Good Girl

**Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025** **Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award** **A Time Book of the Year 2025** Born in Germany to Afghan parents, Nila has spent her adolescence disappointing her family while searching for her voice. Now in Berlin’s techno-filled warehouses, their walls still scarred by the ravages of the last century, she has found her tribe. ‘ Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul ’ Raven Leilani ‘Nila shines in her wildness, in her yearning for beauty and freedom' Guardian ‘A no-bullshit must-read debut ’ Kaveh Akbar ‘ Delicious, propulsive reading ’ Vogue Then Nila meets American writer Marlowe. As she is sucked into his seductive but controlling orbit, and ugly racial tensions begin to roil through Germany, she is forced to ask herself the question she’s been running from: who does she want to be? A portrait of the artist as a young woman in a Berlin that can’t escape its history: an electric debut novel about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of nightclubs, bad romance, and self-discovery ‘ A must-read ... breathtaking, profound, so fresh ’ Guardian ‘ Vivid, shockingly moving ... unwinds complex histories and legacies - of people, places and politics alike ’ Financial Times ‘ With her novel, Aber has made the world more spacious: more people will find a place to fit ’ New York Times ‘ Once in a blue moon a debut novel comes along, announcing a voice quite unlike any other ’ Los Angeles Times

**Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025** **Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award** **A Time Book of the Year 2025** Born in Germany to Afghan parents, Nila has spent her adolescence disappointing her family while searching for her voice. Now in Berlin’s techno-filled warehouses, their walls still scarred by the ravages of the last century, she has found her tribe. ‘ Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul ’ Raven Leilani ‘Nila shines in her wildness, in her yearning for beauty and freedom' Guardian ‘A no-bullshit must-read debut ’ Kaveh Akbar ‘ Delicious, propulsive reading ’ Vogue Then Nila meets American writer Marlowe. As she is sucked into his seductive but controlling orbit, and ugly racial tensions begin to roil through Germany, she is forced to ask herself the question she’s been running from: who does she want to be? A portrait of the artist as a young woman in a Berlin that can’t escape its history: an electric debut novel about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of nightclubs, bad romance, and self-discovery ‘ A must-read ... breathtaking, profound, so fresh ’ Guardian ‘ Vivid, shockingly moving ... unwinds complex histories and legacies - of people, places and politics alike ’ Financial Times ‘ With her novel, Aber has made the world more spacious: more people will find a place to fit ’ New York Times ‘ Once in a blue moon a debut novel comes along, announcing a voice quite unlike any other ’ Los Angeles Times

"An exhilarating debut novel" (R.O. Kwon, The New York Times Book Review ) about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of self-discovery--a portrait of the artist as a young woman set in a Berlin that can't escape its history A girl can get in almost anywhere, even if she can't get out. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION - LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE - A TIME AND ELECTRIC LIT BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR "A no-bullsh*t, must-read debut."--Kaveh Akbar "Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul."--Raven Leilani "Aber writes with . . . masterful precision."--Leila Lalami, The Atlantic "Once in a blue moon a debut novel comes along, announcing a voice quite unlike any other, with a layered story and sentences that crackle and pop, begging to be read aloud. Aria Aber's splendid Good Girl introduces just such a voice . . . Aber, an award-winning poet, strikes gold here, much like Kaveh Akbar did in last year's acclaimed Martyr! "-- Los Angeles Times In Berlin's artistic underground, where techno and drugs fill warehouses still pockmarked from the wars of the twentieth century, nineteen-year-old Nila at last finds her tribe. Born in Germany to Afghan parents, raised in public housing graffitied with swastikas, drawn to philosophy, photography, and sex, Nila has spent her adolescence disappointing her family while searching for her voice as a young woman and artist. Then in the haze of Berlin's legendary nightlife, Nila meets Marlowe, an American writer whose fading literary celebrity opens her eyes to a life of personal and artistic freedom. But as Nila finds herself pulled further into Marlowe's controlling orbit, ugly, barely submerged racial tensions begin to roil Germany--and Nila's family and community. After a year of running from her future, Nila stops to ask herself the most important question: Who does she want to be? A story of love and family, raves and Kafka, staying up all night and surviving the mistakes of youth, Good Girl is the virtuosic debut novel by a celebrated young poet and, now, a major new voice in fiction.

"An exhilarating debut novel" (R.O. Kwon, The New York Times Book Review ) about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of self-discovery--a portrait of the artist as a young woman set in a Berlin that can't escape its history A girl can get in almost anywhere, even if she can't get out. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION - LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE - A TIME AND ELECTRIC LIT BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR "A no-bullsh*t, must-read debut."--Kaveh Akbar "Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul."--Raven Leilani "Aber writes with . . . masterful precision."--Leila Lalami, The Atlantic "Once in a blue moon a debut novel comes along, announcing a voice quite unlike any other, with a layered story and sentences that crackle and pop, begging to be read aloud. Aria Aber's splendid Good Girl introduces just such a voice . . . Aber, an award-winning poet, strikes gold here, much like Kaveh Akbar did in last year's acclaimed Martyr! "-- Los Angeles Times In Berlin's artistic underground, where techno and drugs fill warehouses still pockmarked from the wars of the twentieth century, nineteen-year-old Nila at last finds her tribe. Born in Germany to Afghan parents, raised in public housing graffitied with swastikas, drawn to philosophy, photography, and sex, Nila has spent her adolescence disappointing her family while searching for her voice as a young woman and artist. Then in the haze of Berlin's legendary nightlife, Nila meets Marlowe, an American writer whose fading literary celebrity opens her eyes to a life of personal and artistic freedom. But as Nila finds herself pulled further into Marlowe's controlling orbit, ugly, barely submerged racial tensions begin to roil Germany--and Nila's family and community. After a year of running from her future, Nila stops to ask herself the most important question: Who does she want to be? A story of love and family, raves and Kafka, staying up all night and surviving the mistakes of youth, Good Girl is the virtuosic debut novel by a celebrated young poet and, now, a major new voice in fiction.

**Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025** **A Time Book of the Year 2025** A portrait of the artist as a young woman in a Berlin that can’t escape its history: an electric debut novel about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of nightclubs, bad romance, and self-discovery ‘ Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul ’ Raven Leilani ‘A must-read … Dark, breathtaking, profound, so fresh’ Guardian ‘ A no-bullshit must-read debut ’ Kaveh Akbar ‘ Delicious, propulsive reading ’ Vogue In Berlin’s underground, where techno rattles buildings still scarred with the violence of the last century, nineteen-year-old Nila finds her tribe. In their company she can escape the parallel city that made her, the public housing block packed with refugees and immigrants, where the bathrooms are infested with silverfish and the walls outside are graffitied with swastikas. Escaping into the clubs, Nila tries to outrun the shadow of her dead mother, once a feminist revolutionary; her catatonic, defeated father; and the cab-driver uncles who seem to idle on every corner. To anyone who asks, her family is Greek, not Afghani. And then Nila meets American writer Marlowe Woods, whose literary celebrity, though fading, opens her eyes to a world of patrons and festivals, one that imbues her dreams of life as an artist with new possibility. But as she finds herself drawn further into his orbit and ugly, barely submerged tensions begin to roil and claw beneath the city’s cosmopolitan veneer, everything she hopes for, hates, and believes about herself will be challenged. 'Rarely has the wildness and bewilderment of youth been conveyed with such richly textured heat' Garth Greenwell **Shortlisted for the Bookseller 's inaugural New Adult Book Prize**

**Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025** **A Time Book of the Year 2025** A portrait of the artist as a young woman in a Berlin that can’t escape its history: an electric debut novel about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of nightclubs, bad romance, and self-discovery ‘ Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul ’ Raven Leilani ‘A must-read … Dark, breathtaking, profound, so fresh’ Guardian ‘ A no-bullshit must-read debut ’ Kaveh Akbar ‘ Delicious, propulsive reading ’ Vogue In Berlin’s underground, where techno rattles buildings still scarred with the violence of the last century, nineteen-year-old Nila finds her tribe. In their company she can escape the parallel city that made her, the public housing block packed with refugees and immigrants, where the bathrooms are infested with silverfish and the walls outside are graffitied with swastikas. Escaping into the clubs, Nila tries to outrun the shadow of her dead mother, once a feminist revolutionary; her catatonic, defeated father; and the cab-driver uncles who seem to idle on every corner. To anyone who asks, her family is Greek, not Afghani. And then Nila meets American writer Marlowe Woods, whose literary celebrity, though fading, opens her eyes to a world of patrons and festivals, one that imbues her dreams of life as an artist with new possibility. But as she finds herself drawn further into his orbit and ugly, barely submerged tensions begin to roil and claw beneath the city’s cosmopolitan veneer, everything she hopes for, hates, and believes about herself will be challenged. 'Rarely has the wildness and bewilderment of youth been conveyed with such richly textured heat' Garth Greenwell **Shortlisted for the Bookseller 's inaugural New Adult Book Prize**

I've always been a good girl. I work hard, I follow the rules, I always achieve my goals.But sometimes good girls want things that aren't good for them. Or someone who isn't good for them. Like their new boss.And sometimes they do very bad things to get his attention. Like sell their virginity in an auction. Who knew he'd be so very, very mad?Maybe this was not my best laid plan...

Four daddies. One weekend of pleasure and pain. Twenty thousand dollars. Last night, they rocked my world. Now they want to keep me for the weekend. When I got the private invitation notification with the two red gift boxes, I almost passed out. Twenty thousand dollars, on top of the ten thousand I've already earned? I wouldn't have to work for my entire college career. I could concentrate on studying and maybe even graduate early. My future could be here sooner than I ever considered. So, turning down their offer would be stupid, right? What's two more days of them using me however they please? Letting them strip away my dignity until I'm nothing but a begging mess of a girl at their feet? One more weekend. That's all their new contract covers. Then they will be done with me. It doesn't matter that I want them to keep me for good. No, all that matters is that I'll be set to concentrate on my future after this weekend. I'll never have to rely on someone else to support me. I'll never have to use the SugarLife app again. I'll never have to see them again. And that's exactly what I want. Good Girl is the second book in the Sugar Life series. It is a high-steam why choose romance with one baby girl, four daddy doms, one weekend of extreme pleasure, and delving deeper into the world of kink.

Four daddies. One weekend of pleasure and pain. Twenty thousand dollars. Last night, they rocked my world. Now they want to keep me for the weekend. When I got the private invitation notification with the two red gift boxes, I almost passed out. Twenty thousand dollars, on top of the ten thousand I've already earned? I wouldn't have to work for my entire college career. I could concentrate on studying and maybe even graduate early. My future could be here sooner than I ever considered. So, turning down their offer would be stupid, right? What's two more days of them using me however they please? Letting them strip away my dignity until I'm nothing but a begging mess of a girl at their feet? One more weekend. That's all their new contract covers. Then they will be done with me. It doesn't matter that I want them to keep me for good. No, all that matters is that I'll be set to concentrate on my future after this weekend. I'll never have to rely on someone else to support me. I'll never have to use the SugarLife app again. I'll never have to see them again. And that's exactly what I want. Good Girl is the second book in the Sugar Life series. It is a high-steam why choose romance with one baby girl, four daddy doms, one weekend of extreme pleasure, and delving deeper into the world of kink.