Delightful Authors to Read if You Love Emily Henry

A follow-up to her acclaimed family dramedy If We’re Being Honest, Cat Shook’s Humor Me is a delightful new novel that interweaves heartbreak and grief with friendship, romance, and the relatable challenges of chasing your dreams in your 20s. After the tragic death of her mother, Presley Fry is feeling adrift. She’s stuck at her job as an assistant at a late-night talk show in New York City, her dating life is far from ideal, and she’s resigned to letting her roommate run her social calendar. When Susan Clark, a family friend and the spouse of the current head of the TV network where Presley works, strikes up a relationship with Presley, things take a welcome turn for the better. Revived and inspired, Presley delves into New York’s lively stand-up comedy scene — and potentially into a new and unexpected romance. Fans of Emily Henry’s winning combination of wit and pathos are sure to fall in love with Presley’s story from page one.

If you’re a fan of Emily Henry’s vacation romances, pick up Casey McQuiston’s brand-new romance about two estranged exes who accidentally book the same European tour. Four years after an ugly breakup on a flight back from a dream vacation, Theo and Kit find themselves using their about-to-expire tour vouchers on the same trip. Determined to put their past behind them and reconnect as friends, they challenge each other to a “hookup” competition that just might lead them back into each other’s arms. 

Summer Romance, Annabel Monaghan’s swoon-worthy new rom-com, is a perfect summer read from an author who knows how to balance dreamy romance with grounded real-life details just like Emily Henry. The novel follows Ali Morris, a professional organizer whose life has fallen into disarray. Her luck changes one fateful day when her dog pees on a charming man named Ethan and sets her life on a much more romantic trajectory.

Like Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez excels at weaving nuance and complexity into stories that may appear fizzy at first blush. In The Friend Zone, Kristen Peterson grapples with falling for a guy who seems too good to be true while harboring a potentially relationship-ending secret. While Josh wants a big family, Kristen is about to undergo a procedure that may make it impossible for her to have kids. This one is perfect for readers who enjoy stories that leave you giggling and crying in equal measure.

Historically, white and neurotypical protagonists have dominated the rom-com game. So Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient is a welcome boost in the genre for greater representation. Stella, a neurodiverse thirtysomething, applies a methodical approach to her lack of a love life, just as she does at her job as a consumer analyst. She needs to get better at dating, so it makes sense to hire an escort to help her practice. Enter the gorgeous Michael Phan, who, if you know your romance novels, likely won’t remain on purely professional terms with Stella for long. If you’re craving something on the sexier side of Emily Henry’s typical romance, this is the perfect sweet and steamy read.

If you can’t tell from the title, Christina Lauren’s tale of two sparring Hollywood agents is a classic enemies-to-lovers plot reminiscent of the relationship in Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. While Carter and Evie initially hit it off at a Halloween Party at the start of Dating You/Hating You, they soon find themselves vying for the same job when their agencies merge. As their passion for each other turns from flirty to competitive, they must decide what’s more important: love or business. 

Rebecca Serle’s rom-com Expiration Dates matches the emotional heft of the best of Emily Henry’s work and adds a bit of a magical twist. Whenever Daphne Bell meets a new love interest, she’s given a piece of paper with his name on it and the exact amount of time their relationship will last. For more than 20 years, Daphne has waited for the day when the slip of paper doesn’t come with an expiration date. Then she meets Jake and receives a paper with no time limit. While initially thrilled, she starts to question her fate as this poignant story explores major questions about love, connection, and the complicated experience of being single.

A sparkling story of finding love after divorce, Is She Really Going Out With Him? echoes the real-world playfulness of Emily Henry’s rom-coms. Recently divorced and sick of online dating, Anna Appleby pitches a unique idea to her publication for her ongoing column: She’ll let her kids find seven IRL dates for her. Putting herself out there and letting go of control proves to be both awkward and delightful, until she’s faced with a totally unexpected romance. Will she take a chance, or shy away from a potentially great love?

If you’re looking for something similar to Book Lovers but with an academic twist, look no farther than Ali Hazelwood’s delightful story about two rival physicists. Love, Theoretically features two ambitious professors: Elsie Hannaway, an adjunct professor by day and girlfriend-for-hire by night, and her nemesis, Jack Smith, the head of the MIT physics department who ruined the career of Elsie’s mentor. As Elsie seeks her revenge on Jack, she starts to notice that she’s able to be herself around him in a way that she can’t be with anyone else. And he keeps giving her these intense, longing looks....

Those of you still mourning the loss of the wonderful rom-com series Starstruck should pick up a copy of the brand-new You Belong with Me as soon as it hits the shelves. When she first starts a relationship with Hollywood royalty Elliot Owen, Edie can’t believe that she’s living her dream. Soon, however, she has to learn to live in the limelight. Will she be able to withstand the scrutiny of the press, the flash of paparazzi cameras, and months spent wondering about those beautiful co-stars of his? Emily Henry herself recommends Mhairi McFarlane's latest, complimenting the book’s “singular wit, charm, and emotional complexity.”

Talia Hibbert’s beloved and bestselling Get a Life, Chloe Brown follows a chronically ill computer geek from a wealthy family who creates a to-do to help her step outside her comfort zone. Not adept at what she calls “being bad,” Chloe will need some help making it through items on the list like “ride a motorcycle” and “travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.” Redford Morgan, a sexy and heavily tattooed handyman, is just the teacher for the job. While they may come from different backgrounds, their sizzling chemistry quickly helps them break down those pesky barriers.