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Natural Selection
When her boyfriend bails at the last minute, a New York woman embarks on their couples’ cruise alone to find that maybe the person she was supposed to fall in love with was herself.
After a string of bad dates and no prospects, Sophia Othonos has finally hit the jackpot: an actual nice guy. When he suggests a romantic getaway, she’s sure they’re about to take the next step toward their future. A rustic cruise to the Galápagos Islands isn’t exactly her idea of a vacation, but Sophia is ready for anything…until her boyfriend has to cancel.
Now she’s all alone on a trip that was meant for two. Sophia finds herself at a crossroads about who she is, what she wants, and whether her relationship is really everything she thought. But if she’s going to suffer an identity crisis, at least she gets to do it amid the unexpected majesty of nature.
Eight days of wild, unobstructed beauty are enough to make anyone reevaluate their life. These islands are all about adapting to your surroundings—and change just might be what Sophia needs most of all.
After a string of bad dates and no prospects, Sophia Othonos has finally hit the jackpot: an actual nice guy. When he suggests a romantic getaway, she’s sure they’re about to take the next step toward their future. A rustic cruise to the Galápagos Islands isn’t exactly her idea of a vacation, but Sophia is ready for anything…until her boyfriend has to cancel.
Now she’s all alone on a trip that was meant for two. Sophia finds herself at a crossroads about who she is, what she wants, and whether her relationship is really everything she thought. But if she’s going to suffer an identity crisis, at least she gets to do it amid the unexpected majesty of nature.
Eight days of wild, unobstructed beauty are enough to make anyone reevaluate their life. These islands are all about adapting to your surroundings—and change just might be what Sophia needs most of all.
54 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2024
16071 people are currently reading
21865 people want to read
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
88 books60.4k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,420 reviews
August 1, 2024
This book started off and it almost sounded like it would have been a good set up for a thriller. He disappeared at the airport and sent her on a trip where someone is supposed to kill her- that would have been good. But sadly it was just a predictable story that was exactly what you thought it would be from the first few pages- infidelity. I knew it wasn’t going to be a thriller, but I just thought it could have been a good set up for one. Now that would have been a book I wanted to read!
This book wasn’t bad, it just was too predictable. There was good imagery of the trip and I liked that, but overall it was just okay.
Thank you to Amazon first reads for this free copy.
This book wasn’t bad, it just was too predictable. There was good imagery of the trip and I liked that, but overall it was just okay.
Thank you to Amazon first reads for this free copy.
August 20, 2024
This was a short story by Elin Hilderbrand, that in my opinion should have been a full length novel. I loved everything about this story! I resonated deeply with that of our main character Sophia, and I would have liked to have known more about how her life progressed (even though we did get a brief follow up).
In this short story, Sophia is left to take a trip to the Galapagos alone after her boyfriend of six months gets a personal phone call at the airport and says he must go home immediately to tend to one of his adult children. While Sophia does not want to take this trip alone and feels unsure of herself, she gets on the plane anyways.
While on the boat in Galapagos, Sophia makes some new friends and learns some things about her relationship that she didn’t know were true. Will things work out for Sophia when she gets home from her trip? Has Sophia grown as a woman and adapted to change while on this trip?
This was a wonderful fast read, and it was Amazon Prime’s First Reads pick for this month of August, 2024. If you haven’t made your pick yet, I’d say this is the one!
In this short story, Sophia is left to take a trip to the Galapagos alone after her boyfriend of six months gets a personal phone call at the airport and says he must go home immediately to tend to one of his adult children. While Sophia does not want to take this trip alone and feels unsure of herself, she gets on the plane anyways.
While on the boat in Galapagos, Sophia makes some new friends and learns some things about her relationship that she didn’t know were true. Will things work out for Sophia when she gets home from her trip? Has Sophia grown as a woman and adapted to change while on this trip?
This was a wonderful fast read, and it was Amazon Prime’s First Reads pick for this month of August, 2024. If you haven’t made your pick yet, I’d say this is the one!
August 25, 2024
A super quick short story freebie on Kindle.
Sophia is going to the Galapagos on a small boat with her boyfriend JP.
She’s a bit bougie, and it’s not the trip of her dreams but her boyfriend is super excited and has a list of all the wildlife he wants to catch photos of.
He gets an emergency phone call from his ex wife as they are about to get on the boat - something is wrong with one of their kids. He leaves in a hurry, gives her the camera and asks her to take lots of pictures for him.
Sophia is a little shallow to me but Elin Hilderbrand is able to give her character growth in less than 75 pages- kudos to Hilderbrand for that.
Short stories aren’t always my favorite, give me an epic saga and I’ll eat it up. This one was okay for me but a bit predictable. The side characters were colorful and fun- they made me smile.
Sophia is going to the Galapagos on a small boat with her boyfriend JP.
She’s a bit bougie, and it’s not the trip of her dreams but her boyfriend is super excited and has a list of all the wildlife he wants to catch photos of.
He gets an emergency phone call from his ex wife as they are about to get on the boat - something is wrong with one of their kids. He leaves in a hurry, gives her the camera and asks her to take lots of pictures for him.
Sophia is a little shallow to me but Elin Hilderbrand is able to give her character growth in less than 75 pages- kudos to Hilderbrand for that.
Short stories aren’t always my favorite, give me an epic saga and I’ll eat it up. This one was okay for me but a bit predictable. The side characters were colorful and fun- they made me smile.
February 4, 2025
This was very mediocre and predictable. Not bad, but the target audience is definitely middle-aged white women who are going through a divorce, and that is not me.
August 14, 2024
1/5 ⭐️ I wanted to read this short story to see if I would enjoy this author’s writing enough to read one of her full length novels, but this was just so meh. And the characters were also meh. It was freaking boring. Also, the Spanish in this story was atrocious 😬. This just felt so pointless! And the Iron Flame reference… yikes. It honestly made me cringe.
I know short stories are more difficult to develop, plot-wise, but there have been a few short stories that I’ve really loved, and this one was just not one of them.
I know short stories are more difficult to develop, plot-wise, but there have been a few short stories that I’ve really loved, and this one was just not one of them.
September 9, 2024
the setup…
Sophia Othonos finally has a man in her life that loves her and is someone she respects and admires. When J.P. Satterwhite proposes that they go on a romantic getaway and then chooses a cruise to the Galápagos Islands, Sophia finds the location underwhelming but is just happy they’re going on an eight-day trip together. But minutes before they’re ready to board their flight, he gets an emergency call at the gate and has to rush home to his son in Oklahoma. She has no choice but to continue the trip alone.
the heart of the story…
I was a bit skeptical of JP from the onset. He’s older, divorced with two children and works in New York during the week and returns home to Oklahoma on the weekend. Maybe I’m just cynical but an emergency call at the gate? My expectations were low but Sophia having eight days to reflect not only about the relationship but herself was worth the alone time. Being able to step back and look at the lives of those around you, including not only family and friends but the other passengers on that cruise, and then take measure of your own was worth the abandonment.
the narration…
The author narrates her own story and here it made such a difference as this is a nuanced one that required care and delicacy. She led me where I needed to go.
the bottom line…
For a short story, it delivered an important and powerful message. While the cruise ship was “rustic” and the amenities on par with a budget motel, there were aspects of the setting and island nature that connected Sophie with its simplicity and beauty. There was a pivotal moment that reset her path and just felt right and serendipitous. Loved the insights and the ending. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Sophia Othonos finally has a man in her life that loves her and is someone she respects and admires. When J.P. Satterwhite proposes that they go on a romantic getaway and then chooses a cruise to the Galápagos Islands, Sophia finds the location underwhelming but is just happy they’re going on an eight-day trip together. But minutes before they’re ready to board their flight, he gets an emergency call at the gate and has to rush home to his son in Oklahoma. She has no choice but to continue the trip alone.
the heart of the story…
I was a bit skeptical of JP from the onset. He’s older, divorced with two children and works in New York during the week and returns home to Oklahoma on the weekend. Maybe I’m just cynical but an emergency call at the gate? My expectations were low but Sophia having eight days to reflect not only about the relationship but herself was worth the alone time. Being able to step back and look at the lives of those around you, including not only family and friends but the other passengers on that cruise, and then take measure of your own was worth the abandonment.
the narration…
The author narrates her own story and here it made such a difference as this is a nuanced one that required care and delicacy. She led me where I needed to go.
the bottom line…
For a short story, it delivered an important and powerful message. While the cruise ship was “rustic” and the amenities on par with a budget motel, there were aspects of the setting and island nature that connected Sophie with its simplicity and beauty. There was a pivotal moment that reset her path and just felt right and serendipitous. Loved the insights and the ending. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
August 7, 2024
just not really a plot…? Like duh girl open ur eyes
August 25, 2024
3.5 stars.
I was just getting really interested in this story and then it ended. The finale was so abrupt! This definitely could have been a full novel.
I did enjoy the story. What there was of it. The characters were ones that I wanted to know more about though and I wanted to know what happened to all of them.
