If you enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s bittersweet and moving tale of resilience, The Great Alone, then you’ll love these 20 deeply inspiring women’s sagas with a similar style.
If you’re looking for another unforgettable read after finishing up The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah’s other novels are sure to hit the literary mark — in particular, the haunting and epic story of The Nightingale.
Set in France in 1939, The Nightingale follows the paralleling journeys of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. Vianne’s home is invaded by a German captain, leaving her to face an impossible choice to preserve her and her daughter’s future. Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Isabelle is betrayed by a lover and left to fend for herself, ultimately joining the Resistance and fighting for herself, her family, and her people.
Lisa Wingate’s internationally bestselling novel Before We Were Yours is a historical fiction experience that packs an emotional punch.
Before We Were Yours is based on a real-life American scandal, in which the director of an adoption organization was kidnapping impoverished children and sending them to wealthy families across the country. The novel spans a long-hidden history of resilience and redemption, following four children who were wrenched from their family and the successful young Avery Stafford who uncovers and wrestles with the dark truth of her family’s past.
Beloved bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid returns with Carrie Soto Is Back, a fierce tale of vulnerability and perseverance.
Readers are introduced to Carrie Soto, a long-time tennis champion who has made more enemies than friends with her dedication and drive. Six years after her retirement, her record is stolen from her, and she makes the bold choice to train with her father and a man she once loved: she’ll do anything to regain her title.
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Mad Honey was crafted by the powerhouse writing duo of literary icons Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, and it’s easy to see why the novel became an instant bestseller.
Olivia McAfee’s life is uprooted when she discovers darkness inside her husband and leaves him, moving back to her hometown of New Hampshire with her son, Asher. Asher falls for the new girl in school, Lily Campanello — but then she turns up dead and Asher is questioned by the police. Olivia wants to believe that her son is innocent, but she can’t help but remember the flashes of darkness in her son that remind her of her husband… and maybe her son has been keeping secrets from her, too.
Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Halfis a deeply affecting tale of family and identity that is both thought-provoking and page-turning at once.
The Vignes sisters are identical twins, with identical upbringings, until they grow into adulthood and take two completely different paths: one sister living in her southern hometown with her black daughter, and the other sister passing for white with her husband who knows nothing of her past. Despite being separated by lies told and miles traveled, the sisters’ lives remain intertwined, until years down the road when their own daughters’ storylines intersect, and nothing is ever the same again.
If you’re looking for a suspenseful and engrossing story about motherhood, identity, and art, look no further than Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere.
Set in the fictional utopia of Shaker Heights, Little Fires Everywhere details the lives of the idyllic Richardson family and the mother-daughter duo of Mia and Pearl Warren, who upend the strict rules and expectations of notable citizen Elena Richardson. Elena fights to uncover dirt on Mia, while Pearl befriends and influences the Richardson children, leading to an emotional revelation with impactful consequences.
The Glass Castle is a touching memoir about and by Jeanette Walls, the beloved author of multiple riveting novels and a uniquely gifted storyteller.
This emotional and engaging story recounts Jeanette’s tempestuous childhood with a mother who repelled domesticity and a father who loved deeply when he was sober and dangerously when he was intoxicated. Jeanette and her siblings learned to take care of each other, with each other, eventually prospering in New York and building a life and legacy of loyalty and love.
Award-winning novelist Jojo Moyes impresses readers again with The Giver of Stars, a breathtaking historical fiction novel set in Depression-era America.
The story follows five unique women and their journey through the mountains of Kentucky — traveling on horseback in perilous environments, delivering books to people who have never had any. Faced with danger and conflict at every turn, these women stay strong in their pursuit of bringing knowledge to people who need it the most, no matter what the cost might be.
Where the Crawdads Sing has been charming readers since its publication in 2018 and has gained even more popularity with the release of its film adaptation in 2022.
Kya Clark lost her family at a young age and raised herself deep in the marshes of Barkley Cove, a small town on the North Carolina coastline. In that same small town, the handsome and popular Chase Andrews is discovered dead — possibly murdered — and people begin to suspect Kya is responsible. Following two different timelines, readers piece together the stories of Kya and Chase, and quickly learn that what happens in the marsh stays in the marsh: whether surprisingly beautiful or shockingly evil.
Jessica George’s bestselling novel Maame deals with themes of racism, familial roles, and the complexity of love and friendship.
Meet Maddie: her mother spends most of her time in Ghana, leaving her as the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced-stage Parkinson’s. When her mom arrives home from Ghana, Maddie jumps at a chance to experience freedom and go out and see the world — but soon tragedy strikes, and Maddie is torn between the world of her family and the life she just began building for herself.
You can buy Maame here, and you’ll soon find yourself laughing and crying right alongside Maddie.
Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
Hailed as “the queen of beach reads”, Elin Hilderbrand writes books that are fun and fast-paced, while remaining full of depth, and Golden Girl is no exception.
Vivian Howe is the loving mother of three grown children, and on one fateful June day, she is killed in a hit-and-run car accident, leaving her family behind to mourn her and the chief of police to investigate her death. From the Beyond, Vivian is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of earth’s events, and she plans to use this power to help her children out… until one day, the police chief uncovers Vivian’s greatest secret, and her family’s life is altered permanently.
Life After Life is a historical fiction novel that is cleverly and curiously arranged, set during the Second World War, and written in Atkinson’s signature powerful writing voice.
The novel’s heroine Ursula Todd is born in 1910 — and then dies, before she gets a chance to draw her first breath. On the same night in 1910, Ursula is born again, and this begins a seemingly infinite loop of lives and deaths for an unsuspecting young woman who just might hold the power to change the world.
Pulitzer-prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout stuns readers again with Lucy by the Sea, a poignant tale of lost love, hope, and humanity set during the recent Covid-19 pandemic.
Lucy Barton is uprooted from her busy life in Manhattan and swept away to small-town Maine, where she gets stuck living with her ex-husband during the early days of lockdown. Deeply emotional, Lucy by the Sea explores the fears, feelings, and fragility of the human experience.
You can purchase Lucy by the Sea here, and make sure to check out the loosely connected companion novels by the author for more heartfelt reading material.
Violeta by Isabel Allende
Violeta is a powerful saga of poverty and passion, originally written in Spanish by the talented Isabel Allende, and since translated into more than thirty languages.
Born the first girl in a family of five sons, Violeta lives through some of history’s most tragic events, from the aftereffects of the Great War to the arrival of the Spanish Flu, and even the Great Depression. She writes her coming-of-age story in the form of a letter to someone she loves deeply, recounting her heartbreaking journey through life and its many tragedies.
You can buy Violeta here, and prepare for an enchanting read that’s sure to leave its mark on you long after you’ve read the final page.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is a shining star of a novel that highlights the importance of human connection.
Protagonist Eleanor Oliphant is an eccentric loner with little-to-no filter and a knack for drinking a bit too much. Eleanor’s life is transformed when she meets Raymond, the bumbling IT guy from her office, and the two of them rescue an elderly gentleman named Sammy who had fallen on the sidewalk. This seemingly simple event sparks the beginning of a life-changing friendship, as Eleanor slowly opens her heart up to new experiences, and the realization that things can be better than just fine.
Tara Westover’s Educated is a shocking and unforgettable memoir of courage and survival against all odds.
Recounting the story of her youth, Tara Westover details her childhood spent in the remote mountains of Idaho, born to a survivalist Mormon family who doesn’t send Tara to school and doesn’t intervene when her older brother becomes violent towards her. Despite never receiving a formal education, Tara is admitted into college and eventually receives a Ph.D. from Cambridge University — fighting for resilience until the day that she fears that she might have strayed too far from home.
Laughably funny and fiercely feminist, Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry is a must-read look at one woman’s full and vibrant life.
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the early 1960s, working with an all-male team with a view of equality quite unlike her own. Life takes an unexpected turn, and Elizabeth finds herself a single mom, who is starring in one of America’s most popular cooking shows. But Elizabeth still has more than a few tricks up her sleeve, and she’s ready to change the status quo for women — and all on a television screen.
Twists and turns fill the pages of Diane Chamberlain’s The Stolen Marriage, a captivating tale of personal secrets and intriguing historical mystery.
Tess DeMello leaves her life with the man she loves to live with the father of her child — only to realize that she has trapped herself in an uncomfortable and loveless marriage. As Tess works to be accepted by a town full of people who respect her husband more than her, she soon discovers that her husband has more secrets than she could ever have imagined. Will Tess ever find a way back to the life she once dreamed of and the man she truly loves?
Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me became an instant bestseller after its publication, and it’s clear to see why.
Full of fast-paced suspense and shocking family drama, The Last Thing He Told Me follows Hannah Hall, whose husband Owen goes missing after leaving her an ominous message: Protect her. This message refers to his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with Hannah. But when federal agents arrive at Hannah’s home, she and Bailey realize that there’s more to the story than they know about, and the two must work together to figure out Owen’s true identity — and hopefully to learn why he went missing in the first place.
Beloved author Kate Quinn has outdone herself with The Alice Network, an exciting historical fiction novel set amidst the timelines of two different world wars.
American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant and unmarried in 1947, and her family is prepared to throw her out — she obliges, in the hopes of finding her cousin Rose who disappeared years ago during the war. Meanwhile, ex-spy Eve Gardiner spends her days secluded, hiding from the memories of betrayal that haunt her from her time in the war — until a young American barges into her home and calls her by a name she hasn’t heard in decades.
You can buy The Alice Network here, and prepare to be swept away by this heartfelt story of long-lost family and decade-spanning mystery.
FAQs:
What is Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone about?
The Great Alone is the story of a family who impulsively moves to the Alaskan wilderness to live off-grid in a tale of resilience, relationship, and hope.
Is there romance in The Great Alone?
Although The Great Alone is not considered a romance novel, there is love and relationship within the story.
Was The Great Alone made into a movie?
The Great Alone has not yet been adapted into a film, although supposedly there is one in the works.
Where does The Great Alone take place in Alaska?
The Great Alone takes place in a fictional town in Alaska.
What are some books like The Great Alone?
Readers who enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone will also enjoy the above list of twenty fascinating and moving novels.
Layla Hughes is a professional writer who grew up on the Central Coast of California, and later studied English at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Her love for reading started when she was young, as she has been an avid reader ever since she mastered her ABC’s. She loves the classics, YA fiction, and loves keeping up with current reading and writing trends. She is currently traveling full-time in a converted camper van around the US, Mexico and Canada, enjoying living out a story of her own creation. find Layla on Instagram @laylabeth
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