The shortlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction has been announced. The six novels include four debut novels, as well as celebrated writers like Lily King and Susan Choi, all hoping to win the £30,000 prize. Founded to champion female authors and fresh voices, the prestigious literary award is now in its 31st year.
According to Julia Gillard, Chair of Judges and former Prime Minister of Australia, the shortlist “doesn’t shy away from examining life’s challenges, but also brings many moments of joy”. Whether tackling global issues like displacement and climate change, or delving into family relationships, the books cover a range of topics, including cultural heritage, friendship and human connection.
“As judges, we are first and foremost readers, and these novels intrigued and profoundly moved us. The plot lines kept us turning pages to find out what happens next, the characters found a place in our hearts and the stories stayed with us long after the last sentence,” Gillard said.
The shortlist encompasses Flashlight by Susan Choi, Dominion by Addie E. Citchens, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson, Kingfisher by Rozie Kelly and Heart the Lover by Lily King.
This year, Gillard is joined on the judging panel by Mona Arshi, author, presenter, poet and speaker; Salma El-Wardany, writer, podcaster, actor and comedian; Cariad Lloyd, author, broadcaster and DJ; and Annie Macmanus.
Two of the most talked-about books of 2025, Virginia Evans’s The Correspondent is an heartwarming story of a 73-year-old woman’s attempt to come to terms with her past and reconnect with loved ones through letters, while Susan Choi’s Flashlight is a historical family saga crossing countries and generations.
Elsewhere, in The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson a young girl attempts to escape a traumatic childhood, touching on themes of Black British culture, childhood, family and survival in 1960s Britain. Addie E. Citchens’s Dominion tells the story of Priscilla, the wife of a Baptist reverend, after their golden child runs into trouble. With Kingfisher, Rozie Kelly crafts a novel of queer love, grief and creativity, where intimacy becomes obsession.
On of the must-read titles on the shortlist is Lily King’s Heart the Lover. A campus love story that returns to the characters decades later, it’s emotional and thought-provoking – a romance for people who don’t usually like reading romance. Having loaned my copy out to friends and family, everyone seems to agree. Here’s everything you need to know about the Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted tome, Heart the Lover.
'Heart The Lover' by Lily King, published Canongate Books
Released in summer 2025, Lily King’s Heart the Lover has enjoyed slow-burning success – particularly on TikTok. Testament to the writing and characters, it’s a romance that can be enjoyed by every type of reader, from literary fiction fans to “chicklit” devotees. The title is technically a sequel to the American writer’s 2020 novel Writers & Lover’s, but the new book easily stands on its own.
It begins with our unnamed narrator at college, where she experiences first love, heartbreak, passion and intimate friendship in the orbit of fellow students Sam and Yash. But this isn’t your average campus story. Decades later, the protagonist is married with two young children, having achieved her dream of being a successful author. But when an old lover comes calling, she’s sent spiralling back into the past.
Saying anything else would ruin the pure delight of reading the novel – but be prepared to cry. A meditation on the passing of time, coming-of-age and mortality, the literary references throughout give it extra appeal for book lovers. I’ve since read Writers & Lover’s which is just as gorgeous.
Buy now £12.62, Amazon.co.uk
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