Aug 3, 2025 4 min read Books & Audiobooks

Influenced by... Reese Witherspoon!

Reese Witherspoon surrounded by books

Reese Witherspoon's bookclub - simply called Reese's Book Club - was created in 2017. It was not the first bookclub in the world but it has tremendously influenced the literature and multimedia production ever since.

What Reese did differently at the time? Her major focus was on stories written by female authors and how she propulsed them into stardom, by producing some of these stories into tv shows and movies, with her Hello Sunshine media company.

I have to tell you, when I see that "Reese's Book Club" sunny sticker on a book cover, I just grab it without questioning, I know I will love it.

Here are some of the books I have read so far, influenced by Reese's Book Club:

Such A Fun Age - Kiley Reid (2019)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Set in the United States
I just adored this book, it is fast paced and with a duality of views
Kiley Reid writes beautifully and is a master at details, emotions, gestures and room description
The moments Emira shares with her girlfriends reminded me so much of the show Insecure with Issa Rae
I cannot believe this has not been adapted as a movie or a miniseries yet
If you liked Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, this can be an excellent next read if you want the same vibes

Daisy Jones & the Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid (2019)

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Set in the United States in the 1970s
Has multiple points of views in different timelines
Is not a real story but many people compared it to real life band Fleetwood Mac
This was my first audiobook and one of the best at it for its musical and interview-style setup
It was already adapted as a miniseries by Hello Sunshine a couple of years ago. I am currently watching it with my husband (as of August 2025). It will do another great "what to watch if you are don't have Netflix" content

Whisper Network - Chandler Baker (2019)

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Set in the corporate world in Dallas, United States
Multiple POV - which is delicious, to have all the different perspectives
Explores a toxic environment at work, (lack of) consent and the MeToo movement brewing
If you loved the book, you might love The Morning Show (also known as Morning Wars in some countries), available on Apple TV+. It is co-produced by Hello Sunshine. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon herself are the main stars

The Cactus - Sarah Haywood (2018)

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Set in the United Kingdom
Deals with Susan, a quirky woman with a strict routine who has to question it all
Has some similarities with Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, also read prior in 2020

The Proposal (The Wedding Date #2) - Jasmine Guillory (2018)

⭐⭐/5
Here we meet Carlos, Drew’s best friend from the first book of the series The Wedding Date that I read in 2020
Deals with independence, growth, lots of food too and the importance of female friendships
Honestly, it is the book I liked the least in the saga but it did not demote me in reading the following publications

Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng (2017)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Set in the United States
A suburbia vibe like a Desperate Housewives setting
A mysterious mother-daughter duo
Deals with racism, prejudice, elitism
Was already adapted to TV in a miniseries with Reese Witherspoon herself and Kerry Washington (and I loved it)

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman (2017)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
One of my favourite books read in 2020
I have been waiting for it to become a movie or a miniseries ever since
Female centered
Set in Scotland

Reese's influence has transcended the book world and her production company Hello Sunshine has been a powerhouse in the field, putting forward amazing storylines from the books recommended in the club and more. As aforementioned, I love The Morning Show from Apple TV+ but other productions such as Big Little Lies on HBO, Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu and From Scratch on Netflix. They also produce non-scripted content but one of the ideas I love the most - and am saddened they didn't give it more emphasis - is the Eat The Book series with Christian Milian, where the book authors had chefs cook recipes inspired by the book. It was such a delicious idea! Here are the only three episodes launched...

... with Jasmine Guillory (the Wedding Date series) making tacos