Books like 'Martyr!'
Readers who enjoyed Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary literary-fiction lgbtq spirituality magical-realism humor family
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Frank and Red by Matt Coyne, James Killeen
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsEstranged from his friends, son, and the ever-changing world beyond his front gate, Frank is a reclusive curmudgeon whose only company is the 'ghost' of his dead wife, Marcie. Then six-year-old Red moves in next door. A boy struggling to adjust to the separation of his mum and dad, a new school, and the demonic school bully, Red is curious, smart, and talkative. And he has a trampoline... -
Fragile Hearts by the Loch by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow long does it take to mend a broken heart?Jess expects life on the Isle of Skye to be calm and peaceful. But when she falls for her colleague things quickly become complicated. Rory comes with a whole load of baggage, but she just can’t seem to stay away from him. When Elspeth is forced to take a break from work, she evaluates what her future holds... -
He Restores My Soul by LaShonda Bowman
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the Langston sisters return home for their mother's funeral, it's not in grief, but in relief. Though Mahalia Langston was known as a gospel music pioneer among the church community, her daughters knew her as someone else altogether. The three women hope that, along with their mother, they can finally bury the secrets that plagued their childhood... -
Wisteria Winds by Rachel Hanna
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThere's a hurricane heading straight for Wisteria Island...In book 2 of this popular new Lowcountry women's fiction series, the residents of Wisteria Island are in danger as a hurricane is barreling toward their beloved island... -
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The Summer Escape by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCould it be more than just a holiday romance?Single-mother Beth desperately needs a break.Grieving the loss of her mother, she sets off to the Isles of Scilly with her five-year-old daughter, Ellie.Their holiday cottage is utterly charming, but it’s meeting Trystan – the owner of the cottage – that makes Beth’s stay so perfect... -
Louis de Bernières Box Set of 3 books: The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts / Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord / The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzmán by Louis de Bernières
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis rambunctious first novel by the author of the bestselling Corelli's Mandolin is set in an impoverished, violent, yet ravishingly beautiful country somewhere in South America. When the haughty Dona Constanza decides to divert a river to fill her swimming pool, the consequences are at once tragic, heroic, and outrageously funny... -
Finding Love by Judith Keim
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAs Regan Sullivan continues to work with her sisters, Sheena and Darcy, to meet their Uncle Gavin’s challenge to make the Salty Key Inn a success, she wonders why she can never find the man of her dreams. Her sisters are happily settled with men they love... -
Surprises at the Loch by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe best moments are the ones we don’t see coming . . .Isla is perfectly content with her solid, stable relationship with Logan. But when they challenge each other to inject some spontaneity into their relationship things quickly get out of hand.Soon, Logan is determined to find the ultimate romantic gesture... -
Finding Family by Judith Keim
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSheena Sullivan Morelli and her sisters, Darcy and Regan, work to complete their Uncle Gavin’s challenge of turning his rundown hotel into a profitable operation within one year. Winning means earning a share in their uncle’s sizable estate. More than that, it determines how they’ll spend the rest of their lives. Sheena wants to stay on at the hotel, overseeing the hotel operation... -
In the End, It Was All About Love by Musa Okwonga
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe narrator arrives in Berlin, a place famed for its hedonism, to find peace and maybe love; only to discover that the problems which have long haunted him have arrived there too, and are more present than ever...Categorized as:
literary-fiction lgbtq family fiction contemporary social-commentary romantic-love book -
Rise of the Machine by Erin Mallon, Joe Arden
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAtticus and Neil are the newly crowned "hottest male narration team" for Mmm-Mmm romance, and they're flying high on the praise.Nothing can get them down.Until Vera and Cameron usher a mysterious voice onto the scene and shake the foundation of the audiobook industry itself... -
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Cross the Line by C.C. Warrens
