Novels Set in Retirement Communities and Nursing Homes
It is funny that sometimes reading one book in a very niche genre leads to a landslide of books in that same niche. That is what happened to me! I knew I wanted to make a list of novels set in retirement communities.
There is something about the antics that take place in these communities and the quirky residents that make this setting so much fun to read. Even though these books have older protagonists, it does not mean that they are sad and depressing.
In fact, many of these books are uplifting, feel-good books. There are fantastic historical fiction books as well as cozy mystery books like The Thursday Murder Club that will make you laugh out loud.
Some of these books take place in nursing homes or assisted living facilities as well. I love reading about characters who discover it is never too late to make a change or take a chance. And not all of these books are exclusively about older characters. In some of these books, younger people find themselves working in or visiting a retirement community.
This is the reason I chose this to be a prompt for the 2027 Reading Challenge.
The Best Novels Set in Retirement Communities
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.
The Best Fiction Book Set in a Retirement Community
Enourmous Wings by Laurie Frankel- Jump to Section
The Best Historical Fiction Set in a Retirement Comunity
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern- Jump to Section
The Best Mystery Set in a Retirement Community
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman- Jump to Section
*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.
Fiction Books Set in Nursing Homes and Retirement Communities
Enormous Wings
Author: Laurie Frankel
Year: 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Pepper Mills has just moved into her new home at a retirement community in Texas. As she adapts to her new surroundings, she makes friends and even finds a love interest…. and then the unexpected happens. She finds out she’s pregnant at seventy-seven.
Her pregnancy startles her family, her doctors, and the world, and begins to have serious consequences since her medical rights have been recently changed under Texas law. Should she keep the baby? Will she be at risk to her own health if she carries it to term? Will she suffer a miscarriage? Can she be a parent (again!) at 77?
Trigger Warnings
Abortion
Why Kirsten loves it
I thought that this story was going to be a lark, a funny little something just for the beach. I was wrong. It was a thoughtful examination of fertility, abortion, and women’s rights written in an easily-digestible – though no less thought-provoking – way. I was enchanted by Pepper as a mother, grandmother, and friend. She was the perfect protagonist to tell this kind of story. If you are looking for a summer book club pick, this has lots of conversational fodder while also being an enjoyable poolside read. #gifted by Macmillan Audio
Find this book in: Books with Older Protagonists / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Not Nothing
Author: Gayle Forman
Year: 2024
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
More: March 2026 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick
Age: 10+
Plot
Alex is a twelve-year-old boy who did something very, very bad. When the judge sentences him to community service at a retirement home, he expects the worst. With Maya-Jade – the only other person his age who works there – hovering over his shoulder at all times, he fears that his secret will be revealed.
Alex eventually meets Josey who is a 107-year-old man who lived through the holocaust and hasn’t talked in many years. Josey entrusts his story to Alex, one of sadness, love, and death soon they form a close bond. But, secrets can’t be kept forever, and to do good, Alex has to confront what he has done.
Trigger Warnings
War, Antisemitism, Genocide
Why Jackie loves it
I’m not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best books I have ever read. It’s amazingly well-written, and one of the few books I have read to have made me cry.
Find this book in: Best Books for 11-year-olds / Books about the Holocaust / Best New Children’s Books of 2024 / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Plot
Germaine has lost her job at an insurance company and begins working at a helpline for senior citizens. The mayor has a side project for Germaine. She wants Germaine to help her in the feud between the golf club and the senior citizen center. Sometimes, as Germaine will find out, things are not always what they seem.
Why Jackie likes it
I started reading this book and found that I had a really hard time putting it down. It is one of those books where the main character is completely imperfect and often infuriating but, will grow on you!
Find this book in: Books Like Lessons in Chemistry / Books Like Eleanor Oliphant / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Jackpot Summer
Author: Elyssa Friedland
Year: 2024
Genre: Fiction
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
The four Jacobson children reunite for a weekend to clean out and sell the Jersey Shore home they’ve loved since they were children. They are preparing to say goodbye to the home, reminisce about their recently deceased mother, and help their father with his move to a Florida retirement village.
They did not expect to win the lottery that same weekend when three of the four siblings entered a Powerball drawing. But win they do, and when money becomes the focus, the family starts to fall apart.
Why Kirsten likes it
As one of 4 siblings, I particularly loved the dynamics in this story. Anyone from a big family knows the constant texting, side arguments, and inside jokes are very real. I like that their love for each other trumped all in the end.
