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Find out moreFeel-good novels are eloquently written tales with real heart, there may be an emotional roller-coaster to travel, but ultimately these books leave you with a feeling of delicious warmth and uplifting joy.
Huge, in fact, huger than huge klaxon alert as Cecelia Ahern has written a sequel to her truly wonderful debut, P.S. I Love You. It’s been seven years since Gerry died, and after Holly talks about his letters in a podcast, a group approaches her asking for help. I adore Cecelia Ahern’s storytelling, it just speaks to, and connects with my entire being. Confession time, I didn’t write any notes for this book, I just enjoyed the pure pleasure of it. Which in itself, really makes a statement doesn’t it? Holly is honest, and entirely human as she initially tries to distance herself from the group. This is an older Holly, an altered Holly, she has moved on while Gerry and the letters have remained anchored in time. The other characters are absolutely fascinating, I grew to care about the group members and fell completely in love with Ginika. After reaching the end I found myself reflecting, the story not only entered my heart, it also still sits in my thoughts. Postscript is just as brilliant, just as emotional, just as gorgeous, as P.S., and while linking so effectively to the past, grows into a truly beautiful tale in its own unique right.
Abbi Waxman’s The Bookish Life of Nina Hill will raise many smiles as it follows twenty-nine-year-old Nina’s journey from self-contained bookworm to open book (pun entirely intended). LA resident Nina is perfectly happy with her life, thank you very much. She loves working in a bookstore, loves her cat Phil, loves excelling at quiz nights and loves how organised her life is. Yet “she had a niggling suspicion she was underperforming in some way. Surely her purpose in life wasn’t simply to read as many books as possible?” And she’s also aware that “the trivia, the reading, the book club... they were simply weapons of self-defense.” These niggles escalate when Nina’s regimentally planned life is disrupted by falling for a member of an opposition quiz team, and discovering a huge new family when the father she never knew passes away and leaves her something in his will. Suddenly – horrors of horrors! – Nina is forced to interact with a whole bunch of strangers, but to her surprise she discovers she actually likes spending time with other people, and that maybe – just maybe – she does have space in her life for a significant other. Truly a treat for bibliophiles who’ll nod knowingly at Nina’s devotion to reading, her complex home library cataloguing system, her observation that “coming out of a book was always painful”, this is also excellent on female camaraderie, anxiety and the complexities of family bonds. Awash with whimsy and peppered with amusing asides addressed to the reader, this is romantic fiction at its feel-good, funny, outlandish best. Explore our '80+ Books That Deliver a Hug' listicle for more feel-good or uplifting books.
Enchanting, colourful, delightful… a quirky absolute joy of a read (yes I fell in love with 59 Memory Lane). At 110 years old, and quite determined to reach 111, May Rosevere is a collector of memories. However, a new friendship brings an added sense of awareness, just what happens within the gap of a memory doomed to be lost forever? May quickly took root in my heart, and the rest of the characters followed. From the oldest to the youngest, each person matters, and adds to the distinctive nature of the story. Celia Anderson encourages each relationship to grow, to exist, to be of consequence. There are no labels on show to create diversity, each person is an individual, behaving as such. There is intrigue and a bewitching charm to be discovered along the way, weaving a glorious spell. Be aware though, this is not a gooey overly sweet confection. Yes this read is wonderfully charming, it also holds a nettle-sting prickle of warning. Just that little bit different, and so very readable, 59 Memory Lane is a reading treasure trove of delight and must sit as one of my Liz Robinson picks of the month.
A complete and absolute delight, this is a treasure of a read. Tom and his fifteen year old daughter Hannah believe in the magic of the theatre, of creating moments in time that live forever in the memory, when everything comes under threat, can magic prevail? This is one of those wonderful occasions where I just read for the pure spellbinding pleasure of reading. No notes, no overthinking, just cosying in a chair with a beautiful book. The first paragraph took my hand and welcomed me in. Keith Stuart takes ordinary and allows you to see wonder, captures the unimaginable and transforms it to touchable, greets heartache and encourages thoughtful contemplation… and his words are so gorgeously readable. Either Tom or Hannah head each chapter, their voices distinct, clear, vivid in my mind’s eye. Just as a note, I did cry, I had a little wobble as I read (you’ll know when you get there) and had to have a few minutes before I carried on reading, yet Days of Wonder is full of joy, hope, love and is a truly, deeply beautiful read - highly recommended.
Uplifting and delightful, The Year That Changed Everything is another gorgeous read from Cathy Kelly. Three women have three milestone birthdays on the same day, they don’t know each other, yet a featherlight connection binds them together. In one day, the day of their birthdays, a bombshell shatters the life Callie knew, Sam’s waters break but she might not be ready for motherhood, while Ginger is forced to reconsider who she wants to be. These women aren’t perfect, they make mistakes, yet they are just so likeable and relatable I would be more than happy to be their friend... to hug, to console, to cheer them on. I just adore Cathy Kelly’s books, she writes with a lovely warmth and kindness, beautifully engages with women across the years, and doesn’t shy away from reality. I found myself sinking into a delicious story that wrapped itself around me, and even with heart-ache along the way, The Year That Changed Everything is ultimately a captivating, enjoyable, feel-good read.
