Authors Like Kristin Hannah (11 Book Recommendations)

If you are familiar with the works of Kristin Hannah, then you will know that she is an incredibly talented and versatile author.

Authors Like Kristin Hannah (11 Book Recommendations)

With books that are aimed at women, Kristin Hannah has dabbled in both the historical and contemporary fiction genre, and in both styles of writing, her novels have been met with great success.

Not only have Kristin Hannah’s novels become incredibly popular throughout her writing career, but they have also been picked up and adapted for the big screen.

One of her most famous novels, Firefly Lane, was picked up by Netflix and released in 2021 to much success, with a second series due to be released in 2023.

Firefly Lane is an excellent example of Kristin Hannah’s works as a contemporary novelist, and her historical fiction novels are just as good. One of her most successful novels is The Nightingale, which is set at the beginning of World War 2 in France.

The success of both of these novels just proves how talented an author Kristin Hannah is. Thankfully, if you are a big fan of Kristin Hannah’s works, then there are plenty of other authors out there who write similarly.

For both historic and contemporary fiction, there are lots of other authors out there whose work you can sink your teeth into.

No matter whether you are a huge fan of Kristin Hannah’s contemporary works or her historical fiction, there are lots of authors out there who write similarly – including Chanel Cleeton, Taylor Jenkins-Reid, and Kate Quinn. Read on to find out where to start.

Books By Kristin Hannah

Books By Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah’s first novel, A Handful of Heaven, was published in 1991 and since then a wealth of novels has followed. Unlike most writers, the wide majority of Kristin Hannah’s works are standalone novels, and she only has one book series to her name.

Across her novels, there are a variety of different themes, and these themes differ depending on whether the novel is a work of historical or contemporary fiction.

But all of her works are incredibly immersive and they are real page-turners, and this is what has led so many of them to become bestsellers worldwide.

Girls Of Firefly Lane Series

As you know, Kristin Hannah has only ever written one series of novels, and that is the Girls of Firefly Lane Series. The first novel in the series, Firefly Lane, was published in 2009, with a sequel, Fly Away, published in 2014.

These books were met with success upon their initial release and were met with a second wind when the Netflix adaptation of the books was released in 2021. The Girls of Firefly Lane series is a story of friendship and this is clear throughout the entire novel.

But there are lots of other themes throughout the novel, including darker themes of abuse, abandonment, betrayal, and jealousy. As well as lighter themes of love, family, forgiveness, dreams, and hope.

Standalone Novels

Kristin Hannah’s standalone novels can be divided into one of two categories: historical fiction and contemporary fiction. However, across all of her novels, the themes remain fairly similar.

Some of the most common themes in her novels are heartbreak, betrayal, love, compassion, war, and survival.

Contemporary Fiction

The most famous contemporary fiction novels that Kristin Hannah has written are easily The Girls of Firefly Lane series. However, she has written plenty of other contemporary fiction novels throughout her career too.

Some of Kristin Hannah’s most popular contemporary novels include: Magic Hour (2006), The Things We Do For Love (2009), and Night Road (2011).

Historical Fiction

The vast majority of Kristin Hannah’s standalone novels are historical fiction. Undoubtedly the most famous book of hers in this genre is The Nightingale (2017) which is based on World War Two.

For fans of The Nightingale (2017), some other novels of Kristin Hannah’s which are very similar include: The Four Winds (2021), Winter Garden (2010), and The Great Alone (2019).

Authors Like Kristin Hannah

As Kristin Hannah specializes in both historical and contemporary fiction, there are plenty of authors out there that are perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah.

So if you find that you’ve flown through Kristin Hannah’s novels, there are plenty of other books out there to sink your teeth into. Some of the best options include the following…

Chanel Cleeton

A Wild Aces Romance

Chanel Cleeton is an author who is originally from Florida. Her family came from Cuba, and she grew up on stories about the Cuban Revolution. These stories have heavily influenced the novels that she has written during her career.

Her passions for history and politics are evident in her writing, and this is what makes her novels so similar to the works of Kristin Hannah.

