Books Like The Guardian

Loved The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks? If its romance, emotional and small town hooked you, these 20 books hit the same notes — starting with The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, How to Read a Book and The Life List. 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 The Guardian: Romance · Emotional · Small Town · Female Lead · Contemporary Fiction

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
Gabrielle Zevin

Second Chances · Tearjerker · Death of a Spouse · Starting Over · Contemporary Fiction

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How to Read a Book
Monica Wood

Starting Over · Death of a Spouse · Women's Fiction · Second Chances · Heartwarming

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The Life List
Lori Nelson Spielman

Starting Over · Women's Fiction · Tearjerker · Contemporary Fiction · Grief and Mourning

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Other Birds
Sarah Addison Allen

Women's Fiction · Starting Over · Contemporary Fiction · American South · Heartwarming

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Becoming Ted
Matt Cain

Starting Over · Second Chances · Marriage in Trouble · Small Town · Contemporary Fiction

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Firefly Lane
Kristin Hannah

Contemporary Fiction · Tearjerker · Grief and Mourning · Death of a Friend · Women's Fiction

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A Man Called Ove
Fredrik Backman

Second Chances · Tearjerker · Starting Over · Death of a Spouse · Contemporary Fiction

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Good Spirits
B.K. Borison

Second Chances · Hopeful · Romance · Heartwarming · Contemporary Fiction

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The Wedding People
Alison Espach

Starting Over · Second Chances · Marriage in Trouble · Contemporary Fiction · Hopeful

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Funny Story
Emily Henry

Starting Over · Small Town · Contemporary Fiction · Heartwarming · Romance

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Remarkably Bright Creatures
Shelby Van Pelt

Second Chances · Small Town · Starting Over · Contemporary Fiction · Emotional

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The Last Letter
Rebecca Yarros

Women's Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Small Town · Tearjerker · Romance

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A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Sangu Mandanna

Second Chances · Starting Over · Heartwarming · Small Town · Hopeful

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The Lost Bookshop
Evie Woods

Women's Fiction · Starting Over · Heartwarming · Contemporary Fiction · Hopeful

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The Dead Don't Dance
Charles Martin

Contemporary Fiction · Small Town · American South · Marriage in Trouble · Grief and Mourning

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The Fault in Our Stars
John Green

Contemporary Fiction · Tearjerker · Death of a Friend · Grief and Mourning · Romance

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Story of My Life
Lucy Score

Starting Over · Small Town · Contemporary Fiction · Heartwarming · Romance

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The Last Lifeboat
Hazel Gaynor

Tearjerker · Women's Fiction · Grief and Mourning · Emotional · Hopeful

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Flock
Kate Stewart

American South · Contemporary Fiction · Small Town · Love Triangle · Romance

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The Pumpkin Spice Café
Laurie Gilmore

Starting Over · Small Town · Contemporary Fiction · Romance · Heartwarming

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