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Quick answer: If you loved Scruples, read Jackie Collins's Hollywood Wives, then Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance and Hold the Dream, then Jilly Cooper's Riders and Polo, and Shirley Conran's Lace and Judy Blume's Wifey. All are glamorous bestsellers.
Judith Krantz's Scruples (1978) is a glossy novel about fashion and ambition. These picks share its glamour.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Wives | Jackie Collins | Adult | glitz and gossip |
| A Woman of Substance | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Adult | rise of a tycoon |
| Riders | Jilly Cooper | Adult | the Rutshire start |
| Lace | Shirley Conran | Adult | glamorous saga |
| Polo | Jilly Cooper | Adult | polo and scandal |
| Wifey | Judy Blume | Adult | adult fans |
| Beaches | Iris Rainer Dart | Adult | friendship across decades |
| Hold the Dream | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Adult | the sequel |
| The Thorn Birds | Colleen McCullough | Adult | classic sagas |
| Crazy Rich Asians | Kevin Kwan | Adult | escapist comedy |
| 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 |
| Pineapple Street | Jenny Jackson | Adult | comic family drama |
| The Last Mrs. Parrish | Liv Constantine | Adult | rich-people drama |
| Postcards from the Edge | Carrie Fisher | Adult | showbiz humor |
1. 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.
2. A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Emma Harte rises from servant girl to business tycoon. A long and satisfying saga.
Best for: rise of a tycoon.
3. Riders by Jilly Cooper
Rupert Campbell-Black and rivals compete in show jumping. Bawdy and addictive.
Best for: the Rutshire start.
4. Lace by Shirley Conran
Four school friends reunite to find a mysterious mother. Racy and glossy.
Best for: glamorous saga.
5. Polo by Jilly Cooper
Rivals and lovers collide on the polo field. Fast and funny.
Best for: polo and scandal.
6. Wifey by Judy Blume
A bored suburban wife looks for more. Blume's first adult novel, funny and frank.
Best for: adult fans.
7. Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart
Two women's friendship is tested by fame and illness. Emotional and classic.
Best for: friendship across decades.
8. Hold the Dream by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Emma Harte's granddaughter takes over the family empire. A natural next book.
Best for: the sequel.
9. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
An epic family saga set in the Australian outback. Long, romantic and dramatic.
Best for: classic sagas.
10. 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.
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. 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.
14. 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.
15. Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher
An actress recovers from addiction and Hollywood. Funny, sharp and semi-autobiographical.
Best for: showbiz humor.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Scruples: 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 Scruples. 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 glamour, read Hollywood Wives. For sagas, try A Woman of Substance. For wealth, pick Riders.
Related: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Summary and Key Takeaways · The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Scruples?
Judith Krantz, in 1978.
What is it about?
A woman who opens a fashion boutique in Beverly Hills.
Is it glamorous?
Yes.
Which book here is best for showbiz humor?
Try Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher, which suits readers looking for showbiz humor.
Which book here is best for rich-people drama?
Try The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, which suits readers looking for rich-people drama.
Which book here is best for comic family drama?
Try Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson, which suits readers looking for comic family drama.
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.
Which book here is best for readers who like music and drama?
Try Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which suits readers looking for readers who like music and drama.
Which book here is best for escapist comedy?
Try Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, which suits readers looking for escapist comedy.