Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Gail Honeyman released her debut novel, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely fine, in 2017 and it quickly won over the hearts of readers. It went on to win the Costa Debut Novel Award and the movie rights were quickly snapped up by Reese Witherspoon's company, Hello Sunshine. One of the reasons why the book captivated readers so much was its title character. The 29 year old Eleanor Oliphant is definitely a very unusual protagonist and many readers could identify with the fact that she is a social misfit. The themes that are explored in the book include isolation and loneliness, which is issues everyone can sympathize with. Readers who couldn't get enough of the book and can't wait for the film may want to check out the following books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine in the meantime.

Valencia and Valentine

by Suzy Krause

Just like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Valencia and Valentine is also a debut novel, this time from author Suzy Krause. Both books also explore similar themes, such as loneliness and loss, but does so in a heartwarming and often humorous way. Another thing that the tales have in common is their quirky characters. Valencia is a timid woman who works as a debt collector, but thanks to her crippling OCD she is a loner. Mrs. Valentine on the other hand is desperate for company, but thanks to her age it's not always possible. These two characters both have their own stories, which at first appear to have nothing in common, but will keep readers captivated until the end.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

by Kelly Harms

Eleanor Oliphant rediscovered life after working up the courage to step out of her courage zone. Unfortunately, for the protagonist of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, things are not quite as simple. She is not only overworked and under-appreciated, but her husband also left her three years ago. This meant that she had to take care of the children all on her own as well. Then, out of the blue, her husband shows up on her doorstep again and offers to take care of the kids for the summer while Amy goes on a long overdue break. Then, just as it looks like she finally gets to live the life she has always wanted, things take an even more unexpected turn.

Today Will Be Different

by Maria Semple

Today Will Be Different and Eleanor Oliphant shares more than just a protagonist with the same name. Unlike Eleanor Oliphant, Eleanor Flood has a husband and a son. The title refers to the fact that Eleanor has decided that she will be setting attainable goals for herself to accomplish. However, nothing works out for Eleanor as planned and she ends up having to deal with problems that catch her completely off-guard. Today Will Be Different is from the same author who wrote Where's You Go, Bernadette, but it has been praised for having characters deal with problems that feel more real. Readers who enjoyed reading about Eleanor Oliphant trying to overcome her own mental obstacles in order to become a better person will also appreciate Eleanor Flood's struggles.

I'm Fine and Neither Are You

by Camille Pagan

Being honest with herself and facing her fears worked out for Eleanor Oliphant, but things are not quite as clear-cut for Penelope Ruiz-Kar in I'm Fine and Neither Are You. She is a wife, mother and breadwinner, but feels like she is barely keeping things together. This makes her envious of her best friend, Jenny, who appears to have everything together and living the perfect life. When she finds out that Jenny is not living the charmed life she was projecting at all, it prompts Penelope to try and deal with her own relationship. The agreement that she reaches with her underemployed husband, Sanjay, is that they will not only write a list of changes that they want each other to make, but also commit to complete honesty with each other. On the surface, it sounds like the perfect plan for a happy marriage, but in reality, things don't go nearly as smoothly as Penelope had planned.

For Once In My Life

by Colleen Coleman

Just like Eleanor Oliphant, Lily Buckley is a woman who feels like life is passing her by. Lily is twenty-nine years old and thought that it this point in her life she would already be happily married and blissfully working in her dream job. Unfortunately, she was left at the altar at the age of twenty six and has been single ever since. Her career is also not exactly fulfilling as she spends her time writing about mundane local events for the paper. Things look up when Lily is finally given the chance to write her own column, but the catch is that she has to do one thing a week that really scares her. This is a big deal for Lily, but thanks to the support of a colleague she throws herself at the challenge. Then, just when it looks like she has finally gotten her life back on track, Lily is given a few more curve balls that threatens to derail everything.