This was my first Elin Hilderbrand, and it was great! I may have to pick up one of her books and see if I like it as much. I was into the story the entire time, I was rooting for the main character, and I just had to know what was happening! It was a good short story with an ending that wrapped up quite nicely for the length of the book.

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.

Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand is a story of discovery of one’s own strength and courage to face life head on when it’s going in the opposite direction that you planned. Sophia and JP are in the airport about to go to go on a cruise when he mysteriously gets a phone call and tells her he can’t go and insists she go without him. I enjoyed this quick read with its limited but interesting cast of characters and the beautiful setting. The MFC made the most out of her situation and saw the silver lining in the end, what started out as a trip she never wanted to go on ended up being something beautiful and memorable. I recommend this women’s fiction short story that ends with positivity and a HEA.

This book was one of the featured first reads for August in my Kindle Unlimited. I almost passed on it as it is not my usual type of story, but I gave it a try because it was a quick read. I found it interesting with an intriguing premise. It deals with love, relationships, betrayal and self discovery. I liked Sophia, the main character and following along with her through what was supposed to be a romantic get away. Well written and a quick fast paced read that had a lot packed into a short story. Enjoyable!

In Natural Selection, Sophia is preparing to go on a Galápagos Islands cruise with JP, her boyfriend of six months, when he receives a mysterious phone call as they are boarding the flight. He says he has to go, one of his kids needs him, but insists that Sophia should go on the trip and take pictures for him. As Sophia heads out on her journey, she tries to put JP's odd behavior behind her and enjoy her time, but she quickly finds that she is unable to get back into contact with him. I was intrigued by the mystery of what happened with JP, but it was unfortunately about what you would expect. Sophia kept referring to herself as a millennial and she used some slang and made pop culture references that are certain to date the story. That being said, Hilderbrand writes interesting characters and the story was very readable. Fans of her work should pick this up, as it is a quick, fun read.

*Natural Selection* is an exhilarating and fast-paced short story that captures the essence of human resilience and adaptability. The story follows Sophia, a charming New Yorker, who finds herself entangled with JP, a Midwestern executive whose promises of love quickly unravel. The novel’s sharp observations and dynamic characters make it a compelling read. Sophia’s journey is both heart-wrenching and enlightening. As she arrives in the Galapagos on a trip originally intended for herself and JP,she navigates the complexities of her relationship with JP, and she learns the hard truths about trust and adaptability. The recurring theme—“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”—is brilliantly interwoven throughout the narrative. This idea resonates deeply as Sophia faces the shocking revelation of JP's deceit and the reality of his life back home. The narrative explores the contrast between Sophia’s adaptability and JP's inability to evolve. Sophia’s initial naïveté gives way to a poignant realization of her own strength and the necessity of change. The encounters with her shipmates add layers of complexity and highlight the struggles inherent in relationships where adaptation is not an option. The book’s ending, where Sophia snaps a stunning photograph of a dolphin midair—a symbol of her own personal growth and transformation—is both metaphorically and visually striking. It’s a testament to the story’s powerful message about embracing change and learning from one’s experiences. With its engaging plot and well-developed characters, *Natural Selection* is a must-read for anyone interested in a story about love, betrayal, and personal evolution. It’s a narrative that will stay with you long after the last page, reminding you that survival and success often hinge on our ability to adapt.

‘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.” - Darwin. When Sophia Othonos is surprisingly dumped by her fiancé JP twelve minutes before boarding their flight to the Galapagos Islands and a luxury cruise, she agrees to travel alone, keeping JP’s camera with her to take pictures of the wildlife he wanted most to see. Not surprisingly, this is not a luxury cruise. Sophia’s disappointment leads to interest in both her fellow passengers and the unique wildlife found on these volcanic islands. JP is long forgotten before the end of this trip and the beginning of Sophia’s new life. In 50 pages, Elin Hilderbrand creates a story just as satisfying as her Nantucket or St. John novels. I hope she will come out of retirement in the future, 50 pages at a time. 5 stars. What else? Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Elon Hilderbrand for this ARC.