lotta's 19-year-old niece Angela arrives to celebrate the Wiccan festival of Beltane. After a night of passion and mysticism, Anne falls into a deep crisis and desillusioned leaves the settlement, resulting in a tragic accident. As Martin fights for his life in hospital, his traumatic past haunts him. Meanwhile, Ole tries to come to terms with the consequences of his actions. Tension reaches its peak when Ole, Lotta and Angela travel to the south of France for the wedding of Anne's sister Siv. On the evening of the wedding, Anne discovers shocking secrets about her mother that force her to rethink her future.

With surprising revelations and deep emotions, this thrilling sequel to the Metamour series takes the reader on an enthralling journey of love, loss, self-knowledge and the search for healing. It is a story about the meaning of forgiveness, the search for identity and the power of community, even in the darkest of times.

Curious? Then step into the world of Metamour.

Dive into the often quirky yet heartwarming stories of Ole, Lotta, and Anne, and experience what it means to challenge conventions and celebrate the complexity of human relationships.