Romance/Erotica

What to Read After GET A LIFE, CHLOE BROWN

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Claire Handscombe

Contributor

Claire Handscombe moved from Europe to DC in 2012, ostensibly to study for an MFA in Creative Writing, but actually – let’s be honest – because of an obsession with The West Wing. She is the author of Unscripted, a novel about a young woman with a celebrity crush and a determined plan, and the editor of Walk With Us: How The West Wing Changed Our Lives. She also hosts the Brit Lit Podcast, a fortnightly show of news and views from British books and publishing. Blog: the Brit Lit Blog. Twitter: @BookishClaire

Get a Life, Chloe Brown, the first of the Brown sisters trilogy by British romcom writer Talia Hibbert, was named a Best Book of 2019 by countless outlets, and is beloved by countless readers. But what if you want to read books like Get a Life, Chloe Brown with some comparable themes, like representation for fat characters, nerds, socially awkward characters, disability, or people struggling with anxiety? We’ve got you.

While We Were Dating from Fake Dating Books 2021 | bookriot.com

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory

If you liked Get a Life, Chloe Brown, and really if you like romance of any kind, you’ll want to pick up the new romance by Jasmine Guillory. In this delightful book, we meet a cinnamon roll hero in the lovely, supportive Ben, who kindly cares for Anna, a plus-size movie star struggling with anxiety.

cover image of One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Although Chloe Brown’s body size isn’t a huge part of the plot, it is part of how the character identifies. The Bachelor-inspired One to Watch is more explicit about addressing those issues, and it’s a great romance novel with a fun, added mystery: you know there’s going to be a Happily Ever After, but who with?

Yes & I Love You by Roni Lauren

This New Orleans–set tale of love between an actor and a reviewer with anxiety is cleverly titled, since it’s a novel with improv at its heart. Publishers Weekly gave it the coveted starred review and said: “Intelligent, sweet, and fun, this romance succeeds on all levels.”

The Single Girl’s To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk

If you like the British humour in Talia Hibbert’s books, you’ll enjoy Lindsey Kelk’s romcoms. The Single Girl’s To-Do List has recently been reissued with a new cover, and, like Chloe Brown, its main character start out with a bullet point list of a Plan For Her Life.

Red, White and Royal Blue Book Cover

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Socially awkward nerds and British humour both abound in this beloved bestseller about an American First Son and an English prince. The New York Times Book Review loved it, too: “It’s hard to watch [Alex] fall in love with Henry without falling in love a bit yourself ― with them, and with this brilliant, wonderful book.”

cover image of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Chloe Brown is a delightful nerd and I like to think she could be good friends with bookseller Nina Hill, whose life revolves around trivia nights, her bookshop job, her small group of friends, and her cat — until she suddenly has to contend with an entire family she didn’t know she had. Oh, and she meets a guy, too.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

If you love Chloe Brown, you’ll enjoy getting to know her sisters, too, in Take a Hint, Dani Brown, and Act Your Age, Eve Brown. Like her oldest sister, Eve is curvy and awkward. She’s a constantly singing ray of sunshine who meets a curmudgeonly bed and breakfast owner when she goes to work for him…and sparks fly from there.

Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert

If you’ve ever been part of a fandom, you’ll love this romance. Like Chloe Brown, Conrad and Alden are socially awkward, and Conrad also lives with asthma.

“This captivating, nerdy romance delivers a satisfying happily ever after,” says Library Journal.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

This second-chance romance and instant New York Times Best Seller features a main character who struggles with chronic headaches. It’s a love story between two writers, so if you liked Beach Read, it’s a great one to pick up next.

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

If you’re interested in reading more about invisible chronic illness, put The Matzah Ball on your TBR for this fall. It features a heroine who lives with migraines — Rachel, a “nice Jewish girl” who secretly writes Christmas romance novels. But this year, her publisher wants something Hanukkah-themed. Enter Jacob, her summer camp crush, with whom she now has to work.


If you’re looking for more books like Get a Life, Chloe Brown, or books with specific themes, why not join TBR? Our Tailored Book Recommendations subscription will help you find lots of read-alikes — and more!