15 Books for Women, Recommended by Women [2024]

VIA MERCHANT

Recommended by: Kristy Woodson Harvey

Some of the best books for women dive into the thick of complicated marriages, tricky parenting, issues of sexism or racism, work-life balance and even midlife crises. But sometimes all a girl wants is a breezy, escapist summer read. For that, there’s 2002’s Savannah Blues, a razor-sharp, spirited tale of revenge, romance and suspense in Savannah’s historic district.

Why she loves it: “Savannah Blues isn’t one of [Mary Kay Andrews] newest titles, but it was the one that got me hooked on her writing—and one that I recommend to everyone! It’s a classic Mary Kay mix of a plucky, well-developed heroine, a gorgeous Lowcountry setting, a second-chance romance and a whodunit!”

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece, Leandra Beabout tapped her years of experience as a reader and journalist covering the book world, and then Tracey Neithercott, Reader’s Digest Book Editor, gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. For this piece, we relied on reputable primary sources, including women’s fiction authors, a book podcaster and a bookstagrammer. We verified all facts and data and backed them with credible sourcing, and we will revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling women’s fiction author of 11 novels, including The Summer of Songbirds, and co-founder of the weekly podcast Friends & Fiction
Cookie Navarro, the bookstagrammer behind @cookie.the.bookee
Eve J. Chung, a Taiwanese American writer whose debut novel, Daughters of Shandong, comes out in May 2024
Barbara Zito, freelance writer, author and Women’s Fiction Writers Association member whose debut novel, Lucky Stiff, was published in 2023
Washington Post: “‘Take My Hand’ exposes a dark episode in American history”
New York Times: “A Stirring Family Saga Tells a Taboo History of Vietnam”