Recommendations for comforting reads please

[Colefra]

I'm struggling with very frustrating insomnia. I wake at around 4a.m. I pick up my Kindle and reading helps keep those anxious, dark thoughts away at that time. It's dark, it's cold so I need some comforting, cosy reads for that time in the morning.

I also go back to childhood-Ballet Shoes and Dancing Shoes.
Secret Garden, Little Princess.

I also (no surprise if you see my user name) find Nancy Mitford so comforting-have read and re-read dozens and dozens of time.
Think current fav is Love in a Cold Climate.

Have taken notes on this thread-some great suggestions.

Also, I just read The Christmas Star, a collection of three stories by Eva Ibbotson and they were so beautiful and relaxing and unexpected

Yes Love in Cold Climate was recommended to me on here when I needed books for comfort and it was perfect!

Adore Barbara Pym and Georgette Heyer.

Another favourite of mine is Love for Lydia - HE Bates.

Elizabeth Goudge books would be perfect for this.

The Damerosehay Trilogy would be a great place to start

Me too!
They are my guilty pleasure.

Not sure if you listen to audio books-and they are very contentious on a book thread- but I listen when I am walking my dog.

The audio book of this is utterly wonderful!!!

This is my ultimate favourite genre

Agree with Georgette Heyer as the queen. And Nancy Mitford as close second.

I have just run through the Yours Cheerfully books by AJ Pearce. War books so some heartache but v lovely.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice.

Bill Bryson esp A Walk in the Woods and Thunderbolt Kid.

I love an Agatha Christie too (except And Then There Were None which is brilliant but the most unnerving book i have ever read).

Brilliant thread

Maeve Binchy - specially the early ones such as Light a Penny Candle, Echoes, Firefly Summer. Also Rosamund Pilcher - September, Coming Home, Winter Solstice. I’ve read them all three or four times. 🙂

Nigel Slater... Christmas chronicles 💖

Also recommend

Leonard and hungry paul
James Herriot books
Miss Read - my absolute go to when I need gentle comforting books
The tent the bucket and me - Emma Kennedy

I also often wake up around 3am and these are my go to audiobooks at that time

Love a lot of the above suggestions. To add something new Raising Hare.

Anything by Mitch Alborn.

Another vote for Miss Read. I love all the Fairacre ones but not so keen on the school ones. Being a retired teacher I don't want to read about schools.

Also Barbara Pym. My kids laugh at them because "They're all about vicars and spinsters and nothing much happens" but that's part of their charm.

The Faraway Tree
My DC pop up books and bedtime stories from when they were small, v comforting

Yes to Maeve Binchy, James Herriot, Bill Bryson.

If you can find them, Monica Dickens is great for an absorbing, engaging and unthreatening read.
I really like Judy Astley and Sherry Ashworth when I fancy something light and amusing.

Fairacre are the school ones. You are thinking of Thrush Green.

Also agree re kids books - i read all the Anne of Green Gables books once every couple of years.

The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotsen

Oooh AND The Skylarks War and the Swallows flight by Hilark McKay - some of the best children's books I have ever read i think.

And anything by Katherine Rundell

So it is @Hallelujah2020 It was very late when I posted so I must have got confused!

E F Delafield ‘country lady’ series.

How did I not think of the Diary of a Provincial Lady series?

A fav of mine to read and re-read. Her conversational writing style very engaging!

Cider with Rosie so great ! Beautifully written x

The Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith is also fantastic and so comforting. There is also an excellent audio version, narrated in a very soothing Edinburgh accent!