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2024 / Books Set at the Beach / Books with Summer in the Title / Multigenerational Novels / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies
Author: Vicky Zimmerman
Year: 2020
Genre: Fiction
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Kate’s life is not exactly where she thought it would be months before her 40th birthday. Her job is not secure and she has had to move back in with her mother after yet another break with her boyfriend.
Now Kate finds herself volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies, a nursing home where she finds a grumpy and very smart 97-year-old lady named Cecily. The two ladies begin an unlikely friendship that will change them both forever.
Why Jackie loves it
It is such a feel-good book but a fair warning- reading this book will make you very hungry!
Find this book in Novels About Food / Novels Set in Retirement Communities and Nursing Homes
Historical Fiction Books Set in Nursing Homes and Retirement Communities
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern
Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
Year: 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Author of The Matchmaker’s Gift
Age Range:15+
Plot
Augusta Stern grew up in Brooklyn with her pharmacist father. Shortly after her mother died, Augusta’s Great Aunt Esther moved into their house. Ester had her own cures for women’s problems that were overlooked by male doctors and pharmacists. August is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her Aunt.
The book follows Augusta in two timelines. One in the 20’s and the other sixty years later. At 80, Augusta is forced into retirement after lying about her age for the last 20 years. Her niece helps her find a nice active senior community in Florida so she can retire in nice weather. Shortly after her arrival, she bumps into the man who broke her heart more than 60 years ago.
Now she will have to address the mistakes of her past if she wants to move forward.
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this book and Augusta’s fiery personality. She takes no crap from anyone. A lot of that stems from old wounds, but even at 80 years old, she is not so stuck and set in her ways that she cannot change. Some of the parts of this book had me laughing out loud.
Find this book in: Best New Historical Fiction Books of 2024 / Books Set in the 80s / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen
Year: 2006
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: A Major Motion Picture starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I read this book long before we started the blog and I still recommend this book to everyone as a must-read.
It is the middle of the Great Depression and Jacob is orphaned just shy of earning his Veterinary degree. He finds himself a job with a circus caring for a menagerie as a way to continue working with animals but also to support himself.
Here he meets Marlena, the beautiful star of the show, and an untrainable elephant named Rosie. I loved everything about this book from the romance and tension to the beauty of the animals and their relationship with the people around them.
Trigger Warnings
Animal Cruelty
Why Jackie loves it
This is a unique story, unlike anything I have ever read. I am a huge animal lover and so this book spoke to my heart
Why Kirsten loves it
The relationship between Marlena and Jacob develops beautifully with such love and respect. It is a love story to be remembered.
Find this book in: Animal Novels for Adults /Historical Fiction Romance / Circus Books / Remarkably Bright Creatures Summary and Review / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Author: Fannie Flag
Year: 2005
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Adapted to a film of the same name in 1991 starring Kathy Bates
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Fried Green Tomatoes is a book that I read years ago and have loved ever since. It is a novel about two women: middle-aged Evelyn, who is in a life slump, and Mrs. Threadgoode, who’s telling her life story.
Her story includes two more women, tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth in the 1930s. The women ran The Whistle Stop Cafe in Alabama. As the story unfolds, it brings us back to the present and reveals the power of love, laughter, and most importantly, friendship.
Trigger Warnings
Racism, Domestic abuse
Why Jackie loves it
This book resonated with me because of the power of friendship but also the feeling of no knowing who you are or where your place is. As everyone goes through any changes in life, whether its a new job, growing older, or having a baby, we all at some point see the different paths in front of us. This is one of those books that everyone can relate to and the movie adaptation is fantastic!
Find this book in: Coffee Shop Romance Books / Books About Food / Books With Colors in the Title / Books with Food in the Title / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
The Notebook
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Year: 1996
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
If you love the second-chance romance trope, this is an iconic book that skyrocketed to fame after the movie came out. This is one of the rare instances where the movie brought the book to life. And that kiss……
Post WWII, Noah cannot stop thinking about the beautiful and charismatic deb who stole his heart nearly a decade earlier. Allie is a socialite who is supposed to marry a wealthy lawyer. She is not supposed to be thinking about Noah. Will these two get their second chance at romance?
The Notebook is on Broadway, and Jackie and I were lucky enough to go see it. Were we both sobbing? 100%. Was it fantastic 100%
Why Kirsten loves it
To me, this is the quintessential second-chance romance!
