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Books Set in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Whether you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge, or simply found your way to our website researching books set in the northeastern states, you’ve come to the right place!
Below, you’ll find a list of highly-rated books featuring some of the northeastern US states. This month includes Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. If you are looking for books set in the northernmost New England states, you’ll find those on this booklist.
Our curated recommendations strike a good balance between historical fiction, contemporary novels, and even one memoir set in the Northeast. The list is broken down by state.
Books Set in Connecticut
Small Great Things
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Ruth Jefferson is a 44-year-old labor and delivery nurse with twenty years of experience at a Connecticut hospital. After being reassigned away from a patient, she learns that the parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child.
The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey the orders of her superiors based on the parent’s mandate, or does she intervene?
This story is told from three alternating points of view: Ruth, the nurse; Kennedy, her middle-aged attorney; and Turk, the newborn’s white supremacist father.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel is an emotional roller coaster ride that is painful to read at times, but we promise that it’s totally worth it. You may need to take a little break after reading the first chapter from Turk’s perspective, but after some deep breaths, please, please pick this book back up and keep reading. If we had the power, we’d make this book required reading for everyone!
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
A Study in Charlotte
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This captivating YA mystery novel reimagines the iconic detective duo Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson as teenagers in modern-day America. The story follows Charlotte Holmes, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes, and Jamie Watson, a descendant of Sherlock’s famous sidekick.
When Charlotte and Jamie find themselves framed for murder at their elite boarding school in Sherringford, CT, they must set aside their rivalry and join forces to clear their names. They begin to unravel a twisted plot that goes beyond the school’s walls. This thrilling adventure, infused with wit and clever references to the original Holmes canon, explores friendship, trust, and the burdens of a legendary legacy.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee in 2016 for Best Young Adult Fiction. It’s the first in a series of 4. Another great YA mystery option set in Connecticut is Since You’ve Been Gone, by Morgan Matson (which was nominated for the same award in 2014).
Musical Chairs
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This heartwarming and witty novel begins with Bridget and Will, two best friends and professional musicians. Bridget had been looking forward to a quiet summer at a rustic Connecticut home with her boyfriend Sterling. However, when Sterling suddenly calls it quits, her adult children, Nick and Emily, decide to move back in. To further complicate matters, Will is dealing with a loss of his own.
Bridget and Will attempt to regain stability by reuniting their once-famous piano trio. But their efforts lead to various misadventures, including an unlikely love triangle.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel won the Connecticut Book Award for Fiction in 2021.
The Shadow Box
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Artist Claire Beaudry Chase was attacked and left for dead in her home on the coast of Connecticut. Her well-connected husband, Griffin, is both a gubernatorial candidate and the prime suspect.
Prior to her attack, Claire was working on an exhibit featuring shadow boxes. One of the shadow boxes she created clearly accuses Griffin of a violent crime committed twenty-five years ago. If word got out, Griffin’s political career would be toast. When another woman ends up dead, the time is ticking for Claire to take down her husband and the group of elites that seek to protect him at all costs.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers describe this as a masterfully crafted mystery and thriller. Since Claire is quite certain who her attacker is, this novel takes a bit of a reverse approach, with Claire trying to figure out how to reveal her husband as a killer. As time goes on, you’ll be unsure who are the “good guys” vs. who are the “bad guys.”
When Life Gives You Lululemons
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If you read the Devil Wears Prada, or watched the movie, then you probably remember Emily as Miranda Priestly’s glamorous and judgmental first assistant – her “keeper,” if you will. She was the one charged with mentoring Andrea as Miranda’s newest personal assistant.
Now 36 years old, Emily has built her own successful career as an image consultant in Hollywood. But having recently lost some clients, she is in need of her next big opportunity. That opportunity comes in the form of Karolina Hartwell, a mega-supermodel and the wife of a newly elected senator with presidential aspirations. Emily is introduced to Karolina by her longtime friend, Miriam. Miriam is a former partner at a prestigious NY law firm who has recently decided to become a stay-at-home mom.
