Just broken up, please recommend some books ...

[GoldenFlaps]

... that won't make me cry, spit with rage, think "Oh yes, that's familiar!" or anything along those lines. I'm not keen on historical stuff, anything too taxing (my brain's a fuzz), definitely no cheating . I need something that'll get me gripped and distract me. TIA.

I would recommend James Herbert books. He writes what I describe as twisted horror.... usually about ghosts or some horror theme.

I particularly liked '48, which is based around a world war 3 theme.

Or "once" which has a bit of eroticism and is basically about fairies.(it's better than it sounds)

Or others which is a PI who is a hatchback investigating a hospital where deformed people have gone missing....

His writing is brutal and graphic but far from the lovey dovey chick lit which will make you want to tear the pages out in rage.

Hope you feel better soon op.

Thank you, High. Should have mentioned I don't like scary stuff either , especially being on my own in the flat now

Ben Elton - time and time again
Stephen King - 11.22.63 not at all scary, based around the assassination of JFK
Kate Morton - The secret keeper
The book thief - Marcus Zusak
The Choice - Edith Eger
All the light we cannot see - Anthony Doerr
Elinor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman

All books I’ve read in the past year which I would highly recommend

crime novels are the safest when you feel heart broken. real life crime sounds good.

definitely not eleanor Oliphant etc as that is a lid for every pot style romance. Would avoid.

The Rivers of London series, which is funny magical realism, set in London, now.

Marian Keynes for better than average chick lit but does centre round relationships.

The Rise and Fall of Becky Clark (Vanity Fair set now)

I've read a Marian Keyes before and wasn't keen but will give her a go again.

I read Eleanor Oliphant a while back and loved it. Probably as well I managed to get it in before my world fell apart

Thank you for the suggestions, will go and check them out ...

Anything by Douglas Kennedy - ignore the girly covers. “A Special Relationship” would be a good place to start. Gripping, strong female leads, well researched.

Thank you, Bike.

I feel a bit odd calling you that

Yes! It was a derogatory term for “over friendly” girls when I was at school.

I real a little life in about 2/3 days after I broke up with my fiancé, weirdly the tragedy the whole way through helped me have a really good weep and get it out of my system a bit.

Alternatively
Anything by Nancy Mitford
Love Nina by Nina Stibbe
Little Fires Everywhere
A short history of tractors in Ukrainian

A few years ago i was in your position. I read lots of things as i could barely sleep. I found nora ephron really good. Heartburn is as its name suggests about breaking up but it i found cathartic to read about something i could relate to but wasn't about me! It is also very funny. If that feels a bit too close to the bone then her non fiction is also brilliant and very very funny. It helped me through some awful nights

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I read Love Nina a few years ago and enjoyed it.

Now I want to know what the PP said.

Just to say, I wouldn't recommend Time and Time again, OP. Unless you want a book that stirs you into such a rage that you can't sleep and have to throw it across the room. And leaves you fulminating on why men who can't write and have CRAP female characters get book deals.
What about some Caitlin Moran? Funny and very down to earth, not taxing.
Or YA fiction (not the girly stuff) - Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking is very gripping, or the Gone series. Good page turners all, lots of action.

Thank you, Captain, will have a look at your suggestions.

maybe try reading something set in a different country, that can be quite distracting. I know that they are quite twee, but ladies detective agency always cheers me up (definitely not a taxing read)

I’ve enjoyed the cormoran strike series of thrillers - they are gripping but not as graphic or scary as other crime novels.

I will always speak up for the discworld - in this instance I would prescribe a good dose of the Witches books. Some time with granny weatherwax and nanny ogg will put everything into perspective.

for the heartbreak. Throwing yourself into books is an incredibly healthy and smart thing to do.

Thank you very much, Perdita.

Bill Bryson is always good for a laugh and informative at the same time.
I have started reading Damien Boyd,detective series set in Somerset and they are very good too.

Thank you, Pram, will have a look at these too. This is going to cost me him a fortune

Try What's Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone. I loved it.

Thank you, royguts.

I've recently read Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore, which was fab, and Sourdough, by the same author.

Both highly recommended.

Thank you for that, Rue.