Alice Hoffman is an American author known for skillfully blending magic realism with everyday life. Her bestselling novel Practical Magic charmingly explores family bonds, romance, and magical themes.
If you enjoy reading books by Alice Hoffman then you might also like the following authors:
Readers who enjoy the magical realism and heartfelt storytelling of Alice Hoffman will likely find a similar charm in Sarah Addison Allen’s novels. Allen is known for her warm blend of everyday life and gentle magic, particularly in her novel Garden Spells.
In this story, sisters Claire and Sydney Waverley reunite in their family home in a small North Carolina town. Their ancestral garden has mysterious plants that can influence emotions and alter people’s fates.
The sisters uncover old family secrets, repair broken relationships, and rediscover the unique magic running through their shared history.
Allen’s storytelling is welcoming and lush, combining family relationships, culinary magic, and a comforting Southern charm that makes Garden Spells an inviting read.
Readers who enjoy Alice Hoffman’s blend of magic, reality, and vibrant storytelling may find Isabel Allende equally captivating.
Allende, a Chilean author known for weaving history, family, and mysticism into heartfelt narratives, offers enchanting tales full of vivid characters and deep emotion.
In her novel The House of the Spirits, Allende explores the multigenerational story of the Trueba family as they experience passion, tragedy, and mysterious abilities in a politically turbulent Chile.
With powerful women at its heart and hints of supernatural wonder throughout, this novel carries readers through decades of hope, loss, and resilience within one unforgettable family saga.
Readers who enjoy Alice Hoffman’s style of blending magic, romance, and everyday life may also appreciate Joanne Harris. Harris is a British author known for infusing ordinary stories with subtle enchantments and rich imagery.
Her novel Chocolat revolves around Vianne Rocher, a spirited newcomer who opens a chocolate shop in a conservative French village.
With flavors that seem to magically awaken hidden desires among the villagers, the shop challenges the town’s strict traditions and sparks both joy and controversy.
Harris weaves together the stories of the villagers, their repressed hopes, and the captivating allure of chocolate into a tale filled with charm, mystery, and gentle magic.
Elizabeth Berg is an author whose stories explore human connections, everyday challenges, and the deep emotional experiences of ordinary people. Readers who enjoy Alice Hoffman’s novels, filled with subtle magic and emotional depth, may find Berg’s work equally moving.
In her book The Story of Arthur Truluv, she introduces Arthur Moses, an elderly widower who visits his late wife’s grave each day, sharing thoughtful conversations as though she’s still at his side.
During one of his visits, Arthur meets Maddy, a lonely teenager struggling with family issues. Their unlikely friendship brings warmth and purpose into both their lives.
Berg builds relatable characters who gently remind readers how powerful simple kindness and comforting friendship can be.
Fannie Flagg is an American author known for warm-hearted novels filled with humor and charm. If you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s blend of magical realism and small-town drama, you might appreciate Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
The story alternates between the 1930s and the 1980s, following two spirited women, Idgie and Ruth, who run a quirky cafe in tiny Whistle Stop, Alabama.
Between their Southern cooking, heartfelt friendships, and feisty battles against prejudice, the novel captures the reader’s heart from start to finish. Flagg mixes humor and nostalgia effortlessly, creating characters you won’t soon forget.
Susanna Kearsley is an author you’ll want to explore if you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s blend of magical realism, history, and romance. Her novel The Winter Sea transports readers to a Scottish castle by the sea, where writer Carrie McClelland works on her new historical novel.
As Carrie writes, her storyline about the Jacobite rebellion in 1708 mirrors vivid dreams and visions she can’t quite explain.
Kearsley weaves together a captivating tale of historical intrigue, love, and a touch of magic, creating atmosphere and emotional depth similar to Hoffman’s own storytelling.
Readers who appreciate Alice Hoffman’s storytelling style might also enjoy Kate Morton’s novels. Morton is an Australian author known for atmospheric stories that blend mystery, history, and family secrets.
Her novel The Forgotten Garden tells the story of Cassandra, a woman who inherits a mysterious cottage in Cornwall after her grandmother, Nell, passes away.
Cassandra discovers that Nell was abandoned as a child aboard a ship bound for Australia, carrying only a suitcase and a beautifully illustrated book of fairy tales.
As Cassandra traces Nell’s journey back to England, she uncovers hidden family secrets connected to the estate, a captivating garden, and stories spanning generations.
With vivid settings and a touch of enchantment, Morton explores themes of identity, loss, and the powerful bonds of family.
Barbara Kingsolver writes novels filled with the same blend of strong characters and magical realism that readers love in Alice Hoffman’s books.
Her novel The Poisonwood Bible follows the story of the Price family after they move from the United States to the Belgian Congo in the late 1950s.