These three women come together in the posh Connecticut suburb of Greenwich. You’ll laugh out loud as they attempt to navigate the social landmines of this over-the-top suburbia, revealing the truths—and the lies—simmering just below the glittering surface.
The Book Girls Say…
Although this book is technically the third The Devil Wears Prada series, it was published 15 years after the original and reads completely as a stand-alone.
If you enjoy reading about the Connecticut suburbs, we also recommend the humorous and heartwarming Take it From Me by Jamie Beck. In this Kindle Unlimited novel, a young author named Harper rents a home in New Cannan, CT. Harper is hiding her true identity while she draws inspiration for a new novel about women in the suburbs. She befriends her empty-nester neighbor, Wendy, who is keeping a secret of her own – her struggle with kleptomania.
Books Set in New York
There are endless wonderful books that we could recommend for New York – including classics like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, contemporary rom coms set in New York City, and non-fiction like The Only Plane in the Sky. It was nearly impossible to narrow our list down to just a few choices for this challenge while balancing stories set in the city and elsewhere in the state.
The Spectacular
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Nineteen-year-old Marion’s dreams come true when she’s cast as a member of the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall’s precision dance troupe. It’s an honor for any dancer to be selected for the role and given the opportunity to perform at the Art Deco masterpiece of a theater that is Radio City. But Marion soon learns that, behind the scenes, the days are long and the rehearsals grueling.
One night, in 1956, a bomb explodes in the theater. It’s suspected to be the work of the infamous “Big Apple Bomber” who has been planting bombs in crowded places around the city for the past sixteen years. The police still have no leads, leaving citizens living in fear. At Marion’s urging, the police agree to try psychological profiling, a radical new technique at the time.
While the Rockettes are trained to stay in line, Marion realizes that to help catch the bomber, she’ll have to stand out.
The Book Girls Say…
Fiona Davis is one of our favorite authors because she has such a knack for turning historic NYC buildings into living, breathing characters in her novels. Any of Fiona’s historical fiction novels would make an excellent choice for a book set in NYC.
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The Ultimate Guide to Fiona Davis Books
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The People We Keep
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April has a rough life, fending for herself in a motorless motorhome that her father won while playing poker. She works at a diner but dreams of being a songwriter. After flunking out of school and another fight with her dad, April sets off to find a better life for herself.
Along the way, she meets others with complex stories, which are the perfect inspiration for her songs. But even more important than that, she finds that family doesn’t have to mean the community you were born into. Instead, people you meet can become family.
The Book Girls Say…
This is a beautifully written, character-driven, coming-of-age novel. April isn’t always likable, and she makes many bad decisions along the way. But she’s a raw and real character you’ll come to love despite her flaws.
This book is packed with so much genuine emotion, honesty, and heart that you’ll want a copy on your shelf so that you can read it again!
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Books Set in the 1990s
Books with Teenage Characters
Uplifting Books for Book Clubs
20 Books Like It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
New York
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In this epic historical fiction novel, Edward Rutherfurd weaves together more than 400 years of New York City history. From the humble beginnings of a fishing village, through the Revolutionary War and later the Civil War, onto the Gilded Age, and throughout the 20th century, you’ll see New York like you never have before. This book tells tales of battle, romance, and family struggles through the eyes of the rich and the poor, the native-born and the immigrants.
The Book Girls Say…
This hefty novel comes in at more than 850 pages, but if you have the time to invest, you’ll get a big dose of New York history alongside excellent fictional character development.
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This unique novel shares an immigrant story in a whole new way, exploring what it means to be American in New York City from three perspectives over thirty years.
Tony is a Chinese-born engineer who immigrated to the US and took a job as a doorman in hopes of providing more opportunities for his family. Daughter Tammy is nine at the start of the book, and this is in part a coming-of-age story of her upbringing in Queens, New York. As she grows up and enters adulthood, you’ll see the weight of expectations so many first-generations carry, along with how those expectations interact with her personal desires.
