Whenever I get into a “mood” I find that I have a tendency to turn towards some of my comfort reads. The unexpected thing about me and my moods is that I never really know which of my comfort books I’m going to turn too.
Lately I’ve been feeling so tired. Between the baby and work and all the millions of other things I have going on, I’m dragging some serious ass. This past weekend I sat down and tried to read a review book and just couldn’t do it. I wasn’t in the mood for anything new. I wanted something familiar, that I knew would make me happy.
I was browsing through my ebook library and came across one of my all-time favorite series: The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts. The books are the perfect mix of romance, strong female relationships and a little bit of whimsy. I love the fantasy of creating the dream wedding for each and every bride that walked through the door (regardless of cost). I love the romance between each of the couples. But most of all, I love the strong bond of friendship between the heroines.
It’s hard to find a good romance book or series where the core of the plot and series arc focuses on the female friendships as much as the romance. Every now and then I need that. I need to read about a group of girls who are friends first and foremost. Who support each other day in and day out, have each other’s backs, and genuinely enjoy the hell out of one another.
I’ve recently asked for more suggestions of books or series that follow the same theme, and have a good list compiled to get started on. Do you have any recommendations for me? What about your comfort reads, do they switch with your moods?
Comfort reads change depending on my mood. Actually, the changes are pretty similar to my reading patterns in general. I’ll be really into something for a while then never want to read anything like that again for ages. I only return time and time again to a few books, the main one being my all time favourite “The Princess Bride”. It doesn’t matter what my mood is, I’ll always want to read that. Julie James is a great go-to comfort read for me too, especially on lazy Summer days.
Comfort reads for me need to be whimsical, romantic, and without angst. For an afternoon read I turn to Ilona Andrews’ Silver Shark, or one of the shorts in the Under Her Skin anthology. For something longer a comforting read is the Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley.
At the risk of offending anyone by talking about my own books, the first two in my Reyes Family Romances involve 2 almost 40-year old best friends who are both divorced (for vastly different reasons), and both raising 2 pre-teens, an older girl and a younger boy. They run a party-planning business together. One gets her HEA in the first book, “Never Too Old For The Game Of Love”, and the other gets hers in “Recipe For Love”. Both of them are important characters in both books. Their friendship is what sustains both of them through the good and bad times.
When I need comfort reading, I usually turn to a sci-fi romance or a fantasy romance, because at that point, the last thing I want is to deal with any more reality, when reality is too much for me!
Oooh – La Nora writes great female friendships – faves of hers are her Key series, Chesapeake series and Montana Sky.
Comfort reads for me definitely change with moods. I love my Jayne Ann Krentz collection – whacky characters and a little mystery, also love Sandra Canfield/Karen Keast reads. I also love romantic suspense . with a grisly murder thrown in . . Laura Griffin and Kylie Brant are great reads.
@Ceilidh: I like staying with the same genre, unless that genre hasn’t been working for me. Then, I need to go the total opposite direction. 🙁
@Katie F: Yeah, most of my comfort reads are very light romances. Think beach read. 🙂 Never fails to make me happy.
@Fiona McGier: Oh fantasy romance… I need to read more in that genre.
@Willa: A good RS is a great way to distract me out of a funk. I prefer Cynthia Eden’s Deadly series. Although, I usually have to sleep with the lights on for a few days afterward. LOL
Nora Roberts is good with friendship. I really like the Key trilogy where the women are strangers and while on a quest become life long friends. The men are long time friends and very loyal. NR writes the best heroes.
My comfort reads are Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, Georgette Heyer’s Ventia, Frederica and the Bath novels and Carla Kelly’s Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand.
I also read Ilona Andrews when I’m stressed out or anxious. I imagine I’m Kate with a license to kick ass.
My comfort reads are my favourite books. I love re-reading them, and have been on a real binge of them lately. Anne McCaffrey, CL Wilson, Anne Bishop, Laurell K. Hamilton. But when I am really tired, I pick up an old and beloved childrens book.