Gird your loins! The Devil Wears Prada returns, and it is bringing back fierce fashion and nostalgia. We are ready to join Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci as they reprise their roles as Andy, Miranda, Emily, and Nigel, back to remind everyone about the icons behind Runway magazine. Whether readers were invested from the first book, the first movie, or are just here to enjoy the hype, join in on the excitement for this sequel. There are many The Devil Wears Prada read-alikes, popular sequels, and early 2000s nostalgia books to check all of your readers’ boxes. I know, read-alikes for a page to screen release? Groundbreaking.

As The Devil Wears Prada movie sequel hits the big screen, we are here for more stories that follow determined characters and, of course, give all the glamor. A million readers would kill for these books! That’s all.

 

 Books You Should Know About

 

Workhorse by Caroline Palmer

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Set in the early 2000s at a prestigious fashion magazine in NYC and following a hardworking assistant, this looks at the darker side to the cutthroat world of elite media.

From the publisher: A richly drawn, unsettling, and wickedly funny story of envy and ambition set against the glamor and privilege of media and high society in New York City at its height.
At the turn of the millennium, Editorial Assistant Clodagh “Clo” Harmon wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world’s most prestigious fashion magazine. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t have the right pedigree. Instead, Clo is a “workhorse” surrounded by beautiful, wealthy, impossibly well-connected “show horses” who get ahead without effort, including her beguiling cubicle-mate, Davis Lawrence, the daughter of a beloved but fading Broadway actress. Harry Wood, Davis’s boarding school classmate and a reporter with visions of his own media empire, might be Clo’s ally in gaming the system—or he might be the only thing standing between Clo and her rightful place at the top.
In a career punctuated by moments of high absurdity, sudden windfalls, and devastating reversals of fortune, Clo wades across boundaries, taking ever greater and more dangerous risks to become the important person she wants to be within the confines of a world where female ambition remains cloaked. But who really is Clo underneath all the borrowed designer clothes and studied manners—and who are we if we share her desires?
Hilariously observant and insightful, Workhorse is a brilliant listen about what it means to be in thrall to wealth, beauty, and influence, and the outrageous sacrifices women must make for the sake of success.

 

 

If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett

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Keep the turn of the century, glamorous magazines, and fierce competition, but this time add in music, and this debut novel serves up even more pop culture for readers to enjoy.

From the publisher: A fast-paced, juicy debut novel that peeks behind the curtain at the cutthroat world of hip-hop music and the glamorous magazine scene in the late 1990s, written by the ultimate insider.
It’s 1999, and Nikki Rose is the only Black editor on the staff of a prestigious fashion magazine she once thought would be her ticket to becoming a respected editor in chief. But after being told one too many times by her boss that “Black girls don’t sell magazines,” she quits to take over Sugar, a struggling hip hop music and lifestyle magazine with untapped potential.
Thrown into an entirely new world of wealth, decadence, and debauchery, Nikki has just six months to save Sugar—and her own dreams. As she pulls all-nighters at the office and parties with New York City’s most influential bad boys, Nikki must prove she has what it takes to lead. But her most dangerous challenge is evading Alonzo Griffin, her very married, very powerful ex-lover and former boss, who is determined to destroy both her and Sugar. Along the way, Nikki leans on a circle of loyal friends and navigates unexpected romances that force her to reckon with what—and who—she truly wants.
If I Ruled the World is a smart, utterly immersive journey through one of the most dynamic eras in pop culture history—a story of ambition, friendship, love, and finding your own voice.

 

 

Sheer by Vanessa Lawrence

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Veering into the beauty industry, this shares themes of ambition and power that will interest readers, while diving deeper into industry misogyny and homophobia, all still giving juicy insider details.

