13 Books Like Normal People by Sally Rooney
Looking for books like Normal People by Sally Rooney? You’re definitely not alone.
It’s one of those novels that people continue to talk about years after reading, and one that stays with you long after the final page.
For me, Normal People is one of my all-time favourite reads. There’s something about the way Rooney captures relationships – the miscommunication, the intensity, the vulnerability – that feels almost uncomfortably accurate.
On the surface, not much happens at all, but emotionally, it hits very hard.
If you loved Normal People, you can also read my full Normal People book review, where I dive deeper into why this novel is so impactful.
What makes Normal People so compelling isn’t the plot, but the interior lives of the characters. Connell and Marianne feel incredibly real, and their relationship reflects experiences that many people will recognise from their own lives.
So, if you loved Normal People by Sally Rooney, here are some similar books to Normal People you might enjoy.
I’ve read all of the books on this list myself, and each one captures something specific that makes Normal People so impactful – whether that’s the on-and-off dynamic, the introspective writing style, or that feeling of seeing your own thoughts reflected back at you.
TL;DR: Best Books Like Normal People
- For an intense, on-off relationship: Talking at Night
- For a devastating friends-to-lovers story: One Day
- For a sapphic romance that spans decades: Almost Life
- For Rooney’s writing style: Conversations with Friends
- For a more philosophical take on love: The Course of Love
Talking at Night by Claire Daverly
Why it’s like Normal People
If what you loved about Normal People was the intense, on-and-off connection between two people who can’t quite get the timing right, Talking at Night captures that same emotional push and pull.
What it’s about
Teenagers Will and Rosie are polar opposites in some ways – Rosie is an overthinker, and Will is her twin brother’s impulsive best friend.
But there’s a spark between Will and Rosie from their first meeting and they forge an unlikely bond through secret walks and late-night calls.
Their love story is tainted by tragedy very early on, but the pair can’t stay apart and continue to be drawn back to one another.
Over the years, they repeatedly reconnect, but obstacles keep popping up which stop them from being with each other.
My thoughts
Talking at Night was my favourite read of 2024, and I simply raced through it. Described as a book for fans of Normal People and One Day, this debut book by Clare Daverly was released with high expectations – and it did not disappoint.
Like Marianne and Connell, Rosie and Will have that same frustrating, magnetic connection where you’re constantly willing them to make better choices.
This book gave me butterflies, filled me with hope, and shattered my heart – on repeat.
I simultaneously loved and hated the characters, and they often acted in ways that really didn’t make sense from an objective outsider’s point of view.
And yet, at the same time, I found myself relating to them deeply, understanding why they acted the way they did and hoping (praying) that they would make different, better choices.
Read this if…
You loved the emotional intensity of Marianne and Connell’s relationship and want another story that will completely pull you in (and probably break your heart in the process). You will no doubt love Rosie and Will’s story too.
Find Talking at Night on Amazon
One Day by David Nicholls
Why it’s like Normal People
If what you loved about Normal People was the sense of longing, missed timing, and a relationship shaped over years, One Day captures that same emotional pull, but across a much longer stretch of life.
What it’s about
One Day begins on the eve of Dexter and Emma’s graduation, and we revisit them on the same date, 15th July, every year for 15 years.
Whilst Normal People begins in high school, this feels like a more “adult” version of that story, following the characters as they move through their twenties and beyond, trying to figure out who they are and what they want from life.
My thoughts
This was actually the first book that sprang to mind when I was thinking of books like Normal People.
Nothing terribly exciting happens, but you find yourself engrossed in the very ordinary story of Emma and Dex. Nicholls captures a feeling that many in their 20s will have experienced: the desire to find your place and do something with your life.
Emma wants to be a writer, but spends much of her time working in a Mexican restaurant. Dex wants to be someone, so falls into being a television personality.
Both characters take drastically different paths, but something keeps drawing them back together. Their personalities couldn’t be more different, which is why they work so well in tandem.
Each gives the other the shove they need to get onto the right path when life is stagnant, and you watch them both struggle and grow.
