If you enjoy any of these books alone or with your group...you'll love Evermere.

click a heading to uncover my recommendations

Looking for your next discussion-worthy read? Whether your club leans literary or loves cozy with a deeper thread, Evermere was written with you in mind.

Recently published books that are comparable to Evermere you might also like:

Like these recent releases, Evermere invites readers to reflect on the invisible threads that hold communities—and ourselves—together.

The Waters by Bonnie Jo Campbell (2024)

A poignant tale of a multi-generational family living off-grid in Michigan’s backwoods. Like Evermere, it honors community heritage, the rhythm of place, and how ordinary people can become each other’s greatest supports.

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman (2024)

An ensemble workplace drama set in a small-town megastore, exploring how collection of characters reveal community undercurrents. It shares Evermere’s intimate character arcs and focus on personal transformation through everyday interactions.

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes (2022)

Celebrated for its gentle, intelligent exploration of identity and belonging, Flying Solo shares Evermere's quiet emotional resonance, romantic restraint, with an emphasis on second changes in midlife.

Enduring Favorites

The Mitford Series by Jan Karon

First Published: 1994 (At Home in Mitford)

Why this fits:
Like Mitford, Evermere invites readers into a small town full of quirky characters, gentle humor, and the quiet rhythms of everyday life. Both stories feature a central figure trying to help others while navigating their own growth—and both show how grace is often found in community.

Karon’s work demonstrated the enduring power of portraying faith, service, and hometown life not as overt themes, but as natural elements of deeply human storytelling. Mitford helped me see that a town can be a character, and that writing about civic life and spiritual community can be compelling without preaching.

The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams

First Published: 2017

Why this fits:
Readers who loved the warmth, hidden wounds, and redemptive friendships in Secret, Book & Scone will feel right at home in Evermere. Willa and Penny’s community coin challenge echoes the kind of healing and connection sparked when women with different strengths come together for a shared mission.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

First Published: 2020

Why this fits:
While Evermere has a slower romantic burn, it shares Jimenez’s blend of humor, emotional depth, and moments that make readers sigh. Characters in both books wrestle with belonging, second chances, and the sometimes surprising ways people come back to life.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

First Published: 2013 (Swedish), 2015 (English translation)

Why this fits:
Both stories explore what it means to revive a town—not through grand gestures, but through personal investment and neighborly intention. Evermere adds an intergenerational lens and a symbolic mascot that becomes a rallying point, not unlike Broken Wheel’s bookstore.

Jenny Colgan’s small-town novels

First Published: 2016 (The Café by the Sea)

Why this fits:
Evermere shares Colgan’s cozy sensibilities, loveable townsfolk, and layered heroines who charm you with their chaos. It’s about building something lasting—one cookie, conversation, or community badge at a time.

Katherine Center’s heartfelt novels

First Published: 2019 (Things You Save in a Fire)

Why this fits:
If you’re drawn to emotional resonance, everyday bravery, and women rediscovering their agency through community and connection, Evermere will feel like a welcome walk down a familiar path.

Discussion Prompts for Every Book Club

While my books will each have prepared questions to facilitate your book club discussion time, I thought I'd share some prompts that you can use for any book you want to share with your friends.

Which character did you relate to most—and why?
What moment or trait felt familiar or true to your own life?

What surprised you in this book?
A twist, a theme, or even a subtle line—what caught you off guard?

Did the book change your perspective on anything?
Whether small or significant, did it shift how you think about a topic, place, or relationship?

What role did setting play in the story?
Was the location just a backdrop, or did it function like a character in itself?

What would you ask the author if they were here?
Plot choices, character arcs, or hidden meanings—what’s still lingering?

Were the relationships in the story realistic?
Think about family, friendships, or romance—what rang true (or didn’t)?

How does the title reflect the story’s themes or tone?
Is it literal, symbolic, or something in between?

What themes or symbols stood out to you?
From obvious motifs to hidden Easter eggs, what resonated or repeated?

If this book were a movie, who would you cast?
(Bonus: What would you cut or change for the screen?)

Would you recommend this book—and to whom?
What kind of reader would love this story? What would you say in your pitch?

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