Although I spend my life reading fiction, I never do book reviews on it.
Purely because I prefer to write about health and wellness or self-improvement books.
They are easier to write about as they offer mindful guidance and in-depth conversations, which is what this blog is all about.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t like to recommend fiction books every so often. So I thought it would be fun to compile a list of the best contemporary fiction books to read in 2026.
What are the best contemporary fiction books?
Thanks to my Kindle Paperwhite and 99p book deals, I’ve been reading a lot of fiction books lately.
Whereas when I’ve travelled in the past, I’ve been limited to reading whatever I could find at local book swaps or hostels, whether it interested me or not, I can now read what I want when I want.
Using a Kindle for all of my reading allows me to instantly download whatever takes my fancy and get stuck in right away.
No more waiting for the Amazon driver to deliver my books. I can get my hands on the latest bestseller within seconds.
Cue a digital TBR list of my favourite genre – contemporary fiction by female authors.
So, what do I look for in a fiction book?
For starters, it has to have an interesting and quirky cover. I know that sounds slightly superficial, but I’m someone who can appreciate a visually appealing cover. It has to draw me in.
But I’m also looking for a gripping read. One that makes me excited to wake up in the morning and dive back into the story. There’s honestly nothing worse than reading a book that feels like a chore.
I love anything that explores complicated relationships, specifically mother-daughter ones or complex female friendships. But I also love the occasional page-turner or light-hearted read.
I value strong writing and well-developed characters as I want to feel invested in their journey.
Ultimately, I want the fiction book I read to leave a lasting impression on me.
The kind of impression that stays with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
So, from “TikTok made me buy it” reads to critically acclaimed bestsellers, here are the best contemporary fiction books I’ve read in the past year or so that have hit all my needs:
- Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
- Expectation by Anna Hope
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
- This Could Be Everything by Eva Rice
- The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
- Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
1 | Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
Cleopatra and Frankenstein follows the unexpected romance between Cleo, a struggling artist and Frank, a successful man twenty years her senior. Set in New York City, Cleo and Frank dive headfirst into an impulsive marriage that changes their lives and those around them.
As we follow Cleo and Frank through their ups and downs, we are drawn in by their complex personalities, their struggles to find their place and identity in the world and their deepening connection to each other.
With its relatable and captivating exploration of the messy realities of imperfect relationships, this book is a must-read for those who appreciate the rawness of human emotions.
It is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and finished within a week. What can I say, the grip it had on me was undeniable. Coco Mellors’ writing style is both visceral and tender, injecting humour into the narrative to create a compelling read.
If you’re a fan of Sally Rooney, then you will undoubtedly appreciate this book’s themes and writing style.
2 | Expectation by Anna Hope
Expectation follows the lives of three best friends – Cate, Hannah and Lissa.
Living on the edge of a common in East London, their story depicts a vibrant, shared world of art, activism, romance and the promise of everything to come.
But, ten years on, they are not where they hoped to be. Struggling with careers, marriage and finding their place in society, each character longs for what the other has while still searching for their own meaning of leading a fulfilling life.
This book is a poignant exploration of finding your way: as a mother, a daughter, a wife, and a rebel.
Expectation by Anna Hope is my current read, and I’m finding myself gravitating towards it even when I know I should be working. For me, it ticks all the boxes. From navigating adulthood to complex female friendships and complicated mother-daughter relationships.
It is raw, honest, heartbreaking and destructive, and it has me completely hooked.
3 | It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Ok, if it wasn’t for #bookstagram and #booktok, I probably would have never even heard about this book. But when you see the cover at least 3 times a day, you become influenced to check it out and learn more about the synopsis.
And I have to admit, it intrigued me.
At its core, It Ends With Us is essentially about love and navigating an exciting new relationship.
But read a little further, and it depicts a harrowing story of domestic abuse and the complexities of leaving a toxic relationship.
It Ends With Us follows Lily, a hardworking young woman who falls in love with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid. However, Ryle’s aversion to relationships, coupled with the reappearance of Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan, threatens everything she has built with Ryle.
It’s a heart-wrenching story of love that comes at the ultimate price.
I read this book in 4 days and definitely shed a tear at the end.
Yes, the writing is at times, not the best (think E.L. James) and it has mixed reviews, but ultimately it’s a work of fiction and covers all my preferred themes – love, sex, female friendship and a complex mother-daughter relationship.
Seriously, what more could a girl want?
4 | How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
How To Kill Your Family is a darkly comedic novel narrated in first-person by our anti-hero, Grace Bernard.
When Grace discovers that her estranged millionaire father has rejected her dying mother’s pleas for help, she coldly sets out to get her revenge – by killing his family, one by one. With her sharp wit and cunning mind, Grace embarks on a series of twisted and hilarious schemes to bring them all down.
I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s a compelling read that had me gripped until the end, which offered up a surprising twist.
Honestly, I didn’t want it to end.
What can I say? I guess troubled female characters are my jam!
5 | Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
I am a HUGE fan of Liane Moriarty.
