You’ll love these top women’s fiction authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid when you’re looking for a book to transport your imagination.
Taylor Jenkins Reid has become synonymous with contemporary fiction that hits differently. Known for New York Times bestsellers like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & the Six, Carrie Soto is Back, and One True Loves, Reid crafts stories that dominate book club discussions worldwide.
Reid’s novels aren’t just beach reads—they’re contemporary fiction that pulls you into the lives of unforgettable heroines. Her work explores the complexity of love and relationships, but goes far beyond typical romance novels. She tackles women’s daily challenges with nuance and depth that resonates long after you’ve finished the last page.
If you’re searching for book recommendations that offer a similar style to Reid, you’re in the right place. These authors create the same emotional impact with compelling characters and stories that stick with you.
Must-Read Authors Like Taylor Jenkins Reid
For more romantic fiction recommendations, check out best romance authors, authors like Sylvia Day, best dark romance books.
1. Colleen Hoover, 1979 -
Colleen Hoover (born Margaret Colleen Fennell) dominates contemporary romance with her emotionally charged novels. Her 2016 hit It Ends with Us sparked global conversations about domestic violence and complex relationships. With over 20 million copies sold worldwide, Hoover started by self-publishing Slammed in 2012—initially just so her mother could read it on her Kindle.
After a book blogger gave it an unexpected five-star review, sales skyrocketed. Within months, Hoover became a New York Times bestseller. As of 2025, she remains one of the bestselling novelists in the U.S., with her books consistently trending on BookTok and reaching new generations of readers.
What makes Hoover similar to Reid? Both authors aren’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects while maintaining emotional authenticity. Their characters face real-world problems with genuine consequences.
“Don’t take life too seriously. Punch it in the face when it needs a good hit. Laugh at it.”
Colleen Hoover, Slammed
2. Brigid Pasulka
Brigid Pasulka rose to literary prominence after winning the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for her 2010 novel A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True. The book also earned her a spot in Barnes & Noble’s Discover Great New Writers selection.
Born in Illinois, Pasulka spent a transformative year in Poland writing her debut novel. Her second work, The Sun and Other Stars (2014), received widespread critical acclaim for its emotional depth and cultural authenticity. Currently, she runs a writing center with her husband at a public high school while continuing to craft new stories.
Like Reid, Pasulka excels at weaving personal stories against broader historical and cultural backdrops, creating narratives that feel both intimate and universal.
“It was just after the war. There was nothing left in Warsaw for me. He and his brother were coming to Krakow to make a fresh start. And he loved me so. He would have done anything for me.”
Brigid Pasulka, A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True
3. Jodi Picoult, 1966 -
Jodi Picoult has published 28 novels and sold over 40 million copies worldwide. Her fiction often centers on family sagas that explore moral dilemmas, making it difficult for family members to function as a cohesive unit. While sometimes labeled as women’s fiction, Picoult fearlessly tackles controversial subjects including eugenics, abortion, the Holocaust, the death penalty, and school shootings.
Her 2007 novel Nineteen Minutes, which examined a small town’s response to a school shooting, debuted at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. In 2025, Picoult continues to challenge readers with morally complex scenarios that mirror real-world issues.
Similar to Reid, Picoult creates characters who must navigate impossible choices, often revealing uncomfortable truths about society and human nature.
“You don’t love someone because they’re perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.”
Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
4. Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren represents the collaborative genius of writers Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. Together, they’ve created 18 New York Times bestsellers, proving that two minds can indeed create magic on the page.
Their 2023 release The Honeymoon Crashers exemplifies their signature blend of humor and romance, following a best man and maid of honor working together to plan a wedding while breaking a family curse. In 2025, they continue releasing books that keep readers laughing and swooning until the final paragraph.
Like Reid, Christina Lauren masters the art of combining contemporary relationships with compelling external circumstances, creating stories that feel both entertaining and emotionally satisfying.
“If only he would keep his mouth shut, he’d be perfect. A piece of duct tape would do the trick. I had some in my desk that I’d occasionally pull out and fondle, hoping someday I could put it to good use.”
Christina Lauren, Beautiful Bastard
5. Candice Carty-Williams, 1989 -
Candice Carty-Williams broke new ground with Queenie, following 25-year-old Queenie Jenkins, a British-Jamaican woman navigating racism in modern London. Time Magazine praised the work, stating “Carty-Williams has taken a black woman’s story and made it a story of the age.”
The novel hit number two on the Sunday Times bestseller list and won Book of the Year at the 2020 British Book Awards. Currently in development as a Channel 4 television series, Queenie continues to resonate with readers seeking authentic representation in contemporary fiction.
Carty-Williams shares Reid’s talent for creating relatable protagonists dealing with complex identity issues while maintaining hope and humor throughout their journeys.
“The road to recovery is not linear. It’s not straight. It’s a bumpy path, with lots of twists and turns. But you’re on the right track.”
Candice Carty-Williams, Queenie
6. Andrea Dunlop
Andrea Dunlop transitioned from publicist at Random House to full-time novelist, bringing industry insight to her storytelling. Known for novels including Losing the Light, She Regrets Nothing, We Came Here to Forget, and Women Are the Fiercest Creatures, Dunlop creates well-developed characters facing real-life situations like parenting, divorce, relationships, jealousy, and financial stress.
Her background in publishing gives her a unique perspective on what readers want—authentic characters dealing with genuine problems without easy solutions.
Similar to Reid, Dunlop doesn’t shy away from the messy realities of modern life, instead using them as the foundation for compelling storytelling.
“The thing about tragedy is that it isn’t about just getting through it, it’s about getting on with your life when the dust has settled but the landscape is bombed out, smoke in the air, charred remains at your feet.”
