Historical Fiction / Jazz Age Romance
Date Published: 07-14-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
The Beauty of Individual Things follows Margot Andrews, a young American
woman swept from New York high society into the dazzling yet fractured world
of 1920s London. When the transactional demands of privilege collide with
betrayal and violence, leaving her disillusioned and adrift, she escapes to
the freshwater shoreline of lost childhood summers.
With her past unrecoverable and her future uncertain, Margot searches for a
different life amid Detroit’s dynamic and monied Prohibition
era—with its yacht races, rumrunners, and industrial might. Set against
a city on the rise, she must navigate her family’s ruthless pursuit of
social standing, the magnetic pull of charismatic boat racer Ellis James, and
the relentless echoes of her past. The story explores the weight of loneliness
and the personal cost of love and reinvention as Margot decides whether to
remain a fragile ornament of her family’s design or forge an identity
that is beautiful, imperfect, and entirely her own.
Interview
Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?
I visited all of the places in my book. I live in the Detroit area, where much of the story is set, and I also traveled to London, Paris, and Algonac, Michigan. I brought a lot of photographs home and checked out museum exhibits that pertained to the 1920s setting of my novel. My goal was to absorb as much as I could so that I could make the novel as immersive and period correct as possible.
What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?
I did a deep dive into birth control in the 1920s. What was available, (some similar to today, some really strange potions), how one purchased it, (department stores and illegally, just like liquor), how effective it was, (not great). I also researched the early days of the Office of Naval Intelligence.
What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?
I had to do historical research for my book, including some history of medical care and the history of boat racing.
Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.
My grandparents immigrated to the United States around the time of my novel. Their stories of their youth always left a lasting impression with me.
Do you write in the same genre all the time?
This is my first novel.
Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I like writing about flawed people who are striving to find good in themselves and others, because nobody is perfect – that’s what makes life interesting.
About the Author
Karen Thomas Yoo was born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She graduated
from the University of Michigan and received an MBA from Duke University. When
she isn't writing, she can usually be found in her garden or on a paddleboard
in Lake Michigan. A mother of three grown children, she lives in Grosse Pointe
with her husband. This is her first novel.
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