Books with Characters In Their 30s

by Katherine Center

Helen, 32 years old

In this book, Helen is recovering from two unfortunately common losses that so many women deal with in their 30s - miscarriage, followed by divorce. Her younger brother wants to help her heal, so he convinces her to attend a wilderness survival course in Wyoming. She’s ready to take the time out to pull herself together, but then she finds out that her brother’s annoying best friend will also be on the trip.

In a period of three weeks, she’ll have to face both fears and annoyances, but through those experiences, she also learns more about herself and how to be brave.

The Book Girls Say…We were so glad to see so many of you read and enjoyed Things You Save in a Fire last month. So far, 97% would recommend it to a friend. We hope you enjoy this Katherine Center pick just as much!

by Lori Nelson Spielman

Brett, 34 years old

Brett seems to have it all - a good job, a spacious loft, and a handsome boyfriend. Her life checks all the boxes of where she’s supposed to be at thirty-four-years old. But according to who?

When her mom passes away, Brett is surprised to learn that her inheritance comes with one major stipulation. She must first complete the list of life goals that she penned at the young age of fourteen. She can’t understand what her mom was thinking. Her teenage goals certainly don’t line up with her adult ambitions, and some of them seem downright impossible.

How can she have a relationship with her father who passed away seven years ago? And how can she become an awesome teacher when she picked a completely different career path?

She reluctantly sets out on the journey her mother has laid before her, and along the way, she’ll discover that sometimes the best things come from unexpected places!

The Book Girls Say… After absolutely loving The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany, we wanted to add some of Lori Nelson Spielman’s books to our TBR. We were thrilled to discover a title perfect for this month’s 30-somethings reading list! What happens when you’re moving along on a successful life path, but discover it might not be the path you want to be on after all?

by Sally Hepworth

Tully, Rachel, & Heather, all in their 30s

Heart surgeon Stephen is at the top of his career, but things at home are difficult since his wife has severe dementia. When he suddenly announces to his daughters, Tully and Rachel, that he’s getting remarried, they are shocked. He’s not even divorced from their mother.

Then they find out the new wife is younger than both of them and quickly assume she’s just after their dad’s money. Each of these 30-somethings has their own addictions and secrets, and they take turns narrating this suspenseful family drama. If you love an unreliable narrator, this should be a great pick!

The Book Girls Say… Last month, many of you loved The Good Sister, so we were excited to find a brand new (release date 4/5/2022) Sally Hepworth book with three 30-something main characters.

We haven’t read it yet, so we don’t know the ending, but some reviewers say it will make you want to throw the book across the room. However, they also call it discussion-worthy, so we hope this book leads to a fun discussion group.

by Imbolo Mbue

Jende, 37 years old

When Jende and his wife Neni immigrate to the US from Cameroon, they expect to work hard but be rewarded for that work with a better life than they left behind. In 2007, he begins working as a chauffeur for Clark, a Lehman Brothers executive who appears to have achieved the American Dream.

Jende is an exceptional employee, and his dedication leads to his wife’s job working for Clark’s family at their Hamptons house. With two incomes, the family can finally begin to see the possibility of their brave move to America paying off.

However, all is not as it seems with their employers. As they learn more secrets, the world is about to learn some secrets as well. Lehman Brothers is collapsing, and Jende’s job is no longer certain. He needs this job to get his permanent green card, so their future is at risk.

The Book Girls Say... While this book feels very real, it is a work of fiction. The author was born and raised in Cameroon before receiving her undergraduate and graduate degrees in the US. She drew upon her observations of class divides in NYC, especially during the recession, as the basis for Behold the Dreamers.

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Lauren & Ryan, both in their early thirties

Lauren and Ryan were college sweethearts. They’ve been together for 11 years and married for six, but now - in their early 30s, they’ve grown apart. Their marriage is at a breaking point, but they are not yet ready to call it quits. Instead, they’ve come up with a plan - they’ll take one year apart in hopes that at the end of the year they’ll find a way to fall in love again. There is just one rule - during their year off, they cannot contact each other. Other than that, anything goes.

Told from Lauren’s perspective, you’ll join her for her year of self-discovery. Her friends and family all have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. As the year goes on, she questions everything she thought she knew about love and lust, loyalty and commitment.

