Novels about Grief
One of the beautiful things about stories is how they can help us process our emotions. I have rounded up the best fiction books about grief as powerful examples.
Loss is one of the hardest parts of life. Processing the loss of a loved one can be devastating and difficult, as can knowing your friends are grieving and not knowing what to do. If you are looking for grief books for kids, I have a list of wonderful books.
Reading books about grief can help us connect with our own losses and help us understand what those facing devastating loss are facing.
The gifted writers I’ve rounded up have beautifully taken us into the painful process of dealing with grief. I am confident you will find yourself examining aspects of loss you hadn’t previously considered when reading these fiction and non-fiction books about grief.
The Best Novels About Grief
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
Best Novel About Family Loss
Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey – Jump to Section
Best Novel About Grief and Dying
One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin- Jump to Section
Best Novel About Losing a Spouse
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman- Jump to Section
Best Romance Novel About Grief
Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone- Jump to Section
Best Unique Fiction Book About Grief
The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick- Jump to Section
Best Fiction Book About Grief for Teens
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – Jump to Section
The Read Carpet Report Podcast
Watch Episode 10: Novels About Grief on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Novels about Family Loss
Dandelion is Dead
Author: Rosie Storey
Release Date: January 13, 2026
Genre: Literary Romance
More info: Debut Author
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
When Poppy breaks her phone, she decides to go to her late sister’s apartment to get her phone. Then she decides to respond to a stranger on Dandelion’s dating app and then meet him for a date on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday. But the minute she meets Jake, she feels a connection to him, almost as if she pretends to be Dandelion, then Dandelion is not really gone.
Now, Poppy is living a double life. In one, she is in a committed long-term relationship with someone who loves her. And in the other, she is Dandelion- fun, carefree, and alive. She has to determine who she really is and what kind of life she wants for herself. Can she live her life when her sister is gone?
Trigger Warnings
Death of a sibling, grief
Why Jackie loves it
This is an unforgettable book about love, grief, and finding yourself and your path. It is also beautifully written and feels like the ups and downs Poppy experiences mimic real life. I was invested in the story the entire time with these imperfect characters whom I loved. #gifted
Find this book in: Novels About Grief / Literary Romance Novels / Romance Novels About Grief
The Guncle
Author: Steven Rowley
Year: 2021
Genre: Fiction
More info: National Bestseller • Wall Street Journal Bestseller • USA Today Bestseller
An NPR Book of the Year
Finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor
Finalist for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Steven Rowley is a writer who has mastered the art of storytelling. With his signature wit and humor, this book tackles love, loss, and growth.
When Patrick’s sister-in-law dies and Patrick’s brother needs to go to rehab, Patrick takes custody of his niece and nephew for 90 days. Patrick is basically David from Schitt’s Creek with snark and sass. He treats the kids like mini-adults in the most delightful way.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a spouse/ mom
Why Kirsten loves it
I am such a fan of Steven Rowley and each book provides depth and insight into people at their best and worst. While this is a book about grief, you will find yourself laughing out loud multiple times throughout. It’s a poignant reminder of the importance of family.
Why Jackie loves it
There is humor and love in this book that is essentially about a family learning to deal with profound grief and loss. Rowley writes with sensitivity and humor.
Find this book in: Novels About Grief / Best Beach Reads of All Time / Poolside Novels / Popular LGBTQ Novels
Good Grief
Author: Sara Goodman Confino
Year: 2025
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Set in 1963, we open with widowed mother, Barbara, bidding farewell to her mother after two years of enlisting her help with her two young kids after the death of her husband. Prepared to pick up the pieces of life and move past her grief, she was not expecting to see her MIL show up on her doorstep the very next day.
Having lost her husband when her only child was young, Ruth believes she knows the best way to help Barbara – but her efforts drive Barbara crazy. Then Barbara hatches a plan; if she can marry Ruth off, she’ll have to leave her alone. Except Ruth has the same plan for Barbara.
