Summary

• There are countless fiction and nonfiction books that tell similar stories to Grey's Anatomy.
• When Breath Becomes Air and This Is Going To Hurt are medical memoirs that explore the realities of medicine.
• Perfectly Undone and The Queen of Hearts are contemporary novels that share Grey's Anatomy's sense of drama and personal relationships.

As Medical drama shows have been a staple of network television for decades now, but Grey's Anatomy is the queen of the genre. Running since 2005, the ABC series has become the longest-running scripted primetime show and it doesn't seem close to stopping.

Over the years, Grey's Anatomy has captured countless different facets of life as a doctor. Through Meredith Grey's character, audiences have experienced the highs and lows of being a surgeon, and the cruel realities of modern medicine. On the flip side, the medical drama can be fun too. The show's constant drama and romance are part of what makes it iconic. Although it is between seasons, there are several books in the romance, drama, and memoir genres ideal for any Grey's Anatomy lover.

10 How To Save A Life: The Inside Story Of Grey's Anatomy: Lynette Rice

A Behind The Scenes Look At Grey's Anatomy

Considering how popular Grey's Anatomy is, it's no surprise that books have been published about the television series. How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy is just one example. The 2021 book is a nonfiction exploration of the history of Grey's Anatomy. The book uses interviews and behind-the-scenes intel to craft a thorough summary of the drama from its origins in 2005 to its current status as a television giant.

To read this book is like taking a trip down memory lane, reliving all the most memorable and exciting moments from the series.

What makes How to Save a Life such a great read for Grey's Anatomy fans is its in-depth analysis. To read this book is like taking a trip down memory lane, reliving all the most memorable and exciting moments from the series. Plus, Rice explores key on-screen moments but also dives into the drama taking place behind the camera. In many ways, How to Save a Life is the perfect handbook for the Grey's Anatomy fan, and will teach viewers everything they ever wanted to know about the series.

9 When Breath Becomes Air: Paul Kalanithi

A Doctor's Journey From Neurosurgeon To Patient

Another nonfiction book that is perfect for Grey's Anatomy lovers is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. This 2016 memoir tells the story of Kalanithi's lifea as he goes from ambitious medical student to seasoned neurosurgeon to cancer patient. Though Kalanithi's story is sad, it is also moving and thought-provoking. It is a meditation on what it means to live a good life, and an exploration of the dynamics between doctor and patient.

Paul Kalanithi's memoir parallels the stories Grey's Anatomy has been telling for twenty years. Like Grey's Anatomy, When Breath Becomes Air showcases the vulnerable, human sides of doctors. Furthermore, it shines a light on the sometimes thin line between doctor and patient. Countless Grey's Anatomy characters have become patients over the years, including neurosurgeon Derek Sheppard, and in some ways, Kalanithi's story is Derek's story come to life.

8 Flight Season: Marie Marquardt

Two Teens Learn About Life From A Hospital Patient

For those Grey's Anatomy fans who are younger than average, the young adult novel Flight Season is the perfect read. The contemporary romance book follows former best friends TJ and Vivi who are stuck in the heart ward of a hospital for a whole summer, babysitting a problem patient, named Angel. Despite their complicated past, TJ and Vivi overcome their issues with the help of Angel's wise life lessons.

Mixing medicine and personal relationships, Flight Season is the perfect young adult version of Grey's Anatomy. Although TJ and Vivi are not doctors, their interactions with Angel are reminiscent of Meredith or her peers learning more about themselves through their patients. Plus, the book includes romance in a hospital setting, which is key in Grey's Anatomy. Overall, Marie Marquardt's novel Flight Season is a good pick.

7 Perfectly Undone: Jamie Raintree

A Doctor Faces Unresolved Family Trauma

Although Grey's Anatomy can be funny and sweet, it has plenty of dark moments as well. Jamie Raintree's Perfectly Undone exemplifies these moments completely. This adult contemporary romance centers on Dr. Dylan Michels who, after refusing her boyfriend's proposal, must finally face the lingering trauma of her sister's premature death. Things get more complicated when Dylan's boyfriend reveals a secret of his own, leaving Dylan questioning everything.

Ultimately, Perfectly Undone is like a spinoff episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Perfectly Undone has it all when it comes to Grey's Anatomy similarities. There's a doctor main character, a complicated romance, unresolved family issues, and secrets strewn throughout. The cherry on top is that the book takes place in Portland, Oregon, just one state away from Grey's Anatomy's Seattle. Ultimately, Perfectly Undone is like a spinoff episode of Grey's Anatomy. Though there is a new doctor and a new location, the drama and hospital ambiance are exactly the same.

6 The Worst Guy: Kate Canterbary

Two Doctors Form A Tense, Steamy Bond

Despite its hospital setting, Grey's Anatomy never holds back in the romance department, and this next book is similar. The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary focuses on Sebastian, a doctor whose life is turned upside down by the appearance of a new surgeon named Sara. Though Sebastian and Sara are prone to fighting, they're even more prone to being attracted to each other. In this way, the doctors must find a way to be civil and be together without losing their jobs or minds.

