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Original poster

Recommendations for comforting reads please

83 replies

Colefra · 18/11/2025 15:43

I'm struggling with very frustrating insomnia. I wake at around 4a.m. I pick up my Kindle and reading helps keep those anxious, dark thoughts away at that time. It's dark, it's cold so I need some comforting, cosy reads for that time in the morning.

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JacknDiane · 27/02/2026 20:24

Im reading A Winters Solstice by Rosamund Pilcher.
Its lovely, I look forward to bed to read it.

ocelot3 · 27/02/2026 20:10

Piratejenny99 · 23/11/2025 08:54

Alexander McCall Smith 44 Scotland Street series are lovely gentle mildly funny books.

This. They are a perfect bedtime read.

FreshAirandSunshine · 01/12/2025 21:48

T E Kinsey - Lady Hardcastle Mysteries

PersisFord · 01/12/2025 21:42

Oh and last one for today (i said this was my specialist genre!)

The Temeraire books by Naomi Novik. The Napoloeonic wars in an alternate history with dragons. Like War and Peace (but more sympathetic characters) meets Fourth Wing (but without all the sex). And the best thing is that there are loads of them in the series.

Timeforabitofpeace · 01/12/2025 21:40

At Christmas I love to read an Alan Bennett diary. No idea why.

PersisFord · 01/12/2025 21:37

FinallyHere · 28/11/2025 17:07

E F Delafield ‘country lady’ series.

I will now have to re read these, had forgotten about them!

PersisFord · 01/12/2025 21:36

I'm going to add to the list The Little Christmas Bookshop and the sequel which is Midnight at the Little Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan. I usually avoid books like this like the plague but turns out I've been missing out - it is obviously a cozy rom com but I think the writing is good, the characters are interesting and it is very, very comforting.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/11/2025 19:07

PersisFord · 28/11/2025 08:25

Oooh AND The Skylarks War and the Swallows flight by Hilark McKay - some of the best children's books I have ever read i think.

And anything by Katherine Rundell

Definitely Katherine Rundell.

I’ve not come across McKay before, so have added those to my wish list.

Katherine Woodfine good too.

Whichhandbag · 28/11/2025 19:01

The Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith is also fantastic and so comforting. There is also an excellent audio version, narrated in a very soothing Edinburgh accent!

mycatcontrolsmewith5g · 28/11/2025 18:45

Cider with Rosie so great ! Beautifully written x

MrsMitford3 · 28/11/2025 17:51

FinallyHere · 28/11/2025 17:07

E F Delafield ‘country lady’ series.

How did I not think of the Diary of a Provincial Lady series?

A fav of mine to read and re-read. Her conversational writing style very engaging!

FinallyHere · 28/11/2025 17:07

E F Delafield ‘country lady’ series.

RaraRachael · 28/11/2025 11:56

So it is @Hallelujah2020 It was very late when I posted so I must have got confused!

PersisFord · 28/11/2025 08:25

Oooh AND The Skylarks War and the Swallows flight by Hilark McKay - some of the best children's books I have ever read i think.

And anything by Katherine Rundell

PersisFord · 28/11/2025 08:24

Also agree re kids books - i read all the Anne of Green Gables books once every couple of years.

The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotsen

Hallelujah2020 · 28/11/2025 06:25

RaraRachael · 27/11/2025 23:17

Another vote for Miss Read. I love all the Fairacre ones but not so keen on the school ones. Being a retired teacher I don't want to read about schools.

Also Barbara Pym. My kids laugh at them because "They're all about vicars and spinsters and nothing much happens" but that's part of their charm.

Fairacre are the school ones. You are thinking of Thrush Green.

JohnBullshit · 27/11/2025 23:36

Yes to Maeve Binchy, James Herriot, Bill Bryson.

If you can find them, Monica Dickens is great for an absorbing, engaging and unthreatening read.
I really like Judy Astley and Sherry Ashworth when I fancy something light and amusing.

Yabayabadoo · 27/11/2025 23:23

The Faraway Tree
My DC pop up books and bedtime stories from when they were small, v comforting

RaraRachael · 27/11/2025 23:17

Another vote for Miss Read. I love all the Fairacre ones but not so keen on the school ones. Being a retired teacher I don't want to read about schools.

Also Barbara Pym. My kids laugh at them because "They're all about vicars and spinsters and nothing much happens" but that's part of their charm.

Bbq1 · 27/11/2025 23:14

Anything by Mitch Alborn.

EwwSprouts · 27/11/2025 22:57

Love a lot of the above suggestions. To add something new Raising Hare.

Hallelujah2020 · 27/11/2025 22:00

Also recommend

Leonard and hungry paul
James Herriot books
Miss Read - my absolute go to when I need gentle comforting books
The tent the bucket and me - Emma Kennedy

I also often wake up around 3am and these are my go to audiobooks at that time

Nickynackynoooo · 27/11/2025 21:52

Nigel Slater... Christmas chronicles 💖

Pigeonpair1 · 27/11/2025 21:51

Maeve Binchy - specially the early ones such as Light a Penny Candle, Echoes, Firefly Summer. Also Rosamund Pilcher - September, Coming Home, Winter Solstice. I’ve read them all three or four times. 🙂

JacknDiane · 27/11/2025 21:30

Brilliant thread