Young Adult Authors with Adult Debut Novels

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What authors are you anxiously awaiting their next release? The author at the top of my list is Maggie Stiefvater. Stiefvater wrote two of my absolute favorite young adult series: the Raven Cycle and the Dreamer Trilogy. In September 2024, Stiefvater announced on her website that she had written another novel, The Listeners, and that this was her adult debut! *squeals of excitement* This announcement sent me down a rabbit hole: a search for other young adult authors with adult debut novels being released this year. Below you will find a list of five books across genres that fit this criteria! If you have another favorite, let me know in the comments.

As of this writing, all of these books are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

In this explosive horror novel, a woman is haunted by inner trauma, hungry ghosts, and a serial killer as she confronts the brutal violence experienced by East Asians during the pandemic.

Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. But none of that seems so terrible when she’s already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister, Delilah, being pushed in front of a train.

Before fleeing the scene, the murderer shouted two words: bat eater.

So the bloody messes don’t really bother Cora—she’s more bothered by the germs on the subway railing, the bare hands of a stranger, the hidden viruses in every corner, and the bite marks on her coffee table. Of course, ever since Delilah was killed in front of her, Cora can’t be sure what’s real and what’s in her head.

She pushes away all feelings and ignores the advice of her aunt to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open. But she can’t ignore the dread in her stomach as she keeps finding bat carcasses at crime scenes, or the scary fact that all her recent cleanups have been the bodies of East Asian women.

As Cora will soon learn, you can’t just ignore hungry ghosts. – MIRA

The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

It’s about time roommates Alejandro and Kenny get married. Or at least, that’s what all their close friends and family think when they announce their engagement. The kicker? The two are faking their whole relationship so Alejandro can get a green card. But if Han was going to marry anyone, it would be his ride or die since second grade.

Han has never been able to put down roots, and the only one who truly breaks through his walls is Kenny. Sweet, sensitive Kenny is newly single, and what better distraction from his soul-sucking relationship than proposing marriage to Han? Kenny can’t think of anything more fun than spending his life with his best friend, even if it’s just for a piece of paper. But as Kenny keeps up the charade, he’s soon struggling to resist their sizzling chemistry.

The line between fact and fiction begins to blur the closer they get to their wedding date. With all eyes on Han and Kenny—including a meddling ex and immigration officers—will these two bros make it down the altar for real? – Forever

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters

With his funny, big-hearted adult rom com debut, bestselling, award-winning YA author Julian Winters shows sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.

When Denzel “Denz” Carter’s workaholic father and CEO of 24 Carter Gold unexpectedly announces his retirement, the competition is on for who will become his successor. To convince his family members that he’s capable of commitment, Denz impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship.

Now Denz needs to find a fake boyfriend to seal the deal on the CEO position. Denz is forced to turn to the last person he wants to be in a pretend (or any) relationship with: Braylon, the man who broke his heart.

Braylon’s sudden reappearance in Denz’s life turns everything upside down. But, apparently, he needs Denz’s connections to the mayor to win his own promotion. So, they strike a deal. It’s all business until the funny texts and the confusing kisses leave Denz struggling to separate this temporary arrangement from the affairs of his heart.

I Think They Love You is a celebration of love, queer communities, big families—in all their beautiful complications— healing, and, most importantly, falling in love with the person you’re becoming. – St. Martin’s Griffin

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

January 1942. The Avallon Hotel & Spa has always offered elegant luxury in the wilds of West Virginia, its mountain sweetwater washing away all of high society’s troubles.

Local girl-turned-general manager June Porter Hudson has guided the Avallon skillfully through the first pangs of war. The Gilfoyles, the hotel’s aristocratic owners, have trained her well. But when the family heir makes a secret deal with the State Department to fill the hotel with captured Axis diplomats, June must persuade her staff—many of whom have sons and husbands heading to the front lines—to offer luxury to Nazis. With a smile.

