Genres

Contemporary fiction book club questions

Discussion guides we've filed under Contemporary fiction, listed A to Z. 6 guides for your next meeting, each with themes, read-alikes, and where to find a copy.

  • Anxious People

    by Fredrik Backman

    A failed bank robbery turns into a hostage standoff at an apartment viewing, throwing together a group of anxious strangers who have more in common than they think.

    A modern book club favorite

  • Britt-Marie Was Here

    by Fredrik Backman

    A fastidious, socially awkward woman in her sixties leaves her husband, takes a job in a dying town, and improbably ends up coaching its ragtag children's soccer team.

    A modern book club favorite

  • Dolly All the Time

    by Annabel Monaghan

    An overstretched single mom returns to her seaside hometown and strikes a fake-dating deal with the town's wealthiest heir, only for the arrangement to start feeling real.

    Good Morning America Book Club, June 2026

  • A Man Called Ove

    by Fredrik Backman

    A rigid, grieving widower keeps trying to follow his late wife out of this world, only to be repeatedly interrupted by the boisterous new neighbors who need him.

    A modern book club favorite

  • My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry

    by Fredrik Backman

    After her beloved, larger-than-life grandmother dies, a precocious seven-year-old follows a trail of apology letters that leads her into the hidden lives of everyone in their building.

    A modern book club favorite

  • The Shampoo Effect

    by Jenny Jackson

    An ambitious young writer falls for a small-town golden boy and lands inside his tight lifelong friend group, until a pregnancy and her own pen blow the whole thing open.

    Read with Jenna, July 2026