Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you read My Friends, read Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove and Beartown, then Anxious People, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Tuesdays with Morrie and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. All are warm, humane novels about friendship, loss and finding people who see you.
Fredrik Backman's 2025 novel follows a young woman, a painting and the three men who changed her life, in a story about friendship, art and growing up. It is emotional, funny and full of Backman's trademark heart. The books below offer similar stories of friendship, grief and found family.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Adult | grumpy hearts |
| Beartown | Fredrik Backman | Adult | hockey town |
| Anxious People | Fredrik Backman | Adult | humour and heart |
| Britt-Marie Was Here | Fredrik Backman | Adult | late-life change |
| Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine | Gail Honeyman | Adult | healing loneliness |
| Tuesdays with Morrie | Mitch Albom | Adult | lessons from a dying teacher |
| The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry | Rachel Joyce | Adult | gentle journey |
| The Midnight Library | Matt Haig | Adult | alternate lives |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Adult | romantic comedy |
| The House in the Cerulean Sea | TJ Klune | Adult | found family |
| The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry | Gabrielle Zevin | Adult | bookshop heart |
| Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt | Adult | widow and octopus |
| Olive Kitteridge | Elizabeth Strout | Adult | linked stories |
| Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow | Gabrielle Zevin | Adult | friendship and games |
| Wonder | R. J. Palacio | Ages 8-12 | kindness |
1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A cranky widower finds friendship and purpose despite himself. Funny and moving.
Best for: grumpy hearts.
2. Beartown by Fredrik Backman
A small hockey town is shaken by a crime. Powerful and emotional.
Best for: hockey town.
3. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
A failed bank robbery turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. Warm.
Best for: humour and heart.
4. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
A woman who loves cleaning takes a job in a rundown town. Warm and funny.
Best for: late-life change.
5. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A socially awkward woman slowly opens up. Sad, funny and deeply human.
Best for: healing loneliness.
6. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
A man visits his old professor who is dying. Simple and heartfelt.
Best for: lessons from a dying teacher.
7. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
A retired man walks across England to deliver a letter. Quiet and moving.
Best for: gentle journey.
8. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora explores the lives she might have lived. Gentle and hopeful.
Best for: alternate lives.
9. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A genetics professor designs a questionnaire to find a wife. Light and charming.
Best for: romantic comedy.
10. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
A caseworker visits an orphanage of magical children and finds love. Warm and funny.
Best for: found family.
11. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A grumpy bookseller finds a baby in his shop. Warm and bookish.
Best for: bookshop heart.
12. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
A widow and a giant Pacific octopus form an unlikely bond. Gentle and funny.
Best for: widow and octopus.
13. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Linked stories about a prickly retired teacher in a small Maine town. Pulitzer-winning.
Best for: linked stories.
14. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Two friends build a video game company across decades. Big-hearted and absorbing.
Best for: friendship and games.
15. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
A boy with a facial difference starts school. A modern classic.
Best for: kindness.
How to Choose
For more Backman begin with A Man Called Ove or Beartown. For funny, warm novels pick Anxious People, Britt-Marie Was Here or The Rosie Project. For friendship across years read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. For gentle journeys try Harold Fry. My Friends is emotional, so these picks suit readers who like a good cry. Backman's novels are translated from Swedish and often appear on bestseller lists worldwide, so libraries usually have several. His stories share a gift for finding comedy in sadness.
Related: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: Summary and Key Takeaways · 15 Best Children’s Books About Making Friends for Shy and Social Kids
Frequently Asked Questions
What is My Friends about?
A young woman, a famous painting and the three men whose friendship shapes her life.
Who wrote it?
Fredrik Backman.
When was it published?
2025.
Is it a standalone?
Yes.
Is it sad?
It is emotional but hopeful.
Is it similar to A Man Called Ove?
It has the same warmth and humour, with a different story.
Is it available in English?
Yes.
What should I read next?
Try A Man Called Ove or Beartown.
Which book here is best for late-life change?
Try Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman, which suits readers looking for late-life change.
Which book here is best for gentle journey?
Try The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, which suits readers looking for gentle journey.
Which book here is best for found family?
Try The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, which suits readers looking for found family.
Which book here is best for linked stories?
Try Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, which suits readers looking for linked stories.
Which book here is best for hockey town?
Try Beartown by Fredrik Backman, which suits readers looking for hockey town.