2.5? 3? I guess. I think Elin Hilderbrand is phenomenal at making characters beliveable. Even this short story felt like so much character development in such a short amount of time howeverrrrr this should've been a full story. By the time you were hooked into the story it was abrupt ending. I haven't read many short stories before so maybe I have just learned they aren't for me!

This was my first book/novella by Elin Hilderbrand and I really enjoyed it. This was a super quick read and made me want to read more by her.

As a self-proclaimed Elin Hilderbrand fan, I snapped this book up as soon as I could. And it was just okay. Most of her books, while a bit cheesy and fun beach reads, are normally 4- or 5-star reads for me. This was like a 2.5.

I didn't much care for the main character (who's name I already forget), there were too many side characters introduced for them to make much of a difference to me, and nothing was fleshed out enough for me to truly care about what happened in this book. The only thing that kept me interested was finding out why the boyfriend had to leave so quickly with no explanation.

Is it still worth your time? If it takes you no time at all to read 54 pages (it took me maybe an hour or so), then feel free to read it so you can mark it off her backlog. But otherwise, you can probably skip this one.

This is an awesome short story about self discovery and not settling for less than we deserve. Living life and adapting to the fullest!

Natural selection by Elin Hilderbrand is a short story. Something I initially didn’t realize until I dove in. A short but sweet story about finding yourself and finding joy.
Sophia Othonos sets out on the trip of a lifetime, a cruise through the Galápagos Islands with her boyfriend JP only to be left unexpectedly at the gate. Thus Sophia journeys to the Galapagos by herself and meets a fun cast of characters along the way.
I really loved the imagery and descriptions of the Galapagos landscape and all the wildlife present.
I think this could have been a bit of a longer story to fully flesh out some of the characters and give more time for development of Sophia herself however I still really enjoyed this read. Perfect for the beach!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories  for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Natural Selection" is a charming short story that follows Sophia Othonos as she embarks on a solo cruise to the Galápagos after her boyfriend, JP, cancels at the last minute. What was meant to be a romantic getaway turns into an unexpected journey of self-discovery.

Elin Hilderbrand beautifully captures the allure of the Galápagos Islands, using the stunning natural backdrop to reflect Sophia's inner transformation. While the story is somewhat predictable, it remains engaging, with vivid descriptions and emotional depth that make Sophia’s evolution relatable and satisfying.

Though brief, "Natural Selection" offers a thoughtful exploration of adaptation and personal growth, making it a quick yet impactful read that resonates long after the final page

I really really liked this short story. Would you believe me if this is the first Elin Hilderbrand book I've read?

I absolutely loved the journey that the main character ended up being on to find herself... in the Galapagos Islands of all places! The twist at the end.. could totally see coming but it still hit good all the same.

Honestly, would have LOVED if this was a full length book. I was really getting into the setting and enjoying it!!

This was just okay, I have enjoyed some of the authors full length novels, but this just seemed like an afterthought.

I saw what was coming from the moment he left the airport. I thought she was supposed to “find herself” but really it was a whole lot of nothing with lots of cringe references to current popular culture.

You can definitely tell this is a Gen X woman attempting at writing from a millennial perspective 🫣🤷🏼‍♀️

I always look forward to a summer beach read by Elin.This was a short story but yet did t disappoint .I fell in love with the characters.I will say I knew where the book was going .I did feel she mixed up the genres with this one which I did like .Swim and swim to get this one .

read if you like:
👩‍❤️‍👨 coming of age stories
📕 short stories
📍 stories about finding yourself

summary:
This is a quick little short story by Elin Hilderbrand, about a woman, Sophia, who heads on vacation with her boyfriend of 6 months, JP, to the Galapagos. When JP has to head home at the last minute to deal with an emergency with his children from his first marriage, Sophia finds herself embarking on the cruise alone. There, she realizes that in the company of others, maybe JP wasn’t what she was truly looking for.

This book feels like a true Elin story. Set in a beautiful ocean setting with stunning imagery and descriptions, she makes us feel like we are on the boat with the group, finding ourselves along the way. Sophia is both deeply flawed and incredibly vulnerable, in a way that’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking. While it’s easy to see where the story is heading, it’s still compelling to go along for the ride, and again, feel a part of the eclectic group of friends Sophia has made. Even though it’s short, the writing is so good that it feels satisfyingly complete at the end.

