Starting over feels scary. Your heart pounds when you think about leaving your job, ending a relationship, or moving to a new city.
You’re not alone in feeling this dread. Millions of people face fresh starts every year. And many have found comfort and guidance in the pages of great books. They show how change, even when painful, often leads to something better.
Books About Starting Over
Starting over is rarely simple. It’s messy, emotional, and often slow. Most days, you feel unsure and question your choices.
Here are a few books that can offer answers or, at least, remind you that you’re not alone in beginning anew.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor lives a quiet, lonely life with strict routines and little real connection. After a small act of kindness, her world begins to shift. She slowly opens up, faces her past, and begins to heal.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora Seed is given the chance to live all the lives she could have had. In a magical library between life and death, she explores paths not taken. Along the way, she learns that regrets don’t define her.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Bernadette Fox is a once-famous architect who abandons it all and hides from the world. After she disappears, her daughter digs through emails and letters to understand what happened.
The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
Lili is a young widow struggling to raise her daughters and move forward. Three years and several breakdowns later, she’s still trying to figure things out. But a gardening class slowly brings her healing, friendship, and the small joys of life.
Great Teacher Onizuka by Toru Fujisawa
After a surprising incident, ex-gang member Eikichi Onizuka becomes a teacher. He realizes that if he’d had someone like himself back in school, things might have turned out differently. With that in mind, he sets out to become the greatest teacher Japan has ever seen.
Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella
25-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a hospital after a car accident—only to discover that three years have passed. She’s no longer a struggling, awkward girl with bad teeth and a boring job.
Now, she’s the sleek, successful director at her company, married to a wealthy and handsome man. But as Lexi tries to adjust to her glamorous new life, she realizes something feels off.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Dex is a tea monk who used to be a gardener, living on the moon of Panga in a peaceful, far-off future. Centuries ago, robots gained self-awareness and vanished into the wild. Now, one of them suddenly returns and turns Dex’s quiet life upside down.
Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes
Sam is overwhelmed by pressure at work and at home, barely holding things together. Nisha, once wealthy and put-together, suddenly finds herself broke and shut out of her old life. Everything changes when a mix-up leaves them wearing each other’s shoes—literally.
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Joan Didion shares her raw and deeply personal experience of grief after the sudden death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne. As she tries to make sense of the loss, she also cares for their only daughter, who is critically ill.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
Therapist Lori Gottlieb finds herself in therapy after a sudden breakup. She shares stories of her patients and her own pain, offering insight into how people change.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Former mommy blogger Glennon Doyle has always lived according to other people’s expectations. Here, she chronicles her journey of self-discovery after years of addiction, eating disorders, and an unhappy marriage. The catalyst comes when she meets and falls in love, forcing her to confront her sexuality and the life she’d built.
Educated by Tara Westover
Tara Westover tells the story of growing up in a strict, survivalist family in rural Idaho. Her parents didn’t believe in formal education, doctors, or most of the outside world. But her hunger for knowledge pushes her towards a new life, one where she has the power to think for herself.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama shares the story of her life. from growing up in a working-class family to becoming the First Lady of the United States. Through it all, Michelle reflects on what it means to grow, lead, and stay true to yourself.
Rising Strong by Brené Brown
Social scientist Brené Brown looks at what it takes to get back up after failure, heartbreak, and disappointment. Using research and personal stories, she shares a clear process for “rising strong.” It starts with facing your emotions, exploring the stories you tell yourself, and changing how you live from that point on.
Why People Start Over
Life throws curveballs when you least expect them. Sometimes you choose to start fresh. Other times, circumstances force your hand.
Maybe you lost someone or something that meant a lot. Maybe you feel empty in a life that used to make sense. Or maybe something just broke inside, and now you need to build something new.
These journeys require you to rebuild from the ground up. It brings a mix of fear, hope, guilt, and growth. The scary unknown becomes an exciting adventure. You start to see possibilities instead of just problems.
Sometimes it feels like freedom; other times, survival. Whatever the reason, the you right now no longer fits the life you’ve built.
What’s your favorite book about starting over? Share your thoughts below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 10 Books About Human Nature and Behavior
- 10 Books About Fear and Mastering It
- 10 Books about Jealousy and How to Overcome It
- 11 Books About Toxic Relationships and Getting Away
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
