I was recently asked on my Instagram account to share a list of adult fiction that I would recommend. I haven’t shared a lot of adult books on my blog yet, but I plan to add more! You can find them under my Adult Books tag. Here are some of the adult fiction I have most enjoyed broken down by genre. I will add to it as I discover more that I love, so you can pin this post to revisit it easily!
ETA: I have created a hashtag on Instagram so you can find all my adult book reviews: #bmmr_adultbooks.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I get a small commission if you purchase an item from an affiliate at no additional cost to you.
General Fiction
A Place For Us by Fatima Ferheen Mirza
This book is a beautiful and intricate portrait of an Indian American family and all of their ups and downs. It is very character driven rather than plot driven and I found it fascinating and moving.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
I couldn’t put this one down! It has a very intriguing concept and is a great balance of fun and humor along with emotional depth and insight into human behavior. Be aware there is a fair amount of swearing spread throughout if you are sensitive to that.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
I really liked the way this one showed how we all affect each other and how our stories overlap. Also it shows the way an ordinary person can have an extraordinary impact. It is a short book and a very quick read.
Mystery
Need to Know by Karen Cleveland
I love stories with espionage aspects. This one was so intense in all the right ways! The story felt more unique in the way it was a psychological spy thriller rather than an action/fighting story and it had a heavy family/motherhood aspect.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
I listened to this one as an audiobook narrated by Dan Stevens and I really recommend that format! The characters in this famous mystery novel are of all different nationalities and he did a great job with all the accents! I thought it made the story especially entertaining listening to it in this way. This was a clever and unpredictable (but still plausible) mystery.
Historical Fiction
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I loved the fully developed characters, the unique perspectives, the emotions, reading so many important observations of humanity/the time period/relationships, and it was thoroughly entertaining in the way it was written. I also loved the movie that was based on it and thought it was a very well done adaption.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
I wasn’t sure how I would like a book made entirely of letters but it actually worked really well. I really enjoyed this sweet book and loved hearing the stories of all the interesting people on the island. I also liked learning more about this part of World War II history that I haven’t heard much about. The film adaption of it is coming to Netflix in a couple weeks!
Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
If you’ve already read and loved Guernsey, this might be a great choice for you! It is also made up of letters and is set during war time. It is a beautiful story of love blossoming in the midst of World War I and I loved watching the characters journey and receiving a better understanding of life during that time.
Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
This is a fascinating look at the life of the wife of L. Frank Baum (author of The Wizard of Oz). See my full review here.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
This one isn’t a light story and parts of if were very difficult to read, but there was a lot that was inspiring as well. The danger, undercover work, and high stakes made for a very gripping and engrossing story. The fact that it is very closely based on a true story makes it even more incredible. I learned so much about what Italy was like during World War II.
These Is My Words by Nancy E Turner
I found this book captivating and the main character was so endearing with all her strength, stubbornness, and sassiness. The love story was beautiful and genuine. It is a sad story in many ways and pretty heavy, but ultimately is a testament of a woman’s strength.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
This book really helped me understand this painful time in American World War II history. I really enjoyed the characters and their voices, and the author did a great job going back and forth between the time periods.
Fantasy
Brandon Sanderson books, especially the Mistborn trilogy
If you are remotely interested in fantasy Brandon Sanderson is a must read author! He is a highly admired author for very good reason. His books are creative, complex, and extremely well developed and thought out. If you are new to his books I’d recommend starting with the Mistborn trilogy. The first book is The Final Empire.
Romance
I prefer more gentle, sweet romances, so none of these are steamy reads. And since I like historical fiction, most of the romances I’ve read are in historical settings.
Edenbrooke and Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
These books are perfect for fans of the Regency time period that Jane Austen made so famous. They are very sweet and entertaining love stories that have been very highly revered and reviewed by readers. If Jane Austen’s writing is intimating to you, these books can give you a feel for the time through more contemporary writing.
A Heart Revealed (and other Josi Kilpack historical romances)
I can get a little burnt out on Regency stories, because the customs and culture of the time can feel so superficial when so much is based on society’s perception. Josi Kilpack’s novels were a breath of fresh air as she added a lot more depth and perspective to the situations. A Heart Revealed was full of so much great character development. Lord Fenton’s Folly is a spin-off book as one of the minor character’s gets his own story.
Longing for Home series by Sarah Eden
I have a soft spot for stories in this time period (this one is set on the Wyoming Territory in 1870) and the historical aspects with the conflicts with Irish immigrants was pretty fascinating to me. I read the first two right after they came out, but I need to reread them so I’m ready for the next ones.