It’s a useful reminder for anyone in their 20s that you don’t need to have it all figured out, and you don’t need to know where life is taking you.
Like Normal People, One Day doesn’t hold back from the negatives: bereavement, stagnant relationships, career failures and more. There will be lots of ups and downs, and sometimes life won’t be all that exciting, but slowly, slowly, you will find your place.
Read this if…
You want a version of Normal People that spans over a longer period of time, but with the same emotional depth, complicated relationship dynamics, and honest portrayal of your twenties.
Find One Day by David Nicholls on Amazon
Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Why it’s like Normal People
If what you loved about Normal People was the sense of longing and relationships shaped as much by timing as by feeling, Almost Life delivers that same quiet intensity, but this time across decades.
It almost reads like the story Sally Rooney didn’t write: what might have happened if we followed Marianne and Connell for the rest of their lives.
What it’s about
Almost Life begins in Paris in 1978, when Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur. Erica is spending a fleeting summer abroad before returning to England for university, while Laure is deep into her PhD at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman.
What begins as a summer romance becomes something far more enduring. Their connection stretches across cities, decades, and life stages, repeatedly bringing them back into each other’s orbit before the story’s quietly devastating conclusion.
My thoughts
This was described to me as a “sapphic One Day“, and also as a perfect read for fans of Normal People, so I went in with high expectations, and it absolutely delivered.
At its core, this is a story about love in all its forms: romantic love, maternal love, queer love, and the love we build with our found family. And running through it all is a constant sense of yearning – missed opportunities, imperfect timing, and the weight of decisions that can’t be undone.
Like Connell and Marianne, Erica and Laure are flawed and, at times, even unlikable, but they are deeply human. Their choices, even the frustrating ones, feel painfully real, and often all too understandable when you consider the circumstances and societal pressures surrounding them.
What this novel does particularly well is explore timing vs. choice. Set across decades, and beginning in a time when same-sex relationships were far less accepted, it weaves in the pressures shaping the characters’ lives and decisions.
The writing is probably my favourite thing about this book. The prose is beautiful, emotional, and has that same ability to deliver a quiet but devastating emotional punch.
Read this if…
You’re looking for a sapphic version of Normal People that spans the decades, with the same emotional intensity, messy relationships, and sense of longing.
Find Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave on Amazon
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Why it’s like Normal People
If you’re looking for the same introspective writing style, messy relationships, and emotional vulnerability as Normal People, then Conversations with Friends, another Rooney novel, is an obvious next read.
What it’s about
Conversations with Friends is Rooney’s debut novel, and it follows 20-year-old Frances, a university student navigating friendship, love, and identity.
Unlike Normal People, which alternates between Connell and Marianne, this story is told entirely from Frances’s perspective, giving us a much more singular, internal view of events.
At the centre of the novel is a complicated and increasingly blurred dynamic between four characters: Frances, her best friend Bobbi, and a married couple, Melissa and Nick.
My thoughts
I’ll be honest… I didn’t like any of the characters in this novel.
But I don’t think we’re supposed to.
Frances desperately wants to be intellectual, Bobby is self-obsessed, Melissa is idolised and Nick is just a bored actor drifting through life.
The relationships between the four of them are weirdly intimate and Rooney uses them as a base for her observations on human psychology.
I didn’t enjoy Conversations with Friends quite as much as Normal People, but it still has that same distinctive Rooney voice and emotional insight.
Read this if…
You loved Rooney’s writing style in Normal People and want another thoughtful, slightly uncomfortable exploration of relationships and human behaviour.
Find Conversations with Friends on Amazon
The Course of Love by Alain de Botton
Why it’s like Normal People
If what you loved about Normal People was its realistic portrayal of relationships, stripped of fantasy and full of emotional complexity, The Course of Love explores those same ideas, but through a more philosophical lens.
What it’s about
The Course of Love is not your average romance novel. Whilst most depict the sweet beginnings of a relationship, ending when the characters get their happy ending, this is where The Course of Love begins.
Instead, he explores what happens after we’ve supposedly achieved our happy ever after – what it really means to build a life with someone, and how love evolves over time.
