20 Smart Chick-Lit Novels

April 19, 2013

Chick lit gets a bad rap, but we don't think it's a waste of a genre. Breezy and smart need not be mutually exclusive, so we asked our readers for their favorite chick-lit novels that are as intelligent as they are fun. Here are 20 books to watch for when you want a read that's light but not empty:

Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Smart Girls Like Me by Diane Vadino
Sushi For Beginners by Marian Keyes
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
My Best Friend's Girl by Dorothy Koomson
Pink Slip by Rita Ciresi
Trading Up by Candace Bushnell
The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank
Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell
The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne
The Godmother by Carrie Adams
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes
The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri
My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great by Dixie Cash
Sweet Dreams at the Goodnight Motel by Curtis Ann Matlock
Four Blondes by Candace Bushnell
The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Have any to add?

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Books Women

17 Comments

DeborahStarling101 4 weeks 3 days

Yay! A list of smart reads for chick-lit lovers :) Thank you! I think there is so much garbage that ends up in the chick lit category. I want a heroine that I can root for and that I relate to! Unlike some of the recent leading ladies I've read about that seem like they need rescuing, that are almost shown in a kind of pathetic way….. I do feel that many chick-lit authors are evolving and changing to embrace strong female role models and bringing a story to the reader that is a bit more complex and thought provoking. I have come across a fabulous book that I have to recommend after reading your post called “Shanghai Love” by author Layne Wong (http://laynewong.com/). It is an unlikely love story between a Chinese herbalist and a Jewish refugee looking for safety from Nazi Germany. The herbalist, Peilin, was betrothed to a man who was killed before their wedding but tradition and honor forced the marriage along anyways. She is sent to Shanghai to manage his family's herbal shop. Shanghai is also Henri's destination as he has graduated from medical school as Hitler is rising to power. He flees to Shanghai where he's befriended by Ping, Peilin's brother. Through her kindness, Henri becomes fascinated with Chinese herbs as well as the exotic culture surrounding him. It is such a gripping story with a female character that you care about and that deserves a happy ending!

2 years 19 weeks

There was a time when I was really crazy about chic lit. But nothing can beat the first chic lit book I read, it's "The Other Side of the Story" by Marian Keyes. I could read the book over and over and over...but would still roll-out laughing. Great list though. :-) PajamaChic http://pajamachic.blogspot.com/

2 years 20 weeks

Great list :)

2 years 38 weeks

"The Bean Trees" and "Pigs in Heaven" by Barbara Kingsolver Both beautiful, funny books that tackle difficult issues without losing the lightness. Read 'em!

mountainbird51 2 years 39 weeks

The Play of Shadows ~ Deborah J. Habbart. Check out the author's web site at http://www.DeborahJHabbart.com and Amazon for the 5-Star reviews.

2 years 39 weeks

Love Walked In - Marisa de los Santos Best chick book I ever read :)

FutureInFashion 2 years 40 weeks

I've been looking for some new books and authors to read, so thanks for the list! For anyone looking for anything else, I'd recommend anything by Emily Giffin. I just finished "Love the One You're With" and "Baby Proof" and loved them. :)

jadenirvana 2 years 40 weeks

Additionally, Tres said "smart," not intelligent. She's not saying these are candidates for the Orange Prize, but there is a huge difference between these novels, which feature independent, fully-fleshed female characters, and something truly vapid and name-dropping like, say, "Bergdorf Blondes." For those who don't know, Jennifer Weiner went to Princeton, and Sophie Kinsella went to Oxford before a career in financial journalism. Not exactly unintelligent.

jadenirvana 2 years 40 weeks

I agree with Tres 100%. While some of Kinsella's books ( The Shopaholic Series, for example) is more assinine, "Can You Keep a Secret?" really is an exception. The humor is more clever, the characters are well-drawn, and it has quality writing with a likeable post-modern heroine-very similar to Bridget Jones, actually.

spacekatgal 2 years 40 weeks

^^ Yeah. Not to be pejorative, Tres - but I really agree with this.

sumshel 2 years 40 weeks

any list that includes, much less lists as #1, Sophie Kinsella loses all credibility IMO. and how could you not include the book that reenergized the chick lit trend, bridget jones's diary? and nothing by jennifer weiner? what is going on here??

spacekatgal 2 years 40 weeks

Have you read "Four Blondes?" It's extremely dark. You have 1. a failed actress, 2. a high-strung abusive wife 3. a drunken neurotic and her instigating cohort. It's no, "Can you keep a Secret," I promise. I asked it in the last thread, and I'll ask it again. Why one earth would anyone label, "Can you keep a Secret," smart chick-lit? It's the opposite of smart. It fun, to be sure, but it says nothing grander.

spacekatgal 2 years 40 weeks