Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you loved Eleanor & Park, read Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, then John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns, then Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry, and Becky Albertalli's Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Nicola Yoon's The Sun Is Also a Star. All are tender young adult love stories.
Rainbow Rowell's 2012 novel follows two misfit teenagers who fall in love on a school bus in 1986. It is sharp, painful and sweet. These picks offer the same mix of romance, humour and emotion.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell | 14+ | readers who like quiet romance |
| Fangirl | Rainbow Rowell | 13+ | readers who love books |
| Carry On | Rainbow Rowell | Teen | fantasy romance |
| The Fault in Our Stars | John Green | 14+ | readers who want a cry |
| Looking for Alaska | John Green | 15+ | readers who like thoughtful, painful stories |
| Paper Towns | John Green | 14+ | readers who like mystery |
| Perfect Chemistry | Simone Elkeles | Teen | opposites attract |
| Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | Becky Albertalli | 13+ | readers who want a classic |
| The Sun Is Also a Star | Nicola Yoon | 14+ | readers who like a one-day romance |
| If I Stay | Gayle Forman | Teen | the closest match |
| Where She Went | Gayle Forman | 13+ | the sequel |
| Along for the Ride | Sarah Dessen | 13+ | readers who like slow summers |
| Just Listen | Sarah Dessen | Teen | gentle realism |
| Love Letters to the Dead | Ava Dellaira | 14+ | writing as healing |
| Tell Me Three Things | Julie Buxbaum | 13+ | new beginnings |
1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits in 1986 Omaha fall in love over comics and mixtapes on the school bus. Honest and sweet.
Best for: readers who like quiet romance.
2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Cath, a fanfiction writer, struggles at college and finds love. Warm and nerdy.
Best for: readers who love books.
3. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Simon Snow is the chosen one at a magical school, and his roommate and rival is Baz. Rowell mixes fantasy parody with an enemies-to-lovers romance that many Red, White & Royal Blue readers adore.
Best for: fantasy romance.
4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Hazel and Augustus, two teens with cancer, fall in love and travel to Amsterdam. Funny and sad in equal measure.
Best for: readers who want a cry.
5. Looking for Alaska by John Green
Miles joins a boarding school and meets the unforgettable Alaska Young. The story is split into before and after a tragic event.
Best for: readers who like thoughtful, painful stories.
6. Paper Towns by John Green
Quentin follows clues left by his neighbor Margo after she disappears. A mystery that questions how well we know people.
Best for: readers who like mystery.
7. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
A cheerleader and a gang member become lab partners. Steamy and dramatic.
Best for: opposites attract.
8. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon emails an anonymous boy at school and is blackmailed. Sweet and funny, and the basis for Love, Simon.
Best for: readers who want a classic.
9. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Natasha and Daniel meet on a day when she faces deportation. Told from several perspectives with a focus on fate.
Best for: readers who like a one-day romance.
10. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
After a car crash, Mia is in a coma and decides whether to live or die. Short, sad and hopeful.
Best for: the closest match.
11. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
The sequel follows Adam, three years later, when he and Mia meet again in New York. A bittersweet continuation told from his view.
Best for: the sequel.
12. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Auden spends a summer at the beach and learns to be young. Cozy and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like slow summers.
13. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
A former model with a secret finds help from an unlikely friend. Warm, realistic and hopeful.
Best for: gentle realism.
14. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
Laurel writes letters to dead celebrities as she deals with her sister's death. Gentle and honest.
Best for: writing as healing.
15. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
A teen moves to a new school after her mother's death and receives anonymous emails. Warm and funny.
Best for: new beginnings.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Eleanor & Park: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Eleanor & Park. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For more Rowell, pick Fangirl or Carry On. For heartfelt teen romance, try The Fault in Our Stars, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda or Anna and the French Kiss. For romance with some grit, read Looking for Alaska or Perfect Chemistry.
Related: 15 Books Like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine You’ll Love: Lonely Heroines and Healing · Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Eleanor & Park?
Rainbow Rowell, in 2012.
What is it about?
Two teenagers who fall in love on a school bus in 1986.
Is it a standalone?
Yes.
What age is it for?
It suits teens 14 and up.
Is it sad?
It has painful moments, with a hopeful note.
What should I read next?
Try Fangirl or The Fault in Our Stars.