Open Books Challenge 2026: With a Character who Works at Your Job or at Your Dream Job

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

These are some ideas that fit the category "With a character who works at your job or your dream job."

Happy Reading!

Updated December 31, 2025
RPL Staff
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A dress of violet taffeta
Arlen, Tessa
Paper Book
A sumptuous novel based on the fascinating true story of La Belle poque icon Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon, who shattered the boundaries of fashion with her magnificently sensual and enchantingly unique design from the USA Today bestselling author of In Royal Service to the Queen.
The poison squad : one chemist's single-minded crusade for food safety at the turn of the twentieth century
Blum, Deborah
Paper Book
A New York Times Notable Book  From Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story of how food was made safe in the United States and the heroes, led by the inimitable Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, who fought for...
Nine years under : coming of age in an inner city funeral home
Booker, Sheri
Paper Book
Six Feet Under meets The Wire in a dazzling and darkly comic memoir about coming-of-age in a black funeral home in Baltimore Sheri Booker was only fifteen years old when she started working at Wylie Funeral Home in West Baltimore. She had no idea that her...
The collected regrets of Clover
Brammer, Mikki
Audiobook
A deadly inside scoop
Collette, Abby
Paper Book
This book kicks off a charming cozy mystery series set in an ice cream shop-with a fabulous cast of quirky characters. Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she's going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse...
The farmer's son : calving season on a family farm
Connell, John
Paper Book
For fans of James Herriot, a poignant memoir--and #1 Irish bestseller--about a wayward son's return home to his family's farm, and how he found a new beginning in an age-old world Farming has been in John Connell's family for generations, but he never intended to follow in...
Tooth and nail : the making of a female fight doctor
Dahl, Linda
Paper Book
Tooth and Nail by Linda D. Dahl released on Jul 24, 2018 is available now for purchase.
Well traveled
DeLuca, Jen
Paper Book
Lulu Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right until the day she realises it's all wrong. Lulu's cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, she leaps into the welcoming environment. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova...
Baseball cop : the dark side of America's national pastime
Dominguez, Eddie
Paper Book
Exposing trafficking, theft, fraud, and gambling in the major leagues, a founding member of the MLB's Department of Investigations reveals a news-breaking true story of power and corruption. In the wake of 2005's sometimes contentious, sometimes comical congressional hearings on...
Smoke gets in your eyes : and other lessons from the crematory
Doughty, Caitlin
Paper Book
Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty--a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre--took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life's work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both...
One for the money
Evanovich, Janet.
Paper Book
The dynamite blockbusterfrom Janet Evanovichthat started it all--now a major motion picture starring Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum! ONE FINE MESS Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big...
Gorillas in the mist
Fossey, Dian.
Paper Book
The inspiration for the Academy Award-nominated film, Gorillas in the Mist is the riveting account of Dian Fossey's thirteen years in a remote African rain forest with the greatest of the great apes. Fossey's extraordinary efforts to ensure the future of the rain forest...
Be ready when the luck happens : a memoir
Garten, Ina
Ebook
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In her long-awaited memoir, Ina Garten--aka the Barefoot Contessa, author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon--shares her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table....
Olga dies dreaming
Gonzalez, Xochitl
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK · WINNER OF THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIZE * INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARD FINALIST A blazing talent debuts with the tale of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her social...
Night shift
Hartland, Jessie.
Paper Book
Late at night, when the owls are out, some people are awake--and doing all sorts of interesting things! They are on the night shift. Open this book, and you will discover the nighttime world of people who go to work when you are sleeping: Street sweeper ...
Great big beautiful life
Henry, Emily
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK ∙ AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping novel from Emily Henry. As...
All creatures great and small
Herriot, James
Paper Book
The classic multimillion copy bestseller Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients. For over forty years, generations of readers...
Wine girl : the obstacles, humiliations, and triumphs of America's youngest sommelier
James, Victoria (Sommelier)
Paper Book
An affecting memoir from the country's youngest sommelier, tracing her path through the glamorous but famously toxic restaurant world  At just twenty-one, the age when most people are starting to drink (well, legally at least), Victoria James became the...
