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Quick answer: If you loved Queenie, read Candice Carty-Williams's People Person, then Such a Fun Age, Conversations with Friends, Normal People, Bridget Jones's Diary and Girl, Woman, Other. All are funny, honest novels about modern women finding their way.
Candice Carty-Williams's 2019 debut follows Queenie Jenkins, a Jamaican British woman in London dealing with a breakup, messy relationships, work and mental health. It is funny, frank and moving. The books below offer similar contemporary novels about love, identity and growing up.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| People Person | Candice Carty-Williams | Adult | her second novel |
| Such a Fun Age | Kiley Reid | Adult | readers who like social comedy |
| Conversations with Friends | Sally Rooney | Adult | triangle of friends |
| Normal People | Sally Rooney | Adult | older teens and adults |
| Bridget Jones's Diary | Helen Fielding | Adult | readers who want the original |
| Girl, Woman, Other | Bernardine Evaristo | Adult | many voices |
| Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine | Gail Honeyman | Adult | healing loneliness |
| Book Lovers | Emily Henry | Adult | workplace sparks |
| People We Meet on Vacation | Emily Henry | Adult | slow-burn fans |
| Everything I Know About Love | Dolly Alderton | Adult | funny and honest |
| Ghosts | Dolly Alderton | Adult | modern dating |
| My Sister, the Serial Killer | Oyinkan Braithwaite | Adult | readers who want a quick read |
| Open Water | Caleb Azumah Nelson | Adult | young love in London |
| Americanah | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Adult | love and race |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who like banter |
1. People Person by Candice Carty-Williams
Five half-siblings come together after their father's call for help. Funny, messy and warm.
Best for: her second novel.
2. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A Black babysitter is accused of kidnapping, and her employer gets involved. Sharp and funny.
Best for: readers who like social comedy.
3. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
A young writer becomes entangled with a married couple. Cool, witty and honest.
Best for: triangle of friends.
4. Normal People by Sally Rooney
Two Irish teens drift together and apart over several years. Honest and close to the bone.
Best for: older teens and adults.
5. 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.
6. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Twelve interlinked lives in Britain. Joyful, bold and Booker-winning.
Best for: many voices.
7. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A socially awkward woman slowly opens up. Sad, funny and deeply human.
Best for: healing loneliness.
8. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
A hard-edged literary agent and a book editor keep running into each other in a small North Carolina town. A smart play on small-town romance tropes.
Best for: workplace sparks.
9. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Poppy and Alex take a trip every summer. Friends to lovers across ten years.
Best for: slow-burn fans.
10. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Alderton writes about friendship, love and growing up. Funny and tender.
Best for: funny and honest.
11. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
A thirty-something woman navigates dating and friendship. Funny and heartfelt.
Best for: modern dating.
12. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Korede cleans up after her beautiful sister Ayoola's murders in Lagos. Short, dark and funny.
Best for: readers who want a quick read.
13. Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Two Black artists fall in love. Lyrical and moving.
Best for: young love in London.
14. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A Nigerian woman moves to the US and experiences race. Wide-ranging and witty.
Best for: love and race.
15. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival writers swap genres for a summer. Funny and moving.
Best for: readers who like banter.
How to Choose
For more Carty-Williams read People Person. For London life choose Girl, Woman, Other, Open Water or Fleabag. For humour pick Bridget Jones's Diary or Everything I Know About Love. For mental health and loneliness read Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Queenie is frank, so these picks suit readers who want honest, modern fiction. Queenie was a Sunday Times bestseller and won the British Book Awards Book of the Year in 2020. It was adapted into a TV series for Channel 4 and Hulu.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Queenie about?
A young Black woman in London dealing with love, work and mental health.
Who wrote it?
Candice Carty-Williams.
When was it published?
2019.
Is there a TV show?
Yes, a series adaptation.
Is it funny?
Yes, though it covers serious topics.
Does it have mature content?
Yes, including sex and mental health themes.
Is it a debut?
Yes.
What should I read next?
Try Such a Fun Age or Normal People.
Which book here is best for older teens and adults?
Try Normal People by Sally Rooney, which suits readers looking for older teens and adults.
Which book here is best for healing loneliness?
Try Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, which suits readers looking for healing loneliness.
Which book here is best for funny and honest?
Try Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, which suits readers looking for funny and honest.
Which book here is best for young love in London?
Try Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, which suits readers looking for young love in London.
Which book here is best for readers who like social comedy?
Try Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, which suits readers looking for readers who like social comedy.