theo-of-golden-cover.jpg
theo-of-golden-cover.jpg

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

from $11.99
Hardcover:

A #1 New York Times bestseller with more than one million copies sold, Theo of Golden was named a Katie Couric Book Club pick and a Jen Hatmaker Book Club pick, and was called "a word-of-mouth smash hit" by The New York Times and "an emotional and heartwarming tale" by USA Today.

A mysterious stranger walks into a small-town coffeehouse, starts buying the portraits on its walls — and starts changing lives, one story at a time.

A stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern town of Golden and settles into a corner of the local coffeehouse. On its walls hang ninety-two pencil portraits of the town's residents, drawn by a local artist over the years.

One by one, Theo begins buying the portraits back — not to keep them, but to return each one to the person it depicts. In exchange, he asks only for their story.

What unfolds is a quiet, cumulative portrait of an entire community: secrets long buried, regrets finally spoken, and ordinary lives gently, permanently altered by the simple act of being truly seen.

Theo of Golden is a novel about kindness as a deliberate practice, and about what happens when someone chooses to look closely at the people the rest of the world overlooks.

A #1 New York Times bestseller with more than one million copies sold, Theo of Golden was named a Katie Couric Book Club pick and a Jen Hatmaker Book Club pick, and was called "a word-of-mouth smash hit" by The New York Times and "an emotional and heartwarming tale" by USA Today.

A mysterious stranger walks into a small-town coffeehouse, starts buying the portraits on its walls — and starts changing lives, one story at a time.

A stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern town of Golden and settles into a corner of the local coffeehouse. On its walls hang ninety-two pencil portraits of the town's residents, drawn by a local artist over the years.

One by one, Theo begins buying the portraits back — not to keep them, but to return each one to the person it depicts. In exchange, he asks only for their story.

What unfolds is a quiet, cumulative portrait of an entire community: secrets long buried, regrets finally spoken, and ordinary lives gently, permanently altered by the simple act of being truly seen.

Theo of Golden is a novel about kindness as a deliberate practice, and about what happens when someone chooses to look closely at the people the rest of the world overlooks.

“★★★★★ You’re renting a brand-new hardcover for $12 instead of paying $30+. Even if you keep it, you come in under what you’d pay elsewhere.”
— Andrew B., Google review
“★★★★★ With Trove the ordering and delivery process is quick and easy! Definitely recommend!”
— Caroline J., Google review

  • Publisher: Atria Books

    Title: Theo of Golden

    Author: Allen Levi

    On Sale Date: November 11, 2025

    ISBN-13: 9781668236567

    ISBN-10: 1668236567

    Format: Hardcover

    Retail Price: $30.00 USD

    BISAC: Fiction / Small Town & Rural

    Page Count: 400

    Dimensions: 9 in H | 6 in W | 1.2 in T

    Weight: 1.2 lb

  • Allen Levi is a singer-songwriter, attorney, and storyteller who lives on family land near a small town in middle Georgia. Before turning to music full-time in 1996, he practiced law for thirteen years, having studied law and English at the University of Georgia and Scottish literature at the University of Edinburgh. He has recorded more than twenty albums and previously published the memoir The Last Sweet Mile and the children's book Oliviatown. Theo of Golden, his debut novel, was originally self-published in 2023, selling over 175,000 copies before Atria Books acquired it in 2025 — after which it became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

  • Readers are calling it tender, hopeful, and unforgettable:

    • Early readers describe Theo of Golden as tender, hopeful, and unforgettable.

    • "A treasure" that lingers with you long after the last page.

    • The kind of story you want to hand to everyone you love.

    • A quiet antidote to cynicism — the rare book that restores your faith in people.

This book is for you if:

  • You love stories about a mysterious outsider who quietly transforms a small town.

  • You’re drawn to gentle, character-driven fiction.

  • You want a book club pick that sparks real conversation about kindness, regret, and grace.

  • You appreciate Southern fiction with a warm, small-town setting and a big heart.

Trove is different.

We rent new books.

How Renting Works

Step 1

Choose a Book

Rent what you like. But if we’re missing something, let us know — we can get it for you.

Suggest a Book 
Step 2

Receive it

Three delivery options (fast, faster, fastest).

Simple, hassle-free, and delivered straight to your door in under a week.

Step 3

Read and Decide

If you want to return it — no worries!

We’ll send you a free prepaid return label and instructions for an easy return.

Simply ship it back in either the box it came in or any box. 

Step 4

Return it

Read it and decide if you love it!

Love it? Keep it — we’ll charge the difference between your rental and the cover price, as if you bought it new (plus tax).

We'll always email you before your rental period ends, so there are no surprises.

Learn About Renting

We expect you may have some questions…

  • We believe hardcover books are too expensive, especially new releases.

    Trove gives you a better option to read new books immediately.

    Rent first, then return it when you are done — or keep it if you love it!

  • Choose Rent New, read the book for up to 30 days per copy, then return it or keep it.

    If you keep it, the remaining balance applies as if you bought it outright.

  • You are charged the day after your rental is due using the payment method we have on file.

  • Each rental copy is kept for 30 days, keep it and pay the difference between your rental and the cover price.

    The book should be returned in very good condition so another reader can enjoy it!

  • Running a few days late? No worries — just let us know by emailing us at hello@trovebookstore.com and we’ll work with you.

    You’ll receive multiple email reminders before the due date, so just let us know so we can adjust!

  • If a rental book is lost, not returned, or returned with major damage, the remaining purchase balance may still apply.

    If something happens to your rental, contact Trove at hello@trovebookstore.com as soon as possible so we can work with you to resolve the issue.

  • You own it! If you rent a book and decide you want to keep it, the remaining purchase balance will apply. No action is needed.

    This lets you start with the rental price and only pay the rest if you feel the book belongs on your shelf.

Have more questions?

Reach out to us and someone will get back to you shortly.

FAQs
Contact us