Meanwhile FBI Agent Tucker Minnick, whose coal tattoo hints at an Appalachian past, presses his ears to the hotel’s walls, listening for the diplomats’ secrets. He has one of his own, which is how he knows that June’s balancing act can have dangerous consequences: the sweetwater beneath the hotel can threaten as well as heal.

June has never met a guest she couldn’t delight, but the diplomats are different. Without firing a single shot, they have brought the war directly to her. As clashing loyalties crack the Avallon’s polished veneer, June must calculate the true cost of luxury. – Viking

The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed

Business has never been better for Nura Khan, a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta. Her exclusive clientele benefits from her impeccable track record. And while a single thirty-one-year-old matchmaker would normally raise some perfectly threaded eyebrows in the community, Nura’s childhood best friend, Azar, is willing to double as her pretend fiancé at her clients’ weddings—even though Nura’s feelings for him might not be so pretend.

But all that glitters isn’t gold. While it’s not uncommon to get the occasional hate mail from rejected prospective clients, Nura is blindsided after a couple’s carefully constructed wedding implodes, the first in a cascading chain of suspicious and increasingly terrifying events. Someone is taking things too far, and with Azar and her matchmaking team by her side, Nura embarks on a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that threatens not only her safety but everything she’s worked so hard to build. – Bantam

Holler: A Graphic Memoir of Rural Resistance by Denali Sai Nalamalapu

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Holler: A Graphic Memoir of Rural Resistance by Denali Sai Nalamalapu is the illustrated stories of six changemakers who are fighting for their communities and the planet. This debut graphic memoir focuses on the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia and the actions of six frontline resisters, while also contributing to the history of climate justice. The people interviewed in this graphic memoir paint a portrait of the diversity of people and places in Appalachia.

Denali Nalamalapu has interviewed six ordinary people who, through their own unique circumstances, have become resistors to the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The MVP covers approximately 300 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia with the developers hoping to expand even further in the future. Her cast includes a teacher, a single mother, a nurse, an organizer, a photographer, and a seed keeper. Each shares their motivations for joining the fight against the MVP, as well as their different methods of resistance. Standing up for what you love, fighting for what’s right, and working together as a community highlight how everyday resistance can make a difference.

Holler highlights the importance of standing up when the world would rather you stay quiet and accept what they want you to. What stuck with me were the various ways that each person chose to resist. Their paths to activism were different, but they highlight how small actions can have a large impact.

Start a New Mystery Series

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While most mystery series do not have to be read in order, many mystery readers prefer to start at the beginning and follow the main characters through the growth of their mystery solving skills. Below you will find a few newer titles that are number one in a forthcoming mystery series, owned by the Davenport Public Library at the time of this writing. Descriptions are provided by the publisher.

Knife Skills by Wendy Church, The Shadows of Chicago series. Sagarine Pfister is a great cook but has been blacklisted by almost every restaurant in Chicago. When she finds the head chef of a below-average restaurant dead in a walk-in freezer, the owner, Russian gang boss Anatoly Morzov, offers her the head chef job. While the Chicago PD searches for a killer, the FBI pressures Sagarine to inform on the gang. As Sagarine becomes more deeply involved with the gang and one of Morzov’s lieutenants, the FBI’s demands put her at increased risk of discovery. She has to make a decision about where her loyalties lie as she finds herself running for her life.

Murder by cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom-Courage, A Golden Girls cozy mystery. When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf-themed wedding Rose is hosting.

 

 

 

 

Midnight Streets by Phil Lecomber, A Piccadilly noir novel. When Cockney private detective George Harley saves a young girl’s life on a dark London night in 1929, he doesn’t realize it marks the beginning of an investigation which will change his life forever. The incendiary novel which inspired the girl’s abduction also seems to be linked to a series of grisly murders that are taking place on Harley’s patch. Set during the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, Harley’s world is a far cry from the country house of an Agatha Christie whodunnit.

