Books like 'How It All Began'
Readers who enjoyed How It All Began by Penelope Lively also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary psychological literary-fiction family realistic aging humor friendship satire
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Tainted: Lance and Mary by Tess Thompson
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne career-ending mistake sends Lance Mullen home to Cliffside Bay in search of a fresh start. And in no time at all, home begins to feel like the place he was always meant to be. With his beautiful new beach house, his friends and family close by, and a profitable business to grow, life really is good. That is until his heart tries to wreck everything... again... -
![Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival]()
Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA sensitive and reassuring story about what to do when a worry won't leave you alone. Meet Ruby—a happy, curious, imaginative girl. But one day, she finds something unexpected: a Worry. It's not such a big Worry, at first. But every day, it grows a little bigger... And a little bigger... Until eventually, the Worry is ENORMOUS and is all she can think about... -
![Montana Promises by Kim Law]()
Montana Promises by Kim Law
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s falling for his brother’s ex—as if he needs another reason to go. Nate Wilde is ready to leave Birch Bay. He’s been home too long as it is and extending his visit means risking fantasies of staying for good. Wants and desires never work out for him, though. With good comes bad, and he’s had enough bad to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, his siblings need him... -
![Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt]()
Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"A brave and breathtaking musical... -
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![The Cool Bean by Jory John, Джори Джон]()
The Cool Bean by Jory John, Джори Джон
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEveryone knows the cool beans. They’re sooooo cool.And then there’s the uncool has-bean . . .Always on the sidelines, one bean unsuccessfully tries everything he can to fit in with the crowd—until one day the cool beans show him how it’s done... -
![And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman]()
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThe tender and moving novella from the author of A Man Called Ove and Anxious People'I read this beautifully imagined and moving novella in one sitting, utterly wowed, wanting to share it with everyone I know' Lisa Genova, New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice Grandpa and Noah are sitting on a bench in a square that keeps getting smaller every day... -
![A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart]()
A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsDiscover a unique, funny and moving debut that will make you laugh, cry and smile. Meet thirtysomething dad, AlexHe loves his wife Jody, but has forgotten how to show it. He loves his son Sam, but doesn't understand him. Something has to change. And he needs to start with himself.Meet eight-year-old SamBeautiful, surprising, autistic. To him the world is a puzzle he can't solve on his own... -
![Life Goes On by Kelly Moore]()
Life Goes On by Kelly Moore
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHappy go lucky Olivia McDill adores her fairy-tale life, married to the man of her dreams. It’s a love that should’ve lasted a lifetime…then in the blink of an eye, everything changed. She learns too quickly that life can be unfair, and she’s left trying to pick up the pieces and make sense of things on her own... -
![Sabtu Bersama Bapak by Adhitya Mulya]()
Sabtu Bersama Bapak by Adhitya Mulya
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratings“Hai, Satya! Hai, Cakra!” Sang Bapak melambaikan tangan. “Ini Bapak. Iya, benar kok, ini Bapak. Bapak cuma pindah ke tempat lain. Gak sakit. Alhamdulillah, berkat doa Satya dan Cakra. … Mungkin Bapak tidak dapat duduk dan bermain di samping kalian. Tapi, Bapak tetap ingin kalian tumbuh dengan Bapak di samping kalian. Ingin tetap dapat bercerita kepada kalian... -
![Coral Weddings by Jan Moran]()
Coral Weddings by Jan Moran
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhile Marina and Jack contemplate their future, her sister Kai and her new fiance Axe are planning their wedding. When disagreements threaten to derail the wedding, the sisters' grandmother, the indomitable Ginger Delavie, doles out unusual advice. Soon, an unforgettable event unfolds... -
![The Aftermath by Gail Schimmel]()
The Aftermath by Gail Schimmel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThree women: a mother, a daughter, a friend. Can they save each other from the past?It’s been twenty-six years since the accident, but Helen still lives on autopilot, going through the motions of work and motherhood. Her one wish is for her daughter Julia to settle down with her own family—so Helen can let go... -
![Change of Heart by Judith Keim]()
Change of Heart by Judith Keim
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEmerson “Em” Jordan always wanted a Valentine’s Day wedding. But after being dumped by her boyfriend, she spends the holiday at Seashell Cottage on the Gulf Coast of Florida with Devin Gerard, a family friend who has no interest in her or any other woman and is instead concentrating on his pediatric medical practice and continuing medical missions in Costa Rica... -
![The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer]()
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMikki Brammer's The Collected Regrets of Clover is a big-hearted and life-affirming debut about a death doula who, in caring for others at the end of their life, has forgotten how to live her own, for readers of The Midnight Library... -
