Books To Read if You Love Sally Rooney

For original fans of Sally Rooney, Conversation with Friends is an old classic. Rooney’s debut novel focuses on Frances, a sharp and introspective college student, and her best friend Bobbi. Their lives become entwined with an older, married couple, Melissa and Nick, as they engage in an intricate dance of attraction, betrayal, and self-discovery. Through nuanced dialogue and keen observation, Rooney explores themes of love, power dynamics, and the complexities of human connection against the backdrop of contemporary Dublin.

Kiley Reid’s second novel, set at the University of Arkansas, delves into themes of money, class, and power dynamics within academia. Revolving around three main characters: Millie, an ambitious resident assistant; Agatha, a visiting professor researching attitudes towards money; and Kennedy Archer, a wealthy student, Reid weaves these characters’ lives together, exploring how their differing economic backgrounds and personal goals create complex interactions and conflicts. Known for her keen social observations — much like Sally Rooney — Reid examines contemporary issues through compelling storytelling. Distinct, sharp, and incredibly nuanced, Reid — as with all of her books — expertly captures the subtleties of human relationships against a backdrop of broader social issues.

Centered on Cam, a young gay man grappling with the loss of his former partner, Kai, Famil Meal follows Cam as he navigates his grief and reconnects with Kai’s mother, Chloe, who is also struggling to cope with her son’s death. Despite their initial awkwardness and resentment, Cam and Chloe gradually form a tenuous bond through shared meals and memories of Kai. Like Sally Rooney’s books, Bryan Washington artfully delves into the complexities of romantic relationships, chosen families, and how sexuality and cultural identity play an enormous role in who we are, who we become, and who we love.

The Rachel Incident, like Sally Rooney’s novels, provides an intimate portrait of young friendship and love and the durability of loyalty and trust amidst life’s twists and turns. In O’Donoghue’s novel, Rachel meets James, and the course of their lives changes forever — the two flit through Cork, eyeing crushes, worrying about bills, and capturing one another in a lifelong friendship. When Rachel meets her professor, Fred Byrne, however, James and Rachel’s relationship takes yet another turn, and together the two are forced to navigate unrequited love, secrets, morality, and more — all while grappling with who they are, and want to become.

A stunning, intricate novel that weaves together romance, technology, and self-discovery in a contemporary world where digital and real-life interactions blur, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, like Sally Rooney’s novels, invites readers into the intimate fears, vulnerabilities, and desires of several young people whose lives are all deeply intertwined. Full of friendship, romance, and even business, Gabrielle’s novel is an engrossing, fast-paced work of literary genius that takes readers into unknown worlds full of hopes and dreams, romance, and deep heartbreak, while bringing readers into the most universal story for all: the desire to be seen, loved, and accepted by those we cherish most.

Popkey’s debut novel is a compelling exploration of the protagonist’s life through a series of conversations spanning two decades. Much like Sally Rooney’s work, the novel captures the intricacies of female friendships and the evolution of personal identity, diving into discussions about desire, ambition, and the complexities of navigating social expectations and personal growth. Sharp and incisive, Topics of Conversation brings readers into the fold of the narrator’s most pressing questions about life and meaning, which causes readers to consider their own deepest questions in a thoughtful, thrilling way.

Ghosts, a stunning novel by Dolly Alderton, is incredibly reminiscent of Sally Rooney’s work. Nina Dean, a cookbook author who relishes in her singlehood, meets who she thinks might be the love of her life on a dating app. That is until he ghosts her. Facing the sudden loss of a newfound interest and happiness, Nina is left to grapple with all the things she’d once before left in the shadows — changing friendships, career aspirations, and aging parents. Like Sally Rooney’s work, Ghosts expertly reveals the uncertainties of dating, career, and self-identity, painting a relatable and poignant picture of the struggles and triumphs of contemporary adulthood, delving into themes of loneliness, connection, and personal evolution.

A deeply affecting and emotionally charged novel, A Little Life follows four college friends — Jude, Willem, JB, and Malcolm — as they navigate the complexities of their adult lives in New York City. Focusing primarily on Jude St. Francis and his harrowing past, A Little Life — though much heavier in content than Sally’s books — explores themes of trauma, friendship, and the enduring impact of unresolved pain. Throughout Jude’s harrowing life, readers are brought into the inner fold of his truest desires and fears, all of which center around love, acceptance, and connection — and the limits of human endurance.

For readers who loved Normal People, and the exploration of class and identity on the inner workings of deeply intimate and personal relationships, Americanah by the lauded Chimamanda is a perfect next read. This novel traces the lives of Ifemelu and Obinze, childhood sweethearts from Nigeria who face challenges and transformation as they emigrate — Ifemelu to the United States and Obinze to the UK. Through their parallel journeys, Adichie explores themes of race, identity, and cultural assimilation, offering a rich commentary on the immigrant experience and the search for self within different socio-political landscapes.

When Catalina is admitted to Harvard, it feels like the fulfillment of destiny: a miracle child escapes death in Latin America, moves to Queens to be raised by her undocumented grandparents, and becomes one of the chosen. But nothing is simple for Catalina, least of all her own complicated, contradictory, ruthlessly probing mind.  Prash and daring, part campus novel, part hagiography, part pop song, Catalina is unlike any coming-of-age novel you’ve ever read — and Catalina, bright and tragic, circled by a nimbus of chaotic energy, driven by a wild heart, is a character you will never forget.