Books

Realistic fiction

Fiction taking place within what we consider our reality.

This is the preferred term. Synonyms are included. You can turn off synonyms.

Narrower terms: Romance, Mystery, Contemporary fiction, Thriller, Historical fiction, Western, Religious fiction, Paranormal romance, Historical romance, Contemporary romance, Western romance, Gothic romance, Romantic thriller, Erotic romance, Sports romance, PNR, Regency romance, Viking romance, Victorian romance, Medieval romance, Tudor romance, Elizabethan romance, American Civil War romance, World War I romance, WWI romance, World War II romance, WWII romance, WW2 romance, World War 2 romance, WW1 romance, World War 1 romance, Colonial romance, Stuart romance, Georgian romance, Pirate romance, Americana romance, Hockey romance, Historical mystery, Cozy mystery, Procedural, Hobby mystery, Paranormal mystery, Bounty hunter mystery, Noir mystery, Whodunit, Serial killer mystery, Occult mystery, Forensic procedural, Detective mystery, Police procedural, FBI procedural, Locked room mystery, Military fiction, Military, Satire, New adult fiction, Generational saga, Sports fiction, Chick lit, Women's fiction, Coming-of-age fiction, CoA, Relationship/marriage fiction, Family saga, Slice of life, Hockey fiction, Bildungsroman, Conspiracy thriller, Military thriller, Legal thriller, Medical thriller, Spy thriller, Supernatural thriller, Historical thriller, Political thriller, Psychological thriller, Disaster thriller, Eco thriller, Bounty hunter thriller, Great Depression fiction, Victorian fiction, World War II fiction, World War I fiction, Regency fiction, American Revolutionary War fiction, American Civil War fiction, Documentary fiction, WWI fiction, WW1 fiction, World War 1 fiction, World War 2 fiction, WW2 fiction, WWII fiction, Pirate fiction, Viking fiction, Biographical Fiction, Weird west, Mexican wars, Lawmen fiction, American Civil War western, Bounty hunter western, Australian western, Cattle drive western, Cowpunk, Eurowestern, Gunslinger fiction, Indigenous conflicts, Indian wars, Land rush western, Outlaw western, Fantasy western, Acid western, Town tamer western, Prospecting western, Range War western, Trapper western, Mountain men western, Mountain man western, Wagon trail western, Contemporary western, Neo-western, Western horror, Northern western, Feminist Western, Christian fiction, Amish fiction, Wiccan fiction, Hindu fiction, Religious thriller, Mormon fiction, Islamic fiction, Jewish fiction, Christian romance, Biblical fiction, Christian fantasy, Acts of the Apostles fiction, Amish romance, maqama

Esmeraldas Blick

by Karoline Toso

Series:

Esmeraldas Blick

Genres:

Historical fiction

Tropes:

Baby acquisition, Doorstop baby, Framed for a crime, Rape, Surprise baby acquisition

Characters:

Adult characters, Child characters, Priests and Clergy

Time Periods:

Places:

Minor Detail

by Adiana Shibli

Series:

Genres:

Historical fiction

Tropes:

Amateur detective, Close-knit community protects their own, Implied Autism, Kidnapping, Loosely based on a true story, Rape

Characters:

Adult characters, Autistic character(s), Journalist, Soldier

Time Periods:

1940-1949, Information Age

Places:

Israel, Palestine, State of Palestine

The Love Hypothesis

by Ali Hazelwood

Series:

Genres:

Contemporary romance, Humor, New adult fiction, Slice of life

Tropes:

Age Difference, Breaking the fourth wall, Coming of age, Crush on teacher, Fake dating, Feelings realization, Fluff, Friends to lovers, Grumpy/sunshine, Kissing to avoid suspicion, Miscommunication, Opposites attract, Pining, Playing the long game, Slice of life, Woman in a man's world

Characters:

Academic, Characters in their 20s, Characters in their 30s, College student, Scientist, Teacher

Time Periods:

Places:

United States, University

Scales and Sensibility

by Stephanie Burgis

Series:

Regency Dragons

Genres:

Alternate history, Fantasy of manners, Regency romance

Tropes:

Characters:

Time Periods:

Places:

Petty Treason

by Madeleine E. Robins

Series:

Sarah Tolerance

Genres:

Alternate history, Fantasy of manners, Historical mystery

Tropes:

Characters:

Detective, Swordswoman

Time Periods:

Places:

Point of Honour

by Madeleine E. Robins

Series:

Sarah Tolerance

Genres:

Alternate history, Fantasy of manners, Historical mystery

Tropes:

Characters:

Detective, Swordswoman

Time Periods:

Places:

Shades of Milk and Honey

by Mary Robinette Kowal

Series:

