Aphrodite Books to Publish Caroline Langer’s Multigenerational Debut Novel, ‘Emerald Eyes’
An Atmospheric Family Saga of Power Dynamics, Complicity, and Reinvention
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aphrodite Books to Publish Caroline Langer’s Multigenerational Debut Novel, ‘Emerald Eyes’
An Atmospheric Family Saga of Power Dynamics, Complicity, and Reinvention
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2026 — Aphrodite Books announces the Sept. 15 release of “Emerald Eyes,” the debut novel by Caroline Langer. Set on the shore of a Central Ohio lake and spanning 1913 to 1987, the atmospheric story explores inheritance, bodily autonomy, survival, and the morally complex choices women make to reclaim power.
“‘Emerald Eyes’ was exactly the kind of book I was looking for when building the catalog for Aphrodite Books,” said Rachael Eckles, founder and CEO of the imprint and its parent company, Aphrodite Media. “It exemplifies the storytelling we champion—emotionally intelligent, culturally relevant, and grounded in the lived experiences of women. Caroline brings a rare combination of disciplined craft and sharp narrative instinct, rendering characters with both intimacy and universal resonance.”
Told through intertwined perspectives of two generations, “Emerald Eyes” follows Fortunato D’Agata, who is banished from his family as a boy and turns a Prohibition-era windfall into an empire. Decades later, his great-granddaughter Willow is orphaned by tragedy at 18 and inherits his mansion, his enemies, and a trust fund controlled by a corrupt lawyer. Alone and out of options, Willow is coerced into exploiting herself and endangering other women—even as she grows close to a handsome detective and hopes he might offer her a way out.
“Willow’s story emerged as I pondered patriarchal control over women’s financial and bodily autonomy, and how this can drive us to accept terrible jobs and make morally complex choices,” Langer explained. For more than a decade, she built the “Emerald Eyes” world, making the most of the wee morning hours to write before heading off to work.
After nearly forty years in corporate communications, Langer turned her attention from crafting strategic messages for clients to giving her imagination free rein to deliver entertaining and authentic prose through fiction.
“Working with Aphrodite Books gave me a talented and empathetic development editor who helped me wrangle a dozen years of effort into a worthy manuscript,” Langer said. “I’d finally found the publishing partner I’d been seeking for years.”
“Emerald Eyes” will be published on Sept. 15, 2026 and is available wherever books are sold.
High-resolution cover art and author photos linked below.
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About Aphrodite Media Inc.
Aphrodite Media Inc. is a women-led media and publishing company dedicated to editorial excellence, enduring intellectual property, and purpose-driven storytelling. Through its imprint, Aphrodite Books, the company publishes bold fiction and nonfiction with an emphasis on craft, selectivity, and longevity. Its philanthropic arm, Aphrodite Gives, supports initiatives that empower women and girls.
About Caroline Langer
Ohio-born Caroline Langer transitioned from a nearly four-decade career in corporate communications to reinvent herself as a novelist. She earned a BA in Journalism from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She lives on a lake in New Jersey with her beloved, where she enjoys reading, delicious meals, and working on her next book.
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