The Book Girls Say… Before Taylor Jenkins Reid became a household name with books like Daisy Jones & the Six, she wrote a number of excellent and nuanced books about relationships and marriage with protagonists in their 30s.

We also highly recommend TJR’s One True Loves. In this story of love and loss, Emma married Jesse in her twenties, but he was killed in a helicopter crash on their first anniversary. Years later, now in her thirties, she finally finds love again with an old friend Sam. But when Jesse is found alive, she’ll have to choose between her husband and her fiance.

by Jessica Strawser

Nova, 33 and Mason, 36

Nova is an end-of-life doula and her job is to help terminally ill patients make peace with their impending death. Unlike her business partner, Nova doesn’t shy away from difficult cases - including those with challenging personalities or those who are heartbreakingly young.

Mason is heartbreakingly young. He’s a 36-year-old indie-favorite singer-songwriter who recently vanished from the public eye. He tells Nova that his condition is getting worse, and with limited use of his hands and arms it’s becoming impossible for him to do the thing he loves most. Life as he knows it is over, but he doesn’t know how to say goodbye.

Nova knows that helping Mason will be her biggest challenge yet, especially because she’s finding it hard to maintain a professional distance. Before long, Mason’s mom comes knocking at Nova’s door … and reporters are not far behind.

The Book Girls Say… This new novel has been described as A Star is Born meets Me Before You, and the musical component is said to really help to tie the whole story together.

Although a number of states have passed Death with Dignity Laws in recent years that do allow “medical aid in dying” under very specific guidelines. End-of-life doulas, on the other hand, can’t provide medical intervention or assist in the death process. Their role is to care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of a terminally ill patient. End-life-doulas can also help with planning for things like hospice and funerals. While this is a fairly new concept in the United States, in many cultures this type of support has always been an integral part of the dying process.

by Sarah Jio

Valentina (“Val”), Thirty-something

When Valentia was just a teenager, her mother, Eloise, abandoned her and her father to start a new life in London. Now in her 30s, Val is a librarian and recently divorced. As she reevaluates her life, she realizes that the lack of closure with her mother is still nagging at her. But in a bittersweet twist of fate, Val learns that her mother has passed away before they’ve had a chance to reconcile.

Val is surprised to find out that Eloise left her a Primrose Hill apartment and the deed to a bookshop that Val never knew her mom owned. Determined to piece together a better understanding of Eloise’s life, Val decides to leave Seattle for a fresh start in London. It doesn’t take long for her to fall in love with the pastel-colored flat in a cozy neighborhood, not to mention the quaint bookstore. Unfortunately, she soon learns that The Book Garden is in financial trouble.

Told from a dual-timeline perspective, this book explores Valentia’s new life in London, as well as her mother’s past and what happened when she left her daughter behind.

The Book Girls Say… Although the cover of this 2022 release says “sweet rom-com,” and although there is a bit of romance in the book, this is much more of a feel-good story about mothers and daughters.

by Graeme Simsion

Don Tillman, 39 years old

Don Tillman is a charming, but awkward, genetics professor at a university in Melbourne, on the southeast coast of Australia. He is trying to find love, and true to his academic roots, he approaches the challenge scientifically. He creates a 16-page survey designed to find his perfect match called "The Wife Project."

The Chicago Tribune sums this book up perfectly: "Filled with humor and plenty of heart, The Rosie Project is a delightful reminder that all of us, no matter how we're wired, just want to fit in."

The Book Girls Say… Although it is not explicitly stated in the book, it is implied that Don is on the Autism spectrum (likely with what was formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome). Don, however, does not seem to recognize this about himself. This book is currently available free with Kindle Unlimited.

We both look forward to reading the next two books in the Don Tillman trilogy - The Rosie Effect and The Rosie Result. Autism Spectrum Disorder takes center stage in The Rosie Result.

by Gabrielle Zevin

A.J., 39 years old

Alice Island bookstore owner A.J. Fikry is having a terrible year. His wife has died, the store isn’t making enough sales, and his beloved book of Poe poems has been stolen. As a result, he’s cranky and pushing those around him away more than ever. Luckily he has a few people that look past his curmudgeonly attitude.

