Some days the world just feels like too much. It’s been a brutal year that’s turned most of our lives upside down. We’ve all witnessed heartbreaking amounts of death, anger, violence, and hatred, and an end doesn’t seem to be in sight.
I normally love deep, sometimes even dark, books that don’t present a rosy view of life, books that show real life struggles. But lately, I’ve been craving stories that are a little lighter. Something to make me laugh, something that I know will end with a “happily ever after.” Sometimes you just need laughter or a fairy tale ending. So what should you read at a time like this? Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Robin Jones Gunn’s Sisterchicks series
It’s been years now since I read these, but I still recommend them all the time. Each book focuses on two friends or family members who take a dream trip together: Hawaii, France, London, and more. Travel themed books are always a plus. These are fun reads that are the perfect bookish escape.
2. Bethany Turner
The first book I read by Bethany Turner was The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck. It’s been a long time since a book made me laugh that hard. Wooing Cadie McCaffrey and her newest book, Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish, are just as good. While they deal with serious topics, these stories are laugh out loud funny.
3. Jessica Kate
Both Love and Other Mistakes and A Girl’s Guide to the Outback kept me laughing. Plus, part of A Girl’s Guide is set in Australia, so there’s the travel theme I love again.
4. Rachel Hauck’s Wedding Dress series and Royal Wedding series
While I love all of her books, some of Rachel Hauck’s stories have left me in a puddle of my own tears. (Did The Love Letter have that effect on anyone else?) But these particular series stand out because they are so sweet. Royal weddings and wedding shops make such perfect backdrops for happily-ever-after stories. There’s also a brand new series coming this summer, True Blue Royal, that I’m really excited about.
5. Sarah Monzon’s Book Nerds and Boyfriends series
These three novellas were so fun for a book lover like me! They are also great if you need a quick read.
Tell me what you’re reading now. Have your reading habits changed this year because of the COVID pandemic? Are you reading deep books or lighter stories?
Amanda Holland 