Why Jackie loves it
I loved the book and then loved it even more after I saw the movie. This is one of the rare exceptions where the movie was just as good as the book.
Find this book in: Second Chance Romance Books / WWII Romance Books / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Mystery Books Set in Nursing Homes and Retirement Communities
Thursday Murder Club
Author: Richard Osman
Year: 2020
Genre: Mystery
More info: Book 1 of 5 in Thursday Murder Club Series
Age Range: 14+
Plot
In a retirement village, in the puzzle room, four septuagenarians meet weekly for the Thursday Murder Club. They discuss and try to solve cold cases. When a local developer is found dead, the Thursday murder club has its first real case.
Soon, the bodies are piling up, and it’s up to the TMC to find the killer and stop them before it’s too late.
Why Jackie loves it
There was not much about this book that I didn’t love. The characters are smart and multi-dimensional. The plot is both intelligent and funny. I easily read this book in two days. This is the perfect cozy mystery book.
Find this book in: Books with Older Protagonists / Cozy Mystery Books / Books to Get Out of a Reading Slump / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
Heartwood
Author: Amity Gage
Genre: Literary Mystery
Release Date: April 1, 2025
More info: April 2025 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Set in the Maine wilderness, 42-year-old hiker Valerie goes missing. Game Warden Beverly is tasked with finding Valerie, while 76-year-old Lena is an armchair detective on the case as well. But is Valerie’s disappearance actually an accident? And will they find her before it’s too late?
Trigger Warnings
Mental Illness
Why Kirsten likes it
I really enjoyed this book, but it was hard not to compare it to The God of the Woods, which ultimately came out on top. Still, my heart was pounding at the end as the stakes got higher and higher! I really enjoyed the full cast narration as it allowed me to get into the minds of each character – their voices were perfect for their parts. #Gifted by Libro.Fm
Find this book in: Books Set in Maine / Read With Jenna Book Club List 2025 / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
The Primrose Murder Society
Author: Stacy Hackney
Year: 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Only Murders in the Building meets Gilmore Girls
Age Range: 14+
Plot
After Lila’s husband is sent to jail for a white-collar crime, she agrees to move into and clean an apartment in a luxurious apartment building. Soon after she arrives with her daughter, the owner of the building dies and leaves a $2 million reward for anyone who can solve the 21-year-old murder of his granddaughter. When another resident is killed, Lila becomes the prime suspect. Now, she needs to solve both murders to avoid going to jail and losing her daughter.
Why Kirsten loves it
I adored the precocious Bea and her antics as well as the secondary characters in the building. It was a fun mystery to solve, but it was even more rewarding to see Lila’s growth as a mother and newly single woman. #gifted by Harper Audio.
Find this book in: Cozy Mystery Books / Novels Set in Retirement Communities
More Novels set in Retirement Commuities
Expert Tip
Reading challenges are more fun (and easier to finish) with company. In the Beyond the Bookends Book Club, we read one book together each month, share our thoughts, and then hear the story behind the story straight from the author. Plus, the book is already picked for you, so there is one less decision to make. If you would love a few reading friends for your 2027 reading challenge, we’d be happy to have you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Books set in retirement communities?
There are some fantastic books set in retirement communities. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flag, have all been adapted to the screen and are some of the most well-known novels set in retirement communities.
What are some cozy mysteries with older sleuths like The Thursday Murder Club?
There are some fantastic books like The Thursday Murder Club. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto is also the first book in a series with an older sleuth. My Grandfather, The Master Detective by Masteru Konishi is another fantastic cozy mystery book that is not as well known.
What is the difference between a book set in a nursing home and one set in a retirement community?
Both novels set in nursing homes and those set in retirement communities feature older protagonists. The difference is that adults who live in a nursing home may have more restrictions on when they can leave the facility and for how long. It is mainly a difference in setting rather than they types of characters.
Are books set in nursing homes sad or depressing?
No. In fact, the majority of the books on this list are not sad. Many of these books are more uplifting and feel-good. The one exception is probably The Notebook. The ending of that one will leave you in a puddle in the bests way possible.
What is the best book set in a retirement community for book clubs?
There are a few books on this list that would be great picks for book clubs. When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston is a fantastic pick. Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel is also a great novel set in a retirement community for books clubs.
Epilogue
Have you read any novels set in retirement communities? What is at the top of your list?
