Books like 'Emma Who Saved My Life'
Readers who enjoyed Emma Who Saved My Life by Wilton Barnhardt also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary historical-fiction literary-fiction humor friendship realistic urban coming-of-age
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Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsRaymond Jaffe feels like he doesn't belong. Not with his mother's new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father's wife. Not at school, where he's an outcast...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship historical-fiction literary-fiction realistic urban audiobook book -
Looking for Alaska / An Abundance of Katherines / Paper Towns / The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFour critically acclaimed, award-winning modern classics from #1 New York Times-bestselling author John GreenThis John Green deluxe box set includes Printz Award–winning Looking for Alaska, Printz Honor book An Abundance of Katherines, Edgar Award–winning Paper Towns, and #1 New York Times–bestselling The Fault in Our Stars... -
A Letter to the Last House Before the Sea: An absolutely stunning page-turner filled with family secrets (Heaven's Cove) by Liz Eeles
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHigh on the clifftops, Lettie takes a deep breath of salty air and opens the letter. There is no signature, and the old-fashioned handwriting is faint against the yellowed paper...Categorized as:
friendship historical-fiction humor literary-fiction adult book contemporary female-author -
The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Times top ten bestseller.‘An instant Scottish classic’ – The Skinny‘A swaggering, incendiary debut’ – Guardian‘Trainspotting for a new generation’ – Independent ‘Raw and lyrical’ – Observer‘One of the most admired young voices in British fiction’ – The Times2005. Glasgow is named Europe’s Murder Capital, driven by a violent territorial gang and knife culture...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship literary-fiction urban 21st-century audiobook book contemporary -
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Die hundert Jahre von Lenni und Margot: Roman. »Bezaubernd und zu Tränen rührend.« (Elle) by Marianne Cronin
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsLife is short - no one knows that better than 17 year-old Lenni Petterssen. On the Terminal ward, the nurses are offering their condolences already, but Lenni still has plenty of living to do.For a start, she has questions about her fate she needs answers to, and stories yet to uncover...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship realistic historical-fiction humor romance fiction contemporary -
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... -
Life, Upended by S.W. Hubbard
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow can one word upend a life?A series of setbacks has left adjunct college professor Roz Schmidt one blown tire away from total financial collapse.Then she lands her dream job as a full-time professor at a local college. Good-bye to robbing Peter to pay Paul. Hello to a sunny new apartment and honest-to-goodness health insurance... -
Fireworks over the Loch by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA sleepy Scottish village is about to be woken up … With her boyfriend moving to her hometown of Lannick, Leana Mackenzie is floating on cloud nine. All she needs now is for them to find a home of their own. Alasdair’s lack of interest in house-hunting soon has her worried.For Isla and Logan, moving in together is the logical next step in their relationship... -
The Nanny and the Heartthrob by Krista Sandor
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThings couldn’t get worse for Harper Presley. Her music career is nonexistent, she’s got pennies in the bank, and her grandmother is on the cusp of losing her house. What’s a gal to do? Go to Vegas and seek a last chance opportunity. What she didn’t expect was to wake up in her birthday suit next to pop star Landon Paige with a massive diamond on her ring finger... -
The Lost House of Ireland by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn enchanting story about forgotten family secrets that will transport you to the charming village of Sandy Cove on the beautiful Irish coast.Allegra Casey is searching for a new beginning. So when she discovers an engagement ring buried in the sand near her home in Cape Cod, the last place she expects it to lead her is to the west coast of Ireland... -
A Friend in Need by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere’s nothing quite like a baby to turn your world upside down … Just when it seems things can’t get any crazier, Marie and Brian are now navigating the ups and downs of parenthood!As Marie is thrown into the world of playgroups and sleep deprivation, she finds maternity leave isn’t quite the year-long break she anticipated...Categorized as:
humor literary-fiction friendship contemporary fiction womens-fiction female-mc 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... -
The Paris Roommates: Dean by Ava Miles
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEmily in Paris meets Friends in International Bestseller Ava Miles’ hilarious new heartwarming story about the world's most likeable hero following his dreams and looking for love with the help of an unlikely group of friends.If only love was all bonbons and champagne... -