When his depression has reached the point that he no longer enjoy books. But, sometimes, life gives you second chances in unexpected ways. For A.J., it’s a small, but heavy, mysterious package that arrives at his shop. And as he begins to see the world around him in a new way, those around him can see him in a new way too.

by Gillian Flynn

Nick & Amy, both in their early thirties

From the outside, Nick and Amy seemed to have a picture-perfect marriage. But on their fifth anniversary, Amy goes missing from their rented McMansion along the Mississippi River and Nick quickly becomes the prime suspect. Under the microscope of the resulting police investigation and media frenzy, it becomes apparent that their happy marriage might not have been so happy after all, and that Nick - the town’s golden boy - might not be so squeaky clean.

Even as Amy’s fiercely doting parents put more pressure on him, Nick stands by his innocence. But if he didn’t do it, then where is his wife? And what’s in that gift box hidden in the back of Amy’s bedroom closet? Gone Girl combines sharp-edged wit and chilling prose to make reading this book feel like an addiction.

The Book Girls Say… Although Angela isn’t usually drawn to domestic thrillers, she couldn’t put this book down! One of her friends described it as “dark and morally ambiguous,” and that’s really the perfect summary for this psychological suspense novel. If you love this genre, also consider reading Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects (the protagonist, Camille, is also in her 30s).

Although Angela usually loves audiobooks, she wasn’t a fan of the female narrator of Gone Girl at the beginning - or maybe it was just influenced by her feelings about the female protagonist. But once she got further into the story, she enjoyed listing to it. If you’re considering the audiobook, we’d recommend listening to the sample on Amazon before committing to this format.

by Kelly Harms

Celeste and Wendy, 30-somethings

Neighbors Celeste and Wendy are both moms - but as far as they can tell, that's the only thing they have in common - other than their mutual disdain for the other!

Celeste is a stay-at-home mom who spends her days volunteering and creating a Pinterest-worthy life that makes other moms despise her. Wendy is a career-driven working mom who lives by her minute-to-minute schedule as she balances her business and keeps things afloat at home.

Celeste and Wendy despise one another, but after a bit too much sangria at a softball potluck, they wake up in each other's bodies - Freaky Friday style. Soon everything they thought they knew about the other is turned upside down. Their messy lives are about to get a whole lot more complicated, but along the way, they'll discover they might not be so different after all.

The Book Girls Say… This book is a heartwarming reminder - presented in a laugh-out-loud funny package - that we shouldn't be so quick to judge one another and that parenting and adulting are easier when we have each other's backs!

by Matthew Norman

Robbie, 35 years old

Robbie is a 35-year-old math genius and well-known philanthropist who is also quite reclusive. When he gets a terminal diagnosis, he doesn’t want the world to know. As Robbie considers his remaining time on Earth, he begins planning how to change the lives of his three oldest friends - Blair, Cat, and Wade.

To share his news, he invites them to Fenwick Island, where he plans to fill them in on his plans for their lives. However, Robbie isn’t the only one of these high school friends with a secret. Can Robbie’s plans really help once he knows more about each situation?

The Book Girls Say…While the concept of his book and the main characters impending death sounds depressing, readers actually describe it as witty, touching, uplifting, and funny.

by Tayari Jones

Celestial, covers five years of her 30s

Artist Celestial and young corporate executive Roy are newly married and all signs point toward them having a happy successful life. However, everything goes wrong one night in a hotel when someone accuses Roy of a crime that Celestial knows was impossible.

Despite their protests, Roy is convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison. In the beginning, she holds strong to their love. After five years, Roy’s conviction is overturned and he returns to Atlanta, ready to pick up right where they left off. However, Celestial’s life has been moving forward while he was away, leaving everyone in a tough situation.

by Rebecca Serle

Carol and Katy, each 30 years old

Carol and Katy have been planning a mother-daughter trip to Positano, the magical Italian sea-side town where Carol spent a summer long ago. But when Carol dies before the trip, Katy is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

As soon as 30-year-old Katy steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, however, she can feel her mother's spirit. She's taking in the beautiful views and delicious food when her mother appears - but not the mother she just lost, a healthy, tanned, 30-year-old version of her mother. Over the course of One Italian Summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mom, but as the younger woman her mother used to be.

