Books like Heiresses by Laura Thompson

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks follows the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor black tobacco farmer whose cancer cells were taken in 1951 without her consent and later became the first immortal human cell line, HeLa, driving major scientific breakthroughs while raising questions of ethics, race, and medical exploitation.

A memoir of a woman who overcomes a strict survivalist Mormon upbringing in rural Idaho to pursue higher education, ultimately earning a PhD in history at Cambridge.

Hidden Figures tells the true story of four African‑American mathematicians—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Christine Darden—who broke barriers at NASA’s Langley Research Center, proving that talent, not race or gender, powers scientific progress.

A family saga that traces the shifting ownership of a house from a wealthy couple to a newly rich businessman and his children, exploring themes of inheritance, sibling rivalry, poverty, and stepmother dynamics.

The Sackler family’s rise from 20th‑century Brooklyn to global wealth, fueled by the marketing of Valium and OxyContin, is examined in this investigative history that links their philanthropy, corporate tactics, and the opioid crisis.

Lacy Stoltz, a Florida Board on Judicial Conduct investigator, uncovers a sweeping corruption scheme involving a judge, a casino, and the Coast Mafia, forcing her into a deadly battle for justice.

Michelle Obama chronicles her life from South Side Chicago to the White House, revealing the personal drive behind her public advocacy for women, families, and health.

Two beautiful sisters contest their father's love and a vast family fortune, but their rivalry is complicated by a hidden secret—one of them is their father's illegitimate daughter.

David McCullough chronicles the daring brothers who, in 1903, achieved the first human‑powered flight on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, revealing their ingenuity, determination, and the family support that drove their success.

Earl of Huntdon marries Miss Georgina Pierce in a marriage of convenience that turns into unexpected love, only to face financial betrayal and a test of true devotion.

A New York heiress, Marjorie McGann, seeks a London season and a titled husband, while her British guardian, Jonathan Deverill, must protect her fortune and keep her romance in check—until his unexpected kisses blur the lines between duty and desire.

When I finished reading-I felt my soul had been altered' Amy TanFor eight groundbreaking years, Xinran presented a radio programme in China during which she invited women to call in and talk about themselves. Broadcast every evening, Words on the Night Breeze became famous through the country for its unflinching portrayal of what it meant to be a woman in modern China. Centuries of obedience to their fathers, husbands and sons, followed by years of political turmoil had made women terrified of talking openly about their feelings. Xinran won their trust and, through her compassion and ability to listen, became the first woman to hear their true stories. This unforgettable book is the story of how Xinran negotiated the minefield of restrictions imposed on Chinese journalists to reach out to women across the country. Through the vivid intimacy of her writing, the women's voices confide in the reader, sharing their deepest secrets for the first time. Their stories changed Xinran's understanding of China forever. Her book will reveal the lives of Chinese women to the West as never before.

Susan inherits a large fortune held in trust until marriage, while Daire discovers his family's heirloom is more valuable than expected and must locate it before it is lost.

In the 1920s, 28‑year‑old Hadley Richardson meets Ernest Hemingway in Chicago, marries him, and together they become Hollywood’s golden couple in Paris, navigating self‑doubt, jealousy, and literary ambition amid the expatriate scene.

In the turmoil of the French Revolution, Leonie de Conyers, an aristocratic heiress shattered by war, meets the English nobleman Roger St. Eyre. Together they navigate danger, escape France, and chase a destiny of love and freedom.