Bad matchmaking, disgusting meals, and hysterical at-home conflicts ensue as both women try to their hardest to show they know best.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a Spouse
Why Kirsten loves it
The Mother-in-law/ Daughter-in-law relationship was done so well in this story. I loved how the women were brought closer by helping one another through their grief. I was worried this story would be too sad, but it was poignant AND funny without being depressing. Gifted by Brilliance Audio.
Plot
It’s about a family that learns a shocking secret at their grandfather’s funeral and must spend the next week coming to terms with what they learned. From pregnancies to struggling marriages, the drama unfolds as the children and grandchildren try to help their matriarch grieve and come to terms with the long-held secret.
Trigger Warnings
Infidelity
Why Kirsten loves it
Like all good family sagas, each member of the family also has their own life struggles. This novel about grief reminded me of This is Where I Leave You.
Find this book in: Fiction With a Funeral / Novels About Grief
This is Where I Leave You
Author: Jonathan Tropper
Year:2009
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Age Range:16+
Plot
When Judd Foxman’s father dies, the entire family must come home to spend seven days under the same roof while sitting shiva. The family has not been together in years and the reunion is even more awkward due to Judd’s missing wife, Jen.
Trigger Warnings
Infidelity
Why Kirsten loves it
The week becomes a time to rehash old grudges and remember what it is like to be a family. If you love family drama books, this one is for you.
Find this book in: Fiction With a Funeral / Novels About Grief / Family Drama Books
Maame
Author: Jessica George
Year: 2023
Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: February 2023 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This story about Maddie, known as Maame to her family, was immersive and beautifully complex. Dealing with friendships, racism, familial obligations, and then grief, this story swept me away. Maddie lives in London as the primary caretaker of her father who has Parkinson’s. Her mother spends most of her time in Ghana.
Trigger Warnings
Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness
Why Kirsten loves it
I felt fiercely protective of Maddie while reading this book. There were times I wanted to swoop in to relieve some of the burdens of this wonderful character with a heart of gold. But it was more rewarding to see Maddie finding her inner strength and learning to prioritize herself and her dreams. I can’t recommend this coming-of-age book about grief enough – especially as a book for book clubs.
Find this book in: Best Books of 2023 / Best Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Novels about Africa / Beach Reads 2023 / Fiction Books about Grief / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Best Read With Jenna Books / Read with Jenna Book Club List 2023
Novels about Grief and Dying
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
Author: Marianne Cronin
Year: 2021
Genre: Fiction
More info: April 2026 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This is the story of 17-year-old Lenni, who has terminal cancer, and her art partner, 83-year-old heart patient Margot. They connect at the end of Lenni’s life in the hospital art therapy room where they decided to paint a picture for every year of their combined 100 years.
Trigger Warnings
Death, Terminal Illness
Why Kirsten loves it
GET READY TO UGLY CRY. This book wrecked me. While painting their picture, we get to learn about their lives before their illnesses and witness an incredible bond form. The ripple effects of their bond and friendship took my breath away numerous times. Truly one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
Find this book in: Books to Emotionally Wreck You / Novels About Grief / Books with Older Protagonists
The Elsewhere Express
Author: Samantha Sotto Yambao
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Genre: Romance, magical realism
More info: Deluxe edition from the nationally bestselling author of Water Moon
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:
Plot
Raya was born to save her brother. She dreamed of becoming a songwriter until her brother died. Since then, she has carried the guilt that she did not save him, and has been living out his dream of becoming a doctor. As she boards her train home one night, she finds herself on the Elsewhere Express, a train that appears to people who have lost their purpose.
Q is an artist who has been slowly losing his eyesight. His gift of seeing into the hearts of people is diminished daily as his sight is reduced to a pinhole. He lives with the stigma that his father committed suicide and questions his place as an artist who can no longer see.
The Elsewhere Express is a train that runs on belief and is unlike anything Raya could have imagined. She questions why she is there because she is sure her place is in medical school. When Q unexpectedly arrives on the train, the two of them must find their places or risk being lost forever. #gifted from PRH Audio, PRH
Trigger Warnings
suicide, Chronic Illness
Why Jackie loves it
This book is perfect for anyone who loved The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. The best way I can describe this is a book version of the Beatles song: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. It is a fantasy unlike anything else I have read, not only because of the beautiful and complex magical system, but because this is actually a book about dealing with guilt, grief, loss, and finding yourself.
