Kiley Reid’s books offer a sharp look at modern life and relationships. She explores race, class, and privilege in ways that are both relatable and thought-provoking. If you want to discover authors with similar themes and style, this article is for you.
If you enjoy Kiley Reid’s sharp social commentary and exploration of race and identity, Brit Bennett might appeal to you as well. Her novel, “The Vanishing Half,” follows the lives of twin sisters who choose drastically different paths.
One sister remains in their southern hometown and embraces her Black heritage openly. The other sister leaves and secretly lives as white, creating a life filled with privilege but constant anxiety of discovery.
The novel spans generations, exploring how these choices affect their families, children, and futures. Bennett navigates complex racial dynamics thoughtfully, with characters you’ll find yourself deeply invested in.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is known for stories filled with vibrant characters, complex feelings, and relationships that draw you in. If you’re a fan of Kiley Reid’s compassionate yet sharp look at modern life and relationships, Taylor Jenkins Reid might be your next favorite.
Her book “Such a Fun Age” looks closely at race, class, and belonging. Similarly, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s “Malibu Rising” explores family conflicts, secrets, and complicated sibling dynamics.
Set over a single unforgettable night at a glamorous beachside party in Malibu in the early 1980s, the book follows the Riva siblings, each wrestling with their own personal dramas.
As the night unfolds, childhood memories, hidden resentments, and shocking revelations surface, changing the siblings’ lives forever. If you want stories rich in emotion and family drama, Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers just what you’re looking for.
Readers who enjoy Kiley Reid might also appreciate Celeste Ng, an author known for exploring complex family dynamics, cultural tensions, and class divides. Her novel, “Little Fires Everywhere,” is especially relatable.
Set in the meticulously planned town of Shaker Heights, Ohio, it revolves around two families whose lives become intertwined. Elena Richardson is rooted firmly in the stability of suburban norms, while Mia Warren prefers a freer, unconventional existence.
As their very different beliefs collide, secrets emerge and stir up tensions about race, motherhood, and family bonds. Ng captures the subtle ways privilege and prejudice quietly shape people’s lives, creating a story full of insight and unexpected twists.
Readers who enjoy Kiley Reid’s honest and sharp exploration of race and identity might connect with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s work. Adichie is a Nigerian author known for insightful stories focusing on race, class, gender, and cultural identity.
Her acclaimed novel, “Americanah,” follows the experiences of Ifemelu and Obinze, two young Nigerians whose paths diverge when they leave home separately for America and England.
The novel vividly portrays Ifemelu’s life in America, where she confronts racial dynamics she’d never known before and begins authoring a provocative blog about her observations. Meanwhile, Obinze navigates London’s shadowy and challenging immigrant scene.
Years later, their reunion in Lagos opens questions of identity and belonging, making “Americanah” an intimate story about love and the complexities of finding one’s place in the world.
Readers who enjoyed Kiley Reid’s sharp exploration of relationships and social dynamics might appreciate Sally Rooney’s novels too. Rooney’s characters are relatable and authentic, and her dialogues capture the way people truly speak to each other.
Her novel “Normal People” follows Connell and Marianne, two teenagers from different social backgrounds in Ireland. Their paths intertwine in school, and their story takes readers through years of friendship, romance, misunderstandings, and self-discovery.
The book explores class, intimacy, and the challenges of communication between two people who care deeply but often struggle to express it. Rooney’s storytelling is thoughtful and reflective, grounded in conversations that feel honest and familiar.
Books by Brittainy C. Cherry explore relationships, emotion, and personal growth through heartfelt characters you can’t help but root for. Her novel “The Air He Breathes” follows Elizabeth and Tristan, two unlikely individuals brought together by separate tragedies.
After losing important people in their lives, they struggle to heal in solitude. Yet an unexpected connection draws them together. As Elizabeth and Tristan confront their past demons, they learn the meaning of rebuilding life after loss.
Both Brittainy C. Cherry and Kiley Reid create genuine characters whose journeys reveal insights into human relationships.
Curtis Sittenfeld is an insightful author known for sharp storytelling and complex, relatable characters. In her novel “Such a Fun Age,” Kiley Reid explores issues of class, race, and privilege through an engaging narrative.
Curtis Sittenfeld’s “Prep” addresses similar themes with keen sensitivity and nuance. The story follows Lee Fiora, a teenage girl from the Midwest who attends an elite prep school in New England on scholarship.
She observes the unwritten social rules and struggles to fit into a world of privilege that feels foreign to her. Sittenfeld captures Lee’s experiences vividly, creating a story that accurately reflects the tensions and dynamics surrounding class, wealth, and identity.
If you enjoyed the themes and thoughtful reflections in Kiley Reid’s writing, you may find Sittenfeld’s portrayal of society and belonging equally appealing.
Readers who appreciate Kiley Reid’s sharp insight into contemporary society might also enjoy Zadie Smith’s novels. Smith is known for her vibrant characters and sharp observations of race and identity.