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... -
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Even Better Than the Real Thing by Melanie Summers
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA swoon-worthy, buttery, uber-fun romance about a fake marriage between two people who couldn't be more wrong for each other... You know what’s great about applying for an art history PhD program at one of the world’s most prestigious universities? I get to study what I love and land my dream job at the end of it... -
Vinyl Cafe Unplugged by Stuart McLean
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBestselling author and radio storytelling sensation Stuart McLean revisits the heartwarming and hilarious friends from his iconic Vinyl Cafe.Dave and his wife Morley would no doubt tell you that life is what you make it. Unfortunately for them, that means a compilation tape of mistakes, miscues, misunderstandings, and muddle... -
Katie and the Cupcake Cure by Coco Simon
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis first book in The Cupcake Diaries is told through the perspective of Katie Brown. We find Katie miserable on the first day of middle school. Her best friend Callie came back from camp boy-crazy and part of a whole new group of friends. When it's made clear that Callie is in the PGC (Popular Girls Club) and Katie is not invited to join, Katie suddenly feels incredibly alone...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship humor realistic children children-books contemporary culinary -
The Dishwasher by Stéphane Larue
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIt’s winter in Montreal, 2002, when a graphic design student’s gambling addiction starts to drag him under... -
Clementine and the Family Meeting by Sara Pennypacker
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis New York Times bestselling chapter book series has been keeping readers engaged and laughing for more than a decade with over one million copies sold! Clementine's having a nervous breakdown. The FAMILY MEETING! sign is up in her house, and she just knows she's in trouble for something...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship humor realistic audiobook children children-books contemporary -
Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession, John Hopkins
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLeonard and Hungry Paul are two friends who see the world differently. They use humour, board games and silence to steer their way through the maelstrom that is the 21st century.‘The figure in Munch’s painting isn’t actually screaming!’ Hungry Paul said. ‘Really, are you sure?’ Replied Leonard. ‘Absolutely. That’s the whole thing. The figure is actually closing his ears to block outa scream...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship humor literary-fiction realistic 21st-century adult anthologies -
The Door-To-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe charming international bestseller about an unlikely friendship between an elderly door-to-door bookseller and a nine-year-old girl that changes his life. Small-town German bookseller Carl Kollhoff delivers his books to special customers in the evening hours after closing time, walking through the picturesque alleys of the city...Categorized as:
friendship literary-fiction realistic humor fiction contemporary audiobook romantic-love -
Frankie by Graham Norton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrankie Howe has lived a long life, her small flat is crammed full of art, furniture - and memories. Damian, her young carer, listens as she gradually tells him parts of her story - a story that takes us into a progressive, daring world of New York artists on the brink of fame, aspiring writers and larger-than-life characters...Categorized as:
historical-fiction literary-fiction realistic coming-of-age urban fiction audiobook contemporary -
Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsAn accessible, character-driven story set in 2003 New York City about a genderqueer book conservator who feels trapped by her gender presentation, her ill-fitting relationship, and her artistic block, as she discovers a decades-old hidden queer love letter and becomes obsessed with tracking down its author. It’s 2003, and artist Dawn Levit is stuck...Categorized as:
coming-of-age historical-fiction literary-fiction urban adult audiobook book contemporary -
My Lame Life: Queen of the Misfits by Jen Mann
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Jen Mann has written a hilarious and heartwarming story for fans of Meg Cabot and Rainbow Rowell. My name is Plum Parrish, I'm fourteen, and I'm pretty sure I'm invisible. Not like super power invisible, more like loser invisible. There's a big difference... -
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Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“An audacious, wildly funny, completely unpredictable novel by a writer so singular that it’s hard to compare her to anyone else . . . absolutely brilliant...Categorized as:
humor literary-fiction realistic coming-of-age urban fiction contemporary womens-fiction -
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... -
Two Like Me and You by Chad Alan Gibbs
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEdwin Green's ex-girlfriend is famous. We're talking cover-of-every-tabloid-in-the-grocery-store-line famous. She dumped Edwin one year ago on what he refers to as Black Saturday, and in hopes of winning her back, he's spent the last twelve months trying to become famous himself. It hasn't gone well...Categorized as:
