15 Uplifting Books to Lift Your Spirits

      August 7, 2025

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      Although I enjoy a variety of genres, I often find myself caught in the same reading patterns. I tend to either devour thrillers that leave me paranoid about everyone I pass on the street or indulge in melancholic stories that make me wish for rainy days so I can listen to Lana Del Rey while staring thoughtfully out the window. Don’t misunderstand me; I appreciate those types of books. However, every few weeks, I snap out of it, yearning for a read with a single purpose: to bring a smile to my face (even if it's just a subtle one, since who truly sits grinning broadly while staring at their Kindle?). I mean those uplifting books that warm your heart and renew your faith in humanity.

      You might immediately think of lighthearted romances, and while they certainly fit under the feel-good umbrella, there are many books that, despite not appearing light initially, possess deeply touching and uplifting tales. From literary fiction to mysteries to romantic comedies, there's a feel-good book out there for everyone. Whether you need a respite from reality’s stresses or just want to read something cheerful for a change, here are 15 feel-good books that deserve a place on your TBR list.

      **Katherine Center**

      Emma Wheeler yearns to be a screenwriter. When she gets the chance to rewrite a script for renowned screenwriter Charlie Yates, it's an opportunity she can't ignore. But what do they say? Never meet your heroes? Charlie doesn't want to collaborate with anyone—least of all “a failed, no-name screenwriter.” Yet Emma isn't ready to back down. She will prove to him that love stories are significant—even if it means kissing him senseless to convince him.

      **Fredrik Backman**

      Fredrik Backman has a talent for transforming unexpected narratives into profoundly touching reads, and *Anxious People* is no exception. While looking at real estate usually isn't a dire situation, an apartment open house turns into a life-or-death moment when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. None of them are who they seem, and they all—the robber included—long for some form of salvation. As the authorities and media surround the site, these unwilling allies will unveil surprising facets of themselves and trigger an unforeseen series of events.

      **Matt Haig**

      When retired math teacher Grace Winters inherits a dilapidated house on a Mediterranean island from a long-lost friend, her curiosity leads her there. She arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook, and no plan. Amid the island's rugged hills and golden shores, Grace seeks answers about her friend’s life and demise. What she discovers is stranger than anything she could have imagined. However, to uncover this impossible truth, Grace must confront her own past first.

      **Elissa Sussman**

      Chani Horowitz feels stuck. Then she's hired to write a profile on movie star Gabe Parker, her ultimate celebrity crush and the latest James Bond. The interview leads to a whirlwind weekend that grabs tabloid headlines. Ten years later, following a brutal divorce and ample therapy, Gabe’s PR team suggests they reunite for another interview... and she agrees.

      **Shelby Van Pelt**

      After Tova Sullivan’s husband passes away, she starts working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Staying busy has been her way to cope since her son, Erik, mysteriously went missing at sea over 30 years ago. Tova forms a bond with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus residing in the aquarium. Marcellus has figured out what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared, and he must reveal the truth to her before it’s too late. This dual-perspective story will keep you smiling throughout and might make you rethink ordering octopus in the future.

      **Chelsea Handler**

      You can bet that when you read a book by the incredibly funny Chelsea Handler, you'll be stifling laughter the entire time. Delightfully candid and always outrageous, Chelsea shares her unforgettable journey to become the woman she's always aspired to be. This book perfectly captures the lively, adventure-packed, and joyous life she has created—a life that makes the rest of us think, “I want what she’s having.”

      **James McBride**

      During construction for a new development, workers unexpectedly discover a skeleton at the bottom of a well. The identity of the skeleton and how it ended up there are two of many long-held secrets by the residents of Chicken Hill, particularly Moshe and Chona Ludlow, who ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. When the state seeks to institutionalize a deaf boy, the community rallies to protect him. What unfolds reveals the truth about the skeleton, the boy,