Games
By (Author) Anna Maria Volkova
Orion Publishing Co
Orion
5th May 2026
United Kingdom
Paperback
352
Width 129mm, Height 198mm
When Lili Marwan, a graduate student in economics, has an intense one-night stand with Aleksandr Petrov, a Wall Street CEO two decades her senior, her restless mind finally goes calm.
At twenty-two, Lili is already opiniated beyond her years: whether it's astrology, democratic socialism, veganism, or the ravages of late-stage capitalism run rampant. But when a tall, dark stranger buys her a drink in a FiDi bar, Lili finally meets her match. He's brilliant, powerful, fiercely intelligent- and her opposite in nearly every way. Aleksandr is a wolf of Wall Street, a neoliberal capitalist, and a Capricorn, to make matters worse-but Lili can't stay away. Over the course of a heady New York City summer, Lili and Aleksandr's immediate chemistry gives way to an unexpected intimacy, by turns breathtaking, then heart-wrenching. As the stakes of their white-hot, "casual" arrangement reach a fever pitch, Lili will have to decide if physical pleasure is worth the emotional pain-or break Aleksandr's heart before he breaks hers. GAMES explores forbidden desires, shifting power imbalances, and the often-blurry line between pain and pleasure.Anna Maria Volkova works in business operations and strategy in New York City. Games is inspired by her industry, her family's personal histories in the former Soviet Union and the Middle East, and a rich previous life as a beloved fandom writer.