 

Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd, Nora Breen investigates. The first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears. Haunted by a line in her friend’s letter, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows and arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes, Expectant detectives. The Expectant Detectives is first in a delightful new mystery series following a group of pregnant women who meet at a prenatal class and team up to solve the murder of someone in their village.

 

 

 

 

I Only Read Murder by Ian Ferguson & Will Ferguson, Miranda Abbott mystery. Miranda Abbott, once known for the crime-solving, karate-chopping church pastor she played on network television, has hit hard times. She’s facing ruin when a mysterious postcard arrives, summoning her to Happy Rock, a small town in the Pacific Northwest. In dire straits, she signs up for an amateur production at the Happy Rock Little Theater. On opening night, one of the actors is murdered, live, in front of the audience. Now everyone is under a cloud of suspicion, including the town doctor, the high school drama teacher, an oil-stained car mechanic, an elderly gentleman who may have been in the CIA — and Miranda herself. Clearly, the only way to solve this mystery is for Miranda to summon her skills as television’s Pastor Fran.

Every Time I go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack, The vacation mysteries. All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series — is that too much to ask? Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case. Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker, and even her ex, Oliver, theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed.

Pictures of You by Emma Grey

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“The endless, haunting, unchangeable dance of all that was said and unsaid as life pushes you further from the opportunity you lost to make things right.”
― Emma Grey, Pictures of You

Emma Grey’s newest novel, Pictures of You, is a dual narration from the view points of Evie and Drew as they work to figure out their new normal in the wake of a tragic accident. While trying to figure out how I wanted to review this book, I realized that this would have to be vague as the premise of this book relies on readers going in a bit blind.

Imagine waking up in the hospital and having absolutely no idea how you ended up there. This is what happens to Evie Hudson. Desperately wanting to get back to normal, Evie’s instincts tell her to reach out to the people that she can remember, only to find that their contact information has disappeared from her phone. What happened to her? A tragic accident must have been the cause, but why can’t Evie remember? And where are her family and friends? Why aren’t they at her bedside? And why is her life so different than how she thought it would turn out? Evie must work through her shocking present to figure out what went so wrong in her past.

This is a romance with some mystery elements, full of twists and turns that will have you almost needing to take notes to follow along with the story (in a good way). As I mentioned earlier, this novel is told from two separate points of view: Evie and Drew. In addition to being told from their points of view, this is also dual timeline, flashing back and forth between the present and the past, following each characters’ life decisions and highlighting their changing relationship dynamics (I warned you this would be vague). Trigger warnings: mental abuse, narcissism, and toxic relationships. While I enjoyed how deep this book went, there were times when I needed to step away and take a breath. The plot and storylines were well-developed, but at times I felt like the main problems would be solved if they simply talked openly face-to-face. I’m still glad I read it!

Readalikes for Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

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If you’re anxiously awaiting a copy of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, you’re not alone! Henry’s latest was released on April 22nd, 2025 and was also selected as Reese’s Book Club pick for May 2025, driving up the popularity. We have gathered a list of readalikes to tide you over until you can get a copy of Great Big Beautiful Life.

Curious what Great Big Beautiful Life is about? Check out the description below.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it. – Berkley

If that description has piqued your interest but you don’t want to wait, try any of the below! The books below are all first in series or standalone titles that were published in 2025. As of this writing, all titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine

Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher.

Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead.

The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date.

As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves. – Atria Books

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (book 1 in Heartstrings series)

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she believed. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending…even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her. – Berkley

Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar

It’s been years since Meena separated from her husband, Nikhil . . . years since they first laid eyes on each other in their home state of Texas, years since they spontaneously wed in Las Vegas and she felt true happiness. Now a high-powered lawyer on Capitol Hill and ready to move on (at least, she thinks so) with another successful lawyer, Shake, Meena has returned to Texas. This time, finally to obtain a divorce.

