Can anyone recommend lighthearted fiction that's still decently written?

[JackieOsHeadScarf]

There must be something in the gap between Jo Jo Moyes and Milkman

Paige Toon!

Liane Moriarty

The Martian by Andy Weir. I’m not normally a sci-fi reader, but I really enjoyed this and it has some very funny parts.

The Agatha Raisin books by MC Beaton.

Alexander McCall Smith books

Always Marian Keyes. Written off as chick lit but very memorable characters

Anything by Kate Atkinson
Eleanor oliphant is completely fine
The rosie project

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch.

Watermelon
Rachel's holiday
By Marian Keyes

Elizabeth Palmer.

I love anything by Lisa Jewell or Emily Barr.

I loved the McNally series written by Laurence Sanders and Vincent Lardo. It was light hearted and funny and completely unique. Haven’t come across anything Iike it since I finished the series.

Milly Johnson

Anything by Eva Ibbotson, but particularly "Madensky Square" or "A Countess Below Stairs" (aka "The Secret Princess").
Hard to describe them but they're light, witty (rather than funny) but have some serious and sincere moments.
Heaven was described as "Eating foie gras* to the sound of trumpets" by, I think, Sydney Smith and I've read a review of "ACBS" which quoted that and said "but this book is like eating syllabub to the sound of violins".
Or substitute your favourite indulgent food and instrument to get a feel of it

*Yes, I know foie gras is cruel. It was a quote from the past where they do things differently; I assume he was just trying to think of the most sumptuous thing he'd eaten. Really don't want to derail the thread.

YY to Marian Keyes

James Herriot books. Old but good.

Another vote for the Rivers of London books. I love them, read them in order.

PH Wodehouse

I agree on Marian Keyes. She really can write but she chooses to write fast paced light fic. Her prose style is stunning.

How about some classics: Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams? Stella Gibbons. Rosie Thomas writes really well. It's commercial women's fiction but she knows how to create vivid characters and her prose is good.

The queen of witty, frothy, light-hearted rom com written in impeccable prose is of course, Jane Austen. I'd re-read P&P.

Also maybe try some less known authors. Carys Bray's A Song For Issey Bradley is beautiful. Light to read and very very funny in places (lead character is a football-mad Mormon boy called Alma) but also has real emotional depth.

Jane Green

Circe, Madeleine miller

Elizabeth is Missing. Eleanor Oliphant is Absolutely Fine.
Marian Keyes. Bill Bryson. David Nicholls.

Mark Watson - a recent find.

Anything by Jasper Fforde