Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? By Sarah McCoy

William Morrow (September 2, 2025)

The True Story of a Starlet’s Shocking Choice to Leave Hollywood for a Convent 

From New York Times bestselling author Sarah McCoy—a spellbinding novel based on a true story: a beautiful young movie star of Hollywood’s Golden Age gives up her bright career to become a nun.

In 1969, twenty-three-year-old starlet Lori Lovely, the apple of Hollywood’s eye, shocks the world by ditching a promising film career to take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a Benedictine nun. Gossip columnists and scandal sheets can’t get enough of the story. Why would such a beautiful girl take the veil? Was she hiding from someone? Did it have anything to do with her costar, heartthrob singer Lucas Wesley?

In 1990, Lu Tibbott is under the gun to complete her senior thesis in modern American history. Instead of spending weeks in dusty archives, Lu decides to dig into a true twentieth-century mystery and write about her aunt Lori, now the Mother Abbess at a cloistered convent in rural New England. Biographers, journalists, and media types have long speculated about her aunt Lori’s sudden departure from Hollywood. Mother Lori, however, has refused all requests for interviews—until Lu arrives at the abbey with a tape recorder in hand. To her delight, Mother Lori announces she’s finally ready to talk…but only if Lu is truly ready to listen.

Lu is shocked to discover that the story of Lori Lovely’s rise in Hollywood was far more tumultuous than she’d ever expected, a fairy tale twisting with ambition, unforeseen alliances, forbidden love, and secrets. What began as a history thesis now threatens to upend all their lives with its unexpected truths, especially as the media gets wind of Lu’s project and begins to ask…

Whatever happened to Lori Lovely?

REVIEW

A novel of heartbreak and hope

Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely is based on a real story. It’s a tragic love story of a young movie star with secrets, heartbreak, and her decision to leave it all behind and reinvent herself. Told in dual timelines and dual narrative (movie star and her niece) format. It is very well written.  I really enjoyed the story and found the main character intriguing.

Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (January 19, 2026)

Bought hardback via Brenda Novak Monthly Book Box (January 2026)

#WhateverHappenedToLoriLovely #SarahMcCoy #HistoricalFiction #WilliamMorrowBooks #BrendaNovakMonthlyBookBox @SarahMMcCoy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SARAH McCOY is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling novelist. Her work has been featured in Newsweek, Lit Hub, Huffington Post, Real Simple, Writer Unboxed, and other publications. She hosted the NPR WSNC Radio program “Bookmarked with Sarah McCoy” and is the founder of The McCoy Grant. Sarah taught English writing at Old Dominion University and at the University of Texas at El Paso. She lives with her husband, dog, and cat in North Carolina.

Connect with Sarah on Instagram at @SarahMMcCoy, on her Facebook Fan Page, Goodreads, or via her website.

Sarah McCoy – New York Times Bestselling Author