"Brilliantly relatable... a compelling exploration of friendship, individuality, and the shared struggles that make us who we are." -Booklife Editor's Pick

"Much like finding love when you're least expecting it, sometimes a book comes along and literally takes your breath away." -Reader Views

Charley Byrne isn't really living. At age 29, she hunkers down in her apartment above the bookstore she manages, afraid of a 7-year curse. Then quirky activist Xander Wallace lures her out of social exile with the prospect of friendship and romance. Charley joins Xander's circle of friends diverse in their heritage, race, gender and sexual orientation. She thrives, even leaving her comfort zone to join protests in a city struggling with social justice ills.

But the new friendships bring back-to-back betrayals that threaten the bookstore-Charley's haven-and propel her into a dangerous depression. Can her friends save the store? And Charley?

Beautiful and Terrible Things offers a compelling portrait of modern American life in a major city with its vibrant culture and rampant social issues. At once enlightening and entertaining, it reminds us that friendship has the power to validate, destroy, transform, and save lives.

• 2024 Indies Today Best Literary Book of the Year Winner

• 2024 Gold Winner, Reader Views Reviewer's Choice Awards - LGBTQIA+

• 2024 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Finalist

• 2024 Sarton Award Finalist

• 2024 American Fiction Awards Finalist - General Fiction

• 2024 American Writing Awards Finalist - LGBTQ

• 2024 Readers' Favorite Awards Honorable Mention - Fiction-Social Issues

• We started tracking this book on October 18, 2024.
• This book was £5.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 5 times in the past 291 days.
• The current price of this book is £3.99 last checked 15 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was FREE last reached on July 18, 2025.
• This book has been FREE one time since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was £5.99 last reached on October 18, 2024.
• This book has been £5.99 one time since we started tracking it.

• Literature & FictionLiterary FictionLGBTQ+
• Literature & FictionLiterary FictionLiterary
• Literature & FictionLiterary FictionRomance

• Publication Date: July 18, 2024
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 393 Pages
• File Size: 17 KB