15 Life-Changing Books for Women Rebuilding After Divorce (Starting with My Favorite!)
There’s something sacred about curling up with a good book — especially when your heart is healing and your world is shifting.
After my divorce, I moved into a tiny home and began rebuilding my life from the inside out. I started creating again, delivering DoorDash to pay the bills, and leaning deeper into faith and simplicity. In the quiet of this slower life, I found strength in the stories of women — real and fictional — who reminded me that starting over can be the most beautiful beginning.
So when I picked up The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg from my local library, it felt like I was reading a piece of myself on the page. I laughed, teared up, and felt seen. And I knew I had to share it with you.
Below, I’m sharing 15 books that speak to women in their 50s who are navigating life after divorce, rediscovering themselves, and choosing joy again — one small step at a time.
🌸 Featured Read:
📖 The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
A witty, heartwarming novel about family secrets, midlife reinvention, and the power of women to change course no matter their age. Sookie Poole is every woman who thought her story was already written — until she learns it’s just beginning.
📚 15 More Soulful Reads for Women Starting Over
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A quirky, emotional story about loneliness, healing, and learning to live again.
👉 Buy on AmazonWild by Cheryl Strayed
A memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail after devastating loss — and finding strength step by step.
👉 Buy on AmazonOne Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
This book is a quiet, poetic journey into gratitude, healing, and learning to see God’s grace in everyday life — even in the hard, messy moments. Voskamp writes like a prayer and invites you to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover beauty in small things. It’s faith-filled, emotional, and grounding without being preachy.
👉 Buy on AmazonWhere the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
A quiet, powerful story about abandonment, survival, and the beauty of solitude and strength.
👉 Buy on AmazonBig Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
A creative woman’s guide to living a bold, inspired life without fear.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A beautiful, faith-tinged journey of a young girl and the powerful women who help her find her voice.
👉 Buy on AmazonMidlife Bites by Jen Mann
Honest, hilarious takes on midlife, motherhood, and the emotional chaos of "what now?"
👉 Buy on AmazonYou Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
For the woman seeking emotional and spiritual healing through affirmations and belief shifts.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Midnight Library by Matt Haig
A novel that explores “what if” through a magical library of alternate lives.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
This heartwarming novel follows a shy librarian who finds courage, connection, and purpose in her small town as she fights to save her beloved library. It's about quiet strength, rediscovering your voice, and finding community when you feel lost — perfect for women in transition and craving meaningful change.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis
This dual-timeline novel weaves together themes of lost love, second chances, and emotional healing. It follows two women — one modern-day, one from the past — whose stories intertwine through a mysterious bridal salon and long-forgotten letters. It’s filled with beauty, grief, and redemption.
Perfect for women in their 50s who are reconnecting with purpose and hope.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
A book-loving woman reinvents her life in a new town with nothing but books and bravery.
👉 Buy on AmazonPresent Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Let go of striving and choose a slower, soulful, intentional life.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Women by Kristin Hannah
A newly released novel (2024) exploring the strength and silence of women during the Vietnam War — for those craving historical depth and emotion.
👉 Buy on AmazonThe Awakened Woman by Dr. Tererai Trent
Part memoir, part manifesto — a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to dream and rise.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Whether you're healing from a broken heart, starting over in your 50s, or simply carving out quiet joy in a noisy world — these books can sit beside you like old friends. They’re here to remind you that your story is still being written... and this chapter might just be your most powerful yet.
If you’ve read any of these, or have one to recommend, I’d love to hear from you. You can comment below or message me on Instagram @angikay. And don’t forget to subscribe to my email list — I send out cozy, faith-filled updates, creative ideas, and little sparks of joy every week. You can head on over to my website and the pop up will come right up. We would love to have you!
This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase any items through the links in this post, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
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