![The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill]()
The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOh, would that all bullying problems could be solved so easily! Mean Jean is the reigning Recess Queen, pushing and smooshing, hammering and slammering the other kids whenever they cross her. And then one day a puny new girl shows up on the playground and catches Mean Jean completely off-guard... -
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![A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy]()
A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAre some white lies simply too big to forgive?Eve and Leah are identical twins—but beyond that, they’re polar opposites. Struggling journalist Leah envies Eve’s seemingly perfect life—the loyal husband, the beautiful twin daughters, the stellar career—little knowing that what Eve longs for most is Leah’s independence... -
![I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait]()
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom the author of the Waterstones Book of the Month Our Fathers comes a compelling domestic comedy about complex family dynamics, mental health and the intricacies of sibling relationships.For Alice and Hanna, saint and sinner, growing up is a trial. There is their mother, who takes a divide and conquer approach to child-rearing, and their father, who takes an absent one...Categorized as:
literary-fiction realistic family fiction contemporary mental-illness audiobook psychological -
![Saint Richard Parker by Merlin Franco]()
Saint Richard Parker by Merlin Franco
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHis search for love and enlightenment across India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia...Ace businessman, writer, and investigative journalist Richard Parker loses his job when he exposes the vegetarian CEO of his newspaper as a beef exporter. Accused of misconduct and forced to dissolve his company, he retreats to his wretched little village... -
![Shtum by Jem Lester]()
Shtum by Jem Lester
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsPowerful, darkly funny and heart-breaking, Shtum is a story about fathers and sons, autism, and dysfunctional relationships.Ben Jewell has hit breaking point. His ten-year-old son Jonah has severe autism and Ben and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope... -
![600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster]()
600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA thirty-nine-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Edward Stanton lives alone on a rigid schedule in the Montana town where he grew up. His carefully constructed routine includes tracking his most common waking time (7:38 a.m.), refusing to start his therapy sessions even a minute before the appointed hour (10:00 a.m... -
![Og så drukner jeg ... by Ditte Wiese, Mathilde Eusebius]()
Og så drukner jeg ... by Ditte Wiese, Mathilde Eusebius
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHvis ikke du præsterer perfekt, er du en taber! Sådan tænker den 18-årige Josephine, der forsøger at være ligeså perfekt og dygtig som sine venner.Hun har lagt en plan for sit liv. Hun har valgt en fornuftig uddannelse, den rigtige kæreste og den korrekte diæt. Det er godt, og det er perfekt. Men der er noget, der sitrer i hende. Små bølger af noget forkert, der presser på og holder hende vågen...Categorized as:
family friendship audiobook contemporary female-author fiction psychological young-adult -
![The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson, Maria Dismondy]()
The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson, Maria Dismondy
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHave you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? The kids at Pete's new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise"...Categorized as:
realistic friendship children-books fiction bullying children psychological contemporary -
![Lark Song by Jane Bailey]()
Lark Song by Jane Bailey
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey want to move on—but one terrible truth could shatter it all.As a widowed mother of three, new love seems impossible for Freya—until she meets Duncan, and suddenly she feels alive again. But there are secrets afflicting Freya’s family, some more sinister than others, that could destroy their relationship before it has a chance to flourish... -
![Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in All the Confusion? by Johan Harstad]()
Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in All the Confusion? by Johan Harstad
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA pop-saturated epic novel about the second man on the moon, and the quiet thirty-year-old gardener who idolizes him. A story of unconventional psychiatry, the Faroe Islands, amateur boat building, and the journey across the space that divides us from other people: a journey as remote and dangerous as the trip to the moon itself... -
![The Illicit Happiness of Other People by Manu Joseph]()
The Illicit Happiness of Other People by Manu Joseph
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsOusep Chacko, journalist and failed novelist, prides himself on being “the last of the real men.” This includes waking neighbors upon returning late from the pub. His wife Mariamma stretches their money, raises their two boys, and, in her spare time, gleefully fantasizes about Ousep dying... -
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![Purplicious by Victoria Kann, Elizabeth Kann]()
Purplicious by Victoria Kann, Elizabeth Kann
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt's purple Pinkalicious! Pinkalicious loves the color pink, but all the girls at school like black. They tease her, saying that pink stinks and pink is for babies. But Pinkalicious doesn't think so that is, until her friends stop playing with her. Now Pinkalicious has a case of the blues... -
![Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley]()
Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the author of Before I Go comes an unconventional love story perfect for fans of the emotional novels of Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes. One time a boy kissed me and I almost died... And so begins the story of Jubilee Jenkins, a young woman with a rare and debilitating medical condition: she’s allergic to other humans... -
![Among the Missing by Dan Chaon]()
Among the Missing by Dan Chaon
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this haunting, bracing new collection, Dan Chaon shares stories of men, women, and children who live far outside the American Dream, while wondering which decision, which path, or which accident brought them to this place. Chaon mines the psychological landscape of his characters to dazzling effect. Each story radiates with sharp humor, mystery, wonder, and startling compassion... -
![Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III]()
Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTom Lowe’s identity and his pride are invested in the work he does with his back and his hands. He designed and built his family’s dream home, working extra hours to pay off the adjustable rate mortgage he took on the property, convinced he is making every sacrifice for the happiness of his wife and son. Until, in a moment of fatigued inattention, shingling a roof in too-bright sunlight, he falls... -
![The Girl in the Woods by Lorna Dounaeva]()
The Girl in the Woods by Lorna Dounaeva
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe finally had the family she had always wanted, so why did she feel as though someone had stepped on her grave?Suzannah and Noel are desperate for a child so when they get the chance to adopt a young girl called Orchid, they jump at the chance. They have been warned that it will take time for Orchid to settle into their family, but the problems they encounter seem out of the ordinary... -
![The River Home by Hannah Richell]()
The River Home by Hannah Richell
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom beloved international bestselling author Hannah Richell comes a spellbinding novel about the secrets brought to the surface when a large family gathers for a wedding... -
![Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters by Anita Kushwaha]()
Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters by Anita Kushwaha
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor readers of Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s "Secret Daughter" and Nancy Richler’s "The Imposter Bride", a breathtaking novel from Anita Kushwaha about the ties that bind mothers and daughters together and the secrets that tear them apartVeena, Mala and Nandini are three very different women with something in common...Categorized as:
literary-fiction realistic family fiction contemporary audiobook psychological coming-of-age -
![Scouting for the Reaper by Jacob M. Appel]()
Scouting for the Reaper by Jacob M. Appel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEach of the characters in Scouting for the Reaper faces an unanticipated challenge: transporting a truckload of penguins across the country, arranging a proper Jewish burial for the remains of Gregor Samsa, selling tombstones dressed as a Girl Scout. These stories explore the domestic and professional adventures of people in over their heads, while leavening their struggles with humor.Jacob M... -
![Exposure by Ava Dellaira]()
Exposure by Ava Dellaira
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA life-changing moment encompasses conflicting truths that echo across time, in this powerful, provocative debut.One night, two people, four sides of a story.In 2004, Juliette Marker, a white college freshman, and Noah King, a Black high school senior, are two lonely souls who enter each other’s orbit, forge a connection, and, after a chance meeting, go home together...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship family fiction audiobook contemporary season-spring lgbtq -
![The House of Memories by Monica McInerney]()
The House of Memories by Monica McInerney
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSometimes the hardest lessons to learn are those that matter most. Following a tragic accident, Ella O'Hanlon flees to the other side of the world in an attempt to escape her grief, leaving behind the two people she blames for her loss: Aidan, the love of her life, and Jess, her spoilt half-sister... -
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![On Little Wings by Regina Sirois]()
On Little Wings by Regina Sirois
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis is a story of the countless ways we get love wrong. And why, despite every disappointment, we keep fighting to get it right. Jennifer must do the impossible – bring her mother home. When a family is torn apart by death, two sisters take violently divergent paths and the story of their family appears to end terribly and abruptly... -
![The Tenants of Moonbloom by Edward Lewis Wallant]()
The Tenants of Moonbloom by Edward Lewis Wallant
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNorman Moonbloom is a loser, a drop-out who can't even make it as a deadbeat. His brother, a slumlord, hires him to collect rent in the buildings he owns in Manhattan... -
![Rabbit Is Rich by John Updike]()
Rabbit Is Rich by John Updike
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWinner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award The hero of John Updike’s Rabbit, Run, ten years after the events of Rabbit Redux, has come to enjoy considerable prosperity as the chief sales representative of Springer Motors, a Toyota agency in Brewer, Pennsylvania... -
![Pieces of You by Mary Campisi]()
Pieces of You by Mary Campisi
