100 books like Love Untold

By Ruth Jones,

Here are 100 books that Love Untold fans have personally recommended if you like Love Untold. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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

Book cover of I Don't Know How She Does It: A Comedy about Failure, a Tragedy about Success

Kendra Smith Author Of Everything Has Changed

From my list on family drama and romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing about motherhood, family, love, loss, and finding yourself for over fifteen years. I have been a journalist, wife, mother-of-three-boys (yes, that’s one word), aerobics teacher, puppy wrestler, and novelist. Being a novelist is by far the hardest job but it’s the most rewarding. (OK, boys, no – motherhood is really.) I enjoy reading stories about family, love, and relationships in all their guises, good, bad, and messy, just like life – and I’m keen to write stories that readers will remember too. My latest book is about two sisters who, after a car crash, are affected differently, yet both are on a journey for the truth. 

Kendra's book list on family drama and romance

Kendra Smith Why did Kendra love this book?

If there was ever a book that inspired me to write, it’s this!

Pearson captures the push-pull of motherhood and trying to have a career and the fragile relationship with Kate Reddy and her husband so well.

This book ‘talked’ to me as a mother and journalist and was one of the most ‘real’ books I’d ever read about family dynamics and having young children.

Kate Reddy is a fund manager and a mother of two who is trying to survive in a man’s world. Only she’s a woman! Loved it.

By Allison Pearson,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked I Don't Know How She Does It as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

The prequel to How Hard Can It Be?

Meet Kate Reddy, fund manager and mother of two. Always time-poor, Kate counts seconds like other women count calories. Factor in a manipulative nanny, an Australian boss who looks at Kate's breasts as if they're on special offer, a long-suffering husband, her quietly aghast in-laws, two needy children and an email lover, and you have a woman juggling so many balls that some day something's going to hit the ground.

In an uproariously funny and achingly sad novel, Allison Pearson brilliantly dramatises the dilemma of working motherhood at the…


Book cover of Apples Never Fall

Anne Brooke Author Of Where You Hurt The Most

From my list on couples working through a challenging relationship.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a writer, I’m fascinated by relationships, what makes them work and what might make them fail. And I’ve always been gripped by the power of two people who try to love each other, no matter how different they may be or what obstacles they face. I honestly believe that two people in love are far more than the sum of their parts and can create something magical that wouldn’t have been there without them. So, yes, I’m a romantic at heart but, even in these cynical times, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I hope you love the books on this list as much as I do.

Anne's book list on couples working through a challenging relationship

Anne Brooke Why did Anne love this book?

I love this book as it’s about a marriage in crisis and it shows the complete power that those we love most can hold over us.

I also loved the fascinating insight into the world of tennis as both main characters are tennis coaches – and I’ve always enjoyed Wimbledon! I thought the family dynamics and the push-and-pull of who to trust and why was utterly gripping.

I also loved how the way other people see the marriage is so completely different to how Stan and Joy, the husband and wife, see it. There are different versions of truth and, somehow, the one that carries the most love is the most important of all.

By Liane Moriarty,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Apples Never Fall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 New York Times Bestseller

From Liane Moriarty, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, a novel that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.

The Delaney family love one another dearly―it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other . . .

If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father?

This is the dilemma facing the four grown Delaney siblings.

The Delaneys are fixtures in…


Book cover of One Plus One

Julie Shackman Author Of A Secret Scottish Escape

From my list on romance books with an irresistible hero.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a feel-good romance author from Scotland, published with the HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter. I trained as a journalist and studied Communication and Media, but I always wanted to write romance novels. When I’m not doing that, I write verses and captions for greeting card companies. I’m also a huge music fan, which gave me the idea for my first published novel with One More Chapter, A Secret Scottish Escape.

Julie's book list on romance books with an irresistible hero

Julie Shackman Why did Julie love this book?

I am a huge fan of JoJo Moyes, and this book was so beautifully crafted, I could see it running through my head like a movie.

Ed Nicholls is the personification of the saying, “Not all superheroes wear capes.” Despite his own troubles, he makes sure he’s there for others when they need him. He has a dry wit, too. He’s adorable!

