Spring 2025’s contemporary fiction lineup brings together fresh voices and compelling stories. From family dramas to unique perspectives on modern life, each book promises to bring something distinctive to the literary landscape. Whether exploring complex relationships, tackling contemporary issues, or pushing creative boundaries, these novels represent some of the most intriguing offerings of the season. Here are the titles generating the most buzz this spring.
Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld (2/25)
In this captivating second collection, Sittenfeld proves her mastery of the short story format, crafting characters who feel remarkably familiar. Through intimate narratives, she explores moments of profound revelation that challenge her characters’ deepest convictions. With sharp wit and genuine empathy, Sittenfeld delves into the complexities of modern relationships, social dynamics, and personal transformation. Her stories peel back the layers of contemporary life, examining the subtle moments that reshape our understanding of ourselves and others, all delivered with her signature insight and authenticity.
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Universality by Natasha Brown (3/4)
Through the lens of a brutal attack at an illegal Yorkshire rave, this thrilling novel weaves together the lives of a tenacious journalist, a ruthless banker, and a group of radical anarchists. As the investigation unfolds, deeper questions emerge about truth, power, and the impact of words in our digital age. With razor-sharp precision and haunting intensity, the author examines the gap between what we communicate and what lies beneath the surface. This provocative exploration of modern media and human nature challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths, creating an unsettling yet mesmerizing narrative that’s impossible to ignore.
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Tilt by Emma Pattee (3/25)
In Portland, heavily pregnant Annie is stranded at IKEA when a devastating earthquake strikes. Cut off from her husband and without resources, she has no choice but to journey home on foot through the ravaged city. Along the way, she encounters both chaos and compassion—witnessing looting, receiving help from strangers, and forming a bond with another mother. As Annie navigates the destroyed landscape, she contemplates her unfulfilling marriage and career, along with her fears about motherhood. The disaster becomes a catalyst for personal transformation if she can survive the trek home.
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Retreat by Krysten Ritter (3/25)
Liz Dawson, a charismatic con artist looking for one last score, meets her perfect mark: the wealthy and beautiful Isabelle Beresford. When Isabelle hires Liz to oversee an art installation at her luxurious Mexican villa, Liz sees an opportunity to escape her criminal lifestyle. But after being mistaken for Isabelle, Liz can’t resist assuming her identity, seamlessly slipping into the socialite’s glamorous world. As she embeds herself in the exclusive Punta Mita resort community, Liz discovers unsettling questions about the real Isabelle’s disappearance—and realizes she may have walked into a deadly trap rather than the perfect con.
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The Family Recipe by Carolyn Huynh (4/1)
When Duc Tran, founder of Duc’s Sandwiches, prepares to retire, he presents his five estranged children with an unusual inheritance challenge: four daughters must revitalize failing sandwich shops in different cities’ Little Saigon districts within a year, while his son can claim everything by getting married. As the siblings tackle gentrification and modernization in their respective locations—Houston, San Jose, New Orleans, and Philadelphia—they uncover family secrets behind their father’s scheme. Through renovating these shops, they explore their Vietnamese-American identity, understand their father’s complex love, and find connection in a divided nation united by food.
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The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner (4/8)
The Griffin Sisters—Cassie and Zoe Grossberg—rocketed to pop stardom in the early 2000s despite their contrasting personalities: outgoing, beautiful Zoe craved fame, while talented but shy Cassie preferred anonymity. After a meteoric rise featuring SNL and Rolling Stone appearances, the band mysteriously disbanded. Twenty years later, Zoe’s a housewife, and Cassie’s disappeared from public life, leaving their relationship fractured. When Zoe’s teenage daughter Cherry, an aspiring performer, begins investigating the band’s sudden breakup, long-buried secrets surface. The three women must confront their past choices, the music industry’s manipulation, and their chances for reconciliation and revival.
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Fun For The Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith (4/8)
The Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—once shared an unbreakable bond formed during their mother’s frequent absences. Now adults and estranged for years, they’re suddenly summoned by Jude, a successful actress, to North Dakota. Each sibling arrives at a crossroads: Gemma questions motherhood after raising her siblings, novelist Connor battles divorce and writer’s block, and soccer player Roddy risks his relationship for one final season. While Jude appears successful, she harbors three life-changing secrets. During their weekend reunion, the siblings confront their past and uncertain futures, exploring themes of family and forgiveness across America’s landscape.
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The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore (4/15)
When “Mother May I” Iverson’s mansion burns down with her new husband inside, suspicion falls on her five daughters whose childhoods were monetized for her influencer empire. Each has potential motives: April battles May over intellectual property rights; twins June and July compete with their mother for social media fame; January deliberately avoids the spotlight; and youngest daughter March has mysteriously vanished. As the investigation unfolds, perspectives shift between the sisters. This satirical thriller dissects influencer culture while exploring how the first generation of children exploited for content are now adults seeking justice for their commercialized upbringing.
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Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang (4/29)
When supermarket cashier Julie Chan discovers her estranged twin sister Chloe VanHuusen—a famous influencer—dead under mysterious circumstances, she decides to step into her glamorous life. Though they were separated young and rarely spoke, save for one viral reunion video, Julie finds impersonating her identical twin surprisingly easy. She embraces Chloe’s lavish lifestyle of designer clothes and social media fame, but during an exclusive island retreat with fellow influencers, cracks begin to appear. As Julie struggles to maintain the facade, she uncovers dark secrets behind her sister’s death—and realizes she might be next.
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The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (4/29)
At sixty-three, lottery winner PJ Halliday drowns his sorrows at the local bar, having survived three heart attacks and endured his daughter’s death and subsequent divorce. When he discovers his high school sweetheart Michelle is newly widowed, PJ plans a cross-country journey to win her back at her Arizona retirement community. His plans suddenly change when he becomes the guardian of his estranged brother’s grandchildren. Undeterred, PJ convinces his directionless adult daughter Sophie to join as a babysitter, while a death-predicting therapy cat named Pancakes completes their unlikely traveling party. The journey offers PJ an unexpected second chance at both love and family—if his weakened heart can handle the emotional challenges ahead.
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