What do you think?
Rate this book
Fret: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 25 Aug 26“Nadia Bozak is a tremendous talent.” — Zoe Whittall, author of The Fake
Once a rising star of indie rock, Kate is now a middle-aged single mom living far out of the spotlight. Everything changes for her when an unprecedented heat wave and a stolen car set off a chain of events that threaten to upend her new, peaceful life. Fired from her job, separated from her children, and overwhelmed by public shaming, Kate must navigate the cold realities of the child welfare and family court systems while struggling to stay cool in an increasingly unbearable world.
Determined to rebuild, Kate finds herself forging new connections and fostering a sense of community — something she hasn’t felt since her music career ended in disaster more than a decade before. As Kate finds a new voice, she makes her way back to her children and her love of music, and steps closer to reconciling with her former bandmate and her little sister.
If building community is Kate’s way of reckoning with the mistakes of her past, can it also be a way to mitigate the deeper, more urgent issues and structural injustices that threaten our future?
Once a rising star of indie rock, Kate is now a middle-aged single mom living far out of the spotlight. Everything changes for her when an unprecedented heat wave and a stolen car set off a chain of events that threaten to upend her new, peaceful life. Fired from her job, separated from her children, and overwhelmed by public shaming, Kate must navigate the cold realities of the child welfare and family court systems while struggling to stay cool in an increasingly unbearable world.
Determined to rebuild, Kate finds herself forging new connections and fostering a sense of community — something she hasn’t felt since her music career ended in disaster more than a decade before. As Kate finds a new voice, she makes her way back to her children and her love of music, and steps closer to reconciling with her former bandmate and her little sister.
If building community is Kate’s way of reckoning with the mistakes of her past, can it also be a way to mitigate the deeper, more urgent issues and structural injustices that threaten our future?
256 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 25, 2026
3 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, NetGalley and ECW Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Fret. What a weird word. How can it mean ‘to worry’ and also space out the notes on a guitar neck? Some through line between art and anxiety?”
Kate, once a rockstar in a prominent indie rock band, is now far removed from the spotlight. During an interminable scorching heatwave, the middle-aged single mom of two finds her peaceful life brutally disrupted when her car is stolen with her young daughter still inside. She becomes the victim of social (and public) shaming and has to fight for both her children, her job, and her truth.
I was drawn to the book’s gorgeous cover and the ambiguous title. I love me some nice wordplay.
Fret is both a character and plot-driven novel. Kate is a dynamic and flawed character who feels alive and real, as did most other characters, which I thought was great (Kate really exists somewhere; prove me otherwise). Translating the heat to the page was also really well executed and I found myself wishing for AC while it’s still early spring here. The physical desperation to cool off beautifully mirrors Kate’s symbolic need to stay cool during an unjust and unbearable situation. Wonderful. Themes explored include motherhood, music, identity, climate, poverty, and the repercussions of social media.
The writing style was not for me, though. It’s pretty simplistic and sparse, which I like in some novels, and not so much in others. Unfortunately, Fret is in the latter category. I think because the FMC is a musician and songwriter — the text is interspersed with snippets of song lyrics —I expected the prose to be more lyrical, especially since the story is narrated by Kate.
The chapters were also a bit confusing to me. There’s only a few chapters and they all have the names of different characters, yet even in the chapters that weren’t “Kate”, it was still mostly about her and she still narrated them.
Fret has an interesting and propulsive plot and some great character-building and overall symbolism. Personally, I just didn’t connect with the writing style.
Fret will be published on August 25, 2026 by ECW Press!
“Fret. What a weird word. How can it mean ‘to worry’ and also space out the notes on a guitar neck? Some through line between art and anxiety?”
Kate, once a rockstar in a prominent indie rock band, is now far removed from the spotlight. During an interminable scorching heatwave, the middle-aged single mom of two finds her peaceful life brutally disrupted when her car is stolen with her young daughter still inside. She becomes the victim of social (and public) shaming and has to fight for both her children, her job, and her truth.
I was drawn to the book’s gorgeous cover and the ambiguous title. I love me some nice wordplay.
Fret is both a character and plot-driven novel. Kate is a dynamic and flawed character who feels alive and real, as did most other characters, which I thought was great (Kate really exists somewhere; prove me otherwise). Translating the heat to the page was also really well executed and I found myself wishing for AC while it’s still early spring here. The physical desperation to cool off beautifully mirrors Kate’s symbolic need to stay cool during an unjust and unbearable situation. Wonderful. Themes explored include motherhood, music, identity, climate, poverty, and the repercussions of social media.