The final point of view is from Oliver, who lives in the building where Tony works. He’s a wealthy white lawyer with a dark secret. An unexpected act of violence brings Oliver together with Tony’s family. As the book progresses, you’ll see the ripple effects of decisions along with ways that love can overcome differences.
The Book Girls Say…
This literary fiction novel is highly praised by those who enjoy reflective, generational, character-driven stories. For another perspective on the Chinese immigrant experience in New York City during the 1990s, we highly recommend the memoir, Beautiful Country, by Qian Julie Wang.
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Perfect Pairing
Book Summary
Hal is a chef and the owner of a grilled cheese food truck. She loves the city of Buffalo and loves feeding its residents. In her personal life, her motto is no strings and no commitments.
Quinn is an investment banker with big dreams to help redevelop the once-great city of Buffalo. Her new business venture includes opening a restaurant, and she wants to make Hal the chef. She even offers her complete creative control.
However, Quinn’s stability and long-term planning are directly opposed to Hal’s desire for freedom and flexibility. Quinn is determined that Hal will come around to the idea, especially because there’s also a physical attraction between them that’s hard to deny.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Rachel Spangler writes LGBTQ romance with happy endings. She has lived in Western New York for the past decade, and often shares her “Buffalove” via her novels as well as on her blog. To help you visualize the city that she writes about, she also shared this video about the history and future of Buffalo.
One of our readers reports that if you’re ever in Buffalo, you should check out their real local grilled cheese food truck – The Cheesy Chick!
Books Set in New Jersey
Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story
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Imagine a Jersey suburb that has remained largely in the 1960s for the past 60 years, and that’s Wyldale. Seventy-year-old widow Varina runs Palladino’s Italian Specialties grocery in between taking care of her 92-year-old mother, Sylvia, and her loud Italian family. Sylvia is very concerned that when she dies, Varina will be alone, so she’s determined to find her a new love.
Donatella, Varina’s daughter, comes up with an ill-conceived plan to help her mom find a man, and grandmother Sylvia joins the idea. Meanwhile, Varina is also ready to embrace life on her own. She’s booked a trip and has not told the family about it yet. On top of Varina’s life changes, her three adult sons are going through changes of their own.
The Book Girls Say…
This light multi-generational family drama/romance has been described as a Jersey combination of Moonstruck and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Each chapter begins with a bit of Jersey Italian slang, including the pronunciation, root word, and meaning. It’s a fun aspect of the book that will make you feel like you are in Jersey.
Palisades Park
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The Palisades Amusement Park was magical in the 1930s, especially for seven-year-old Toni. She helps out with her parent’s french fry stand along with her brother, Jack. Toni is especially fascinated by the high diver act, even though her mom tells her girls can’t be high divers.
Over the years, the family endures the world’s hard times – from the Great Depression and Pearl Harbor to race riots in the park. Each summer, they came back together at the park until it closed in 1971. The publisher says, “Palisades Park takes us back to a time when life seemed simpler—except, of course, it wasn’t.”
The Book Girls Say…
This historical fiction read was written by the author of Molaka’i, so if you’ve enjoyed that popular title, this would be a great pick!
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Dear Edward
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Twelve-year-old Edward boards a plane with his beloved older brother and his parents, bound for their new home and life in California. But when the plane tragically crashes, Edward emerges as the sole survivor. After recovering from his injuries, he goes to live with his mom’s sister and her husband with the eyes of the world on him. Everyone is eager to hear his story.
His aunt and uncle work hard to shield him from all the attention and to allow him time to process his loss, but when Edward uncovers a stack of letters, he discovers an unexpected path to healing.
The chapters in the book alternate between Edward’s day-to-day life during the three years following the accident, and a minute-by-minute recounting of the ill-fated flight, through which we are introduced to many of the other passengers.
