There are books you read. There are books you discuss. And then there are books that stay with you, days after you’ve turned the last page. Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear falls into the third category — and the rest of the world apparently agrees.
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel was published on April 7, 2026, and has been on the bestseller lists ever since. The book is now at number 3 on the New York Times fiction bestseller list, after three weeks on that list, and a film adaptation is already in the works. On BookTok, it's the one place everyone is talking about at once: whether you love it or struggle with it, there's always something to say. PenguinRandomhouse.comYahoo!
What is Yesteryear about?
Natalie Heller Mills is the MOST traditional American woman, a tradwife influencer and self-proclaimed perfect Christian wife. She has it all: six children, a cowboy husband, money, followers, and a lifestyle. Amazon
But behind the scenes, little of that perfection remains. There's hired help, buried secrets, and much more that she hides from her loyal fanbase. One morning, Natalie wakes up and realizes something is off. Her family seems the same, but the world around her isn't. She has somehow landed in 1855. PenguinRandomhouse.com
Is it a prank? A breakdown? As Natalie tries to come to grips with her new reality, she soon realizes that the simpler past she always longed for is anything but simple — and that escape might be the only way to survive. Substack
Why everyone's talking about it
Yesteryear is the ideal conversation starter for readers who love to discuss female characters and their choices. The central character, Natalie Heller Mills, an ambitious Harvard girl who grew up with a single mother and married the bland heir to a political family at a young age, is downright repulsive — and Burke writes her with an acerbic pen. Yahoo!
On TikTok, Reddit, and book podcasts, readers are divided on whether Burke is critiquing the fantasy behind the tradwife lifestyle or unfairly caricaturing traditional women. All of this, of course, helps sales. PenguinRandomhouse.com
That's precisely the power of this book: it doesn't leave you indifferent. You have an opinion about Natalie. You have an opinion about the book. And you want to share that opinion.
The tradwife trend that inspired the book
Yesteryear draws from our growing cultural fascination with tradwife influencers like Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm, and the disturbing rise of conservatism. Yahoo!
Tradwife TikTok — videos of women running traditional households, baking bread, raising children, and documenting it all for millions of followers — has become one of the most controversial corners of social media in recent years. Burke knows that territory intimately: in the winter of 2024, she downloaded TikTok as an exhausted writer needing a break, became involved in discussions about feminism and media literacy in the tradwife debate, and quickly became a prominent voice in the discussion. One morning during that period, she woke up with the complete synopsis of a novel in her head. Substack
The result is a book that is both satire and psychological thriller, darkly funny and profound.
The Anne Hathaway film
A film version is already in the works, starring Anne Hathaway. Amazon MGM has acquired the rights, and Burke has confirmed that the adaptation will be faithful to the material. PenguinRandomhouse.com
Caro Claire Burke wrote for The Guardian: "'Serve, smile, procreate': how the tradwife ascended." That's exactly the tone of the book: insightful, uncomfortably funny, and refusing to give you an easy answer. Slate
There is no release date yet for the film, but this is the time to read the book.
What readers are saying about it
Many readers agree that Yesteryear feels like a cult classic. The feeling that a book takes over the world immediately after its release — the kind of book you expect to see on every "favorite books of the year" list. Amazon
Darkly comedic, the biting satire is audacious. There's a reason this book is getting all the attention and already has a film adaptation. The best advice: go in completely blind, as it's a mind-bending experience that provides an incredible amount of food for thought. Amazon
Other readers are more critical, finding that the book unfairly portrays traditional women. Many conservative readers, however, see it as a story about a tradwife living an inauthentic life — they don't identify with Natalie, but with the idea that authenticity makes all the difference. Yahoo!
That's precisely why the book works so well: it sparks discussion, and discussion keeps a book alive.
Similar books if you've already read Yesteryear
Similar books about the momfluencer media environment include the murder mystery Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza and the thriller Her Beautiful Life by Brianna Labuskes. Both are popular with readers who want more of this genre after Yesteryear. PenguinRandomhouse.com
Want to discover a surprising, controversial book yourself? Our Blind Date Book (Thriller) is perfect for readers who love stories that will blow you away — you choose the genre, the rest is a surprise. Keep track of your reading experience in our Book Review Notepad and mark the most shocking pages with one of our bookmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions about Yesteryear
What is Yesteryear about?
Yesteryear follows Natalie Heller Mills, a tradwife influencer with millions of followers, who wakes up one morning in 1855. She must survive the harsh reality of the past she always romanticized — without staff, without filters, and without escape.
Is Yesteryear a novel or a thriller?
Yesteryear is both satire and psychological thriller — it combines dark humor with genuine suspense and plot twists you won't see coming. Slate
Who is the author of Yesteryear?
Caro Claire Burke is a feminist writer and reader who regularly shares her opinions on social media. Before writing Yesteryear, she built a following on TikTok by participating in conversations about feminism and the tradwife trend. Substack
Will there be a Yesteryear movie?
Yes, a film adaptation is already in the works with Anne Hathaway starring. Amazon MGM has acquired the rights. A release date has not yet been announced. PenguinRandomhouse.com
Is Yesteryear controversial?
Yes. On TikTok, Reddit, and book podcasts, readers are divided on whether Burke critiques the fantasy behind the tradwife lifestyle or unfairly caricatures traditional women. This discussion is precisely what makes the book so interesting to read and talk about. PenguinRandomhouse.com
Is Yesteryear available in Dutch?
The book is currently only available in English. A Dutch translation has not yet been announced.
Ready for the most talked-about book of 2026?
Whether you love satire, psychological thrillers, discussion books for your book club, or simply stories that stay with you for days: Yesteryear is the book of the moment. Go in blind for the best reading experience, jot down your thoughts in our Book Review Notepad, and mark your most remarkable pages with one of our bookmarks.
Happy reading! 📚✨