The writing style was not for me, though. It’s pretty simplistic and sparse, which I like in some novels, and not so much in others. Unfortunately, Fret is in the latter category. I think because the FMC is a musician and songwriter — the text is interspersed with snippets of song lyrics —I expected the prose to be more lyrical, especially since the story is narrated by Kate.
The chapters were also a bit confusing to me. There’s only a few chapters and they all have the names of different characters, yet even in the chapters that weren’t “Kate”, it was still mostly about her and she still narrated them.
Fret has an interesting and propulsive plot and some great character-building and overall symbolism. Personally, I just didn’t connect with the writing style.
Fret will be published on August 25, 2026 by ECW Press!
March 29, 2026
Again, I need Goodreads to implement a quarter or half rating because my rating for this book is a 3.5.
I received this ARC thanks to NetGalley & ECW Press. Now, my review ⬇️
This book was honestly a rollercoaster.
It started off a bit boring for me, but as I kept reading, it got really interesting and eventually pulled me in completely.
At its core, this story focuses heavily on the struggles of being a parent, especially being a single parent. The FMC is raising her children on her own, and the book explores it in a way that feels very raw and real. The book explores parenting, childhood, sibling relationships, and messy family dynamics.
What I liked most was how much insight we got into the FMC’s mind. We see how she thinks, how she sees herself, and how she navigates the world around her. And one thing that stood out to me is that she didn’t seem to believe she was truly loved. She constantly felt like she had to compete for love and attention, and it was honestly sad to read.
She carried so much emotional baggage, so much unresolved trauma, and I kept thinking, this woman needs therapy. Because the more the story progressed, the more we saw how her hurt and anger spilled into her relationships; how she treated people, how she spoke to them, and even how she viewed herself.
I also felt like she was dealt a really heavy hand. So many things kept happening to her, and it was hard not to feel bad for her. Between the issues with her son’s father, the stolen car, the loss of friendships/relationships, and the constant stress, it felt like she was already drowning and life just kept pushing her under.
One part that really struck me was the theme of children idolizing the absent parent. The book captured that painful reality where the parent who is present is the one you see struggling, making mistakes, and showing vulnerability… while the absent parent gets to look “better” simply because you don’t see their flaws.
That was sad to read, but also very real.
Overall, this was a really interesting book and I’m glad I read it. Would I reread it? I’m honestly not sure yet, but it definitely gave me a lot to think about.
I received this ARC thanks to NetGalley & ECW Press. Now, my review ⬇️
This book was honestly a rollercoaster.
It started off a bit boring for me, but as I kept reading, it got really interesting and eventually pulled me in completely.
At its core, this story focuses heavily on the struggles of being a parent, especially being a single parent. The FMC is raising her children on her own, and the book explores it in a way that feels very raw and real. The book explores parenting, childhood, sibling relationships, and messy family dynamics.
What I liked most was how much insight we got into the FMC’s mind. We see how she thinks, how she sees herself, and how she navigates the world around her. And one thing that stood out to me is that she didn’t seem to believe she was truly loved. She constantly felt like she had to compete for love and attention, and it was honestly sad to read.
She carried so much emotional baggage, so much unresolved trauma, and I kept thinking, this woman needs therapy. Because the more the story progressed, the more we saw how her hurt and anger spilled into her relationships; how she treated people, how she spoke to them, and even how she viewed herself.
I also felt like she was dealt a really heavy hand. So many things kept happening to her, and it was hard not to feel bad for her. Between the issues with her son’s father, the stolen car, the loss of friendships/relationships, and the constant stress, it felt like she was already drowning and life just kept pushing her under.
One part that really struck me was the theme of children idolizing the absent parent. The book captured that painful reality where the parent who is present is the one you see struggling, making mistakes, and showing vulnerability… while the absent parent gets to look “better” simply because you don’t see their flaws.
That was sad to read, but also very real.
Overall, this was a really interesting book and I’m glad I read it. Would I reread it? I’m honestly not sure yet, but it definitely gave me a lot to think about.
Did Not Finish
March 17, 2026DNF @ 22%
Thank you Nadia Bozak and ECW Press for this ARC!
