Books like 'How to Start a Fire'
Readers who enjoyed How to Start a Fire by Lisa Lutz also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery action / adventure literary-fiction humor friendship realistic drama coming-of-age university
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The Lies She Told by Denise Grover Swank
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt's been a week since Carly Moore’s friend Jerry was run off the road and killed, and the sheriff’s department has already struck out on leads. She’s not about to sit back and let it go, but the last thing she wants is to endanger anyone else. Besides, as she learned long ago, problems come in threes... -
![The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah]()
The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsOne unbearable mistake at the edge of the forest.In a moment of crisis, Ellis Abbey leaves her daughter, Viola, unattended—for just a few minutes. But when she returns, Viola is gone. A breaking point in an already fractured marriage, Viola’s abduction causes Ellis to disappear as well—into grief, guilt, and addiction...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama family female-mc friendship literary-fiction realistic action-adventure -
![Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton]()
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsAn utterly wonderful debut novel of love, crime, magic, fate and a boy’s coming of age, set in 1980s Australia and infused with the originality, charm, pathos, and heart of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.The mind can take you anywhere you want to goEli Bell’s life is complicated... -
![Sucker Punch by Kristen Painter]()
Sucker Punch by Kristen Painter
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsNewly appointed vampire governor of New Jersey, Belladonna Barrone is fast discovering that life as a vampire isn’t much easier than life as a mobster’s wife. But that experience certainly taught her some things about how to handle the problems that come with being governor. That is until a friend is kidnapped by the fae and his life put in danger, all because of her actions... -
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![The Midnight Gang by David Walliams]()
The Midnight Gang by David Walliams
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWelcome to the Midnight Gang! Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for… the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning…When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he finds himself at Lord Funt Hospital, and is greeted by a terrifying-looking porter... -
![Home for the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick]()
Home for the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThis Christmas season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of holiday-themed adventures! Becca, Megan, Emma, Cassidy and Jess have plenty of reading material to bring on their trips, too, because the book club is tackling the Betsy-Tacy series before their next meeting on New Year’s Eve. But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls... -
![She's Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino]()
She's Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFor two women generations apart, going home will change their lives in this funny, poignant, and life-affirming novel about family, secrets, and broken hearts by the author of For the Love of Friends.Four years into her marriage, Jenna is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce... -
![The Candymakers by Wendy Mass]()
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFour children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country... -
![Fresh Water for Flowers: A Novel by Valérie Perrin]()
Fresh Water for Flowers: A Novel by Valérie Perrin
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsViolette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne. Casual mourners, regular visitors, and sundry colleagues—gravediggers, groundskeepers, and a priest—visit her to warm themselves in her lodge, where laughter, companionship, and occasional tears mix with the coffee she offers them. Her life is lived to the rhythms of their funny, moving confidences... -
![Witching for Clarity by Deanna Chase]()
Witching for Clarity by Deanna Chase
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsClarity “Gigi” Martin moved to Premonition Pointe for a fresh start. And that’s exactly what she got when she found a house that was connected to her ancestors and a group of witches who welcomed her into their fold. It’s not easy starting over at forty, but she’s determined to do it on her own terms with her past left firmly behind her… until Sebastian Knight walks back into her life... -
![Witching For Kismet by Deanna Chase]()
Witching For Kismet by Deanna Chase
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCarly Preston has always lived her life by her own rules. At fifty, she doesn’t have many regrets. In fact, there’s only one… the night she lost her co-star in a freak accident. Despite doing everything she could to save him, she’s always blamed herself... -
![Redeeming Ryker by Kelly Collins]()
Redeeming Ryker by Kelly Collins
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsImagine finding out that everything about your life is a lie. Imagine falling for the man who thinks he killed you. Imagine having to remain dead so you can keep him. Twenty-four-year-old Ana Barrett knows who she is. She’s a struggling artist, a loyal friend, an orphan raised by loving grandparents... -
![The Golden Girls' Getaway by Judy Leigh]()
The Golden Girls' Getaway by Judy Leigh
