Books & Banter

Can a name change the course of a life?

In the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband insists she follow a long-standing family tradition and name the boy after him. But Cora questions whether it is right for her child to share his name with generations of domineering men. And when the registrar asks, she hesitates . . .

What follows are three alternate and alternating versions of their lives, shaped by Cora's last-minute choice of name. His life with the name chosen by his sister. And the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will give him the opportunity to become his own person. Or maybe he was named after his father and raised in his image?

This is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. And it tells us of love's endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store.

328 pgs

• She Reads Award Winner - Literary Fiction (2025)
• GoodReads Best Debut - Nominee (2025)
• Up for Libby Award - Best Debut (2026)

Publishing insiders are betting big that this story by Caro Claire Burke will be THE book club obsession of 2026. An adaption to film is already in the works. So let’s crack it open and see if the hype holds up…

A traditional American woman, a beautiful wife and mother who sells her pioneer lifestyle of raw milk and farm-fresh eggs to her millions of social media followers, suddenly awakens cold, filthy, and terrified in the brutal reality of the 1800s. Where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.

My name is Natalie Heller Mills, and I lived the perfect life . . .

My charming farmhouse was artfully cluttered, my husband was a handsome cowboy, and my homemade desserts were pieces of art. So what if there were nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What my followers didn’t know won’t hurt them.

And now, I know just one thing for sure. I must escape. By any means possible.
[mashed-up Publisher blurbs]

400 pgs
mystery/historical fiction

I plan on fueling the convo with throwback snacks/drinks.