We’re well into 2026, which means book lovers have hopefully caught up on the best books of 2025. In the new year, celebrity book enthusiasts like Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon continue to deliver monthly picks that keep readers engaged with the latest releases from favorite writers, as well as new authors whose books are destined to become classics. Mega book retailer Barnes & Noble is known for predicting some of the top-rated books as well as New York Times bestsellers with its own book club picks. Now, readers on Goodreads are naming their favorite Barnes & Noble book club selection, reflecting the thousands of enthusiastic reviews the book has scored since its release.
Goodreads Readers Name Their Favorite Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
Goodreads readers have named the 2018 Barnes & Noble Book Club pick Clock Dance by Anne Tyler their favorite selection from the retailer’s book club. Published in July 2018, Clock Dance is the Pulitzer Prize–winning author’s 22nd book and a New York Times bestseller. One of the most influential social reading platforms, Goodreads allows readers to track and review books while connecting with other readers about favorite titles, new discoveries, and emerging authors.
Scoring an average of 3.59 stars on the platform, Clock Dance beats out other Barnes & Noble Book Club picks like The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin and Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner.
What Clock Dance Is About
Clock Dance tells the story of Willa Drake, a woman whose life takes a turn when she receives an unexpected phone call from a former girlfriend of her son asking for help. The caller mistakenly believes Willa is family, and Willa does not correct her. Instead, she travels to aid the caller in Baltimore and immerses herself in a new community, rediscovering her independence and sense of self in the process.
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Why Readers Connect With Clock Dance
What resonates with Goodreads readers about Clock Dance is the late-in-life journey of the main character’s self-discovery at the age of 61, as well as the author’s ability to capture life’s “tender” moments and her care for her characters through life’s big and small experiences. Readers call Tyler “a master at writing about the ordinary in an extraordinary way,” a testament to Clock Dance’s enduring popularity and the high praise it continues to receive from Goodreads readers.
The Lasting Appeal of This Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
Clock Dance became a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick in 2018 and quickly became a favorite for book clubs around the world. The novel taps into themes of community and belonging while exploring late-life transformation. Through the lens of the quirky Baltimore community that Willa joins under the guise of family, Clock Dance presents an optimistic and heartfelt view of chosen families.
Tyler previously won the Pulitzer Prize for Breathing Lessons and is known for The Accidental Tourist. While Clock Dance may not be as groundbreaking as some of her earlier work, its enduring popularity—especially with Goodreads readers—is a reminder that this Barnes & Noble Book Club pick is worth reading or revisiting if it has been resting on your shelf since its release in 2018.
Related: The New York Times Unveils Its 10 Best Books of 2025
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