But there’s one thing Meena didn’t account for: a hurricane forming in the Gulf, veering right toward them and giving them no choice but to hunker down in the home they had built together. Suddenly, she finds herself trapped amid gale-force winds and pelting rain with the man she once loved.

As they spend more time together, Meena begins to remember everything that drew her to Nikhil: his small-town charm, his thoughtful nature . . . his absurdly good looks. But being with Shake makes sense to her. He’s steady, ambitious, and wants exactly what she wants. So she’ll stick to her plan, come hell or high water. But will her windswept heart make the right choice, once the eye passes over and the storm settles?

With sharp observations about second chances at love, ambition and Indian American identity, and with characters who share an undeniable chemistry, Flirting with Disaster is a modern romance with the sensibility of a classic. – Dell

My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein

Something has to give… Could it be her heart?

Connie has always distrusted nice guys. In her experience, they’re just waiting to reveal some horrible secret. And then she meets big, adorable, Henry Samuel Beckett—editor extraordinaire, lover of bow ties, sweet and so cheery she struggles to believe he’s real.

Until Henry Samuel Beckett—or Beck, as he’s known to most—tells her the secret underneath his sunny surface: He’s been single all his life. But in a moment of panic, he’s told everyone at his publishing house that he’s married. And when Connie, an aspiring writer herself, can’t help defending him, she ends up being the fake wife he doesn’t actually have.

When they head off on a writing retreat, surrounded by people convinced this must be a ruse, both of them can’t help but agree. Until they share their first kiss, their first touch, their first time in only one bed. Side by side, every night, as the simmering tension builds…Connie starts to wonder if this might be real after all. – St. Martin’s Griffin

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Ever since cancer stole away her best friend, she has been completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with her best friend, and the ever-laminated “live again” list of things she’s promised to do to survive her grief. But maybe if she acts like she has it all together, no one will notice she’s falling apart.

The only gigs she can handle right now are temporary babysitting jobs, and she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. The only catch: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of. . . a walking version of the grumpy cat meme. Worse – he seems to be able to see right through her.

Surprisingly, Miles knows a lot about grief and he offers Lenny a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the void her best friend has left behind, but between late night ferry rides, midnight ramen, and a well-placed shoulder whenever she needs it, Miles just won’t stop showing up for her. Turns out, sometimes your life has to end to find your new beginning. – Dial Press Trade Paperback

Story of My Life by Lucy Score (book 1 in Story Lake series)

Hazel Hart was a successful romance novelist until a breakup drives her straight into writer’s block. Having failed (and failed some more) to deliver her new manuscript, she’s hiding from the world behind a wall of old takeout containers until her publisher lays down the law. If she misses her next deadline it’s The End.

Desperate for inspiration, Hazel impulse-buys a historic home online and flees Manhattan to tiny Story Lake, PA. Upon her dramatic arrival—involving an incident with a bald eagle—she discovers the charm of her new home may have been slightly exaggerated.

The house is a wreck and the town is struggling after their biggest employer shut down. Also, since her raccoon-infested home came with a seat on the town council our introverted heroine is stuck with a front row seat to all the small-town shenanigans.

But Hazel isn’t worried. Not since all six-feet-three inches of grouchy contractor Campbell Bishop slapped a bandage on her forehead and unintentionally inspired the heck out of her. There’s only one thing to do: Hire Cam and his equally gorgeous brothers to renovate her new spider museum…er…house.

Okay two things. A fake date for “research purposes” will really put her work-in-progress on track. Before Hazel knows it, she’s writing a romance novel and living one. At least until the drywall dust settles, the town she’s falling in love with faces bankruptcy, and growly Cam remembers why he can’t live happily ever after. – Bloom Books

Unromance by Erin Connor

Sawyer Greene knows romance. She’s a bestselling author of the genre—or she was, until her ex left her with nothing but writer’s block and a broken heart. When she gets stuck in the elevator with a handsome stranger, she sees their meet cute for what it is: just a one-night stand . . . but then they keep running into each other.

