Women's fiction is a catch-all category for books that focus on the growth of a female character. Sometimes it involves romance, and other times it is more focused on the career or other life goals of the character.
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The Ripple Effect by Maggie North
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June 2025; St. Martin's Griffin; 978-1250910134 ebook, print (336 pages); women's romantic fiction |
Stellar J Byrd is a former ER physician who is used to solving crises and wants to stay in her wilderness town. To do so, she takes on the job as a camp physician at The Love Boat, a relationship therapy startup. Her boss is Lyle “McHuge” McHugh, the psychologist she’s avoided since their disastrous hookup last year. When McHuge's romantic credibility is called into question, a fake engagement is the means to salvage the camp’s crumbling public image. The problem comes when Stellar realizes that feelings might be more than just business.
Stellar grew up prickly and having to do things on her own or for an exchange, even within her own family. A large part of that was because her father was a grifter, so she sees everything as a balance of debts to repay. It doesn't help that she has actual debts from her student loans, and no longer works in an ER. Her best friend (and one-time former girlfriend) just had a baby, so she fears being left behind emotionally. This pushes her toward the camp and its unproven status, and she needs it to work. Lyle is calmer than she is and more emotionally aware, but still can be wounded by others' words and the fear of others being afraid of him. Of course, these fears come to a head after the two grow closer, and they confront those fears head-on.
The book discusses the problem of intellectual theft in academia and the terrible ways that women can be exploited in medicine. It doesn't offer solutions, because it's not the focus of the novel, but it's interesting to point out as part of their backgrounds. They complement each other well, and it's easy to sympathize with the troubles they have and overcome.
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When The Music Hits by Amber Oliver
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June 2025; Ballantine Books; 978-0593874172 audio, ebook, print (288 pages); women's fiction |
Music has always been important to Billie Grand, and she just landed a coveted A&R assistant role at Lit Music Productions. Initially, it's everything she had ever dreamed of as she works to find the next headliner. There is a dark side to the music industry, as well as microaggressions from white colleagues. Trying to sign her first artist puts her at odds with those she cares about and risks losing herself in the process.
Billie is a hard worker, feeling responsible for others. This is largely because, since age 14, she had to get a part-time job to help pay the bills. She continues to do so, while handling her own bills and needs with friends and her serious boyfriend. Music has been her escape from stress, so finding and signing up talent is her dream job. She throws everything into it, dropping family events, her boyfriend's big moments, and her own needs to chase this dream, bending over backwards to do what her boss wants. The industry chased the next headliner without regard to authenticity because of profits and prestige. Billie sees evidence of double-dealing, cheating artists out of their music, and the many microaggressions from coworkers.
The novel puts you in Billie's shoes from the start. Life in New York City is expensive and hard, but the joys exist, too. The connections are important and help point out the ways that Billie was sacrificing too much of herself and compromising who she wanted to be. Because it's a novel, she can rise above this and make significant changes in the company. It's a dramatic and inspiring finale.
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Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.
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