Find this book in: Books Set on a Train / Novels about Grief
The Immortalists
Author: Chloe Benjamin
Year: 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: A “Best Book of the Year”: Washington Post
Instant New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
What would you do if you knew the day that you were going to die? Would want to know? The four Gold children find out the information that will shape their lives in this amazing family drama book. We follow the Gold children over the next 5 decades. Simon heads to the West Coast, Klara becomes a magician in Las Vegas, Daniel becomes an army doctor, and Varya seeks out the research of immortality.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, Mental Illness
Why Jackie loves it
This book is beautifully written. Ms. Benjamin does a superb job of creating different voices for each of these characters. They are so vivid and unique.
Why Kirsten loves it
This family saga book about grief is un-putdownable and stays with you long after you have finished reading the last page.
Find this book in: Family Sagas / Carnival Books / Books About Mental Illness / Books Set in the 80s / Best Books About Siblings / Best Books of 2017 / Novels About Grief
Novels about Losing a Spouse or Lover
A Man Called Ove
Author: Fredrik Backman
Year: 2014
Genre: Fiction
More info: A recent Motion Picture Called A Man Called Otto Starring Tom Hanks
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Ove is mourning the loss of his wife and is consumed with grief. He decided to end his life. His attempts are foiled by mishaps and interruptions from his new neighbors. While this sounds like a depressing book, I laughed out loud while reading it.
Mr. Backman has a beautiful way of capturing the reader’s interest with wonderful characters who find themselves in hilarious situations. But, this story is so much more than that. As it progresses, Ove is able to have a profound impact on the life of everyone he meets, and at its heart, it is a book about friendship.
But don’t let the description throw you off. At its heart, this is one of the best feel-good books and one of my all-time favorite books! If you have not read it, you should consider it for your book club.
Trigger Warnings
Attempted Suicide
Why Jackie loves it
The love and friendships that develop in this book are almost unmatched, in my opinion. Backman is a master storyteller.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is a book that allowed me to laugh and cry equally. I loved Ove and his second chance at living life.
Find this book in: Ultimate List of Contemporary Fiction / Books About Friendship / Jackie’s Top 10 All-Time Favorite Books / Novels About Grief
Find More Books Like This in: Books Like A Man Called Ove
Someday, Maybe
Author: Onyi Nwabineli
Year: 2022
Genre: Fiction
More info: November 2022 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Wow. This was a searing and emotional look at the grief surrounding the loss of a spouse. Eve opens the book by explaining that her husband, Quentin, has committed suicide, and she is picking up the pieces of her own life.
We are taken through the days and months immediately following his death as Eve navigates a mother-in-law from hell, reentering society, and a surprise left behind by Quentin.
Trigger Warnings
Grief
Why Kirsten loves it
Her feelings were all over the map and felt so deeply true to the grief process. I loved Eve’s Nigerian family and how they came together to try to put her back together. This is one book I will recommend over and over again.
Find this book in: Novels About Grief/ Books by Female BIPOC Authors / GMA Book Club List 2022
Plot
Come Again finds Kate at the bottom, widowed and contemplating suicide. But then she goes back in time to 1992 for a chance to save her husband from his slow-growing cancer to hysterical results. Her whole 2020 woman trapped in her 18-year-old body was funny and endearing. As she attempts to save the man she loves, she puzzles over whether she can even fall in love with him again.
Trigger Warnings
Grief
Why Kirsten loves it
If you read The two Lives of Lydia Bird, then the premise of this book – a recent widower who gets to see her deceased husband again – may sound familiar…..but the execution on the two novels could not be more different.
Where Lydia Bird was poignant and sorrowful, Come Again had me outright giggling. I don’t normally associate depression and widowhood with romantic comedy, but this story was lighthearted and lovely!
Romance Novels about Grief
Plot
In this wonderful romance story, Bastone deals with the heavier topic of grief as our main character, Lenny, is still distraught by the death of her best friend. As a temporary nanny, she meets Miles, her charge’s uncle, who is newly involved in his half-sister’s life and looking to connect with his niece.
As Lenny helps Miles connect with his new family, he helps her tackle her grief head on, making himself available to her at all hours of the day when she’s at her lowest. Their love story grows from a place of truly seeing each other.
Trigger Warnings
Grief
Why Kirsten loves it
This book broke my heart and put it back together again. The tenderness and compassion I had for all the characters while reading this delightful story really speaks to the author’s talent. I cried numerous times while reading because their sorrow felt like my own and so did their happiness. It was a marvelous book.
Why Jackie loves it
Initially, I was unsure about this book because it deals with grief, and I was not sure how that fit into a romance. I was so wrong. I loved the way the characters came together to help Lenny deal with her grief. Their relationship felt like it was so natural and well-developed. I loved this story. It is unforgettable.
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2025 / Novels About Grief/ Best Romance Books of 2025 / Best Books of 2025 / Romance Novels About Grief
Plot
Bennett is struggling with her life in NYC after the sudden death of her fiancé. She’s friendless, temping, and just generally miserable when she reluctantly agrees to go on a date that her roommate sets up for her. The date doesn’t go quite as planned – it ends up a disaster, but that night she meets Henry, who wants to help her find her passion and become her friend. As she works to learn to love the city, she begins to face the grief and open herself up to love again.
Trigger Warnings
Grief
Why Kirsten loves it
This was such a cute Rom-Com that also so tenderly dealt with finding love after loss. It was also a love letter to New York City that left me inspired to go explore on my next visit. If you can handle the trigger, it’s worthy of your time!
Find this book in: Books Set in New York / Novels About Grief / Romance Novels About Grief
Plot
Emily Stone’s last book was my favorite Christmas book of 2021, so I knew I would love her newest book. This story is heartbreaking as well, but not in the same way.
Cassie has relied on her brother, Tom, since they were orphaned when she was 5. Each year, Tom creates a Christmas scavenger hunt for her, but after a sudden accident kills Tom, Cassie is left bereaved and celebrating Christmas without him. Until she finds his final scavenger hunt. As she begins to solve the clues, her heart begins to heal, and love forms as well.
Why Kirsten loves it
This book is like the Christmas version of P.S. I Love You in the best possible way. I adored this Christmas romance novel about grief.
Find this book in: Fiction Books about Grief / Christmas Books for 2022 / Christmas Book Club Books / Emily Stone Books Ranked / Romance Novels About Grief
Unique Novels About Grief
Midnight at the War
Author: Devi S. Laskar
Year: 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Inspired by journalists Christiane Amanpour and Sylvia Poggioli
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Rita Das is a foreign correspondent who is reassigned to the Middle East in the years immediately before and after 9/11. She is pregnant, but it is unclear whether the father is her husband or her lover. Rita is trying to deal with work conflicts along with the grief of losing her mother. She must learn to deal with the physical and emotional toll of being in a war-torn country, while figuring out her personal life back home.
Trigger Warnings
War
Why Kirsten loves it
This moving story was different from any novel I’ve ever read. It was hard to see Rita grapple with her personal life against the backdrop of an ongoing war in the Middle East. It had me thinking about all the war correspondents of the world who have to balance dual realities.
Rita was a complex character that I felt for, even though I didn’t agree with many of her decisions throughout the novel. My heart broke for her numerous times, but then, while reading this story, the US started bombing Iran, and it felt as if reality blurred with fiction. This was a heavy but important novel worth reading. Gifted by Mariner Books.
Find this book in: Novels About Grief
Plot
This speculative novel revolves around The Poppy Fields, a location in the desert where those suffering from grief can undergo medically induced rest for a few months to help them heal. After a plane flight is cancelled due to severe weather, a group of strangers ends up on a road trip to the Poppy Fields, where each has a different reason for visiting.
Along the way, their individual grief stories are revealed and they form connections that have each reevaluating their feelings about The Poppy Fields in surprising ways.