Glamourist Histories

Genres:

Fantasy of manners, Regency romance

Tropes:

Magical society

Characters:

Time Periods:

1800-1810, Regency Era

Places:

Trade Me

by Courtney Milan

Series:

Genres:

Contemporary romance, New adult fiction

Tropes:

Celebrity relationships, Fake dating, Life swap, Prince(ss) and pauper, Transactional relationship

Characters:

Athlete, Billionaire, Characters in their 20s, Characters with eating disorders, Chinese American main character(s), College student, Straight main character(s), Trans woman side character

Time Periods:

Places:

California, College

The Duke Who Didn’t

by Courtney Milan

Series:

The Wedgeford Trials

Genres:

Victorian romance

Tropes:

Childhood friends, Friends to lovers, Secret identity

Characters:

Characters in their 20s, Chinese diasporic main character(s), Entrepreneur, Nobility

Time Periods:

Places:

Banana Fish, Vol. 1

by Akimi Yoshida, Matt Thorn (Translator)

Series:

Genres:

Conspiracy thriller

Tropes:

Betrayal, Conspiracy, Fish out of water, Hostage situation, Organized crime

Characters:

Adult characters, American main character, East Asian main character(s), Gangster, Photographer, Teen main character(s)

Time Periods:

Places:

You Could Make a Life

by Taylor Fitzpatrick

Series:

Genres:

Contemporary romance, Romance, Sports fiction, Sports romance

Tropes:

Friends to lovers, Men loving men, Sports teams

Characters:

Adult characters, Hockey player, New adult main characters

Time Periods:

2000s, 2010-2020

Places:

Canada, Toronto

A Hero Born

by Anna Holmwood (Translator), Jin Yong

Series:

Legends of the Condor Heroes, The Condor Trilogy

Genres:

Family saga, Wuxia

Tropes:

Arranged marriage, Band of misfits, Coming of age, Dysfunctional family, Fish out of water, Playing the long game, Shoot first ask questions later, Time skip

Characters:

Adult characters, Child characters, Daoist priest, East Asian main character(s), Martial artist, Oblivious hero, Teen main character(s)

Time Periods:

Jin Dynasty, Southern Song Dynasty

Places:

China, Mongolia

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Series:

Genres:

Coming-of-age fiction, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary romance, Realistic fiction, Romance

Tropes:

Characters:

Latine/North American main character(s), Teen main character(s)

Time Periods:

Places:

Anyone But You

by Jennifer Crusie

Series:

Genres:

Contemporary romance

Tropes:

Age Difference, Bonding over dogs, Dog characters, Friends to lovers, Neighbors, Pining

Characters:

Characters in their 30s, Characters in their 40s, Divorced main character, Doctor, Straight main character(s), White/European diasporic main character(s)

Time Periods:

Places:

Due Diligence

Series:

Takeover (Anna Zabo)

Genres:

Contemporary romance

Tropes:

Coworkers to lovers, Men loving men

Characters:

Queer main character(s), White/European diasporic main character(s)

Time Periods:

Places:

Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun

by Jonny Garza Villa

Series:

Genres:

Contemporary romance, Realistic fiction, Romance

Tropes:

Characters:

Latine/Latin American main character(s), Queer main character(s), Queer side character(s), Soccer player, Student athlete, Teen main character(s)

Time Periods:

Places:

Infomocracy

by Malka Ann Older

Series:

Genres:

Near future science fiction, Political thriller, Science fiction

Tropes:

Corporate overreach, Dystopia

Characters:

Time Periods:

Short-Term Future

Places:

Peter Cabot Gets Lost

by Cat Sebastian

Series:

The Cabots (Cat Sebastian)

Genres:

Historical romance

Tropes:

Grumpy/sunshine, Men loving men, Only one bed, Prince(ss) and pauper, Road trip

Characters:

Characters in their 20s, New adult main characters, White/European diasporic main character(s)

Time Periods:

Places:

The Long Game

Series:

Genres:

Contemporary romance, Hockey romance, Sports romance

Tropes:

Coming out, Enemies to lovers, Long distance relationship, Rivals to lovers, Secret relationship

Characters:

Bisexual main character(s), Closeted main character(s), East Asian main character(s), Hockey player, Russian main character

Time Periods:

Places:

Boston, Montreal, Toronto

The Missing Page

by Cat Sebastian

Series:

Page and Sommers

Genres:

Cozy mystery, Historical mystery

Tropes:

Complicated inheritance, Dysfunctional family, Secret relationship

Characters:

Doctor, Spy, Transgender side character(s), White/European main character(s)

Time Periods:

1940s, Post WWII

Places: