The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife- my sister loved the audiobook- I read it. SO good.

Isola- just finished and enjoyed it.

OP, reporting back, to express kudos to all on being 3 for 3. Guided by nothing beyond your suggestions and the availability of titles on audiobook on Libby, I’m now through Thus Was Adonis Murdered (charming, and I liked the erudite wordiness though I spent the first fifth unable to tell apart the British barristers). Then Tom Lake, which was lovely - although a significant share of the comfort perhaps should be attributed to Meryl Streep's voice itself! (I suppose it was a bit meandering for folks who want something faster-paced).

I also heard/read A Gentleman in Moscow, and while I initially was cursing the PP who recommended it, because there really is no plot whatsoever for the first, say, 75 pages, it was great and ended up my favorite. It definitely fit my (perhaps unspoken) wish for a truly good protagonist—who at the same time was interesting & not too twee or Disney-fied.

Any more recs DCUM? (I just received Long Way to a Small Angry Planet).

Starter Villian by John Scalzi is a fun romp

There’s a genre called Healing Fiction—primarily Korean and Japanese.

A few titles I like:

Welcome to the Hyunam Dong Bookshop
Tales of Kamusari

Go back and read all of the old Father Tim books by Jan Karon. I am not at all religious but enjoyed these a lot. Great stories.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve read and loved a lot of the books already mentioned. I’ll also throw out the Murderbot books by Martha Wells. The first, All Systems Red, is a novella, so it’s low commitment.

Agreed, I just listened to these. Many are free on Audible.

I was excited to listen to them because I love Alexander Skarsgård so I was excited about the TV series but I watched the first episode and hated it.

PP you should listed to Project Hail Mary if you haven't already and you liked Murderbot.

I read Project Hail Mary on the page several years ago and really enjoyed it. I’ve seen so many recommendations for the audiobook that I’m thinking about giving it a listen.

I randomly picked up The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett and it tickled me. Not a perfect book but it was perfect for me at the time.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve read and loved a lot of the books already mentioned. I’ll also throw out the Murderbot books by Martha Wells. The first, All Systems Red, is a novella, so it’s low commitment.

Agreed, I just listened to these. Many are free on Audible.

I was excited to listen to them because I love Alexander Skarsgård so I was excited about the TV series but I watched the first episode and hated it.

PP you should listed to Project Hail Mary if you haven't already and you liked Murderbot.

Anonymous wrote:I am super sensitive and cannot handle any trauma but love a good story. Here are my recent favorites. All of these I LOVED, and had good stories and characters and are light but not fluff.

Fredrick Backman:
My Friends
Anxious people

How to age disgracefully
Wrong place wrong time
Slow dance
Listen for the lie
The good part
The second chance year
Nora goes off script
Just another missing person
Now is not the time to panic (GREAT)
How Lucky

Audio:
Daisy Jones and the Six (amazing on audiobook)
Tom Lake (Meryl Streep narrates!)

I just cried when this book ended because I was so sad it was over.

His Beartown trilogy is another one I adored on audible. It's a little heavier than what OP may be looking for, but so good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t generally listen to audiobooks, so I can’t comment on that, but I think you might enjoy these stories:

I think you’d like the Mrs. Pollifax series by Dorothy Gilman. Written during the Cold War, they’re about a grandmother who decides she wants more excitement in her life, so she goes to the CIA and volunteers as a spy.

For humor, I love these romcoms:

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I loved the Mrs. Pillowcase series as a late teen/early 20s. It’s really good!

Never see it mentioned these days so had to give this a +1

I got a recommendation for the Mrs. Pollifax series from DCUM. To me they are wonderful comfort reads. I’m just sad that the author has passed away and there won’t be any new ones.

I’ve read and loved a lot of the books already mentioned. I’ll also throw out the Murderbot books by Martha Wells. The first, All Systems Red, is a novella, so it’s low commitment.

Anonymous wrote:Any of Kevin Wilson’s books, but most especially Nothing to See Here.

Agree with this, although I didn't love The Family Fang