Theo of Golden: A Novel

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…

His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers.

Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their “rightful owners.” With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered.

A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.

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Published Oct 3, 2025

400 pages

Average rating: 8.9

317 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

tmarshall
Nov 05, 2025
Nov 2025 pick
P Mancuso
Dec 21, 2025
10/10 stars
Beautiful written story. Almost poetic.
Maureenward
Dec 18, 2025
10/10 stars
What a wonderful moving story. I’m so grateful to have had this show up as a recommendation. My eyes are still leaking.
Growcloser2Him
Oct 30, 2025
8/10 stars
Theo of Golden started out as a slow read, and steadily gained speed throughout the story. It’s a heartwarming book that you will wish it could have continued. You never know how much a small act of kindness can affect someone else. Worth the read!
Pessin
Oct 13, 2025
10/10 stars
Loved this book, it was well written and heartwarming. Tears of joy, kindness, friendship, and sadness wrapped in one beautiful novel.

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