Heatstroke

by Meredyth Cole

This deliciously unhinged debut novel, for readers of Ottessa Moshfegh, Marlowe Granados and Mona Awad, follows a young woman's descent into a feral and glamorous hell.

A devoted lover and wannabe screenwriter, January is unable to love or write after finding out her (now ex) girlfriend has cheated. Restless and questioning it all, January and her stoic bestie Laura travel to a menacing California in search of recreation and inspiration—anything to alleviate the grief.

There, January submerges herself into a life of indulgence—until she makes eye contact, poolside, with a telepathic bunny. Inhabited by the spirit of Caroline Lamb, the eclipsed muse of Lord Byron and a self-described footnote in the history of English literature, this magical, brassed doe coaches January through the messy past and the increasingly sinister present. Although life with Caroline might spring January out of her rut, it could just as easily bury her further below the fault lines of the desert and her earthly woes.

A Faustian bargain for modern times, Heatstroke unwinds through a rippling tale of heartbreak, obsession and creativity. With it, Meredyth Cole signals her prodigious talent and offers us a spicy, boundless realm where "going insane is low-key sexy."

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 29, 2026

Reviews

[Cas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great summer read. This book screams "Weird Girl Lit" and I loved it. January's story, from the seemingly endless Laura's to Caroline and George, this book had lots of twists and turns. My favourite part was the reveal that January did to Laura what Laura did to January while they were in Uni, such a satisfying wrap up to that plot line.

I 100% would reread this book and would recommend it to other fans of the Weird Girl Lit subgenre

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still not sure what to make of this book. It was definitely entertaining but it’s a weird book that I think some people will love and others will not enjoy.

The characters are well written and the story was easy to read but I’m not sure it’s a book I’d reread. Definitely recommend giving it a try.

Thanks NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I even begin with this one? It’s weird, queer and fun. January is a screenwriter who will do anything to get ahead and honestly this story goes the length to show that. I liked her as a character but she’s certainly in weird, messy girl territory. Overall, a fun summer read that had some fun plot points and a decent amount of humour.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

[Girl Well Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is easily 5 stars, but the story unravelled about 2/3 of the way and there are a few scenes that I could’ve done without. Definitely an author to watch—she oozes talent.