I’ve come to believe that I am just not a short story kind of girl. This will probably be enjoyed much more by readers who like short stories and who are fans of the author.
This was my August selection from Amazon Prime First Reads.
I was just getting really interested in this story and then it ended. The finale was so abrupt! This definitely could have been a full novel.
I did enjoy the story. What there was of it. The characters were ones that I wanted to know more about though and I wanted to know what happened to all of them.
I’ve come to believe that I am just not a short story kind of girl. This will probably be enjoyed much more by readers who like short stories and who are fans of the author.
This was my August selection from Amazon Prime First Reads.
August 2, 2024
Finding Yourself in the Galapagos
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook edition (August 1, 2024), released in advance of the official publication by Amazon Original Stories in eBook format & by Audible Originals in audio format (September 1, 2024)
Note For GR page counters, this story has not been assigned a page count by Amazon or Goodreads, so you will not gain any pages for your running total if you finish it. It is probably about 50 to 60 pages based on the audiobook timing of 1 hour and 54 minutes of narration time. But even The Lone Librarian is hesitant to make edits without authoritative sources 😅.
The setting of the Galapagos Islands of course makes it quite exotic and interesting. I have never been and am unlikely to go as I detest hot climates. Sophia is ditched by her boyfriend at the airport just as they are about to board a plane for their week long getaway trip. He is called away due to a family emergency (he apparently has an ex-wife and 3 kids). He insists that she carry on alone and take lots of photos of the various unique wildlife species on the islands and even gives her his fancy camera gear.
A photograph of the blue-footed booby. The name of the bird is a running joke in the "Natural Selection" story. Image sourced from Wikipedia.
But then he ghosts her for the rest of the week! Sophia makes the best of the situation and manages to bond with the various singles and couples on board a rather dilapidated tourist ship. And she discovers her aptitude for photography and the joy of capturing that perfect image. Regardless of the ghosting (which is finally explained) and her initial downhearted feelings, Sophia turns out to be "the one most adaptable to change."
Map of the Galapagos Islands which are west of Ecuador in South America (see the tiny inset map). Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Trivia and Links
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page here (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook edition (August 1, 2024), released in advance of the official publication by Amazon Original Stories in eBook format & by Audible Originals in audio format (September 1, 2024)
Note For GR page counters, this story has not been assigned a page count by Amazon or Goodreads, so you will not gain any pages for your running total if you finish it. It is probably about 50 to 60 pages based on the audiobook timing of 1 hour and 54 minutes of narration time. But even The Lone Librarian is hesitant to make edits without authoritative sources 😅.
Darwin’s most famous quote. It is not the strongest of the species that survive, and it is not the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change.I've never read Elin Hilderbrand before but based on the cover image and looking at the very similar cover designs on all of her novels, I thought this would be very basic chick-lit, but I actually quite enjoyed it.
The setting of the Galapagos Islands of course makes it quite exotic and interesting. I have never been and am unlikely to go as I detest hot climates. Sophia is ditched by her boyfriend at the airport just as they are about to board a plane for their week long getaway trip. He is called away due to a family emergency (he apparently has an ex-wife and 3 kids). He insists that she carry on alone and take lots of photos of the various unique wildlife species on the islands and even gives her his fancy camera gear.
A photograph of the blue-footed booby. The name of the bird is a running joke in the "Natural Selection" story. Image sourced from Wikipedia.
But then he ghosts her for the rest of the week! Sophia makes the best of the situation and manages to bond with the various singles and couples on board a rather dilapidated tourist ship. And she discovers her aptitude for photography and the joy of capturing that perfect image. Regardless of the ghosting (which is finally explained) and her initial downhearted feelings, Sophia turns out to be "the one most adaptable to change."
Map of the Galapagos Islands which are west of Ecuador in South America (see the tiny inset map). Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Trivia and Links
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page here (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
October 22, 2024
The Perfect Man
The perfect man in the story did not work out for their getaway together trip, so Sophia was forced to navigate the Galapagos and the strangers on the boat by herself.
I think there was probably a moral to the story, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It looked like this was going somewhere, and suddenly it was over. The writing is good, but the plot needed work.
The perfect man in the story did not work out for their getaway together trip, so Sophia was forced to navigate the Galapagos and the strangers on the boat by herself.
I think there was probably a moral to the story, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It looked like this was going somewhere, and suddenly it was over. The writing is good, but the plot needed work.
