A Pulitzer Prize winner, #1 New York Times bestselling author and a publishing icon, Elizabeth Strout is a name we’re always happy to see on the shelves with a new release. Known for her beloved characters, her interconnected novels, and her evocative writing, novels like Olive Kitteridge and My Name Is Lucy Barton explored the quiet complexities of the human experience. Her latest book, The Things We Never Say, brings a brand new character to cherish. If she’s already an autobuy and you’re looking for more books like hers, we’ve got a list of moving stories with memorable characters for you to savor.

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

Artie Dam is a kindly high school history teacher, a dependable husband, and a good neighbor. On weekends, he takes his sailboat out in the bay—but beneath this “life is good” exterior lies a deep loneliness. With her trademark emotional precision, Elizabeth Strout introduces a man at a turning point, forced to reconsider the life he’s built and what it might still become.

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Land by Maggie O’Farrell

Buried treasure, a loyal dog, and a father-son duo up against the odds? Maggie O’Farrell delivers a spellbinding tale set in 1865 Ireland, in the aftermath of the Great Hunger. Ten-year-old Liam and his father Tomás embark on an adventure shaped by land, history, and family that will change their lives.

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What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez

When a missing girl seems to resurface on a reality TV show years later, her sisters set out on a road trip to learn the truth. Their mother, Dolores, refuses to be left behind, bringing along her irrepressible friend Irene for the ride. What begins as a search for answers becomes a journey through grief, memory, and the fragile hope that Ruthy might finally be found.

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Whistler by Ann Patchett

Daphne runs into her former stepfather—of one year—over 40 years later. That one year was pivotal for them both, and their chance meeting offers an opportunity to reflect and reconnect. Written by New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett, this powerful story of redemption shows how being truly known by someone, even for a short time, can change everything.

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Jack by Marilynne Robinson

Pulitzer Prize–winning author Marilynne Robinson returns to her Gilead world in Jack, the fourth novel in the series. Set in segregated St. Louis, Jack falls in love with Della Miles, a Black preacher’s daughter—but society won’t recognize their marriage. This character-driven story grapples with regret and redemption, while making space for grace amidst heartbreak.

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Bestiary by K-Ming Chang

Bestiary is a queer retelling of a Taiwanese story the author remembers hearing from her mother. In K-Ming Chang’s version, Daughter awakes with a tiger tail, and mysterious events follow—but what makes her different also gives her power. Chang’s inventive storytelling captures ideas of feminine power and generational connection, with an irresistible heroine leading the way.

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Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks

In this beautiful memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winner Geraldine Brooks, the author shares about her husband’s sudden death and her own journey to finding peace. Seeking solace, she travels to a remote island in Australia, where the rituals of its people help her confront loss and begin to rebuild her life.

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Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel

Eight teenage girls compete at a national boxing competition in Reno, each bringing their own dreams and fears—and fierce determination. Rita Bullwinkel captures the energy of competition and explores the sacrifices each young fighter has made to be the best. It’s funny, intense, and surprisingly tender, and explores what it takes to win.

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Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

Over a single weekend, Gail Baines juggles an unexpected job loss, her daughter Debbie’s wedding drama, and the surprise return of her ex—with a cat in tow. And then Debbie shares a secret about her fiancé that throws everything into question. Pulitzer Prize-winner Anne Tyler beautifully portrays how ordinary moments can carry extraordinary weight, and how reconciliation—though occasionally awkward—is always possible when hearts remain open.

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The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

In the small town of Argus, North Dakota, groom-to-be Gary Geist is desperate to secure a future—and a marriage to the unpredictable Kismet Poe—while another man quietly plans to win her away. With her signature blend of warmth and sharp insight, Pulitzer Prize-winner Louise Erdrich weaves together love, longing, and uncertainty against the backdrop of a changing landscape.

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Real Life by Brandon Taylor

In a Midwestern university town, Wallace, an introverted, queer Black student, moves carefully through a world where he never quite feels at home. Over the course of a late-summer weekend, a series of encounters begin to unravel the distance he’s built around himself. Real Life examines loneliness, desire, and the quiet ways we protect—and betray—one another.

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Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

Sixteen-year-old Junie has spent her life enslaved on an Alabama plantation. But when a sudden loss and a desperate choice awaken something in her, she forms a tentative connection with a newcomer and begins to uncover the plantation’s buried secrets. Both haunting and deeply moving, Junie is a story of grief, love, and the cost of choosing freedom.

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Love by the Book by Jessica George

Remy and Simone become friends when they literally bump into each other at a bookstore, and while they’re not fast friends, they are exactly who each other needs. It’s a warm, funny book about starting over and opening up, and how friendship is the best kind of love story.

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