Gabrielle Zevin has a gift for writing books that just get to you. She builds characters you genuinely care about. Her stories explore big ideas. Think about identity, human connection, and the search for purpose. Take “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” for example.
It follows friends through life, love, and video games in a story both epic and personal. If you enjoy authors who explore similar emotional and thematic territory, here are some writers you might like.
Readers who enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s heartfelt storytelling might appreciate Fredrik Backman, a Swedish author known for characters who feel genuinely relatable.
In his novel “A Man Called Ove,” Backman introduces Ove, an elderly man whose grumpy exterior hides a deeply compassionate interior. The story unfolds as Ove interacts with new neighbors, an outspoken pregnant woman and her lively family.
Through humor, warmth, and moments that catch you off guard emotionally, Backman reveals unexpected connections and kindness hidden behind everyday struggles.
Those who savor Zevin’s thoughtful approach to life’s ordinary details could find a similar charm and sincerity in Backman’s writing.
Readers who enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s character-driven novels may also appreciate Taylor Jenkins Reid’s engaging storytelling and vivid characters. Reid’s novel “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” explores the life of Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo.
Evelyn chooses an unknown journalist named Monique Grant to reveal the truths behind her glamorous image. Through her reflections on ambition, fame, love, and regret, Evelyn presents a candid look at Hollywood’s Golden Age and the complexities behind celebrity lives.
The book offers drama, romance, intrigue, and a narrative full of emotional depth.
If you enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s thoughtful novels about relationships and life’s complexities, Emma Straub might interest you too.
Her novel “The Vacationers” explores the secrets, longings, and quiet resentments of the Post family during their two-week vacation in sunny Mallorca. It’s a story of family dynamics, love, friendship, and the subtle tensions beneath the surface of everyday life.
Straub captures realistic characters who face their imperfections honestly, with humor, warmth, and relatable vulnerability.
If you enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s thoughtful storytelling and realistic characters, you might appreciate Jojo Moyes.
Her novel “Me Before You” centers on Louisa Clark, a spirited but aimless young woman who unexpectedly becomes caretaker for Will Traynor, a successful man left paralyzed by an accident.
Initially their interactions are strained, but gradually they develop a connection neither of them expects. Moyes crafts a heartfelt story filled with humor, warmth, and emotional depth.
It’s a narrative about learning to embrace life’s challenges, even when things don’t turn out how you thought they would.
Rebecca Serle is an author who writes heartfelt novels blending romance with thoughtful portrayals of friendship and life ’s unexpected turns.
If you enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin’s thoughtful stories that explore relationships and personal growth, you might appreciate Serle’s novel “In Five Years.” This book tells the story of Dannie Kohan, a successful lawyer who has her life neatly planned out.
One night, Dannie falls asleep only to vividly wake up exactly five years in the future—experiencing a brief glimpse of a life completely different from the one she had carefully planned.
When she returns to her present, Dannie struggles to understand this mysterious experience and its impact on the years ahead. The book takes readers on a surprising journey into love, friendship, and fate.
Readers who enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s thoughtful stories about complicated lives and hidden secrets will likely connect with Liane Moriarty’s novels. Moriarty is an Australian author known for weaving humor, drama, and mystery through everyday events.
In her novel “Big Little Lies,” Moriarty explores the friendships and rivalries between three mothers whose children share a kindergarten class. Set in a picturesque coastal town, the novel uncovers hidden tensions beneath the picture-perfect lives of these women.
An unexpected tragedy at a school trivia night brings long-hidden resentments and secrets to the surface, challenging everyone’s assumptions about family, friendship, and the truths people tell themselves.
Ann Patchett is an American author known for stories full of heart and memorable characters. Her novel “The Dutch House” revolves around siblings Danny and Maeve Conroy, who grow up in a lavish mansion outside Philadelphia.
After losing their mother, they’re left in the care of their emotionally distant father and a cold stepmother. The bond between Danny and Maeve deepens as they navigate peculiar family dynamics, loss, and attachment to this grand yet haunting house.
If you enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s thoughtful explorations of family ties and characters who linger in your memory, Ann Patchett’s “The Dutch House” is worth picking up.
Elizabeth Strout writes insightful, character-driven novels that explore relationships, family, and human connection with warmth and depth.
Her book “Olive Kitteridge” introduces readers to Olive, a sharp and unapologetically honest former schoolteacher in a small coastal town in Maine.
Through a set of linked short stories, readers see Olive’s complex interactions with the townspeople, her blunt temperament, hidden kindness, and her deeply human vulnerabilities.