My thoughts
Through this novel, de Botton shows us that life is not like the movies, and relationships don’t just fall into place overnight.
They are often difficult, requiring patience, effort, and cooperation from both sides. It’s a much more honest portrayal of love than we’re usually given in fiction.
If you want a novel that depicts the true nature of love and romance, with none of the wishy-washy ideals usually perpetuated in literature, this is the book for you.
This is one of my very favourite reads, and it’s one that I know I’ll reread again and again throughout my life.
Read this if…
You want a more reflective, thought-provoking take on love and relationships that feels honest, realistic, and quietly profound.
Find The Course of Love on Amazon
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Why it’s like Normal People
If what you loved about Normal People was the introspection, emotional intensity, and focus on first love, Call Me By Your Name captures that same sense of longing, but in a more lyrical way.
What it’s about
Set in Italy in the 1980s, the novel follows 17-year-old Elio as he experiences his first love and begins to explore desire.
It’s a coming-of-age story that demonstrates how a single relationship can mark you for a lifetime.
My thoughts
This is a beautifully written book that explores passion and feeling in a frank and unsentimental way reminiscent of Rooney.
Like many books on this list, there isn’t much “action” in the traditional sense. Instead, the focus is on the interior world of the characters – their thoughts, feelings, and the intensity of their experiences.
It’s an incredibly raw narrative that doesn’t hold back in its descriptions of longing and fantasy.
The prose is beautiful, though it may be considered somewhat pretentious to some readers. And the story leaves you with that same bittersweet feeling you get from Normal People.
And it’s not because of the peach – if you know, you know.
Read this if…
You want a beautifully written, emotionally intense coming-of-age story that explores first love, longing, and the kind of relationship that stays with you forever.
Find Call Me By Your Name on Amazon
RELATED: 15 Best Self-Discovery Books to Read
Tender by Belinda McKeon
Why it’s like Normal People
If you loved Normal People for its Irish setting, university backdrop, and exploration of identity, relationships, and first love, Tender offers a similar emotional depth, but with a darker edge.
What it’s about
Set in Dublin in the late nineties, the novel follows Catherine, a first-year student at Trinity College, and James, an artist she meets during her early days at university.
Catherine is enjoying a stereotypical first-year university existence with parties, societies, cheap alcohol, essay writing and a shared flat.
But, underneath this is still a girl who is deeply unsure of herself, her desires and how to conduct herself around others.
James lives more boldly and opens Catherine’s eyes up to another way of living her life. They become the best of friends and each grows immensely as a result of their friendship with the other.
However, as often happens, life draws the pair apart and takes them both in a direction that’s hard for the other to follow.
My thoughts
Like Rooney, McKeon’s novel explores human relationships and their lasting impression on us through a story of first love and stolen innocence.
However, in Tender, things then take a dark turn and, without revealing too much, obsession becomes a major theme.
Perhaps we can describe this as a cross between Normal People and You by Caroline Kepnes.
Read this if…
You’re looking for a more intense, slightly darker take on a story like Normal People, but with the same focus on relationships, identity, and the impact people have on each other.
Find Tender by Belinda McKeon on Amazon
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
Why it’s like Normal People
If you were drawn to Normal People for its exploration of complicated relationships and the impact of timing and societal expectations, The Last Letter from Your Lover explores those same ideas, but through a more traditional, romance-driven lens.
What it’s about
This novel is told across two timelines: the 1960s and the present day.
In the 1960s, Jennifer Stirling appears to have the perfect life – she’s married to a wealthy man, lives in a beautiful house, and spends her time attending parties with their social circle.
But everything changes when she’s involved in a car accident and loses her memory from the last few years. When she wakes up, she doesn’t recognise her husband and has no desire to let him into her life.
Something’s just not right.
She discovers letters between herself and a mystery man “B”. He’s asking her to leave her husband. She struggles to fit back into the old life that her friends and family tell her she is so lucky to have.
Who is B?
My thoughts
The Last Letter from Your Lover is the story of two people who keep missing each other because everyday life and social norms get in the way.
The novel revolves around one central question – do you do what the heart wants or do you follow the unspoken rules of 1960s society?
