With so many buzzy books hitting shelves every week, it can feel overwhelming to decide what to pick up next. To help you out, we’ve rounded up 10 books from the Women’s Fiction category on NetGalley that are worth checking out.
The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore by Anika Fajardo
After the last living member of her family dies, Dolores Moore wonders if it’s time to fulfill the deathbed promise she made to return to her birthplace in Colombia. The Greek chorus of her late relatives (who follow her around and insert their opinions a little too freely) seems to think so. As much as she tries to fight it, the universe is steering her there, and finally, Dolores decides to take the journey and learn about where she came from.
Typewriter Beach by Meg Waite Clayton
The lives of two women are woven together in this novel. The first is Isabella Giori, an actress from 1957 with dreams of becoming a star in Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. The second is Gemma Chazan, a screenwriter from 2018. She travels to her grandfather’s cottage with the intention of selling it, only to discover a safe that leaves her with more questions than answers. You’ll have to read the book to discover what connects their two stories.
Lauryn Harper Falls Apart by Shauna Robinson
Can a fall festival repair a broken friendship? Lauryn Harper left her hometown without looking back, but a mishap at work forces her to return and face everything (and everyone) she left behind. When her ex-best friend demands that Lauryn use her fancy corporate job to help bring the town back to life through the Greenstead Apple Festival, Lauryn agrees and finds herself getting swept up in the vision of what life might have looked like if she stayed.
Sweetener by Marissa Higgins
If the book’s description of “lesbian screwball comedy” wasn’t enough to hook you, here’s a little bit more: Two exes search for their next match online and end up dating the same woman. One decides to list herself as a sugar mama, the other concentrates on her desire to be a foster parent, and the woman they are both dating worries over the crossed paths that might see them getting back together. Through the lens of these three women and their entangled lives, Marissa Higgins explores themes of motherhood and partnership.
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Since the day Eniiyi was born, everyone has believed she is the reincarnation of her cousin Monife and is destined to be cursed in the same way: to be alone and without love. When Eniiyi begins to lose her heart to a boy, she decides she must take her fate into her own hands and searches Lagos for a way to set herself free from the familial assumptions and expectations placed on her shoulders.
Bog Queen by Anna North
Forensic anthropologist Agnes is called to England to examine a body found in a bog. Agnes is fascinated by the Iron Age woman’s body—from its incredible preservation to the fact that it was buried over 2,000 years ago. As she works to learn more, Agnes uncovers surprising connections between the two of them and grapples with her own worries about her skills and the place she holds in the world.
Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake
Olivie Blake gives wellness trends a sinister spin in this novel centered around a sorority. Sophomore Nina dreams of being accepted into The House, believing it’ll guide her into a bright future. The group’s academic liaison, adjunct professor Dr. Sloane, tries to stifle the envy she feels over the perfection the alumnae seem to all possess. Both women find themselves drawn deeper into The House, until turning back isn’t an option.
L.A. Women by Ella Berman
Ella Berman transports readers to L.A. in the 1960s and 70s in this novel about friendship, rivalry, and betrayal. Writers Gale and Lane were drawn to each other since their paths first crossed, though Lane struggled with jealousy over Gale’s success. Ten years after they first met, Lane is the shining star with a new book deal based on Gale’s life. As for Gale, she’s been missing for months.
Your Next Life is Now by Namrata Patel
A mother and daughter hit the open road together in an RV when they each find themselves at a crossroads. Tara has just divorced her husband after forty years of marriage and is searching for her first love. Meanwhile, her daughter Nikki recently accepted a marriage proposal, but worries it’s the wrong choice. Though the bond between them has never been particularly nurturing, the trip offers both women an opportunity to see and be seen by each other.
Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen
Cricket Campbell volunteers to move in with her father after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in the hopes of feeling less stuck in her own life. On the surface, it seemed like a way to reconnect with him. In practice, it’s delivered her back to a home she hasn’t visited since she was a teenager and that houses more memories than she’d care to remember. It’s there that she realizes that as he loses sense of his past, her father is able to predict the future.
Which of these is being added to your TBR?
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