By Jojo Moyes,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked One Plus One as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One single mom. One chaotic family. One quirky stranger. One irresistible love story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied, and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can't afford to pay for. That's Jess's life in a nutshell-until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess's knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has…


Book cover of This Holey Life

Kendra Smith Author Of Everything Has Changed

From my list on family drama and romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing about motherhood, family, love, loss, and finding yourself for over fifteen years. I have been a journalist, wife, mother-of-three-boys (yes, that’s one word), aerobics teacher, puppy wrestler, and novelist. Being a novelist is by far the hardest job but it’s the most rewarding. (OK, boys, no – motherhood is really.) I enjoy reading stories about family, love, and relationships in all their guises, good, bad, and messy, just like life – and I’m keen to write stories that readers will remember too. My latest book is about two sisters who, after a car crash, are affected differently, yet both are on a journey for the truth. 

Kendra's book list on family drama and romance

Kendra Smith Why did Kendra love this book?

A more measured read than the above two authors, but I loved it just the same and it tackles family dysfunction with humour and grace.

Vicky is a curate’s wife but she’s not as keen on finding God as her partner. She’s also a mother of three who has to deal with her brother coming to stay with his teenage son.

Written in diary style, you connect with Vicky’s struggles – sometimes they seem a bit far-fetched but you warm to the main character and have a few chuckles along the way. 

By Sophie Duffy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked This Holey Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sophie Duffy is a real find. Sharp as a tack. Laurie Graham

By turns deeply moving and funny, the narrative zips along in an appealing and spirited voice. Kate Long

 ... that was the point at which I should've put my foot down. Stamped it hard. Stopped the past repeating itself. But what did I do? I did what Mum used to do in times of crisis. I left the room and went to put the kettle on.' 

Vicky is a reluctant curate's wife, struggling to come to terms with her own bereavement and her husband's new-found faith. Then, one…


Book cover of Ham on Rye

James Tyler Ball Author Of Matita: The Tragic Tale of a Writer's Pencil

From my list on the outrageous but still have serious meaning.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by absurdist comedy and ideas for as long as I can remember. At sixteen, I wrote my first book, Mr A, which followed a man who would turn into a superhero after taking LSD and his talking dog. As an adult, I continue to revel in these types of stories. I brought this passion to my chart-topping debut non-fiction book, where I interviewed several people who believe McDonald’s has interdimensional properties. Now, I hold no bars in fiction writing, having authored a ‘genius of a book’ that follows a talking pencil.

James' book list on the outrageous but still have serious meaning

James Tyler Ball Why did James love this book?

Many of us writers are subject to the terrible cliché of substance abuse, none so much as Charles Bukowski. Having dabbled in the debauched myself, Ham on Rye sadly reflects what life could be like if the idiocy of adolescence continues into adulthood. This book is hilarious, vulgar, shocking, and oddly insightful. Not only is this my favourite Bukowski book, but it’s the book that introduced me to his work and changed my writing forever.

By Charles Bukowski,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Ham on Rye as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INTRODUCTION BY RODDY DOYLE

'He brought everyone down to earth, even the angels' LEONARD COHEN

Charles Bukowski is one of the greatest authors of the twentieth century. The autobiographical Ham on Rye is widely considered his finest novel. A classic of American literature, it offers powerful insight into his youth through the prism of his alter-ego Henry Chinaski, who grew up to be the legendary Hank Chinaski of Post Office and Factotum.


Book cover of Now and on Earth

Jim Miller Author Of Drift

From my list on urban wandering and subterranean history.

Why am I passionate about this?

I teach literature, Labor Studies, and writing at San Diego City College and have written three San Diego-based novels: Drift, Flash, and Last Days in Ocean Beach, along with Under the Perfect Sun: The San Diego Tourists Never See, a radical history of San Diego that I co-wrote with Mike Davis and Kelly Mayhew. Both as a writer and as a daily wanderer on the streets of San Diego, I have a passion for the psychogeography of the city space and a deep curiosity for and love of the people I encounter there.

Jim's book list on urban wandering and subterranean history

Jim Miller Why did Jim love this book?

