Emily Henry, Laura Dave, and more authors offer must-read books for spring

Courtesy Laura Dave; She Writes Press Laura Dave recommends 'After Happily Ever After' by Leslie A. Rasmussen

Julia Whelan recommends <i>People We Meet on Vacation</i> by Emily Henry

"People We Meet on Vacation is the perfect book for this moment. Not only did it offer the vicarious travel experience I was craving after a year at home, but mostly it was a beautiful reminder to be brave for love. Plus, it’s equal parts hilarious and sexy. A gajillion stars." — Julia Whelan, author of My Oxford Year

Randy Susan Meyers recommends <i>The Sound Between Notes</i> by Barbara Linn Probst

"Any book that brings together a search for one's biological parents with a medical mystery has me at hello. Add the inner lives of musicians to the trails of music connecting generations and you have the spellbinding novel, The Sound Between Notes. Barbara Linn Probst's story illustrates how the strands of biology can grip, but not destroy. Probst offers us the majesty of music, the reveries of creation, and the family caught in the middle. The 'gotta know' will carry you all the way to the final note." — Randy Susan Meyers, author of Waisted

Nancy Johnson recommends <i>Waiting for the Night Song</i> by Julie Carrick Dalton

"I devoured Waiting for the Night Song, a book that gripped me with its exploration of childhood secrets, female friendship, and a climate that’s changing whether we acknowledge it or not. Ever present in this beautiful story is the intoxicating New Hampshire woods, emerging as a character in its own right. Don’t miss this debut that is rich in language, nostalgia, and a fierce passion for how we can save the world and ourselves." — Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie

Kristan Higgins recommends <i>Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy</i> by Kris Clink

"Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy is a warm, big-hearted story of starting over after tragedy and loss, and the happiness that lies on the other side. Kris Clink’s empathetic voice and fresh style make it a wonderful read." — Kristan Higgins, author of Life and Other Inconveniences

Jennifer Weiner recommends <i>A Certain Hunger</i> by Chelsea G. Summers

"Novels with middle-aged women as their protagonists are rare enough. Novels with middle-aged former food-writer protagonists who eat their victims? I can't think of any, besides Chelsea G. Summers' A Certain Hunger, a brilliant, sharp-edged book that occasionally put the 'gross' in 'engrossing,' as its narrator, Dorothy, tells the story (from prison, in case you're wondering) of a woman driven by her appetites — for food, for sex, and for the ultimate conflation between the two." — Jennifer Weiner, author of That Summer

Laura Dave recommends <i>After Happily Ever After</i> by Leslie A. Rasmussen

"For anyone who finds themselves at a crossroads in her life, After Happily Ever After is a smart and exciting debut about love, family, and reinvention." — Laura Dave, author of The Last Thing He Told Me

Sarah Smith recommends <i>Talk Bookish to Me</i> by Kate Bromley

"I fell head over heels for the premise of Kate Bromley's debut Talk Bookish to Me: romance author Kara is fighting a killer case of writer's block, and the only way to cure it is hooking up with her ex. This second-chance love story is the perfect blend of emotional and sexy. Kate Bromley's witty, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud writing will slingshot this book to your favorites list, guaranteed." — Sarah Smith, author of On Location

Lauren Billings recommends <i>The Invisible Husband of Frick Island</i> by Colleen Oakley

"It’s rare to truly experience 'sucked in from the first page,' but with Colleen Oakley’s latest, I absolutely was. From the quaint island setting that is a character in its own right, to the fully dimensional characters, to the brilliant premise that carefully balances heartbreaking and uplifting, I struggled with the book-lovers constant dilemma: to devour or to savor. In the end, I’ll do both; I read it fast but plan to bask in the sweetness of it all it for a very long time." — Lauren Billings, author of The Soulmate Equation

Emily Giffin on <i>The Love Proof</i> by Madeleine Henry

"A brilliant young physicist studying the mysteries of space and time embarks on an unexpected journey as she sets out to prove that those we love are always connected to us. Madeleine Henry manages to make science sexy as she elegantly explores some of life’s biggest questions. A captivating, heartfelt, and utterly unique tale." — Emily Giffin, author of The Lies That Bind

Christina Clancy recommends <i>The Guncle</i> by Steven Rowley

"Move over, Auntie Mame. Meet Patrick, a wounded and reclusive sitcom star in Palm Springs who is jolted out of his own grief when he’s forced to take care of his niece and nephew after they lose their mother. This charming, caftan-wearing GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) discovers the kids have as much to teach him about moving forward after loss as he can teach them. As zany as it is profound, this funny and tender novel is about family, friendship and bouncing back... with style." — Christina Clancy, author of The Shoulder Season

Sonali Dev recommends <i>The Dating Plan</i> by Sara Desai

"Filled with clever banter, an outrageously funny extended cast, and meltingly hot chemistry, this book will warm you in the best ways. Be ready to laugh and tear up. Daisy and Liam are just the kind of sexy joyful magic we need in the world right now." — Sonali Dev, author of Incense and Sensibility

Emily Henry recommends <i>Life's Too Short</i> by Abby Jimenez

"Due to a genetic disposition toward a fatal disease, Vanessa’s life has been defined by uncertainty, and she’s dealt with that by living every day like her last. Buttoned-up workaholic Adrian is seemingly her polar opposite. But together, they make a strange kind of sense and form a tender, loving found family. Jimenez is hilarious, but in addition to her sparkling humor, she has a real knack for crafting a story that will make you weep, then fill your heart to bursting." — Emily Henry, author of People We Meet on Vacation