Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Women's Fiction Novels

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.


This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic:
Favorite Women's Fiction Novels

I wasn't feeling this week's actual prompt so I'm going rogue again. 
Instead I'm going to share some of my favorite women's fiction books.

Before I do, here's a quick run-down on the difference between women's fiction and romance:
  • In a romance, the central theme is the romance/romantic relationship between the main characters. 
  • In a romance, there is a happily ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN) ending.
  • Women's fiction is about more than a central romance. The focus is more on the journey of the main female character. It is about a woman - or group of women - navigating life and overcoming challenges.
  • Women's fiction might have romantic elements - the heroine may have a love interest - but it is not the central theme of the story.
Now on to some of my favorites that fall into the women's fiction genre...



Always, in December - Emily Stone
Home Front - Kristin Hannah
Mrs. Everything - Jennifer Weiner
That Summer - Jennifer Weiner
The Girl He Used to Know - Tracey Garvis Graves
Forever, Interrupted - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Summer Sisters - Judy Blume
All We Ever Wanted - Emily Giffin
The Glass Lake - Maeve Binchy
Before I Saw You - Emily Houghton


Have you read any of these books?


45 comments

  1. I haven't read any of these books. But some are definitely on my TBR. I've been hearing great things about Always in December especially.

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    1. Always, in December was a real surprise. A tearjerker, but I loved it. :)

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  2. I haven't read any of these! I also went rogue but I focused on just one women's fiction book.

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  3. I read and loved 5 of these and at least 3 of the others are on my TBR. I couldn't resist getting a copy of Always in December after reading your review for it.

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  4. Ahh, so many great authors up there! Emily Giffin has been a favorite of mine for years, and TJR has also become an auto-buy author for me.

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    1. I've only read two by Giffin so far but really loved them both.

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  5. Thanks for breaking down the difference between women's fiction and romance. As someone who isn't usually the target reader for either genre, I wasn't really sure on the difference. That being said, I have read and enjoyed some Jennifer Weiner before!

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    1. Jennifer Weiner is such a go-to author for me. I love her ability to tell a great story.

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  6. Love Taylor Jenkins Reid. That Summer is on my TBR. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/10-books-about-books-on-my-tbr/

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    1. Taylor Jenkins Reid is definitely a go-to, dependable author for me.

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  7. I read Summer Sisters forever ago…Love Judy Blume.

    I also went rogue this week— https://fiftytwo.blog/2021/10/19/ttt-books-i-loved-but-will-probably-wont-re-read/

    Happy TTT!
    Lori

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    1. It's been ages since I read Summer Sisters but it really stayed with me.

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  8. I've only read 3 of these (Giffin, Hannah, and Garvis Graves), but I loved those 3. I love that you explained the difference between romance and women's fiction. Some people have a hard time keeping that straight. One of my favorite women's fiction authors is Karen White.

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    1. It still amazes me that there are readers who insist a book without an HEA can be a romance.

      My mom and one of my sisters love Karen White and have been to several of her local signings but I've yet to read anything by her.

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  9. I haven't read any of these (yet), but Always in December looks intriguing to me!

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  10. Love your explanation of Womens Fiction and how it differentiates from Romance. And Maeve Binchy is a favorite author of mine. Great list! :)

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  11. Great topic! I've only read The Girl He Used to Know, but most of these are on my TBR.

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    1. The Girl He Used to Know was one of my favorites last year.

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  12. I didn't feel today's theme either. I adored The Girl he Used to Know so much!

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  13. I agree with you are romance vs women's fiction. With that said, how have only read two of these? I read quite a bit of women's fiction. I did read different books by three of the authors though

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    1. I feel like women's fiction gets a bad rap and I don't even know why. I love a good story and some of my favorite authors write in that genre.

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  14. I've not read any of these. I'll have to look into them! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

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  15. I did try reading Home Front, but I just couldn't get into it.

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/5-booktube-creators-worthy-of-checking-out/

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    1. Kristin Hannah is so dependable for me. I always enjoy her books.

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  16. Yay for rogue! :) These look nice. I've enjoyed what I've read of Taylor Jenkins- Reid.

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    1. Taylor Jenkins Reid impresses me more and more with every book.

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  17. I've seen The Girl He Used to Know around a lot. I don't even really read women's fiction, and I'm still tempted to read that one. :-)

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. That book resonated with me so much. One of my favorites last year.

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  18. I have only read one of these - The Girl He Used to Know. I absolutely loved it and really should check out more books from your list.

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    1. I adored The Girl He Used to Know. Tracey Garvis Graves is such a great storyteller.

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  19. Ooh, I didn't realise some of these titles were women's fiction and not romance! I really enjoyed Mrs. Everything and I'm looking forward to trying Weiner's other books eventually. I also want to read The Girl He Used to Know and recently added Always In December to my TBR :) Great list!

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    1. Mrs. Everything was phenomenal! I think it was my favorite book of the year when I read it. And I gifted it to my mom and sisters that year, too. :)

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  20. I currently have a post in my draft folder dealing with this subject! I was inspired after all the discussion in the comments of one of my last book reviews. (I won't say which book to protect from spoilers. ;) ) Personally, I don't love the term 'women's fiction' because it seems to suggest books are only for women. For example, there isn't a 'Men's fiction'. And then there are books that are primarily romance but just don't have a happy ending that don't feel like they belong in the 'Women's Fiction' category to me. But I think 'literary fiction' would be a better term for those books that aren't focused on romance. I haven't finished my post because I've been taking me time stewing on this subject. You've given me more to think about. ;)

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    1. I guess the term women's fiction doesn't bother me since it really is typically geared toward women readers. It focuses on a woman (or women) and their unique experiences.

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  21. Yay for going rogue! And thank you for defining the differences between romance and women's fiction as the line has become majorly blurred between the two lately. I didn't realise The Girl He Used to Know was classed as women's fiction as well, still haven't read it but it means I can change my expectations of what I'll be getting when I read that (because I will pick it up eventually).

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    1. I think The Girl He Used to Know really straddles the line between romance and women's fiction. Someone could make an argument either way. However it's classified, I loved it. :)

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  22. I read women's fiction less than I read romances, but I have a few I've loved in the past. I haven't read any on your list here, but I love the cover of Before I Saw You.

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    1. Before I Saw You does have a pretty cover. And it was a surprise hit for me.

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