From the publisher: Told over nine charged days, Sheer is the gripping tale of a controversial beauty mogul’s insatiable ambition and the slippery ground between empowerment and abuse of power.
It’s 2015 and Maxine Thomas, the founder and creative director of the cult makeup company Reveal, has just been suspended by her own Board for a scandalous transgression. Housebound in her New York City apartment, where she awaits the verdict on her future, Max recounts her version of the events that have brought her to this moment.
From her start as a precocious suburban child in the eighties to her decades as a workaholic visionary, Max proselytizes a sheer, dewy look—cosmetics through a female gaze—all while battling sexist investors, the whiplash of cultural change, and the mounting pressure to keep her sexuality a secret. But when Max’s story catches up to her present, she must contend with the cost of true transparency. Who has she become in her relentless pursuit of success? And what will happen if she loses it all?

 

 

The Payback by Kashana Cauley

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For readers reveling in the revenge angle of the book sequel, this novel follows Jada, blackballed by the fashion industry and struggling with debt and the daily grind of work, who comes up with a plan to get back at the system.

From the publisher: When Jada Williams is relentlessly pursued by the Debt Police, she is left with no choice but to take down her student loan company with the help of two mall coworkers—from the author of the “lethally witty” (The New York Times Book Review) The Survivalists.
Jada Williams is good at judging people by their looks. From across the mall, she can tell not only someone’s inseam and pants size, but exactly what style they need to transform their life. Too bad she’s no longer using this superpower as a wardrobe designer to Hollywood stars, but for minimum wage plus commission at the Glendale mall.

When Jada is fired yet again, she is forced to outrun the newly instated Debt Police who are out for blood. But Jada, like any great antihero, is not going to wait for the cops to come kick her around. With the help of two other debt-burdened mall coworkers, she hatches a plan for revenge. Together the three women plan a heist to erase their student loans forever and get back at the system that promised them everything and then tried to take it back.

 

 

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer by Bellamy Rose

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Readers looking for a great sequel will enjoy this glamorous follow up to Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder that brings early 2000s heroine ala Elle Woods to the snobby philanthropy world. With a little murder, plenty of wit, and an unconventional sleuth, Pom’s story is just beginning.

From the publisher: In this witty and delightful follow-up to the “glam and glorious” (Kat Ailes, author of the Expectant Detectives Mysteries) Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder, Pom finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery that threatens her up-and-coming charity foundation and—worst of all—her romantic life.
Pomona Afton knows how to throw a memorable party. After all, for her twenty-fifth birthday, she hosted a global extravaganza that included a masquerade ball in a Scottish castle, clubbing in Ibiza, and skinny dipping on a private island. So, throwing a gala for her fledgling nonprofit should be a breeze.
Unfortunately, she has to navigate the high-stakes (and snobby) world of philanthropy, a beloved boyfriend who just can’t seem to fit in, and of course, her dysfunctional family, all while planning a party that won’t only affect the future of her charity, but her own future in society.
But Pom is no quitter. She pushes forward and perseveres…until, right in the middle of her party, she discovers the body of one of her biggest donors. Suddenly all her hard work is going up in flames. If she’s going to salvage her new life path, she must put on her (incredibly stylish) detective hat again and figure out who wants to bring her down. One more measly little murder mystery shouldn’t be that hard, right?

 

 

The Art of Loving You by Natasha Bishop

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Focusing on supporting characters introduced in Only for the Week, this sequel continues the story from a new perspective. This will appeal to readers looking for a fresh angle and interested in the power of art.

From the publisher: From the buzzy, viral sensation Only for the Week, comes the next book in Natasha Bishop’s The Forever Falling series, featuring an intimate bucket list road trip, sexy banter, and a sweet and spicy second chance romance.
If you’re reading this, I’m dead.
Dani Jenkins is a boss. A model turned influencer, she doesn’t have time for taking a risk on romance. She prefers to keep things casual, but when her mentor Tanya dies, she is brought face-to-face with the man who broke her heart.
Dani and Micah had their chance at love . . .
Artist Micah Wright is a protector who loves fiercely. He’s known as the man everyone can count on, but he’s never forgiven himself for letting down the woman he loves. With Tanya’s dying wish forcing Dani and Micah back together to complete a scavenger hunt road trip, Micah sees a second chance for them to get things right.
Does time heal all wounds?
Tensions are high as their undeniable connection reignites, but Dani refuses to let her guard down. As they continue their journey, Micah is determined to prove to Dani that love is worth fighting for, but can she release her fears and relearn the art of loving?
Tropes: Friends to lovers / He falls first / Second-chance romance / Black joy / Forced proximity / Right person, wrong time / Fling to forever

 

 

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

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If you’re here for the nostalgia, this novel will take readers back to the 90s/2000s and teenage fantasy realized as an adult. This will resonate with fans for the passion it delivers, plus a reminder to embrace change.

