With the weather feeling a touch chillier and the air a little crisper, now is the perfect time to curl up with a cozy story. But why choose between a movie and a book when you can have both? For book and film lovers alike, here are seven perfect pairings, charming bookstore-set movies matched with their delightful literary companions.
Content Warning: Some of the books and films mentioned include adult themes, grief, and mental health struggles; please read the content and trigger warnings before reading.
Notting Hill (1999) x One Day in December by Josie Silver
Roger Michell’s classic rom-com Notting Hill is top of the list, with its bookish, British appeal. William Thacker is a bumbling bookstore owner who finds himself swept into an unlikely love affair with American actress Anna Scott after she stumbles into his store. Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts’ on-screen chemistry makes the movie all the more lovable. Both perfectly portray this unexpected love connection, where ordinary meets extraordinary. And, what’s not to love about a London bookstore romance?
For fans of the meet-cute, endearing encounters, and moments that seem all too fated, One Day in December is a natural match. With the same whimsical appeal as Notting Hill, the novel follows Laurie and Jack, slow-burn lovers whose story unfolds through serendipity and missed opportunities. It’s tender and heartwarming, full of “meant-to-be” moments you won’t want to put down.
You’ve Got Mail (1998) x Book Lovers by Emily Henry
You’ve Got Mail is one of those movies you’ll want to watch again and again. It’s a film filled with connection, miscommunication, and unexpected romance. When struggling bookseller Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) starts a secret cyber romance, she never imagines her mystery man is actually her biggest business rival, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of the Foxbooks chain just over the street. Enemies-to-lovers, anonymous allure, and New York in the autumn — you’ll be glued to your screen.
Keeping with the theme of enemies-to-lovers, Emily Henry’s Book Lovers makes the perfect companion. The life of literary agent Nora entwines with that of rival Charlie Lastra while working on a project, and from there, an unforeseen romance begins to blossom. With Henry’s signature humor and warmth, this novel is the ideal follow-up to You’ve Got Mail, and it needs to be on your shelf.
The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) x Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Classic meets modern in Robin Swicord’s The Jane Austen Book Club. As suggested by the title, the movie keeps with a bookish feel, following Sylvia, Jocelyn, Bernadette, and friends as they start a book club dedicated to the works of Jane Austen. The movie is sweet, funny, and a tad metafictional. If you love all things rom-com and Austen, go ahead and grab the remote.
Be warned: once the credits roll, you won’t be able to resist delving into one of her classics yourself. Make sure to have a cozy cup of tea and your very own copy of Pride and Prejudice on standby for a little literary indulgence. The chaotic lives of the Bennett sisters will certainly satiate your appetite for timeless romance, misunderstandings, and friendships.
Crossing Delancey (1988) x The Assistants by Camille Perri
If you love rom-coms, Crossing Delancey is the movie for you. New Yorker Isabelle “Izzy” Grossman, single, vibrant, and fiercely independent, works in a bookstore in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Much to her grandmother’s dismay, she’s more drawn to New York’s cultural circle than to her own family’s traditions. When her grandmother sets her up, Izzy never expects to fall for the unconventional suitor. The movie is a journey of family, culture, and love in unexpected places.
Camille Perri’s The Assistants is the perfect book pairing. The novel is funny and sharp, following Tina Fontana, an assistant who finds herself at the center of a money-laundering scheme after a simple clerical error. From there, risk and romance spark, and Tina learns that sometimes rules are meant to be broken. Ultimately, both the movie and the novel are bold and celebratory, championing female protagonists who dare to break free of convention.
The Bookshop (2017) x The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
Free-spirited widow Florence Green has a dream: to open up the first bookstore in the small town of Hardborough. However, she gets more than she bargained for when she makes enemies instead of customers. The movie is charming and poignant, showcasing the power of literature to connect and inspire. It’s a top choice for lovers of heartwarming comedies, and of course, books.
If you like The Bookshop, why not give The Bookish Life of Nina Hill a read? Nina has all she could ever ask for. She’s got a brilliant bookstore job and a cute cat called Phil. But when the father she never knew existed passes away, she ends up with countless new family members. To top it all off, her nemesis, Tom, takes a liking to her. Much like Florence, Nina’s life is shaped by her love of books, newfound connections, and the complexities that come with them. Watching her navigate the chaos is pure delight.
84 Charing Cross Road (1987) x Before the Coffee Turns Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Based on a true story, 84 Charing Cross Road follows a relationship based on a love for words. Helene Hanff writes to the London bookshop in search of missing titles she needs to get hold of. When store manager Frank Doel responds to her lovely letter, a deep bond ensues, spanning distance and decades. It’s a movie overflowing with humor, nostalgia, and intimacy at its core, showing how shared stories can create lasting bonds.
If you’re craving a book with the same warmth and human connection as 84 Charing Cross Road, you’ve got to read Before the Coffee Turns Cold. Set in a small Tokyo cafe, customers can time-travel backwards, but only to revisit moments that occurred in that very cafe. But there’s one catch: you can’t change the present. The book trails the tales of multiple characters, each with unresolved feelings and personal stories. It’s quiet, introspective, and charged with the significance of small moments.
When Harry Met Sally (1989) x Normal People by Sally Rooney
Bonus pick! While When Harry Met Sally isn’t strictly set in a bookstore, the movie contains an iconic bookstore scene that viewers just can’t get enough of. Ten years after graduating from college, Harry Burns and Sally Albright meet again at said bookstore. The movie is a slow-burning romance, depicting their attempt to stay friends despite the lingering possibility of something more.
Lovers of the slow-burn, friends-to-lovers trope should definitely pick up Normal People by Sally Rooney. Despite their differing personalities, Marianne and Connell share an unspoken connection that begins in adolescence and follows them into adulthood. Tender and intimate, the novel carries the same “what-if” energy that makes When Harry Met Sally so unforgettable. And, if you still want one more watch, check out the hit adaptation of Normal People on Netflix (if you haven’t already!).
So, fear not — you’ll never have to choose between a movie and a book, because the best kind of cozy night includes both. With these perfect pairings in hand, consider your Friday night plans sorted: an irresistible story on the page, an irresistible story on the screen, and all the autumn comfort you could ask for.
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Find these books and more on our Book-to-Screen Daydreams on Bookshop.org.