June 5, 2025
3.5
absolutely love these wine mom on the brink of a divorce books, i found this was very fun and i like that it’s short and gets to the point. the ending was sooo dramatic i kinda do wish it was more of a twist though
absolutely love these wine mom on the brink of a divorce books, i found this was very fun and i like that it’s short and gets to the point. the ending was sooo dramatic i kinda do wish it was more of a twist though
January 5, 2025
Yea Galapagos ain’t that special 😭 nah I’m playing, is absolutely beautiful like any other part of Ecuador🥰
August 4, 2024
First, I have to get this off my chest, because it appears half a dozen times in the story: It's EdmOnd, Oklahoma, not EdmUnd!! It ticks me off when an author doesn't fact check. I suppose there could have been some kind of autocorrect but in that case, proofread!
Whew! Okay, better now. This is the second short story I've read where a dating couple has planned a trip, the man cancels at the last minute and the woman goes on the trip alone. Is this some kind of trend? In this case, it was a trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was interesting reading about all the exotic wildlife while the details of the romantic entanglement spun out in the background. If the author hadn't screwed up the city name (I live 40 miles away from Edmond, what can I say, it irritated me), I probably would have given the story four stars. It's not Hilderbrand's best but it is enjoyable.
Whew! Okay, better now. This is the second short story I've read where a dating couple has planned a trip, the man cancels at the last minute and the woman goes on the trip alone. Is this some kind of trend? In this case, it was a trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was interesting reading about all the exotic wildlife while the details of the romantic entanglement spun out in the background. If the author hadn't screwed up the city name (I live 40 miles away from Edmond, what can I say, it irritated me), I probably would have given the story four stars. It's not Hilderbrand's best but it is enjoyable.
September 13, 2024
genuinely had no purpose
August 23, 2024
A good story.
I picked this as my August Prime reads because I thought that the cover looked idyllic. It didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it was still enjoyable. It would have been good to know more about the people in the group, a bit more but it is a short story.
I picked this as my August Prime reads because I thought that the cover looked idyllic. It didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it was still enjoyable. It would have been good to know more about the people in the group, a bit more but it is a short story.
January 18, 2025
Naive Sofia learns an important lesson but at least gets a vacation out of this.
August 11, 2024
Natural Selection is a short story by Elin Hilderbrand, and while it doesn’t take place in Nantucket, her easy writing style is still evident.
Sophia has finally found the man of her dreams, and just as they’re about to depart for a cruise together, he takes off, citing a family emergency. He encourages Sophia to continue on with the trip, and she does, but she can’t help wondering what’s really happened when she doesn’t hear from him.
Given its short length, Natural Selection doesn’t provide a lot of character depth, but I still found it entertaining and worth reading as a quick escape for an hour.
Sophia has finally found the man of her dreams, and just as they’re about to depart for a cruise together, he takes off, citing a family emergency. He encourages Sophia to continue on with the trip, and she does, but she can’t help wondering what’s really happened when she doesn’t hear from him.
Given its short length, Natural Selection doesn’t provide a lot of character depth, but I still found it entertaining and worth reading as a quick escape for an hour.
August 7, 2024
I get the message about how natural selection weeds out those who don't belong, but maybe it should have weeded out this book too? At least it was short.
April 8, 2025
This was really cute I really liked it. For my first Elon Hilderbrand it’s a winner, now I need to read an actual full length book by her. I love how in just 50 pages, she established a whole story w/ multiple characters who I felt I knew and and ending that just was so satisfying. Love it.
September 28, 2024
I'm going to go against the tide on most reviews here and say I really loved Elin Hilderbrand's short story! I've read quite a few of her books and love her style! I was actually surprised to read she was publishing anything because I thought she was ending her writing career, but maybe she was just done with books about Nantucket.
Sophia is boarding a fairly 'rustic' cruise to the Galapagos, talked into it by her boyfriend, when he gets an alarming phone call and bails at the last possible second, giving her his expensive new camera. She later finds a list of animals he hoped to photograph stuck in the camera case and decides she will try her hand at taking the pictures herself.
She trades cabins with a young couple, taking their bunk bed room, and begins to meet the other cruisers at meal times.
Sophia discovers she has an eye for not only spotting relationship nuances (too bad it didn't work for her current boyfriend), but also for photography! She explores seeing things through the camera lens (hello metaphor!) , puzzles over her own life, and connects with others onboard.
I'm a sucker for any form of positive personal evolution (vs pity party) and strong female characters, and this story delivered.
Of course, the guy is a doofus because who would abandon his girlfriend like that?! But that's the point of it. 5-stars.