Her debut novel, “White Teeth,” explores friendship, family roots, and ethnic tensions in multicultural London.
The story centers around two old wartime friends—Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal—whose lives become interconnected through marriage and parenthood, leading to humorous, touching, and sometimes painful situations.
Smith captures the complexity of relationships, cultural differences, and generational conflicts with warmth and humor.
Readers who enjoyed Kiley Reid’s sharp exploration of race, family tensions, and personal identity will appreciate Tayari Jones.
In her novel “An American Marriage,” Jones captures the emotional turmoil of Celestial and Roy, a newlywed couple torn apart after a wrongful conviction lands Roy in prison. Their once-promising future unravels amid separation, unexpected challenges, and complex loyalties.
Jones skillfully reveals each character’s inner struggles, presenting a realistic portrayal of love tested by difficult circumstances.
Her thoughtful storytelling provides engaging insight into contemporary relationships and social issues, making this novel memorable and resonant for fans of Reid’s work.
Jasmine Guillory writes contemporary romance novels that explore relationships, modern life, and diverse experiences with warmth and humor. Her stories portray vibrant characters navigating love, friendship, and career ambitions in settings that feel both relatable and fresh.
In “The Wedding Date,” Alexa Monroe and Drew Nichols meet unexpectedly when trapped together in a stuck elevator. Drew impulsively asks Alexa to become his fake-date for a wedding.
What starts out as an innocent pretense quickly turns into something deeper, forcing them both to confront their own questions about relationships, race, and personal fulfillment.
Guillory tackles relevant themes of identity and interracial dating with charm and honesty, offering readers of Kiley Reid a refreshing, engaging voice in contemporary fiction.
Raven Leilani is an author whose witty, insightful take on race, modern relationships, and young adulthood can appeal to readers who enjoy Kiley Reid. In her debut novel, “Luster,” Leilani introduces readers to Edie, a young Black woman navigating her twenties in New York City.
Edie’s life is messy. She’s stuck in a dead-end publishing job and struggles to find genuine connections in a complicated dating scene. When she becomes involved with Eric, a married white man in an open relationship, things get even more tangled and intense.
The story takes an unexpected turn as Edie meets Eric’s wife, Rebecca, and their adopted Black daughter, Akila. What follows is an intriguing exploration of loneliness, identity, and belonging.
Leilani’s writing feels sharp, funny, and honest, with characters who linger in your thoughts well after you’ve finished reading.
Angie Thomas is a contemporary author known for exploring pressing themes of race, identity, and social issues in fresh and authentic ways.
Her novel “The Hate U Give” follows Starr Carter, a teenager caught between two worlds: the low-income neighborhood where she lives, and the wealthy, mostly white prep school she attends.
When Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed friend Khalil by a police officer, her carefully balanced life is thrown into turmoil. Thomas thoughtfully captures the complex conversations around race, family, community, and activism.
With real voices, vivid characters, and a powerful story, “The Hate U Give” provides the type of engaging, timely fiction readers of Kiley Reid’s “Such a Fun Age” will appreciate.
Books by Kevin Kwan are filled with sharp wit and cultural insight. If you enjoyed Kiley Reid’s exploration of race, wealth, and privilege, you might also connect with Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians.”
This novel follows Rachel Chu, a smart young professor who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young. Rachel imagines a simple getaway, but the trip quickly turns complicated when she discovers that Nick belongs to one of Asia’s wealthiest families.
Kwan uses humor and sharp observation to show readers a fascinating view into extravagant lifestyles, family expectations, and the pressure of social status. The novel cleverly blends satire with heartfelt moments, making it an entertaining yet thoughtful read.
Lisa Taddeo is an author who writes honestly about relationships, desire, and modern life challenges. In her book “Three Women,” she tells the real-life stories of three different women as they navigate complicated feelings of love, passion, and disappointment.
Maggie, Lina, and Sloane each face their own set of struggles. Maggie gets caught up in an affair with her teacher as a teenager. Years later, the experience still impacts her life.
Lina, a married housewife, finds that her passionless marriage pushes her toward an intense, secret romance with an old flame. Then there’s Sloane—a successful woman in an open marriage whose boundaries of desire and control become blurred in unusual ways.
Taddeo’s clear, direct style brings each woman’s experience to life, showing the raw reality of desires that often remain hidden. If you enjoyed Kiley Reid’s sharp observations and realistic characters, Lisa Taddeo’s storytelling will likely resonate with you.
If you enjoy Kiley Reid’s sharp social commentary and keen insights into complex relationships, Lauren Groff might be a perfect match for your bookshelf. Groff has a talent for exploring personal dynamics and the tensions beneath polished exteriors.
Her novel “Fates and Furies” follows the marriage of Lotto and Mathilde.
At first their life seems charming and successful; but slowly, as Groff shifts perspectives between husband and wife, secrets and hidden truths reveal powerful emotions and conflicts beneath their glamorous surface.
Groff’s storytelling style is fresh and makes readers wonder what’s really happening in the lives of others.