Natural Selection: A Short Story

A Riveting Tale of Adaptation and Deception
*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.

Captivating story
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.

Not her best
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 🙂

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.

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.