Books like Her by Laura Zigman

Elise, a graduate school student in Washington, D.C., leaves her New York life behind and takes a Delta Shuttle to the nation’s capital. There she encounters Donald, a former investment banker who has traded a high‑pressure career for a quiet life as a teacher. With neither bound by a current partner, the two exchange stories and find an unexpected chemistry that blossoms into love. A year later, they plan to marry. But the path to their wedding is complicated by Donald’s past: his ex‑fiancée Adrienne—an educated, attractive, and determined woman now living in D.C.—reappears. For Elise, Adrienne represents the “mother of all exes,” and her intrusion turns into a consuming obsession that threatens the new couple’s future. The novel explores the complexities of modern relationships, the baggage we bring, and the question of whether we can truly move forward without the shadows of our pasts. Set against the backdrop of Washington, D.C., the story blends romance, humor, and psychological insight into the delicate dance of mate selection and the realities of contemporary love triangles.

First publish date: 2002