15 Fall Must-Reads

October 27, 2021 | By Women Writers Women Books | 1 Reply More

There is nothing better than curling up with a good book as the weather gets colder for the fall season. In case you haven’t already curated your own reading list, we’ve gathered 15 of the best books for you to binge-read this fall that will make you forget about all your responsibilities. This list is not limited to one genre, so do not worry, there is a new favorite book for everyone!

I Was Never the First Lady by Wendy Guerra

Nadia Guerra, whose mother left her when she was just ten years old, is now an adult filled with rebellious and artistic desires. Nadia hopes she has found the ticket to a fresh start when she wins a scholarship to study in Russia. Leaving Cuba, she hopes to find her long lost mother and real father, but the journey leads her to question everything she has ever known. Nadia’s fate becomes entwined with an icon of the Cuban Revolution, and this relationship begins to reveal secrets that Nadia never could have imagined.

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

Avery Spark doesn’t have time for a relationship, and she’s fine with that. She’s far too busy with her friends, family and the family business, Spark House, an event hotel. Avery’s world turns upside down when she gets in a car accident with her friend Declan and needs someone to care for her as she heals. Declan takes on this responsibility and the two discover a romantic spark that’s impossible to ignore. The pair must be careful, because their love is fragile and things from the past could destroy it all.

The Happy Accidents by Jamie Beck

Jessie Clarke, her sister Liz, and their friend Chloe are at a casino celebrating Jessie’s birthday, and they make a pact to accept any adventure that comes their way. They regret making this pact in the morning when all the sudden, Liz’s career and reputation are in question, Chloe’s marriage is unstable, and Jessie is faced with a life-changing decision. The trio struggles to make their way through these situations and all their relationships are put to the test.

Litani by Jess Lourey

Fourteen-year-old Frankie Jubilee is shipped off to Litani, Minnesota to live with her mother in the summer of 1984. Frankie has never really known her mother and has a bad feeling about the town from the moment she arrives. It doesn’t make her feel any better that her mother seems to be in on it – telling her to steer clear of the woods and adults. Frankie always hears locals talking about The Game and one day a group of girls invites her there; she’s so curious that she accepts the invitation. She gains an immense sense of paranoia, and it seems everyone else in the community does too. Has Frankie been living among monsters the entire time?

Trashlands by Alison Stine

After generations of destroying the environment, Global powers decided to take sustainability seriously and not allow any more plastic to be produced. This makes the plastic thrown in the trash extremely valuable: trash = currency. Coral’s job is to collect plastic from wherever she can find it, and she is trying to save up enough to get her son out of working at the recycling factory. The daily routine changes when a reporter from another city approaches Coral with an opportunity that could turn her life upside down.

Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Ansley prides herself in being a reliable mother, so when her daughter Caroline and her husband reveal to her that they are divorcing and their fifteen-year-old daughter, Vivi, begins acting out, Ansley offers to take care of Vivi for the holidays. Ansley and her husband, Jack, were planning to vacation to avoid an incoming hurricane, and take Vivi with them. Vivi’s antics force the trio to stay in Peachtree Bluff. As the hurricane hits, Ansley’s daughters take it upon themselves to rescue the trio and the destroyed town. They set sail on Caroline’s boat.

The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi

Rae Langdon is grieving while living and working with her father, Connor, on their run down, forty-acre Ohio farm when she decides to house Quinn Galecki, a teenager, from the harsh winter they’re facing. Quinn’s parents kicked out their son and now that he has found a new temporary home, he also discovers his two new roommates to have a similar past. They understand each other. Grieving Rae realizes she needs to confront her past and fight for Quinn – but will his parents allow it?

A Day Like This by Kelley McNeil

Annie Beyers seems to have everything she could have ever wanted. This all changes when one day, Annie wakes up in the hospital after a devastating car accident. The first thing she does is ask for her daughter, Hannah, and is shocked to hear everyone saying that Annie never had a daughter. This isn’t the only thing that seems to have changed, though. It seems as if five whole years of Annie’s life have gone missing.

The London House by Katherine Reay

Caroline Payne’s world is turned upside down when she gets a call from an old friend and historian who informs her that her British great-aunt betrayed the country and her family to marry her German lover in World War II. Caroline feels that she must get to the bottom of this and save her family’s reputation, so she goes to their ancestral home in London where she uncovers revealing diaries written by her great-aunt and grandmother. Was Caroline’s great-aunt really a traitor or was this a misunderstanding? The truth comes out when Caroline reads about one fateful night in 1941.

Couples Wanted by Briana Cole

Newlyweds Bridget and Roman want to make sure their relationship stays exciting. When they meet another couple, Corinne and Patrick, they instantly hit it off. They decide to swap spouses for just one thrilling night and Bridget and Roman feel closer than ever. The couple thinks this is a harmless sort of fling – until the other couple starts wanting more from Bridget and Roman than they ever wanted to agree to. They are pushed the edge and must uncover what the true intentions of Corinne and Patrick, or they won’t have anything left.

These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall

Mickie Lambert created “digital scrapbooks” for a living, it’s a way for her clients to cherish their memories forever. When one of her clients, Nadia, commits suicide, Mickie takes it upon herself to honor the woman’s last wish and collect twelve mementos from her Nadia’s life. Mickie thinks this is a harmless and kind act, until she starts receiving threating messages instructing her to stop digging into Nadia’s past. This only makes Mickie more curious, and she is determined to get to the bottom of it, which leads her to a long-dormant serial killer and secrets she never could have imagined.

The Mad Women’s Ball by Victoria Mas

Dr. Charcot shocks all of Paris with his hypnotism on women who have been labeled as mad. Although they have been cast out from society, these women may not be mad at all. The Mad Women’s Ball is the annual event where the “normal” people come to watch the women from the institution, dressed up for their only night of hope all year. A senior nurse at the asylum does not believe in religion and has placed her faith in science and Dr. Charcot. Everything changes when a 19-year-old girl, Eugenie, is admitted to the asylum. She sees spirits.

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

Alice meets Felix and asks him if he would like to travel to Rome together. Meanwhile, her best friend, Eileen, starts flirting with Simon, a forever friend. The four young people are infatuated with each other. They get together and break apart, have sex, and worry about everything together. They wonder if they are trapped in a world with no good, or if there is hope for a beautiful world.

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

A serial killer is making his way across the Midwest in the summer of 1958. Everyone thinks nothing bad can happen to them, including Michael Jensen, journalist, and son of the sheriff. Until the Carlson family is murdered in their home. Michael steers clear of the investigation but gets sucked in when the main suspect decides she will only confess her version of the story to him. It is now up to Michael to find out what really happened, and how this fifteen-year-old girl is the prime suspect, in the middle of it all.

On Location by Sarah Echavarre Smith

Alia Dunn finally gets to start working on her dream project and produce a series about Utah’s national parks. She meets her first crew member, Drew, and the chemistry between them is undeniable, leading to major romantic feelings between the pair. After the series host goes rouge, she needs Drew’s help to save it all. It’s risky, but if she can make it happen, she will end up with her dream guy and her dream project completed.