Jim Thompson’s novel is arguably San Diego’s greatest classic noir work.

While not a crime novel, it captures wartime San Diego through the glass darkly, and I was moved and unsettled by Thompson’s unsparing forays into the alienation of those who were the most exploited in the city.

By Jim Thompson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Now and on Earth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

San Diego in the years before World War II. James Dillon is barely scraping by working a menial job in manufacturing, trying to raise a family and support his elderly mother and sister Frankie at the same time. He drinks too hard -- just like his father and nearly everyone in his extended family. With so many people crammed into one home, sometimes there's so much fighting he can barely stand it. But if James can survive the chaos of everyday life long enough, maybe -- just maybe -- there's a chance it'll all get better.

Now and on Earth,…


Book cover of Drop The Rock: Removing Character Defects - Steps Six and Seven

Shelly Marshall Author Of Escaping Myself: Lee B's Biography, a true story of sobriety and his best tall tales

From my list on turning sobriety into a super power.

Why am I passionate about this?

Most drunks struggle to accept that they have a disease called “alcoholism” and feel shame, intertwined with fear, having to admit it. I, on the other hand, embraced it. Being alcoholic meant I wasn’t “crazy” after all like Grandma. At 21, I embraced the disease along with 12 Step recovery, thanking my lucky stars that there was something I could do about my chaotic hippied lifestyle. “Don’t pick up the first fix, pill, or drink and you can’t get drunk.” Could the solution be so simple? It is. From the moment I set down the drink and drugs, I knew I had to share this amazing revelation with others and my writing career began.

Shelly's book list on turning sobriety into a super power

Shelly Marshall Why did Shelly love this book?

One alcoholic helping another is the way the 12 Step program works.

This book explores Steps 6 and 7 from the personal experiences of others in recovery. It helped me examine my defects, you know, the rocks I held that were sinking me. But I am not alone in my quest to drop these rocks.

This book includes personal stories that let me know how others have overcome the same roadblocks as myself. They talk to me, addressing my need to spiritually surrender my shortcomings. Various insights help contribute to my sobriety which, after all, is what I strive for in a clean and sober life.

By Bill P., Todd Weber, Sara S.

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Drop The Rock as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A practical guide to letting go of the character defects that get in the way of true and joyful recovery.

Resentment. Fear. Self-Pity. Intolerance. Anger. As Bill P. explains, these are the "rocks" that can sink recovery--or at the least, block further progress. Based on the principles behind Steps Six and Seven, Drop the Rock combines personal stories, practical advice, and powerful insights to help readers move forward in recovery. The second edition features additional stories and a reference section.


Book cover of Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book

Margarette Allyn Author Of Running from Yesterday: A True Story of Hope, Courage and Love

From my list on making it fun to be a better person.

Why am I passionate about this?

One of the most important lessons I learned from my grandma is that children have no fear or self-doubt unless they are taught to have these feelings, and then it's a choice to continue to believe in self-doubt. However, I was paralyzed by it after her death. I stopped being a carefree kid and started living through emotional survival. I lived a life of physical, mental, and emotional turmoil, and by a miracle, I was spared and given a chance to change it all. I am a dancer, writer, performer, and speaker, following every dream I've had. 

Margarette's book list on making it fun to be a better person

Margarette Allyn Why did Margarette love this book?

I sat on a twin bed in rehab, turned to the back of the book, one of the personal stories published in the book, and felt like the narrator came out of the book, sat across from me, and told me her story.

Bill W. and Dr. Bob started a miracle fellowship that led millions like me to recover. However, every chapter in the book can be anyone’s story. Unfortunately, many people feel that if they don't have a drug or alcohol problem, then they have “no problems.” 

I read every story; I wanted to believe I had a chance if these people had straightened out their lives and were happy about it. In the beginning, the chapters were tough-hitting in defining how we honestly forget humility, gratitude, and simple service that leads to fulfilling lives.

I can read this book over and over again, and I do. 

By Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Alcoholics Anonymous (also known as the Big Book in recovery circles) sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease.

