Books like…

Books Like Message in a Bottle

by Nicholas Sparks · about this book

Loved Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks? If its romance, female lead and emotional hooked you, these 20 books hit the same notes — starting with The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, When He Was Wicked and How to Read a Book. Every pick is matched by what’s actually inside the book, not just its genre, and we skip other books by the same author so you find someone new.

What’s inside Message in a Bottle: Romance · Female Lead · Emotional · Grief Over a Spouse · Widowed Protagonist

1. 

   The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

   Gabrielle Zevin

   Widowed Protagonist · Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional

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2. 

   When He Was Wicked

   Julia Quinn

   Widowed Protagonist · Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional

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3. 

   How to Read a Book

   Monica Wood

   Widowed Protagonist · Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Emotional · Bittersweet

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4. 

   A Man Called Ove

   Fredrik Backman

   Widowed Protagonist · Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional

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5. 

   The Room on Rue Amelie

   Kristin Harmel

   Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Emotional · Bittersweet · Romance

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6. 

   The Time Traveler's Wife

   Audrey Niffenegger

   Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Romance · Emotional · Bittersweet

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7. 

   The Reading List

   Sara Nisha Adams

   Widowed Protagonist · Death of a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional · Tearjerker

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8. 

   Broken Country

   Clare Leslie Hall

   Second Chance Romance · Bittersweet · Emotional · Romance · Female Lead

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9. 

   A Love Letter to Whiskey

   Kandi Steiner

   Second Chance Romance · Emotional · Bittersweet · Romance · Female Lead

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10. 

    A Lady's Guide to Scandal

    Sophie Irwin

    Widowed Protagonist · Second Chance Romance · Romance · Female Lead · Slow Burn Romance

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11. 

    Almost Life

    Kiran Millwood Hargrave

    Second Chance Romance · Bittersweet · Romance · Emotional · Female Lead

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12. 

    To the Sky Kingdom

    Tang Qi, Tang Qi Gong Zi

    Second Chance Romance · Bittersweet · Romance · Emotional · Female Lead

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13. 

    The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

    Taylor Jenkins Reid

    Death of a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional · Female Lead · Romance

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14. 

    Remarkably Bright Creatures

    Shelby Van Pelt

    Widowed Protagonist · Bittersweet · Emotional · Female Lead · Small Town

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15. 

    Ruthless Vows

    Rebecca Ross

    Second Chance Romance · Bittersweet · Romance · Emotional · Female Lead

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16. 

    The Bone Maker

    Sarah Beth Durst

    Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Emotional · Female Lead · Hopeful

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17. 

    The Dog Stars

    Peter Heller

    Death of a Spouse · Grief Over a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional · Hopeful

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18. 

    The Last Devil to Die

    Richard Osman

    Grief Over a Spouse · Death of a Spouse · Bittersweet · Emotional · Small Town

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19. 

    Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

    Jesse Q. Sutanto

    Widowed Protagonist · Grief Over a Spouse · Female Lead · Emotional · Hopeful

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20. 

    The Ex Hex

    Erin Sterling

    Second Chance Romance · Romance · Female Lead · Rekindled Romance · American South

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