The holiday season is in full swing and I don’t know about you, but that always gets me in the mood for some feel good reads. The kind that leave you feeling warm and fuzzy and looking for puppy vids on YouTube to keep that feeling alive. Whether it’s the picture perfect small towns, that chance for redemption or the girl finally getting the boy of her dreams, that’s what I am in the mood for this holiday season, so I have put together a top ten of my favourite feel good reads!
My One and Only Duke
by Grace Burrowes
#1 Rogues to Riches series
This book has two elements I loved, one a rags to riches story for our hero. He grew up in Yorkshire in the home of his abusive poverty stricked and abusive father. Now, he is a successful and very rich banker through his sheer hard work, honesty and little luck. Secondly, the romance was a gradual build based on a foundation of respect and friendship…and a little desperation. Although I loved the heroine in this story, she was direct and practical but with a soft heart, it was the hero’s penchant for secret kindnesses that gave me the warm fuzzies.
[new-release title=”My One and Only Duke” author=”Grace Burrowes”]
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Carnage
by Sandra R. Neeley
#1 Whispers from the Bayou series
Okay, so the cover for this one doesn’t exactly radiate those feel-good vibes. But, you need to ignore that and read on anyways, that way you get to meet Carnage. Carnage may look terrifying, he is a gargoyle after all, and his communication skills can be somewhat lacking as he is unable to speak. However, that scary exterior hides the most adorable and sweet hero I have read this year. I loved him! Watching him woo his heroine had me melting on to the carpet.
**Available on Kindle Unlimited**
[new-release title=”Carnage” author=”Sandra R. Neeley”]
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Alien Gift
by Tracy Lauren
#4 Elysia series
This Christmas read was so sweet, Gorrard our hero has sacrificed a lot in his life to search for his missing people, including the chance at love and a family, now at 50 (approximately) he thinks it’s too late. Holly has been in love with Gorrard since she first laid eyes on him during her rescue from alien slavers. He may be 20 years her senior but she knows he’s the one. I loved this story seeing Gorrard finally find love and family, just like he has always desired was truly heart warming and perfect reading for over the holidays.
**Available on Kindle Unlimited**
[new-release title=”Alien Gift” author=”Tracy Lauren”]
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Rock Chick Reborn
by Kristen Ashley
#9 Rock Chick series
I could probably do a top ten of feel good reads with Kristen Ashley books alone. She seems to specialise in heart warming books full of cute kids, second chances and hilarious antics. However, the Rock Chick series holds a special place in my heart and so I was delighted to see the mama hen of the group Shirleen Jackson get her HEA. Shirleen has a past she isn’t proud of, but now she has fantastic friends, a job she loves and two sons that although she didn’t birth, she couldn’t love more. She’s surrounded by love, but hasn’t found a man to call her own. In Rock Chick Reborn though her world gets shaken up when she meets someone special to call her own.
[new-release title=”Rock Chick Reborn” author=”Kristen Ashley”]
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Butterface
by Avery Flynn
#1 The Hartigans series
I love a plain Jane story, it’s a favourite trope of mind, which means that I had to pick up Butterface by Avery Flynn. It had a heroine whose looks go beyond plain into ugly territory. Then we have the hero, a straight shooting cop who never met a rule he wouldn’t follow. This book was great as it showed that it’s more than just the outside appearance that matters. The heroine didn’t need an ugly duckling type transformation she was beautiful exactly as she was and the hero was smart enough to realise that.
[new-release title=”Butterface” author=”Avery Flynn”]
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Willa’ Beast
by Ruby Dixon
#3 Icehome series
The beastly and isolated from the world heroes always get my heart going to goo. I don’t know what it is about them, but I suspect it’s to do with the juxtaposition of their strong bodies and their quasi-innocent minds. Gren is one of these heroes. He’s never been touched with any kind of kindness before he meets Willa and seeing him finally look at the world and the people in it with out suspicion is heart warming.
**Available on Kindle Unlimited**
[new-release title=”Willa’s Beast” author=”Ruby Dixon”]
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Man Hands
by Sarina Bowen and Tanya Eby
#1 Man Hands series
This is a book of second chances and new starts. Our heroine has just gone through a divorce from a cheating husband, now she feels old and fat. Our hero had been spectacularly dumped by his girlfriend and is now on a hiatus from women. This romantic comedy is fantastic, with a mixture of laugh out loud moments and some deliciously sexy times. If you want a book that will leave you with a smile on your face this is the one to try!
[new-release title=”Man Hands” author=”Sarina Bowen”]
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Hello Stranger
by Lisa Kleypas
#4 The Ravenels series
You can’t go wrong with Lisa Kleypas, she knows how to write a fantastic love story. You can pick any one of her books from her older reads to her newer releases and you are guaranteed to fall in love with her characters. Hello Stranger was one of my favourite books this year, not only for the presence of such a strong female heroine, something always makes me feel good, but for the love story. Our hero has loved the heroine from a far for a while, but his life is dangerous and he has no expectations of a happily ever after with her. He also never expects her to love hims back. Don’t you just love it when the hero is wrong?
[new-release title=”Hello Stranger” author=”Lisa Kleypas”]
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The Governess Game
by Tessa Dare
#2 Girl Meets Duke series
Is there anything cuter than a mischievous child? Why yes there is, two mischievous children. Which is exactly what The Governess Game by Tessa Dare delivers. This story brings four people together and creates a family. We have the heroine who is hired on as a governess for two lonely orphans, we have the hero who is now the guardian of two little girls he loves, but is baffled by and then we have the two lonely and rebellious orphans. This was a lovely story full of humour, romance and family that shouldn’t be missed.
[new-release title=”The Governess Game” author=”Tessa Dare”]
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Love At Last
by Claudia Connor
Claudia Connor writes some fantastic feel good contemporary romances, each one will leave you feeling warm with a smile on your face. Love At Last is no different. We have beautiful babies, adorable toddlers and a hero and heroine who both deserve some love and happiness. So, although this is quite a summery read with a romance it has all the feel good trapping of a holiday read and is perfect for the holidays.
**Available on Kindle Unlimited**
[new-release title=”Love at Last” author=”Claudia Connor”]
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What are your favorite feel good reads?
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Annnnnd I will stop myself there, before I start waxing lyrical about my love of historical romance and fantasy as well; no one needs to know about my elf fantasies. As you can tell, I adore and day dream about most romance genres, and my three big loves are 1) reading about romance 2) writing about romance and 3) talking about romance with my gals. Which, is why I love Under the Covers so much, I get all my bookish needs satisfied and don’t get judged when I talk about my favourite characters like they are real people. Which they are right?
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I’ve read 5 books on your list. The Governess Game and Rock Chick Reborn are definitely feel good reads.
Yeah, I loved them they were both so cute. I especially loved Shirleen getting her man!
Awesome top 10 feel good books suzanne!!! My favorite was Carnage!!! Loved this awesome gargoyle and Sandra R neeley’s writing is awesome!!! Shared on all my socials!!??
I completely agree with having butterface on this list. I have carnage in my tbr. The governess deal fell flat after reading the duchess deal. Some of julia quinn’s earlier books as well as early books from katie macalister always make me smile.
Thanks for the recs Suzanne