I have never felt more grateful for books and reading. It’s been a tough year but books have provided a constant source of comfort, happiness and inspiration. This year I have read or listened to (because when people ask me if listening to audio books ‘counts’: of course it does!) a total of 76 books. My favourite genres were rom-coms, Uplit and women’s fiction.
People often ask me how I manage to read so many books (although I know there are readers out there who get through even more than me!). The truth is a combination of things: I don’t watch much TV, I think of reading as an important part of my job so often read during the day, I don’t go out much in the evening and I am so addicted to reading that I often neglect my family in favour of books, reading over my son’s head while he watches CBeebies on my lap. I’ve also started getting up earlier in the morning to fit in a bit of yoga and some quiet reading before everyone else gets up, a morning ritual that I’m really loving.
This year I’ve read with a particular hunger, I think because losing important people in my life has left me with a hole and I’ve tried to fill that hole with words. Of course, nothing can replace people you love but I have found that reading has helped me to escape and I have found lots of wise words to soothe hidden in the pages of the books I’ve read (I’ve shared some of them below).
While I’m happy to have read so much this year, I also can’t emphasise strongly enough: reading is not a race. It’s not a competition. Whether you’ve read one book or one hundred books this year, you are still a reader. Never feel that you ‘should’ have read this or that or feel embarrassed by your reading choices. I strongly believe that reading should be something you do for enjoyment, not through a sense of duty. I think of books like food and just like with food, everyone has a different appetite and different tastes.
If one (or several) of my books made it onto your 2023 reading list, then from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I know we all lead busy lives and finding time to read amongst everything else can be hard. So the fact that you chose to spend some of your precious free time reading one of my books is something I truly appreciate and don’t take lightly. Wishing you a happy reading year ahead, full of books that bring you joy.
And just a little reminder that my next book The Lifeline will be coming out next year. It’s available to pre-order now, and here’s a bit more about the book…
For Kate, having a newborn baby means she is almost never alone. But that doesn't mean she isn't lonely. The move from London to Somerset with her husband Jay was supposed be the start of an exciting new chapter. But sometimes she can't help but wonder if she turned the pages too soon...
Phoebe Harrison needs a break. As a mental health nurse serving her community, the wellbeing of her patients has always come before her own. But there's only so long she can pour from an empty cup.
Looking for a lifeline, Kate and Phoebe find one in their local river swimming group. But what they didn't expect was the buoying friendship they would find in each other…
My top books of 2023
Here are my favourite books that I read this year (in no particular order because selecting a number one favourite would be too hard!). Some were published this year, some are oldies but goodies…
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, Hwang Bo-Reum - Yeongju has always dreamed of opening a bookshop and one day she does. The book follows her, the barista in the bookshop’s café and a number of the regular customers. A charming celebration of books and bookshops.
Tilly and the Book Wanderers, Anna James - The first in the Pages and Co series, books technically meant for children but adored by me too. Tilly Pages lives in her grandparents’ bookshop and discovers one day that she possesses a special gift: she can ‘wander’ into books and her favourite characters can step out of the pages of books and into the real world.
The Collected Regrets of Clover, Mikki Brammer - Clover is a death doula who helps people through their final days and writes down their last thoughts and regrets. For a book about death it was surprisingly light and uplifting, and made me reflect on what it means to live a life without regrets.
Someone Else’s Shoes, Jojo Moyes - Two women from very different worlds are brought together when they accidentally swap bags - and shoes - at their local gym. Brilliant characters and a great depiction of female friendship.
Happy Place, Emily Henry - I know some people didn’t enjoy this as much as Emily Henry’s other novels but I loved it. I especially enjoyed the vivid sense of place and the themes of friendship and how friendships change over time.
The Shell House Detectives, Emylia Hall - My first foray into cosy crime and a really intriguing read with warm and memorable characters and an escapist Cornish setting.
A Winter in New York, Josie Silver - After the death of her mum and the end of a bad relationship, Iris arrives in New York to follow in her mother’s footsteps, where she stumbles across a gelato shop run by a handsome Italian and gets entwined in his family’s story. A deliciously romantic novel with lovely themes of family too.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa - A young woman moves to her uncle’s bookshop in Tokyo after a break-up. Whilst working in the bookshop she gets to know the regular customers as well as her uncle, and the story of why her aunt left one day five years ago with no notice… An easy read but with plenty of emotion.
