Tenderness

by Rowan Beaird

Just a few months after leaving the mysterious and dangerous cult Synanon, Shay is finally marrying her fiancé Andrew. Although their relationship has been rocky since Shay got involved with Synanon, Andrew, wealthy and loyal, has stuck by her.

As the wedding party arrives on a small island off the coast of Virginia, where Andrew's family has vacationed for generations, rumors are swirling about the couple. Shay's former college flame, Joel, has brought his new girlfriend, but it's clear he's still not over Shay. Shay's brother, William, is deeply uncomfortable with the wealth Shay is marrying into and is hiding a tragic secret from his family.

When a strange woman is spotted around the island, and a series of near-disasters begin to escalate, it becomes clear that Shay has not fully cut her ties to Synanon.

Beguiling and propulsive, Rowan Beaird's TENDERNESS is a story about family, love, belief, about how much we're ever able to outrun the darker parts of our past - and if we should want to.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 21, 2026

About the author

Rowan Beaird's first novel, The Divorcées, was named a best book by Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, People, The Independent, and the Chicago Review of Books. Her second novel, Tenderness, will be published in July 2026. She is the recipient of the Ploughshares Emerging Writer Award, and her short fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart.