Natural Selection: A Short Story

‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, and it is not the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change.” - Darwin.When Sophia Othonos is surprisingly dumped by her fiancé JP twelve minutes before boarding their flight to the Galapagos Islands and a luxury cruise, she agrees to travel alone, keeping JP’s camera with her to take pictures of the wildlife he wanted most to see. Not surprisingly, this is not a luxury cruise. Sophia’s disappointment leads to interest in both her fellow passengers and the unique wildlife found on these volcanic islands. JP is long forgotten before the end of this trip and the beginning of Sophia’s new life.In 50 pages, Elin Hilderbrand creates a story just as satisfying as her Nantucket or St. John novels. I hope she will come out of retirement in the future, 50 pages at a time. 5 stars. What else?Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Elon Hilderbrand for this ARC.

*Natural Selection* is an exhilarating and fast-paced short story that captures the essence of human resilience and adaptability. The story follows Sophia, a charming New Yorker, who finds herself entangled with JP, a Midwestern executive whose promises of love quickly unravel. The novel’s sharp observations and dynamic characters make it a compelling read.Sophia’s journey is both heart-wrenching and enlightening. As she arrives in the Galapagos on a trip originally intended for herself and JP,she navigates the complexities of her relationship with JP, and she learns the hard truths about trust and adaptability. The recurring theme—“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, and it is not the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change”—is brilliantly interwoven throughout the narrative. This idea resonates deeply as Sophia faces the shocking revelation of JP's deceit and the reality of his life back home.The narrative explores the contrast between Sophia’s adaptability and JP's inability to evolve. Sophia’s initial naïveté gives way to a poignant realization of her own strength and the necessity of change. The encounters with her shipmates add layers of complexity and highlight the struggles inherent in relationships where adaptation is not an option.The book’s ending, where Sophia snaps a stunning photograph of a dolphin midair—a symbol of her own personal growth and transformation—is both metaphorically and visually striking. It’s a testament to the story’s powerful message about embracing change and learning from one’s experiences.With its engaging plot and well-developed characters, *Natural Selection* is a must-read for anyone interested in a story about love, betrayal, and personal evolution. It’s a narrative that will stay with you long after the last page, reminding you that survival and success often hinge on our ability to adapt.

In Natural Selection, Sophia is preparing to go on a Galápagos Islands cruise with JP, her boyfriend of six months, when he receives a mysterious phone call as they are boarding the flight. He says he has to go, one of his kids needs him, but insists that Sophia should go on the trip and take pictures for him. As Sophia heads out on her journey, she tries to put JP's odd behavior behind her and enjoy her time, but she quickly finds that she is unable to get back into contact with him.I was intrigued by the mystery of what happened with JP, but it was unfortunately about what you would expect. Sophia kept referring to herself as a millennial and she used some slang and made pop culture references that are certain to date the story. That being said, Hilderbrand writes interesting characters and the story was very readable. Fans of her work should pick this up, as it is a quick, fun read.

Yes, the main plot is kind of a trope, but the setting and character growth are worth the time spent with Sophie I’m the Galápagos Islands. There is a takeaway about adaptation that is priceless.

The short story Natural Selection lived up to its name—a quick and easy read that came as a bonus with my Amazon First Reads. I went in expecting a thriller, and at first, it seemed like it was headed in that direction. But unexpectedly, it transformed into a journey of self-discovery for the main character. In the end, it delivered a pleasant, light read, complete with vivid descriptions of the Galápagos Islands that left me wanting to book a trip there myself!

As a self-proclaimed Elin Hilderbrand fan, I snapped this book up as soon as I could. And it was just okay. Most of her books, while a bit cheesy and fun beach reads, are normally 4- or 5-star reads for me. This was like a 2.5.I didn't much care for the main character (who's name I already forget), there were too many side characters introduced for them to make much of a difference to me, and nothing was fleshed out enough for me to truly care about what happened in this book. The only thing that kept me interested was finding out why the boyfriend had to leave so quickly with no explanation.Is it still worth your time? If it takes you no time at all to read 54 pages (it took me maybe an hour or so), then feel free to read it so you can mark it off her backlog. But otherwise, you can probably skip this one.

Charming characters, I felt like I was a passenger with them, the descriptive passages, so very real. All packed into a short story with a happy, believable ending. And the crowd called for more please Elin :)

Witty and perceptive. She's so great at outlining her characters. Love all her books especially the Nantucket ones. I've read them all.

This is a short story, a good read and there is a continuing subtle reference to its title throughout the story. Quick moving dialogue. Read in one sitting with your tea or coffee and occasional snack. The story is good the characters interesting the location is weaved in with the story, it’s a well thought out story and book title. Enjoy.

This is one of those amazing books that pulls you right in where you feel like you are living and breathing the story as the lead character. It also included some fantastic twists, which I love in a novel. Brilliantly written!

3.5 rounded up to 4*This free short story from the Amazon First Reads programme was the ideal filler in between books. An easy and charming read, it features a handful of characters, most of whom are fellow guests on the small boat that Sophia was supposed to be taking a holiday on with her boyfriend JP. The Galápagos Islands setting made for something a bit different and the events leading up to Sophia's own Darwin moment was no real surprise. A quality and enjoyable story which took just over an hour to read.