Actor Mason West sees this as a sign. They’re meant to help each other—Sawyer with her writer’s block, and Mason with his tabloid trainwrecks. So they strike up a simple deal to keep each other on track: no more sex, and absolutely no falling in love—under any circumstances.

It’s a foolproof plan–until Sawyer and Mason realize some plots can’t be stopped—and that they might be hurtling towards a happy ending… – Forever

Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick: The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

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Join Bestsellers Club to have certain celebrity book club picks automatically put on hold for you: Reese Witherspoon, Jenna Bush Hager, and Oprah Winfrey. While Reese and Jenna generally announce a new title each month, Oprah’s selections are more sporadic. Reminder that if you join Bestsellers Club, you can choose to have these titles automatically put on hold for you.

Oprah Winfrey’s latest selection is The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb.

Curious what The River is Waiting is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

Corby Ledbetter is struggling. New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown his marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin. And that’s before he causes the tragedy that tears the family apart. Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he bears witness to frightful acts of brutality but also experiences small acts of kindness and elemental kinship with a prison librarian who sees his light and some of his fellow offenders, including a tender-hearted cellmate and a troubled teen desperate for a role model. Buoyed by them and by his mother’s enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation might still be possible. Can his crimes ever be forgiven by those he loves? – S&S/Marysue Rucci Books

This title is also available in large print.

Join Bestsellers Club to have Oprah, Jenna, and Reese’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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“A few students who were being trained to analyze crime scenes, pore over witness testimony, and track serial killers. What trouble could we possibly get into?”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Naturals

Cassandra Hobbes, known as Cassie, has been a natural at reading people for as long as she can remember. Growing up, her mother noticed her natural skills and started training her. Now Cassie is 17 and her mother has been missing for five years. Five years ago, Cassie walked into her mother’s dressing room at the theater where she was performing and stumbled upon a bloody and destroyed crime scene. Sadly her mother was never found. Cassie has spent the last five years living with her father’s family, feeling like she doesn’t completely fit in.

While at work one day, she is approached by a young man who leaves behind a card from someone at the FBI. Cassie eventually calls the number and learns that the FBI has started a classified program that uses talented natural teenagers to crack cold cases. Cassie was flagged in the system and they would like her to join. When Cassie arrives at her new home, the teens she meet have gifts as unique as her own. One can read emotions, one can detect lies, one is a walking encyclopedia, while the last is a profiler just like Cassie. As her training progresses and Cassie gets to know the other teens, she realizes that there is something off about everyone involved in the program: they all have secrets they want to stay hidden. The two agents in charge of the program are assigned to an active case involving a killer who isn’t afraid of danger. Cassie and the others are not allowed to help on active cases, but the Naturals soon find themselves drawn to help. Their curiosity quickly turns necessary as the killer escalates and the team must use all of their skills to survive.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes wrote my favorite young adult series, The Inheritance Games. When I discovered The Naturals series, I knew that this was right up my alley. This is a fast-paced and fun read (feels weird to say that about a book with murderers, but there you go!). Watching the characters’ relationships grow was intriguing as they all have complicated backstories and their own reasons for wanting to keep secrets. Cassie’s new life couldn’t be more different than her old one, but she feels more seen and understood amongst her fellow naturals. The suspense was built naturally, while the twist completely sucked me in. My only issue was the romance subplot. This author is a fan of love triangles, but the romance here seemed forced and didn’t add much to the story. All in all, I still gave this read five stars!

Naturals series

  1. The Naturals (2013)
  2. Killer Instinct (2014)
  3. All In (2015)
  4. Bad Blood (2016)

Twelve – A Naturals Novella

June’s Celebrity Book Club Picks

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Bestsellers Club is a service that automatically places you on hold for authors, celebrity picks, nonfiction picks, and fiction picks. Choose any author, celebrity pick, fiction pick, and/or nonfiction pick and The Library will put the latest title on hold for you automatically. Select as many as you want! Still have questions? Click here for a list of FAQs.