The Book Girls Say…
Although the main, named character is a teen, this is not a YA book. Half of the book details the experiences of the adults on the plane. As you would expect, this book is heavy in the grief department, so be prepared and keep the tissues close by.
Dear Edward was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Fiction in 2020. Though it is a work of fiction, the author has stated that it was loosely inspired by the 2010 crash of Libyan-operated Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771, in which the sole survivor was a 9-year-old boy. When Ann Napolitano learned about this crash, she said, “This story flayed me. I could not imagine how that boy would be OK and I could feel from the stickiness of my obsession that I was going to have to write a book that created a set of circumstances to make him OK.”
The book has also been adapted into a television series on Apple TV+.
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Florence Adler Swims Forever
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Each summer, the Adler family rents out their Atlantic City home to vacationers and moves into the cramped apartment above their bakery. Their daughters are now young adults, with Florence home from college and Fannie on bed rest during pregnancy following the loss of a baby. Florence plans to spend the summer training for her plan to swim the English Channel.
The small space becomes even more crowded when the father, Joseph, takes in a woman he helped emigrate from Nazi Germany. When a tragedy strikes, mom Esther begins a web of lies in an attempt to protect her daughter Fannie, but will this really help in the long run?
The Book Girls Say…
This book gives you a great slice-of-life experience of the Jersey Shore in the 1930s.
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Books Set in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
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Going Rogue
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Stephanie Plum is an unlikely bail bonds agent for her cousin Vinnie’s agency. When she shows up to work on Monday and Connie, the longtime, reliable office manager isn’t at her desk, she knows something is wrong. The first mystery is solved when Connie’s abductor calls with some terms. He wants a mysterious coin that someone else left as part of their collateral.
Sadly, the coin is also missing. To save Connie, Stephanie’s unofficial team from her Grandma Mazur and bestie Lula to boyfriend Morelli and hunky Ranger must all assist. However, the final solution may require Stephanie to go rogue on her own.
The Book Girls Say…
Going Rogue is book #29 in the beloved, hilarious Stephanie Plum series. We know many of you will have read at least part of the series over the years, so this would be a fun month to see what Stephanie has been up to. You can jump to this one, start at book #1, or pick any book in between.
In the earlier years of the series, Melissa passed the books around with her mom and Gram. She was thrilled to research Going Rogue and see that all the classic characters, from Grandma Mazur to Lulu, are still in the books!
Born to Run
Book Summary
Did you connect with the character of Billy Dunne? If so, grab this memoir by Bruce Springsteen ASAP.
After performing at the 2009 Superbowl, Bruce Springsteen was so exhilarated, he wanted to document the experience in writing. That moment triggered 7 years of work documenting his life from childhood through the roaring success of his E Street Band.
The Book Girls Say…
The book is written with the words of a songwriter and the wisdom of a man who has thought deeply about his experiences. He is also the audiobook’s narrator, so consider snagging it on Audible!
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Books Set in Pennslyvania
The Dutch House
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Cyril grew up in poverty, but after WW2, an investment changed the course of his future. With his enormous new wealth, he buys a lavish estate named the Dutch House in a Philly suburb. While he buys it with the best intentions as a surprise for his wife, the home is also the beginning of his family’s downfall.
The book’s narrator is his son Danny as he and his beloved sister Maeve are exiled from the grand house by their stepmother. For five decades after being thrown back into poverty, Danny and Maeve return to look at the home from beyond the gates, like checking in on a relative. The only thing keeping the siblings moving forward in life is their bond with each other.
The Book Girls Say…
The audiobook is narrated by Tom Hanks, so this is a fabulous listen for anyone who loves a literary family drama! This novel was a Pulitzer Prize finalist as well as a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Best Historical Fiction in 2019.
Carnegie’s Maid
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By the end of the Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie had amassed an unimaginable fortune. Clara Kelley is thought to be the influence who changed Andrew Carnegie from a ruthless industrialist into what may have been the world’s first true philanthropist.
