If my MIL liked Small Pleasures…

[Mrsfrumble]

… by Claire Chambers, what else might she like? I don’t think we share much of a taste in books, but she did mention she enjoyed this when I lent it to her. Any ideas? Thanks!

"Bitter Orange" by Claire Fuller struck me as quite similar in tone and theme.

She might like Miss Benson's Beetle - there's something similar there about a not-young woman finding that life still has some surprises.

Replying too late if you were looking for a present for Christmas Day...

I'm currently recommending *Old Baggage by Lissa Evans to everyone and gave it to two people for Christmas. It's one of three connected stories and is the one set earliest in time.

Thank you! These are wonderful; I will look into them. It was / is for Christmas, but thanks to a house full of Covid I won’t be seeing MIL until the end of next week so I still have time!

Has she read any Celia Fremlin? Similar feel IMO.

Ooh it’s very similar but a single thread by Tracey chevalier is also very good and I recommend it.

I loved Small Pleasures too - I have Learning to Swim in my TBR pile - I've seen a few people on here recommend it. It's also been recently republished with similar style cover and quoting 'same author as Small Pleasures' so she may like that.

Some wonderful vintage writers:
Barbara Pym
Elizabeth Taylor - try "Mrs Palfrey at the Clairmont" - witty, compassionate characters
Anita Brookner - eg 'Hotel Du Lac'
I agree with OP's suggestion of Celia Fremlin, but her books are a bit more acerbic
"The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne" by Brian Moore, set in Belfast, captures that stifled 50s life brilliantly
Elizabeth Jane Howard - her novels rather than the Cazalet Chronicles (which are also brilliant)

Would also recommend Learning to Swim - actually one of my favourite books, reread it again recently. The Long View by Elizabeth Jane Howard.

And if she hasn't already read it - Brother of the more famous Jack by Barbara Trapido