These Literary Fiction releases probe the ties that bind us—family legacies, fractured relationships, resilience in the face of grief, and aspirations redrawn by tragedy. Whether confronting the ghosts of the past, seeking connection amid upheaval, or finding hope after heartbreak, each novel offers a deep exploration of real lives and the quiet power it takes to carry on. Perfect for readers who crave fiction rooted in emotional complexity and authenticity.
Mermaid
by Michelene Esposito
Release Date: July 11, 2026
Mermaid is a raw saga of tragedy, sisterhood, and healing. May and Kate survived their mother’s fatal drive into San Francisco Bay. Decades later, May craves safety, while Kate is a storm—until she goes missing. As May hunts for her sister, her high school sweetheart returns, scarred from a firefighting injury that once broke their engagement.
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Lotus, Mud, Blade (Myths, Mischief & Mayhem)
by Kohōpeh
Release Date: June 15, 2026
To win the heart of a prince, one warrior offers her beautiful face, while another sacrifices her soul. Must one of them die to save the other two? “Readers who enjoy historical fiction and tragic romance in the classic literary style will adore this, as I have. Very highly recommended.” — Readers’ Favorite, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Happier Here With You
by Amy Gail Hansen
Release Date: July 1, 2026
Widowed and overworked, museum curator and food historian Maggie Brodbeck struggles to spend quality time with her five-year-old daughter, Hannah. Fueled by on-the-go meals, she doesn’t even have time to breathe, let alone pursue personal happiness. Then, out of the blue, Maggie receives an invitation from her estranged great-aunt Alice to visit her Wisconsin farm. The time has come, Magpie.
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The Museum of Lost Dreams
by Christine Nolfi
Release Date: June 23, 2026
When Bess Rollins’s parents die in a tragic accident, she is forced to abandon her dream job overseas. After three years away, she returns to her family’s estate in the Finger Lakes, a veritable monument to her brilliant late grandmother and a reminder of the wreckage Bess left behind.
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A Pair of Aces
by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
Release Date: June 2, 2026
Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City’s five largest organized crime families.
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Whistler
by Ann Patchett
Release Date: June 2, 2026
When Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they notice an older, white-haired gentleman following them. The man turns out to be Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather, who had been married to her mother for a little more than year when Daphne was nine.
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