Why I'm proud to write 'comfort reads'

Plus my favourite comfort reads of all time

I love reading and writing comfort reads

Today my friend sent me a link to a bookish article with a headline that attacked the notion of ‘comfort reading’. The article suggested that you are not reading ‘properly’ if you feel comforted by the books you read.

As an author of books that have been described as ‘hot-buttered-toast-and-tea feelgood fiction’ (The Times, writing about The Vintage Shop) I am a diehard champion of the comfort read and can’t stand snobbishness when it comes to people’s reading choices. To me, there is a place for all kinds of books and there is as much merit to books that feel like sinking into a warm bath as there is to books that are challenging and thought-provoking.

I’ve always found it fascinating to hear what counts as comfort reading for different people. Last week I was away with a group of writers and as you might imagine there was a lot of chat about reading preferences. Among our group, crime, nature writing, memoir, children’s fiction and romance were all described as ‘comforting’. I love to re-read an old classic or race through a rom-com when I need soothing but I have friends who can only unwind when there’s murder involved.

Whatever your preference when it comes to books that help you relax, reading for comfort is one of life’s great joys and a balm during tough times.

I recently read and loved The Art of Rest by Claudia Hammond, a book that explores the science behind our need as a society for more and better quality rest. In a survey of more than 18,000 people, the activity that was voted the most restful of all was reading. The book includes plenty of studies about the mental health benefits of reading. In Cathy Renzenbrink’s book Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books, she explores how reading helped her through one of the toughest times in her life: losing her brother as a teenager and the aftermath of her grief.

Life can be hard. We will all face moments of tragedy, grief, loneliness and pain. What do we have to turn to during those moments? When I lost two beloved family members last year I threw myself into reading, racing through the Pages and Co series by Anna James, books aimed at children that gave me exactly the comfort and escapism I was craving. In those weeks I couldn’t possibly have read prize-winning literary fiction. I needed something soft and warming, the book equivalent of a homecooked meal from someone you love.

I will probably never win any literary prizes writing books about friendship, community and love told with a hopeful lense and - yes - with happy endings. But for me there is no greater prize than being told one of my books comforted a reader.

Over the years I have received numerous messages from readers who have chosen my books to comfort them during tough times. Maybe they reached for one after receiving some bad news or gave one as a gift to a friend who was heading into hospital or was recently bereaved. These messages in my inbox always feel like an honour to read.

Writing comfort reads is an absolute privilege. When I sit down to write I think about my words potentially being a hand reaching out to hold someone’s when they need it the most and it motivates me to keep going, to keep crafting stories that are emotional and true to life but most of all uplifting.

I’d love to know what ‘comfort reading’ means to you. And keep scrolling for my top comfort reads of all time…

What does comfort reading mean to you?

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My favourite comfort reads

Tilly and The Book Wanderers, Anna James

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna

84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff

Cider With Rosie, Laurie Lee

Chocolat, Joanne Harris

The Railway Children, E Nesbit

For more comfort read recommendations, check out my list on bookshop.org.

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What I’m reading

While we’re on the subject of comfort reading, I’m currently reading You Are Here by David Nicholls and it feels like a warm hug of a book. Characters that make you laugh and smile and writing that has me turning down the pages to savour particularly beautiful lines - the very best kind of comfort read.

I recently read and loved The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston, a gorgeous rom-com that made me cry with its descriptions of grief. And a comfort read to add to your list for the autumn is The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin, a charming book that will have you wanting to take up pottery. It publishes in September but I was lucky to read an early copy - a perk of being an author!

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A couple of other things…

• In case you missed it, I recently wrote an article for i news about why I feel more confident in my swimming costume than I do in clothes. Body confidence and swimming is something I wrote about in both The Lido and The Lifeline and that’s been a real journey for me over the years.

• Next month I’ll be heading to Rossiter Books in Malvern to talk about The Lifeline and sign books. It’s my last event for a little while so if you’re local, do come along!

Thank you for reading and for being a subscriber! And long live the comfort read.

Libby x