Comforting reads

[VittysCardigan]

I used to be an avid reader and able to escape into books but really struggle lately. I am looking for suggestions of something to lose myself in. The last book that I really, really loved was Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine, the first book I've loved for a long time. I got fed up of crime novels that seemed to contain graphic violence just for the sake of it and although I enjoy Jill Mansell & Jenny Colgan I would like something more.

I used to enjoy sagas/series of books. Authors I have enjoyed are: Stephen King, Ken Follett, Marian Keyes, Anne McCaffrey, Terry Pratchett

Can anyone please suggest something with a good story with no gratuitous violence to keep me interested

Snailo. I LOVE Bertie. What that poor kid has to put up with. And baby Ulysses . Love how he throws up every time his DM picks him up :). I agree that AMS covers 21st century trends/problems etc under a seemingly lighthearted exterior. And yes, warm is just how I’d describe the series. I really cared about the characters. Can’t recommend them enough.

I loved Elinor oliphant.

If you loved that, then you might love 'where d'you go bernadette' I thought it was wonderful.

Itsanicehotel yes I agree!! I'm always willing him to get one over on his godawful mother!!

Snailo. Have you read the whole series?

Yes I think so - I've listened to the last couple on audiobook - but I think I'm up to date. The last one I listened to was The Bertie Project - unless there's been another one since? (Sorry for hijacking your thread with this OP - but they are definitely comfort reading!)

Sorry for hijacking thread to but Snailo I just googled to check The Bertie Project was the last one and see that there is a new one called Tales Of Love And Tartan that was published this year :).

Sorry it’s A Time of Love and Tartan.

Jeffrey Archer The Clifton Chronicles, never expected to enjoy it but loved all 7 books.
As recommended earlier - The keeper of lost things is a lovely read.
Adele Parks- The image of you, unexpected twist thoroughly enjoyed and is only 99p on the Kindle at the moment.

@itsancehotel ooh thanks! [Departs for Waterstones...]

Any Maeve Binchy books or Rosalind Pilcher books, both lovely authors.

The LShaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks. Read it yearly

There are 2 other books in the series too. The Backward Shadow and Two Is Lonely to follow on from The L Shaped Room

I’ve just finished Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. Not what I expected from her but I absolutely loved it. Very though provoking, interesting and at times dark and emotional. Really rate it.

I also like Dorothy Koomson- Ice Cream Girls particularly good one but a fair few good ones in her collection.

Ruby- so do I! I absolutely love them. (though she should bloody have gone back to bloody rubbish Toby but then of course I wouldn't love the angst as much, because there wouldn't be any!)

I am trying to spend less time MNing and more time reading, so am reading something more demanding then rewarding myself with either an Agatha Christie, an Inspector Morse, or a comfort food book like L-Shaped Room, early Marian Keyes, the first couple of Bridget Jones (not anything after the first 2, HF needs to stop now) Bill Bryson or Stuart Maconie (both non-fic but fabulous)

If you're not put off by the idea of Victorian novels, I can really recommend the Barsetshire series by Anthony Trollope. The first in the series is The Warden. To me it's a comfort read - quite funny in places and he does fairly gently take the mickey out of society and the C of E at the time. The rest of the series is equally good. As a bonus you can get them for free on Kindle!

I also love Trollope's Pallisers series, and The Way We Live Now, which is more hard hitting about society at the time. Also free on Kindle.

For sheer comfort reads with laughs thrown in, I second someone else's mention of Cold Comfort Farm, plus two of my personal favourites, Three Men In a Boat (Jerome K. Jerome) and Lucky Jim (Kingsley Amis).
All very vintage, but none the worse for that.
Oh, and anything by Barbara Pym - my favourite is Crampton Hodnet. Set in pre WW2 Oxford, so almost as much a period piece now as anything of Trollope, it's another one gently poking fun at local/academic society at the time, and IMO very funny in places.

The hote. On the corner of Bitter and Sweet, which was a MN re ommedatiom.
Also Hello from the Gillespie, Magpie murders and The girl friend

Another vote for Small Great Things !

The James Heriot Books.

I loved Elanor Oliphant and read the Keeper of Lost Things this week and enjoyed that too.

When I want comfort I like Lisa Jewels early stuff and Freya North too.

The Rosie Project