Coming home- Rosamunde Pilcher - need more like it.

[hisgirlfriday]

This is my comfort blanket novel for curling up with if I'm poorly or a bit blue. However, I've tried some of her other novels and hated them, with the possible exception of the shell seekers. Now winter has arrived early I need another good comfort read.

So, any ideas ladies? It has to be a good novel to get stuck into, nothing too frilly or too miserable, preferably with some nice scenery and descriptions and plenty of detail. I hate those novels that are described as 'tightly written'. I always feel a bit shortchanged by the author!

Coming Home is my favourite book in the entire world. Have you read any maeve binchey? I find her books wonderful to, especially the 'middle' ones like Wye tins, scarlet feather and Tara road.

Need to proof read! That first book is actually called quentins!

Marcia Willett is excellent!! She writes in a similar style to RP.

the Elizabeth Jane Howard trilogy ("the Light years" is one of them) is a bit like that, but better! About a family during and after the war. It develops slowly but there are good story lines and interesting and loveable characters.

love Binchy too, but only the earlier ones like "light a penny candle" and "the glass lake".

Binchy's "circle of friends" is what I read when I am poorly :)

My comfort and avourite book also.
Re read every few years when in Cornwall.
Try
Kate Morton
Rachel Hore
Elizabeth Jane Howard(as mentioned above)
Susan Howatch,Penmarric obviously but also The Wheel of Fortune.

Binchy not worth reading post-glass lake if you want epic novels. I love Echoes too.

I also love coming home SO much and would love to read similar stuff, so thanks for starting this thread!!

Binchy - best books are The Copper Beech, Circle of Friends, Light a Penny Candle, Firefly Summer and Echoes. The more "Modern" ones I can take or leave to be honest and I found the Glass Lake a bit far fetched
Love Rosamunde Pilcher's September, and Winter Solstice
I do like the Village books by Rebecca Shaw about Turnham Malpas. They are a lovely comfort read.
I also like Penny Vincenzi have you tried her trilogy about the Lytton family and their publishing house?
Sheila Flanagan is another favourite of mine and since they were release onto Kindle I have gotten into Catherine Cookson stories. I would recommend the series of books about Mary Anne Shaughnessy.

I even have the Coming Home DVD box set, terrible shite but I love it.

Have you tried Mary Wesley? The Camomile Lawn etc?

Oh oh oh I love Mary Wesley but somehow always forget about her until someone reminds me!

Thanks for the tips, sorry for going awol, computer trouble! I'm not a great fan of Elizabeth Jane Howard, I find her a bit brittle, although I have read the cazelet chronicls and like some of the more sympathetic characters. At the moment I'm reading 'the far pavilions' by mm kaye, on a recommendation from a friend and surprisingly enjoying it, considering its set abroad and I was after some lush English countryside. Never tried any Marcia willets so will def check that one out thanks!

You should definitely try Rosamunde Pilcher 'September'.

I liked September but Winter Solstice is a real comfort read on a par with coming home
talking of comfort reads am reading Patricia Scanlan atm bit trashy but love them!

Mary Wesley is wonderful. Funny too. One of her books opens with a sheep upside down in a field

Jean Stubbs - 'Like we used to be' and my favourite comfort read 'Kelly Park'

Ooh The Shellseekers was my top book for comfort reading. Have you read any Georgette Heyer (period romance, very well written, not sugary)? Victoria Holt is the same level - try The Pride of the Peacock. I second Susan Howatch, and Joanna Trollope is v good for easy reasonably intelligent reading.

I second the Penny Vincenzi trilogy especially the first book No Angel. Binchy's circle of friends is one that I often re-read too when in need of something familiar and cosy. I read Homecoming by Cathy Kelly recently and found it to be a really nice read.

I loved Coming Home too. I've lost my copy - must get another. Nothing original really in my suggestions except perhaps the first? These are very specific choices based on the characteristics of the book, not the author's other works.

The Happy Prisoner - Monica Dickens ('dated' i.e. you have to make allowances for the time it was written and its well-worn prejudices - but well worth it - it is a magical book IMO)
A Civil Contract - Georgette Heyer
Wish upon a star - Olivia Goldsmith
Have his Carcase - Dorothy L Sayers

Have you read Wild Swans?

Libby Purves' novels are a real comfort read. In particular:

A Long Walk in Wintertime (wonderfully anachronistic in that if one of the characters had access to a mobile phone, the story would have gone completely differently)

I'd also recommend:
Barbara Trapido
Clare Chambers
and some of Margaret Drabble's early novels, such as 'Jerusalem the Golden'