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Just need something undemanding to read in the middle of the night!

90 replies

NeedingEasyReading · 19/01/2025 18:43

Have NC for this as going through a tough time. I'm not sleeping very well and reaching for my Kindle in the middle of the night before I nod off again.

My usual crime and psychological thrillers aren't doing it for me at the moment sadly. Amazon is full of 'you read this so here's more of the same'.

Does anyone have any recommendations for really easy reading that doesn't require much brainpower at 3am? I'd be happy with cheesy 'girl inherits a café in Cornwall and gets it together with the local author' or 'divorced woman holidays in Italy and decides to buy a bookshop' type things as long as they aren't really badly written. My guilty pleasure is Danielle Steel (if only all problems could be solved with a cashmere sweater and pair of slacks!) but I've run out of those.

Any suggestions of books/authors would be appreciated.

OP posts:
HobnobsChoice · 19/01/2025 23:23

powershowerforanhour · 19/01/2025 21:25

Maeve Binchy- oldie but goodie and there are loads of them.

I was just about to post this. I'm having a shit time with work and anxiety at the moment and dug up some of my Mum's Marvel Binchy's from the 90s. Then found a load more on Kindle Unlimited. Even when there's some problem or peril you know it will probably be ok in the end somehow. Especially if the protagonist is living in Dublin 4

TheSmallAssassin · 19/01/2025 23:23

How about Lissa Evans? I've recently read Small Bomb at Dimperley which would definitely fit the bill, I liked her Crooked Heart etc series too.

bluesatin · 19/01/2025 23:19

Caro Fraser the Caper Court series of books. They are about goings-on in a lawyers office.

Copperas · 19/01/2025 23:00

Eva Ibbotson !

Adamante · 19/01/2025 22:59

The Outlander series
A Discovery of Witches series
I capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
Early Jilly Cooper, her more recent stuff just doesn't cut it for me.

JennyForeigner · 19/01/2025 22:52

TinyMouseTheatre · 19/01/2025 21:23

Agree with those who said Jilly Cooper

I'd never read any Jilly Cooper until someone recommended Prudence on here. I loved it Wink

'If ever there was a girl with the wrong name, it was Prudence...'

biscuitcat · 19/01/2025 22:47

Some fab recommendations here! I'd add Jane Fallon to the list for some really fab fun chick lit - My Sweet Revenge is a particular favourite of mine. Five French Hens by Judy Leigh is also great - I've not read any of her other stuff but imagine it would also be good!

CymruChris · 19/01/2025 22:46

I absolutely love the Cornish murder mysteries. I forget the author but for example one is called the Cornish Wedding murder...or something along those lines.

Bit more gritty James Patterson has a series which goes up in numbers...first one is called 1st to Die. As I said these are more gritty but the chapters are really short so I find them easy to read!

Viviennemary · 19/01/2025 22:44

notthatoldchestnut · 19/01/2025 20:47

If you like "sagas" then give Penny Vincenzi a try. She's brilliant

I was going to say the same. Totally brilliant. Especially the spoils of time trilogy.

ThePuppyHasZoomiesAgain · 19/01/2025 22:42

Lisa Jewell writes really good books. They are well written & clever but not overly complicated. Though some of them are very addictive and you won't want to go to sleep!

CarParkWorries · 19/01/2025 22:41

Losers club series.

TheScenicWay · 19/01/2025 22:39

I read lots of free trashy romance on my kindle when I was going through this.
Some of it was dire but some quite entertaining.
I even got into some paranormal romance (vampires and werewolves)
They were all fairly forgettable so I can't recommend anything in particular I'm afraid but at least it won't cost anything.

Lentilweaver · 19/01/2025 22:38

Surely Maeve Binchy and Rosamund Pilcher.

ChaoticCrumble · 19/01/2025 22:34

I know you said ‘not’ badly written but I quite like MC Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth or Agatha Raisin series - they’re not well written but there is comfort in returning to them.

or actual Agatha Christie!

CrushingOnRubies · 19/01/2025 22:32

Louise Bagshawe
Jane Green

usernamesaretoohardtothinkof · 19/01/2025 22:29

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

Autumnalmists · 19/01/2025 22:27

Richard Osman’s books
Robert Thorogood’s Marlow books

Lovelyview · 19/01/2025 22:19

If you want to sleep then listening to an audiobook can be a nice distraction which can help you drift off. I listen to Greg Wagland from Magpie Audio reading Sherlock Holmes stories on Spotify or YouTube and a guy called Nick Martin who reads PG Wodehouse short stories on YouTube with no adverts. Both have very soothing voices.

SheilaFentiman · 19/01/2025 21:58

Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series

CW: this is definitely not a cosy read. Sexual assaults and vigilante justice are rife herein.

minipie · 19/01/2025 21:57

Georgette Heyer
James Herriot
PG Wodehouse
Terry Pratchett
Jodi Picoult

strangeandfamiliar · 19/01/2025 21:54

As pp have said, all the 1970s Jilly Coopers with girl names ( Imogen, Emily, Prudence etc) are fab for this. Pure escapism. DD picked one up (on my recommendation!) and read it straight through on the night before her A-level results - worked a treat!

JKRisGalileo · 19/01/2025 21:48

Cormoran not Cormorant of course. Bloody auto correct

JKRisGalileo · 19/01/2025 21:47

Jodi Taylor’s Frogmorton Farm series, starting with The Nothing Girl, is one of the most interesting and funny things I’ve ever read. Think magical reality/romance/mystery with some laugh-out-loud moments. She also has a long sci-fi series that is fascinating.
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series; Patricia Briggs’ urban fantasies starting with Moon Called.
Or you could really decide to do a deep dive into really solid wonderfulness like Dickens (start with David Copperfield); Austen (of course); the Bronte sisters (you can’t beat Jane Eyre & Wuthering Heights)
And there’s always Rowling’s wonderful Cormorant Strike series under her pen name Robert Galbraith.
Have fun!

CoffeeBeansGalore · 19/01/2025 21:36

Gill Sims Why Mummy . . . (Drinks, swears, + 2 others).

Lovely series of books. Makes you laugh & cry.

Snowmanscarf · 19/01/2025 21:31

Also try the Calm app. DH lustens when he can’t sleep. It has lots of sections - calming music, breathing exercises, gentle stories to listen to etc. it’s really good.

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