Looking for the best books about divorce & separation in 2023?
I’ve compiled a list of my top books about divorce & separation – including fiction, non-fiction and children’s books.
The Best Books About Divorce & Separation – Fiction Books
The Divorce (Victoria Jenkins)
A fantastic physiological thriller with a shocking twist. Josh and Lydia Green seem like any regular couple – a doctor, and a stay-at-home mother.
With Josh working longer hours in the hospital, and Lydia feeling increasingly isolated at home, the strain is starting to show. They don’t talk as much as they used to. But they have a secret like no other. Not every wife is as scared as Lydia. Not every husband is hiding as much as Josh. Not everything you think about them is true. Un-put-downable divorce fiction!
The Divorce Papers (Susan Rieger)
The Divorce Papers is a story of a criminal lawyer who has no experience in divorce law, having to take on a high profile divorce case. A story of legal wrangling and courtroom drama, with a twist of humour, sadness and intrigue, all relatable aspects for anyone who has felt the pains of divorce.
The story is unusually and entertainingly told through a series of legal documents, correspondence, memos and emails. This book will have you laughing out loud – just what you need some days when going through a divorce.
The Divorce Party (Laura Dave)
An unusual story of a family reuniting at a party to celebrate the parents’ divorce. The story is seen through the eyes of two women – the mother whose marriage is ending, and the son’s fiancé, whose marriage is about to start, but is already having second thoughts.
The plot thickens when it’s discovered that the husband, wife and son, are all hiding their own secrets. Stretching over generations, it’s a fascinating story of how they each deal with these painful secrets, while at the same time, showing how resilient yet so fragile love can be.
Forever Home (Graham Norton)
If you love Graham Norton, you will love this one. Set in a small Irish town, this witty, dark comedy-drama is full of “real life” characters whose lives become intertwined when a divorced school teacher falls in love with a man in the early stages of dementia. This sets the town alight with gossip, and the teacher’s life becomes more complicated as she discovers dark and tragic secrets of her partner’s family.
Forever Home is a wonderful warm story filled with emotions between the two families, mystery, human kindness, a touch of irony and a sprinkling of humour. Have a tissue box close by just in case.
Hotel Nantucket (Elin Hilderbrand)
Desperately seeking romance after a bad breakup, Lizbet is hired to manage and revive a hotel to its former glory on Nantucket. Behind this idyllic setting however, much drama lies hidden among the many colourful staff members, each with their own story to tell and all harbouring tons of secrets. If that’s not enough drama for Lizbet, there is also the ghost of a young chambermaid that died in a fire in the hotel in 1922, haunting the hallways.
It’s a most engaging story, perfect for some escapism, and although not enough is said about Lizbet finding love second time round, the gossip, the secrets and the scandals, together they steal the show.
The Best Books About Divorce & Separation – Non-Fiction Books
Know Where You Stand (Ian Shann)
Did you know that I’ve written my own book about divorce? Know Where You Stand: Divorce, Separation, De Facto Relationships and the Family Law System was written following my own experience with divorce. I realised how adversarial, emotional and expensive it was not only for my but for so many others as well.
It was this experience that inspired me to work as an accredited family mediator in Perth so I could help other separating couples avoid the emotional stress and financial burden that divorce so often brings.
Getting Past Your Breakup: How To Turn A Devastating Loss Into The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You. (Susan J. Elliot)
Based on her own personal experiences and from her practice, author, attorney, grief counsellor and motivational speaker, Susan Eliot, provides sound advice on overcoming grief and moving on after a failed relationship.
A strong advocate of the cold turkeytherapy, she explains how to stop all contact with your ex, gaining control and your confidence back, among a ton of strategies to help you emerge a better and stronger person.
This could be exactly you need to help you through this painful period in your life.
Breakup Bootcamp: The Science Of Rewiring Your Heart. (Amy Chan)
Relationship columnist, Amy Chan, shares the secrets she discovered for herself after her own failed relationship. Backed by intensive, sound and scientific research, she provides an easy to follow guide on healing your heart after a devastating breakup.
The book is a useful guide to heal the heart of anyone single or married, in or out of a relationship helping to redirect their lives.
The Sh!t No One tells You About Divorce (Dawn Dais)
The Sh!t No One Tells You About Divorce gives us a down to earth look and providing an honest (too honest) guide of navigating your separation and divorce.
She will have you laughing your way through your divorce, hiring lawyers, seeing therapists and all the legal things you need to know, as you try to figure out what the heck is going on.
The Truth About Children And Divorce (Robert E. Emery)
Providing a new road to divorce, internationally recognised therapist and mediator, Robert Emery tells parents the honest truth about divorce and its effects on children. Accepting how difficult divorcing is, he shows how children may suffer or thrive, depending how divorcing parents handle their emotions.
The main message of the book is for parents to put their emotions aside and concentrate in doing what’s best for what you both love the most – your children.
Surviving Your Split (Lucy Mannering & Rebekah Mannering)
Specifically written for Australians, this non-fiction divorce book provides helpful information on navigating the Australian Family Law system. It is a must-read for anyone contemplating divorcing or separating, providing so much information people wish they knew before they got divorced.
Surviving Your Split covers virtually every aspect of divorce, from informing the children, surviving the early stages, dealing with the legal system, negotiating a property settlement and all the emotional issues in moving on in your lives.
The Best Books About Divorce & Separation – Children’s Books
Two Homes Filled With Love (Steve Herman)
A sweet and wonderfully written story aimed at helping young children make some sense of their parents’ separation. Although the pain of not being with both their parents does not go away, the real message it sends, is that children can still feel loved even if their parents live in separate homes.
It’s not only helpful for children coping with separated parents, but for other children to have compassion for any of their friends whose parents have separated and now live in two separate homes. Drew and his dragon Diggory Doo are the perfect tools to convey this simple message to young minds.
Dinosaurs Divorce (Marc Brown & Laurie Kransy Brown)
Part of the best-selling Dino Life Guides, Dinosaurs Divorce offers a comprehensive guide of the many faces of divorce, in an engaging child-friendly way. It covers a range of topics like why parents’ divorce, what it’s like to have two homes, telling your friends and living with step-parents.
Divorce Is Not The End Of The World (Zoe & Evan Stern)
A rather cheerful approach to helping and reassuring children and parents that divorcing is not the end of the world. With the right support everyone can grow stronger to face life’s challenges.
Based on their own experiences as children, the sibling authors offer a practical guide for kids to understand the various stages and topics of living with divorced parents.
The book covers all the practicalities of adapting to different rules in different homes, step parents and blended families as well as all the emotions children feel when their parents split.
The Invisible String (Patrice Karst)
If you only want to read one book to your children about divorce and separation, this may be the one to pick. The message is clear and simple, but yet so powerful and easy to understand. Despite all the drama and loneliness children (and adults) may feel during and after separation, this invisible string made of love keeps us all connected for ever…even in death.
This string is connected from heart to heart and can never be broken, torn or removed no matter what life throws at us. A most heart-warming story to uplift anyone.
The List Of Things That Will Not Change (Rebecca Stead)
The List Of Things That Will Not Change is a beautiful children’s book with a simple message. No matter how many changes divorce brings to a family, the important things never change.
While everything seems to be changing all around her when her parents separate, a young girl keeps a notebook of the things that stay the same. Despite all the changes she faces as she grows older and her family dynamics become complicated, the notebook helps her to deal with it all.
