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21 Great Books About Book Clubs
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Book clubs can be a wonderful addition to life, well beyond the joy of reading. Discussing what you’ve read can expand your understanding of both the book and of other points of view, while also helping articulate your own feelings.
While there are plenty of jokes about book clubs just being an excuse to get away for wine night, the bonds formed at these gatherings are invaluable, no matter the level of book discussion. It’s not common enough for adults to take time away from the pressures of life and connect with others, and book clubs are the perfect way to get dedicated friend time on the calendar. Whether this is a group of long-time friends or an entirely new group of strangers connecting over a book, the feeling of community that comes from a book club is priceless.
Fictional Books about Book Clubs
Like real-life book clubs, the book recommendations on this list vary in how much the books are discussed. Some mention many real novels consistently throughout, while others focus heavily on the friendships and even found family that develop through book clubs.
The Wattle Island Book Club
Book Summary
In 1950, Anne left Wattle Island to start a new life in the city. However, she is forced to return home after a tragedy. Starting the Wattle Island book club is her only solace.
In 2018, librarian Grace heads to Wattle Island for an adventure after life handed her a hefty dose of new perspective. While she’s there, she’s determined to get to the bottom of a long-held mystery surrounding the town’s historic book club.
Anne and Grace must come together to heal the trauma that tore the book club apart.
The Book Girls Say…
While this book is about friendship and love, it also addresses some serious issues, so we recommend checking the trigger warnings if necessary.
The Wartime Book Club
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
In 1940, Nazis invaded and occupied the Channel Islands, including Jersey. While thousands of islanders evacuated, many also stayed in their homes. In this novel, those staying included librarian Grace and her best friend, Bea, a postwoman.
By 1943, Grace had become the Chief Librarian after her boss was sent to an internment camp in Germany. She is taking a great risk in hiding books banned by the Nazis in order to protect them from destruction. She also strongly believes in the importance of access to books during this terrible period. But when neighbors are offered extra rations for reporting each other, who can she trust?
The Book Girls Say…
Each chapter of this novel starts with information on a different banned book, adding an extra layer to this already engaging story. Don’t miss the author’s note that highlights which part of this story closely follows the history of the occupation of Jersey.
Keep in mind that this novel is on the long side (512 pages) and does include a large cast of characters outside of the alternating perspectives of Grace & Bea.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Bordeaux Book Club
Book Summary
Leah and her family moved to France with a dream of being self-sufficient, but what she expected to be her ideal life turned out to be much more difficult than she expected. Plus, her teen daughter has started acting out, and her husband keeps disappearing.
When her friend invites her to a book club, Leah welcomes the escape. The group appears to be a strange collection of misfits, but the novels they read pull the new friends together in unexpected ways. Through the club, Leah begins to learn that happily-ever-afters don’t always look the way you expect.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Book Summary
Margaret, Viv, and Bitsy appear to have it all by the standards of the early 1960s, but “all” doesn’t feel like enough to them. They live in a brand-new “planned community” in Northern Virginia and feel guilty and confused that they aren’t satisfied with their supposedly idyllic housewife lives.
Things begin to change when the three women form a book club with their artsy new neighbor from Manhattan, Charlotte. Together they read Betty Friedan’s controversial new book, The Feminine Mystique. For the first time, each of these women realizes that they are not alone in their dissatisfaction or their longings.
Their lives are forever altered. The book may be the start of it all, but it’s their bond of sisterhood that really helps them find the courage they each need to navigate the rapidly changing world and see themselves in a new light.
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The Busybody Book Club
Book Summary
In the St. Tredock Book Club, the members tend to disagree on everything, from the novels they read to the treats they eat during meetings. But when one member, Michael, disappears and a dead body is found in his house, they put aside their differences to find him.
Each member has a different theory on what happened based on their favorite kinds of books, including Agatha Christie mysteries, romance, and sci-fi. With inspiration from their favorite books, the club members are determined to solve the case.