For the record
Jennings, Regina
Paper Book
Jennings Offers Another Delightful Blend of History and Romance Betsy Huckabee might be a small-town girl, but she has big-city dreams. Writing for her uncle's newspaper will never lead to independence, and the bigger newspapers don't seem interested in the Hart County news. Trying a...
Kiki's delivery service
Kadono, Eiko
Paper Book
Read the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all! Nostalgic fans of the Hayao Miyazaki film, Kiki's Delivery Service and newcomers alike will love this exciting new translation of the beloved fantasy story. "A gentle story of magic-tinged...
Shark lady : the true story of how Eugenie Clark became the ocean's most fearless scientist
Keating, Jess
Paper Book
One of New York Times' Twelve Books for Feminist Boys and Girls! This is the story of a woman who dared to dive, defy, discover, and inspire. This is the story of Shark Lady. One of the best science picture books for children, Shark Lady is a must for both teachers and parents alike!
Euphoria : a novel
King, Lily.
Paper Book
From New England Book Award winner Lily King comes a breathtaking novel about three young anthropologists of the '30's caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives. English anthropologist Andrew Bankson has been alone in the...
Never suck a dead man's hand : curious adventures of a CSI
Kollmann, Dana.
Ebook
Informative, witty...Kollmann delivers terse commentary and gory detail while puncturing common misconceptions about forensics. --BooklistStep past the flashing lights into the true scene of the crime with this frank, unflinching, and unforgettable account of life as a crime scene investigator....
Goldie Vance. Volume one
Larson, Hope
Paper Book
Sixteen-year-old Marigold 'Goldie Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place. Her mom, who divorced her dad years ago, works as a live mermaid at a club downtown. Goldie has an insatiable curiosity, which explains her dream to one day become the hotel's in-house detective....
Hammer head : the making of a carpenter
MacLaughlin, Nina
Paper Book
A warm and inspiring book for anyone who has ever dreamed of changing tracks, Hammer Head is the story of a young woman who quit her desk job to become a carpenter. Writing with infectious curiosity, Nina MacLaughlin-a Classics major who couldn't tell a Phillips from a flathead screwdriver...
Arsenic and adobo
Manansala, Mia P.
Paper Book
In the small town of Shady Palms, Illinois, Lila Macapagal and her relatives run Tita Rosie's Kitchen, serve delicious Flipino dishes, and solve crimes on the side.
The nanny diaries
McLaughlin, Emma.
CD
A poignant satire and runaway New York Times bestseller, The Nanny Diaries punctures the glamour of Manhattan's upper class to reveal the truth behind the Park Avenue veneer. Be sure to stock the shelves with the country's favorite Nannies!
Madame Tussaud : a novel of the French revolution
Moran, Michelle.
Paper Book
The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to...
Convenience store woman
Murata, Sayaka
Paper Book
The English-language debut of an exciting young voice in international fiction, selling 660,000 copies in Japan alone, Convenience Store Woman is a bewitching portrayal of contemporary Japan through the eyes of a single woman who fits in to the rigidity of its work culture only too well...
On rotation : a novel
Obuobi, Shirlene
Paper Book
AS SEEN ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA! ONE OF TEEN VOGUE'S 25 BOOKS BY BLACK AUTHORS THEY CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS YEAR ONE OF BETCHES' "22 BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ THIS YEAR" "As a fan of Grey's Anatomy (and Chicago Med!), I couldn't put down On Rotation, and you won't be able to,...
Notes from a young Black chef : a memoir
Onwuachi, Kwame
Paper Book
"Kwame Onwuachi's story shines a light on food and culture not just in American restaurants or African American communities but around the world." --Questlove   By the time he was twenty-seven years old, Kwame Onwuachi (winner of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award for ...
Keeping you safe : a book about police officers
Owen, Ann
Paper Book
An introduction to the important job of police officers. Through fun illustrations and easy-to-read text, this nonfiction picture book describes what a police officer is, how their police car works, and the heroic things they do to keep people safe. This read-aloud will give young citizen a glimpse...
Under lock & skeleton key
Pandian, Gigi
Paper Book
"Wildly entertaining." --The New York Times Book Review A Lefty Nominee for Best Mystery Novel Known for her wonderfully addictive characters, multiple award-winning author Gigi Pandian introduces her newest heroine in this heartfelt series debut. Under Lock...
Below stairs : the classic kitchen maid's memoir that inspired "Upstairs, downstairs" and "Downton Abbey"
Powell, Margaret
Paper Book
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, Margaret Powell's classic memoir of her time in service, Below Stairs, is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the...
Killers of a certain age
Raybourn, Deanna
Paper Book
They've spent their lives as assassins in a clandestine international organization, but at 60 years old, four women find they can't just retire - it's kill or be killed in this book by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie...
Garlic and sapphires : the secret life of a critic in disguise
Reichl, Ruth.
Paper Book
GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine anonymously. There is her stint as Molly Hollis, a frumpy blond with manicured nails and an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque. The result: her famous double review...
Carrie Soto is back : a novel
Reid, Taylor Jenkins
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "An epic adventure about a female athlete perhaps past her prime, brought back to the tennis court for one last grand slam" (Elle), from the author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Jackaby
Ritter, William
Paper Book
This thrilling novel from the author of the New York Times bestselling paranormal mystery Jackaby series pits R.F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplainable and his new assistant, Abigail Rook, against a supernatural serial killer. Newly arrived in...
Luck and last resorts
Ruiz, Sarah Grunder
Paper Book
One of PopSugar's Best New Books of 2022! They have a second chance at love, but there are some rough seas ahead in the new contemporary romance from the acclaimed author of Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships. Commitment-phobe Nina Lejeune lives by two rules- ...
The invention of Hugo Cabret : a novel in words and pictures
Selznick, Brian.
Paper Book
Don't miss Selznick's other novels in words and pictures, Wonderstruck and The Marvels, which together with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, form an extraordinary thematic trilogy!2008 Caldecott Medal winnerThe groundbreaking debut novel from bookmaking pioneer, Brian Selznick!<...
Romantic comedy : a novel
Sittenfeld, Curtis
Audiobook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions--a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep....
The Ravenmaster : my life with the ravens at the Tower of London
Skaife, Christopher
Paper Book
The first behind-the-scenes account of life with the legendary ravens at the world's eeriest monument The ravens at the Tower of London are of mighty importance: rumor has it that if a raven from the Tower should ever leave, the city will fall. The title of...
The bartender's cure
Straton, Wesley
Paper Book
"Compelling... [A] sure-bet read-alike for Stephanie Danler's Sweetbitter." --Booklist A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK by BuzzFeed, Goodreads, Electric Lit, New York Post, LitHub, BookRiot, and Library Journal A fiercely relatable coming...
The Baby-sitters Club, [Book 1], Kristy's great idea
Telgemeier, Raina
Paper Book
A graphic novel adapted and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile! Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Baby-sitters Club. Whatever comes up -- cranky...
Heads in beds : a reckless memoir of hotels, hustles, and so-called hospitality
Tomsky, Jacob.
Paper Book
In the tradition of Kitchen Confidential and Waiter Rant, a rollicking, eye-opening, fantastically indiscreet memoir of a life spent (and misspent) in the hotel industry. Jacob Tomsky never intended to go into the hotel business. As a new college graduate,...
There's no such thing as an easy job
Tsumura, Kikuko
Paper Book
"[A] 21st-century response to Herman Melville's 'Bartleby, the Scrivener.'" -NPR "A thought-provoking, drily funny critique of capitalism and the systems of self-worth that are built around it." -TIME, "Must-Read Books of the Year" A...
Paper girls
Vaughan, Brian K.
Paper Book
Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's Eisner Award winning series PaperGirls is coming Amazon Prime Video in July 2022! From Brian K. Vaughan,#1 New York Times bestselling writer of SAGA, and Cliff Chiang, legendary artistof WONDER WOMAN, comes the first volume of an all-new...
Every time you hear that song
Voris, Jenna
Ebook
"Beautifully explores the high and low notes of fame. . . . A must-read for anyone who loves layered characters, true-to-life personalities, and country music!"--Jason June, New York Times best-selling author Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and...
The breakaway : a novel
Weiner, Jennifer
Ebook
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes "a zippy rom-com with genuine heart and soul" (People) about love, family, friendship, secrets, and one woman''s life-changing journey. Thirty-three-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place....
The Devil wears Prada
Weisberger, Lauren
Paper Book
The deliciously witty and delightfully dishy novel about life at a glamorous fashion magazine is now a major motion picture from 20th Century Fox, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, set to open in theaters on June 30.
The bookbinder : a novel
Williams, Pip
Ebook
A young British woman working in a book bindery gets a chance to pursue knowledge and love when World War I upends her life in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words. "Williams spins an...
Call the midwife : a memoir of birth, joy, and hard times
Worth, Jennifer
Paper Book
The highest-rated drama in BBC history, Call the Midwife will delight fans of Downton Abbey Viewers everywhere have fallen in love with this candid look at post-war London. In the 1950s, twenty-two-year-old Jenny Lee leaves her comfortable home to move into a...
Interior Chinatown
Yu, Charles
Paper Book
NOW A HULU ORIGINAL SERIES * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER * "A shattering and darkly comic send-up of racial stereotyping in Hollywood" (Vanity Fair) and a deeply personal novel about race, pop culture, immigration, assimilation, and escaping the roles we...

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