Standalone Novels
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| The Stuff That Never Happened | 2010 | Buy |
| The Opposite of Maybe | 2014 | Buy |
| The Survivor’s Guide to Family Happiness | 2016 | Buy |
| Kissing Games of the World | 2017 | Buy |
| A Piece of Normal | 2017 | Buy |
| Matchmaking for Beginners | 2018 | Buy |
| A Happy Catastrophe | 2020 | Buy |
| The Magic of Found Objects | 2021 | Buy |
| Snap Out of It | 2023 | Buy |
| Let’s Pretend This Will Work | 2024 | Buy |
Maddie Dawson writes standalone novels about women figuring out what comes next. Her books are funny, warm, and honest about the complications of love, family, and the choices that shape a life. Starting with The Stuff That Never Happened in 2010, she has published ten novels that share a common sensibility even though each one tells a self-contained story.
Several of her books have found large audiences, especially Matchmaking for Beginners (2018) and A Happy Catastrophe (2020), which both bring a hint of magical thinking into otherwise realistic settings. Her more recent novels, including Snap Out of It and Let’s Pretend This Will Work, continue the pattern of centering flawed, likable women who are trying to sort out messy situations. Dawson has a gift for dialogue and for making readers laugh while pulling them through real emotional stakes. Her books are good picks for anyone who enjoys women’s fiction that does not take itself too seriously.