This list of books are all novels that explore very different stories, but all covering grief and loss in a gentle way that explores growth and connection. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this list – what else would you include? Email us at team@griefity.com
📕 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
📖 This novel explores the concept of regret and second chances, as the protagonist navigates alternate realities through the “midnight library” between life and death, finding hope in the possibilities of life.
📕 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
📖 Harold Fry embarks on a spontaneous walk across England to visit a dying friend. Along the way, he reflects on his past and begins to process his grief and regrets.
📕 Wild by Cheryl Strayed
📖 This memoir, which reads like a novel, follows Strayed’s solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail as she processes the death of her mother and seeks healing.
📕 The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
📖 Set during WWII, this novel is about two sisters navigating the hardships of war and loss. It reflects on endurance and hope in the face of deep personal loss.
📕 A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
This heartwarming novel follows Ove, a grumpy widower who finds unexpected friendships that gradually help him process his grief and regain a sense of purpose.
📕 The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
📖 Monsieur Perdu, a “literary apothecary,” prescribes novels to heal his customers’ emotions. On his journey to deal with his own unresolved grief, he discovers healing through travel, literature, and friendship.
📕 The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A widowed bookseller finds solace in the unexpected arrival of a child, leading him to rediscover love, connection, and purpose in life.
📕 Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
📖 A quirky novel about a hostage situation that evolves into a compassionate exploration of the inner struggles and hidden grief of its characters, filled with Backman’s signature warmth and humor.
📕 The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
📖 This deeply emotional novel follows a couple who face profound grief after multiple miscarriages, and the moral choices they make in the wake of their sorrow.
📕 Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
This novel is about loneliness, trauma, and the process of healing. Eleanor’s journey of learning to connect with others after years of isolation is both moving and uplifting.
📕 The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
📖 Set in the 1960s, this novel follows Lily Owens, a girl who is mourning the loss of her mother. She finds solace and healing through a group of strong women who teach her about love and forgiveness.
📕 Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
📖 This novel, set in a small Virginia town, follows a woman’s journey through self-discovery, relationships, and healing as she confronts long-buried grief after her mother’s death.
📕 The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
📖 This novel alternates between two timelines, telling stories of resilience, recovery, and the importance of community in dealing with loss and hardship.
📕 The Lido by Libby Page
📖 A heartwarming story of friendship between an elderly woman and a young journalist, both dealing with their own losses. The shared project of saving a community pool brings healing and purpose to their lives.
📕 The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
📖 After losing her husband, the protagonist reluctantly joins a gardening class, where she finds unexpected friendships and a path toward healing.
