*brisk clap!*

WELL! Here we are. I don’t know about you, but escape reads have been both a lifesaver and about all I have the bandwidth for digesting lately. So without further ado, if you want some recommendations for fluffy escapism and engrossing stories, you’re in the right spot.

(A little bit of ado though! I use Amazon affiliate links but I know people have mixed feelings on Amazon and also want to shop small. Bookshop.org is a great resource for supporting small booksellers and I posted some of these titles in an affiliate list over there as well. If you’re sending a book to a friend, see if you can find a small bookstore near them or use bookshop.org to do that. It’s a bit more environmentally friendly too.)

And now, the books!

1. The Royal We. Listen, this is just always going to be my favorite escape read recommendation. It’s Prince William and Kate Middleton fan fiction by the ever-delightful Fug Girls, and I’m pretty sure it’s made it onto more than one Gift Guide. If you haven’t read it by now, I really don’t know what you’re waiting for. The sequel, The Heir Affair, comes out this summer and you can read my full review here.

2. Animal Dreams is an old favorite book. Reading it is always a comfort, and makes me long for the desert. A warm, real book about relationships, home, and finding ourselves. It’s in the same world and has some of the same characters as The Bean Trees, which is another favorite.

3. Evvie Drake Starts Over was one of my favorite reads last year. I was sad when it ended and didn’t want to leave its world. Smart, funny, bittersweet, and warmed my cold New England heart with its Maine setting. My full review here.

4. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I had low expectations for this book, but fell in love with its warm, charming humanity.

5. Devotions. This anthology of poems by Mary Oliver, my favorite poet, brings me back to the beauty of small quiet moments. Sit with this book for five minutes and feel the weight lift off your shoulders.

I’ve been on a real tear lately with Christina Lauren, who is actually two authors writing under one pen name. Each book so far is just like a romcom come to life, with well developed characters, fun dialogue, and laugh-out-loud moments: absolutely perfect right now. I will say that these get quite steamy in parts so be warned.

6. Roomies was like How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days meets Hamilton meets Sex and the City. If you need a distraction, this is perfect. My favorite of all theirs so far.

7. Twice in a Blue Moon was the first one I read and I was hooked. Felt like Notting Hill. London! Actors! Fraught love!

8. My Favorite Half-Night Stand. Someone said this reminded them of New Girl, and I can definitely see that.

9. Pretty Things, by Janelle Brown. Could not put this down. Riveting suspense with a hefty dose of social commentary. My full review here.

10. I Miss You When I Blink. A collection of essays about our modern world and the author’s life. Relatable, smart, and laugh-out-loud funny.

11. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of my favorite reads from 2018, also known as the year I read 100 books. Engrossing, charming, smart, and warm. I’ll never look at Hollywood the same way again. I was slightly embarrassed to sob while finishing it on a plane but YOU certainly needn’t worry about having that same experience any time soon!

12. By the same author, Daisy Jones & the Six is brilliant. Told entirely in dialogue, you’ll think this story of a turbulent 70s band is real. (I knew it was fiction but I googled several times anyway just to be sure.)

5/2/21: her new one, Malibu Rising, comes out in June and was also engrossing! I didn’t love it as much as her others but I think if you like either of these you’ll like it too.

13. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is fun, saucy, and a little bit ridiculous. Delightful.

14. I’ll Give You the Sun. Technically YA, this is beautiful and compulsively readable. I read it a couple years ago and still think about it. Jandy Nelson is an incredible writer, her books full of well-drawn characters, big love, and tiny beautiful moments.

15. Also by her, I really enjoyed The Sky is Everywhere.

16. Burnout: the Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. This isn’t so much escapism as it is a reminder of how much power we have to cope with tough situations. I still physically jump up, down, and around to literally shake off a stressful event because of the science in this book. Compelling, validating, entertaining.

17. The Positive Shift. In the same vein, The Positive Shift will give you hope. Small things can make a huge difference to our well-being. The takeaways from both of them: move your body, find ways to connect with the people you love, get outside and put your eyes on some nature. My full review here.

