Reading Elin Hilderbrand is a summertime tradition for fans looking to be whisked away to someplace warm and sunny. In this short story, Hilderbrand gives us an irresistible peek of an island made famous for its harsh beauty and introduces us to her fiercest character yet: a woman who fearlessly embraces the promise of change.

A week-long cruise in the Galápagos Islands sounds like a beautiful getaway. It’s a place full of natural wonders—volcanic landscapes and white sand beaches, giant tortoises and penguins. And for Sophia Otholos, this trip is an indication that her romance with her recently divorced boyfriend is headed to the next level.

With this big trip, Sophia thinks she’s finally leaving the fickle dating scene behind. The rugged natural beauty of the Galápagos is not quite her thing—she’d rather be at a luxury resort—but when her boyfriend bails on her at the last minute, the extraordinary resilience of the islands’ diverse wildlife becomes inspiration for how she, too, must evolve to thrive.

Elin Hilderbrand will once again delight readers with this unforgettable short story of self-discovery and seizing the happiness within reach. This is armchair travel you don’t want to miss!

—Selena James, Editor

To say I couldn’t be more excited about this new series from #1 international bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado would be an understatement.

Not only are Deaver and Maldonado an incredible crime-writing duo, they’ve also created an incredible crime-fighting duo. Fatal Intrusion introduces Homeland Security agent Carmen Sanchez and brilliant professor and security expert Jake Heron as they team up and race across Southern California on the hunt for a clever killer who eludes capture.

The story is propulsive and jaw-dropping and had me glued to the pages. I loved Sanchez and Heron’s detailed investigation and even getting to see through the eyes of a killer. I hope you enjoy this fantastic read as much as I did.

—Megha Parekh, Editor

When I first read Behind the Crimson Curtain, I found myself immersed in a world that felt at once beautiful and gritty, dangerous yet full of possibilities. That’s how love can transform even the direst of circumstances. And that’s what happens to our main character, Firin, when she finds Bregan and his group of outcast theater actors and revolutionaries amid a country at war. With an iron fist controlling the streets and another one controlling her home, suddenly Firin is able to find her own crack of light.

But Firin has a secret talent. She, like her father, can take on the faces of other people. And her ability is just the beginning of a tangled web of secrets, lies, and shifting loyalties that will threaten to tear her world apart—and risk her losing the first and only things she has ever cared about.

Told from the dual perspectives of Firin and Bregan, Behind the Crimson Curtain is a gorgeously written romantic fantasy novel from stunning new talent E.B. Golden—this book had me hooked till the very end. Get ready to fall in love.

—Marilyn Brigham, Editor

There’s no drama like summer-camp drama—especially when the “campers” are adults in varying stages of existential crisis and financial ruin.

Ann Garvin’s hilarious story of two sisters trying to save a lost cause (and their relationship) is essential end-of-summer reading. It will resonate with anyone who feels burdened by their responsibilities, is flummoxed by their weird family, or is unreasonably nostalgic for charred marshmallows.

After a lifetime around big personalities and crumbling camp infrastructure, Cat McCarthy is determined to build herself an island—a quiet, ordered home where she and her new baby can live far from intrusions. But her little sister, Ginger, has always been her Achilles’ heel, so of course Cat is going to step up and set things right when outsiders threaten the camp’s future—even if it means asking for help herself.

One word that always comes to mind when I describe Ann Garvin’s work is bighearted. Whether her characters are self-help obsessed, loudly self-sacrificing, or merely self-involved, she always finds their humanity—and celebrates what a beautiful and ridiculous production we make of our lives. Bummer Camp is a boisterous reminder that maybe you don’t have to fix everything to be happy and loved.

—Melissa Valentine, Editor

Real Housewives meets Fifty Shades of Viagra. With more hookups and drama than a party-school dormitory, Divorce Towers is a modern-day Jackie Collins–esque novel with all the high drama, ensemble cast, and lifestyles of the rich and famous as the Queen of Soap herself.

I, personally, love a salacious beach read and some guilty-pleasure reality TV (the sexier, the better), and thankfully there is so much escapism within the pages of Ellen Meister’s latest novel that I dare say no one will be left wanting.

Divorce Towers definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for a chaste, modest, inspirational novel, maybe look elsewhere. But if you like more than just a little gossip and spice and everything nice, then please do yourself a favor and grab this one.

—Maria Gomez, Editor

To find out the truth about her grandfather, Tig Costello must meet the woman who murdered him, thus beginning an emotional journey that will completely change everything Tig knows about her family’s past.

The story alternates between the 1940s and the modern day, when Tig returns to her father’s birthplace in the Appalachian foothills under the guise of painting a memorial portrait of her late grandfather, the town’s paragon. But she’s really come back for answers. What she finds is her family’s history irrevocably intertwined with a town’s tragedy…and that there are some stories that only the women can tell. As Tig follows the threads that lead her to the truth, she’s forced to confront her own past—and to learn the price of silence.

This timely novel weaves together the age-old stories of women helping each other to stay safe in a world where simply being a woman can be a dangerous thing. The emotional intensity of this debut author’s fabulous prose kept me riveted with every secret overturned.

—Chantelle Aimée Osman, Editor

Bestselling author Anstey Harris’s new novel poses a very difficult question: How well do you really know your best friend? As Jo returns to South-West Scotland and a cottage that is filled with her happiest memories, she also must confront secrets she’d rather forget. This moving book unlocks the complicated nature of female friendship and pushes what it means to feel loved and safe. As Jo unlocks memories of her best friend, Rachel, this emotive book asks whether theirs has really been a lifetime of friendship—or just a lifetime of secrets…

The setting is such an emotional anchor to this novel, and Anstey beautifully explores the spectacular Scottish coast and how our connection to a place shapes our memories and supports our futures. The past has been a sad and confusing place for Jo, but the natural landscape of the cottage in Clachan and the friendship of others provide a warmth that becomes her sanctuary.

As the tangled webs of friendship slowly unravel, friendship—the secrets, the stories, and the memories that were shared—this beautifully depicted novel offers up the opportunity to heal old wounds and create new beginnings. The House of Lost Secrets is a novel that has stayed with me long after finishing it.

—Sammia Hamer, Editor

Told with the thrilling imagination of Never Let Me Go and the tender partnership of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (with a dash of Frankenstein), In Our Likeness will sweep readers up in a story that hinges on a frightening and alluring AI advancement. I needed to know what was going to happen as the stakes got higher in Bryan VanDyke’s heartrending, inventive debut novel.

When a small group of people realize that their AI program has the ability to create tangible changes in the real world, each person has a different idea about how—or if—it should be used. Drawn to both the power and the unknown abilities of this technology, a tech founder and two of his employees are fascinated with their unwitting creation. But as their small edits start to pile up, how far will they go before the concept of reality is lost?

Power, knowledge, and love all come into play in this striking novel. The questions this exhilarating and moving story raises will stay with readers long after the last page.

—Laura Van der Veer, Editor