Winner of the Association for Mormon Letters 2020 Novel Award
With all five of her children grown, devout Mormon, lifelong homemaker, and staunch conservative Nedra Walker is surprised to find her ambitions ignited by an open seat representing Bountiful in the Utah state legislature—an unexpected political turn after decades of domestic life.
Despite their political differences, Nedra’s daughter, Heather—single and nearing thirty— is pulled into her mother’s campaign, where her progressive political stances create ongoing conflict and threaten her first real (and she fears last) chance for a successful LDS marriage. All of which makes Heather question what she really wants anyway.
Charming, sympathetic, and spiritually insightful, Bountiful is an insider perspective on family and faith, with Nedra and Heather each forced to decide what is worth fighting to change and what is ultimately worth fighting to hold on to.
Praise for Bountiful
“A thoughtful and nuanced portrait of contemporary Mormonism….There are no strawmen here, only people that feel like our neighbors, our siblings, our friends.”
— Association for Mormon Letters
“Bountiful is a deeply welcome novel in our current moment. It embraces its characters’ conflicts—both within themselves and with each other—with generosity, wit, and warmth."
— Marjorie Sandor, author of The Secret Music at Tordesillas
“Writing about religion has never been more difficult, yet Charity Shumway has managed to do it with clear-eyed humor and compassion….Bountiful is a wonderfully wise, funny and generous novel.”
— Suzanne Berne, author of The Dogs of Littlefield
“The story's rich entanglements affirm the worth of the world around us, the conundrums of growth, and the joy of human love.”
— Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye, Author of Crossings: A Bald Asian American Latter-day Saint Woman Scholar's Ventures Through Life, Death, Cancer, and Motherhood (Not Necessarily In That Order)
A funny and uplifting debut novel about stumbling through the early years of adulthood while taking (or not taking) the advice of the women who’ve gone before you.
Like so many other recent graduates, Dawn West is trying to make her way in New York City. She’s got an ex-boyfriend she can’t quite stop seeing, a roommate who views rent checks and basic hygiene as optional, and a writing career that’s gotten as far as penning an online lawn care advice column.
So when Dawn lands a job tracking down the past winners of Charm magazine’s “Ten Girls to Watch” contest, she’s thrilled. After all, she’s being paid to interview hundreds of fascinating women: once outstanding college students, they have gone on to become mayors, opera singers, and air force pilots.
As Dawn gets to know their life stories, she’ll discover that success, love, and friendship can be found in the most unexpected of places. Most importantly, she’ll learn that while those who came before us can be role models, ultimately, we each have to create our own happy ending.
Praise for Ten Girls to Watch
“A sparkling novel about how we find our friends, our mentors, and our way in the world.”
— Jean Hanff Korelitz, author of The Plot
“Shumway’s Dawn is a young woman of substance....A winning debut featuring the kind of witty, appealing good girl that captures readers' hearts.”
—Kirkus Review
“An insightful, funny take on post grad tribulations that thoughtfully mines the wisdom of women.”
— Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of The Nanny Diaries
“A fast, funny, and moving read."
— Publisher’s Weekly