10 fiction books by women to look out for in 2026
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Already thinking about your reading challenge for next year? We’ve curated a list of 10 of the best new fiction books by women to read in 2026.
For me, a new year signifies something I take very seriously: a new reading challenge. This year, I’ve already raced through my target of 60 books (I’m currently reading my 63rd, the new Beth O’Leary). While I dislike the competitive nature of a reading challenge, I find it keeps me accountable. I read more, rather than spend my evenings doomscrolling.
If you’re not sure of what you should be looking out for in 2026, we’ve done the hard work for you. All of these books are written by fantastic female authors, so you can enjoy getting stuck in throughout the new year. Whether you’re into romance, contemporary stories or thrillers, here’s a list of 10 of the best upcoming fiction books by female authors that are set to be big in 2026.
This Book Made Me Think Of You by Libby Page
When Tilly receives a call informing her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly, because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure, but mainly because Joe died five months ago. Joe has carefully chosen 12 books, one for each month, to help her through her first year without him. The books take Tilly on a reading-inspired journey around the world to discover who she is now, without Joe. (out 29 January 2026)
Shop This Book Made Me Think Of You by Libby Page (Penguin) at Bookshop.org, £16.99
Hooked by Asako Yuzuki (translated by Polly Barton)
Eriko’s life seems perfect, but beneath her flawless surface she is racked by loneliness. Eriko becomes fascinated with a popular blog written by a housewife, Shoko. When Eriko tracks Shoko down at her favourite restaurant and befriends her, Shoko is at first charmed by her new companion. But as Eriko’s obsession with Shoko deepens, her possessive behaviour starts to raise suspicions. How far will Eriko go to hold on to the best friend that she’s ever had? (out 12 March 2026)
Shop Hooked by Asako Yuzuki (Fourth Estate) at Bookshop.org, £14.99
Workhorse by Caroline Palmer
Editorial assistant Clo wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world’s most prestigious fashion magazine. But there’s just one problem: she doesn’t have the right pedigree. She’s a ‘workhorse’ in a world of beautiful, wealthy, impossibly well-connected show horses. Clo meets Harry, a reporter with visions of his own media empire, and Clo wonders whether he’s an ally or the only thing standing between her and her rightful place at the top. (out 15 Jan 2026)
Shop Workhorse by Caroline Palmer (Fourth Estate) at Bookshop.org, £16.99
Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang
Lonely college student Minnie feels invisible until she stumbles upon HOURglass, America’s new K-pop-inspired boyband obsession. She’s doing everything she can in the hopes that her favourite member, Halo, will see her in the comments. On the other side of the screen, Halo is becoming addicted to the adoration from his fans. Minnie is quickly drawn to a fan community that believes it needs to protect the band from a dark conspiracy and is determined to discover the secrets that Halo is keeping. (out 19 Feb 2026)
Shop Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang (Penguin) at Bookshop.org, £18.99
Five by Ilona Bannister
It’s 7.01am on a train platform, and five strangers unknowingly face a horrifying countdown: one of them is going to die in just five minutes. As the train pulls ever closer, we delve into the stories of each of the five characters. There’s a child, a mother, a businessman, an old woman and a gambler. You’ll fall in love with them, you’ll pity them and you’ll judge them. But most importantly, you won’t want any of them to die. (out 5 May 2026)
Shop Five by Ilona Bannister (Juniper) at Bookshop.org, £13.99
They All Fall In Love At The End by Haili Blassingame
Cat isn’t asking for a lot. All she wants is her three boyfriends, to write her novels and to survive another presidential election. She’s in an open relationship with her college sweetheart Jay, but nonmonogamy isn’t just a hot trend she’s trying. The political tension is high across the campus, and Cat finds herself drawn to Jay’s best friend, Tristan. And then she meets Tristan’s girlfriend, Nia, a captivating art student with her own gravitational pull. Friends and family urge her to just be happy with Jay, but Cat is determined to have it all or blow her life up trying. (out 2 July 2026)
It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh
Nadeeka is certain that Jamie is having an affair. She’s been here before, so she knows the tell-tale signs. When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act. But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can’t explain himself because the house has become a crime scene. And Jamie is dead… (out 26 March 2026)
Shop It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh (HarperCollins) at Bookshop.org, £16.99
California Gold by Jodie Chapman
Frank has been travelling around California when someone tells him about a house in the desert where the walls are steel and the glass shimmers. When Chrissy picks him up hitchhiking on the side of the road – all blonde hair and oversized sunglasses – it’s love at first sight. Years later, as their shared dream of recreating a mid-century masterpiece in Britain threatens to overwhelm them, Frank will often think back to the start. What if they had never met? (out 19 March 2026)
Shop California Gold by Jodie Chapman (Penguin) at Bookshop.org, £16.99
Score by Kennedy Ryan
They always say that you never forget your first love, and Verity knows this truth intimately. She didn’t simply miss Monk when they parted ways in college. No, she’s haunted by his touch. Any lover since is merely a shadow of what they had. More than a decade after their breakup, Verity and Monk must work together on the set of an epic Harlem Renaissance biopic. This once-in-a-lifetime project could catapult them both to new heights, but can they put the past behind them for the film… or for something more? (out 19 May 2026)
Shop Score by Kennedy Ryan (Piatkus) on Bookshop.org, £10.99
Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
Waldo is ravenous. Naive. Impulsive. Lonely. Angry. Endlessly wanting. And the thing she wants most of all? Mr Korgy, her creative writing teacher. He has a wife, a child, a mortgage and bills. She had no idea why she wants him. Perhaps it’s the fact that he knows books and films that she doesn’t? Or are they actually kindred spirits, sharing the same filter to take in the world around them? Perhaps it’s enough that he sees her when no one else does. (out 20 January 2026)
Shop Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy (Fourth Estate) at Bookshop.org, £16.99
Images: courtesy of publishers
