Controversial New Book ‘Yesteryear' About TradWife Influencers Divides Fans
Caro Claire Burke's debut novel, Yesteryear, published on April 7, 2026, is the book of the moment.
It follows Natalie, a homesteading momfluencer who documents her idyllic, traditional family life on a picturesque farm for her millions of followers. Behind the scenes, things aren't nearly as perfect as the #TradWife image she projects and promotes. There's hired help, buried secrets and plenty more she keeps hidden from her loyal fan base.
One morning, Natalie wakes up to find that something is… off. Her family seems the same, but the world around her doesn't. She's somehow been transported to 1855. Is it a prank? A breakdown? As Natalie struggles to make sense of her new reality, she quickly realizes that the simpler past she once longed for is anything but - and escaping it may be the only way to survive. Burke weaves Natalie's puzzling present-day through a complex narrative that also explores how exactly a Harvard graduate married to a famous senator's son became a facsimile for something akin to Ballerina Farm.
Part satire, part thriller, the buzzy debut - already a Good Morning America Book Club pick - dives into all the cultural conversations dominating our social feeds: faith, fame and the performance of womanhood.
A movie version is already in the works - starring Anne Hathaway - and there's been plenty of online controversy since the novel hit last month, with some arguing the book mocks traditional women. Across TikTok, Reddit and book podcasts, readers have been divided over whether Burke is critiquing the fantasy behind the tradwife lifestyle or unfairly caricaturing women who genuinely embrace domestic and conservative values. All of this, of course, is only helping sales.
Want more? Similar books about our current Momfluencer media moment include murder mystery Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza and the thriller Her Beautiful Life by Brianna Labuskes.
Your book club won't be able to stop talking about them. (Homemade sourdough is optional.)
Copyright 2026 Us Weekly. All rights reserved
This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM.