Books
Fission (2026)
A Novel of Atomic Heartbreak
For fans of Ariel Lawhon and Rhys Bowen, Oppenheimer meets The Rose Code in this World War II novel of a young mother’s self-discovery as she is drawn into a love triangle with an atomic spy in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project.
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When nineteen-year-old Doris marries Rob in 1941 and has a sickly, premature baby, she trades in her dreams of being a concert pianist or lawyer to become the ideal wife and mother. Within months of their daughter’s birth, Rob is recruited to work on the Manhattan Project and the young family moves to Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Like fission splits an atom’s nucleus, Doris’s marriage threatens to break her heart in two. She struggles to nurture her daughter while Rob works around the clock. In search of connection, she befriends Betty, a Southern debutante. Despite their different backgrounds, the two women sustain each other through various traumas: Betty’s miscarriage, Rob’s radiation exposure, and his attempt to enlist to fight at the front.
Although Doris tries to withstand her loneliness, she falls for an army engineer—only to realize that he may be a Soviet spy. Should she turn him in and risk damaging her marriage? As the end of the war nears, Doris must decide what’s most important—and what she’s willing to lose.
TO BE PUBLISHED BY SHEWRITES PRESS, JANUARY 27, 2026
Praise and Reviews
“During WWII, a young wife struggles to define her role when her husband is chosen to join the secret team who will help create the radioactive fuel for the atom bomb. Instantly relatable, full of rich detail, and beautifully written, Fission will reverberate long after you read the last page.”
Jennie Fields, Author of Atomic Love
“I found it enjoyable to read and very believable as it describes life in Oak Ridge well.”
D. Ray Smith, City of Oak Ridge Historian
"An evocative, richly detailed portrayal of love and betrayal during one of history’s most secretive operations. The dialogue is masterfully penned to give us these nuances without ever having to spoon-feed it. The themes of patriotism, loyalty, and identity build gently into a powerful and impactful story that I’ll certainly remember long after setting it down. A compelling blend of history, romance, and moral complexity that I would highly recommend.”
K. C. Finn, author and reviewer for Readers' Favorites
"Schover sets readers up in a world that enthralls, with 1940s reluctant housewife Doris seeking greater meaning in her life as her husband Rob works on the Manhattan Project. When Doris's desire for something more—and Rob's all-consuming career—starts to fracture their marriage, the couple must navigate not just the extraordinary circumstances of the world at large but also their own private fears, desires, and dreams for the future . . . Doris is a woman who captures readers' hearts, as she struggles to balance a career, motherhood, and marriage. Her challenges are universal, and many will be able to identify with her journey. The ending Schover grants her is satisfying, but her road to get there is teeming with hurt, intense moments of connection, and a few curveballs along the way. "
The BookLife Prize
"Schover’s historical novel chronicles the domestic life of a young Manhattan Project wife as she seeks her purpose during tumultuous times. The young family settles into their new life with Rob working long hours and Doris taking care of their baby... Rob is exposed to radiation and ends up in the hospital, where Doris is flung into the path of Dave Sokol, a flirtatious safety officer at the lab. Doris and Dave enter a will-they-won’t-they relationship, culminating in a momentary lapse of judgment and the revelation that Dave may harbor a secret agenda. Doris must decide between turning Dave in and risking her marriage or staying silent and endangering the war effort. Schover’s story provides a quiet, domestic perspective on the Manhattan Project, keeping most of the drama and romance subdued until Doris’ final mistake with Dave... The softer approach works for this story, highlighting the workaday realities of life at Oak Ridge and the tensions of the time period. The characters all follow believable trajectories, and Doris, with her dogged determination not to sit still for the rest of her life, is a uniquely powerful depiction of a 1940s housewife." (Kirkus Verdict: Get it)
Kirkus Reviews
"Fission touches on the moral issues faced by those who took part in the Manhattan Project and delves into the constraints imposed on women who dared to harbor ambitions beyond being homemakers and mothers. Fission offers an interesting and highly accessible account of this world-changing time and place.”
Galina Vromen, author of Hill of Secrets
"The story is inspired by the author's parents, and the research that went into it was an education for me. The young wife who is suddenly thrust into this town from a life in Chicago finds it hard to adjust. Any reader who's had to move because of her husband's job will sympathise as she tries to find a way to make things work. Silence and secrets make everything more difficult for her, and the dangerous research and possible Russian spies in their midst add elements of drama to heighten the action. Recommended for book clubs, because there's a lot to discuss here."
Gabi Coatsworth, author of A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over
"Written from a perspective where fiction and memoir (as revealed in the author’s note) intersect, Fission is a fascinating, impeccably researched story about an important but oft-overlooked historical moment. The authenticity of Schover’s characters, along with many intriguing twists and turns of plot, make this a gripping and unforgettable read."
Jude Berman, author of The Die and Shot: A Dictionary of the Lost
Boundaries
A Novel
A psychologist is supposed to keep her private life—private. But what if her new patient knows all too much about her?
Dr. Rina Ostrov is burned out, despite her professional success. She ended her long-distance relationship with a narcissistic psychiatrist, Philippe, only to find that he has moved nearby and is hawking a self-help book, The Paleo Dyad, with his current wife. To add to Rina’s worries, she cannot figure out why her new patient, Lilah, is so hostile. Lilah is a volatile incest survivor but has qualities that Rina envies: unusual beauty, a baby on the way, and a tech mogul husband. After in-session tensions climax, Lilah confesses that she has been testing Rina before enlisting her help in exposing Philippe’s malpractice. Philippe had sex with Lilah during therapy in the guise of “treating” her sexual problems. Can these two women work together despite jealousy and distrust in order to protect others from an unethical doctor?
Rina reluctantly continues to treat Lilah, consulting with a colleague. They file a case to revoke Philippe’s medical license. When Philippe is called to testify before the medical board, he devises a plan to silence his accusers for good.
FINAL DRAFT, QUERIES IN PROGRESS
Golden Pearls
A Novel
Are you ready for a heroine who sees the autumn of life as an opportunity to drink hard cider and ogle some fine foliage?.
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Julia’s Big Island vacation was intended to celebrate retiring as chief of internal medicine. The return of her breast cancer was not on the itinerary and her dating partner quickly jumps ship.
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At age seventy, Julia still enjoys boomer sex and sea kayaking. She has plans to carry out. Her astrophysicist son often seems lost in space, but is starting IVF with his wife. Julia longs for a grandchild and hopes to connect with her prickly daughter-in-law. She also wants to fix her best friends’ problems. Natalie may lose the medical research funding that has kept her going after her husband’s death. Grace is raising her socially awkward, catastrophe-obsessed grandson.
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As Julia struggles to absorb the news of her finite future, a friend from residency days reappears. Knowing that Julia takes care of everyone else, Jerry is determined to nurture her. Like the extravagant South sea pearls that Julia buys in Hawaii, can the strand of her life remain golden?
FIRST DRAFT IN PROGRESS