From the publisher: From New York Times bestselling author of This Time Tomorrow, an irresistible story about what happens when your teenage fantasy comes true after you’re already an adult.
When the American Fantasy cruise ship sets sail for a four-day themed voyage, aboard are all five members of a famous, nineties-era boy band and three thousand screaming women who have worshipped them since childhood.
Feeling slightly out of place amid this crowd is Annie, here on a lark to appease her sister. Yet when the lights come up and the idols of her youth begin to sing, something is unlocked. Call it memory. Call it nostalgia. Call it the chemical reaction of hormones, hope, and sexual reawakening. Between the slushy alcoholic drinks, the familiar music, and the throngs of middle-aged women acting like lovesick teenagers, Annie finally reconnects to a long-submerged part of herself. By the time she meets one of the band members—not just a celebrity but someone in need of a friend—she has accessed a new sense of possibility.
In a smart and incisive book packed with laugh-out-loud reflections on fame, aging, and marriage, Emma Straub delivers a richly textured story that shows us real passion is never truly lost, that what we love makes us who we are, and that deep meaning can sometimes be found in a sea of screaming fans.

 

 

The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. Morillo

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If early 2000s rom-coms are the vibe, this delivers. Fighting for her place at a digital magazine and working as an assistant, this one is for readers that want more of the relationships and romance.

From the publisher: A woman enlists the help of her favorite musician to win her ex-boyfriend back in this sparkling romantic comedy set in Venezuela by debut author Maria J. Morillo.
Maria “Marianto” Camacho is a planner. At twenty-seven, she has her life perfectly mapped out. Her long-term boyfriend, Alejandro, is perfect on paper, and she’s expecting a proposal any day now. She has a stable job as a lifestyle columnist at Ellas, one of Latin America’s biggest digital magazines. Her future is set; she’s sure of it.
Until everything falls apart overnight: Marianto loses her boyfriend and her job. But she’s determined to get them both back with an idea that is either delusional or ingenious—a juicy new article for Ellas that documents a series of romantic experiments to get her ex back. Thus begins The Ex-Perimento. With her bank account dwindling, however, Marianto lands a temporary gig on Venezuela’s hottest new singing competition show. Her job? Personal assistant to Simón Arreaza, the lead singer of her favorite indie band.
It’s only her second day on the job when Simón discovers Marianto’s list of romantic experiments, striking her ideas and replacing them with his own better ones. Out of desperation, she offers a proposition: Help her win back Alejandro, and she’ll give Simón’s band a profile in the magazine once she returns to Ellas. But between the close quarters on set and the blurred lines of a budding friendship, Marianto and Simón find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other, caught in a whirlwind of unexpected romance.

 

If you’re interested in exploring more titles that will appeal to fans of The Devil Wears Prada, you can explore more of our full Readers’ Advisory Lists.

The Devil Wears Prada Read-Alikes

That’s Hot: Big Books of the 2000s

2026 Cumulative Series Continuations and Starters

For more great lists, check out the Recommended Lists section of the Resource Center, home of all the great lists maintained by OverDrive’s staff librarians. Lists include bestsellers, favorite genres, kids and teens, LOTE content, seasonal favorites, and more!

 

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Thank you for joining us on this week’s round up of early 2000s nostalgia reads and popular sequels! Reach out to your Digital Content Librarian or Account Manager for more information on how to provide the best content for your community.

 

 

 

 

 

About the author: Tori has worked in academic libraries, archives, and public libraries in various roles. Now at OverDrive, she helps public libraries build and highlight their digital collections. Outside of work and reading, she enjoys hiking, gardening, wildlife photography, and planning trips to national parks. Tori is always happy to discuss all the books with strong nature settings!