Looking for an unforgettable collection of books similar to The Women by Kristin Hannah? As an award-winning author and longtime blogger, I know how stories can reveal the complexities of long-term female friendships and the deep impact of trauma on their lives. Here are my top three recommendations:
Purge by Sofi Oksanen - a stunning novel about two women in Estonia in 1941 and the way their lives are bound through silence, shame, and betrayal.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - set in New England during the early days of America, a midwife finds herself in the middle of solving a rape and murder.
The Cutting Edge of Friendship by Khristina Chess - a powerful and unflinching novel about friendship, trauma, and healing as two best friends hide dangerous secrets—one about sexual assault and self-harm, and the other unknowingly walking into the predator’s trap.
You’ll find detailed reviews of these and many other favorites below.
There’s something special about friendships between women. Bonds are formed through shared secrets, life experiences, and common enemies, but the nature of friendship relationships is complicated.
So which books like The Women should you read next? Discover your next great read for Friendship Day in this roundup. I’m confident that you’ll find some new books to love.
Purge by Sofi Oksanen
"The only thing left alive was the shame." ― Sofi Oksanen from Purge
I picked up Purge to add to my list of YA books about human trafficking, but this novel is pure literature, a stunning international masterpiece that spans decades of history, generations of pain, and dark twisted family secrets.
Set in Estonia and bouncing between 1941 and 1992, two protagonists tell their tales in a long and dizzying narrative that weaves between present terror and past horror. These women are bound to each other in multiple ways. Their mutual distrust them unreliable narrators, so that only the reader really only has the full picture, and sometimes even that picture is murky.
As I think back on each of these women's experiences, I see so many parallels in what happened to each, even though the details are very different on the surface. For example, both are raped. Both are silenced. Both are shamed. One is betrayed. One is a betrayer.
This is the kind of epic novel that I can think about for a long time and even read again. I missed things and know that I would see even more in a second reading because the book is so sweeping and full of such meaningful symbolism and detail.
If you loved The Women by Kristin Hannah and want another sweeping historical novel, be sure to add Purge to your TBR pile.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
“It’s an unimaginative accusation and one that I am frankly tired of hearing. Witchcraft. As though there is no other explanation for a woman who excels at her work.”― Ariel Lawhon from The Frozen River
What a wonderful book! Historical fiction isn't my usual genre, but the cover and the accolades for "The Frozen River" made me give it a try.
On a high level, this mystery is about a midwife named Martha Ballard. The body of an accused rapist is found frozen in the river, and after examination, Martha says that the victim was murdered. She becomes a key witness in a trial for the woman who was raped because she treated the woman's wounds after the assault. The other accused man is a judge.
This novel has many layers. Beyond the mystery, there is the social commentary on women, family, sexual assault, and society during early days of America in New England. Paul Revere is mentioned as a friend of the family. The author depicts a rich setting of cold winter, warm homes and hearts, young love and pre-marital relationships, and the early court system. I couldn't put it down.
Fans of The Women by Kristin Hannah will love this one.
The Cutting Edge of Friendship by Khristina Chess
“Elana and I had always been as different as horses and helicopters. In an interview for our school paper last year, she described me as a reckless adventurer—audacious, fearless, and running on pure adrenaline—and herself as a hopeless romantic who dreamed of nothing more than a family as big and boring as the Brady Bunch.” ― Khristina Chess from The Cutting Edge of Friendship
Absolutely gripping! For readers drawn to the deep emotional pain that Frankie suffers following her service in Vietnam, The Cutting Edge of Friendship is for you. This realistic novel explores the wounds of self-harm, shame, and redemption following a sexual assault. Sadie’s resilience is fierce and unforgettable, and the book’s raw, unfiltered pain hits hard. This story doesn’t shy away from the truth—it reveals, with painful honesty, how self-harm can become a desperate response to trauma.
From the very first page, it’s clear that although Sadie and Elana have always shared everything, now they’re keeping secrets that could destroy them. On the night of the fireworks, something terrible happened to Sadie—something she can’t even name. Instead, she turns to cutting, the only way she knows to cope.
But Elana has secrets too. She’s been texting Hunter, making plans to meet in secret, and never questioning why he insists on hiding their relationship.
As their lives spiral deeper into danger, Sadie must find the strength to fight back—not just for herself, but for Elana—before a predator can strike again.
I wholeheartedly recommend this poignant novel for readers who loved The Women by Kristin Hananh. It’s definitely worth a look.