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe most uplifting book you’ll read this year!It has been a long and lonely year for neighbours Vivienne, Mary and Gwen. All ladies of a ‘certain age’, their lockdown experience has left them feeling isolated and alone. They are in desperate need of a change.Things start to look up however, when Gwen comes up with a plan to get them out of London by borrowing a motor home...Categorized as:
breakup coming-of-age domestic-drama family female-mc friendship humor action-adventure -
![Lies that Bind by Ashley Farley]()
Lies that Bind by Ashley Farley
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA missing young woman. A grieving mother. An investigative journalist determined to find answers. From the bestselling author of the Sweet Tea Tuesdays and Only One Life comes a suspenseful story of three women who, in search of freedom from the lies that bind them, experience personal growth, discovery, and forgiveness...Categorized as:
domestic-drama drama family female-mc literary-fiction action-adventure adult audiobook -
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![Seabreeze Inn by Jan Moran]()
Seabreeze Inn by Jan Moran
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA widowed artist. An old crush. One summer to get her life back.Ivy Bay’s life implodes after discovering that her late husband had spent their life savings on a beach house. Strapped for cash as an art teacher and with nowhere to go, Ivy and her recently jilted sister head to Summer Beach to recreate their lives... -
![Heartbeat: A Courageous Love Novel by Terreece M. Clarke]()
Heartbeat: A Courageous Love Novel by Terreece M. Clarke
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMaya Anderson only knows success: set a goal, create a plan, achieve. Everything she can control she does, down to her color-coordinated closet. Then someone tried to kill her. Now, she has a new goal: stay alive. New town. New identity. No men... -
![A Mother's Secret by Caroline Finnerty]()
A Mother's Secret by Caroline Finnerty
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA gripping, emotional book that asks the question: What does it take to be a parent?In one split second, Aidan Whelan’s perfect world is changed forever when his wife Rowan and three-year old daughter Milly are involved in tragic accident...Categorized as:
breakup coming-of-age domestic-drama family female-mc friendship action-adventure adult -
![A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering]()
A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCottage Two, Bracken Ridge Farm sits at the end of a pitted track, with the glorious Yorkshire moors stretching behind it. Just a simple two up, two down, the cottage holds the promise of a new start for two very different women, but it is also full of secrets. Fifty years ago, newly-wed Stella is relishing making the little cottage a happy home... -
![Restart by Gordon Korman]()
Restart by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe amazing New York Times bestseller about what you can do when life gives you a second chance.Chase's memory just went out the window.Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name.He knows he's Chase... -
![Villa of Sun and Secrets by Jennifer Bohnet]()
Villa of Sun and Secrets by Jennifer Bohnet
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsCarla Sullivan’s 50th birthday is fast approaching when her whole world is turned upside down. Discovering her feckless husband is having yet another affair and following her mother’s death, she is in need of an escape. Finding an envelope addressed to her mother’s estranged sister Josette in the South of France gives Carla the perfect plan... -
![Witch of Key Lime Lane by Gabrielle Keyes]()
Witch of Key Lime Lane by Gabrielle Keyes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFans of Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus will love this new series!" - Gaby Triana, bestselling author of the Haunted Florida seriesAn ex who won't leave her alone. A house on a haunted island. A woman needing a fresh start. Lily Blanchett, restaurant owner and ex-wife of celebrity chef, Derek Blanchett, has had enough... -
![The Little Village of New Starts by Donna Ashcroft]()
The Little Village of New Starts by Donna Ashcroft
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSometimes turning everything upside down feels just right… Evie Stuart is playing it safe. She lives on her family’s remote farm in the Scottish Highlands and never ventures beyond the local village of Lockton. The most unpredictable events in her life are the antics of Miss Daisy, her grandmother Agnes’s pygmy goat... -
![The Very Thought of You by Iris Morland]()
The Very Thought of You by Iris Morland
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMegan Flannigan wants only two things in life: to run her bakery The Rise and Shine, and to avoid the handsome and insufferable Officer Caleb Thornton. Caleb has made her life difficult ever since he arrested her over a decade ago, and her one wish is that he leaves her alone—while they both continue to deny the attraction that sparks between them every time they meet... -
![Texas Tall by Janet Dailey]()
Texas Tall by Janet Dailey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe can’t forget him. The born rancher who stole her heart, her ex-husband, the tough, tender father of her child . . . Tori Tyler can’t let Will Tyler go to prison for a crime that was a simple accident. But she can’t deny that her feelings for the man run much deeper than loyalty, and her desire for his strong, sure embrace has never died...Categorized as:
breakup domestic-drama family female-mc literary-fiction action-adventure adult book -
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![Through the Storm by Diane Greenwood Muir]()
Through the Storm by Diane Greenwood Muir