The Book Girls Say…
Melissa really enjoyed the found family theme combined with a light mystery in The Lost Ticket by the same author, so she’s excited to pick up this title that leans even further into cozy mystery territory!
The Air Raid Book Club
Book Summary
Before he died, Gertie and Harry Bingham were living their dream of running their own bookstore in 1938 London. Without Harry, Gertie is considering retiring to the seaside with her lab, Hemingway. However, with Hitler on the rise, life had other plans for her. In desperation, Jewish families have begun sending their children out of Germany in hopes of keeping them safe. Gertie decides to take in one of these refugees, a headstrong teenage girl named Hedy, who reminds Gertie of a younger version of herself.
When the Blitz begins in London, Gertie and Hedy have an idea to help their community. During the frequent air raids, they will host a book club to bolster spirits and provide a distraction, discussing everything from Winnie the Pooh to Wuthering Heights. However, it’s impossible to escape the tragic reality of the war fully, and the book club must rely on the new bonds they’ve made when they face unimaginable losses.
How to Read a Book
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
99% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
In Abbot Falls, Maine, three unlikely people are about to have their lives change after connecting at a bookstore. Violet is only twenty-two, but was just released from prison after nearly two years due to a drunk-driving crash that killed a local kindergarten teacher. Harriet is a retired English teacher who runs a book club at the prison. Frank is the handyman for a bookstore, and he had a complicated marriage to the woman Violet accidentally killed.
When the Violet, Harriet, and Frank run into each other at a bookstore, they begin to learn about seizing second chances and the power of books to change our lives.
The Book Girls Say…
While we also featured this novel on the list of characters connecting through books, we especially loved the chapters focused on Harriet’s volunteer work leading a book club for women in prison.
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Maine Books: The Best Books Set in the Pine Tree State
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires
Book Summary
Patricia Campbell, a devoted housewife and member of a true-crime book club, leads an ordinary life until she meets James Harris, a charismatic newcomer to her neighborhood. When children start disappearing and strange events unfold, Patricia begins to suspect that James is not what he seems.
As she digs deeper, she realizes he may be a vampire preying on their community. However, convincing her skeptical husband and friends proves difficult. With her book club as her only allies, Patricia must fight against both supernatural evil and the societal constraints that silence women.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers say this book is difficult to describe because it’s part heartwarming and funny, and part horror story. Some readers say that this book made them very angry because it features gaslighting of women and talking down to housewives.
But according to the author, that’s exactly the point. In the author’s note, Hendrix states that he was inspired to write the novel after watching his mother and her friends navigate a world that often dismissed their concerns. He said he “wanted to pit Dracula against my mom.” By placing a vampire in the middle of suburban Charleston and pitting him against a group of book club moms, he aimed to create a horror story that reflected real-life struggles, such as gaslighting, domestic pressures, and the way society often ignores women’s warnings and fears.
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The Bromance Book Club
Book Summary
Gavin is a second baseman for the Nashville Legends. He prides himself on his performance on the ball field, but when he finds out that his performance in the bedroom has been less than impressive to his wife, it’s more than his ego can handle.
With his marriage in major league trouble, Gavin finds help in an unlikely place. He’s invited to join a secret book club made up of some of Nashville’s top A-list alpha males. Taking inspiration from the plot of their latest romance read, the guys coach him through his rocky relationship.
The Book Girls Say…
We both really liked the male point of view in this humorous and steamy book. It was a refreshing twist from a typical rom-com plot because it’s the husband fighting for the marriage.
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The Break-Up Book Club
Book Summary
In a historic carriage house behind a bookstore, Jazmine, Judith, Erin, and Sara share their love of reading (and wine) despite having little else in common and ranging in age from 23 to 55.
Jazmine was a tennis star turned sports agent and single mom. Judith is now an empty nester, wondering if she made the right decision by living her life in a supportive role. Erin is engaged to her high school sweetheart, who has cold feet. Last but not least, Sara’s husband has taken a job out of town and left his difficult mother to live with Sara.
