Uplifting but not Twee book needed

[BaconAndAvocado]

My friend is coming out of hospital after major surgery and I'm in the process of making her a goody bag.

She loves reading and I'd like to get her a book with no harrowing storylines but still positive.
Nothing too cloying or overly sentimental.
Literary but not heavy.

But if a tall order!
Any suggestions?

Clare Chambers is very much underrated! And great.

Yes, I loved Small Pkeasures as did my friend!

All of Chambers books are good, especially her earlier ones eg In A Good Light and Back Trouble. I’m slightly biased as she’s from near where I grew up.

I enjoyed The Uncommon Reader too.

I loved Project Hail Mary, an excellent audio book too if your friend is tired. It warmed my heart in a way I never expected.

I know OP has bought the book now but I had to check if Lessons In Chemistry was mentioned.

It's utterly gorgeous, characters to fall in love with, some very sad moments but treated amazingly.

I haven't yet watched the series on Prime but I didn't want this book to end.

(And I loved Eleanor Oliphant but gosh, it's harrowing in parts. Really really sad. Definitely don't think it fits this brief!)

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson - a beautiful book in the form of a father writing to his son.

A fine piece of literature but I really wouldn't consider it uplifting.

I loved Eleanor Oliphant too. Didn’t read it when it first came out as thought it may be hyped but read it last year and loved it. Harrowing and sad in equal parts but tinged with hope.

OP, if you’re still after another book, Sans Moi by Marie Desplechin is a twist on the au pair with issues (drugs etc). It’s funny, touching, Desplechin I think has only written poetry since.

Similar but more rom com is Benny and Shrimp by a Swedish author whose name escapes me. The follow up to it is inexplicably in French and not English!