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn unexpected, late-night visitor.And a missing teenage girl.Holly’s quiet evening at the investigative agency takes a curious turn when a frantic woman shows up on the doorstep after closing with a tale about a missing prostitute.With JGH Investigations in financial distress, and a client who can’t afford their services, Holly decides to tackle this investigation on her own time... -
Loving Tessa by Rachel Hanna
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLove Sweet, Contemporary Romance With Lots of Drama? Meet Aaron Parker, The Youngest of the Parker Family in January Cove In book 2 of the January Cove series, we meet one of the Parker brothers, Aaron. The youngest of the five Parker children, Aaron was all set to marry his girlfriend of three years until she broke his heart by cheating on him... -
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Han cantado bingo by Lana Corujo
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTodo empieza con un algunas noches, en los diez minutos suspendidos antes de que Abuela regrese del bingo, dos hermanas salen a escondidas por la puerta de atrás hasta El Ahorcado —un volcán redondo como una panza bocarriba—, cuentan hasta tres y corren de vuelta sin mirar atrás...Categorized as:
magical-realism family literary-fiction fiction contemporary female-author coming-of-age book -
Stolen by You by Lindsey Hart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsInfiltrating Mr. Hotshot's house in the middle of the night?Yes, that was the plan.Getting my hands on his family jewels?Definitely what I was going for.And I mean actual jewelry, not the other round ball kind of things, alright.Now, catching the guy practically naked in his house?Oh God, definitely not what was supposed to happen... -
All I Ever Wanted by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI’ve been given this amazing gift: a second chance. I have to get it right this time. Because Cole Ealy is all I ever wanted, and this is our last shot at forever. River and Cole met, and fell in love, and then it all went horribly wrong. A year has passed, but River can’t move on... -
Falling for You by Rachel Hanna
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJackson Parker is the eldest of the Parker kids in January Cove, a coastal Georgia town. He spent his teens and ear lie twenties taking care of his four younger siblings after losing his father as a young boy. Saddled with responsibility from a young age, he takes his first opportunity to hit the big city as a business man... -
You Are Here by David Nicholls
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMarnie is stuck.Stuck working alone in her London flat, stuck battling the long afternoons and a life that increasingly feels like it's passing her by.Michael is coming undone.Reeling from his wife's departure, increasingly reclusive, taking himself on long, solitary walks across the moors and fells... -
Coffee at The Beach House Hotel by Judith Keim
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAnn and Rhonda continue to deal with guests at The Beach House Hotel on the Gulf Coast of Florida, including Bobby “Bugs” Bailey, a star player in the NFL. At the Vice-President’s suggestion, Bobby’s coach has sent him there to work to help adjust his behavior after Bobby’s life of fame gets out of control...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family humor spirituality romance fiction contemporary womens-fiction -
Daughters of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA heart-warming page-turner set on the Irish coast, where secrets hide, romance is waiting and there is every chance to make a new beginning… Jasmine Delon feels completely lost: having just broken up with the man she thought was the love of her life, all she knows is that she can’t face living alone in her empty apartment in Paris... -
A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners comes a novel about love, loss, and the beautiful mess of family.Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding... -
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"A lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after from the acclaimed author of Rabbit Cake. The Starlings live in Everton, an ordinary enough New Hampshire town... -
Angels and Men by Catherine Fox
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsParson’s daughter Mara Johns arrives as a postgraduate student at a great northern cathedral city. Antagonistic to the church and fiercely independent, she repels all friendly overtures and seeks spiritual answers in her theological research. But when her past involvement in an extreme sect resurfaces, she finds her quest won’t stay academic... -
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Christmas Weddings by Georgia Hill
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWinter wedding bells are ringing at the Cupcake Café!It’s winter in Berecombe and Millie’s café is up for sale. Her final task as its owner is to host her friends’ Christmas wedding on the beach, only she’s feeling anything but festive! Putting her ex, Jed, firmly out of her mind is proving impossible now he’s back working for her biggest rival... -
3 stepbrothers by Animallover55
