Sometimes, all you really want from a book is to make you laugh out loud and forget about all your problems. After all, reading about dramatic events can be a bit much if you’re already stressed and overwhelmed with your own life.
Luckily, there is no shortage of funny books for women on the market. Whether you are into hilarious autobiographies or you prefer humorous fiction, here are some recommendations that will surely help you crack a smile or two.
Funny Books for Women: Editor’s Picks
1. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
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This hilarious novel offers you the perfect combination of quirkiness and humor. It follows Don Tillman, a genetics professor who believes he is simply not cut out for romance. However, he is a man of science, and he cannot deny the fact that, statistically speaking, there should be someone out there for everyone.
So, he decides to embark on his most ambitious project to date: finding himself a wife. As with everything in his life, he approaches this task with logic, utmost precision, and incredible attention to detail. However, he soon realizes that matters of the heart are never logical, and chaos breaks loose when he starts falling for a woman that is the opposite of the “perfect match”.
This sweet but clever rom-com will have you squealing with cuteness and laughing out loud every few pages. Thus, it is the best choice you can make when you need a feel-good book at the end of a long, exhausting day.
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
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Dubbed the bitter neighbor from hell by everyone living in his close vicinity, Ove is a curmudgeon in every sense of the word. He has a short fuse, strict principles he upholds at all costs, and he absolutely hates interacting with others.
But as it usually goes, there is a story behind that cranky and bitter exterior, and it is up to a young and chatty new couple to discover it. Needless to say, the dynamic between the main protagonists leads to some hilarious situations.
This book will hook you from the very first line, and you won’t be able to put it down until you finally finish. In the end, you’ll witness one of the most heartwarming stories about friendship, human connection, and the importance of community.
3. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
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If you are looking for a book that celebrates family and the incredible bond shared between mothers and daughters, this should be your number one choice. But besides offering touching lessons about family, this story will have you laughing out loud every few minutes.
Semple’s novel follows Bee, a clever 15-year-old high school student. She is on a search to find her mother Bernadette, who disappeared after an unfortunate fundraiser and a strange feud with a neighbor.
Bee follows a web of emails, school memos, and tiny clues her mother left behind. Luckily, she is not alone, as her mother’s assistant and the rest of the family are all on board to find Bernadette. As the plot thickens, everyone is left wondering whether they truly knew Bernadette in the first place.
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
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Eleanor is a heroine that many can relate to. Socially awkward and introverted, she struggles to communicate her thoughts and feelings in a way that the world would deem appropriate. Thus, she keeps to a strict schedule that helps her avoid others as much as possible.
But isolation can seldom last long. All of a sudden, Eleanor’s carefully crafted routine is ruined when she is thrown together with two unlikely characters who both seem to need saving. In the end, they manage to save her, too, showing her that friendship and love are not just an unreachable fantasy after all.
At first glance, this premise might not seem like the funniest thing out there. However, if you enjoy quirky and dry humor, this book will wow you from the very first page.
5. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
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No list with the funniest books for women can go without the OG comedy classic: Bridget Jones’s Diary. In this well-crafted and hilarious novel, Fielding explores the notion of self-improvement and the act of figuring out what to do with your life in your 30s.
As you follow Bridget on the road to losing weight, getting into a relationship, and learning how to program that damned VCR, you’ll laugh, cry, and think of your own experiences. Most importantly, you will relate to her every step of the way, whether she’s struggling or enjoying herself.
By the end, you’ll hopefully learn that it’s okay not to have everything figured out all the time. Bridget will show you that, sometimes, being yourself is more than enough to find the happiness you are searching for.
6. Bossypants by Tina Fey
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Are you more of a non-fiction fan? And do you enjoy witty autobiographies written by comedians? If so, look no further than this side-splitting novel from the pen of the infamous Tina Fey.
If you google Fey, you’ll find all sorts of facts. She is a comedian, producer, and writer. Throughout her career, she has won multiple Emmys, Golden Globes, and SAG awards. Today, she is known as one of the most influential comedy writers in the world.
But, who is Tina Fey really, behind all the awards and the jokes you know from SNL? Well, she’s here to tell you. And what’s better than hearing it all first-hand, straight from the source?
All in all, this tell-all book makes for a perfect comfort read that will keep you entertained all day long.
7. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
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The Hating Game is a fantastic choice if you enjoy witty romance, steamy scenes, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers dynamic. Humorous and sexy, this book will leave you breathless for all the right reasons.
The main protagonists, Josh and Lucy, are not like ordinary coworkers. They don’t smile at each other from across the hall and chat amicably. They don’t even pretend to like one another for the sake of their bosses and colleagues. In fact, they quite literally despise each other, and they aren’t afraid to show it.
When their company announces the opening of a new team leader position, both Josh and Lucy want it. In no time, they start competing for it and playing dirty to win. The plan is simple: whoever doesn’t get the job has to leave the company when the campaign is done.
As the promotion day draws near, the two enemies realize that they might not abhor each other as much as they thought. However, stopping the hating game so close to the finish line might prove to be harder than they expected.
8. When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger
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This novel stars one of Weisberger’s favorite characters from The Devil Wear Prada — Emily Charlton. Emily is now a semi-successful image consultant, and she’s struggling to make her dreams come true.
As time goes by, Emily has to deal with the ever-changing Hollywood landscape, social media platforms she knows nothing about, and her clients leaving her one by one. Needless to say, she struggles more often than not.
It is clear that she needs a big break, and when she gets it, she doesn’t care about how difficult and unlikely it sounds. So, she relocates to Greenwich, CT, to relaunch the career of Karolina, a former supermodel.