First off, I love this cover. It is what first caught my eye, then I heard it was about a single mom and had to give it a try. At first, I was unsure where it would lead. We get to know this woman, who loves her children through the hard times and dreams about her life before them. I'm not a mother, but I felt her headspace of one was accurate-it is not sunshine and rainbows to have kids, let alone be their only parent. That being said, if I hadn't DNFed this, I think I would have enjoyed seeing how her character ended up. For the reasoning why I did DNF, it is because I was not a fan of this writing style. For a character driven novel especially, the writing is a vital piece, and this is not one I enjoyed. I was slightly confused at some details of characters and how they fit; there are a good bit mentioned in the beginning without having met them. The pacing of the novel was quite slow, and I did not have the interest or the patience to get to the thick of it. I had gotten to the first big thing to happen, and I still wasn't all that invested. That was the moment I decided to stop with this one.
I do think the story is relatable for women, but the writing was not for me.
Thank you Nadia Bozak and ECW Press for this ARC!
First off, I love this cover. It is what first caught my eye, then I heard it was about a single mom and had to give it a try. At first, I was unsure where it would lead. We get to know this woman, who loves her children through the hard times and dreams about her life before them. I'm not a mother, but I felt her headspace of one was accurate-it is not sunshine and rainbows to have kids, let alone be their only parent. That being said, if I hadn't DNFed this, I think I would have enjoyed seeing how her character ended up. For the reasoning why I did DNF, it is because I was not a fan of this writing style. For a character driven novel especially, the writing is a vital piece, and this is not one I enjoyed. I was slightly confused at some details of characters and how they fit; there are a good bit mentioned in the beginning without having met them. The pacing of the novel was quite slow, and I did not have the interest or the patience to get to the thick of it. I had gotten to the first big thing to happen, and I still wasn't all that invested. That was the moment I decided to stop with this one.
I do think the story is relatable for women, but the writing was not for me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Each night, single mom and former rockstar Kate, plays guitar in her porch after her kids have gone to sleep and drinks exactly one beer. She remembers a time she was Kat- lead singer of a band on the cusp of making it big, The Toy Boats. Now, Kate lives in a run down apartment with no working AC in the hot summer, makes little money at a daycare, and drives a run down old Corolla they call the Crayola.
Early in the book, Kate has turned around for a moment while her car was on and turned back around to find the car, and her young daughter, gone. Quickly, The community hones in on Kate, and everyone is questioning her mothering skills. In an already unbearably uncomfortable summer, Kate has to prove herself to the world with less money than ever.
This is a rich, compelling character driven story. Kate is so dynamic and fleshed out I feel like she’s a person I really know. The narrative written from Kate’s perspective is so immersive, I literally couldn’t put it down.
I stayed up all night reading this book. I really did.
The reader is drawn to Kate and naturally roots for her as we seen a system repeatedly stacked against her. Her monetary struggles mean that one crisis often leads to another and quickly.
This novel also explores the idea of making peace with a part of yourself that you aren’t sure exists anymore. For Kate, it’s the part that plays music for other people.
This novel explores poverty, motherhood, celebrity, weather, identity, and aging in a way that makes you as a reader ponder your own life and your own dreams.
Fret is easily one of my favorite novels of 2026. Parts of it reminded me of the show/book Maid, and would recommend it to fans of that, but it’s hard to say who I wouldn’t recommend this to. I think it’s a really beautiful piece of work that reminds me it’s never too late to create again, and to build a community. Five stars. Thank you to ECW for the eARC.
Early in the book, Kate has turned around for a moment while her car was on and turned back around to find the car, and her young daughter, gone. Quickly, The community hones in on Kate, and everyone is questioning her mothering skills. In an already unbearably uncomfortable summer, Kate has to prove herself to the world with less money than ever.
This is a rich, compelling character driven story. Kate is so dynamic and fleshed out I feel like she’s a person I really know. The narrative written from Kate’s perspective is so immersive, I literally couldn’t put it down.
I stayed up all night reading this book. I really did.
The reader is drawn to Kate and naturally roots for her as we seen a system repeatedly stacked against her. Her monetary struggles mean that one crisis often leads to another and quickly.
This novel also explores the idea of making peace with a part of yourself that you aren’t sure exists anymore. For Kate, it’s the part that plays music for other people.
This novel explores poverty, motherhood, celebrity, weather, identity, and aging in a way that makes you as a reader ponder your own life and your own dreams.
Fret is easily one of my favorite novels of 2026. Parts of it reminded me of the show/book Maid, and would recommend it to fans of that, but it’s hard to say who I wouldn’t recommend this to. I think it’s a really beautiful piece of work that reminds me it’s never too late to create again, and to build a community. Five stars. Thank you to ECW for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of ARC received from NetGalley
I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, and I also loved that it centered on motherhood and life as a single mom. However, I ended up DNFing it at 29%—I just couldn’t push through.