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOnce things start falling apart around Polly Giller, chaos takes over and all she can do is hold on for the ride. Sylvie Donovan has finished school and things are supposed to be rainbows and unicorns. Not in Bellingwood. Her oldest son, Jason, has just started high school and isn't handling the transition well... -
![13 Gifts by Wendy Mass]()
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble... -
![Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein]()
Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome, boys and girls, readers of all ages, to the first-ever Library Olympiad! Kyle and his teammates are back, and the world-famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, is at it again! This time Mr. Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS. Will it be fun? Like the commercials say. . -
![Leaving Blythe River by Catherine Ryan Hyde]()
Leaving Blythe River by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde returns with an unforgettable story of courage. Seventeen-year-old Ethan Underwood is totally unprepared to search for his father in the Blythe River National Wilderness. Not only is he small, scrawny, and skittish but he’s barely speaking to the man after a traumatic betrayal...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama family friendship literary-fiction action-adventure anthologies audiobook -
![The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage]()
The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHumor and action abound in this second follow-up to the Newbery honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Three Times LuckyThe trial of the century has come to Tupelo Landing, NC. Mo and Dale, aka Desperado Detectives, head to court as star witnesses against Dale's daddy--confessed kidnapper Macon Johnson. Dale's nerves are jangled, but Mo, who doesn't mind getting even with Mr... -
![I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones]()
I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"Think you're having a rough week? Bella's stepdad, a semi-pro wrestler, just signed the entire family up for a reality TV show. Bella's first thought: Kill. Me. Now." Living in Truman, Oklahoma wasn't 100% miserable for Bella. Sure, she misses Manhattan, couture clothes, and her dad. But she was making new friends at Truman High and almost enjoying her work at the school newspaper...Categorized as:
coming-of-age female-mc friendship humor realistic university action-adventure alpha-mc -
![So Over My Head by Jenny B. Jones]()
So Over My Head by Jenny B. Jones
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNewly single, stalked by a killer, and in desperate need of some chic clown shoes--Bella is one skinny mocha frapp away from total meltdown. When the Fritz Family Carnival makes its annual appearance in Truman, Bella's keen reporter instincts tell her the bright lights hide more than they reveal. Her suspicions are confirmed when one of the stars is murdered... -
![Eyes Only by Fern Michaels]()
Eyes Only by Fern Michaels
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSisterhood Forever Lush, exclusive Spyder Island is home to many of the world's billionaires. Years ago, Gretchen Spyder, daughter of the island's namesake, gave her twin babies up for legal adoption. Now Gretchen and her father are trying to get them back. The twins' adoptive parents are a loving but poor couple, completely outgunned by the Spyders' wealth...Categorized as:
breakup domestic-drama family female-mc friendship humor literary-fiction action-adventure -
![All They Need to Know by Eileen Goudge]()
All They Need to Know by Eileen Goudge
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA woman escaping a violent past finds new friendships, romance, and tenuous sanctuary in an emotionally gripping novel by New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge.On the run from her abusive husband, Kyra Smith hits the road. Destination unknown... -
![The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer]()
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsYears ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.“Clever, dark, and hopeful . .Categorized as:
literary-fiction female-mc family friendship romance fantasy fiction magical-realism -
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![To Provence, with Love by T A Williams]()
To Provence, with Love by T A Williams
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEscape to the south of France with this perfect feel-good summer romance! Anything is possible… Struggling writer Faye Carter just can’t believe her luck... -
![Tap & Gown by Diana Peterfreund]()
Tap & Gown by Diana Peterfreund
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFans of Beautiful Disaster will devour Diana Peterfreund's Ivy League novels--Secret Society Girl, Under the Rose, Rites of Spring (Break), and Tap & Gown. At an elite university, Amy Haskel has been initiated into the country's most notorious secret society. But in this power-hungry world where new blood is at the mercy of old money, hooking up with the wrong people could be fatal... -
![Vegas Rich by Fern Michaels]()
Vegas Rich by Fern Michaels
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWith a heart full of dreams, Sallie Coleman leaves Texas and heads west determined to get as far from the squalor of her dirt poor beginnings. With its shifting sands, smoky saloons and bingo palaces, Las Vegas seems like a paradise. A paradise where an extraordinary twist of fate makes Sallie the most powerful businesswoman in Nevada. Suddenly she is rich...Categorized as:
breakup domestic-drama drama family female-mc friendship literary-fiction action-adventure -
![Somewhere Along The Way by Jodi Thomas]()
Somewhere Along The Way by Jodi Thomas