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTori lived with her dad and little sister. She never expected to have a stepmother, much less a stepbrother. But whats worse is not only one stepbrother, not two either. No three stepbrothers. But it gets worse, the three boys just happen to be the three triplet sport stars of the school. The same three boys that have gone out with nearly all those girls that wear short short skirts... -
The Pitch Queen by Karin Gillespie
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA hilarious send-up of the publishing business and a delight for readers who love books about books. If "Yellowface" and "Book Lovers" had a baby, it would be named "The Pitch Queen.". Claire Wyld, a literary agent, is the queen of the flashy pitch and is fighting to be the number one dealmaker in debut novels... -
Goldenrod by Ann McMan, Christine Williams
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome back to Jericho, a small town tightly tucked into the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, where life and love have as many twists and turns as a winding mountain road. Join Syd, Maddie, David, Michael, Henry, Celine, and the irrepressible Roma Jean Freemantle as they band together to navigate the minefields of their ever-changing world in this newest Jericho novel... -
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the nationally bestselling author of The Guncle comes the much-anticipated sequel, in which Patrick O’Hara is called back to his guncle duties…at a big, family wedding in Lake Como, Italy.Patrick O’Hara is finally in a league of his own…professionally... -
Rhoda: A Life in Stories by Ellen Gilchrist
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOver the past ten years, Gilchrist fans have enjoyed glimpses of headstrong, redheaded Rhoda in five previous collections. Here, for the first time, are the collected Rhoda stories - including two new ones - offering a full-blown portrait of a woman worth waiting for: one of contemporary literature's most enchanting characters, in all her wicked glory... -
For Keeps by Chautona Havig
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHer first six months of "motherhood" included an ant infestation, a major move, house renovation, and lessons in how to be a mom to eight lively children. Now that the house is nearly complete, her children are headed back to school, and she has a few tantrums under her hymn-singing belt, Aggie is certain life will settle down. Poor Aggie.. -
Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom a New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott-honor winning artist comes an exuberant illustrated story about playing dress up, having fun, and feeling free.The boy loves to be naked. He romps around his house naked and wild and free. Until he romps into his parents' closet and is inspired to get dressed. First he tries on his dad's clothes, but they don't fit well... -
It Takes a Village by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTake a trip to Hope Cove, the wonderful seaside village in Devon. The perfect escape for stunning scenery, glorious sunshine and the County’s best scones! For Leo, it’s a place to return to. His hometown is now the place he’ll raise his daughter. The surprise daughter who was a result of a fling with a woman he barely knows... -
Life, Death and Vanilla Slices by Jenny Eclair
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsJean Collins is in a coma. She stepped out into the middle of the road without looking and was run over by a motorbike. But what had distracted her? And why was she carrying a box of vanilla slices? For Jean's daughter Anne, these questions are the least of her concern... -
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The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEach Christmas we are given a promise from heaven. And each year on earth we make promises to each other. This is a story about how a promise from one person to another shows us the true meaning of faith, remembrance, and love.Seven years ago Gloria endured a family tragedy that almost shook her faith entirely... -
Restoration Song by LaShonda Bowman
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSixteen years ago, Sophia Thomas, pastor’s wife and first lady of New Life Tabernacle, packed her bags and disappeared, leaving her husband and church to wonder where, and why, she’d gone. Now she’s secretly come back, hoping to repair her fragile relationship with her ailing mother. But her return doesn't stay secret for long. And neither do the reasons why she left... -
Glorious Christmas by Cece Whittaker
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn 1945, with Christmas just around the corner, an escaped Nazi was the last thing they expected. Yet Joan, Annie, Helen, and Bernice become engaged in the possibilities of who and where, but without the practiced logic of true detectives, which has been known to lead to embarrassing situations... -
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises--especially to ourselves--by the bestselling and beloved author of The Guncle. It's been a minute--or five years--since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began... -
