Obsessed With Ann Patchett Books? Jenna Bush Hager Has 5 More Recommendations

If there’s one thing Jenna Bush Hager can’t resist, it’s a good family saga—the messier and more emotionally loaded, the better. Over the years, she has championed numerous books in this category, and she called Ann Patchett, whose family saga, The Dutch House was a Read With Jenna book club a few years ago, her “favorite writer.” Below, we’re sharing five more Read With Jenna picks that feel like an Ann Patchett novel in the way they dig into family in all its messy, beautiful glory—perfect for your next book club pick or late-night reading binge. Read on for the list.

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What Jenna Bush Hager loves about Ann Patchett

Back in 2019, Jenna picked Ann’s novel, The Dutch House, as her October Read With Jenna pick.  At the time the Today co-host called the novel, which follows brother and sister Danny and Maeve Conroy through their time at their family home, the Dutch House, ”a beautiful, dark fairy tale.” 

“What I kept coming back to in this book was Danny and Maeve’s closeness, their bond, how they raise each other,” Jenna continued. “I thought it was a beautiful story of a relationship between brother and sister.”

Since then, Ann and Jenna have continued to get together for book festivals, podcast interviews and Today show segments. Most recently, Ann was on the show in June of this year to promote her new novel Whistler.

“She is my favorite writer,” Jenna said during the appearance. “This book is so good. I read it twice. I finished it again this morning. It is about a woman named Daphne reunited with the stepfather she has not seen in 40 years but their bond was never broken and love still endures.”

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Other books Jenna loves that are similar to Ann Patchett books

Since 2019, Jenna has picked a variety of books that are similar to Ann’s. Here are some of the standouts. 

‘Dear Edward’ by Ann Napolitano

This bestselling novel was a January 2020 Read With Jenna Pick. The plot follows 12-year-old Edward Adler and his family after they board a flight from Newark to Los Angeles. There are 183 other passengers on the plane, and when the plane crashes, everyone aboard—except for Edward—dies. Grappling with grief and sudden fame, Edward must navigate life without his parents and older brother while the world watches his every move. What follows is a powerful and heart-wrenching tale of moving on and figuring out who you are. 

What Jenna says: “I choose Dear Edward because it is a book about love and loss and finding your way after the unthinkable. It deals with grief and there are definitely sad moments but, ultimately, I found it to be a really hopeful, beautiful book.” 

What readers are saying: “I couldn’t put this book down. Ann Napolitano has woven so much meaning of life into this novel. It is so complex and intricate and a rare look into the inner suffering, experience and healing of a traumatized person. Like all of Ann’s work, I will long remember this novel and the characters.”

‘Malibu Rising’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

This June 2021 Read With Jenna pick whisks readers to Malibu, California in 1983, where Nina Riva—daughter of legendary musician Mick Riva —and her three siblings are preparing for their iconic annual end-of-summer bash. But when the party literally goes up in flames, the night takes a turn. As secrets surface and old wounds reopen, Nina must confront whether the glamorous life she’s built is truly the one she wants—or just the one everyone expects. 

What Jenna says: “Malibu Rising was a compulsively fun read that anybody would want to throw in their beach bag. I think after the year we’ve had, everybody is looking forward to summer and this book felt like the perfect kick-off.”

What readers are saying: “The Rivas are an incredible bunch of people with a troubled, heartwarming and inspiring story. The book is so well written I felt I was in each scene. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.” 

‘Bright Burning Things’ by Lisa Harding

Lisa Harding’s debut novel was a May 2022 Read With Jenna Pick. In it, Sonya, a rising star, must deal with the fact that her life as a performer has come to an end. Struck with loneliness, she finds comfort in her son Tommy, but as that love intensifies, so does Sonya’s addiction and soon Sonya must pick what matters more to her: her son or her addiction. 

What Jenna says: “I have never read a book that addresses mental health and alcoholism in as transparent and beautiful a way as Bright Burning Things. While heartbreaking at times, I found the book to be about resilience and the power of a mother’s love. The writing is raw and intimate. I felt like I was in their apartment with them.”

What readers are saying: “I listened to Bright Burning Things by the author Lisa Harding and I loved it so much. The author did an amazing job narrating and bringing Sonya to life. The writing brings out the unconditional love of a mother for her child and the conflicting emotions of her addiction and taking care of her child.” 

‘The Family’ by Naomi Krupitsky 

Set in 20th century Brooklyn, this November 2023 Read with Jenna pick is the perfect blend of drama and family loyalty. Sofia Colicchio and Antonia Russo have been inseparable since birth, despite being complete opposites. Sofia is loud and free-spirited, while Antonia is quiet and methodical, planning out every detail of her life . Their friendship seems unbreakable—until Antonia’s father goes missing. When evidence suggests their two Italian mafia families are behind his disappearance, the two friends are caught in the middle of a dangerous feud. Can these best friends overcome their families’ bitter rivalry and choose each other over blood?

What Jenna says: “In this debut novel, Krupitsky tells the mafia’s story through the female gaze of these two young girls as they grow into wives and mothers. A story that will leave you craving Sunday night dinners, brings 1930s and 1940s Brooklyn to life!” 

What readers are saying: “This was an amazing read. Filled with the angst of powerless women, but a background of violent, lawless men. Placed in New York, in the early years of the 20th century, the characters are familiar but dangerous, the family threatened but cherished. The final scene, heart-stopping.” 

‘The Children’ by Melissa Albert

This gripping mystery is the June 2026 Read with Jenna pick. Guinevere Sharpe has spent years trying to reconcile her fractured childhood. After a devastating fire consumed her family home, all that’s left is Guinevere, her brother Ennis, and their mother’s unfinished manuscripts. Now adults, the siblings have taken opposite paths—Guinevere trades on their mother’s literary legacy while Ennis has fled from it entirely. But when he unveils a provocative new art installation titled Mother, whispers emerge about a suspicious death at his previous show. As the past collides with the present, long-buried secrets from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface, forcing her to finally confront the dark truth about what really happened to her family.

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What Jenna says: “Not since Donna Tartt’s Secret History have I loved a book filled with such magic and mystery as I have with Melissa Albert’s The Children.” 

What readers are saying: “I finished this book the other day and found that it keeps creeping into my brain… The writing is lovely and the premise very enlightening for a hardcore reader like me.” 

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