I would like to read a good book (fiction) where the story doesn't rely on a man to ensure a happy ever after.

[TheLifeOfRiley]

Am I asking too much?

Recently I've noticed that in the majority of the books the leading character's happiness depends on a man. I need feisty females who are independent and inspiring. Not desperate for a man to 'complete' them.

I like chick lit but this aspect is annoying me (I'm single and moody).

Any recommendations?

Rachel's Holiday??, hmmm perhaps not, she doesn't actually get together with somebody on the last page, but you're supposed to believe that she's in the right place for it to happen now.

I'm single too and I can't stand those books any more. Girls flits around town for a while and then gets married.

Try Paullina Simons, Just read Red Leaves and it was good.

I think those light hearted books are always the same formula. It's practically compulsary, if the writer tried something else they'd be told to put a big strong handsome man in there somewhere.

I know exactly what you mean though.

I read Steve Tolz book (what was it called?) and I think it helped that it was from a man's perspective... also Jonathan Franzen's The corrections. Something to get your teeth into but there were all sorts of relationships in there. Mother/son, siblings, affairs, a lesbian relationship.... You wont feel like the one single animal marching up into the ark alone reading that book!

I await suggestions from widely read MNers though..

[all ears]

I loved The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Only two minor male characters and they were idiots!

There's a thriller that I sometimes re-read with a really strong and capable female hero. It's The Hellfire Club by Peter Straub. He's a horror writer, but this isn't a horror book, just a thriller.

I will look out for that Esme Lennox one. I've read some of Maggie O'Farrell's earlier stuff and the one I remember (perhaps her 2nd book?) was about a rather intensely felt romantic relationship. Her first book was excellent though.

I'm reading a Sophie Hannah book right now. the hurting Distance. I'm really enjoying it. The Amazon reviews all say that although the readers enjoyed reading it, the ending was a disappointment. hmmm. Pity.

Just looked it up. After you'd gone was Maggie O'Farrell's first novel and it was excellent. The distance between us was her second, and it was not so good imo, and gets fewer stars on Amazon too. The Hand that first held mine gets very good reviews too. No idea if it's romantic or not though.

Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson is great.

Lots of recommendations, thank you all!

I knew this would be the place to ask.

I did used to enjoy predictable chicklit but I am in a place where I need positive stories of women doing it on their own. I get enough subtle messages that I am not complete without a man, I don't need it in my reading materials too!

Going back a bit, there's the classic "novel without a hero", Vanity Fair by Thackeray. Not exactly chick lit, but worth a look if you fancy a change of era.

They're for teenagers really, but Wolf Girl and Moon Riders by Theresa Tomlinson are about women who don't get married (one is in an abbey, the other is a warrior woman!)

Miss Marple?

A proper education for girls.

Lots of useless men and great women.

Prodigal Summer or The Bean Trees/Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver.

Anything by Sarah Waters!

Esme Lennox is a lovely book (made me cry )

Second the Prodigal Summer, very strong female lead.

I like Mavis Cheek, just about everything she has done and Kate Atkinson.

The Long Song - Andrea Levy
Excellent female protagonist!

I am going to write all these recommendations down and go through them one by one. I do enjoy classics as well as modern fiction so am looking forward to reading all of these.

Will just need to remember to take books back to the library on time to avoid the fines I always seem to manage to get.

Tippy - I borrowed my grandma's copy of Mrs Fytton's Country Life by Mavis Cheek and really enjoyed it. It's all about a woman who is dumped by her husband and realises that she's had no life of her own, and goes off to find it. BUT i can't remember if she gets into another relationship at the end. Have you read it?

TLOR - I remember in the later Louisa M Alcott books that follow the March girls' children, there was a central female character who wanted to be a doctor, and one of the boys was in love with her and wanted to marry her, but she...just became a doctor instead :o

Yes, I loved it Elephants, very funny - if a bit shaming for poncetastic types like me . I've just re-read Yesterday's houses which has a very strong (eventually) female character.

I am always torn though as I am not old but I am tired of "younger" light reading always being a name-drop fest of manalos and shaggings and lipgloss. Yawn.

How about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the following books? Definitely a feisty independent female!

I always think Douglas Kennedy is good at writing from the woman's perspective. Have you read A Special Relationship? Can't remember what happens at the end as I read it a while ago and it's not a fluffy read but very good.

Oh and if you like a female detective story that is a bit fluffy have you read Janot Evanovich?