Anne Tyler or Maggie O'Farrell?

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I'm struggling to start a book at the moment without abandoning ship as my concentration seems poor!

I think I need a good 'story' - everything I'm trying is too heavy or 'different'. I just need to sink into an easy-ish read with a fast plot.

My book group love these authors and talk about them lots but I've only read 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox' by O'Farrell, which I think I enjoyed, years ago.

Would anyone be able to recommend a book by one of these authors? Or someone similar / who writes similarly? Want to start with their best offerings as both authors seem to have written a lot.

Thanks!

Carol Shield is brilliant.
Ann Tyler consistently readable.
I found 'instructions for a heatwave' a bit annoying about the irish diaspora. Little details. Like the main character complaining that she couldn't get buttermilk in England to make her soda bread. Well that's odd because my family just used sour milk in both countries. A minor detail perhaps but irritating.

I recently read Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano and the writing reminded me of Anne Tyler

Where the crawdads sing
Excellent book

Oh I found that book too unbelievable tbh too many loose ends. Like the couple at the store that conveniently supplied kya with groceries. Er no any couple in that situation would have called child services.

Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler is one of my favourite books. None of her others come close to it in my opinion.

Another vote for Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler but I have not read all of hers and would love a "binge" session reading them back to back in order of publication .
Is anyone a fan of Penny Fitzgerald?

Jenny Eclair 'Moving' and also 'Life, Death and Vanilla Slices' are in a similar style to previously mentioned books. Lots of tiny details.

I’ve just finished Redhead by the Side of the Road and thought it was great: gently funny and poignant and beautifully written. I am an Anne Tyler fan, so can endorse all the recommendations above and add a personal favourite: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant.

I really rate Liane Moriarty - Big Little Lies and What Alice Forgot are both excellent.

Love all Anne Tyler’s books but A Spool of Blue Thread and Saint Maybe were my favourites. Recently really enjoyed Ann Patchett’s Run and Commonwealth but all hers are good, as are Barbara Kingsolver’s.
Have you read Tracey Chevalier’s The Last Runaway? I loved it and it’s very atmospheric.

Anne Tyler is wonderful - The Accidental Tourist is great.

Another vote for Carol Shields: 'Unless' would be in my top 5 books of all time.

Agree Unless is amazing