Tracy Rees recommends a novel

Bestselling novelist Tracy Rees used X on April 18 to urge readers toward Allen Levi’s *Theo of Golden*, calling the novel “quietly absorbing.” (x.com) Rees said the book centers on “art, kindness and a shocking twist,” and she posted the recommendation from her @AuthorTracyRees account on Saturday, April 18. (x.com) *Theo of Golden* is Allen Levi’s first novel, according to Levi’s website, and his publisher describes it as the story of a stranger named Theo who arrives in the Southern city of Golden and begins a campaign of anonymous generosity. (allenlevi.com, simonandschuster.com) Levi’s website says the book was first published in 2023, while Simon & Schuster’s current publisher page says the novel became a New York Times bestseller and was selected by both Katie Couric’s and Jen Hatmaker’s book clubs. (allenlevi.com, simonandschuster.com) Rees has an established audience in commercial fiction: her website says she won the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition, and author pages describe her as a bestselling novelist with multiple historical novels in print. (tracyreesbooks.com, simonandschuster.com) Her recommendation lands as reader-driven discovery continues to shape book sales, especially for titles that spread through author endorsements, book-club picks and social posts rather than a single launch event. Simon & Schuster’s page for Levi’s novel explicitly calls it a “word-of-mouth” hit. (simonandschuster.com) Recent coverage has framed the novel as a book readers are passing to one another for its gentler tone; AARP published an interview with Levi last week, and Religion News Service described the story as an antidote to the mood of 2026 America in a piece distributed by MSN. (aarp.org, msn.com) For now, the immediate news is smaller and simpler: one bestselling writer put a specific novel in front of her followers, and named the exact qualities she thinks make it worth reading. (x.com)