With the help of books, the friendships between the four women evolve as they each navigate new chapters in their lives.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel is told through the unique perspectives and voices of all four friends. Reviewers say that after enjoying this touching novel, they find themselves wishing they could attend the next book club meeting with the characters.
Keep in mind that this is a more character-driven book that takes you into the lives of the characters rather than a page-turning plot-based read.
The Mighty Red
Book Summary
In North Dakota’s Red River Valley, life is fueled by the farming and processing of sugar beets. But climate change and years of farming the same crop have exhausted the soil. Some town members are concerned about the increasing number of chemicals required to sustain the crops.
Crystal hauls sugar beets but also has concerns outside of her town’s inevitable agricultural and economic collapse. Her daughter, Kismet, is a high school senior being pursued by two boys. Gary is a football player set to inherit two farms and has proposed to Kismet. But Hugo, a local home-schooled teen, still pines for her.
The women of the town come together each week for book club meetings, where gossip often comes before discussion.
The Book Girls Say…
Louise Erdrich has won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for earlier works. Her character-driven literary novels, including this one, often include perspectives from Indigenous characters and rich descriptions of the land in North Dakota. She is an enrolled member of the Anishinaabe Nation (also known as Chippewa).
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Books Set in the 2000s
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
95% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Nina Hill adores her life as an introvert. She was an only child, raised by a nanny, and finds comfort in life with a good book and her cat. She works at a bookshop, leads several book clubs, and is devoted to her trivia league. Life is good.
Then, she discovers the complexities of her family on her father’s side, the bookshop where she works is facing financial struggles, and she develops an unexpected crush on a trivia competitor.
Should she take the safe route and continue relying on her books, or is exploring her new family and potential relationship worth the risk?
The Book Girls Say…
We have both read this one and enjoyed it! We think fans of Katherine Center and Abby Jimenez will enjoy the novel’s tone, which is a light read with a mix of heavier topics. While it’s set in a bookstore, Nina also leads several book clubs.
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Book Titles with The Life or Lives of…
The Keeper of Hidden Books
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
In Warsaw, Zofia depends on books and her best friend, Janina, to endure the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland. However, as bombing increases, even books are endangered. Zofia begins hiding books away and even starts an underground book club. When Janina is forced into a newly established ghetto, she still doesn’t give up her love of reading.
However, as the war continues, Zofia and Janina’s activities put them at risk. Can they save both Janina and the literature that has brought them so much comfort?
The Book Girls Say…
This book was a 2023 Goodreads Choice Finalist for Best Historical Fiction. It’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking, so be sure to have tissues on hand.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Lonely Hearts Book Club
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
93% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Sloane is a small-town librarian in Idaho who enjoys her daily visits from the town curmudgeon, Arthur. She loves verbal sparring with him so much that she instantly notices when he doesn’t show up one morning. When another day passes without a visit, her worry intensifies.
When Sloane tracks Arthur down at home and finds him almost bedridden, she needs a way to cheer him up. An impromptu book club with other lonely library patrons soon begins, and unlikely friendships form through their shared love of books.
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The Summer Book Club
Book Summary
Best friends Laurel and Paris have a summer book club with three simple rules: (1) no sad books; (2) no pressure; and (3) yes to wine. It’s meant to be an escape from the chaos of their business and family lives. And this summer, they are excited to welcome Cassie to the club.
These three women don’t have the best luck with men. Laurel is recently divorced and fears that her skepticism of men will rub off on her daughters. Cassie is only drawn to men who need “fixing.” And Paris is reeling from her last relationship.
Can the heroines of their heartwarming book club picks inspire these friends to take big chances in writing their new chapters – in both life and love?
A Season for Second Chances
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
93% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
When Annie’s 20+ year marriage ends suddenly, leaving her single for the first time in her adult life at age 44, she’s not sure how to start over. Her kids are grown, and there’s nothing keeping her in the city where she and her ex-husband were successful restaurateurs. So, she answers an ad for a temporary position as a winter caretaker of a historic home in the small English seaside community of Willow Bay. This decision turns out to be even more impactful than she expected.
