Best Debut Books of January 2023

In the blink of an eye, we crossed a month of 2023. We have a lot of new things, opportunities, and challenges coming your way. Just like that, January arrived with debut books. New writers offer us their first attempts and it is something that a book lover would cherish. From genres such as romance, mystery, queer, feminist, and more this list has a lot to offer. In this article, we are going to read about the best debut books of January 2023. Happy reading!

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

Really Good, Actually is a debut novel by comedian and award-winning screenwriter Monica Heisey. The book is a comedic and relatable story of Maggie, a 29-year-old Surprisingly Young Divorcée™ navigating through life after an unexpected breakup. Despite being broke and struggling with her graduate thesis, Maggie embraces her newfound single life by trying out new hobbies, eating hamburgers at 4 am and dating. With the help of her academic advisor, Merris, her friend Amy, and her group chat, Maggie sets out on a messy but funny journey in search of joy and meaning. The novel is a tender and bittersweet comedy that explores the uncertainties of modern love, friendship, and the quest for happiness.

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer

Rachel, a former slave on the Providence plantation in Barbados, sets out on a dangerous and grueling journey in search of her five children who were sold away from her. Upon hearing of the Emancipation Act of 1834, which frees all slaves, the master of the plantation announces that they are no longer slaves but apprentices who must work for him for another six years. Determined to find her children and truly be free, Rachel embarks on a journey that takes her from Barbados, to the forest of British Guiana, and finally to Trinidad. Her unwavering determination to reunite with her children drives her on, even if the answer she finds is more than she can bear. This is the story of Rachel and the extraordinary lengths a mother will go to in the pursuit of freedom and her children’s well-being.

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

Olivia Huang Christenson inherits her grandmother’s matchmaking business and is both excited and frightened by the responsibility. However, her emotions turn to anger and outrage when she discovers that a new dating app, created by the irresistible and eligible Bennett O’Brien, has made her grandmother’s traditional Chinese zodiac approach seem outdated. The app, which focuses on “animal attraction,” threatens to ruin her family’s legacy.

As the two businesses compete, Liv and Bennett make a bet – they will each try to find a match for each other, and whoever falls in love first loses. However, Liv soon realizes that Bennett is a master of stealing business ideas and fears that he may steal her heart as well. In this head-to-head competition, Liv must decide whether to embrace tradition or embrace the unknown.

The Things We Do To Our Friends by Heather Darwent

Edinburgh is a moody city of oppressive fog, labyrinthine alleys, and buried history. It is also the destination for something to hide. This is the perfect city for Clare who is willing to reinvent herself. And, what better place to hide the dark secrets than at the university in this cobblestoned Old Town? When Clare meets the charismatic and rich girl Tabitha from her art history class she knows she will be friends with her. Tabitha’s circle includes pragmatic Imogen, raffish Samuel, and shrewd Ava. Clare is immediately attracted to the world of sophisticated dinner parties and summers in France. The life Clare has always imagined for herself is finally here. Tabitha reveals the little project she has been working on and she needs Clare. Clare’s relationship with her friends has turned into codependency. However, by the time Clare realizes what her friends are capable of.

The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao

Samantha Song has always had a dream of writing for a prestigious high-society magazine, but her low social status and financial struggles make it feel unattainable. Working at a dull PR firm, she finds solace in living vicariously through her wealthy friend and coworker, Anya Chen. But everything changes when she meets Timothy Kingston, the disillusioned son of a wealthy Singaporean family. Timothy and Anya both agree to help Samantha infiltrate the high-society world, but her borrowed designer clothes and access to events only get her so far. Determined to impress the editor in chief of Singapore’s premier magazine, Samantha is willing to do anything, but the deeper she goes, the more she fears being exposed. With a gossip columnist on the hunt for dirt, Samantha must reconcile her fake identity with who she really is before she loses it all.

Also Read: Most Anticipated Books of February 2023