The Last Summer in Ireland: A gripping and emotional page-turner by Noëlle Harrison
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA lost girl. A mysterious house in Ireland. An invitation that changes everything.Twenty years ago, at the end of a long hot Irish summer, three sisters submerge themselves in the cool lake at their home, Swan Hall. As Maeve and Aisling watch their beautiful younger sister Nuala laughing and splashing, droplets of water clinging to her dark hair, it is hard to hide their envy of her... -
Secret Life of a Hollywood Sex & Love Addict by Brianne Davis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“WOW! THIS BOOK! It’s so different from what I usually read, but I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend you pick up a copy.” —Emily Giffin, New York Times Best-Selling Author of The Lies That Bind"A powerful, raw and vulnerable read.”—Olivia Munn, actress, The Newsroom"Unflinchingly candid. Unspeakably sexy. And oh, so curiously entertaining... -
Moonbeams and Skye by Kate Sweeney
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the sequel to Winds of Heaven, we find the Kennedy-Bennett family enjoying their first six months of newborn bliss—except when Casey has to change Tara’s diaper for the first time. But her best buddy little Skye comes to the rescue in her own adorable way. Life seems good for Casey, Liz and the girls. It’s like dreaming on a moonbeam, as Skye believes... -
Fem by Seth King
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPeter Martin is living two lives inside one body. Although he is openly gay, a lifetime of taunting from his family and community for being “too feminine” has still left him clad in false armor, portraying a character that is entirely fake, but keeps him safe from ridicule all the same. Stand tall, speak deeply, keep a strong handshake, never draw attention, never be “too gay... -
The Language of Love and Loss by Bart Yates
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsReaders of Mad Honey will adore this clever, deeply touching, buoyant new novel from an award-winning author. When his difficult mother is diagnosed with ALS, a sharp-witted yet sensitive artist reluctantly returns to his New Hampshire hometown – and all the ghosts he left behind.As it turns out, you can go home again. But sometimes, you really, really don’t want to . . -
Abbott Awaits: A Novel by Chris Bachelder
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA quiet tour de force, Abbott Awaits transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, startlingly depicting the intense and poignant challenges of a vulnerable, imaginative father as he lives his everyday American existence... -
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Loading Mercury With a Pitchfork by Richard Brautigan
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFirst published 1976, Loading Mercury with a Pitchfork, a collection of ninety-four poems, was Brautigan's seventh collection of poetry; his ninth poetry book publication. This collection was unique in that the poems were grouped in eight titled sections and featured the crow as a dominant figure throughout... -
Coming Up Roses by Rachael Lucas
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWould-be gardener Daisy can’t believe her luck when her parents announce they’re off on a midlife crisis gap year, leaving her in charge of their gorgeous garden. After a turbulent few months, a spot of quiet in the countryside is just what she needs. A shoulder to cry on wouldn't go amiss either - so when Daisy comes across Elaine and Jo, she breathes a sigh of relief... -
The Rosie Effect: A Novel by Graeme Simsion (Trivia-On-Books) by Trivion Books
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTrivia-On-Book: The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion Many read the book, but many don’t like it. Many like the book, but many are not avid fans. Many call themselves avid fans, but few truly are. Are you? Trivia-on-Books is a quiz-formatted trivia on the book for readers, students, and fans alike... -
Tunneling to the Center of the Earth: Stories by Kevin Wilson
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsKevin Wilson's characters inhabit a world that moves seamlessly between the real and the imagined, the mundane and the fantastic. "Grand Stand-In" is narrated by an employee of a Nuclear Family Supplemental Provider—a company that supplies "stand-ins" for families with deceased, ill, or just plain mean grandparents...Categorized as:
humor lgbtq literary-fiction magical-realism 21st-century anthologies audiobook contemporary -
We Could Be Rats by Emily R. Austin
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space... -
Esther's Gift by Jan Karon
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsReaders flocked home to Mitford last Christmas, making The Mitford Snowmen a New York Times bestseller. In Esther's Gift, Esther Bolick is filled with the holiday spirit as she prepares to bake the annual batch of her famous-and utterly scrumptious-orange marmalade cakes...
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