We present you with a list of the current bestselling authors in the Women’s Fiction category. These works deal with topics and issues that are typical for women, such as love, friendship, family relationships and identity. Although “women’s fiction” is often associated with romance novels, we have prepared a wider range of genres for you to discover your next read.
Emily Henry is an author of contemporary romantic novels. Her books are often described as light, entertaining, and emotional. She won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance for “Funny Story” in 2024 and Best Audiobook for “Happy Place” in 2023.
“Happy Place”
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since college. Inseparable, like salt and pepper, milk and honey, lobsters and Maine… Until they break up. Book Review: Happy Place by Emyli Henry
Five months have passed since they parted ways, but they still haven’t told their closest friends. They can’t—not now, when they are all together at their beloved vacation home, where they have spent their summers for years. For one week each year, the six friends escape their daily lives, indulging in wine, seafood, and blissful conversations with those who understand them best. But this year, Harriet and Wyn are too busy pretending they are still together while desperately suppressing their lingering attraction to each other. They can’t reveal the truth. This is their last vacation here, and it has to be perfect. So they will play their roles. After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for just one more week?
“Funny Story”
First, they are strangers… Then, they are friends… Then… well, it’s a funny story.
Daphne has always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, tells their story. How they met (on a perfect sunny day), how they fell in love (because of a runaway hat), and how they moved to his hometown to start their life together. He tells it so well… Until the moment she realizes he is actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra.
From there begins Daphne’s new story—alone, without family or friends, but with her dream job as a librarian and a new roommate: the only person who can truly understand her situation—Petra’s ex-boyfriend, Miles Novak.
Casual and chaotic, with a tendency to drown his sorrow in love ballads, Miles is the complete opposite of the practical and reserved Daphne. But after a few tequila shots, the two form an unexpected friendship and devise a plan. Who could blame them if that plan includes strategically misleading photos of their summer adventures?
Of course, it’s all just for show. There’s no way Daphne could actually fall for her ex-fiancé’s new girlfriend’s ex… Right? Book Review: “Funny Story”
Bonnie Garmus is an American writer who gained worldwide fame with her debut novel, “Lessons in Chemistry.” The book won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Debut Novel of 2022 and has been adapted into a TV series.
“Lessons in Chemistry”
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is no ordinary woman. In fact, she would be the first to say that no such thing exists. But Elizabeth is not only beautiful—she is exceptionally intelligent and talented, a nearly unforgivable combination in a male-dominated world. After all, as everyone knows, a woman’s place is at home, raising children, without ambition or opinions. Thinking is best left to men—or so the prevailing attitudes of the early 1960s dictate. Even the scientists at the Hastings Research Institute have an unscientific view of gender equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans—a brilliant, Nobel-nominated, yet resentful scientist—who falls in love with Elizabeth precisely because of her mind. Their mutual attraction is irresistible—true chemistry in action.
But just like science, life is unpredictable. Years later, Elizabeth Zott is a single mother and the famous host of the popular cooking show “Dinner at Six” Her unconventional approach to cooking — combining a teaspoon of acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride — turns out to be revolutionary. While her fan base is growing, not everyone is happy, as Elizabeth not only teaches women how to cook, but also how to challenge the status quo. She encourages them to step out of the shadows of men and assert their individuality. In the end, the lessons in chemistry — or cooking — become life lessons.
“In My Shoes” is an autobiographical work by Tamara Mellon, co-founder of the world-famous shoe brand Jimmy Choo. In it, she recounts her extraordinary path to success, navigating challenges and obstacles in the fashion and business worlds.
“In My Shoes”
Behind the glamour of the runway, in the world of luxury and wealth, things are not as they seem.
Tamara Mellon, co-founder of the Jimmy Choo empire, reveals her remarkable and shocking story of the struggles on her way to success and the high price she paid to turn a £150,000 investment into a billion-dollar company.
A difficult family life, battles with depression, and a stay in rehab mark Tamara’s life forever, but they also help her face herself and become one of the most successful businesswomen in the world.
Cristina Henríquez is an established author with four published books, the latest of which is titled The Great Divide. Her work has appeared in prestigious publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal, a testament to her literary quality and influence.
The Great Divide
An epic novel about the construction of the Panama Canal, shedding light on the lives of ordinary people who lived, loved, and worked there.
For Francisco Aquino, a local fisherman who resents the foreign forces consuming Panamanian land, nothing is more disappointing than his son Omar’s decision to work as a digger in La Boca. But for Omar, this is an opportunity to change his fate and escape a life of solitude.
Ada Bunting is a bold sixteen-year-old girl from Barbados who arrives in Panama alone, along with thousands of others seeking work. Her plan is to earn enough money for her sick sister’s operation, relying only on her determination and three gold coins in her pocket.
John Oswald travels to Panama with a single goal: to eradicate malaria. However, when his wife, Marian, falls ill and requires a caretaker, John notices Ada’s selflessness in helping a collapsed man on the street and hires her on the spot. The fateful choices of these characters set the stage for a grand and moving story of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice.
Captivating and immersive, The Great Divide explores the intertwined lives of fishermen, traders, journalists, neighbors, doctors, and fortune tellers—the unsung heroes of history who may have changed its course through their actions.
Kristin Hannah is an American writer known for her emotional and compelling novels, often focusing on the resilience of the human spirit and the complexities of human relationships.
True Colors
A touching story about three sisters whose world is filled with rare love but also torn by jealousy and betrayal.
The Grey sisters have always been close. After their mother’s death, they become even more inseparable, turning into best friends. However, their strict father cares more about his reputation than his children. For Henry Grey, a good name is everything, and years later, he still expects his daughters to reflect his social standing.
- Winona, the eldest sister, craves her father’s approval. Yet, she has never felt at home on the family ranch, owned for three generations. Knowing she lacks the qualities her father values, Win is determined to prove herself as the best lawyer in town.
- Aurora, the middle sister, is the peacemaker. She quells every conflict and strives to make everyone happy while concealing her own pain.
- Vivi Ann, the undisputed star of the family. Stunningly beautiful, with a heart of gold, she is adored by all.
One day, a stranger arrives in town, and in an instant, everything changes. The Grey sisters find themselves at odds in ways they never imagined. Their loyalty is tested, old secrets surface, and a shocking murder shakes their family and beloved town.
Brimming with emotional depth, True Colors is a gripping and heartbreaking novel about sisterhood, redemption, and forgiveness—at its core, a story of what it means to be family. With her vivid storytelling and unforgettable characters, bestselling author Kristin Hannah once again delivers a powerful novel, perfect for fans of poignant and deeply emotional stories.
The Women
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old Frankie McGrath, a nursing student, hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-soaked idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing what’s right. So when her brother goes off to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps to follow in his footsteps.
Naïve and unprepared, just like the men sent to fight in Vietnam, Frankie is stunned by the chaos and destruction of war. Every day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal.
But the war is just the beginning—for Frankie and her fellow veterans. The real battle starts when they return home to a country that is no longer the same.
The Women is the story of one woman who went to war, but also of all the women who put themselves in danger, whose sacrifices and devotion to their country are too often forgotten. A novel of deep friendships and a memorable heroine whose idealism defines an entire era.
Elin Hilderbrand is an author of contemporary romantic and family dramas. Her novels often explore themes of family relationships, friendship, love, and secrets.
Swan Song
Can love be bought on the island of Nantucket?
The Richardson family makes a dramatic entrance onto the island of happiness, purchasing the legendary mansion at 888 Pocomo Road for $22 million—a symbol of wealth, luxury, and… doom, as this architectural gem is fated to be swallowed by the waves in the coming decades. However, its grim fate is cut short—the novel opens with the shocking news that after a scandalous summer, in which the Richardsons go from being the most beloved to the most despised people on the island, their house is consumed by a massive fire.
At the time of the blaze, they are aboard their luxurious yacht, hosting yet another extravagant party. But misfortune never comes alone—their loyal assistant, who helped them win over the hearts of the island’s residents, has vanished from the yacht. Could the two tragedies be connected? And why does suspicion fall on the young woman who seemed to have everything after being granted the chance to live at The Triple Eights?
Or perhaps, behind the ostentatious opulence, endless decadent parties, and unchecked excess of this self-proclaimed royal couple, dark secrets lie in wait?
Elin Hilderbrand gives her beloved characters one last chance to experience another wild summer—filled with The Great Gatsby-style luxury, dramatic events, and twists that shake even the extravagant Nantucket society. Meanwhile, the local sheriff must solve one final crime and protect the honor of Hilderbrand’s cherished heroes and their magical island paradise.
I hope these recommendations offer you a glimpse into the world through the eyes of women. Let me know in the comments which book you chose first! Did you discover new authors or find old favorites on this list?
