Best Novels for Women in Their 40s (2026): 5 Compared

The forties are the decade of second acts, and the best novels for women in their 40s are the ones that meet readers there. We compared five novels by fit for the reader, contents and edition, and value, using only what each listing publishes.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Maybe in Another Life by Reid	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	This Time Next Year by Cousens	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	After I Do by Reid	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Cottage by Macomber	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Mother of Red Mountains by An	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Maybe in Another Life by Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

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 352-page novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, first edition published July 7, 2015.

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Pros

• First edition, published July 7, 2015
• 352 pages
• By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Cons

• 2015 edition, older than the 2020 and 2024 picks
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Second Reid novel on this list

2

This Time Next Year by Cousens

Sophie Cousens·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 368-page novel by Sophie Cousens, published December 1, 2020 by G.P. Putnam's Sons.

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Pros

• GMA Book Club Pick, per the title
• 368 pages from G.P. Putnam's Sons
• December 1, 2020, the most recent print listing here

Cons

• No reading age or grade level is stated
• 368 pages, shorter than the 448-page Cottage
• No edition stated

3

After I Do by Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

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 352-page novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, published July 1, 2014.

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Pros

• 352 pages
• By Taylor Jenkins Reid
• July 1, 2014 publication

Cons

• 2014, the oldest print listing here
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Second Reid novel on this list

4

Cottage by Macomber

Debbie Macomber·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 448-page reprint novel by Debbie Macomber, published June 18, 2019 by Ballantine Books.

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Pros

• 448 pages, the longest book here
• Reprint edition from Ballantine Books
• June 18, 2019 publication

Cons

• Reprint, not a first edition
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• 448 pages, the longest read here

5

Mother of Red Mountains by An

Apple An·9.6/10 Shelf Score

i

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 by Apple An, published December 30, 2024; the listing states no page count.

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Pros

• December 30, 2024, the newest listing here
• Historical setting: revolutionary China, per the title
• A different genre from the romances above

Cons

• Listing states no page count
• Spec table mixes Kindle metadata with print fields
• Small publisher, Voices Heard Publishing

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More picks to compare

• The Most Fun We Ever HadReese's Book Club pick, 640 pages, by Claire Lombardo.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 21 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 five lists a reading age or grade level. How we pick explains the weights.

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 novels for women in their 40s

Two by Reid

Two novels here are by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Maybe in Another Life, a first edition from July 7, 2015, and After I Do, from July 1, 2014. Both are 352 pages. If you want one Reid, the first edition is the collector’s choice; if you want the newer story, pick by the title that speaks to you.

Book club picks

This Time Next Year is a GMA Book Club Pick, per its title, and The Most Fun We Ever Had in the more picks is a Reese’s Book Club Pick. Book club selections make easy group reads. See our book club books lists for more.

Length and edition

Stated page counts run from 352 to 448 pages, with Cottage the longest at 448. Mother of Red Mountains, the newest listing at December 30, 2024, states no page count. Only Maybe in Another Life states a first edition; Cottage is a reprint.

Before you buy

• Check the edition: only Maybe in Another Life states first edition; Cottage is a reprint.
• Compare lengths: 352 to 448 pages, except Mother of Red Mountains, which states no page count.
• Two novels here are by Taylor Jenkins Reid; the rest are one-offs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which novel should I read first?

Maybe in Another Life, the first edition from 2015, or This Time Next Year, the GMA Book Club Pick from 2020.

Are any of these book club picks?

This Time Next Year is a GMA Book Club Pick, per its title. The Most Fun We Ever Had in the more picks is a Reese’s Book Club Pick.

Which is the longest book?

Cottage, at 448 pages. The shortest stated are the two 352-page Reid novels.

Still deciding? Our top pickMaybe in Another Life by Reid

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Related lists

See every Book Club Picks list and all Fiction lists.

More lists: browse book club books, fiction.