The Only Girl in Town By Ally Condie

In The Only Girl in Town, July Fielding wakes up to a chilling reality: everyone she loves has vanished. Her small town of Lithia is deserted. Gone are her best friends—Alex, the one who always had her back, and Sydney, the competitive cross-country teammate who understood her deeply. Gone is Sam, who made her feel like she was everything, but who also left her breathless with the intensity of their love. Now, July is completely alone.

What haunts July even more is the gnawing feeling that this disappearance may be her fault. As she wanders the empty streets, she discovers a series of objects tied to the people she loved the most—each one a fragment of the life she used to know. A cryptic message emerges: “GET TH3M BACK.” But how? And at what cost?

From the bestselling author of Matched, The Only Girl in Town is a gripping, fast-paced story that combines elements of mystery, romance, and self-discovery. As July confronts the eerie solitude of her surroundings, she must also face the complex emotions of love, loss, and grief. The novel weaves a beautiful, haunting exploration of how relationships—once so vital—can change us, and how the journey toward understanding those changes can be both painful and empowering.

Filled with heart, emotion, and a sense of quiet urgency, The Only Girl in Town is a poignant reminder that even in our loneliest moments, the fight for connection—and for ourselves—can lead to the most profound revelations.