Amanda Eyre Ward was born in New York City, and graduated from Williams College and the University of Montana. Her short stories have been published in various literary reviews and magazines. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, geologist Tip Meckel. She is a regular contributor to The Austin Chronicle.
Make Nice (2026) Ryan Effgen "When the Pickford family returns to the Lake Michigan island where they spent childhood summers, they explore not only sandy beaches and fudge stores . . . but long-hidden family secrets. I can't decide which Pickford sibling I love the most. There's Pete (a snail scientist) and Viv (whose husband's sexy secret has nothing to do with her) - but my favorite has to be Corey, the wayward little brother who's hoping to fix his life by selling five pounds of stolen cocaine to a rich stranger at the hotel his dad is paying for. Make Nice is true, tender, and sneakily hilarious...the perfect novel to make you treasure your own imperfect family."
Last Night Was Killer (2026) Mary Pauline Lowry "How was I to know that a novel about a single mother taking an Into to Pole Dancing class would become my favorite thriller of the year?... Last Night Was Killer reminded me of the works of Harry Crews and Rufi Thorpe - every character simultaneously colorful, fabulous, fully realized, and deeply relatable. I'll be recommending this novel all summer...and maybe, just maybe, signing up for a pole dancing class myself."
Valley of the Moms (2026) Hannah Selinger "Is there anything better than a dark thriller about suburban moms with secrets? In Hannah Selinger's beautifully written debut, a dead body is found in the frozen Ipswich River, a grieving husband becomes the prime suspect, and a cutthroat cadre of moms closes ranks. Featuring complex characters and a thrilling satiric bite, Valley of the Moms kept me turning pages all night."
How the Story Goes (2026) Andrew Forrester "Set in a dreamily charming New England town, How the Story Goes is about smart, empathetic humans wondering how you carry on when your life story has gone awry. I loved losing myself in the novel's world of bookstores and libraries, lingering over tea by roaring fires, rediscovering alongside Forrester's rich characters the pleasure of creating art and the solace of love."
Just Friends (2026) Haley Pham "Haley Pham's debut novel, a second-chance romance set in a seaside town, is a sun-drenched delight. Just Friends explores grief, vulnerability, and the power of forgotten dreams. I could not stop turning the pages, following Blair and Declan's flight toward each other, and love."
Party of Liars (2025) Kelsey Cox "Party of Liars explodes from page one: a stunning debut, a riveting page-turner, a brilliant exploration of motherhood and female desire. Every character is rich and complex, and I was stunned by the jaw-dropping twist at the end. This is the novel I'm always wanting to read: dazzling, terrifying, achingly beautiful. Cox is a major new voice, and I can't wait to read what she writes next."
Hate Follow (2024) Erin Quinn-Kong "A rich and witty story with two complicated women at its heart, Hate Follow is a beautiful debut. Quinn-Kong's story of an influencer mom sued by her resentful daughter is of the moment, but its exploration of female power and privilege is timeless."
Husbands & Lovers (2024) Beatriz Williams "From sunny Cape Cod beaches to 1950s Cairo, I loved being immersed in the lives and loves of Beatriz Williams's complex characters. This novel has it all: a single mother with a secret, a passionate affair against the backdrop of World War Two, and a child so wonderful (and in so much danger) that I stayed up until three in the morning to make sure he would survive. This is sweeping, sumptuous, and utterly enthralling."
Blank (2024) Zibby Owens "A witty romp, Blank is the perfect addition to book lovers' bedside tables. An insider's view of the publishing industry and a wise and beautiful celebration of love, Blank kept me happily reading all night and left me bereft when I reached the end of my journey with Owens's wise and fabulous heroine Pippa."
You're an Animal (2023) Jardine Libaire "Jardine Libaire writes with a dark and magical style that brings to mind the work of Denis Johnson and Mary Gaitskill. . . . Her novel You're an Animal is a rich and luminous story of love, yearning, motorcycles, and a cheetah named Slash. . . . Completely original, utterly unforgettable . . . I loved this book."
The Majority (2023) Elizabeth L Silver "A story of secrets, impossible choices, and how we negotiate the uneasy space between our personal and public lives. Like Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife, The Majority transforms the life of a singular woman into a compelling narrative that illuminates the most important themes playing out in America today."
Talking at Night (2023) Claire Daverley "Talking at Night is a transcendent marvel. Daverley's debut is aching and tender. . . the lush, complex characters reminded me of Sally Rooney's work."
Super Bloom (2023) Megan Tady "Super Bloom is a true delight--hilarious, poignant, and as much of an escape as a spa day in the mountains of Vermont. Who could resist a novel about writers, romance, and the nuances of friendship? Not me! Take Super Bloom along on your next getaway."
The Second Ending (2023) Michelle Hoffman "Wild, witty, and bright. This is the novel for anyone who has ever wished they could reinvent their lives. I loved every page."
Pineapple Street (2023) Jenny Jackson "I was entranced by Pineapple Street. Smart and complex, rich and gorgeous, this novel drew me in from page one. Both an escape into the lives of the fabulously wealthy and a bittersweet examination of family and heartbreak, Jenny Jackson's debut left me eagerly awaiting whatever magic she conjures next."
Wedding of the Season (2023) Lauren Edmondson "Set amongst the sumptuous Gilded Age mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, Lauren Edmondson's Wedding of the Season explores the themes of love and money with brilliance and heart. I loved meeting Cassie and her wild family."
