The Past Comes Back to Haunt in the 10 Best Books of April

Alma inherits a small plot of land in the Dominican Republic, her homeland, and realizes it’s a great place to bury her unpublished stories. She thinks this literary graveyard will save her sanity, but instead, it makes her characters come to life and rewrite themselves. Filomena, a local woman, serves as the groundskeeper for the land and listens, giving each a chance to tell their story. Can Alma even control these characters, or have they taken on a life of their own?

Grant and Helen’s lives were bound together over a decade ago in a tragic accident, but they haven’t seen each other since. When Grant joins the writing team on Helen’s TV show, they remember what they once loved about each other, but they try to keep their past buried. Helen’s parents still have not forgiven Grant and maybe they’re not meant to be together. But could this renewed connection be a way to both forgiveness and a fresh start?

Kenetria’s dissociative identity disorder and breakdown derailed her career, but she and her alters have been offered a position as the caretaker to a historic home on a remote island. A freak storm and visit from the home’s conservation trust leaves Kenetria trapped with strangers, including the man key to her breakdown. Now she’s the prime suspect, so her alters need to work together to clear Ken’s name.

Would you pass up a second chance to save your career? Kaliya hasn’t seen Danny in years after their college romance fell apart. Now, Danny is a hotshot Hollywood director offering Kaliya the opportunity she’s been waiting for and the two are learning how to trust each other all over again. When a scandal threatens the production, Kaliya needs to choose between what’s right and her new beginning.

Bestselling author Emily Henry is back with a new novel about a pair of opposites and their inevitable attraction. Daphne thought it was true love with Peter until he dumped her for his childhood friend Petra. Daphne needs to start over again in a strange town and a new job. She knows who will make the perfect roommate — Petra’s ex, Miles. Even though they’re going through the same heartbreak, scruffy Miles is nothing like practical Daphne. But when the two hatch a revenge plan that involves fake dating — you know where it’s going to lead.

As the Great War winds down, Robert, a wealthy industrialist, builds Marbrisa with his wife Anna. The two become the center of Biscayne Bay society until scandal strikes. Carmen Acosta journeys from Havana to her sister at Marbrisa years later and she’s soon in danger. She needs to reveal the secrets of the house before tragedy happens all over again in this atmospheric, gothic novel.

Annie appears to have it all, but her life quickly unravels when her mother, a Vietnam refugee dies suddenly. Not only is her OCD back, but her fixations are coming true. When she wakes up naked in a hotel next to a dead body, Annie becomes the prime suspect. She needs to protect her daughter, despite the fracturing happening in her muddled mind in this twisty thriller.

Justin’s pattern (or curse, according to Reddit) is that every woman he dates goes on to find her soulmate after they break up. Emma has the same problem, so she slides into his DMs and proposes a plan: They should date each other for the summer, break up and then they’ll both find their soul mates. A lake cottage rental is the perfect setting for their fling, until their families make everything a little too complicated.

Rachel vanished a long time ago and her young daughter Bel was the only witness. Bel is older now and ready to move on from her mother’s shadow, but while a true crime documentary about Rachel is filming, Rachel reappears. Bel doesn’t trust her or her story, so with cameras in tow, Bel needs to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago.

Lauren comes home to her husband late one night but there’s a problem – Lauren doesn’t have a husband. Her friends and her phone tell her otherwise. Then, Michael goes up to the attic and disappears. A new man emerges and her life resets, until it happens again and an endless supply of husbands span from her attic. When will she know if she’s chosen the right husband?