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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,627 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Lions Of Fifth Avenue

Jennifer Wilck Why did I love this book?

I loved the characters—especially the strong women—and didn't want to stop reading.

The plot with the dual timeline was fascinating. I learned about the hidden apartment in the New York Public Library, which is already a place I love, and it made me want to go back there to explore.

The relationships in the book were complex and well-drawn, like characters I love to write and like people I enjoy talking to in real life.

It's a great book and a compelling story!

By Fiona Davis,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Lions Of Fifth Avenue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick and a New York Times bestseller!
 
“A page-turner for booklovers everywhere! . . . A story of family ties, their lost dreams, and the redemption that comes from discovering truth.”—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife 

In New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis's latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.

It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life—her husband is the superintendent of the New…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Murder of Mr. Wickham

Jennifer Wilck Why did I love this book?

I’m a big Jane Austin fan, so I loved how the writer took all of the characters from the different books, put them together in a house party, and then killed one off.

The two sleuths were terrific, and I loved their diversity that she created. Diversity is important to me as a Jewish author of Jewish romances, so that aspect really appealed to me.

The mystery was well done, and I hope she has a sequel coming because I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to read more from her.

By Claudia Gray,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Murder of Mr. Wickham as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A summer house party turns into a thrilling whodunit when Jane Austen's Mr. Wickham—one of literature’s most notorious villains—meets a sudden and suspicious end in this brilliantly imagined mystery featuring Austen’s leading literary characters.

“Had Jane Austen sat down to write a country house murder mystery, this is exactly the book she would have written.” —Alexander McCall Smith

     The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a party at their country estate, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Yours Truly

Jennifer Wilck Why did I love this book?

This book and the characters stuck with me long after I put it down.

The characters were vividly drawn and three-dimensional. The story was filled with emotion, and it was just so much fun to read.

It truly made me forget everything around me, and I couldn’t wait to read!

By K.J. Pierce,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Yours Truly as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Once-in-a-lifetime catering gig? Check
Best friend to share it with? Check
Daily sightings of her celebrity crush? Check

What could possibly go wrong?

Izzie Greene liked her life just as it was, thank you very much. She was perfectly content working as a caterer on the set of Poe, the top-rated T.V. show in the U.S. There, she could blend with the background and quietly enjoy catching glimpses of Scottish heartthrob, Cardwell Bennett.

Unfortunately, her life took a sharp left turn when one slip-up in front of an unethical paparazzo thrust Izzie into the public eye. Caught in a brutal…


Plus, check out my book…

Home for the Challah Days

By Jennifer Wilck,

Book cover of Home for the Challah Days

What is my book about?

When big-city advocate Sarah Abrams returns home for the High Holy Days, she's got a lot on her mind--especially whether to marry her perfect-on-paper boyfriend.

The last person she wants to encounter is Aaron Isaacson, her first love and the one who broke her heart. But after Aaron and Sarah join forces to fight an act of hate, it's clear that their deep connection never abated.

If only they could forgive one another for the past...in time for a sweet new start!