Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each week a new theme is suggested for bloggers to participate in. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want. Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to The Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post.
Today’s Top 10: Comfort Reads
This week’s topic is Comfort Reads. Today instead of individual books, I’m going to list my Comfort Authors. These authors write books that I can depend on to be comforting, whether I”m reading thie latest release or one of their backlist books.
I tend to read romance when I need a comfort book. Fantasy is too intense and has too many details that are fun, but make my brain hurt with all the world-building and magic and creatures in them. Historicals are also too intense to be a comfort read for me, all those historical details that make a historical novel excellent, but they are not comforting for me to read. Also, many historicals go into the horrible way people (women, people of color, children, etc) were treated, and that is not comforting to me. I love the wild ride of a good thriller, but it’s certainly not comforting to me. And a mystery is great, but my brain is always trying to figure out who did it and why.
Predictability is something I look for in a comfort book, and romance is just about the most predictable genre there is. We know that the main characters will get together, we know that they will have issues they must overcome, and we know that they will overcome these issues and live happily ever after.
In this post, I will list an author with both a new release and a backlist book that I found comforting
- Christina Lauren. Their combination of humor and emotions are comforting to me. I can always count on a Christina Laruen book to make me feel better.
2. Kristan Higgins. She also combines a great sense of humor with a powerfully emotional story.
3. Debbie Macomber. She writes sweet emotional stories that always bring me comfort.
4. Katherine Center always delivers an emotional and engaging story.
5. Colleen Hoover writes very emotional stories, with flawed characters, that never fail to move me.
6. Robyn Carr. With over 20 books in her Virgin River series, I always find comfort when I visit Mel and Jack in the little town of Virgin River.
7. Sophie Kinsella always makes me laugh with her relatable characters and heartwarming romance.
8. Beth O’Leary. She writes entertaining and fun stories that always make me laugh, and tear up a bit.
9. Elin Hilderbrand writes emotional Women’s Fiction with relatable characters.
10. Susan Mallery writes women’s fiction that focuses on women’s relationships. Either friends, sisters, or romance.
Have you read any of these Authors? What is your favorite comfort books? Comment below!
So many great books and authors on this list! Christina Lauren, Katherine Center, and Beth O’Leary are at the top of my comfort reads. I also enjoy Sophie Kinsella, Elin Hildebrand, and Kristan Higgins. I can be hit or miss with Hoover. Sometimes her books are too dramatic for them to be comfort reads for me, but I love her angst!
Colleen Hoover is probably my favorite author and her books are usually 5 star reads for me. Interestingly enough, though, I don’t categorize them as my comfort reads. They are too emotional for me to consider them comfort reads. I guess I tend to go a little lighter for those.
Romance is typically my go to genre for comfort reading as well but I haven’t read several authors on your list. I really want to try Katherine Center.
Katherine Center is really good and she’s consistently good.
I love the Virgin River series, though I’m only a few books in. You’re right, they’re very comforting! I tend to read cozy mysteries as my comfort reads or to get out of a reading slump.
Cozy mysteries are also very comforting.
I enjoy Sophie Kinsella’s book too, Wendy. And I was just looking at Debbie Macomber’s newest listed on Netgalley. Great list🙂
Thank you, Mallika! Sophie Kinsella has such a great sense of humor.
Lots in your list that appeal. I’ve read several Debbie Macomber and would definitely read more. And Kristan Higgins has been on my radar for a while – just haven’t got round to any yet.
Kristan Higgins is really good and her latest, Out of the Clear Blue Sky is one of my favorites written by her.
Nice list! I loved Flatshare. My comfort reads are all about revisiting old friends.
The Flatshare was my favorite by Beth O’Leary.
I read some of the Shopaholic books and I remember them being fun. My comfort reads almost always include romance, too!
Those Shopaholic books were a lot of fun.
I’ve heard a lot of great things about the Virgin River books – maybe one of these days I’ll have to give them a try!
I think they are way better than the Netflix series. But, there are a lot of books!
Great list and I loved both those CoHo titles.
She’s such an amazing author!
I love your essay on what makes a comfort book for you. As a prolific reader you have obviously put a lot of thought into it.
Thank you, Linda!
It Ends With Us is one of my favorite books. I haven’t read Reminders of Him but at least I already have a copy of it 😀
I don’t know which one I like best! I loved them both. I hope you love Reminders of Him too.
I love that Beth O’Leary made your list. I almost put The Flatshare on my list, but I only went with books I’ve reread and I haven’t reread Flatshare yet.
She’s so good. I think The Flatshare is my favorite of hers.
Their predictability and their happy endings do make romances great comfort reads! 😀
Thank you, Lark. I agree, I don’t like too many surprises when I need a comfort read.
Romance is definitely my comfort read as well. I tend to lean towards romantic comedy, but I also have read and loved so many of the authors and books on this list.
Romantic Comedy is so comforting to me too.
Yes yes yes to all of these with the exception of Beth I’m easy only because I do t think I’ve ever read her vefore! Great choices Wendy!!📚🤗💜
Thank you, Susan!
A great list, I may add some to my TBR list.
Thank you, Rosie!
Great list, Wendy. I struggled way more than I should have with today’s topic.
It was a tough one for me too!
I love reading romance and watching Hallmark movies because I find them relaxing too. Nothing wrong with predictability! I love all these authors in your post. Thanks for sharing your list!
Thank you, Jodie!
Katherine Center and Debbie Macomber always know how to make you feel good. Great choices!
I agree, Rae!
Great list, Wendy. I would say 7 of these authors would fit my idea of comfort reads. For me romance, specifically amish or Christian fiction and cozy mysteries are my comfort reads.
Thank you, Carla!
I believe that I have read most of the Shopaholic books! They were so funny.
They really were! Sophie Kinsella is so good at writing humor.
Sophie Kinsella and Beth O’Leary are favorites of mine when I’m looking for a comforting read, as well!
They are both such great authors!
Love Sophie Kinsella and I agree – Romance is the best comfort read. Nothing like happily ever after to warm your heart and make everything feel better. Excellent post!
Thank you, Tessa! Sophie Kinsella is so good!
I’m the same I usually like a romance or rom com for comfort reading 😊 great list 💕
They are so comforting!! Thank you, Jenny