Clara started working for him under the guise of an experienced Irish maid, but in reality, Clara was a poor farmer’s daughter. Keeping up the ruse is difficult when you don’t know the rules of being a lady’s maid.
However, Clara has the resolve of Pittsburgh steel, combined with a fierce instinct for business. Soon, she becomes someone that Andrew relies on. As they get closer, she knows that being her true self would be too big of a risk to her family.
The Book Girls Say…
Set on the cusp of the Gilded Age, this novel vividly depicts the opulence of the architecture and fashions of the time period.
Clara Kelley is Marie Benedict’s fictional character, though she’s said to be a composite of several historical figures and based on careful research from the time. We’re not sure what changed Carnegie’s heart for sure, but the author’s assumption that it was someone close to him seems possible.
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With the Fire on High
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High School senior Emoni has her hands full between having her own daughter, plus an Abuela to take care of at home. Her only escape from stresses beyond what most adults experience happens in the kitchen. Not only does she love cooking, she’s good at it. Her food tastes like magic.
Emoni’s school has a culinary arts program, but it requires time she doesn’t have, plus the money she doesn’t have for the class trip to Spain. But she has so much talent, it’s hard to keep it hidden.
The Book Girls Say…
Philly has one of the largest Puerto Rican communities outside of the island (second only to NYC), and this YA book has received a lot of praise for its representation of the Afro-Latina culture in the city. The book is filled with lots of references to local geographies and costumes, and each section opens with a creative recipe.
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Coal River
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Travel back in time to a Pennsylvania coal town to experience all the sacrifices made to fuel the nation. Emma left Coal River as a child and vowed she’d never return, but after being orphaned and having no money to survive, she returned to stay with her aunt and uncle when she was nineteen. Unfortunately, her family treats her more like a servant, and she has to work in the company store without getting paid.
As she works, she sees how terribly the miners are treated, forced to pay inflated prices from their meager wagers, which goes back to benefit their employer. And those who can’t pay are turned away to starve. Even worse is seeing the breaker boys. These child laborers should be in school but instead are handling dangerous machinery. The boys remind Emma of the little brother she lost, and she’s determined to do what she can to help them.
Emma begins using her position in the store to benefit those mistreated by the company, blurring the lines between legality and justice and putting herself at significant risk.
Harry’s Trees
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Harry has always loved trees, but he spends his days behind a computer as an analyst in a treeless US Forest Service office. After his wife dies suddenly and tragically, Harry can’t seem to move forward. One day, he decides to follow his wife’s advice – he quits his job and escapes to the remote woods of northeastern Pennsylvania to be with the trees.
There, he meets Oriana, a young girl who has suffered a significant loss of her own. She spends most of her time in the forest with her book in the treehouse her father bought for her. They bond over their love of the forest and the trees.
The octogenarian librarian in town gives Oriana a strange, handwritten book called The Grum’s Ledger. With this book as their guide, Oriana helps Harry believe in the magic, if only he’s willing to open his eyes and see it.
The Book Girls Say…
Because of its thread of magical realism, some describe this book as a fairy tale for adults. But it’s more than that. It’s a story of grief, sadness, and the power of friendship and connection set against the beauty of Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains. This story is told from many points of view, including Harry and Oriana’s, as well as numerous others – but it’s written in a way that it’s easy to follow and understand.
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Books About Libraries & Librarians
Long Bright River
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This mystery thriller uses the setting of Philadelphia as a gritty character. Two sisters occupy a neighborhood greatly impacted by the opioid crisis. They used to be inseparable, but now Kacey walks the streets in a haze of addiction while Mickey patrols as a cop.
As a new string of murders begins in the area, Kacey disappears. Mickey can’t help but let personal feelings become involved as she obsessively searches for both Kacey and the killer.
The Book Girls Say…
This book was a 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery & Thriller.