It’s a new month which means that Jenna Bush Hager and Reese Witherspoon have picked new books for their book clubs! Reminder that if you join Bestsellers Club, you can choose to have their selections automatically put on hold for you.

Jenna Bush Hager has selected A Family Matter by Claire Lynch for her June pick.

Curious what A Family Matter is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

1982. Dawn is a young mother, still adjusting to life with her husband, when Hazel lights up her world like a torch in the dark. Theirs is the kind of connection that’s impossible to resist, and suddenly life is more complicated, and more joyful, than Dawn ever expected. But she has responsibilities and commitments. She has a daughter.

2022. Heron has just received news from his doctor that turns everything upside down. He’s an older man, stuck in the habits of a quiet existence. Telling Maggie, his only child—the person around whom his life has revolved—seems impossible. Heron can’t tell her about his diagnosis, just as he can’t reveal all the other secrets he’s been keeping from her for so many years.

A Family Matter is a heartbreaking and hopeful exploration of love and loss, intimacy and injustice, custody and care, and whether it is possible to heal from the wounds of the past in the changed world of today. – Scribner

Reese Witherspoon has selected The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King for her June pick.

Curious what The Phoenix Pencil Company is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

In this dazzling debut novel, a hidden and nearly forgotten magic—of Reforging pencils, bringing the memories they contain back to life—holds the power to transform a young woman’s relationship with her grandmother, and to mend long-lost connections across time and space.

Monica Tsai spends most days on her computer, journaling the details of her ordinary life and coding for a program that seeks to connect strangers online. A self-proclaimed recluse, she’s always struggled to make friends and, as a college freshman, finds herself escaping into a digital world, counting the days until she can return home to her beloved grandparents. They are now in their nineties, and Monica worries about them constantly—especially her grandmother, Yun, who survived two wars in China before coming to the States, and whose memory has begun to fade.

Though Yun rarely speaks of her past, Monica is determined to find the long-lost cousin she was separated from years ago. One day, the very program Monica is helping to build connects her to a young woman, whose gift of a single pencil holds a surprising clue. Monica’s discovery of a hidden family history is exquisitely braided with Yun’s own memories as she writes of her years in Shanghai, working at the Phoenix Pencil Company. As WWII rages outside their door, Yun and her cousin, Meng, learn of a special power the women in their family possess: the ability to Reforge a pencil’s words. But when the government uncovers their secret, they are forced into a life of espionage, betraying other people’s stories to survive.

Combining the cross-generational family saga and epistolary form of A Tale for the Time Being with the uplifting, emotional magic of The Midnight Library, Allison King’s stunning debut novel asks: who owns and inherits our stories? The answers and secrets that surface on the page may have the unerasable power to reconnect a family and restore a legacy. – William Morrow

This title is also available in large print.

Join Bestsellers Club to have Oprah, Jenna, and Reese’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

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The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka is a slow-paced, meditative but short book about what happens when a routine is thrown off course for a woman experiencing dementia.

In the first half of the book, Alice takes comfort in her daily lap swimming. The other swimmers around her keep an eye on Alice as they follow their own routines. Through simple vignettes of the swimmers, readers get a sense of the community, culture and norms of this secluded, underground swimming pool. One day, a crack appears at the bottom of the pool. As the crack changes and grows, the swimmers become increasingly alarmed, except Alice who continues in her routine. Finally, the crack causes the pool to shut down and the swimmers disperse, most never to cross paths again.

The second half of the book focuses solely on Alice and how her dementia gets rapidly worse without the daily lap swimming. She is moved into a nursing home. Her memories of her childhood and early parenthood become as real to her as the present. Alice’s daughter is ready to form a bond just as her health declines.

