12 Authors Similar to Sarah Dessen That YA Fans Will Love

Did you know that the young adult genre is filled with hidden gems that mirror the enchanting style of Sarah Dessen?

If you adore her ability to capture the complexities of teenage life, you’ll be thrilled to meet 12 authors similar to Sarah Dessen who share that same gift.

In this article, we’ll delve into their stories, uncovering how each author weaves together themes of love, loss and growth with relatable characters.

Join us on this literary adventure and find your next favorite read!

12 Authors Similar to Sarah Dessen

1. Meg Cabot

Writing Style & Themes:
Meg Cabot’s books are fast-paced, witty and filled with charming relatable heroines. 

As an author like Sarah Dessen, she explores romance and personal growth but with an extra touch of humor and fairytale-like transformations.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Princess Diaries
• The Mediator series
• Avalon High

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Cabot’s storytelling is heartwarming, funny and uplifting. 

She creates strong yet vulnerable protagonists who navigate love, friendship and self-discovery in a way that’s both entertaining and inspiring.

Meg Cabot’s Website: https://www.megcabot.com

2. Judy Blume

Writing Style & Themes:
Judy Blume is known for her honest emotionally rich portrayals of adolescence. 

Like Dessen, she writes about real-life struggles with warmth and depth, making her books timeless and relatable.

Notable Books/Series:

• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
• Blubber
• Forever…

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Blume has a gift for tackling tough topics such as puberty, relationships and self-identity, with sensitivity and authenticity. 

Her books resonate deeply, offering the kind of emotional connection that keeps readers coming back.

Judy Blume’s Website: https://www.judyblume.com

3. David Levithan

Writing Style & Themes:
Levithan’s stories blend romance, identity and self-discovery, often with a unique narrative twist. 

Like Dessen, he writes emotionally charged character-driven novels.

Notable Books/Series:

• Every Day

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Levithan writes with warmth, humor and a deep understanding of what it means to love and be loved. 

His books are thought-provoking, beautifully written and perfect for readers who enjoy emotional relationship-driven stories.

David Levithan’s Website: https://www.davidlevithan.com

4. Susane Colasanti

Writing Style & Themes:
Colasanti’s books are heartfelt, romantic and filled with the raw emotions of teenage life.

As an author like Sarah Dessen, she focuses on realistic relationships, self-discovery and the search for happiness.

Notable Books/Series:

• When It Happens
• Something Like Fate
• City Love trilogy

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Colasanti’s writing feels like a conversation with a close friend i.e. honest, relatable and full of emotion. 

Her characters navigate love and life in a way that feels true to the teenage experience.

Susane Colasanti’s Website: https://www.susanecolasanti.com

5. Morgan Matson

Writing Style & Themes:
Matson’s novels are immersive, blending coming-of-age journeys with romance, adventure and personal growth. 

Like Dessen, she creates authentic friendships and deeply personal struggles, making her characters feel like real people.

Notable Books/Series:

• Since You’ve Been Gone
• Second Chance Summer
• Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Matson’s books feel like summer in novel form i.e. equal parts adventure, self-discovery and romance. 

Her ability to weave emotional depth into fun page-turning stories makes her a must-read for Dessen fans.

Morgan Matson’s Website: https://www.morganmatson.com

6. Jenny Han

Writing Style & Themes:
Han’s books blend romance and family drama with a nostalgic heartfelt touch. 

Like Dessen, she writes about love, self-discovery and the bittersweet moments of growing up.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy
• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series
• Shug

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Han’s stories are warm, romantic and full of emotion. 

She captures the joy and heartache of first love with a beautifully nostalgic tone, making her books perfect for anyone who loves deeply emotional coming-of-age stories.

Jenny Han’s Website: https://www.jennyhan.com

7. Sarah Ockler

Writing Style & Themes:
Ockler blends humor with deep emotion exploring love, loss and self-discovery. 

