When the days are dark- whether from winter dreariness or a period of suffering in life- some light, comforting fiction can do wonders to lift the spirits. Or at least push back the darkness for a little while!
“Where there is darkness let me bring your light.”
St. Francis of Assisi
Here are a dozen or so of my favorite “cozy” fiction books for the days when your spirit feels weighed down!
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James Herriot takes the blue ribbon for cozy in my opinion. The lovely Yorkshire Dales, the friendly country people, the memorable animals, and the never-ending cups of English tea create a comforting picture of a calm, peaceful world to escape into.
For sheer comedic genius, it’s hard to beat P. G. Wodehouse. The Most Of P.G. Wodehouse is a great introductory volume to this master writer. You get a little Jeeves and Wooster, a little of the Blandings crew, and some other short stories. Wodehouse’s eccentric characters are guaranteed to lift the spirits with their hilarious escapades.
D. E. Stevenson’s Miss Buncle’s Book is another cozy English country novel. In the lethargic village of Wandlebury, Miss Buncle writes a book about a girl who writes a book about a girl who writes a book. Yes, really. It sounds confusing, but is quite humorous in quiet, soft-spoken English fashion. This is one English village novel which doesn’t involve a murder!
However, if an engaging, light mystery is your cup of poison, I mean tea, then you can’t beat the Golden Age of Mystery writers! Dorthy Sayers’ charming Lord Peter Wimsey series begins with Whose Body? Agatha Christie has some lighter mysteries, particularly her Miss Marple Short Stories. Marjory Allighham’s Albert Campion stories and G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries are also great choices in this genre.
To leave England for a moment, the international bestseller from Spain, The Awakening of Miss Prim is a Catholic book lover’s delight, full of references to great literature. Read my full review here!
L. M. Montgomery excels at drawing amusing, poignant, and memorable characters. Nearly everyone has read the Anne books, but her other books are charming too. Try The Blue Castle, The Complete Chronicles of Avonlea, and The Story Girl. Or just re-read the Anne books because, what can beat Anne of Windy Poplars for a cozy book to curl up with?
Jane Austen is another great choice to revisit for a comfortable reading experience. If you haven’t read some of her lesser works, Northranger Abbey is hilarious satire, while Mansfield Park has a likable quieter heroine. You can rest assured everyone lives happily ever after in Jane Austen. Well, the likable characters do anyway.
For a modern tribute to Austen, check out Katherine Reay’s Dear Mr. Knightley.
The vibrant blues and greens of this Mediterranean paradise leap straight from the pages of the Corfu Trilogy into your imagination. Gerald Durrell’s awe-inspiring descriptions of the antics of the abundant wildlife on the island is punctuated by laugh out loud memories of his eccentric family’s life.
The Club of Queer Trades, like most of Chesterton’s fiction, is rife with flights of fantasy, paradoxes, and an exuberant affirmation of the sheer interestingness of life. My other Chesterton favorites for comfort fiction and general hilarity include Manalive and The Flying Inn.
![The Grand Sophy (Regency Romances Book 10) by [Heyer, Georgette]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51V%2BZ9fn2pL._SY346_.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
Georgette Heyer is known as the Queen of Regency Romance for a reason. The Grand Sophy is one of her best loved and hilarious novels, filled with characters both charming and devilish, romantic entanglements, and misunderstandings.
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers is such a sweet, calming read about a famous Catholic family. Maria Augusta Trapp’s story of meeting her husband and children is only the beginning of this family’s adventures. She recounts their escape from the Nazis, immigration to America, and determination to create a home in the New World in the most charming prose imaginable.
I don’t love many of Gene Stratton Porter’s books, but Laddie: A True Blue Story is simply too sweet and appealing a story to miss. This semi-autobiographical novel is told by Little Sister, the youngest in a large family. Little Sister’s fierce family loyalty, delight in God’s creation, and inspiring faith will charm you.
At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon is a slow-paced, engaging small-town story about an Episcopalian minister and his “ordinary” congregation. But is any person really ordinary?
Warning: given the Protestant author and protagonist, there are some obvious clashes with Catholic beliefs (i.e. married priests).
and 
are two of his books which were actually made into movies: 
and 
.
is the perfect book and movie duo for children who love animals, particularly horses. Marguerite Henry’s poignant story of love and loss on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is equally appreciated by adults.
, a hilarious comedy for the whole family to watch.
.
.
is a lesser known work by Jules Verne of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame. I have enjoyed every Jules Verne book I ever read, and this one is no exception. Mary and Robert Grant embark on an epic treasure hunt around the globe to find their shipwrecked father. It was adapted rather successfully into a fun film starring the Mary Poppins children: 
movie is a classic family film, and the book has even more interesting details about how the Robinson family survived on the island.
, which closely follows the book’s plot. (Note that I did not think the subsequent films in this series to stick close enough to their respective novels to be considered good adaptations.)
, since I felt the film really captured the magic of Sarah’s imagination.
.
and 
.
, 
, and 
, actually does fall in love with a woman on trial for murder in 
, a whodunit, and 
, you need to. You will be a more cheerful person after encountering Wodehouse. Also your vocabulary will expand tremendously.
and 
are her best works, but if you haven’t read some of her lesser known books, they are a perfect length and lightness for a vacation! For example, 
trilogy is also excellent.
Reading at least 
is too young for courting. This second volume of the Anne series is also appropriate for 12 and olders.
is a collection of the letters Anne wrote to Gilbert during the three years of their engagement and separation while he attended medical school and she worked as a Principal at Summerside High School. This book is particularly delightful since Anne herself narrates her experiences far from Avonlea. With careful propriety, Montgomery “omits” those paragraphs where Anne’s pen is not too scratchy for her to write of her love for Gilbert, so these letters read as very PG, though I would personally save them for 14 and older again since I think they will be more appreciated at that age.
, and continuing with 
, the Anne books take a decided turn towards more adult conflicts and themes. While they are still tame compared to the sordidness spewed forth in many modern novels, these books simply present a realistic picture of adult life with believable concerns, cares and crosses. Anne and Gilbert suffer through the death of their first child. Anne helps a friend stay true to her difficult husband despite loving another man. The Blythes navigate their first disagreements. Anne even begins to doubt that Gilbert still loves her and worries about an old flame of his who is attempting to ensnare him. Stories along these lines were meant for a more mature audience, and I would definitely not recommend them before age 16.
, Montgomery returns to her style in the very first Anne book, recounting the adventures of the six Blythe children and their young neighbors, the four Merediths. These stories are innocent and fun, all about helping the Merediths find the perfect stepmother and taking care of a young runaway girl named Mary Vance. Girls 12 and older will enjoy them.
is the final book in the Anne series. Rilla is Anne’s youngest daughter, a slightly spoiled but still sweet fifteen year old who comes of age during the different years of World War I. The book focuses on the effects of the War on the tiny village of St. Mary’s Mead, and the Blythe family particularly. Rilla’s story of a rather selfish young girl learning true courage and selflessness in a chaotic world is quite inspiring, and a great book for girls 14 and older.
and 
. I hope your daughters come to love Anne and the village of Avonlea as much as I do.