Life Over Easy

by Jennifer J. Baker

Like Natalya, the narrator here is someone grappling with identity after life doesn't unfold as planned—but Offill tells this story in fragmented, poetic vignettes that feel like overheard thoughts rather than a traditional narrative. You'll find that same sharp self-awareness and humor about the gap between who we thought we'd be and who we actually are, just filtered through a completely different literary lens.

by Graeme C. Simsion

Don Tillman is Natalya's spiritual opposite—a socially awkward genetics professor who creates a spreadsheet to find the perfect partner—yet both characters share that same earnest desire to optimize their way to happiness, only to discover that life's best moments resist spreadsheets and checklists. The romantic tension builds through witty banter and genuine character growth rather than manufactured drama.

by Elizabeth Strout

This one's set in a small Maine town in the 1990s, giving you that different-decade feel, and it's structured as interconnected stories rather than a single arc—but like Life Over Easy, it's fundamentally about a woman learning to see herself and her life with clearer eyes. Strout captures that particular sting of recognizing your own role in your unhappiness, and the quiet dignity of choosing to move forward anyway.

by Matt Haig

Here's your surprise pick: it's speculative fiction with a magical-realism premise, but at its core it's asking the same question Natalya discovers—what does it mean to actually live your life rather than just exist in it? The library itself is a metaphor for all the roads not taken, and watching the protagonist realize that her "ordinary" life had more meaning than she recognized will resonate deeply with Natalya's journey.

by Shelby Van Pelt

A widow and her estranged adult son take a road trip together, and like Candela's work, it's funny and touching without being sentimental—Blyth has a gift for capturing how people actually talk to each other when they're trying to bridge emotional distance. The adventure element mirrors Natalya's journey, but here the real discovery isn't about finding someone else; it's about understanding the people already in your life.