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Quick answer: If you loved Kevin Kwan, read Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians, then Jenny Jackson's Pineapple Street, then Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary, and Jackie Collins's Hollywood Wives and Taffy Brodesser-Akner's Fleishman Is in Trouble. All are glitzy, funny stories of wealth.
Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians (2013) is a comic novel about extreme wealth in Singapore. These picks share its glamour.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy Rich Asians | Kevin Kwan | Adult | escapist comedy |
| Pineapple Street | Jenny Jackson | Adult | comic family drama |
| Bridget Jones's Diary | Helen Fielding | Adult | readers who want the original |
| Hollywood Wives | Jackie Collins | Adult | glitz and gossip |
| Fleishman Is in Trouble | Taffy Brodesser-Akner | Adult | midlife satire |
| Followers | Megan Angelo | Adult | readers who like tech satire |
| Where'd You Go, Bernadette | Maria Semple | Adult | quirky family comedy |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who want banter |
| Something Borrowed | Emily Giffin | Adult | love triangle |
| The Last Mrs. Parrish | Liv Constantine | Adult | rich-people drama |
| Daisy Jones & The Six | Taylor Jenkins Reid | Adult | readers who like music and drama |
| The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Taylor Jenkins Reid | Adult | readers who like life stories |
| Bet Me | Jennifer Crusie | Adult | romantic humor |
| Riders | Jilly Cooper | Adult | the Rutshire start |
| Queenie | Candice Carty-Williams | Adult | readers who like modern London stories |
1. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
A professor visits Singapore and meets her boyfriend's very rich family. Glittering, gossipy and funny.
Best for: escapist comedy.
2. Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
Three women in a wealthy Brooklyn family navigate marriage, money and class in this funny social comedy.
Best for: comic family drama.
3. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
Bridget records her love life, weight and work. The classic of the genre.
Best for: readers who want the original.
4. Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins
The wives of powerful men in Hollywood navigate affairs, ambition and rivalry. Glitzy, fast and gloriously over the top, it is the closest cousin to Susann's style.
Best for: glitz and gossip.
5. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
A man's divorce is told partly through the eyes of a friend. Sharp on modern marriage and ambition.
Best for: midlife satire.
6. Followers by Megan Angelo
Two women chase fame in 2015, while a future story shows what fame becomes. A sharp social media satire.
Best for: readers who like tech satire.
7. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
A teenage girl searches for her missing, eccentric mother, an architect, in this funny novel told through emails and documents.
Best for: quirky family comedy.
8. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two writers who are rivals swap genres for a summer. Banter, grief and a happy ending.
Best for: readers who want banter.
9. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
A woman falls for her best friend's fiance. Light and easy.
Best for: love triangle.
10. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
A woman schemes to take over another woman's perfect life. Glossy and devious.
Best for: rich-people drama.
11. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The oral history of a 1970s rock band that breaks up at its peak. Told in interview format.
Best for: readers who like music and drama.
12. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A reclusive Hollywood star finally tells her life story to a young journalist. Glamorous, emotional and full of secrets.
Best for: readers who like life stories.
13. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
A romantic comedy about a bet and a diner full of friends. Not a mystery, but just as funny.
Best for: romantic humor.
14. Riders by Jilly Cooper
Rupert Campbell-Black and rivals compete in show jumping. Bawdy and addictive.
Best for: the Rutshire start.
15. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie, a Jamaican British woman in London, struggles after a breakup. Funny, honest and raw.
Best for: readers who like modern London stories.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Kevin Kwan: 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 Kevin Kwan. 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 wealth, read Pineapple Street. For comedy, try Bridget Jones's Diary. For glamour, pick Hollywood Wives.
Related: Beach Read by Emily Henry: Summary and Key Takeaways · Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Crazy Rich Asians?
Kevin Kwan, in 2013.
Is there a film?
Yes, a 2018 film.
Is it a trilogy?
Yes, with China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems.
Which book here is best for readers who like modern London stories?
Try Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, which suits readers looking for readers who like modern London stories.
Which book here is best for the Rutshire start?
Try Riders by Jilly Cooper, which suits readers looking for the Rutshire start.
Which book here is best for romantic humor?
Try Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, which suits readers looking for romantic humor.
Which book here is best for readers who like life stories?
Try The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which suits readers looking for readers who like life stories.