What follows is a hilarious and honest deep dive into America’s glittering celebrity culture. You’ll laugh out loud as you follow the two protagonists in their exploration of the most frightening scene of them all: the American suburbs.
9. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
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As its name suggests, this book is about a soon-to-be 100-year-old man. His name is Allan Karlsson, and he is spending his last days in a nursing home after a rather eventful and fulfilling life.
His nursing home wants to throw him a big party — after all, you don’t turn 100 every day! However, Allan is not that interested in celebrations. In fact, he’d rather just disappear and not have to deal with any of it.
And so, he does just that. On the day before his birthday, he climbs out of his window and embarks on an epic adventure. On his journey, he reminisces about his life and all the key events of the 20th century he got to witness and help unfold.
This book will make you feel good and have a nice laugh. If you ask us, there’s nothing more you could ask for.
10. Class Mom by Laurie Gelman
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Jen Dixon is not your usual small-town mom. Her two daughters are already off to college, and her five-year-old wasn’t exactly something she planned. Nevertheless, it is the way it is, and she has to become her kid’s kindergarten class mom.
Though this task might seem benign enough, it proves to be quite a challenge. Jen has to conquer fussy moms, an old flame, and unexpectedly attractive teachers, all of which make her regret ever taking the class mom position in the first place.
As funny as this book is, it is also a heartwarming ode to all parents out there, whether they are struggling or they have it all figured out. So, if that floats your boat, don’t hesitate to pick this book up.
11. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan
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When police inspector Chopra retires after suffering a heart attack, two rather peculiar events occur.
First, he hears about a boy who died under suspicious circumstances, and the boy’s mother tells him no one will look into it due to her family’s low social status. As the inspector digs into it, he finds that there are many who want him to stop investigating. Of course, that only makes him want to solve it more.
The second event is a lot lighter (read: hilarious): Chopra has to take care of a baby elephant. The animal gets left on his doorstep with nothing but a short ominous message saying that he is no ordinary elephant.
Just like that, Chopra and his elephant embark on an epic adventure all over the city of Mumbai. Their goal? Find out what happened to the dead boy, and hopefully get some closure for Chopra as well, as it seems that retirement isn’t really what he wants from life.
Khan’s novel is witty, touching, and a definite page-turner. If you need a story that your entire book club will fall in love with, this is definitely the way to go.
12. Bitter Is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
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Imagine the haughtiest sorority girl that has all the money in the world and loves making others miserable. Now, picture that same girl losing all her precious money and having to scramble to make ends meet every month like most others.
Sounds funny? If so, you will absolutely adore this humorous book by Jen Lancaster. The catch is that the book is a memoir detailing her own life. So, you will get to read how she lost everything and gained so much more in the process of finding herself. Charming and incredibly smart-mouthed, this book will keep you entertained until the wee hours of the night.
13. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
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Jack Gantos is about to have the worst summer of his life. His feuding parents have just “grounded him for life”, and the vacation he was looking forward to is completely off the table.
To make matters worse, his mom loans him to their old neighbor, who needs help with some chores. The hard work should help Jack learn about important values and teach him a lesson, or so she hopes.
However, the chores he must help with are a bit unusual, to say the least. Namely, he has to assist his neighbor by typewriting some obituaries. While doing so, he discovers a lot about the town he lives in and the people who founded it. Slowly but surely, Jack is thrust into a peculiar adventure that gets more and more complicated with every new document he writes.
If you’re a fan of deadpan humor and laughing at the most inappropriate of times, this book is for you. Its clever narrative and lovable characters will hook you from the get-go, and you will be sad to leave them once you’re done.
14. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
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A Girl Named Zippy is a sweet memoir that chronicles Kimmel’s early childhood spent in Mooreland, Indiana. If you go along for the ride, you’ll get to witness postwar America at its finest.
Moreover, you will get to meet Haven’s eccentric but loving family. You will surely fall in love with them in no time, as strange as they are. As you read about them, you will explore themes of community, family love, and identity told in a charming and hilarious way.
This memoir is definitely a good option if you enjoy light non-fiction that reads easily. It will leave a warm feeling inside for a long time after you put it down. In addition, the book is fairly short, meaning that you’ll be able to finish it quickly.
15. Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg
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In Fannie Flagg’s incredible debut, she introduces her readers to Daisy Fay Harper, a hopeful sixth grader with big dreams. As you embark on journey after journey with Daisy, you won’t be able to help caring about her. And when you leave her as she continues her life on her own, you will feel like you’re saying goodbye to an old friend.
This bildungsroman is witty, funny, and touching in all the right ways. It will teach you valuable lessons about growing up and discovering your identity. Interestingly, you’ll realize that these lessons are just as useful when you are grown up. After all, everyone needs to refresh their memory once in a while.
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man is an excellent choice if you want something you can read together with your kids. Heartwarming and clever, it’s a treat for the entire family.
16. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
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The Kiss Quotient is another amazing choice for romantic comedy lovers. However, this book is much more than that, as it offers excellent autistic and neurodivergent representation.
The main heroine, Stella Lane, is an extremely rational person. She creates algorithms that predict what certain customers will buy from different brands. Though you’d assume this knowledge would help her in social situations, her Asperger’s makes everything slightly more complicated.
To remedy her poor dating skills, Stella enlists the help of an unlikely ally: Michael Phan, a professional escort. He is supposed to help her learn everything she needs to know, from foreplay to what having enjoyable sex actually means.
However, they both quickly realize that keeping things strictly professional is much more difficult than it sounds. But can they truly make it as a couple, or are they far too different to ever fit together?
In this epic love story, Hoang expertly weaves plotlines concerning self-acceptance, discovering one’s identity, and finding a connection that transcends all differences. However you end up feeling about it, one thing is for sure: this book will surely make you laugh.