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsQuinn Burnes's mother disappeared when he was only fifteen leaving him with a despondent father, a little sister who suffers panic attacks, and eight notebooks containing the truth about his mother. He guards this secret for eighteen years, until on an otherwise normal day, his mother re-enters his life, pleading for his help... -
![King of Joy by Richard Chiem]()
King of Joy by Richard Chiem
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCorvus has always had an overactive imagination. Growing up, she develops a unique coping mechanism: she can imagine herself out of any situation, no matter how terrible. To get through each day, Corvus escapes into scenes from fantasy novels, pop songs, and action/adventure movies, and survives by turning the everyday into just another role to play in the movie of her life... -
![The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms]()
The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler comes a fresh, funny, and thoughtful story about going off the grid in order to truly live. As one of the most popular influencers on social media, Mia Bell has lived her life online for years... -
![The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford]()
The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrank Bascombe returns, with a new lease on life (and real estate), more acutely in thrall to life’s endless complexities than ever before. A holiday, and a novel, no reader will ever forget—at once hilarious, harrowing, surprising, and profound... -
![Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton]()
Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsShe has as much business keeping a stray dog as she would walking across Egypt–which not so incidentally is the title of her favorite hymn. She’s Mattie Rigsbee, an independent, strong-minded senior citizen who, at seventy-eight, might be slowing down just a bit. When teenage delinquent Wesley Benfield drops in on her life, he is even less likely a companion than the stray dog... -
![A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen]()
A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA New York Times Editors' Choice Named a Best Book of 2018 by Bookforum, Nylon, Esquire, and Vulture"This artful and autumnal novel, published in high summer, is a gift to those who wish to receive it."--Dwight Garner, The New York Times"Hilarious, heartbreaking . . . A Terrible Country may be one of the best books you'll read this year... -
![Mother of All Secrets by Kathleen M. Willett]()
Mother of All Secrets by Kathleen M. Willett
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHer freedom, her sanity, her life. How much will a young mother sacrifice to protect her secrets?Sleep deprived and overwhelmed, first-time mom Jenn is struggling to adapt to her new role. Frustrated with her loving but preoccupied husband and still grieving the death of her own mother, she feels isolated and depressed...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction friendship fiction psychological audiobook suspense contemporary -
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![Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet]()
Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA man named Gil walks from New York to Arizona to recover from a failed love. After he arrives, new neighbors move into the glass-walled house next door, and his life begins to mesh with theirs... -
![A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories by Amy Bloom]()
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories by Amy Bloom
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA great short story has the emotional depth and intensity of a poem and the wholeness and breadth of a novel. Amy Bloom writes great short stories. Her first collection, Come to Me, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and here she deepens and extends her mastery of the form... -
![Concerto to the Memory of an Angel by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt]()
Concerto to the Memory of an Angel by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe title story is the tale of two friends with very different personalities—one competitive and aggressive, the other kind and disinterested. They are confronted with circumstances that lead to a catharsis in which both men will move beyond their predetermined roles. Another story, “The Return,” introduces a father whose work takes him far from home for months at a time...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction 21st-century adult anthologies contemporary fiction psychological -
![A Cornish Summer by Catherine Alliott]()
A Cornish Summer by Catherine Alliott
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratings**PRE-ORDER NOW - the hilarious new romantic comedy from the Number One bestselling author of About Last Night and Wish You Were Here** Praise for Catherine Alliott: 'Irresistible' Daily Mail 'Compulsively readable' The Times 'Possibly my favourite writer' Marian... -
![Thunderstruck & Other Stories by Elizabeth McCracken]()
Thunderstruck & Other Stories by Elizabeth McCracken
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom the author of the beloved novel The Giant’s House comes a beautiful new story collection. In “Property,” a young scholar, grieving the sudden death of his wife, decides to refurbish a rental house by removing his landlord’s possessions... -
![Staggerford by Jon Hassler]()
Staggerford by Jon Hassler
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt is only a week in the life of a 35-year old bachelor school teacher in a small Minnesota town. But it is an extraodinary week, filled with the poetry of living, the sweetness of expectation, and the glory of surprise that can change a life forever...
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