Good News

A Publishers Weekly 2026 Buzz Book for Spring/Summer

“Good News is about the complicated work of finding one's way—as a woman, as an artist, as a daughter, as a lover. Alexa Brahme's debut, like Sally Rooney's, is a clear-eyed exploration of passion and discontent in equal measure. I rooted for Maggie all the way through.”—Emma Straub, author of This Time Tomorrow

“[A] punchy critique of high art, and a revealing look at what it takes to find yourself as a young artist. Women are the driving force of this richly realized story, and [Brahme] excels at making their relationships as nuanced, complicated and fulfilling as they are in life.”—Mira Jacob, author of The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing

"Sharp as it is tender, witty as it is earnest, and hopeful as it is devastating, Good News is extraordinary. Not since Lily King's Writers and Lovers have I so feverishly rooted for a young artist to find her way. A perfect debut novel." —Cat Shook, author of If We're Being Honest

“Good News is a book for anyone who has ever felt torn between ambition and self-doubt, the pressure to meet others’ expectations and the thrill of following their own wildest desires into an uncharted future. I devoured this thoughtful, sexy, compelling story of a young artist determined to make something great of her art and herself.”—Naima Coster, NYT-bestselling author of What's Mine and Yours

“Fresh, daring, and sly, Good News surprised and delighted me on every page. Alexa Yasemin Brahme intertwines a young artist’s twin desires: to create and to become.”—Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street

"I ventured with Maggie through her ups and downs and was all in on Brahme's luminous writing where her character shines."—Debutiful (Most Anticipated Books of 2026)

"Brahme’s appealing voice-driven debut finds Turkish art student Maggie Arif navigating a love triangle in New York City while struggling to complete an ambitious painting . . . Brahme’s character work is top notch."—Publishers Weekly

"A familiar exploration into the unease of early adulthood and the winding road to self-fulfillment."—Booklist

"A deftly rendered [. . .] portrait of an artist as a young woman."—Kirkus Reviews

“Brahme’s debut beautifully explores the labyrinthine pressures of one’s late twenties."—Forbes

 “Good News is a smooth, engaging read that will resonate with anyone who has struggled to balance family expectations with personal ambition and desires. Fans of character-driven fiction and flawed, relatable protagonists will appreciate this thoughtful novel.”—Underrated Reads