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHIDING OUT IN HARMONY In the two years since she claimed Harmony, Texas, as her home, eighteen-year-old Reagan Truman has found herself drawn to others who have made their way there, too. Gabe Leary, for instance, whose plan to hide out in Harmony is dashed when he becomes the town hero... -
![Beneath the Moon and the Stars by Amelia Thorne]()
Beneath the Moon and the Stars by Amelia Thorne
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHome, sweet home… Joy Cartier has been to some of the most beautiful places in the world – but none of them have ever felt like home. So moving into a tiny cottage in the idyllic village of Bramble Hill, walking distance from her childhood home, seems like the perfect plan. That is, until she gets there. The surly inhabitants of Britain’s Friendliest Village are anything but welcoming... -
![The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan]()
The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA grand baronial house on Loch Ness, a quirky small-town bookseller, and a single mom looking for a fresh start all come together in this witty and warm-hearted novel by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan.Desperate to escape from London, single mother Lottie wants to build a new life for herself and her son Raffie... -
![Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson]()
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsIt was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.Dance until dawn? Sure... -
![A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh]()
A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNever say never to falling in love…Val didn’t expect to be starting again in her seventies, but when life gives her lemons, Val is determined to make lemonade.Settled into her new home – a picture-perfect fisherman’s cottage in the small Cornish seaside town of Lowenstowe – Val is ready to start a new chapter...Categorized as:
breakup coming-of-age domestic-drama family female-mc friendship humor action-adventure -
![The Country Escape by Jane Lovering]()
The Country Escape by Jane Lovering
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLeaving London and her ex-husband Luc behind, Katie and her 14-year-old daughter Poppy move into their very own, very ramshackle cottage near the village of Christmas Steepleton on the Dorset coast. Harvest Cottage has been unloved for many years, so the job of bringing it back to life is a slow and expensive one...Categorized as:
breakup coming-of-age domestic-drama family female-mc friendship humor action-adventure -
![Chasing River by K.A. Tucker]()
Chasing River by K.A. Tucker
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsArmed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude. Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama family female-mc friendship literary-fiction realistic university -
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![So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones]()
So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNew York's social darling just woke up in a nightmare: Oklahoma. Problem is, it's right where God wants her. Bella Kirkwood had it all: A-list friends at her prestigious private school, Broadway in her backyard, and Daddy's MasterCard in her wallet. Then her father, a plastic surgeon to the stars, decided to trade her mother in for a newer model... -
![Accidental Heroes by Danielle Steel]()
Accidental Heroes by Danielle Steel
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsA decorated former Air Force pilot. A pregnant flight attendant. A dedicated TSA agent. The fates of these three, and many others, converge in Danielle Steel's gripping new novel--a heart-stopping thriller that engages ordinary men and women in the fight of their lives during a flight from New York to San Francisco. On a beautiful May morning at New York's John F... -
![Thrown by a Curve by Jaci Burton]()
Thrown by a Curve by Jaci Burton
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsShe thinks she knows this player—but he has a few surprise moves.For Alicia Riley, her job as a sports therapist for the St. Louis Rivers baseball team is a home run—until she becomes the primary therapist for star pitcher, Garrett Scott. Out of the lineup with an injury, he’s short-tempered, hard to handle, and every solid inch, a man... -
![Trespassing by Brandi Reeds]()
Trespassing by Brandi Reeds
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn a novel of mounting psychological suspense, a young mother follows a dangerous path to find her missing husband.Veronica Cavanaugh’s grasp on the world is slipping. Her latest round of fertility treatments not only failed but left her on edge and unbalanced. And her three-year-old daughter, Elizabella, has a new imaginary friend, who seems much more devilish than playful...Categorized as:
domestic-drama drama family female-mc literary-fiction action-adventure adult audiobook -
![16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber]()
16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsOlivia Lockhart Cedar Cove, WashingtonDear Reader,You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change. You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends and neighbors. Come and hear their stories—maybe even their secrets!I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open... -
![The Rise by Shari King, Shari Low]()
The Rise by Shari King, Shari Low
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen we bury our secrets, they always come back to haunt us...Their rise was meteoric.Only a few years before, they had been three friends from Glasgow, just trying to survive tough lives of danger and dysfunction.But on one Hollywood evening in 1993, they were on the world’s biggest stage, accepting their Oscar in front of the watching world.That night was the beginning of their careers...
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