Uplifting and delightful, The Year That Changed Everything is another gorgeous read from Cathy Kelly. Three women have three milestone birthdays on the same day, they don’t know each other, yet a featherlight connection binds them together. In one day, the day of their birthdays, a bombshell shatters the life Callie knew, Sam’s waters break but she might not be ready for motherhood, while Ginger is forced to reconsider who she wants to be. These women aren’t perfect, they make mistakes, yet they are just so likeable and relatable I would be more than happy to be their friend... to hug, to console, to cheer them on. I just adore Cathy Kelly’s books, she writes with a lovely warmth and kindness, beautifully engages with women across the years, and doesn’t shy away from reality. I found myself sinking into a delicious story that wrapped itself around me, and even with heart-ache along the way, The Year That Changed Everything is ultimately a captivating, enjoyable, feel-good read.
A gorgeously warm, loving, and occasionally tempestuous tale set within a large family as they learn to cope with grief, new loves, and family revelations. Bess has found love in her sixties, Jojo is desperate for children, Cari is focusing on her job after being jilted at the altar, while Faenia is walking into the past. Relationships, love, and romance are lovingly whisked together in the mixing bowl of life, along with a healthy serving of reality. Several main stories, all link into and skip alongside some smaller ones, I love this format, with glimpses into side lives helping to cement the main stories together. Cathy Kelly writes seamlessly across the ages of the women in this tale, and the varied cast feel as though they could be friends and family. ‘The Secrets of a Happy Marriage’ encourages you to settle down, relax and just enjoy the pleasure of reading a lovely and beautifully engaging story. ~ Liz Robinson
A gorgeously warm, loving, and occasionally tempestuous tale set within a large family as they learn to cope with grief, new loves, and family revelations. Bess has found love in her sixties, Jojo is desperate for children, Cari is focusing on her job after being jilted at the altar, while Faenia is walking into the past. Relationships, love, and romance are lovingly whisked together in the mixing bowl of life, along with a healthy serving of reality. Several main stories, all link into and skip alongside some smaller ones, I love this format, with glimpses into side lives helping to cement the main stories together. Cathy Kelly writes seamlessly across the ages of the women in this tale, and the varied cast feel as though they could be friends and family. ‘The Secrets of a Happy Marriage’ encourages you to settle down, relax and just enjoy the pleasure of reading a lovely and beautifully engaging story. ~ Liz Robinson March 2017 Book of the Month.
One of our Books of the Year 2016. Just so, so gorgeous! Laura lives on her own in the woodland wilds of South West Ireland, a film crew discover she has a special gift, will she be exploited or set free? I always know a book is fabulous when I forget I’m meant to be reviewing and instead find myself completely transported to another world. Cecelia Ahern writes with such a light, magical touch, yet she opens up feelings and allows you to see, to feel, to think. Each part of the story is introduced by a fascinating section taken from a book written in 1933, and links beautifully to Laura. This story is alive with the mystical and unknown, yet is a very modern tale indeed. The writing is so perfect, I actually heard sound… noise touched me, clearly, effortlessly and beautifully, making my heart ache. A delicious enchantment underpins and threads through the story, yet there is also an undertone of unease and foreboding that lingers as you turn the pages, ensuring ‘Lyrebird’ is a bewitching, gloriously delightful read. ~ Liz Robinson December 2016 Book of the Month.
Another lovely, heartfelt, so very readable tale from Cathy Kelly. Sisters Cassie and Coco find plenty of bumps and difficulties in their path, and slowly begin to realise how trauma from their childhood is still affecting them today. Cathy Kelly excels in creating a diverse cast of characters, with females taking centre stage. From little ones, to teenagers, sisters, Mums and Grandmothers, they all add to the inclusive cooking pot of warmth and emotion. I particularly enjoyed how several enticing small individual stories took place alongside and melded into the main one. ‘Between Sisters’ welcomes you into the pages, to become one of the family, to smile, comfort and cheer on these women, and is an engaging, charming read. ~ Liz Robinson
A gloriously evocative and touching read, capable of chattering with energy one minute and settling into an expressive silence the next. It feels as though the author has a cherished connection to the memories of 11 year old Anthony during the Second World War; she skillfully captures his playfulness, excitement, bewilderment and fear. The Welsh mining village and surrounding hills where Anthony lives is brought vibrantly to life, full to the brim with gossip, bustle and affection. The villager’s war is fought on the home front; from the inadequately provisioned home guard, to the men down the mine and most intimately of all, in the mind of one small boy. Through the smiles, laughter, sorrow and tears this novel leaves a satisfying feeling of warmth, and is quite simply a joy to read. One of our Books of the Year 2015. Explore our '80+ Books That Deliver a Hug' listicle for more feel-good or uplifting books.
‘The Woman Who Upped and Left’ is an entertaining and effortlessly readable novel. The first paragraph had me chortling and I settled in with a smile. 43 year old Audrey Pepper is genuinely engaging, she is divorced, rushes around after her 18 year old son and his girlfriend, makes the occasion mistake, and has forgotten that she is also entitled to a life. Audrey finds herself with a decision to make, a decision that could change the way she feels about herself. Fiona Gibson writes with empathy and an extra sparkle of wit, while this is an amusing (on various levels) and delightful tale, it is also grounded in reality. Audrey could easily be your friend or your colleague and her misunderstandings could be yours. Cheer Audrey on and wish her happiness as the pages to this satisfying and enjoyable novel almost turn themselves, how lovely! ~ Liz Robinson
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Feel-good novels are eloquently written tales with real heart, there may be an emotional roller-coaster to travel, but ultimately these books leave you with a feeling of delicious warmth and uplifting joy.