If you’ve ever been a fan of romantic comedy books, you surely have heard of Sophie Kinsella. Writer of the bestseller Shopaholic series, Sophie is a pen name. Her real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham. She has written under this name as well.
As an English author, Sophie initially studied music at New College, Oxford. Later, she changed her focus to Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Before her writing career, she worked as a financial journalist.
Her first book under the pseudonym was released in 2000. It is called, The Secret World of a Shopaholic. The bestseller was turned into a series and includes nine installments. The story follows the life of shopaholic Becky Bloomwood. An extravagant shopper, the young girl gets into all kinds of trouble.
Sophie Kinsella has become a household name in the romantic comedy world, and many authors have been inspired by her work. Let’s take a look at some of those writers!
1. Jill Mansell
Another widely famous British romantic comedy novelist kicks off our list. Jill Mansell became a full-time author in 1992. Her works have seen great success in England and worldwide.
Image: Chatelaine
In 2008 alone, her novels had international sales of approximately four million. Some of her most famous novels include Maybe This Time (2019), Miranda’s Big Mistake (1999), and Take a Chance on Me (2010)- which also won the Romantic Novelists Association’s Romantic Comedy Prize in 2011.
2. Trisha Ashley
Trisha Ashley writes warm and scrumptious romcoms. Her novels are set in rural places like her hometown of West Lancashire.
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Having a healthy dose of humor, romance, friendship, and the occasional midlife crisis, her books are laugh-out-loud funny. Some of her famous works include her first novel, Good Husband Material (2000), Twelve Days of Christmas (2010), and A Little Teashop of Lost and Found (2017).
3. Marian Keyes
Irish novelist Marian Keyes hasn’t had the most amazing past. After her graduation, she suffered from clinical depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. This inspired her to take up writing.
Image: Marian Keyes
Although her novels have a light and witty tone, they delve into darker themes. Some of her widely read stories are Watermelon (1995), The Mystery of Mercy Close (2012), and Saved by Cake (2012).
4. Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Weiner is an American writer, journalist, and television producer. As a Princeton University graduate, she worked for several publications in Pennsylvania. Her first novel, Good in Bed, was launched in 2001. Her most recent, That Summer, was released in 2021. Additionally, her book In Her Shoes was made into a movie in 2005 and starred Cameron Diaz.
Image: Good Housekeeping
5. Freya North
Freya North, a precursor to the chick-lit genre, is a British author who writes about independent women and their raunchy exploits. Her first novel, Sally (1996), resulted in a five-publisher bidding war and a six-figure deal.
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Her novel Pillow Talk (2007) won the 2008 Romantic Novel of the Year Award. She also founded the Hertford Children’s Book Festival and teaches writing workshops.
6. Emily Griffin
The Baltimore-born Emily Griffin specializes in romantic comedy. Before her writing career, she worked in the litigations department in Manchester. Her first novel was rejected by eight publishers, but she never gave up hope and began working on a new script.
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Something Borrowed, her debut novel, was released in 2004 and was a New York Times bestseller. She also wrote Something Blue (2005), Love the One You’re With (2008), and The Lies That Bind (2020).
7. Jane Green
Fondly referred to as the founder of ‘mum-lit,’ Jane Green is an English-born American author with over 10 million copies sold. A former journalist, Green has written several features in The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, and Cosmopolitan Magazine before writing her first novel, Straight Talking (which also had a bidding war!).
Image: Financial Times
Five of her 17 novels through 2016 made it to the NYT Bestseller list. They include beloved titles like Second Chance (2005) and Saving Grace (2015). She also teaches writing conferences and is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute. Fun fact, Green was a correspondent for ABC News Radio during the 2011 royal wedding of Kate Middleton with Prince William.
We hope you enjoyed our list of authors like Sophie Kinsella and are ready to expand your reading horizons!