Andrea Dunlop, We Came Here to Forget
7. Laura Nowlin
Laura Nowlin has captured hearts with novels including If He Had Been with Me, This Song Is (Not) For You, and If Only I Had Told Her. After earning her BA in English from Missouri State, Nowlin committed to writing full-time, creating both young adult and adult fiction.
The New York Times bestselling author writes across emotional spectrums—from lighter young adult themes to darker explorations of human nature. Her work resonates particularly well with readers who appreciate emotional depth and authentic character development.
Like Reid, Nowlin understands that the most powerful stories often come from exploring the spaces between what we want and what we get.
“I love him in a way I cannot define, as if my love were an organ within my body that I could not live without yet could not pick out of an anatomy book.”
Laura Nowlin, If He Had Been with Me
8. Chanel Cleeton
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Chanel Cleeton draws from her family’s Cuban immigration story to create powerful historical fiction. Her educational background in international relations and global politics informs novels like Next Year in Havana, When We Left Cuba, The Last Train to Key West, and The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.
Next Year in Havana earned recognition as a Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick, introducing Cleeton’s work to an even broader audience. Her ability to weave personal family history with broader historical events creates the kind of multi-generational storytelling that Reid fans appreciate.
Both authors excel at showing how personal choices ripple through time, affecting not just individuals but entire families and communities.
“To be in exile is to have the things you love most in the world - the air you breathe, the earth you walk upon - taken from you. They exist on the other side of a wall - there and not - unaltered by time and circumstance, preserved in a perfect memory in a land of dreams.”
Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana
9. Melanie Benjamin, 1962 -
Melanie Benjamin began with short stories before transitioning to novels. After starting with contemporary fiction (Confessions of a Super Mom and Super Mom Saves the World), she pivoted to historical fiction with Alice I Have Been (2010), which established her as a New York Times bestselling author.
Her 2013 novel The Aviator’s Wife was optioned as a feature film, demonstrating the cinematic quality of her storytelling. Benjamin specializes in bringing historical figures to life through fiction, similar to how Reid reimagines celebrity culture in contemporary settings.
Both authors understand that behind every public figure lies a private person with real struggles, dreams, and disappointments.
“Wonderland was all we had in common, after all; Wonderland was what was denied the two of us. I had denied him his; he had denied me mine.”
Melanie Benjamin, Alice I Have Been
10. Shana Abe
Shana Abe found her stride in historical romance after her second novel The Promise of Rain placed third in a writing contest, attracting publisher attention. She transformed her own love story with her husband into the medieval tale A Rose in Winter (1998).
Abe explained her attraction to medieval settings: the period offers “great sense of dichotomy… It inspires thoughts of grandeur, of courtly grace and chivalrous knights — but at the same time there’s a gritty, raw aspect to the period that just cannot be denied.”
Like Reid, Abe understands that the most compelling stories often exist in the tension between public perception and private reality.
“She was spirit and presence, as rare and brilliant as snowflakes in sunlight, and he could not bring himself to harm her.”
Shana Abe, The Smoke Thief
11. Glenn Dixon
Glenn Dixon brings a unique multimedia approach to storytelling. Known for Tripping the World Fantastic, Juliet’s Answer, and Bootleg Stardust, Dixon combines his talents as both musician and writer. For Bootleg Stardust, which follows a 1974 rock band, Dixon created a full soundtrack mastered at Abbey Road Studios.
This innovative approach to storytelling—combining different art forms to create immersive experiences—parallels Reid’s ability to make readers feel like they’re inside the entertainment industry she writes about.
Both authors understand that great storytelling often requires thinking beyond traditional boundaries.
“Languages can be powerful things. The stronger ones quite simply bulldoze the weaker ones, assimilating whatever is useful and discarding the rest. It doesn’t take long. Even the speakers of the weaker language, or their children, anyway, soon start conversing in the more powerful tongue.”
Glenn Dixon, Pilgrim in the Palace of Words: A Journey Through the 6,000 Languages of Earth
12. Emily Henry
Emily Henry has mastered the art of contemporary romance that doubles as emotional therapy. Known for Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, and Happy Place, Henry creates what she calls “mini-vacations” for readers.
Her books are praised for being laugh-out-loud funny while tackling deeper themes about identity, career struggles, and finding your place in the world. In 2025, Henry continues to be one of the most anticipated authors in contemporary fiction, with each new release becoming an instant book club favorite.
Like Reid, Henry understands that the best contemporary fiction entertains while exploring what it means to be human in the modern world.
“I still have a lot to figure out, but the one thing I know is, wherever you are, that’s where I belong. I’ll never belong anywhere like I belong with you.”
Emily Henry, People We Meet on Vacation
Why These Authors Appeal to Taylor Jenkins Reid Fans
These authors share several key qualities that make them perfect for Reid enthusiasts:
Complex Female Characters: Like Reid, these writers create women who are flawed, ambitious, and utterly human. Their protagonists make mistakes, face consequences, and grow throughout their stories.
Emotional Authenticity: None of these authors shy away from difficult emotions. They understand that the most powerful stories often come from our most vulnerable moments.
Contemporary Relevance: Whether writing historical or contemporary fiction, these authors address issues that matter to modern readers—identity, relationships, career struggles, and finding purpose.
Book Club Appeal: These novels spark discussions. They raise questions without always providing easy answers, making them perfect for group conversations.
If you’re a Taylor Jenkins Reid fan looking for your next favorite author, start with any of these twelve writers. Each brings their own unique voice to contemporary fiction while maintaining the emotional depth and compelling storytelling that Reid fans love.
Whether you’re in the mood for historical fiction, contemporary romance, or literary fiction that tackles tough subjects, these authors deliver stories that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
