20 Must-Read Saturn Return Novels That Absolutely Nail the Messiness of Your Twenties

This one’s for all of the unrequited love girlies out there! Adelaide, an American living in London, believes that she’s found the one when she meets Rory. Sure, he’s pretty unresponsive and rarely makes plans with her, but when he’s present, Adelaide feels like she’s on top of the world. When Rory is rocked by tragedy, Adelaide decides that she’ll be the rock he needs—even if it means losing herself in the process. I’ve read hundreds of books in this vein, and Genevieve Wheeler’s debut is truly top-notch thanks to Adelaide’s sheer vulnerability.

If romance is your preferred genre, there are plenty of rom-coms that explore your messy mid-twenties. Enter One-Star Romance, Laura Hankin’s sparkling love story (that I devoured in one sitting, by the way). Come for the premise—a struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating—stay for the surprisingly tender look at growing up, making mistakes, and finding your person.

Nothing like a wedding to bring the crew back together! Girls Our Age, Phoebe Thompson’s debut novel, follows Lily, Ana, and Margot, who have been best friends since meeting in college a decade ago. Now, Lily’s planning a wedding while grappling with an eating disorder; Ana is left wondering if she made the right choice by moving in with her boyfriend and accepting a teaching gig at his elite alma mater; and Margot is set to land a career-changing promotion while questioning her sexuality. Trust me: No matter what phase of life you’re in, you’ll find something deeply relatable about what these characters are going through.

There are a few authors who could quite literally rewrite the phone book and I’d be all over it, and Coco Mellors is a prime example. Cleopatra and Frankenstein perfectly captures that frenetic, messy feeling of being in your twenties. When Cleo, a 24-year-old British painter, meets Frank, who is in his forties, they quickly marry so Cleo can apply for a green card. What they don’t expect is for their marriage to send ripples throughout not only their lives, but the lives of those closest to them, as explored in kaleidoscopic chapters told from a broad cast of characters.

I read this book exactly five years after graduating from college and have yet to find anything that captures the ups and downs of your post-grad years quite so well. Charlotte is not looking forward to returning to her alma mater for her five-year reunion: Not only does she feel stuck in her career, but she’s done a terrible job at keeping in touch with her closest friends. When her demanding boss is invited to give the commencement address at graduation, she has no choice but to return to campus, where she runs into Reece, the guy she ghosted five years before.

After losing her mother as a teenager, Ruth is sent to Block Island to live with her mother’s old friend after her father realizes he’s not equipped to help her through her grief. Once on island, Ruth is instantly captivated by Diana and her nephew, Charlie. A decade later, Ruth still finds herself returning to Block Island every summer, although this will be her first since Diana’s death. Desperate for normalcy, Ruth plans to cling to Charlie. His own secrets send Ruth spiraling, forcing her to reconsider exactly what she wants in life. June Baby is equal parts a novel about starting over and an emotional exploration of grief, set in a locale that’s oozing The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes.

I know, I know—this is supposed to be a list of Saturn Return novels, but honestly, no round-up of second coming of age books is complete without Dolly Alderton’s memoir. Everything I Know About Love perfectly captures the messiness of being in your late twenties, trying to figure out life and grappling with the feeling that you’re behind (Spoiler alert, you’re not!). I’m a firm believer that Alderton is the second coming of Nora Ephron, and this book is the proof.

I mean, if a book is quite literally called Saturn Returning, then it’s certainly earned a spot on this list. If you love novels that follow characters as they grow up, then you’ll dig this debut, which follows three queer women who meet in college, where they fall into a messy, romantic web. As they reach their 30th birthdays (and the apex of their Saturn Returns), a shocking revelation threatens to ruin their bond. Messy friendships, long-kept secrets, and characters that feel tender and real—what more could you ask for?

Every year when Memorial Day weekend rolls around, I’m looking for books set at the beach. Bonus points if they’re as funny as they are relatable! In Summertime Punchline, Delfina begrudgingly moves back to her Jersey Shore hometown after losing her job, boyfriend, and apartment in one fell swoop. The only thing she has going for her? A highly coveted spot in a local comedy festival—and the return of Eddie Rodriguez, the boy she left behind a decade before.

