Games by Anna Maria Volkova

Discover Games, the smart and sexy debut literary romance from Anna Maria Volkova. This complex, beautiful coming-of-age novel explores an intense relationship set against the backdrop of a heady New York City summer. It tells the story of Lili Marwan, a brilliant economics graduate student, and Aleksandr Petrov, a Wall Street banker two decades her senior, whose opposing worldviews—from democratic socialism to neoliberal capitalism—fuel an unexpected intimacy.

The narrative follows Lili, opinionated beyond her years, as she meets her intellectual match in Aleksandr. Their initial casual arrangement, involving rough sex and moments where Lili can quiet her restless mind, quickly evolves into something breathtaking and potentially devastating. As Lili navigates her ambition, pain, and desire, she must ultimately decide if the risk of loss is worth pursuing something more.

• A complex, beautiful coming-of-age novel described as a love story unlike any other.
• Explores the politics of labor and submission.
• Features an intense dynamic between an economics student and an older Wall Street banker.
• Praised as addicting, raw, emotional, heart-wrenching, achingly beautiful, and insanely sharp.

• Author: Anna Maria Volkova
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Print Length: 432 pages
• Publication Date: June 30, 2026
• ISBN-10: 1398725870
• ISBN-13: 978-1398725874
• Dimensions: 12.8 x 3 x 19.6 cm
• Weight: 300 g

Perfect for readers who enjoy sharp, emotionally resonant literary fiction that delves into challenging relationships and personal growth.