Fans of Gabrielle Zevin’s thoughtful, nuanced portrayals of characters and communities in works like “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” will likely enjoy Strout’s similarly heartfelt depiction of life’s quiet moments and complicated relationships.
Books by Alice Hoffman often explore magical realism with warmth and depth, similar to Gabrielle Zevin’s gentle touch on life’s complexities. In “Practical Magic,” Hoffman presents the Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian, who grow up in a small Massachusetts town.
They’re raised by enchantresses, their eccentric aunts who teach them about herbs, spells, and the importance of bravery in love. But magic isn’t always easy. The Owens women carry a family curse that threatens those they care about most.
As Sally and Gillian navigate sisterhood, love, and loss, readers enter a beautifully woven world where everyday moments meet mysterious happenings, making it a memorable read for those who enjoy Zevin’s thoughtful storytelling style.
Books by Celeste Ng offer readers heartfelt stories filled with emotional depth and relatable characters. If you enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin’s stories, Celeste Ng might resonate with you too.
Her novel “Little Fires Everywhere” is set in the tidy, picture-perfect suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio. It explores the secrets hidden below the surface of a seemingly ideal community.
The Richardson family appears happy and successful, until an enigmatic artist named Mia Warren and her teenage daughter Pearl arrive to challenge their comfortable routines.
As tensions rise over neighborhood drama and family interactions, quiet conflicts erupt into open confrontations, revealing buried resentments and difficult truths.
Celeste Ng weaves a careful narrative about family dynamics, motherhood, race, and belonging, offering insight and emotional honesty at every turn.
Nina George is a German author known for writing warm stories filled with charm and relatable characters, appealing to fans of Gabrielle Zevin’s emotional narratives. Her novel “The Little Paris Bookshop” follows Jean Perdu, a bookseller with a unique gift.
On his floating bookstore along the Seine, Jean prescribes novels instead of medicine for his customers’ emotional troubles. Yet Jean struggles to mend his own heart, still grieving over the woman he lost years ago.
Inspired by a forgotten letter, he embarks on a journey through France to confront his past, hoping to heal and rediscover love.
With vivid descriptions, meaningful relationships, and a tender exploration of literature’s healing power, the novel offers a comforting and thoughtful experience for readers seeking a heartfelt story.
If you enjoy Gabrielle Zevin’s thought-provoking stories and rich characters, you might find a great read in Jodi Picoult. Picoult often tackles difficult moral questions and complex human relationships.
Her novel “My Sister’s Keeper” centers on Anna, a girl conceived specifically to help treat her sister’s leukemia through repeated medical donations. When Anna decides to hire a lawyer to fight for control over her own body and choices, her family’s world is deeply shaken.
Picoult explores tough ethical dilemmas and family dynamics in a narrative that keeps you emotionally invested until the end.
Amor Towles is an American writer known for nuanced characters and vivid storytelling. His novel “A Gentleman in Moscow” tells the story of Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian nobleman sentenced by the Bolsheviks to house arrest inside a luxury hotel in Moscow.
As the years pass and history unfolds outside the hotel’s walls, Rostov creates a deeply meaningful life in confinement.
Readers who enjoyed the thoughtful, character-driven narratives by Gabrielle Zevin will appreciate Towles’ elegant prose and rich exploration of human resilience, friendships, and unexpected journeys.
Matt Haig is an English author known for thoughtful storytelling and rich emotional depth. His novel “The Midnight Library” explores a fascinating idea: a library filled with books that each represent a different version of your life.
Nora Seed, unhappy and overwhelmed by regrets, finds herself in this strange space between life and death. Here, she can open each book and experience how things might have turned out had she made different choices.
Her journey raises powerful questions about regret, possibility, and what it truly means to live fully.
Readers drawn to Gabrielle Zevin’s gentle exploration of life’s choices and emotional depth, as in “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry,” will find much to appreciate in Haig’s thoughtful storytelling.
Books by Eleanor Brown often center around thoughtful characters navigating family ties and personal struggles. In “The Weird Sisters,” readers meet three adult sisters who return to their childhood home when their mother falls ill.
Named after Shakespearean heroines by their Shakespeare professor father, the sisters carry unique burdens, secrets, and hopes.
Brown skillfully portrays the family’s complex relationships with warmth, humor, and wisdom, balancing drama and tenderness similar to Gabrielle Zevin’s heartfelt characters.
If you’ve enjoyed Zevin’s sensitive approach to human relationships, Eleanor Brown’s thoughtful storytelling might resonate.