Why Kirsten loves it
I was mesmerized by each character’s narrative and their growth throughout the novel. The pacing of the story was a perfect balance of quick, high-tension scenes and slower, thought-provoking ones. I found myself examining grief in a new light after reading about each character’s experience with it. I can’t wait to read whatever Nikki writes next. #gifted by William Morrow.
Find this book in: Novels About Grief/ Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Books About Road Trips
Lily and the Octopus
Author: Steven Rowley
Year: 2016
Genre: Fiction
More info: Bestselling Author of The Guncle
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This book will make you cry but it will also make you laugh. Ted is a lonely, middle-aged, gay man whose love for his wiener dog Lily knows no bounds.
I mean, who spends hours playing Monopoly with their dog while imagining the dog’s side of a conversation? However, I think every dog owner can relate just enough to find it hilarious.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a pet
Why Jackie loves it
This book about the death of a pet is poignant and lovely. What could have been a tragic and sad book is somehow endearing and funny as well.
Find this book in: Books With Flowers in the Title / Novels About Grief
One Italian Summer
Author: Rebecca Serle
Year: 2022
Genre: Magical Realism
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Rebecca Serle has done it again with this book set in Italy. Katy’s mother, Carol, has died and left Katy to take their trip to Positano alone. When Katy leaves, she is uncertain about everything and whether she will return to her marriage.
Then, the impossible happens, and Carol appears at Katy’s hotel. She is in perfect health and thirty years old. She is not the woman Katy thought she knew. As she gets to know her mother, she realizes more about herself.
Why Jackie loves it
This is a beautiful, well-written book with a touch of magic. I loved how Katy and Carol are able to develop a relationship in Italy after Carol died. It is unique and wonderful.
Find this book in: Contemporary Fiction / Book Set in Italy / Novels About Grief/ Best Magical Realism Books / Books About Mothers/ Books Set on a Beach / Books with Summer in the Title
Fiction Books About Grief for Teens
Clap When You Land
Author: Elizabeth Acevedo
Year: 2020
Genre: YA Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 12+
Plot
Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic and counts down the days until her father comes to visit every year from New York City.
Yahaira Rios lives in New York City and her life changes forever the day she finds out her father has been killed in a plane crash on his way to the Dominican Republic for his summer trip.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a Parent, Sexual assault
Why Kirsten loves it
The story of the sisters meeting and each finding out new things about their father and each other made for quite a story. This is one of the most emotional and poignant books about sisters I’ve ever read.
Find this book in: Books about Sisters / Plane Novels / Novels About Grief
Long Way Down
Author: Jason Reynolds
Year: 2019
Genre: Fiction
Age: 12+
More info: A Newbery Honor Book, A Coretta Scott King Honor Book, A Printz Honor Book, A Time Best YA Book of All Time
Plot
This book for a 13-year-old takes place throughout a 60-second elevator ride. 15-year-old Will is taking the elevator down on his way to shoot his brother’s killer. Visited by spirits at each level as he descends, he needs to decide if he should continue the cycle of street violence or let his brother’s death go unavenged.
Trigger Warnings
Gun violence
Why Kirsten loves it
This moving book about grief is perfect for teens. It’s not a long story, but it doesn’t need to be. I would recommend it for a parent-child book club because everyone will find this powerful story to be thought-provoking and worthy of discussion!
Find this book in: Best Books for 12-year-olds / Novels About Grief / Middle Grade Books for Tweens / Newbery Award Winners
Expert Tip
If you are wondering which of these books is right for you, I have a few tips
- Jackie and I have read all these books. There is a description as well as triggers for each book. Have a look at these and see if the book appeals to you.
- If you have experienced loss and are looking for uplifting fiction, these books are the perfect place to start.
- If you are suffering from persistent grief or are thinking about hurting yourself or others, please speak with an expert or call/ text the Suicide Hotline at #988
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a novel about grief?
A novel about grief is a fiction book in which grief is one of the central themes. Often, it is the main character who is dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Are fiction books about grief depressing?
Believe it or not, no. Of course, these books have sad elements. However, the main characters are learning to deal with loss. The books on this list have touching moments while the characters learn to process their emotions.
Related Content
Epilogue
Have you read any of these novels about grief?