You could call her my guilty pleasure. I love to binge-read anything that she writes. From Big Little Lies to Nine Perfect Strangers and The Husband’s Secret, Liane keeps me gripped and guessing right to the very end.
And that was no different to Apples Never Fall.
Joy and Stan Delaney are a well-loved married couple with four amazing grown-up children and a thriving family business. They are looking forward to enjoying their golden years together, when suddenly Joy goes missing.
Concerned friends and family start asking questions, and the police get involved to find her. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that this family has some secrets that they’ve been hiding.
A very clever read with a lot of twists and turns that you don’t see coming.
6 | Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
There’s a reason why Lessons in Chemistry is a number 1 global bestseller and has clocked up over 100,000 reviews on Amazon.
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Smart, funny, poignant and captivating.
Set in the early 1960s, Lessons In Chemistry follows our heroine, Elizabeth Zott from being an underappreciated chemist to a popular TV host on her revolutionary cooking show – Supper at Six.
Elizabeth combines cooking with scientific commentary that grabs the attention of a nation. And thanks to her, a new wave of empowered women emerge, ready to shake up the status quo.
This warm-hearted tale will have you in tears by the end. Not just from the memorable characters but because a powerful message is clear throughout – change can happen one molecule at a time.
Also, shout out to Elizabeth’s dog, Six-Thirty for delivering some of the most humorous chapters in the book.
7 | Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I recently watched Daisy Jones & The Six on Amazon Prime, and it instantly inspired me to read the book. The next day, I received an email from BookBub saying that the e-book was on offer for 99p.
Clearly, adding this book to my TBR was meant to be!
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid is a wild story, full of love, friendship, family drama, heartbreak, and of course, music.
It tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional ’70s rock band and its enigmatic frontwoman, Daisy Jones. From that very first song to the inevitable split at the height of their stardom.
8 | Normal People by Sally Rooney
I first read Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney a few years ago. I found the characters too self-centred and selfish. And in all honesty, it put me off reading another book by the author.
But fast-forward to July 2022, and I decided to pick up a copy of Normal People in an Italian bookshop in Bologna.
I devoured it in 3 days.
Raw, honest and destructive, I fell in love with the story of Marianne and Connell, and their quest to find themselves from seniors in school to young adults just out of University.
Normal People explores the complexities of young love, friendship and identity from that very first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can’t.
9 | This Could Be Everything by Eva Rice
Nothing says contemporary fiction quite like an escape to London during the summer of 1990, full of innocence and nostalgia. The Happy Mondays are blasting on the radio, 15-year-old Kate Moss is on the cover of The Face magazine, and Julia Roberts is rocking thigh-high boots in the movie poster for Pretty Woman.
This Could Be Everything is a coming-of-age story that follows 19-year-old February Kingdom as she navigates family, loss, grief and first love.
One day in May, Feb finds a lost canary in her kitchen and names it Yellow. This little bird brings a glimmer of hope into Feb’s life as it leads to her meeting someone unexpected. Meanwhile, Feb’s aunt gets caught up in a passionate love affair with a married American drama teacher, adding even more drama to the mix.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Notting Hill, this story is all about growing up, finding hope, and learning to care for something that brings joy. With Yellow, the Canary by her side, Feb discovers that even when life gets hard, there are always moments of happiness and new beginnings.
As wholesome as the storyline sounds, This Could Be Everything was such a comfort to read and I looked forward to opening it up every morning.
10 | The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Centring on another family dynamic, The Paper Palace is a deeply emotional love story that follows the life of Elle Bishop. From recounting her harrowing childhood and teenage years to hiding a passionate love affair while holidaying in Cape Cod with her husband, mother and three children.
The story unfolds over twenty-four hours and fifty years, as Elle’s shocking betrayal leads her to a life-changing decision.
I read this book a few months ago over the course of a week, and I still can’t figure out the ending.
11 | Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
An oldie but a goodie and a book I will read again and again.
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton centres around Nina Dean, a successful food writer living in London. The story picks up on her 32nd birthday and ends a year later on her 33rd birthday. During this year we see Nina online dating, finding love, coping with a family tragedy, struggling with heartbreak as well as friendships ending and dealing with a neighbour from hell.
I binge-read this book over a whole weekend and I was distraught when I read the closing chapter because I didn’t want it to end.
Dolly has a way of nailing the matter-of-fact reactions of everyday situations. For example, how single people are looked at in pity by married couples. So much detail goes into describing the characters, their appearances, their mannerisms, and their conversations that you will begin to compare them to people you actually know.
Ghosts is clever and extremely humorous. You will either laugh out loud or nod your head in agreement because you find it completely and utterly relatable.
Final thoughts
It helps to reduce stress, ease anxious thoughts, boost focus and prepare you for the day ahead. So incorporate these must-reads into your self-care routine and dedicate some time to yourself.
To recap, the best contemporary fiction books to read in 2026 are:
- Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
- Expectation by Anna Hope
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
- This Could Be Everything by Eva Rice
- The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
- Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
I can’t wait to hear which book(s) you end up reading and how it best supports your well-being.
Until next week,
Thalia xx
