Beneath by Ariel Sullivan

Beneath

A Novel

Ariel Sullivan

Diversified Publishing · Print & ebook · March 24, 2026

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Hundreds of years before the Illum ruled supreme, humanity risked everything to rebuild after a devastating war in the first explosive dystopian romance in a prequel series to Conform. “A dystopian love story that will have you yearning for more.”—Us Weekly Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago.

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Who it’s for
A straightforward genre mix with room for feelings, worldbuilding, and a long read.
Themes
dystopian, romance, survival
Pacing
Fast

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About this book

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Hundreds of years before the Illum ruled supreme, humanity risked everything to rebuild after a devastating war in the first explosive dystopian romance in a prequel series to Conform. “A dystopian love story that will have you yearning for more.”—Us Weekly Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago.

Continue reading

She works in the Expansion Sector, trying to escape the memories of those she lost. Her bleak existence is upended when Tristian Hayes, a stunningly handsome, frustratingly determined commander of the Force, recruits her to join him and his elite team of soldiers as they embark on a secret mission to the surface. Sasha is thrust into brutal training with stakes far beyond mere survival. The fate of the remaining humankind depends on their success—or failure. As she confronts her own demons, Sasha finds both allies and foes in the training program, as well as a sizzling attraction between her and Tristian that threatens the walls she’s built around her heart. But under the surface, secrets and deception run as rampant as illnesses. And not everyone will survive the rise of a power more terrifying than anything they’ve ever known. The first novel in the Rebirth series: BENEATH And don’t miss the Reform series: CONFORM • CORE (Coming in 2027)

Why It Clicks

A straightforward genre mix with room for feelings, worldbuilding, and a long read.

Come here for

  • YA sci-fi/fantasy romance blend
  • accessible, sustained immersion

Expect

  • romance-forward framing
  • easy category-fit signals

Where it sits

Sci-Fi Romance39%
Dystopian34%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Sci-Fi Romance
  • Women's Fiction
  • Dystopian
Authors
Ariel Sullivan
Publisher
Diversified Publishing
Published
March 24, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
dystopian · romance · survival
Reading lane
Sci-Fi Romance