5 Books That Helped Make Reese’s Book Club Iconic—From Taylor Jenkins Reid to Ann Patchett
From romance novels to historical fiction, Reese has a record of picking winners!
Key Takeaways
- Reese’s Book Club has spotlighted books that went on to become bestsellers.
- Picks include ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ and ‘Daisy Jones & The Six.’
- Reese’s recommendations span memoir, romance, mystery and historical fiction.
Back in June 2017, Reese Witherspoon picked a little-known debut novel, Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, for her first book club pick. She described the charming novel with a neurodivergent main character as “beautifully written and incredibly funny.” The book went on to climb to the top of the New York Times bestseller list, and Reese’s Book Club was off and running. More than nine years later, she has selected a book every month, boosting authors’ careers and helping turn more books of every genre into bestsellers and screen adaptations. To mark the milestone, we’re looking back at five early selections from 2017 to 2019 that readers still love, from a Nashville memoir to a marsh murder mystery.
‘This is The Story of a Happy Marriage’ by Ann Patchett
In 2017, the founding year of Reese’s Book Club, Reese selected bestselling author Ann Patchett’s revealing memoir. It’s made up of a series of essays in which Ann discusses growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, with her sister and mother after her parents’ divorce, her marriage to physician and pilot Karl VanDevender and finally, becoming the writer and bookstore owner we all know and love. It’s raw, honest, and a must-read for Ann fans.
What Reese says: “I find Ann Patchett’s This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage endlessly inspiring. When I read it, I feel like she’s my smart, brilliant friend, and we’re just having a conversation about life, marriage, divorce—all the big topics.”
What Goodreads users are saying: “This is a collection I absolutely recommend, whether you’re an occasional reader of Ann Patchett’s work or a superfan like me— and of course, if you decide to pick this up, the audiobook is definitely the way to go, as there is something about listening to Patchett narrate her own essays that elevates the reading experience.”
‘The Light We Lost’ by Jill Santopolo
Jill Santopolo’s debut was chosen as a Reese’s Book Club pick in 2018. The plot follows Lucy and Gabe, who meet as seniors at Columbia University on September 11, 2001. On that fateful day, their lives are changed forever. The two begin dating, but eventually they decide to go their separate ways and focus on their careers. A year later, Lucy is working in New York and Gabe is a photojournalist in the Middle East. As their lives continue to collide over the course of 13 years, the two grow, change and fall in love.
What Reese says: “This book is all about different kinds of love—the kind that engulfs you like a wildfire and the kind that keeps you warm like a hearth fire. This love story spans decades and continents as two star-crossed lovers try to return to each other. Life, motherhood, and distance get in the way. Will they ever meet again? This book kept me up at night, turning the pages to find out. Can’t tell you the ending but definitely have tissues close by!! I loved it!”
What Goodreads users are saying: “This story was written like a love letter. Told from the perspective of Lucy, our main character, she narrates the time when she met Gabe and developed an intense, once-in-a-lifetime type relationship, which didn’t work out, but since then has affected every aspect of her life. It was deeply evocative, brutally honest and a raw account on love. Tragic to know that we as humans often settle. The writing was simple, gorgeous. The emotions are portrayed so vividly through it. I was captivated from the beginning!”
‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens
Mystery, danger and a stunning dual-timeline tale take center stage in this 2018 Reese’s Book Club pick. Young Kya’s parents and siblings abandon her, leaving her alone in their rundown cabin and forcing her to fend for herself in the wetlands of North Carolina. Eventually, she becomes known as the “Marsh Girl,” and is considered to be a danger to the locals. But when two men find and fall in love with her, Kya’s life is turned upside down. Years later, one of the men is found dead and Kya is the main suspect. As the investigation unfolds, secrets emerge and everyone begins to wonder if Kya is as innocent as she claims to be.
What Reese says: “I can’t even express how much I love this book! It’s about a young woman named Kya, who’s left to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina when her family abandons her at a young age. There is so much to her story—romance, mystery, and a murder—and it takes place in the breathtaking backdrop of the South. I didn’t want this story to end!”
What Goodreads users are saying: “This book exceeded my already high expectations; it emanates a quiet power, a slow drawing in and connection of reader to book, one that I found myself able to get lost in due to the lush atmosphere and the depth of emotion. I can see now why this book is getting so much attention, and am thrilled to see that for once the hype train was right on track.”
‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s second historical fiction novel was picked as a Reese’s Book Club pick in March 2019 and was also adapted for TV by Reese’s production company, Hello Sunshine, in 2023. It’s set in the 1970s and follows the formation of a fictional band named Daisy Jones & the Six. Growing up, Daisy Jones was ignored by her parents and found comfort in music. Across the country, Billy Dunne decides to turn his little garage band into something special. As their paths collide in Los Angeles, sparks fly, chaos ensues and record-breaking songs are made.
What Reese says: “Are you ready for a great read? My March pick for Reese’s Book Club is Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and it ROCKS. Literally. The book centers on the meteoric rise of a rock band in the ‘70s and its lead singers, Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, whose connection is as electric as the music they make together. It’s sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll, people!”
What Goodreads users are saying: “Told via interview transcripts, Daisy Jones & The Six chronicles the rise of the eponymous band that came to define rock ‘n’ roll in the late 1970s, as well as the troubles that subsequently led to the band splitting up seemingly overnight and never playing together again. The thing is though, this band and their entire story is fictional, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. The narrative is raw and evocative, filled with sweet, complicated characters I can’t help but cheer for.”
‘The Alice Network’ by Kate Quinn
In 2017, Reese’s Book Club picked Kate Quinn’s dual-timeline novel as their monthly book club selection. During World War I, Eve trains as a spy, gathering information on the Germans. Three decades later, Eve meets Charlie, a young woman who is determined to find her long-lost cousin. As the two team up, long-lost secrets emerge, causing both Eve and Charlie to question everything they thought they knew about themselves and the world.
What Reese says: “I think you’ll really enjoy this exciting and fast-paced story about a pregnant American socialite who teams up with a female ex-spy and a hot-tempered young soldier in the aftermath of WWII. This is an amazing story of courage and redemption. Happy reading!”
What Goodreads users are saying: “I read The Alice Network by Kate Quinn for book club and I loved it! The characters were captivating, the danger felt real, and I loved how the various storylines wove the characters’ lives together across the two narratives. It was a wonderful work of historical fiction!”
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