Just like Kristin Hannah, Chanel Cleeton has focused her writing efforts on two genres: contemporary and historical fiction. Some of her most popular contemporary works include The Wild Aces series, The Capital Confessions series, and Between Shadows (2016).

The Wild Aces series focuses on a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who falls in love with a girl he meets in Las Vegas. The Capital Confessions series is a spicier series, focused on three sisters, the secrets they keep, and their connections to scandal.

While “Between Shadows” is another passionate novel focused on a female assassin. Some of her most popular historical fiction novels include Next Year in Havana (2018), The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba (2021), and The Last Train to Key West (2020).

As you can see by the names of these novels, they are all influenced by the author’s Cuban heritage, and all-star a strong female lead on a journey. As Chanel Cleeton works in both historical and contemporary fiction, her works cover a wide variety of different themes.

The majority of her novels focus on a strong female lead and are praised for the female empowerment that they offer. Some of the other themes covered across all of her books include discovery, adventure, courage, family, and lots more.

Pros

  • Writes both historical and contemporary fiction.
  • A wide range of novels are available to read, and more are set to be released.
  • Well-researched historical fiction is incredibly immersive. 

Cons

  • Fewer published works than Kristin Hannah.

Themes: Romance, Power, Identity, Discovery, Adventure

Taylor Jenkins-Reid

Forever, Interrupted: A Novel

Taylor Jenkins-Reid is an author who has been writing for quite a few years, but she really became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With more people reading due to the increased amount of spare time that they had, Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s novels began to circulate heavily all over the world.

Despite only having a small back catalog, she has become one of the most popular authors on GoodReads, BookTok, and Bookstagram too.

Of all Kristin Hannah’s books, Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s novels are most like The Girls of Firefly Lane series and Kristin Hannah’s other contemporary books . So, if you were a huge fan of these novels, we’re sure you’ll adore Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s novels.

Her earlier works were fairly traditional contemporary romance. Forever Interrupted (2013) tells the tale of a female lead trying to navigate grief and the healing process, paralleling the romance of the couple at the heart of the story.

Maybe in Another Life (2015), After I Do (2014), and One True Loves (2016) are all fairly similar in terms of writing style.

The release of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) saw Taylor Jenkins-Reid take her writing style in a different direction, and it is this novel that really made her popular.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a work of genius, mixing old-Hollywood glamor with themes of love, friendship, and heartbreak.

It has been praised by the LGBTQ+ community for its representation, and it is the perfect book to read if you loved Firefly Lane. Through her novels, Taylor Jenkins-Reid has covered all sorts of different themes.

At the heart of each novel, there is a focus on love, whether that be familial love or romantic love. But she also covers topics such as heartbreak, grief, betrayal, star-crossed lovers, and loyalty – despite her book catalog containing no more than 10 novels.

Pros

  • Immersive writing style.
  • Excellent representation of different minority communities.
  • Novels that you won’t be able to put down.

Cons

  • Small back catalog of books available to read.

Themes: Romance, Heartbreak, Grief, Identity, Loneliness

Final Thoughts

Kristin Hannah is a truly versatile author and that is evident in the wealth of novels that she has written during her career. With some excellent contemporary fiction novels and plenty of historical fiction novels, there is something for everyone in Kristin Hannah’s book catalog.

With an author as talented as Kristin Hannah, it can be difficult to find other writers who can produce works that are quite as good as Kristin Hannah’s.

But if you love any of Kristin Hannah’s novels, we are confident that you will be a big fan of the works of both Chanel Cleeton and Taylor Jenkins-Reid.

If you are thinking of branching out into one of these authors, check out this guide for all the information you need about where to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

In What Order Should I Read Kristin Hannah’s Novels?

Aside from ensuring that you read Fly Away after Firefly Lane, you can read Kristin Hannah’s novels in any order as they are all standalone novels. 

What Kind of Books Does Kristin Hannah Write?

Kristin Hannah primarily focuses her writing on the historical and contemporary fiction genres, and most of her books have romantic undertones and twists.

YouTube video
Emiko Watanabe