The After Pretty Paperback – September 28, 2025

Stylish women. Stunning secrets. A fraying truth that will unravel everything... Sarah Nade, a disillusioned FBI agent in the throes of a midlife crisis, trades crime scenes for couture when she purchases a failing boutique in Tulsa. She dreams of a peaceful existence--and the chance to finally adopt a baby--but instead finds herself drowning in debt, her hopes for motherhood unraveling faster than a cheap sweater on clearance. One day, an enigmatic elderly woman with romantic ties to a former president arrives at the boutique. Her past is a tapestry of secrets and heartbreak. She persuades Sarah to organize a fashion show, but this isn't just any runway event-the woman handpicks five women to model, each carrying part of the mystery that has shadowed her for decades. As Sarah wrangles the quirky models-who overshare with alarming enthusiasm--she uncovers shocking truths. Finding herself entangled in their illicit schemes, her plans begin to feel less Project Runway and more CSI: Fashion Edition. The show will either heal the old woman's broken spirit or destroy her. For Sarah, it's a test of resilience-a chance to untie the threads of the past and stitch together a future filled with possibility. Suspenseful, heartwarming, funny, and brimming with twists, this is a story of redemption, courage, friendship... and the unbreakable bond of women united in the struggle over what to wear. Read more