The Dead Romantics, Ashley Poston - A quirky small-town romance featuring a ghostwriter, a funeral home and plenty of ghosts. Which sounds like a strange combination but makes for an absolute treat of a book.
You Made a Food of Death with your Beauty, Akwaeke Emezi - An evocative, sexy and beautifully written romance.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikbry, Gabrielle Zevin - A sweet, heartwarming story about the redemptive power of love and books.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin - As wonderful as everyone says.
Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano - A sweeping tale of four sisters and the man who marries into their family. A really beautiful portrayal of love and sisterhood. Tragic in parts but ultimately uplifting.
Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop, Alba Donati - A lovely memoir about a woman who decided to open a bookshop in her tiny Italian village, home to 180 people. It will make you want to go to Tuscany (and maybe open a bookshop)!
The Door-To-Door Bookstore, Carsten Henn - A gentle yet immersive book about the right book finding you at the right time. Full of imperfect but lovable characters.
Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame, Olivia Ford (out in March 2024) - I was lucky to read an early copy of this charming book and it’s definitely one to add to your 2024 reading list. When Mrs Quinn gets a spot on Britain Bakes she is forced to step away from her quiet, comfortable life and confront secrets from her past.
Wintering, Katherine May - A book that had been on my to-read list for a long time and that I wish I’d picked up sooner. It will change your perception on the idea of winter - both the season but also periods of downturn in your life.
How to Feel Better, Cathy Rentzenbrink - If you’ve had a tough year, I’d highly recommend this gentle, kind and helpful book on how to get through life’s toughest moments.
Inspiring quotes from the books I’ve read this year
The books I read this year provided lots of inspiration and food for thought. Here are some of my favourite quotes…
“When it’s happening to other people, it’s cheesy. When it’s happening to you, it’s wonderful.”
On falling in love, Curtis Sittenfeld, Romantic Comedy
“The secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life. Putting your heart out there. Letting it get broken. Taking chances. Making mistakes.”
Mikki Brammer, The Collected Regrets of Clover
“It is not our memories but the person we have become because of those past experiences that we should treasure… The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”
Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying
“The work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you.”
On creativity, Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic
“That’s the choice. I love him, with all that, because of all that. On purpose. I love him on purpose.”
On loving someone because of, not in spite of, their flaws, Casey McQuiston, Red, White and Royal Blue
“The words you can’t find, you borrow. We read to know we’re not alone.”
On the power of reading, Gabrielle Zevin, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikbry
“There are so many things to do, but I won’t make the excuse that I have no time anymore. Instead, I will think about what I can do with the time I have. ‘One day’ is going to become ‘tomorrow’.”
On making the most of now, Michiko Aoyama, What you are looking for is in the library
“…when feelings are disallowed they do not disappear. They merely go into hiding, where they fester and cause trouble later in life.”
On letting children feel their feelings (and the importance of feeling them as adults too), Philippa Perry, The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read
“When we share how we really think and feel, how we really are, and someone can understand us, that is where connection happens. Such connection is healing.”
On the importance of honesty, Philippa Perry, The Book You Want Everyone You Love to Read
“…happiness is never beyond reach. It’s not in the distant past, nor on the horizon of the future. It’s right in front of me. Like that day’s beer, and today’s quince tea…”
On finding happiness in the small, everyday things, Hwang Bo-Reum, Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop
“A community is like a special family where you help those who need helping and celebrate with those who have something to celebrate. Where you’re always happy to lend a hand. Where you belong.”
On the importance of community, Alba Donati, Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop
“The books we love when we’re growing up shape us in a special way, Tilly. The characters in the books we read help us decide who we want to be.”
On growing up as a reader, Anna James, Tilly and the Book Wanderers
“You will carry [your grief] inside you like a tiny fire that will not be put out. It will accompany you everywhere, like your thoughts do.”
On grief, Cariad Lloyd, You Are Not Alone
“When everything is broken, everything is also up for grabs. That’s the gift of winter: it’s irresistible. Change will happen in its wake, whether we like it or not.”
On finding light in dark moments, Katherine May, Wintering
Thank you so much for subscribing to my newsletter and for supporting me and my books this year. I can’t wait to share more of my writing and more reading recommendations with you in 2024.