Hayley Aldridge is Still Here (2023) Elissa R Sloan "Elissa R. Sloan has done it again with her whipsmart new novel, Hayley Aldridge is Still Here. Calling all smart readers and gossip lovers alike: this novel is an unputdownable ride, fiction inspired by the narratives of stars like Jennette McCurdy (I'm Glad My Mom Died) and Britney Spears. Sloan's examination of money, fame, and control is brilliant, necessary...and fun as hell."
The Sweet Spot (2023) Amy Poeppel "THE SWEET SPOT is warm, witty, and big-hearted.I loved spending time in a Waverly Place brownstone with Lauren, a ceramic artist, and the women and men in her orbit as they each wrestled with work, family, and the price of love."
Vacationland (2022) Meg Mitchell Moore "What a pleasure to open Vacationland by Meg Mitchell Moore and be invited for the summer to midcoast Maine. A novel full of rich, complex characters, deep blue-gray ocean views, and simmering secrets, Vacationland is as sophisticated and delicious as lobster bisque."
My Summer Darlings (2022) May Cobb "Fabulous, sexy, thrilling, and hot, MY SUMMER DARLINGS is the perfect escape. May Cobb is a gorgeous writer and kept me guessing until the final pages. I loved this book!"
First Time for Everything (2022) Henry Fry "First Time for Everything is a wild novel about rage and joy. Danny Scudd is a young Londoner trying to discern between his persona and his truth. His journey is hilarious, tender, raw, and heart-stoppingly moving. I adored this powerful, wonderful book."
The Wise Women (2022) Gina Sorell "I laughed and shook my head in recognition as the three Wise women crashed through love relationships, terrible advice, and delightful moments of connection. The Wise Women is a smart and tender novel about how hard - and vital - it is to find the place where we belong."
Let's Not Do That Again (2022) Grant Ginder "Let's Not Do That Again combines the wit and hilarity of Ginder's previous work with a deep examination of the confounding world we're finding our way through today. Pour a glass of your favorite bubbly and get ready to savor this important, brilliant novel."
The Unsinkable Greta James (2022) Jennifer E Smith "I burst into tears at the end of Jennifer E. Smith's gorgeous, heartfelt The Unsinkable Greta James - tears of surprised happiness. I loved traveling to Alaska with the wild and tender Greta, and found her escape from her life as a literal rock star an addictive journey. Each evening, I looked forward to opening the novel and rejoining Greta's adventure, and will miss her - and her music - now that I've turned the final beautiful page."
Wahala (2022) Nikki May "Utterly winning... brings to mind Sex and the City but feels more modern, more real. When I closed Nikki May's delicious, hilarious novel, I felt I was returning to joy. I knew it was time to call my friends... time to get into some good wahala of my own."
The Wonder Test (2021) Michelle Richmond "Fast-paced and smart, thoughtful and full of heart. I never thought a book could combine the thrilling twists of a Sue Grafton novel and the literary complexity of the best Tana French, but Michelle Richmond has done it."
Shoulder Season (2021) Christina Clancy "I adored the story of Sherri, an unlikely Playboy Bunny, and her wild and poignant adventures inside the Lake Geneva Playboy Resort. Both a tender coming of age novel and a sun-drenched ride, Shoulder Season is an absolute pleasure."
Rock the Boat (2021) Beck Dorey-Stein "Rock the Boat is the warm, wonderful escape I've been wishing for. A novel with gorgeous sentences and complex, kind characters set in a Garden State beach town—what more could you want? Mix yourself a Paloma and sink in. . . . Dorey-Stein’s debut novel is sheer delight."
All Together Now (2021) Matthew Norman "All Together Now—a delightful novel about the meaning of friendship and how we dream of being remembered by those closest to us—won me from the first page. Matthew Norman’s latest made me wish I were reading it alongside its warm, wonderful characters on a sunny beach: eating too much, telling secrets, and maybe even getting a matching tattoo. . . . A fabulous vacation of a book!"
Good Eggs (2021) Rebecca Hardiman "The novel is sheer delight, from the moment we meet the prickly, fabulous Millie Gogarty until her final surprise on the last page. What a pleasure to be immersed in the story of a tangled family who you just KNOW are going to come through in the end. I loved Good Eggs!"
Sorrow and Bliss (2020) Meg Mason "Sorrow and Bliss is hilarious, haunting, and utterly captivating. Meg Mason has created a heroine as prickly as Bernadette in Where’d You Go, Bernadette. Her humor is as arch and wise as the best work of Joan Didion and Rachel Cusk, yet completely original. What a thrilling new voice!"
The House on Fripp Island (2020) Rebecca Kauffman "A novel full of secrets set in a stunning beach house is my definition of a perfect summer read ... Bring plenty of sunscreen when you take this book to the beach, you'll be reading all day long."
The Real Michael Swann (2018) Bryan Reardon "What begins as a portrait of a modern marriage swiftly evolves into a shocking, complex examination of the American Dream--what it was, what it has become, and what remains. Both a love story and a brilliant social commentary, The Real Michael Swann moved me deeply and kept me turning pages deep into the night."
My Name Is Venus Black (2018) Heather Lloyd "Lloyd has created a raw, rich character, who won me over completely. Her search for peace and belonging is utterly riveting."
The Last Bridge (2009) Teri Coyne "Teri Coyne grabbed me from the first page and never let me go. I read through the night until I came to the last lovely chapter. The Last Bridge is a whirlwind of a book."
The Slow Moon (2006) Elizabeth Cox "I am always searching for the perfect read: A combination of eloquent sentences and a gripping narrative, and I was simply entranced by The Slow Moon. Each character is fully alive, and I savored discovering how one mistake transforms their town. This book is heartbreaking and hopeful."
