The Bobiverse series eventually features some aliens. I don’t think that’s a spoiler at all… But they aren’t space-faring, so I dunno if that counts for what you’re looking for.

I feel like I have read quite a few books that I felt that way about, but it’s always hard to bring them to mind when someone asks. That said, the first few that popped into my head:

• Cradle (series)
• Wool (series)
• The Martian (Audio book is especially well narrated!)
• Murderbot Diaries (series)
• The Bobiverse (series)