coming-of-age historical-fiction humor realistic action-adventure book contemporary fiction -
On Herring Cove Road: Mr. Rosen and His 43Lb Anxiety by Michael Kroft
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnce an amusing extrovert with a reputation as a prankster, Mr. Rosen is entering his retirement years as a stoic thirty-year converted introvert who has no interest in people, despises change, and is more than content to have his wife navigate his life... -
Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“One of those books you just want to hug to your chest. I loved it so much... -
Honeybees and Distant Thunder by Riku Onda
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTender and intense, Honeybees and Distant Thunder is the unflinching story of love, courage and rivalry as three young people come to understand what it means to truly be a friend.In a small coastal town just a stone's throw from Tokyo, a prestigious piano competition is underway...Categorized as:
literary-fiction realistic coming-of-age fiction contemporary 21st-century book adult -
Like Bug Juice on a Burger by Julie Sternberg
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI hate camp. I just hate it. I wish I didn’t. But I do. Being here is worse than bug juice on a burger. Or homework on Thanksgiving. Or water seeping into my shoes. In this sequel to the critically acclaimed Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, Eleanor is off to summer camp...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship humor realistic animals children children-books contemporary -
Alexis and the Perfect Recipe by Coco Simon, Elizabeth Doyle Carey
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe fourth book in Spotlight's fun and delicious tween series is told from the perspective of Alexis, the most organized member of the Cupcake Club...Categorized as:
realistic friendship coming-of-age humor middle-grade fiction children-books contemporary -
Plays Well with Others by Allan Gurganus
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWith great narrative inventiveness and emotional amplitude, Allan Gurganus gives us artistic Manhattan in the wild 1980s, where young artists--refugees from the middle class--hurl themselves into playful work and serious fun. Our guide is Hartley Mims Jr., a Southerner whose native knack for happiness might thwart his literary ambitions...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship realistic humor historical-fiction fiction lgbtq 20th-century -
The Boyfriend Sessions by Belinda Williams
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPlease take your seats. The journey to happiness may involve some turbulence. Christa Morrison has commitment issues, a fact that quickly becomes apparent after she flees a romantic proposal in Paris, the thunder of impending wedding bells ringing in her ears. Back in Sydney, she turns to her closest friends for reassurance... -
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First Time for Everything: A Novel by Henry Fry
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsDanny Scudd is absolutely fine. At twenty-seven years old he's finally moved to London and escaped his parents' tiny fish and chip shop, his beloved collection of house plants are thriving and every Monday evening he has a date night with his boyfriend, Tobbs.But Danny's life is thrown into chaos when he discovers at an STI clinic that Tobbs might be cheating on him... -
The Paragraph Ranch by Kay Ellington
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEVERY WRITER KNOWS YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN. But that's just what is required of West Texas expatriate Dee Bennett-Kaufmann when her mother is badly injured in a mysterious car accident. Single-again “Dr. Dee” has never been on the “A-team” in her trendy East Coast MFA program...Categorized as:
friendship humor literary-fiction realistic adult anthologies audiobook contemporary -
Honey by Isabel Banta
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA coming-of-age story that follows the meteoric rise of singer Amber Young as she navigates fame in the late-1990s and early-2000s era of pop music superstardomIt is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It is a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join girl group Cloud9 in Los Angeles and escape her small town...Categorized as:
historical-fiction literary-fiction coming-of-age friendship fiction contemporary young-adult book -
The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWisconsin, 1961. Evelyn “Button” Peters is nine the summer Winnalee and her fiery-spirited older sister, Freeda, blow into her small town–and from the moment she sees them, Button knows this will be a summer unlike any other...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship historical-fiction humor literary-fiction realistic book contemporary -
Bear Necessity by James Gould-Bourn
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA heartwarming, poignant, and charming debut novel for fans of Nick Hornby and The Rosie Project, about a father and son overcoming their grief in surprisingly inventive ways.Danny’s life is falling apart. He’s become a single father to eleven-year-old Will—who hasn’t spoken since the death of his mother in a car crash a year earlier—and Danny has just been fired from his construction job... -
Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI had a bad August.A very bad August.As bad as pickle juice on a cookie.As bad as a spider web on your leg.As bad as the black parts on a banana.I hope your August was better.I really do.Written in a lyrical style with thoughtful and charming illustrations throughout, this remarkable debut novel tells a poignant story of friendship and the bittersweet feelings of growing up...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship humor realistic children children-books contemporary family -
The Never-Ending Summer by Emma Kennedy
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratings'Emma Kennedy's books are as funny, warm and life-inspiring as she is' Jenny Colgan'An excellent read. I loved all the characters' Claudia Winkleman'A warm, funny and truly life-affirming read. ****' Heat ________________ Three women. Two unforgettable road trips. Wherever you are in life, it's never too late to find yourself...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor literary-fiction friendship fiction contemporary audiobook romance -
Friendly Fire by Patrick Gale
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYouthful beauty, intellectual brilliance, physical passion, tragedy, and disgrace are all in this wonderful novel, as told through the eyes of a 14-year-old girl.Sophie is a self-contained, exceptionally bright child who has no known parents and has spent all of her life in a children's home... -
The Commitments by Roddy Doyle
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBarrytown, Dublin, has something to sing about. The Commitments are spreading the gospel of the soul. Ably managed by Jimmy Rabbitte, brilliantly coached by Joey 'The Lips' Fagan, their twin assault on Motown and Barrytown takes them by leaps and bounds from the parish hall to the steps of the studio door...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship historical-fiction humor literary-fiction realistic urban 20th-century -
The Colour Of Memory by Geoff Dyer
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratings'In the race to be first in describing the lost generation of the 1980s, Geoff Dyer in THE COLOUR OF MEMORY leads past the winning post. "We're not lost" one of his hero's friend's says, "we're virtually extinct"... -
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Circle in the Sand by Lia Fairchild
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFour life-long friends bound by two decades of laughter, love, promises, and secrets. Once inseparable, the four grow into independent adults pursuing very different paths. Sage, raised by career-driven parents, follows a carefully laid out future of success that leaves her wondering what she’s missed out on. Emily, the college drop-out, now has three children that have become her whole life... -
Girl, 16: Five Star Fiasco by Sue Limb
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe teenage world of Jess Jordon is looking characteristically chaotic: Mum has joined an online dating programme and has recruited Jess as advisor, while Jess's best friend Flora has a rich new boyfriend who Jess can't possibly keep up with. Then Jess's own boyfriend, Fred, does something unbelievably treacherous and spineless... -
Substitute Bride by Ruth Ann Nordin, Kate Page
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDisclaimer: Substitute Bride used to be under my pen name Kate Page. I have decided to get rid of Kate Page to simplify my life. So I am republishing it under the name Ruth Ann Nordin. Book description: Kevin Edwards stands to inherit one million dollars. The catch? He must get married by Valentine’s Day. With only a month to spare, he seeks out the first woman who catches his interest: Tammy... -
Heartbreak Houseshare: The funny and feel good book everyone should read in their 20’s by Emily Merrill
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen moving on means moving out… Surely there should be a rule book to guide you through the tumultuous twenties, or a ‘to do list’ at the very least? Fresh out of university in Manchester and struggling to climb the career ladder in London, Flick’s devastated when her boyfriend dumps her with no warning and leaves her looking for a new place to live... -
Wildlight by Robyn Mundy
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsYou spend your whole time on an island looking out to sea. Perhaps what you are facing is yourself.Sixteen-year-old Stephanie West has been dragged from Sydney to remote Maatsuyker Island off the coast of Tasmania by her parents, hoping to recapture a childhood idyll and come to terms with their grief over the death of Steph's twin brother...Categorized as:
coming-of-age historical-fiction literary-fiction fiction contemporary female-author book adult -
Exile by Jakob Ejersbo
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFor the vagabond pack of ex-pat Europeans, Indian Tanzanians and wealthy Africans at Moshi's International School, it's all about getting high, getting drunk and getting laid. Their parents - drug dealers, mercenaries and farmers gone to seed - are too dead inside to give a damn. Outwardly free but empty at heart, privileged but out of place, these kids are lost, trapped in a land without hope...
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