This is not the book for readers looking for a compelling, character-driven story. It does, however, provoke a range of emotions, from regret to reconciliation, and yes, even moments of humor. I would recommend The Swimmers to anyone who is looking for a short read that never falls short on metaphor, imagery and beautiful prose.

The Swimmers is available from the Davenport Public Library in regular print and large print as of this writing.

Adventure Romance

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On my quest to find some compelling new romance reads, I stumbled into the sub-genre of adventure romance! Adventure romance is a mix of heart-racing adventure and swoon-worthy romance. These can be treasure hunts, look-alike swaps, dangerous journeys, wild expeditions, and so many other things. The below list is full of titles published in 2024 and 2025. If you have a favorite adventure romance, let us know in the comments!

As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publisher.

The Big Fix by Holly James

Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard meets The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling in a modern blend of screwball action and romantic attraction when a case of mistaken identity lands a college professor on the run with a mysterious—and dangerously hot—fixer . . .

When bookish Penny Collins reluctantly lets her sister drag her to an estate sale at a neighbor’s house, she’s hoping for a little diversion rummaging through dusty antiques. Instead, she ends up in a public squabble over candlesticks with the deceased owner’s nephew, Anthony—right before a dead body tumbles out of a closet.

Penny’s plan for the summer involved finalizing tenure at the university where she’s a computer sciences professor. Instead, she’s suddenly on the run with a man she barely knows, scaling walls, evading bullets, and accidentally stabbing henchmen. It seems the wrong people have got it in their heads that she’s Anthony’s girlfriend and, by association, in possession of something they desperately need—and will do anything to get.

As for Anthony, he has a top-secret occupation as a fixer, but a recent fix went dangerously awry, and now he and Penny are dodging both a ruthless billionaire and the FBI. And it’ll take all of Penny’s plentiful savvy and common sense, in addition to Anthony’s particular set of skills, to survive long enough for her to see the next semester . . . – Kensington

Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker

One fake prime minister, one ridiculously hot handler, and one Italian summer collide in this thrilling adventure rom-com.

Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt, and happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to Europe’s youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen. Sofia is powerful, beautiful—and unfortunately, someone is trying quite hard to assassinate her.

When the CIA approaches Max with a deal, a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister’s annual Italian vacation, Max packs her bags for the Amalfi Coast. The delicious food, the breathtaking views—this trip would be a dream if it weren’t for those pesky assassins and Flynn, the handler assigned to Max’s case. Flynn, who has an unexpected history with Max, from another sun-drenched summer years and years ago. Now he’s instructed to stay in Max’s suite to protect her, as old passions and assassins collide.

Losing herself in the role of a prime minister is one thing. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that’s a risk she isn’t willing to take . . . – Berkley

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.

Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage. – Berkley

Jewel Me Twice by Charish Reid

Two career thieves reunite for one last job and must put their messy romantic past behind them to pull off the jewel heist of the century in this scorching, action packed romance!

He was her partner—both in crime and between the sheets. It’s been five years since professional thief Celeste St. Pierre laid eyes on Magnus Larsson. These days, she runs a Manhattan antique store, but her talent for stealing beautiful, shiny things hasn’t faded. And as a chance reunion over a locked safe proves, neither has the heat between her and the gorgeous, ice-cool Magnus.

For Magnus, only one thing beats the thrill of getting away with robbery—and that’s the woman he’s tried hard to forget. Their last job together ended in disaster. But if they’re going to honor their mentor’s last wishes to pull off the theft of the century, they’ll have to temporarily put their grudges behind them.

Crisscrossing Europe on a real-life treasure hunt, Celeste and Magnus quickly rediscover how well they work together. The higher the stakes, the hotter the sexual tension. But one slipup and it won’t be only jewels on the line, but a future that, just maybe, has been the ultimate prize all along… – Canary Street Press

The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea

If Emily Edwards knows one thing, it’s that you don’t go to a remote island by yourself. Ever the type A personality, Emily doesn’t want to hike around an unfamiliar island, but she’s determined to fulfill her late father’s national park bucket list, starting with Isle Royale National Park—home to wolves, bears, and hundred-year-old shipwrecks. She has no choice but to hire a tour guide, and there is only one that isn’t booked solid.

