If you loved Normal People, Dear Dolly, One Day, or Everything I Know About Love, this list is for you. From bittersweet romances and “what if” stories (The Versions of Us, In Five Years) to raw memoirs about love, loss, and growing up (Ghosts, Cryin...
Emotionally layered romance across years, where timing and communication constantly miss.
Normal People by Sally Rooney, Paperback
Emotionally restrained, sharp, and full of tension. A tangled dynamic between two college friends and an older couple.
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Witty and emotionally guarded, this queer Irish expat story has dry humor and a Rooney-esque tone.
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan
Queer, poetic, and raw stories about desire and connection in Bulgaria. Quietly devastating.
Cleanness by Garth Greenwell
Lyrical, tender novel in letter form about queer love, trauma, and immigrant identity.
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
A coming-of-age story told in deadpan prose. Smart, awkward, and full of existential musings.
The Idiot: Batuman, Elif
Two women explore love, friendship, and existential dread in the face of late capitalism.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Deep dive into male friendship, trauma, and endurance. Emotionally intense and unforgettable.
A Little Life: Yanagihara, Hanya
Dark, funny, and strangely philosophical story about a woman sleeping away her pain.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Fictional but equally personal. A smart, funny look at dating, female friendship, and getting older.
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Grief memoir centered on food and family. Honest, vivid, and deeply moving.
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir: Zauner, Michelle
Raw narrative nonfiction about desire, intimacy, and emotional complexity in women’s lives.
Three Women - Taddeo, Lisa
Hilarious and chaotic, capturing the messy energy of your 20s in London.
Wrong Knickers - A Decade of Chaos: Bryony Gordon
Memoir-meets-cultural criticism on growing up female, with beautiful prose and clear-eyed truth.
Girlhood: Febos, Melissa
Fragmented and funny memoir from an anxious comedy writer—quirky and heartfelt.
My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety
A queer, chaotic, funny-sad story of love and friendship in Seoul, bursting with heart.
Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park
If you've ever loved the wrong person at the wrong time, One Day will break your heart in the best way—it captures love, timing, and growing up with rare honesty
One Day. David Nicholls
Heart-wrenching love story between a caregiver and a quadriplegic man. Prepare to cry.
Me Before You (Me Before You Trilogy): Moyes, Jojo
Three alternate timelines follow the same couple, exploring how fate and choice intertwine.
The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett
What if your life took a turn you couldn’t explain? A story about fate, friendship, and grief.
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
A nostalgic, time-travel story about family, memory, and making peace with the past.
This Time Tomorrow: A Novel: Straub, Emma
Dear Dolly is like getting advice from your smartest, kindest friend—funny, honest, and full of heart. Whether you're navigating love, friendship, or life’s messier moments, Dolly Alderton makes you feel seen and a little less alone.
Dear Dolly by Dolly Alderton
A love story complicated by uncontrollable time travel. Deeply romantic and melancholic.
The Time Traveler's Wife
A grieving woman travels to Italy and meets a younger version of her mother. Lush and reflective.
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Witty and wise memoir full of real-life chaos and heartwarming honesty.