Nathan Price, a passionate missionary, leads his wife and four daughters from their comfortable American lifestyle into a world of political turmoil and stark cultural differences.
Each daughter narrates her own chapters, providing a unique perspective to life in Africa and the struggles within their family. Kingsolver weaves history, emotion, and spirituality into a narrative full of vivid imagery and deep meaning.
Consider picking up The Poisonwood Bible if you enjoy the heartfelt storytelling and subtle enchantment found in Hoffman’s novels.
If you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s blend of magic, family bonds, and cultural richness, Amy Tan might be a perfect author for you. Amy Tan’s novels explore the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and cultural identity with warmth and depth.
Her book The Joy Luck Club tells the story of four Chinese immigrant women and their American-born daughters who gather regularly to play mahjong and swap stories. Each woman’s tale reveals powerful memories, heartbreaks, and hopes that shaped her life.
The book beautifully portrays how past experiences continue to influence their present relationships and identities. Tan offers a heartfelt exploration of family dynamics, cultural heritage, and personal challenges that readers of Alice Hoffman may deeply appreciate.
Toni Morrison explores profound emotional landscapes with a poetic voice that captivates. If you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s blend of magical realism and human drama, Morrison’s novel Beloved could resonate deeply.
In Beloved, Sethe, a woman who escaped slavery, confronts haunting memories when a mysterious figure named Beloved enters her life. The novel beautifully portrays family legacy, loss, and the power of memory through vivid storytelling and unforgettable characters.
Morrison creates a world where the past speaks loudly, and the line between reality and the supernatural fades.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a Colombian writer famous for his immersive magical realism, blending the ordinary with the extraordinary effortlessly.
Readers who appreciate Alice Hoffman’s seamless overlap between magic and reality will likely feel at home in Garcia Marquez’s stories.
His novel One Hundred Years of Solitude follows the Buendía family, whose history is marked by strange happenings, quirky personalities, and inevitable tragedies in the fictional town of Macondo.
Ghostly visitors appear matter-of-factly, people float away into thin air, and generations repeat patterns of love and loss. Garcia Marquez creates a captivating story full of wonder, mystery, and subtle humor that gently unfolds like a dream.
Books by Erin Morgenstern often blend magic, romance, and a dreamy, atmospheric style similar to Alice Hoffman.
In The Night Circus, Morgenstern tells the story of two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood to compete against each other in a mysterious magical contest staged within an enchanting circus.
The circus appears suddenly, opens only at night, and dazzles visitors with extraordinary tents, from gardens made of ice to clouds you can walk on.
As Celia and Marco create increasingly elaborate illusions to outdo each other, they fall deeply in love, unaware that only one can win the dangerous contest.
Readers who enjoy the mystical worlds and emotional depth in Hoffman’s novels will find plenty to love in Morgenstern’s beautifully imagined tales.
If you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s blend of magic and human emotion, Bridget Collins is an author you might appreciate. In her novel The Binding, Collins creates a captivating world where memories can be bound into books—stored safely away and forgotten.
The protagonist, Emmett Farmer, learns the art of bookbinding under a mysterious master bookbinder. As Emmett gets deeper into this unusual trade, he discovers books containing secrets people wish to forget.
The heart of the story lies in Emmett’s discovery of a book with his own name on it, revealing truths about himself that change everything. Collins weaves fantasy with everyday life, giving readers an emotional and suspenseful read.
Diane Setterfield is an author who weaves haunting tales filled with mystery, family secrets, and just a touch of magic. Fans of Alice Hoffman’s mystical storytelling might enjoy Setterfield’s novel The Thirteenth Tale.
This book spins the dark, intriguing story of Vida Winter, a famous yet elusive author known for constantly reinventing details of her life.
When Vida invites Margaret Lea, a quiet biographer fascinated by old tales and secrets, to finally reveal the truth about her past, Margaret uncovers mysteries hidden within a sprawling old estate, eccentric family members, and shadowy secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Setterfield crafts a story that pulls readers deeply into a world of gothic suspense, family drama, and enchanting storytelling.
Cecilia Ahern is an Irish author known for her heartfelt storytelling sprinkled with a touch of magic and whimsy. If you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s style of blending everyday life with a hint of enchantment, you might appreciate Ahern’s The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.
This book revolves around Rose, a young girl who discovers she can taste people’s emotions through the food they prepare. This unusual gift reveals layers of complexity behind seemingly ordinary lives and relationships.
Through Rose’s journey, the novel explores family secrets, empathy, and the challenges of carrying hidden truths. Ahern skillfully intertwines elements of magical realism with genuine human emotion, making Rose’s story both touching and thought-provoking.