Best Novel for Friends: 5 Friendship Picks Compared

Choosing the best novel for friends means finding a story that sparks conversation long after the last page. We compared novels about friendship, from lifelong bonds to reunions, to see which fits which reader.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	My Brilliant Friend by Ferrante	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	The Friend by Nunez	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Between Friends by Macomber	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
4	The Friends We Keep by Green	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Circle of Friends by Binchy	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon

1

My Brilliant Friend by Ferrante

Elena Ferrante·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A sweeping story of a lifelong friendship between two women in Naples, and the first of four volumes.

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Pros

• A lifelong female friendship at the center, directly on the keyword
• 336 pages and Book 1 of 4, so there is more to read
• Published September 25, 2012 by Europa Editions

Cons

• A 2012 edition; check the listing for a newer printing
• No reading age or grade level stated
• First of four volumes, so the story continues beyond this book

2

The Friend by Nunez

Sigrid Nunez·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A novel about grief, friendship, and the bond between a woman and the Great Dane her friend left behind.

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Pros

• The listing states it won the National Book Award for Fiction
• 224 pages, published February 5, 2019
• A 2019 reprint edition

Cons

• Centers on death and grief, per the description
• No reading age or grade level stated
• No series or sequel stated for readers who want more

3

Between Friends by Macomber

Debbie Macomber·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

An epistolary novel following two lifelong friends through marriage, children, and widowhood.

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Pros

• An epistolary novel of enduring female friendship
• 352 pages, published January 25, 2011
• Follows the friends through the years to widowhood

Cons

• Includes pregnancy and an unfaithful husband, per the description
• A 2011 edition; check the listing for a newer printing
• No reading age or grade level stated

4

The Friends We Keep by Green

Jane Green·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Three college friends reunite at their thirtieth reunion for a second chance at happiness.

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Pros

• Three friends and a thirtieth reunion, directly on the keyword
• Published June 4, 2019
• A standalone novel; no series to follow

Cons

• Includes infidelity and drinking, per the description
• No page count stated in the listing
• No reading age or grade level stated

5

Circle of Friends by Binchy

Maeve Binchy·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Benny and Eve grow up inseparable in an Irish village, then face heartbreak at university in Dublin.

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Pros

• A village childhood to Dublin university, centered on friendship
• Published September 4, 2007
• A standalone novel; no series to follow

Cons

• Includes heartbreak and betrayal, per the description
• No page count stated in the listing
• A 2007 edition; check the listing for a newer printing

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More picks to compare

• The Best Life Book Club by RobertsFor book club readers; a 2024 novel about friendship, 368 pages.Check on Amazon
• Anything for a Friend by WillettFor suspense readers; estranged friends reunite, published November 14, 2023.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 22 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. None of the picks list a reading age or grade level; all are adult novels.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best novel for friends

Match the story to the reader

For a sweeping friendship, My Brilliant Friend follows two women from childhood to adulthood. For a shorter read, The Friend runs 224 pages. If you are buying for the holidays, our holiday reading novels list has more giftable picks.

Check length and series

My Brilliant Friend runs 336 pages and opens a four-volume series; Between Friends runs 352 pages as a standalone. Readers who enjoy long series may also like our books like Outlander.

Before you buy

• Check the publication date: My Brilliant Friend is from September 25, 2012; Circle of Friends from September 4, 2007.
• Check the format: Between Friends is an epistolary novel told in letters.
• Read the description for mature themes: The Friend centers on grief, and The Friends We Keep includes infidelity and drinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which novel is best for a book club?

My Brilliant Friend: a lifelong friendship with plenty to discuss; Book 1 of 4.

Are any of these part of a series?

My Brilliant Friend is Book 1 of 4 in the Neapolitan Novels; the others are standalone novels.

Which has the fewest pages?

The Friend, at 224 pages.

Still deciding? Our top pickMy Brilliant Friend by Ferrante

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