Who says you can’t go home again? There are plenty of novels (and Hallmark movies) about leaving your small town for the big city, but Central Places might be the best I’ve read. When Audrey left her small Midwestern town, she vowed to never look back. Now, she’s getting married, has a high-paying job, and a cushy life in New York City. As a result, her relationship with her Chinese immigrant parents has become increasingly strained. When she brings her fiancé home to meet her family, it forces her to confront the things she’s spent years running from.

There are plenty of books that follow friend groups, but perhaps none of them play with format as cleverly as Grant Ginder’s So Old, So Young. This novel spans twenty years, dropping in on the characters during five life-changing parties, from their first New Year’s Eve in the big city to destination weddings and suburban backyard barbecues, exploring the trials and tribulations of growing up. Though the story follows these characters well into their forties, this is a must-read for anyone seeking out wisdom about navigating the messiest parts of your twenties.

Queenie, a Jamaican woman living in London isn’t quite sure where she fits, constantly toeing the line between her roots and the predominantly white society she lives in. She has a great job at a prominent newspaper, but constantly compares herself to her white co-workers. After an intense break-up that leaves her apartment-less, she finds herself seeking comfort in all the wrong places—including a slew of men who aren’t good for her. What follows is a gripping and honest portrayal of a spiraling woman.

As the oldest of four siblings, I always find myself drawn to novels that explore complex sibling dynamics. In Leave Your Mess at Home, drama circling the four children of Nigerian immigrants who have spent years chasing the American Dream comes to a head. Sola, the estranged eldest daughter has come home to Chicago looking to put her life back together after a failed influencing career and devastating break-up. Anjola is in love with her best friend, even though he just got engaged to someone else. Karen, the baby of the family, is exploring her sexuality while trying to make it through college, and Ola, the golden child and only son, has a baby of his own on the way while his marriage flounders. There’s something everyone can relate to in here, whether you’re questioning your career or harboring unrequited feelings for a friend.

I’m willing to bet you’ve read a few break-up novels in your day—but have you read one from a man’s POV? Before you get all “Why would we want to hear what a man—let alone a semi-failed stand-up comedian—has to say?,” hear me out. Andy and Jen seemed to have it all...until she breaks up with him. Now he’s left wondering what happened and devotes himself to figuring out the moment when it all went wrong in an attempt to get Jen back. Tender, heart-wrenching, hilarious.

Is the title of this book pretty much exactly what I say to anyone who asks how I’m doing, even if I’m on the verge of a crash out? Precisely. At the ripe old age of 29, Maggie is getting divorced. Over the course of her first year as a Surprisingly Young Divorcée™, we follow Maggie as she tries to get back out there in the form of first dates and new hobbies. Oh, and did I mention that Monica Heisey was a writer on Schitt’s Creek?

Welcome to the Jersey Shore, where baseball and Bruce Springsteen reign supreme. When Caroline’s life in New York City implodes, she’s unsure of her next move, until her dad injures himself, presenting the perfect opportunity for her to return to her hometown to help him recover. The catch? He doesn’t need a caretaker, he needs someone to take his place in his local men’s softball league, making Caroline its first female player. Packed with humor and heart, this might be the book that gets you to dust off your old softball glove.

If you’ve been seeing buzz about Apple TV+’s latest hit starring Elle Fanning, then you most certainly need to read the book that inspired it. Margo never planned to have an affair with her English professor—let alone get pregnant with his baby. When she realizes that she’s ill-equipped for motherhood, she decides to start an OnlyFans account to solve her financial woes. And when her estranged professional wrestler father asks to move in with her, she finds herself using his career advice to make her account a runaway success. Truly one of the most creative premises I’ve ever read.

There are some books that are destined to be read by the pool. The same is true of Beck Dorey-Stein’s Rock The Boat, which explores what happens when you return to your hometown and reunite with old friends who seem to have it all figured out, only to realize that they’re in the same boat as you. After a break-up, Kate returns to the beach town where she grew up with a strict plan to get her life back on track. There, she catches up with Miles, who is ready to prove that he can run his family’s business while also helping Ziggy, his childhood best friend, through his own financial problems. When a developer sweeps in with a plan that will forever change Sea Point, the three must team up to save their hometown and their close-knit bonds.