> At a Glance
> – Alexa Yasemin Brahme’s debut Good News drops May 5
> – The novel follows a struggling NYC artist juggling love, family, and career
> – Early readers compare it to Emma Cline, Lily King, and Coco Mellors
> – Why it matters: Offers reassurance to twenty-somethings that “a giant mess” can still turn out okay
Brooklyn-based author Alexa Yasemin Brahme is about to deliver the spring’s most talked-about comfort read. Her first novel, Good News, lands in stores on May 5-and News Of Los Angeles has the exclusive first look at the cover.
Inside the Story
Maggie, an MFA-trained painter, is “on the brink.” Her thesis piece-a sprawling canvas of 20 women suspended between life and death-leaves critics politely confused, sending her into a work-obsessed spiral.
Meanwhile her Turkish mother won’t stop calling, her dependable boyfriend Rob is suddenly working suspiciously late, and her perfectionist doctor brother is dating Maggie’s art-world nemesis, a performance artist who’s rebranded herself simply as “the Artist.”
When smooth-talking art critic and ex-flame Rakib reappears, whispers of a career-making grant push Maggie to question every choice she’s made.
What Brahme Wants Readers to Feel
Brahme never set out with a grand message, but the book’s meaning “snuck up” on her.
> “It was a letter to a younger version of myself,” she tells News Of Los Angeles. “A version…looking out at the world and feeling completely bewildered.”
She hopes the finished novel feels like:
- A reassuring hand on the shoulder
- Proof that confusion is normal
- A reminder that turmoil can still lead to okay outcomes
Key Takeaways
- Good News is already drawing comparisons to The Guest, Heart of the Lover, and Blue Sisters
- Pre-orders are live now at all major retailers
- The story tackles immigrant-family expectations, late-twenties uncertainty, and the cut-throat NYC art scene
With its May 5 release date locked, Brahme’s heartfelt debut is poised to become the season’s must-read literary hug.