The Worst Guy is the best choice for those who love Grey's Anatomy's romances. Just like in the TV series, the characters in The Worst Guy may be in a hospital, but that does not stop them from engaging in their secret love affair. Their intense dynamic is thrilling, and is only made more intense by their proximity in the workplace. In the end, The Worst Guy is like the enemies-to-lovers romance Grey's Anatomy never had.

The Worst Guy is the second in Kate Canterbary's Vital Signs duology centering on doctor romances. The first book is called Before Girl.

5 Hotshot Doc: R.S. Grey

A Surgeon Becomes Her Crush's Assistant

Another steamy option for romance lovers is R.S. Grey's Hotshot Doc. The story follows a young woman who, after her boss retires, takes a position as the surgical assistant to her crush, Dr. Russell. Though he has a reputation for being cold and cruel, the main character can't help but be drawn in by him, leading to a messy and ionate affair.

Although R.S. Grey has a number of doctor-centered romance books on her resume, Hotshot Doc is one of her stand-outs. Hotshot Doc may not have the same level of seriousness as Grey's Anatomy does, but their medical romances are easily comparable. In many ways, Hotshot Doc is reminiscent of the early days of Grey's, where McDreamy and McSteamy caused romantic chaos around Seattle Grace. In this way, Grey's Anatomy fans definitely have to check out Hotshot Doc and R.S. Grey's similar titles.

4 The Queen Of Hearts: Kimmery Martin

Doctor Best Friends Reexamine Their Pasts

Though Grey's Anatomy is famous for its romantic plots, friendship is just as important. A book that perfectly represents this is Kimmery Martin's The Queen of Hearts. Released in 2018, this contemporary novel follows Emma and Zadie, two women who have been best friends since medical school. However, when a familiar face returns to their lives, the duo must reflect on past events and uncover secrets they've long been keeping from each other.

The Queen of Hearts has all the right commonalities with Grey's Anatomy, but the most important is friendship. The connection between Emma and Zadie brings to mind unforgettable Grey's Anatomy pairings like Meredith and Cristina or Derek and Mark. On top of that, the introduction of a familiar face from the past is a common plot device on Grey's, with characters like Addison, or even Mark. Overall, The Queen of Hearts has the perfect amount of medicine mixed with drama.

3 Doctors: Erich Segal

Best Friends Become Doctors Together

A novel that was like Grey's Anatomy before Grey's Anatomy even existed is Erich Segal's book, Doctors. The 1988 book follows Barney Livingston and Laura Castellano, neighbors and best friends who enter medical school and learn to become doctors together. Over the course of decades, readers see how Barney and Laura's relationship changes, along with their careers.

Although Doctors came long before Grey's Anatomy, the two definitely share some key themes. Although Meredith and Derek are on different career tracks when they meet, Grey's Anatomy showcases how their relationship grows and changes over many years in the same way that Barney and Laura's does in Doctors. Furthermore, Doctors includes a similar ensemble of doctors just like Grey's Anatomy has. If Grey's Anatomy took place in the 1980s, this is probably what it would look like.

2 This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor: Adam Kay

A Doctor Journals His Medical Experiences

One final nonfiction book that is great for audiences who love the medical side of Grey's Anatomy is Adam Kay's memoir, This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor. Kay wrote the book in between shifts as a junior doctor with the UK's NHS. It includes funny, heartwarming, disgusting, and tragic stories witnessed by Kay himself, giving a sneak peek at what it is truly like to be a doctor.

This is Going to Hurt is a top pick for Grey's Anatomy lovers because it is essentially the series in real life. While there is likely less romance and personal drama, the book offers the same fascinating problems that come with being a doctor. From patient care to medical mistakes, Kay sums it all up into one emotionally riveting book. For those missing Grey's Anatomy's unique medical cases, This is Going to Hurt is the book for you.

This is Going to Hurt received a TV adaptation of the same name produced by the BBC and starring Ben Whishaw.

1 The House Of God: Samuel Shem

A Satirical Look At Medical Training

The final book for Grey's Anatomy fans is likely the most unique of all. The House of God is a satirical novel written in 1978 that follows the horrible conditions and experience of training as a medical intern. Though written to be raunchy and extreme, The House of God offers some interesting insight into medical training and the logic behind it.

The House of God is more similar to Grey's Anatomy than one might think. Both are stories centered on medicine and medical professionals, but they are stretched and dramatized with fiction. Though Grey's Anatomy takes a more dramatic stance and The House of God is more humorous, both complete the same goal. They are entertaining and somewhat informative looks at the reality of being a doctor. The House of God is a renowned piece of medical fiction, and therefore, is a great read after watching Grey's Anatomy.