Books Set in Delaware
I’ll Be Your Blue Sky
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This family drama alternates between two main characters and timelines. In the present, Clare has a surprising interaction with an elderly woman named Edith, who gives Clare the courage to break off an engagement with a less-than-ideal man. Only three weeks later, Clare learns that Edith has passed away and left her an incredible, unexpected gift – her home.
As Clare explores Blue Sky House, she uncovers two mysterious ledgers that lead her to slowly put together the story of the house and, in turn, of Edith. You’ll also see the story from Edith’s perspective in the 1950s.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is part of a series. However, it can be read as a stand-alone, so you won’t be lost not reading the other books first. The first two books are not set in Delaware.
The Book of Unknown Americans
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After suffering a head injury in her home country of Mexico, Maribel’s family must move to Delaware so she can attend a special school, which will give her the best chance of recovery. The neighbors within their new apartment building are from other Central & South American countries, creating a bond as they try to adapt to their new home.
It’s a great look at the challenges of the immigrant experience and the lengths parents will go to for their children. You’ll also see an unlikely love story between Maribel and one of the boys from the apartment complex.
The Book Girls Say…
Melissa read this one back in 2015 and rated it 5 stars. Some reviewers don’t love that the coming-of-age story writing skewed a bit more toward YA versus literary fiction, but Melissa didn’t mind.
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The Summer I Found Myself
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Ellen is an English professor going through a rough season of life. She’s newly divorced and not happy about it, and on top of that, she’s lost her parents. So it’s time for a reset, and she hopes to find some meaning by spending the summer at her parent’s Delaware beach house as she prepares it for sale.
When her best friend, Lara, gets a cancer diagnosis, Ellen invites her to relax at the house as much as she can between chemo appointments. Supportive Lara hopes this time will let her assist Ellen in finding the best version of herself. Throughout the summer, Ellen grows with the help of Lara, a local writers’ group, and the new friends Lara meets during her treatment.
The Book Girls Say…
While this does have a romance thread, it’s more of a story of self-discovery and healing. Some readers are frustrated by Ellen’s initial unlikable characteristics, but once they remember she must have some redeeming qualities for the delightful Lara to be her friend, they sink into the book and really enjoy it.
Cure For the Common Breakup
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Black Dog Bay, Delaware, is known as the place to heal after a breakup. The town leans into this reputation with businesses like the Better Off Bed-and-Breakfast, the Eat Your Heart Out bakery, and the Whinery bar fueling the tourism economy.
When flight attendant Summer arrives in Black Dog Bay after her life takes an unexpected turn, the locals love her. Even elderly Hattie, the oldest, richest, and meanest resident in town, likes Summer enough to offer her a job. However, between kissing the mayor and Hattie’s hidden agenda, is it really the best choice to relocate to Black Dog Bay permanently?
The Book Girls Say…
This is the first of five books set in Black Dog Bay, so if you fall in love with the town’s setting and residents, you can keep reading for days!
We hope you enjoyed this book list and found several books to add to your TBR (to be read list). If you’re choosing a book for our reading challenge, you are also welcome to read any other book that meets the challenge prompt.
If you have a suggestion for a book that you think would be a great addition to this list, please fill out this form.
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Printable Version of the Challenge Book Lists
Readers who support The Book Girls’ Guide through our Buy Me a Coffee (BMAC) membership site can access printable versions of the reading challenge book lists. As we create stand-alone book lists for the Read Around the USA Challenge throughout the year, each individual state book list will be available in a single-page printable format for our BMAC members.
We offer two membership levels. Both our BFF members and our Inner Circle members get access to the single-page printables for the year-long reading challenges. Visit our Buy Me a Coffee membership page for a full list of benefits for each level.
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Book Recommendations for Other Regions of the USA
If you’re participating in our 2025 Read Around the USA Challenge and reading one book per region, you can find links to every region here. If you’re doing the 50 States Challenge and reading books from every state and territory, you can get an alphabetical index here. Throughout 2025, we’ll be expanding the regional book lists into standalone book lists for all 50 states.