Like Dessen, she writes about real-life challenges with heartfelt honesty, making her stories resonate deeply with readers.

Notable Books/Series:

• Twenty Boy Summer
• Fixing Delilah
• Bittersweet

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Ockler’s books are the perfect mix of lighthearted moments and raw emotional depth. 

She has a way of capturing the complexities of relationships, whether romantic, familial or friendships, with authenticity and warmth.

Sarah Ockler’s Website: https://www.sarahockler.com

8. J.J. Johnson

Writing Style & Themes:
Johnson’s books tackle social issues and personal growth with an insightful thought-provoking approach. 

As an author similar to Sarah Dessen, she creates strong relatable protagonists who navigate real-world challenges with courage and self-reflection.

Notable Books/Series:

• Believarexic
• This Girl Is Different

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Johnson writes with depth and honesty, offering compelling stories about identity, resilience and personal transformation. 

Her books challenge readers to think deeply while still delivering engaging character-driven narratives.

J.J. Johnson’s Website: https://www.jjjohnsonauthor.com 

9. Jennifer E. Smith

Writing Style & Themes:
Like Dessen, Smith writes about love, fate and the connections that shape our lives, all wrapped in beautifully written feel-good stories.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
• Field Notes on Love
• This Is What Happy Looks Like

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Smith’s books are charming, hopeful and full of heart. 

Her stories capture the magic of chance encounters and first love, making them perfect for readers who enjoy uplifting and emotionally rich romances.

Jennifer E. Smith’s Website: https://www.jenniferesmith.com

10. Nicola Yoon

Writing Style & Themes:
Yoon’s novels are deeply emotional, blending romance with themes of identity, destiny and family. 

Like Dessen, she crafts compelling characters with rich layered stories that tug at the heartstrings.

Notable Books/Series:

• Everything, Everything
• The Sun Is Also a Star
• Instructions for Dancing

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Yoon’s storytelling is unique with lyrical prose and unforgettable characters. 

She explores love and self-discovery in ways that feel fresh and deeply moving, making her books impossible to put down.

Nicola Yoon’s Website: https://www.nicolayoon.com

11. Nina LaCour

Writing Style & Themes:
LaCour’s novels are introspective, poetic and deeply emotional. 

As an author like Sarah Dessen, she excels at exploring complex relationships, grief, love and personal healing through beautifully written narratives.

Notable Books/Series:

• We Are Okay
• Hold Still
• Everything Leads to You

Why Readers Will Love Her:
LaCour’s writing feels deeply personal, almost like reading someone’s diary. 

Her stories are quiet yet powerful, filled with raw emotion and characters who linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.

Nina LaCour’s Website: https://www.ninalacour.com

12. Gayle Forman

Writing Style & Themes:
Forman writes deeply emotional and character-driven stories about love, loss and transformation. 

Like Dessen, she explores life-changing moments with sensitivity and depth, making her books both heart-wrenching and uplifting.

Notable Books/Series:

• If I Stay
• Where She Went
• Just One Day

Why Readers Will Love Her:
Forman’s books take readers on an emotional journey, tackling love, grief and second chances with authenticity and heart. 

Her characters feel real and their struggles are both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Gayle Forman’s Website: https://www.gayleforman.com

Last Word On Authors Like Sarah Dessen

If you’re searching for authors like Sarah Dessen, the twelve writers on this list are a great place to start.

Whether it’s Meg Cabot’s witty and charming romances, Morgan Matson’s heartfelt coming-of-age adventures or Jenny Han’s nostalgic family-driven love stories, each of these authors captures the same emotional depth and realism that make Dessen’s novels so beloved.

For those who love deeply introspective narratives, Nina LaCour and Gayle Forman deliver poetic and thought-provoking stories about love, grief and self-discovery.

No matter which of these authors similar to Sarah Dessen you choose, you’ll find compelling characters, meaningful relationships and the kind of emotional depth that makes contemporary young adult fiction so powerful.