The Goldens by Lauren Wilson ($28.99, 9781250362308, July 15, 2025).
Chloe Hughes has always dreamed of becoming a bestselling writer. Then she meets Clara Holland, a prominent influencer, socialite, and model. Clara is enigmatic, dazzling, gorgeous. And at last, ordinary Chloe has something to write about.
Bonding instantly, Chloe moves into Clara's grand family estate. They spend long afternoons together, writing Clara's memoir, polishing social media posts, and planning sumptuous, decadent parties: fairy lights in the orangery, themed cocktails, sequined backdrops, roaring bonfires. But as Clara opens her home to more girls who want to live like her and inspire one another, the media calls them a cult.
As life becomes claustrophobic, Chloe begins to hear unsettling rumors about Clara. When a girl goes missing after a spectacular New Year's Eve party, she begins to wonder if her new best friend is hiding a sinister secret. If she can't escape Clara's influence, everything Chloe holds dear may be in danger.
"This is the only debut on [our] summer list," says Christine Kopprasch. "It gives you the feeling of living in an Instagram influencer story or living in a Pinterest board, where it's obsessive and culty in the best way. It has dark academic vibes and delves into the darker side of social media as well as the sort of desperate, crazy friendships that a young woman can have at a certain age. Also, really rich people behaving badly is always fun."
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Lauren Wilson |
The Goldens is British writer Lauren Wilson's debut novel. She previously worked for Mslexia, a magazine that advocates women's writing.