Annie is immediately charmed by the house, and the quirky but friendly villagers welcome her with open arms. All except the grumpy nephew of the home’s owner, who sees her as a roadblock to his plans. But as fall turns to winter, Annie begins to formulate her own plan for the next season of her life.
The Book Girls Say…
While this is largely a book about finding herself, it only happens through her relationships with her new friends in town. There is a romance thread later in the book, but there’s a more significant focus on female friendships.
Book lovers will especially love the way these women bond over books!
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The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club
Book Summary
In 1942, sisters Cadence and Briar Smith are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard and German U-boats lurk in the waters off the coast. Cadence and her best friend, Beth, start a book club in an attempt to find some normalcy in their lives. Soon, the book club has grown in members and influence, catching the attention of a publisher who could make Cadence’s dreams come true. But then, a mysterious man washes ashore, and his appearance means there could be a spy in the community.
In 2016, Mari travels to Martha’s Vineyard after her mother’s death. She’s on the way to meet Elizabeth Devereaux, a reclusive painter. Under the guise of taking a painting class, Mari learns more about Mrs. Devereaux, the Smith sisters, and her own connection to the island.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel was inspired by true events and stories that the author’s mother shared about growing up on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end!
Melissa enjoyed this novel, but did wish there was a bit more focus on the book club. However, books are a theme throughout the book, and the book club devises a great idea to increase soldiers’ access to books, further emphasizing the importance of reading.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Sawmill Book Club
Book Summary
After leaving her big-city job in Austin, Libby accepts a temporary position organizing an antique store in Sawmill, Texas. There, she meets her charming new boss, Benny Taylor, and his loyal three-legged dog, Elvis.
Across the street, Benny’s surrogate grandmothers, Minilee and Opal, welcome Libby with homemade treats and an invitation to their book club—a lively gathering more focused on matchmaking than literature. In fact, the book club’s main agenda seems to be finding Benny a wife.
The Book Girls Say…
This is described as a slow-burn, closed-door romance perfect for those who enjoy a clean read set in a small town. Just don’t go in expecting the “book club” to discuss a lot of books in detail.
The Blackout Book Club
Book Summary
In a small town in Maine, Avis Montgomery’s brother has left for the European Front. His departure leaves her in charge of the library despite not being much of a reader. However, when wartime resource limitations threaten to close the library, she does everything she can to save it, including starting a library book club.
The club’s new attendees couldn’t be more different, but all need an escape from the news of the war abroad and of the U-boat battles happening right off their coast. However, the growing friendships between the members are tested by secrets of the past and present.
The Book Girls Say…
Some reviews wish there was a heavier Christian focus within the book rather than only a few mentions of church attendance and prayer.
Memoirs about Book Clubs
The Toni Morrison Book Club
Book Summary
Four diverse members write this group memoir of one book club – black and white, gay and straight, immigrant and American-born. Through the novels by Toni Morrison, the book club had intimate and revealing conversations about the challenges of everyday racism and living in uncertain times.
In separate essays, the four members share their own perspectives on the important conversations that the group had, along with how those conversations related to the Toni Morrison books they read.
The End of Your Life Book Club
Book Summary
In 2007, book publisher Will’s mother, Mary Ann, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At her chemotherapy appointments, they quickly established a new tradition of reading the same books, allowing them to have something to discuss in the hospital waiting room. From classic books to popular titles, this memoir explores the books they read and looks back at his mother’s incredible life, which involved helping refugees, orphans, and other causes that support women.
Keep in mind that while Mary Ann did her best to fully live her life as long as possible, including continued travel, her disease continued to progress, and you’ll also see her making funeral arrangements and writing final letters to her grandchildren.
The Book Girls Say…
Some readers take issue with the author highlighting only the good works throughout his mother’s life and his positive attitude toward her throughout her treatments. We understand the argument that no one is perfect, but we also understand the author’s decision not to criticize his mother in a memoir written after her death about their book discussions.
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