The Book Girls Say... As you might have guessed from the plot, you'll have to suspend your disbelief as Katy runs into her mother as a young woman. Some people classify this book as time travel/magical realism because of this plot point, but to us it just reads as Women's Fiction. As we both read One Italian Summer, our rating of the book bounced around quite a bit, but by the end, we both gave it 4 stars and were very glad we finished it. The main character wasn't always our favorite, we loved her mother. We loved the detailed descriptions of the Positano and the Amalfi Coast.

by Liane Moriarty

Alice, 29 and 39

Alice Love is 29, madly in love with her husband, and pregnant with her first child. At least, that's the last thing she remembers. When Alice comes to after a fall at the gym and is whisked off to the hospital, she discovers that it's actually 2008, not 1998. She is 39 with 3 kids, and she's getting divorced.

As she tries to reconstruct what she's forgotten about the past decade, she also hopes to reconstruct the life she remembers. Ultimately she'll have to decide whether she wants really wants her old life back.

The Book Girls Say... This book provides an intimate look at life in your 30s from the perspective of a woman who has forgotten hers. If you woke up with no memories of the past 10 years, what would surprise you? How have your relationships changed? Would you have any regrets? Like Liane Moriarty's other books, this one will have you laughing, but it will also really make you think.

by Maddie Dawson

Phronsie, 36 years old

At 36, Phronsie is running out of time to create the family she longs for. So when her childhood friend suggests that they both give up on romance and marry each other, it’s a tempting offer. But, as fate would have it, the moment they announce their engagement, another possibility enters the picture.

Phronsie’s always been a mix of genes that came from her hippie mom and rational dad. Which side will win out when it comes to love?

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/16/22.

by Jeanine Cummins

Lydia, 32 years old

Lydia has a comfortable life in Acapulco as the wife of a journalist and the mother of an 8-year-old little boy. However, when her husband publishes a story about the newest drug lord bringing trouble to town, they become targets of a cartel. After hiding while many family members are massacred, they have to get out of the country for any hope for safety.

Lydia and Luca begin a harrowing journey to the US that will leave you on the edge of your seat. You’ll feel their fear along the way, making the book both suspenseful and heartbreaking as they make the journey of their lives.

The Book Girls Say…When this book was published, it came with understandable criticism because it was not written by an OWN voices author. The author received significantly more money and publicity than books written by authors with first-hand experience of the journey and Mexican heritage.

Much of the criticism was aimed at the publishing industry versus the author’s writing, and the story has deeply impacted many readers. Readers often say their eyes were opened to aspects of immigration they hadn’t previously considered, so we are including it. However, we recommend combining your reading of the fictional American Dirt with an OWN memoir, such as A Dream Called Home, which we included on the Books with 20-Something Main Characters list.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/16/22.

by Dolly Alderton

Nina, 32 years old

Successful food writer Nina expected her 30s to be liberating, but she’s finding life quite stressful. She’s been focused on her career and enjoying her younger years, but now it seems everyone is moving on without her. From ex’s finding new love to best friends having babies and leaving London to the suburbs, she feels like her own opportunities for a family are slipping away.

On top of that, her parents are becoming more of a concern. Her dad is slipping into the grasp of dementia, and her mom is having her own identity crisis. While this book is categorized as a rom-com as Nina tries to find love, it’s much more than that.

The Book Girls Say... Single reviewers in this age group commonly state that they felt very seen reading the book and that it’s the perfect glimpse into this stage of life.

by Matt Haig

Nora, 35 years old

Nora has decided she is done. Done with the way her life is going. In a moment of darkness, she attempts suicide, but between life and death she finds herself in the Midnight Library. The shelves go on and on, and inside each book is a life that she could have lived, had she made just one different choice somewhere along the way - from following dreams to pursuing different careers to undoing old breakups.

Each time she opens a book, she finds herself living that alternate life, and she is faced with the decision of whether she wants to permanently exchange her life for a new one. As she visits these alternate realities, she’ll have to decide not only which life she wants, but also what makes life worth living in the first place.

