It seems everywhere you look these days is bad news. Turn on the local news and you get reports of endless murders and crimes. Turn on cable news and you are swarmed with updates on the global pandemic and worldwide division. Head online and you’ll see even more chaos, negativity, and bullying.
It can be a lot for anyone to handle, especially if you’re someone who likes to stay informed on current events. That’s why it’s important to take mental health breaks; avoid the news cycle for a few days and practice some self-care.
A great way to shift your focus onto something positive? Reading! We love getting lost in the exciting fictional worlds of books. However, sometimes you pick up a book that sounds interesting but it can quickly turn dark or upsetting. That’s why we’ve compiled a helpful list of happy fiction books for adults to read.
These feel good stories range from classic romance novels to comforting, heartwarming series. Ready to look on the positive side? Explore our top picks for happy reading below.
The Best Feel-Good Fiction Books For Adults
#1 - Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Best known for her lively characters and complex emotional development, the legendary author Jane Austen captivates readers in this literary masterpiece. The story reflects the love and lives of five husband-hunting sisters in the nineteenth century. The story takes an unexpected turn when a wealthy young gentleman arrives in town. Today, Pride and Prejudice remains a time-honored classic in English literature. A staple for any avid reader.
#2 - One Mountain Away by Emilie Richards
With nothing but brains, ambition and sheer nerve, Charlotte Hale built a career as a tough, savvy real-estate developer. Her reputation is rock solid…but her life is empty. One terrifying day, Charlotte realizes that her friends are as grasping and insincere as she is. Far worse, she's alienated her family so completely that she's never held or spoken to her only granddaughter. Charlotte vows to make amends, not simply with her considerable wealth, but by offering a hand instead of a handout.
She does this through putting in hours and energy instead of putting in an appearance and opening her home and heart instead of her wallet. With each wrenching, exhilarating, joyful decision, she finds her path to friendship, love and forgiveness—even as she learns what it truly means to build a legacy.
#3 - Little House on The Prairie: Books 1-7
We all know and love the classic tales of Little House on The Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Escape to simpler times and catch up on this fun series which includes 7 books. Even better? You can share this collection with your children and make reading a family affair.
This box set includes:
- Little House in the Big Woods: Classic tales about life on the frontier and America's best-loved pioneer family. Inside the little house in the Big Woods live the Ingalls family: Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura and baby Carrie.
- Little House on the Prairie: For the first time in the history of the Little House books, this new edition features Garth Williams' interior art in vibrant, full color, as well as beautifully redesigned covers.
- On the Banks of Plum Creek: After all their traveling, from the Big Woods and the Prairie, the Ingalls family have found a place to settle - Plum Creek. Now Mary and Laura can go to school as there's a town close by.
- By the Shores of Silver Lake: Ma and the girls follow Pa west by train where they make their home at a rough railroad camp and plan for their own homestead.
- The Long Winter: Classic tales by Laura Ingalls Wilder about life on the frontier and Americas best-loved pioneer family.
- Little Town on the Prairie: She hopes to gain her teaching certificate and is determined to study hard at school.
- These Happy Golden Years: Teaching at the Brewster settlement, miles away from her family, is not as exciting as she had hoped and she is very homesick.
Buy Little House on The Prairie >
#4 - Colliding With Destiny by Sarah Jakes
This inspiring tale of grit and perseverance is perfect for women who could use some uplifting in their lives. Colliding With Destiny follows Ruth's life and her journey of transformation. Allowing God to transform her circumstances, Ruth went from a widow excluded from society to a wife with a secure and protected future, one that paved the way for the birth of King David. Her story is full of collisions, but she never let her past define her. Instead, the most painful time of her life became her most pivotal, propelling her to a destiny she'd never imagined. Many women experience struggles and disappointments that keep them from being their true selves. But as you follow Ruth's life, you will discover the hope available to every woman.
#5 - The Duchess by Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel captures an age of upheaval and the struggles of women in a male-ruled society—and paints a captivating portrait of a woman of unquenchable spirit, who in houses great or humble is every ounce a duchess.
This novel follows Angélique Latham who has grown up at the magnificent Belgrave Castle under the loving tutelage of her father, the Duke of Westerfield. At eighteen she is her father’s closest, most trusted child, schooled in managing their grand estate. But when he dies, her half-brothers brutally turn her out, denying her very existence. Angélique has a keen mind, remarkable beauty, and an envelope of money her father pressed upon her. To survive, she will need all her resources—and one bold stroke of fortune.
Unable to secure employment without references or connections, Angélique desperately makes her way to Paris, where she rescues a young woman fleeing an abusive madam—and suddenly sees a possibility: open an elegant house of pleasure that will protect its women and serve only the best clients. With her upper-class breeding, her impeccable style, and her father’s bequest, Angélique creates Le Boudoir, soon a sensational establishment where powerful men, secret desires, and beautiful, sophisticated women come together. But living on the edge of scandal, can she ever make a life of her own—or regain her rightful place in the world?
#6 - Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good by Jan Karon
Millions of fans will applaud the chance to spend time, once more, in the often comic and utterly human presence of Jan Karon’s characters. Indeed, they have never been more sympathetic, bighearted, and engaging.
This story begins five years after Father Tim Kavangh’s retirement from Lord’s Chapel. While glad to be at home in Mitford, something is definitely missing: a pulpit. But when he’s offered one, he decides he doesn’t want it. Maybe he’s lost his passion.
His adopted son, Dooley, wrestles with his own passion—for the beautiful and gifted Lace Turner, and his vision to become a successful country vet. Dooley’s brother, Sammy, still enraged by his mother’s abandonment, destroys one of Father Tim’s prized possessions. And Hope Murphy, owner of Happy Endings bookstore, struggles with the potential loss of her unborn child and her hard-won business.
All this as Wanda’s Feel Good Café opens, a romance catches fire through an Internet word game, their former mayor hatches a reelection campaign to throw the bums out, and the weekly Muse poses a probing inquiry: Does Mitford still take care of its own?
Buy Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good >
#7 - Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
A beguiling and easy read, immerse yourself in the romantic storytelling of Red, White & Royal Blue.
The book explores the question: What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales? When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius―his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.
Enjoy More Happy Fiction Books
At Marissa’s Books, we pride ourselves on curating an extensive collection of fiction books for every type of reader and skill level. From classic literature, thrilling westerns, and inspiring romantic novels, discover our range of the best fiction books for adults and teens online today.