10 noteworthy books for February

Siblings Greta and Valdin are young, queer and at that stage in life when the future feels urgent yet unknowable; when today looks like $7.49 in the bank and lots of time spent waiting for things to happen. Valdin is really, really okay with his breakup a year ago, but when he’s thrown back into the path of his former lover, he is forced to consider what he genuinely wants. Younger sister Greta is similarly ambivalent about her career in academia, but when she attempts to improve her life, a new family drama always gets in the way. Already a best-selling novelist in her native New Zealand, Reilly creates charming multicultural characters whose struggles feel at once modern and universal. (Avid Reader, Feb. 6)

The author of “Seven Days in June” weaves the history of the Harlem Renaissance into a modern-day romance. Owning a flower shop has put Ricki on a path toward the life she has always wanted, but when she meets a mysterious gentleman in a garden, things take an unexpected turn. The enigmatic stranger turns out to be Ezra, a musician with a hazy past, and as the two are drawn to each other, they uncover a transcendent connection that neither expected. (Grand Central, Feb. 6)

Home alone at night with her two small children, a mother hears footsteps on the stairs. Using her knowledge of her nearly 300-year-old New England farmhouse’s layout, she safeguards her family while plotting a way to escape. But when help finally arrives, the police question her sanity. Sierra’s debut offers hold-your-breath suspense while delving into psychological and emotional fear, informed by the author’s work with domestic-violence survivors whose stories were often doubted. (Pamela Dorman, Feb. 6)

Freddie Iven, wounded and trapped with an enemy soldier, Hans Winter, under a pillbox during World War I, wouldn’t mind dying, but after he and Hans claw their way out, returning to fight against each other seems impossible. When a mysterious stranger offers them shelter and a way to forget their trauma, the lines between reality and imagination start to blur. Months later, Freddie’s sister, Laura, is notified of his death, but whispers of battlefield hauntings call her to the trenches to see whether Freddie has survived or fallen victim to something more sinister. Arden, best known for her Winternight fantasy trilogy, weaves together a tale of supernatural folklore and war that emphasizes the ghastliness of both. (Del Rey, Feb. 13)

Sun’s candid memoir is at once an introspective look at one woman’s experience working for the billionaire founder of a well-known hedge fund and a frank depiction of the corporate financial industry that often favors those who are already part of the entrenched culture of wealth. After acing multiple interviews, Sun dove headfirst into a world optimized for efficiency. Despite the trappings of modern success — high-end, neutrally decorated offices featuring plush carpets and soft-closing drawers — and luxe gifts from an appreciative boss — a Balenciaga tote, a $2,500 SoulCycle gift certificate — it wasn’t long before the extreme workload exacted its toll on her mental and physical health. The harder she worked, the more she felt herself disappearing, and she realized something would have to change so she could find herself again. (Penguin Press, Feb. 13)

Williams’s Antebellum novel uses history as a springboard to imagine a town called Ours, built by formerly enslaved Black people, and headed by their liberator, a woman named Saint who has the magical ability to hide the town when it comes under threat. Despite her intention of offering a safe haven, the trauma she carries casts a shadow over the residents, and her temper and ego may lead to dangerous repercussions for all. “Ours” considers the way individuals who have experienced vastly different forms of suffering from enslavement might define their freedom. (Viking, Feb. 20)

Lila Gulliver is the madam of a tropical island’s legal high-end brothel when Carità Bercy, a beautiful young blind woman, arrives desperate for work. After quickly becoming an asset to the house, Carità catches the eye of Ian Drohan, the son of the island’s wealthiest family. Lila knows Carità is self-sufficient and ambitious, so she isn’t surprised when Carità and Ian elope. But when the Drohan family’s disapproval creates problems, the women, who have never let cultural expectations dictate their lifestyle choices, must decide how to thrive in a society where men hold all the power. (Doubleday, Feb. 20)

Ralph, a professor of anthropology who wrote a book about gang violence, considered his academic work in a new light after learning of his family’s connection to a young man called Sito who was killed at 19. Years before, Sito had witnessed the murder of a straight-A Catholic school student. Arrested and detained for months at a juvenile facility, awaiting a trial on murder charges that were eventually dropped, Sito remained suspect in the eyes of his neighbors, whose prejudices curtailed his ability to get his life back on track. Ralph’s investigation leads him to reevaluate some of his prior beliefs as he comes to understand the realities of living in communities where gang violence is a daily consideration. (Grand Central, Feb. 20)

Howard’s debut is a contemplative, philosophical time-travel novel centering on the inhabitants of a town in a valley with heavily guarded borders. Only residents with exceptional circumstances may be granted permission to travel to identical neighboring towns; the one to the west exists 20 years in the past, and the one to the east, 20 years in the future. When teenage Odile recognizes disguised visitors from the future as her friend Edme’s grieving parents, she realizes he is doomed. Her promise to keep what she saw a secret haunts her, but an opportunity to make things right could result in a ripple effect that changes more than she intends. (Atria, Feb. 27)

As children, Peggy and Molly, daughters of English painter Thomas Gainsborough, are inseparable, cavorting through fields and spying on their father’s work. Although Peggy is the younger of the girls, she instinctively knows she must look after Molly, who is prone to spells of confusion. When the family moves to Bath to improve their station, the demands of polite society make it harder to conceal Molly’s condition. Meanwhile, each of the young women catches the eye of a man who, unbeknownst to them, courts them both, causing a rift that could destroy their bond. A dual storyline delves into their family’s history and involves fascinating speculation about the possible origins of Molly’s illness. (Simon & Schuster, Feb. 27)