In those days, divorce was still taboo, and it certainly wasn’t something a nice lady like Jennifer Stirling should consider.
The novel explores many of the same themes as Normal People, such as complicated relationships, a woman’s place in society, and conformity to social norms.
The emphasis is more on the romance here, but the themes explored in relation to both 1960s society and modern-day society demonstrate the universality of such issues, which are just as important today as they were 50 years ago.
Read this if…
You want a book that focuses more on the romance, but with similar themes of love, missed timing, and the pressure to conform to societal expectations as in Normal People.
Find The Last Letter From Your Lover on Amazon
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Why it’s like Normal People
If you appreciated Normal People for its sharp observations on relationships, identity, and social dynamics, Americanah offers that same insight.
What it’s about
Americanah by Chimamanda has become a modern classic and explores the lives of two Nigerians who depart for the West.
Ifemelu heads to the USA, where she finds academic success, and Obinze heads to the UK to lead a life as an undocumented immigrant.
It’s a sort of coming-of-age story mixed with a (fairly unromantic) love story, and we are given glimpses into these two characters’ lives both together and apart.
My thoughts
The dominant themes of Americanah are identity and race.
After living in the US for over a decade, Ifemelu starts a blog documenting her experience of being African in America. Through these reflections, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers incredibly sharp observations on people and social norms.
RELATED: 33 Best Modern Books of All Time
In a similar way to Rooney, Chimimanda’s astute observations on people and social norms are spot on, especially so in these blog posts.
Both Ifemelu and Obinze look upon the West with foreign eyes, and their narratives make you think twice about social norms you may never have questioned if you grew up in the US or the UK.
Read this if…
If you’ve ever been made to feel “other”, then you will find Americanah to be highly relatable and profoundly revealing about the society we live in.
Find Americanah on Amazon
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Why it’s like Normal People
If you connected with Normal People for its exploration of early adulthood, relationships, and self-worth, Everything I Know About Love offers a more personal and uplifting take on those same themes.
What it’s about
This memoir by former Sunday Times dating columnist Dolly Alderton is a mix of personal stories, dating disasters, recipes, and reflections on life, friendship, and love.
It follows her experiences navigating her twenties, from bad dates and career uncertainty to friendships and finding a sense of self.
My thoughts
I feel like Everything I Know About Love is a book that Marianne from Normal People needs to read.
Alderton clearly had a privileged upbringing and so I think Marianne would be able to relate to some of Alderton’s experiences – particularly when it comes to relationships and self-worth.
This book captures the chaos of early adulthood in a way that feels very real. It’s funny, honest, and at times quite emotional, covering everything from dating to career struggles and figuring out who you are.
It’s simultaneously funny and heart-breaking with the overarching message that you are enough.
Overall this book is much more upbeat than Normal People as it offers hope for its readers that it will all turn out ok. Rooney delivered a bittersweet finale for her readers but Alderton’s book will leave shaking your head fondly at the ridiculous antics of Alderton.
Read this if…
You want something that explores the same themes as Normal People, but in a lighter and often very funny way.
Find Everything I Know About Love on Amazon
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Why it’s like Normal People
If you loved Normal People for its focus on first love, university life, and the uncertainty of your twenties, The Idiot captures that same experience, but with a more awkward, introspective, and often humorous tone.
What it’s about
The Idiot by Elif Batuman is a coming-of-age story centred around Selin, a Turkish-American girl in her freshman year at Harvard.
She makes friends with Svetlana, her Serbian classmate, and strikes up an email relationship with Ivan, an older Hungarian student.
At the end of her first year of university, she heads to the Hungarian countryside to teach English (couldn’t possibly have anything to do with Ivan could it?) and spends the summer in Europe.
My thoughts
This novel delves into the feelings of first love, fresher life, the search for meaning and a sense of identity.
Like Normal People, it’s not plot-heavy, and that’s something that divides readers. Batuman takes us through the minutiae of Selin’s first year of university including both the exciting and the banal.
She doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing and often wonders how everyone else seems to have it all figured out. This is a familiar feeling to those of us in our twenties and Batuman articulates it perfectly and often very humorously too.
Read this if…
You want a more introspective, slightly awkward take on Normal People, with the same focus on university life, identity, and figuring things out as you go.
Find The Idiot on Amazon
Show Them a Good Time by Nicole Flattery
Why it’s like Normal People
If you’re drawn to Normal People for its Irish setting, sharp social observations, and exploration of relationships and identity, Show Them a Good Time offers a similar perspective, but with a more satirical edge.
What it’s about
Show Them a Good Time is Flattery’s debut collection of short stories that explore what it is to be a man and woman in today’s society.
The narrator is a young, broke Irish woman, and Flattery uses the story of life and relationships to pick apart the roles both genders have been pigeonholed into.
My thoughts
Nicole Flattery is another rising voice in Irish literature, and comparisons to Sally Rooney have been made already. If you’re looking for authors like Sally Rooney, then Nicole Flattery is a good place to start.
That said, Show Them a Good Time lacks some of the more lighthearted and heartwarming moments that Normal People has, which makes this collection harder to access.
There’s no doubt about it – these stories are strange.
Lots of people won’t “get” them, but for those who appreciate dark humour and social criticism, this is not one to miss.
The protagonist’s fervent refusal to conform to the norms of modern society and her frank appraisal of events around her also reminded me of the voice of Eleanor Oliphant too.
Read this if…
You’re looking for something more experimental and darkly funny, with sharp social commentary and a distinctly Irish perspective on relationships and identity.
Find Show Them a Good Time on Amazon
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
Why it’s like Normal People
If you loved Normal People for the emotional tension and miscommunication between two people who clearly have feelings for each other, You and Me on Vacation explores that same dynamic – but in a much lighter, more romantic way.
What it’s about
You and Me on Vacation (People We Meet on Vacation in the US) is a will-they-won’t-they, friends-to-lovers story that will tug at your heartstrings.
Poppy and Alex have little in common. When they first meet at college, they actively dislike each other.
She’s a travel junkie, always seeking out far-flung locations, and he’s the type who wants to settle down in the suburbs.
A year later, they’re forced to carpool back to their hometown together and they somehow become the best of friends.
My thoughts
This story differs from Marianne and Connell’s in that it is not an on-and-off romance, but one where life and circumstances keep getting in the way of their feelings for each other.
Both characters have emotional issues they are dealing with that hinder them from revealing their true feelings, and it’s painful to watch a pair who are so clearly meant to be together be kept apart by closed mouths and repressed feelings.
Despite these underlying themes, it’s a funny, romantic, heartwarming book, and my favourite of all the Emily Henry books.
It may not have the same emotional depth as some of the other books on this list, but if you loved the romance element of Normal People, this is such an enjoyable one to pick up.
Read this if…
You love the friends-to-lovers, will-they-wont-they aspects of Normal People, with a much lighter, feel-good tone.
Find You and Me on Vacation on Amazon
If you’re chasing that same feeling Normal People gave you, that mix of longing, frustration, and emotional recognition, these 13 books like Normal People come closest.
Each of these novels captures something similar to Rooney’s writing, whether that’s the emotional intensity, the focus on interior lives, or the quiet exploration of relationships.
Personally, Talking at Night and One Day captured that feeling most strongly for me, but each of these explores a different side of love, identity, and connection.
Some are more uplifting, others even more devastating, but all should resonate if Marianne and Connell’s story stayed with you long after the final page.
You can also watch the acclaimed TV adaptation, now available on BBC iPlayer. This is probably my favourite book-to-screen adaptation ever. It totally does the book justice and is potentially even better than the book!
If you loved Normal People, you might also enjoy:
More Normal People content:
- Normal People Book Review
- 17 Best Normal People Quotes
- 8 Books Mentioned in Normal People
- 11 Normal People Book Club Questions
Or, if you’re looking for more introspective, character-driven reads:
- 10 Life Changing Books to Read
- Books Like My Year of Rest and Relaxation
- Books Like Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
- Books Like My Policeman
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I would recommend Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan. Also an Irish writer.