Looking for a book to read ........

Totally agree with comments about Kate Atkinson. Also adore Lianne Moriarty - many of her books have been televised e.g. Big Little Lies. For something a bit spicy but terrifically written, cannot recommend highly enough the Fourth Wing books by Rebecca Yarros. So good am rereading them !

Be no use me saying what books I like as no one likes the sort of books I do . That's why I can never join a book club. Just because we get older doesn't mean we have to like not like books with action,fantasy ,strong characters series that are 10-20+ books and yes steamy sex scenes and I don't mean porn . So none of the authors I like you suit any for the ones people have suggested.

Not saying I haven't read Richard Osman Thursday murder club which I liked. But Time travellers wife,Gone girl ,girl on a train and other so called good reads no thank you . Horrible characters and books. And yes I did read them yuk.

TerriBull

William Boyd's Any Human Heart is a wonderful book as is The Romantic also by him. The Cazlet Chronicles another good recommendation.

I love any William Boyd but didn’t like either…
What about “Lessons in Chemistry”? Or “Still Life”?
Mary Renault’s historical books e.g. The Bull from the Sea, The king Must Die.

Woollywoman

I’m seconding the suggestion of ‘Still life’ by Sarah Winman. It’s so good I have read it twice…

Another favourite is ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Gamus. No need to know anything about chemistry, btw…. I certainly don’t!

These! I also read Still Life twice, which is unusual for me. Definitely well written. And Anne Tyler always.
I picked up Homestead by Rosina Lippi in a charity shop. It was a lovely novel with an insights into the lives of women in an Alpine village over 3 generations.
Before The Coffee Gets Cold - slim book but needs to be read carefully. Translated from Japanese and hard to describe but the characters were interesting and complex. It’s ultimately a feel good read.
The Lie of the Land by Amanda Craig is good on lots of levels, but might not cheer you up!
Anything by Sebastian Barry is always a good story, well written. Secret Scriptures was the first one I read.
When I need a bit of comfort reading, to I sometime reread Cranford or something by Trollope.

I also recommend Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson as a good read and something you can go back to . Another author I enjoy is Laurie Lee, and Cider with Rosie is of course famous, but also I think another one was called As I walked out one summer morning, where he goes to fight in the spanish civil war setting off with just his violin etc. A quite different style is Elizabeths German Garden , which at this late hour I just dont seem to be able to remember the author. It is again a book that I reread over time. Again these are older books but for me stand the test of time. There is the set of Don Camillo books where he is a priest in the Po valley, and his "opponent" is the communist mayor. Some witty things and ways of outsmarting the mayor such as choosing his child to be the virgin mary in the nativity scene etc. What a joy books are. i am an avid reader, enjoying many different genres and when I find an author I like usually read everything they have written . Lived abroad and travelled a lot and enjoy the surprising books I find too. A modern writer I also love Alexander McCall Smith series of the No 1 Ladies Dectective Agency. The whole series of these are very enjoyable, yet I do not like or enjoy his other series set in Scotland. Happy hunting and enjoy your reading.

I really miss the Gransnet book club. I read so many books that I wouldn't have otherwise chosen.

Raising Hare by Clare Dalton is the sweetest, most uplifting book I’ve read in a while. A memoir of a high-flyer who is in the countryside during Covid and happens on an orphan baby hare and raises her. She writes beautifully about her relationship with the hare, the countryside and wildlife. it’s not too long, either. Always a plus for me!

Second the vote for Anne Tyler. Erica James is good too. I've just finished Tove Jansson The Summer Book, not a Moomin in sight but a quirky gentle read.

fannynotgranny, which book are you referring to, please?

When I was a young married my neighbour recommended the Miss Read books to me.
I found them boring and certainly not for me.
As I got older I started them again and really liked them , I think they are for a gentler time of life.
At the same time I read a series of books by Lillian Beckwith, dated now, but very interesting .
About a single woman who after illness moves to islands, can’t remember which group, off the Scottish mainland and her interaction with the locals.
They were funny and full of detail.
The first book was called The sheep on the hills are lonely.

Clare Chambers books also get the vote from me. She wrote other titles but they are hard to get hold of .

Just finished it . Loved this book and it certainly opened my eyes to the inhumanity of war and the horrendous treatment of Vietnam veterans

I too highly recommend Lessons in Chemistry

I’m seconding the suggestion of ‘Still life’ by Sarah Winman. It’s so good I have read it twice…

Another favourite is ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Gamus. No need to know anything about chemistry, btw…. I certainly don’t!

Applegran

I agree with lots of the books and authors recommended here.
I just want to add a different kind of book - not a novel, and one which I am finding easy to read and compelling. It is making a difference. It has been in print for 10 years which speaks well for it! It is "Self Compassion - the proven power of being kind to yourself" by Kristin Neff. It is not about self indulgence but helping see how hard we can be on ourselves and it gets in the way of happiness. We can be happier!

I was recommended this by a counsellor but didn’t get it because I decided it was too self indulgent. Clearly I was wrong! I will have another look at it on google. Thank you.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray is a terrific read. It’s long, but very easy to read as it is so well written.

I have two shelves of ‘Miss Read’. Love them, but haven’t read one in a while.

JamesandJon33
I do occasionally, but I always wonder if they’re written by a ghost writer who then earns money by attaching their book to a “celeb”. It may be unfair of me, but there’s so many TV personality who has suddenly become an author books at the moment.

Try the memory of midnight by Pamela hartshorne..or Barbara erskine

If you enjoyed Lark Rise, recommended above, you might also enjoy any of the ‘Miss Read’ books about a school mistress in a southern English school in the forties and fifties. Most public libraries will probably hold stick of these either on the shelves or in the back room

I will notread books by ‘celebs’ anymore. Give other writers a chance please.
I have just read a book by a friend of a friend, it was lovely and she self published. ‘Trecadno. about a Welsh village

Kristin Hannah, prepare yourself with hankies at the ready, I’ve got all hers and oh my, they are amazing
Paper palace and the midnight library very good also Lucy Clarke books

I've enjoyed books by Carol Kirkwood, Clare Balding, Rob Rinder, Jo Thomas and Graham Norton.

As a member of NetGalley, I am offered books to read before publication, and usually find a great selection.

just finished the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid could not put it down an excellent read

Treebee

I recommend You Are Here by David Nicholls, funny and touching.

I second that. Reading it right now.