The fourth edition includes twenty-four new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in A.A. during the early years of the 21st century. Sixteen stories are retained from the third edition, including the "Pioneers of A.A." section, which helps the reader remain linked to A.A.'s historic roots, and shows how early members applied this simple but profound program that helps alcoholics get sober today.…


Book cover of Stop Drinking Now

Dustin Dunbar Author Of You're Doing Great!: And Other Lies Alcohol Told Me

From my list on Groundbreaking books on how to control alcohol.

Why am I passionate about this?

I vowed at a young age to never drink alcohol. I dove headfirst into psychology, earning a doctorate and I believed generational alcohol chains were broken. I became the "LA Shrink" and "Life Coach" on some pretty cool TV pilots! But life threw me a curveball, and after two decades of moderate, responsible drinking, I found myself addicted to alcohol. However, I cured it, and I've been passionately helping others do the same. I'm now a coach at WearetheAFR.org, an amazing nonprofit community dedicated to supporting individuals with alcohol addictions. My journey is filled with passion, resilience, and joy. I'm living proof that it's possible.

Dustin's book list on Groundbreaking books on how to control alcohol

Dustin Dunbar Why did Dustin love this book?

This book revolutionized the way I perceived alcohol addiction. It presented a groundbreaking view that alcohol is just as addictive as tobacco, affecting everyone.

The Easyway method breathed new life into curing my old belief that alcohol was addictive to only a select few. I felt inspired to break free from the clutches of alcohol because I realized I was not defective and that there is a full easy cure, just like a past cigarette smoker.

I love this book for its revolutionary approach and the genuine hope it offers in ‘easily’ setting us free from the alcohol trap.

By Allen Carr,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Stop Drinking Now as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

READ THIS BOOK NOW AND BECOME A HAPPY NONDRINKER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Allen Carr's Easyway is the most successful stop-smoking method of all time. It has helped millions of smokers from all over the world to quit. In Quit Drinking Without Willpower, Allen Carr's Easyway method has been applied to problem drinking. By explaining why you feel the need to drink and with simple step-by-step instructions to set you free, he shows you how to escape from the alcohol trap.

• A unique method that does not require willpower
• Removes the desire to drink alcohol
•…


Book cover of Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol

Dustin Dunbar Author Of You're Doing Great!: And Other Lies Alcohol Told Me

From my list on Groundbreaking books on how to control alcohol.

Why am I passionate about this?

I vowed at a young age to never drink alcohol. I dove headfirst into psychology, earning a doctorate and I believed generational alcohol chains were broken. I became the "LA Shrink" and "Life Coach" on some pretty cool TV pilots! But life threw me a curveball, and after two decades of moderate, responsible drinking, I found myself addicted to alcohol. However, I cured it, and I've been passionately helping others do the same. I'm now a coach at WearetheAFR.org, an amazing nonprofit community dedicated to supporting individuals with alcohol addictions. My journey is filled with passion, resilience, and joy. I'm living proof that it's possible.

Dustin's book list on Groundbreaking books on how to control alcohol

Dustin Dunbar Why did Dustin love this book?

This book was an absolute joy for me! It was not just a guide; it was a vibrant and relatable companion, filled with wit and unwavering honesty. With every page, it opened up a world of possibilities, offering a roadmap to live my best life, liberated from the suppression of ethanol.

Holly transformed the way I viewed the drinking culture, and the journey it took me on was utterly exhilarating. I adore this book for its genuine approach and the sheer excitement it brought for me to embrace an alcohol-free life.

By Holly Whitaker,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Quit Like a Woman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An unflinching examination of how our drinking culture hurts women and a gorgeous memoir of how one woman healed herself.”—Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed

“You don’t know how much you need this book, or maybe you do. Either way, it will save your life.”—Melissa Hartwig Urban, Whole30 co-founder and CEO

The founder of the first female-focused recovery program offers a groundbreaking look at alcohol and a radical new path to sobriety.

We live in a world obsessed with drinking. We drink at baby showers and work events, brunch and book…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in alcoholism, boarding schools, and authors?

Alcoholism 108 books
Boarding Schools 88 books
Authors 198 books