Sophia is boarding a fairly 'rustic' cruise to the Galapagos, talked into it by her boyfriend, when he gets an alarming phone call and bails at the last possible second, giving her his expensive new camera. She later finds a list of animals he hoped to photograph stuck in the camera case and decides she will try her hand at taking the pictures herself.
She trades cabins with a young couple, taking their bunk bed room, and begins to meet the other cruisers at meal times.
Sophia discovers she has an eye for not only spotting relationship nuances (too bad it didn't work for her current boyfriend), but also for photography! She explores seeing things through the camera lens (hello metaphor!) , puzzles over her own life, and connects with others onboard.
I'm a sucker for any form of positive personal evolution (vs pity party) and strong female characters, and this story delivered.
Of course, the guy is a doofus because who would abandon his girlfriend like that?! But that's the point of it. 5-stars.
October 15, 2024
This was a quick, enjoyable read.
June 19, 2025
I've read a couple of her Nantucket novels before and really enjoyed them.
This seemed different so I decided to give it a go.
And to my surprise I liked it very much!
Sophia is embarking in a trip to the Galápagos with her boyfriend and he suddenly receives an urgent call, urges her to go alone and leaves her with his expensive Nokia camera!
She's stunned by his behaviour, thinking of many possible excuses, but when he doesn't answer her calls or text her, ghosting her, she tries to at least make the best with her situation.
Adapting! 🤭🤭
She bonds with her traveling companions, the majority being couples, liking some better than others, starts to enjoy the scenery and its inhabitants, discovering she has a natural talent for photography and relating what she sees with her own life!
I liked the end and the little peak to her future life!
At the same time as I was reading I googled all the different species mentioned that I didn't knew very well and had so much fun putting a face, so to speak, to the strange names!
😄😄😄😄
This seemed different so I decided to give it a go.
And to my surprise I liked it very much!
Sophia is embarking in a trip to the Galápagos with her boyfriend and he suddenly receives an urgent call, urges her to go alone and leaves her with his expensive Nokia camera!
She's stunned by his behaviour, thinking of many possible excuses, but when he doesn't answer her calls or text her, ghosting her, she tries to at least make the best with her situation.
Adapting! 🤭🤭
She bonds with her traveling companions, the majority being couples, liking some better than others, starts to enjoy the scenery and its inhabitants, discovering she has a natural talent for photography and relating what she sees with her own life!
I liked the end and the little peak to her future life!
At the same time as I was reading I googled all the different species mentioned that I didn't knew very well and had so much fun putting a face, so to speak, to the strange names!
😄😄😄😄
August 18, 2024
3.5 stars
August 14, 2024
Quick and easy short story by one of my favorite authors. This story was pretty predictable but had some valuable lessons in it. If you’re looking for a fast palette cleanser I recommend this one. The detail in the setting is always 10/10 with EH books it makes you feel like you are really right there with the characters.
August 7, 2024
I’ve always been a sucker for Elin Hilderbrand. I do wish this story had more to it. I craved for the plot to be expanded on but for what it is, it’s an enjoyable story with quite the little twist. 3.5 stars, rounding up. Publication date is set for September 01, 2024!
September 4, 2024
I have read most of Elin Hilderbrand’s books and have enjoyed most of them but this latest short story (only 54 pages) was a huge disappointment! I really didn’t like any of the characters and didn’t care for the story even though it took place in the Galapagos Islands which I’ve never been to. Not my cup of tea.
November 15, 2024
3 Stars for Natural Selection (audiobook) by Erin Hilderbrand read by Erin Bennett.
A couple is ready to take a wonderful trip to the Galápagos Islands. They have been looking forward to this vacation but at the last minute the man gets a call and has to stay behind to help his son. He sends the woman along on the trip without him and slowly she begins to figure out why.
A couple is ready to take a wonderful trip to the Galápagos Islands. They have been looking forward to this vacation but at the last minute the man gets a call and has to stay behind to help his son. He sends the woman along on the trip without him and slowly she begins to figure out why.
August 9, 2024
I just love Elin's writing style. This one felt like a mix of multiple genres and a lot like a mystery, which was unexpected but a welcome surprise. Although the red flags were waving like crazy and I felt like I knew how it was going to turn out, it still kept my attention. Perfect fast paced beachy read.
4 stars
4 stars
August 1, 2024
New short story by Elin! It was on Amazon First Reads this month so obviously had to pick it! It was cute, no crazy plot or anything but a super fast one to read.
January 16, 2025
Quick & easy read! I enjoyed the eccentric characters on the cruise the most! 😎
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,420 reviews