Trashy books that are so much better than they ought to be!

[sadpapercourtesan]

Does anyone else have guilty pleasure books that are utter rubbish, but so lovely to read? The literary equivalent of a Pot Noodle?

Some of mine:

Dark Cathedral by Freda Warrington
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Helen Forrester's books
Stepping by Nancy Thayer

All nonsense, but I've read them all more than once!

Any recommendations?

Another vote for Jilly Cooper. Well written, but also trashy!

I suspect some of us are the same generation!

I came on to say:-

Lace
Princess Daisy
Jilly Cooper

My friends and I also all read the Flowers in the Attic series.

I'm not sure I could re-read them now, though. Jilly Cooper, maybe.

@IamEarthymama - gosh yes! Nora Roberts / JD Robb is my absolute go-to for comfort reading. (I haven't read any of the ones that come in series). I adore them.

hannahsaunt
Aren't they fab?
I really like the stand-alones, but I do like the trilogies too.
Give them a try!!

Gawd, I LOVED reading Lace when I was about 19 and also Princess Daisy and a book called The Debutantes. Fondest memories are for Jilly Cooper though from the short romances. Rivals is still the best!

Loved Judith Krantz when I was a teen. Are they still in print? Mistral's Daughter was a cracking good read!

Jean Plaidy.

Stephen King.
Rosamund Pilcher - especially Winter Solstice and The Shell Seekers.

Yes I loved Rosamund Pilcher as well..September is my favourite. Also Winters Tale by Trisha Ashley and the early books by Millie Johnson i.e Spring Affair. Lovely fluffy hokum

I read a few Jackie Collins books years ago, and I couldn't believe how good they were, they were actually page turners and she weaved the character's stories together really well!

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - fabulously tongue in cheek escapism

I really like the Agatha Raisin books. Nice easy reading.

Helen Forrester isn’t trashy! I agree it’s an easy read - I read them over & over again in my early teens, but that doesn’t mean trashy.
And the same for Dianne Wynne Jones! Definitely not trashy!

Mine is Georgette Heyer. I am constantly re reading them. I’ve also just read all Eva Ibbottson’s YA novels which are perfect. Apparently she once said something like ‘I write books for very intelligent women. Very intelligent women who have the flu’ & basically that is my favourite genre. But I wouldn’t call it trash.

I hate the term trashy.
It implies that the books aren’t “worthy”.
Someone’s took the time to write them.

But I know the genre you mean so much contribution is:
Mills and boon - I love a happy ending.
Historical romance, I’ve read all the bridgerton novels several times over before shonda wrecked them.

I refuse to read sad books and if I’m unfamiliar with an author I always read the end.

Rivals is definitely my comfort read - great cast of characters.

I remember hiding Lace in my school bag to share with my friends on the school bus, happy days!

I've really enjoyed the Sentimental Garbage podcasts - they review/dissect old favourites like Flowers in the attic/Jackie Collins/maeve binchy/Riders - well worth a listen.

@pointythings Diana Wynne Jones! How very dare you!

I love a bit of schlok but DWJ ain't it. She's magnificent!

@MrsCrosbyNRTB

Helen Forrester is absolutely not “trashy”!

Agreed. They are her autobiographies so can be hardly called trashy or rubbish.

Since lockdown one I have listened to all the Jilly Cooper Rutshire chronicles (except Rivals, I hate the essential gang rape of Helen) on Audible and have actually just started them the second time. Pure witty, funny escapism.

I agree Helen Forester books aren't trashy.

True trash I remember fondly from my youth Jeffrey Archer! Jackie Collins, natch. Arthur Hailey. Jilly Cooper.

@NovemberR

I suspect some of us are the same generation!

I came on to say:-

Lace
Princess Daisy
Jilly Cooper

My friends and I also all read the Flowers in the Attic series.

I'm not sure I could re-read them now, though. Jilly Cooper, maybe.

All of these! It’s definitely generational

I’m actually re-reading Imogen right now; I love the early Jilly Coopers up until, and including, Polo.

Can't beat a Jackie Collins for absolutely brilliant shite!!

The gone series by Michael Grant. They are kids books but I read one and bought the whole series.

Oooh thanks for mentioning Lace, I often think of the plot for some weird reason but couldn’t remember the title . Can reread it now !

Chances by Jackie Collins is probably my favourite ever book. And I've read a lot of books!

Valley of the Dolls is good. My copy (Virago?) has a high camp cover with a Rocky Horror style mouth pouting it's way around a pill.

The biography of the author is great too, it's called Lovely Me. She ended up best mates with Doris Day, after the inevitable troubled private life.