The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
“When things come to an end in a way you didn't expect, in a way you never could have imagined, do they really come to an end? Does it mean you should keep searching, for better answers, for ones that don't keep you up at night? Or does it mean it's time to make peace?” ― Monica Hesse from The Girl in the Blue Coat
The Girl in the Blue Coat hooked me from the very beginning. It's a historical mystery, set in Amsterdam during WWII, and the protagonist is a teenage girl who trades black market goods to support her family. One of her clients asks her to help find a missing Jewish girl. Hanneke is good at finding things, but this isn't her kind of thing.
Still, she is drawn into the mystery and can't help herself from searching. As the pages unfold, we learn about Hanneke's lost love, meet new friends, and see her grow as a person.
Sometimes, young Hanneke seems bratty, singularly focused, and unfeeling, but at the same time, her instincts have helped her stay alive this far. If you enjoyed The Women by Kristin Hannah, I think you will love this one too.
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
I have read several of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, and I found this one to be ambitious, compelling, and heartfelt. I learned things about slavery during the American revolutionary war that were new since most literature I've consumed has been during the later period of the civil war. The author’s research into the book made it rich and come alive.
Readers who liked The Women by Kristin Hannah will love this amazing historical YA book about friendship, class difference, race, and slavery in early American history to your reading list. In fact, Laurie Halse Anderson is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
“If there was only one tree like that in the world, you would think it was beautiful. But because there are so many, you just can't see how beautiful it really is.” ― Betty Smith from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I first heard about this book from Oprah Winfrey and picked it up during the book club years. A classic YA novel published in 1943, before YA was really “a thing,” A Tree Grows in Brooklyn tells the story of a poor young girl growing up in Brooklyn, a child of struggling immigrant parents.
This classic historical YA book about immigration, class, and poverty, and Francie, has remained with me for decades. There’s a reason why this novel has stood the test of time. If you liked The Women by Kristin Hannah, you’ll devour this one.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
“I am haunted by humans.” ― Markus Zusak from The Book Thief
No list of historical novels like The Women would be complete without including The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. How could you have missed this one? It has been at the top of the best seller lists for years—and with good reason!
In this historical novel set in Nazi Germany, we meet a young foster girl named Liesel. She’s an orphan. She loves books. She and her foster parents are sheltering a Jewish man in their basement. He also likes to read. A friendship develops between them.
The writing is lovely. Zusak paints Liesel’s world of poverty, anxiety, fear, and grief in shades of stark contrasts. He is both a poet and a novelist.
What a wonderful, heartbreaking, haunting, and gripping story! It makes you really ask deep questions. It’s so beautiful. It’s transformational. It’s the reason why I love books. Fans of The Women by Kristin Hannah will devour this one.
We Walked the Sky by Lisa Fiedler
“The show must go on, even when it's not the show you expected to be in.” ― Lisa Felder from We Walked the Sky
Fiedler's multi-generational novel really captured and held my interest. Two parallel stories are running: the grandmother, Victoria, is a 16-year-old who runs away and joins the circus in 1965, and her granddaughter, Callie, is a teen who has followed in her circus footsteps, but now finds herself in a new place.
There are mysteries to unravel and friendships to develop. I loved all the circus lore and animals and characters. Really, it was an enchanting story. I want to read more by this author.
When compiling the list of amazing historical novels like The Women, be sure to add this one.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
“Vianne didn’t hesitate. She knew now that no one could be neutral—not anymore—and as afraid as she was of risking Sophie’s life, she was suddenly more afraid of letting her daughter grow up in a world where good people did nothing to stop evil, where a good woman could turn her back on a friend in need." ― Kristin Hannahe from The Nightingale
The Nightingale starts slowly. It takes its time with characterization and setting, but when the Germans invade Paris, the plotting picks up and doesn't stop. Two sisters give their perspective on events as they unfold. Isabelle, the impulsive one, has a heroic story to tell about saving airmen, while her older sister Vianne takes another route that is ultimately heroic in its own right. These women have a complicated family relationship, both with each other and also with their father.
For the last 150 pages, I curled up and cried and cried. Not since Elie Wiesel's "Night" have I been so horrified by the atrocities that the Nazis committed. Kristin Hannah does not flinch as she shows readers the brutality that Jews, French citizens, and allied fighters experienced during World War II. It's unfathomable that humans can inflict such evil on one another. That individuals rose up with such courage is astonishing. Isabella was not even twenty years old when she began her fight. Her sister had much more to lose, as did all the other French citizens who found ways to resist, to save Jewish children as their parents were forced onto trains, and all the others who didn't give up even with starvation, sickness, cold, and great loss.
I can see why books by Kristin Hannah top the bestseller lists! The Nightingale was my introduction to this author, and it’s one of those books that will keep me thinking for a long time.
Other Books You’ll Devour If You Liked The Women by Kristin Hannah
If you’re looking for other books like The Women by Kristin Hannah, Goodreads also offers a great book list: Readers Who Enjoyed The Women. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads.
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.