Ryder Fleet, co-owner of Fleet Outdoor Adventures, wouldn’t call himself a wilderness expert, and he definitely doesn’t know how to find true north. But when his dormant adventure guide business suddenly finds life again after a random inquiry, Ryder somehow finds himself on a ferry to Isle Royale with a very beautiful, no-nonsense woman. What this woman doesn’t know is that his brother Caleb, who died two years ago, was the outdoorsman of their business, while Ryder just did the marketing. But how hard could it be to hike up a few mountains?

Pretty difficult, actually, when murder is involved. Emily’s perfectly planned trek turns disastrous when she and Ryder witness a brutal crime and are suddenly forced to evade a group of archaeologists on the hunt for a jewel. As they spend nights together too close for comfort, they realize their shoddily built fire isn’t the only thing that’s kindling, and that they must trust each other if they want to escape the island with their lives—and hearts—intact. – Berkley

The Spy and I by Tiana Smith

Right place. Wrong person. After a case of mistaken identity, one woman must work with her sister’s sexy spy partner to save the world in this heart-pounding romantic comedy.

The first thing to know about Dove Barkley is that, even though she works as a cyber security analyst, she is one hundred percent not an undercover CIA operative. But when a group of bad guys mistake her for her super-spy sister (news to her!), Dove gets roped into a dangerous government mission that she’d very much rather be left out of, thank you.

Too bad Mendez, the man who claims to be her sister’s partner, says she’s in too deep to back out now. He’s smart, capable, and has a body almost distracting enough to make Dove forget about the team of trained assassins after her.

Dove has information that can help prevent a national tragedy, but there’s mounting evidence that Mendez might not be who he claims. More importantly, she’s running out of time to save her sister. Because the last thing Dove wants is for either of them to go out with a bang. – Berkley

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend’s daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them. – Berkley

‘Til Heist Do Us Part by Sara Desai

It’s been a year since Simi Chopra’s motley crew pulled off a high-wire diamond necklace heist with the help of sexy rogue Jack Danger. After living it up on the reward money, they’re back where they started, struggling to pay their bills. So when a Chicago Mafia boss demands they return the jewels—plus interest, or else—they need to get the team back together…and fast.

Unfortunately, Simi soon discovers that the necklace is in the hands of Jack’s nemesis, a highly-skilled and supremely vengeful master thief who is not above a little blackmail to get even. (Did Jack really have to piss her off?) Now, the crew is forced into her working her con in order to get the necklace back.

As if Simi needed any more complications while trying to rob a billionaire’s mansion, she and Jack are on the rocks, someone else is after her score, and a gorgeous detective is hot on her tail. Simi better be careful or she’ll end up in the less fun kind of handcuffs. – Berkley

Wild Life by Opal Wei

They’re walking on the wild side…

The Plan was simple: find a cure for the cancer that nearly took her sister’s life. But for Zoey Fong, something about The Plan isn’t working anymore. When a crucial tissue sample accidentally winds up in the hands of a very distracting—and disarmingly handsome—visitor, Zoey jumps at the chance to follow him home to retrieve it.

Davy Hsieh’s rugged island estate is no manicured suburban park. His plan is simple: establish a legitimate animal sanctuary and embrace life as a hermit to make up for a sketchy past. Zoey invading his fortress of solitude should not, under any circumstances, be a romantic development.

And yet it’s the single most invigorating week of their lives…when they’re able to set their many differences aside and embrace it. Stranded amid all manner of flora and fauna—including a semidomesticated cougar called Baby—Davy and Zoey first have to survive the island. Then they’ll need to take a leap of faith, maybe even trusting in each other, to save it. – Harlequin

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