The Book Girls Say… While Angela isn’t usually drawn to magical realism, she found the premise of this book fascinating. Some find it to be too predictable - and it’s true that the synopsis of the book tells you exactly what to expect - but this is a book that will really make you think… not just about Nora’s choices and regrets, but also your own.

by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan, 31 years old

A struggling novelist and divorced mom of two, Finlay Donovan is BARELY holding things together. Each day has new challenges, like her ex-husband firing the nanny with no warning right before an important meeting.

Money is running out, and her next novel is way behind schedule. While meeting with her agent and attempting to buy more time, she receives a mysterious envelope with an offer of quick cash in exchange for a job.

Desperation and intrigue lead her to follow up with the number on the note, and before she knows what’s happening, she’s kind of agreed to be a contract killer for a woman with a truly terrible husband. Whoops.

The Book Girls Say… While the synopsis sounds pretty dramatic, this book is definitely witty and hilarious versus gory or scary. It’s filled with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages and unable to put it down! We’re both very excited to read the recently released sequel, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead!

by Lily King

Casey, 31 Years Old

Writers & Lovers is a classic coming-of-age book about the struggle of an in-debt 31-year-old working as a waitress to pay the bills while trying not to give up her bigger dreams.

It’s 1997, and Casey is a waitress but also regularly works on the same novel she’s been writing for six years. In addition to being torn between her creative dreams and the reality of needing cash, she’s also torn between two different men that have appeared in her life at the same time.

The Book Girls Say... After reading many reviews from people that found this book boring, we went in skeptical, but we both fell in love with Writers and Lovers. We thought it was the perfect mix of literary fiction and reality TV, as the book follows the main character through every aspect of her daily life. It’s perfect for fans of the movie Reality Bites.

by Kate Stayman-London

Bea, 30 years old

Are you a fan of The Bachelorette? If so, One to Watch might be your perfect match!

Bea is a 30-year-old plus-sized fashion blogger tired of watching casts full of size 0 models. After a drunken post about the un-realness of a reality dating show called Main Squeeze, she gets a shocking call asking HER to be the next star of the show.

Can she trust the male contestants with her heart or is it safer to remember she's on the show largely for her career? As the season progresses throughout the book, you'll be rooting for Bea to find love.

The Book Girls Say… We enjoyed that the story varies between the actual narrative/ standard book format and snippets of podcast dialog and emails ABOUT the show as fans watched. All the aspects come together in a way that helps readers engage more fully with the story.

by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn

Mallory, 35 years old

Mallory’s life is not going according to plan. She caught her soon-to-be ex-husband cheating with his paralegal, she lost her NYC apartment, her job, her money, and her dignity. And she also just lost her beloved great-aunt Maggie.

Aunt Maggie left Mallory her house in the suburbs, which provides her with exactly the fresh start she needs. But it’s not a smooth transition. The house is a hot mess and the grumpy (but swoon-worthy) next door neighbor, Nick, and HOA are none too pleased! In fact, the house has no fewer than 47 HOA violations that she’s going to have to remedy if she wants to make a go of her new life in the burbs. Fortunately, she’s got wine and YouTube DIY videos - which makes anything seem doable.

The Book Girls Say… This is a laugh-out-loud rom-com with some steamy scenes, but it also carries a lot of emotional baggage, including the lasting impacts of emotional and verbal abuse from an ex-spouse. True to real life, you’ll experience the full range of emotions while reading this book.

by Paul Kalanithi

Paul, 36 years old

This beautiful memoir was written in the final year of the author’s life. At 36, he was at the end of ten years of training to become a neurosurgeon. Overnight, he went from doctor to patient after being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.

He had always wanted to write a book and realized that he had one chance and could explore the question “What makes a life worth living?” The resulting memoir blends his love of literature and experiences as both doctor and patient into one powerful work. Sadly, Paul passed away just before the completion of the book, so the last chapter is from his wife.

The Book Girls Say…While this book can be seen as depressing because of the subject matter, his wife says, "What happened to Paul was tragic, but he was not a tragedy." Reviewers say it is more about life than death.