It’s a very character driven story, but I didn’t connect with the writing style at all, and the pacing felt painfully slow. I never became invested enough in the characters or the story to keep going.
A big Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press and the Author for the gifted ARC. All opinions are mine.
Instagram
NetGalley
I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, and I also loved that it centered on motherhood and life as a single mom. However, I ended up DNFing it at 29%—I just couldn’t push through.
It’s a very character driven story, but I didn’t connect with the writing style at all, and the pacing felt painfully slow. I never became invested enough in the characters or the story to keep going.
A big Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press and the Author for the gifted ARC. All opinions are mine.
NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautifully told character driven story, over the course of one stifling summer. Mid life single mother Kate has a series of small events cascade into public shaming. Her responses felt real and the character arc is just captivating.
I loved this book, I devoured it over the course of a few days and when I wasn’t reading it my mind was with Kate.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher ECW Press for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book, I devoured it over the course of a few days and when I wasn’t reading it my mind was with Kate.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher ECW Press for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance reader copy of this book!
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and all of the chaos that unfolded. Kate is a very dynamic and relatable and I had fun getting by to know her. Unfortunately I found the second half of the book much slower leading to the three star rating.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and all of the chaos that unfolded. Kate is a very dynamic and relatable and I had fun getting by to know her. Unfortunately I found the second half of the book much slower leading to the three star rating.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fret is a quiet read with quite a bit of propulsion for literary fiction. Kate was such an endearing character who struggles with the person she has haplessly become-I loved it! A well-executed novel.
Thank you to the publisher for letting me read.
Thank you to the publisher for letting me read.
March 2, 2026
This book felt like a hug while simultaneously wanting to give the main character, Kate, a hug. I loved it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lyrical and well-written. Fantastic plotting, and the location almost becomes a character in and of itself, which I love. 5 stars. tysm for the E-ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 to 4.0 stars. #notmystery #notthriller
Advance review copy received with thanks from the publisher and NetGalley. More in my next Good Reads blog at www.sandiwallace.com/blog/.
Advance review copy received with thanks from the publisher and NetGalley. More in my next Good Reads blog at www.sandiwallace.com/blog/.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A joyous novel of climate change and family .
This novel tells a story of Kate who when she was younger or was that the beginnings of what looked like a promising career in the music industry. She falls out with her little sister who was also in the band and disillusioned by the music industry leaves the Spotlight. We meet her middle aged a single mother two small children and living in a dilapidated house with no air-conditioning.
The title of the novel refers to both the fret of a guitar and the fret of irritation or discomfort
The extreme heat as the result of climate change is evidenced throughout this novel where the lead character and her children live in a house without any air cooling they sleep in front of a fan eat in front of the fan and the whole life evolves around going places where there is air-conditioning. How many of us in the future Will this happen to?
In the middle of this heat wave Kate ends up being spread over social media in a low moment because of this social services become involved and it looks like she may lose her children
It’s a story about family both genetic and our found family of friends and how you can find a Community when you most need it if you look carefully
It has a really beautiful joyous ending
The author has a flowing lyrical writing style. The book is an enjoyable immersive read
I read an early copy of the novel in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 25th of August 2026 by ECW press.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, a Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon UK and Waterstones online
This novel tells a story of Kate who when she was younger or was that the beginnings of what looked like a promising career in the music industry. She falls out with her little sister who was also in the band and disillusioned by the music industry leaves the Spotlight. We meet her middle aged a single mother two small children and living in a dilapidated house with no air-conditioning.
The title of the novel refers to both the fret of a guitar and the fret of irritation or discomfort
The extreme heat as the result of climate change is evidenced throughout this novel where the lead character and her children live in a house without any air cooling they sleep in front of a fan eat in front of the fan and the whole life evolves around going places where there is air-conditioning. How many of us in the future Will this happen to?
In the middle of this heat wave Kate ends up being spread over social media in a low moment because of this social services become involved and it looks like she may lose her children
It’s a story about family both genetic and our found family of friends and how you can find a Community when you most need it if you look carefully
It has a really beautiful joyous ending
The author has a flowing lyrical writing style. The book is an enjoyable immersive read
I read an early copy of the novel in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 25th of August 2026 by ECW press.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, a Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon UK and Waterstones online
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews