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Quick answer: If you loved Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, try A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce.
Eleanor Oliphant has a routine: work at a Glasgow office, pizza and vodka every weekend, and phone calls with her mother that leave her shaken. She thinks she is fine. When she and a kind coworker named Raymond help an elderly man who falls on the street, her carefully built walls start to crack. The book is funny, painful and tender, and it made lonely, blunt heroines a favorite of readers. The picks below share its mix of humor, loneliness and slow healing. Most are adult fiction, and some deal with grief or trauma.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Readers love Eleanor Oliphant because her voice is so unusual. Gail Honeyman writes Eleanor as literal, judgmental and very funny, so the reader laughs at her observations, and then slowly realizes how much pain lies beneath them. The book is about the small kindnesses that change a life, such as a coworker’s patience, a stranger’s help or a cat who needs care. It also deals honestly with childhood trauma and the long work of healing, without turning it into a simple fix, which is why it has stayed popular for years.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Fiction | Grumpy hearts that soften |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Romantic comedy | Awkward heroes who learn |
| Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata | Fiction | Quiet misfits |
| Anxious People | Fredrik Backman | Comic fiction | Humor with heart |
| The Midnight Library | Matt Haig | Fiction | Second chances |
| The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry | Rachel Joyce | Fiction | Quiet journeys |
| The Authenticity Project | Clare Pooley | Fiction | Strangers who become friends |
| Where’d You Go, Bernadette | Maria Semple | Comic fiction | Offbeat heroines |
| Olive Kitteridge | Elizabeth Strout | Literary fiction | Prickly, human characters |
| My Name Is Lucy Barton | Elizabeth Strout | Literary fiction | Short and tender |
| Lessons in Chemistry | Bonnie Garmus | Fiction | Women who defy norms |
| The Reading List | Sara Nisha Adams | Fiction | Books that heal |
| Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt | Fiction | Unusual friendships |
| Honeybee | Craig Silvey | Fiction | Hope in dark places |
| Beautiful World, Where Are You | Sally Rooney | Literary fiction | Reflective, modern lives |
1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A cranky widower’s life changes when a loud young family moves in next door. It’s funny, tender and full of heart.
2. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A socially awkward geneticist designs a questionnaire to find the perfect wife and meets Rosie instead. It’s funny and gentle.
3. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
A woman who has worked in a convenience store for eighteen years faces pressure to be normal. It’s short and surprising.
4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
A failed bank robber takes a group of strangers hostage at an apartment viewing. It’s funny, warm and full of surprises.
5. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora finds a library where each book is a life she could have lived. It’s hopeful and thought-provoking.
6. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
A retired man sets off to walk the length of England to see a dying friend. It’s moving and gently funny.
7. The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
A notebook passed among strangers in a London cafe changes their lives. It’s warm and feel-good.
8. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
When a brilliant but agoraphobic architect vanishes, her daughter pieces together emails to find her. It’s funny and clever.
9. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Connected stories about a gruff, complicated retired teacher in a Maine town. It won the Pulitzer Prize.
10. My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
A woman in a hospital bed talks with her estranged mother. It’s brief, quiet and deeply moving.
11. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A 1960s chemist becomes the star of a cooking show. It’s funny, fierce and hopeful.
12. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
A grieving widower and a young library assistant bond over a list of books. It’s gentle and heartwarming.
13. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
A widowed cleaner befriends a giant Pacific octopus who knows a secret. It’s charming and moving.
14. Honeybee by Craig Silvey
A boy on a bridge meets an older man who changes his story. It’s emotional. Content note: suicide, homophobia.
15. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Two friends exchange emails about love, literature and the end of the world. It’s thoughtful and quiet.
How to Pick Your Next Read After Eleanor Oliphant
- Want grumpy but lovable heroes? A Man Called Ove.
- Want humor and awkward charm? The Rosie Project.
- Want quiet journeys? The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
- Want something short? Convenience Store Woman and My Name Is Lucy Barton.
- Want an unusual friendship? Remarkably Bright Creatures.
- Check content notes. Honeybee and Eleanor Oliphant deal with trauma and suicide.
A Note on Heavier Themes
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and several books on this list deal with loneliness, depression, grief and childhood trauma. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the US. If you want gentler stories about unlikely friendships, start with The Rosie Project, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry or The Authenticity Project.
Related: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine book club discussion questions and books like The Midnight Library.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine?
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is the closest match, followed by The Rosie Project and Convenience Store Woman.
Is Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine a sad book?
It’s funny for much of the book, but it deals with trauma and loneliness and has sad moments.
Is there a sequel to Eleanor Oliphant?
No. It’s a standalone novel.