I can’t say much more without spoiling it, so check this book out on Kindle Unlimited today. Thanks to Amazon Short Stories and NetGalley for the ARC.

Simply perfect! Hildebrand has created the lovely, if sadly realistic story, of a Sophia left at tge gate on her way to The Galapagos. Her boyfriend, who has professed love and proposed, is called away for a family emergency.

Sophia joins the small tour group and continues on the less than luxurious cruise on her own. It is during this visit that she sees Darwinian theory in action. Perhaps, learning from these experiences.

By the time Sophia ends this trip, she has experienced a journey of discovery and maturity. I certainly recommend this short and delightful story.

Thank you Netgalley for this charming read.

Synopsis: Sophia Othonos and her catch of a boyfriend, JP, are headed to a couples’ cruise when JP leaves Sophia at the airport right before their Galápagos Islands getaway. Sophia ends up traveling alone, but why isn’t JP returning her calls or answering her texts? Is this the relationship she always hoped for? Is JP the boyfriend she thought he was?

What I liked: This was my first Elin Hilderbrand book (I know, I know… What am I waiting for?) but I will be a returning reader. I really like Elin’s writing; she makes you forget you’re engrossed in your book. She really packs a punch in few pages.

What I disliked: Girl, wake up! A predictable ending. I liked the last few pages, but I would’ve loved a more developed story.

This book is for you if… you need a quick, light afternoon read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the advanced reader copy of #NaturalSelection.

When her husband cancels on her last minute, she finally decides to go on the cruise alone... Find out what else happens (don't wanna spoil)

Okay so, I love Elin Hilderbrand, I have only read one of her books. But the vibe the everything is just soooo goood. However this one was not my favorite. I didn't really catch up with what was happening and all that. if the book was longer. Sure, then maybe. But... I just think all of it went by to fast.

Because the plot/story was interesting... But like I said it went by to quick so I did not understand a thing sadly- Anyhow, the setting and all that was cute. Really wish we get a longer version of this! Because I would 100% read that.

Because of me not really catching on, i can't really explain the novella to you so much. Because I didn't feel like I really got to know the characters and even reflect on the writing.

Thank you to netgalley for sharing this book with me for a honest review.

Natural Selection by E. Hilderbrand, published by Amazon Original Stories, is a short story, a quick read that stays with me for days now.
Sophia is about to board for a vacation with her love interest when everything changes. She is to take the trip to Galapagos islands alone. Deep in denial for what's about to come. A navelshow, a story about liofe in general, betrayal, starting over, finding peace and freedom. A wonderful book, 5 stars.

Natural Selection is a delightful short story. It was a quick and somewhat predictable read. I’ve read other Elin Hilderbrand novels and this was a quick sample of her writing style. Learned a few things about the Galapagos and the wildlife. The story centers around Sophia and her boyfriend JP on their first vacation together. Or so that is what you’d expect until he is called away last minute.

I did enjoy the read, although it felt a bit rushed.

This was my first book by Elin Hilderbrand but definitely not the last! I enjoyed reading it and it would've been so cool if this was a full length novel. I highly recommend this short story if you're looking for something quick to read or if like me, you want to see if Elin Hilderbrand her writing style is something for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for this arc.

I wanted to try a short story by this author and it was a nice change to not have this be focused on rich people so much . This was a mix of many genres and kept my attention throughout . There was good build and character development in a short period of time — a fast paced read for the beach .

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for this ARC. This is my honest review.

A super quick read but everything was tied up nicely! I wish the author wouldn’t include words like Rizz, sus, and hella that took me out of the story but that’s personal preference 🤪 I was intrigued and curious the whole time, even though the ending was one that I feel has been done a lot!

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

This took me all of 25 minutes to read. The thing about short stories is they have to be super impactful, otherwise it’s real tough to make it a good one. This was super boring and characters that seem unimportant. A woman is supposed to be going on a getaway with her boyfriend when his ex-wife calls the airline and he has to stay back while she goes on the trip. It could have made for a really cool full length thriller (with a different ending) but the ending is this was unsurprising.

I wouldn’t bother. It’s not reminiscent of any of the good Elin Hilderbrand books that I’ve read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read and review this short story!

After Sophia’s boyfriend of six months bails on their rustic cruise to the Galápagos Islands moments before their flight boards, she continues on alone. This was a great short story that could easily be turned into a full length novel. Even at only 50 pages, I felt like Sophia was a fully formed character. The supporting characters on the cruise were also great!