5 Feel Good Books to Bring You Comfort
The world may feel a little overwhelming right know, but there’s one thing we know for certain: books will always be around to bring us comfort. As you would probably guess, the team at Forge has been reading a lot while we’ve been home, and we wanted to share some of the books we’re loving right now with you. Check out our recommendations for five feel good books below!
Ask Me No Questions by Shelley Noble
“For many of us, there’s nothing more soothing than the opening theme to Downton Abbey. Now that the series is finished and the movie has come and gone, we need something to fill the Crawley-shaped hole in our hearts and comfort us the way the show used to. Not to worry, friends. Shelley Noble’s Lady Dunbridge Mysteries will more than suffice. When we first meet her in Ask Me No Questions, Lady Dunbridge is not about to let a little thing like the death of her husband ruin her social life. She’s ready to take the dazzling world of Gilded Age Manhattan by storm. From the decadence of high society balls to the underbelly of Belmont horse racing, romance, murder, and scandals abound. Someone simply must do something. And Lady Dunbridge is happy to oblige.”
Alison Bunis, Marketing Assistant
Good Boy by Jennifer Finney Boylan
“Memoirs have brought me a lot of comfort while staying at home, and one in particular that I’ve loved is Good Boy by Jennifer Finney Boylan. It’s a must-read for any dog lovers out there! Jennifer has written a number of novels and memoirs, and this one is structured around the pivotal moments of her life and the seven dogs she had at each moment. Life is full of transformations and changes, and this book documents how Jennifer’s dogs accompanied her through some of her biggest changes in life as a transgender woman. This book is the perfect encapsulation of how dogs can show us unconditional love and help us learn how to better love ourselves. Engaging, full of heart, and relatable to all readers, this book is the literary embodiment of snuggling with your beloved pup.”
Sarah Pannenberg, Digital Marketing Coordinator
Carousel Beach by Orly Konig
“A perfect beach read… or dreaming of the beach read. Nothing can evoke that feeling of walking along the boardwalk more than an old-school carousel, worn down by salty air and thousands of riders. Maya Brice is reeling from the heartbreaking loss of her grandmother and a miscarriage while restoring her hometown’s beloved carousel just in time for a grand reopening on the 4th of July. What she finds inscribed on one of the horses will lead her on an unforgettable journey to healing. The relationship she forges with Hank, an Alzheimer’s patient and former carousel artist himself will make any reader’s eyes well up. If you’re looking for a sweet read and gentle reminder to call your grandparents, you won’t miss!”
Jennifer McClelland-Smith, Marketing Manager
Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mysteries series, by Carrie Bebris
“Whenever I need comfort, there’s one source I turn to more than any other: Jane Austen. True, she only wrote six books, but with all the sequels and rewrites we never need to stop living in Austenland. The Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries series by Carrie Bebris has the added bonus of being delightfully cozy mysteries, so they’re extra comforting. In the series, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy want nothing more than to enjoy married life on their Pemberley estate, but one mystery after another keeps drawing them away. Each of the seven books focuses on different characters from Austen’s beloved novels, from Caroline Bingley to Frederick Wentworth to the residents of Sanditon. With Bebris’ care to maintain the style and setting of the original novels, this series is almost like reading Jane Austen…but with a touch more murder. Recommended reading pairing is a cup of tea and a proper English biscuit or scone.”
Alison Bunis, Marketing Assistant
An Irish Country Cottage by Patrick Taylor
“The charming, colorful village of Ballybucklebo isn’t ready for disaster to strike. Not long after Christmas passes, a fire engulfs the humble thatched cottage housing of Donal Donnally and his family. Although the family of five and their beloved pup escapes, they have nothing left but the clothes on their backs during the coldest time of the year.
Luckily, Doctors O’Reilly and Laverty gather the good people of Ballybucklebo to come to their aid. The neighbors are insistent on rebuilding the cottage, albeit a difficult task, and will help the Donnallys no matter what it takes.
The heartfelt entry in Patrick Taylor’s beloved New York Times and internationally bestselling Irish Country series is one you’re sure to love.”
Mary Halabani, Marketing Intern
