Journalist Olivia Nuzzi is offering her detailed account of an alleged personal relationship with former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a new book, “American Canto,” set for release on December 2. The contents of the memoir were previewed in a profile published by The New York Times on November 14, providing the first public glimpse into Nuzzi’s perspective on the events that led to her departure from New York magazine and a highly public personal crisis.

According to the Times report, Nuzzi, 32, wrote the book in secret after relocating to Los Angeles. The memoir reportedly chronicles a digital relationship with Kennedy that she claims began following an in-depth interview she conducted with him for a New York magazine feature published in November 2023. At the time their alleged connection began, Kennedy was married to actress Cheryl Hines, a union that started in 2014. Nuzzi, for her part, was engaged to fellow political journalist Ryan Lizza.

The relationship between Nuzzi and Kennedy, as detailed in “American Canto,” was one of intense digital communication rather than physical intimacy. Nuzzi alleges that Kennedy, who is 39 years her senior, was the first to say “I love you,” affectionately called her “Livvy,” composed poems for her, and even promised he would take a bullet for her. The book also includes the claim that Kennedy expressed a desire to have a baby with her. Despite these intimate declarations, Nuzzi suggests their relationship was never physically consummated. She writes of a unique connection, stating they chose favorite parts of each other—his was her mouth, while hers was his nose—and that they shared a “common language, common skepticisms, common ideas about what was beautiful, common beliefs about what was valuable.”

The book also delves into personal disclosures the two allegedly shared. Nuzzi writes that Kennedy confided in her about his continued use of psychedelics, including smoking dimethyltryptamine, or DMT. In turn, she shared with him that she “liked uppers” and used Adderall. Nuzzi also claims to have provided Kennedy with advice on managing campaign-related issues.

The timeline of the public fallout began in September 2024, when the alleged affair became public knowledge. Nuzzi, according to the Times, blames her former fiancé, Ryan Lizza, for the leak. That same month, her engagement to Lizza dissolved in a public spectacle, culminating in Nuzzi filing a lawsuit against him. In October 2024, after being placed on leave for several weeks, Nuzzi was officially fired from her position at New York magazine. That month, she also sought a protective order against Lizza, accusing him of hacking her personal devices to obtain private information and attempting to blackmail her into resuming their relationship. Lizza vehemently denied these claims, labeling them “defamatory lies.” The Times profile noted that Nuzzi did not provide evidence to substantiate her accusations against Lizza. She later dropped the protective order.

When the scandal first erupted, Nuzzi reportedly tried to help Kennedy navigate the backlash. She claims in her book that he told her, “If it’s just sex, I can survive it,” a statement seemingly meant to gauge the potential political damage. However, Nuzzi told the Times that she and Kennedy are no longer in contact and have not spoken in a year.

In the wake of the professional upheaval, Nuzzi has since been hired as the new West Coast editor at Vanity Fair. Kennedy’s camp has previously addressed the connection, with a spokesperson maintaining that Kennedy and Nuzzi had only met once, for the interview that resulted in what they termed a “hit piece” in New York magazine. PEOPLE magazine noted that Kennedy did not provide an immediate comment in response to their request on November 14 regarding the new allegations in Nuzzi’s book. The book, “American Canto,” promises to shed more light on Nuzzi’s experiences inside what she calls “Trumpworld” in addition to her account of the relationship with Kennedy.