18. Updated in Fall 2020 : Please do not buy these books. I don’t know if we can separate the art from the artist, but I know I’m not giving the author any more money after her cruel and inhumane comments about trans people.

Legally I don’t think you’re allowed to have a list of escapism books without including Harry Potter. You can get them at your library or borrow from a friend.

19. The Heart’s Invisible Furies. Took me a little bit to get into this, and then I couldn’t put it down. Literary, beautiful, lovely, with one of the best opening lines I’ve ever read.

20. In Five Years was unexpected and the most engrossing thing I’ve read in a while. I don’t know that I would have picked it up myself, but a friend sent it to me and I’m so glad she did.

21. Red, White & Royal Blue was one of my favorite reads last year. I sent a couple copies to friends recently and I think my gift note summed it up nicely: “This is one of my recent favorites and *Stefon voice* this book has EVERYthing. Royals, DC nostalgia, progressive politics, SAUCY DIALOGUE. Hope you enjoy this perfectly distracting read during All This.”

22. Speaking of saucy, The Idea of You. This has no business being as good as it is. The premise is absurd, it’s (very) steamy, the cover is terrible, and it’s Harry Styles fan fic. And yet! It’s amazing—funny, smart, engaging, unexpected, and feminist. (I’m sorry, cover designer!)

23. When Life Gives You Lululemons. Is this going to win the Pulitzer? No. Is it easy and going to distract you from life for a while? Yes. From the author who brought us all The Devil Wears Prada.

24. Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike novels. I always look forward to a new release in this mystery series from J.K. Rowling under her pen name.

25. The Likeness. No one writes like Tana French. Impeccable suspense, Ireland, well-drawn characters. This is my favorite of hers. In fact, I’m due for a reread.

26. Crazy Rich Asians. Enjoy this then dive into the movie.

27. One Day in December. Like a cheesy Christmas movie in your hot little hands.

28. Normal People. A coming-of-age novel that hooked me from the first page. I devoured it, and now I can’t wait to watch the miniseries on Hulu.

29. Circe was one of my top picks from 2018. Not a single wasted word in this retelling of ancient stories. From the same author and in a similar vein, I also loved Song of Achilles. Both are great on audio.

30. Sookie Stackhouse. Did you watch True Blood? It was based on these books. They are ridiculous. Recommend. There are a lot of them in the series so they should keep you busy—and they’re currently a couple bucks each on Kindle.

31. The Bookshop on the Corner. Reading this gave me the feeling of reading when I was 12. Engrossing, endearing, and a light read that completely took me away.

32. City of Girls. Fun, smart, unexpected. Will make you long for your friends and New York.

Update! It’s still a pandemic and I am still reading, so I’m adding to this. More than 32 reads for the…price of 32.

33. 28 Summers. I’ve not loved any Elin Hildebrand but people kept raving about her new one so I gave it a whirl because it’s a pandemic and I literally have nothing better to do. I’m so glad I did. I couldn’t put it down—the perfect escape read. (Literally, because I now want to escape both from this pandemic and to summer on Nantucket.) It was long and follows people over the course of 28 (obviously) years, so you can really sink into this one.

34. The Flatshare. This was so good. I expected pure fluff but this was surprisingly warm, lovely, and honest—a fun little distraction. It’s got heart and depth and people I want to be friends with. I devoured it.

35. Big Summer. I don’t really understand what happened and I also could not stop greedily reading this book. Whatever you think this book is about, you’re going to be wrong. Recommend picking it up without reading any reviews. I will be scratching my head over this one for a while. Couldn’t put it down.

36. The Happily Ever After Playlist. Delightful. I couldn’t put this down. Perfect fluffy distraction that made me laugh and cry. Fun fact: the author is the same woman who owns the bakery behind the infamous “vageode” cake (google it if you don’t know). She’s the one who wrote the many hilarious replies to commenters during that whole thing, if that gives you an idea of the writing you’re in for. There are no accidentally graphic geology cakes in this, I recommend it nonetheless.

37. Beach Read. What a lovely and surprisingly weighty little book. Not at all what I expected given the title. It is a rom-com but it’s also serious and really well done. Not the fizzy bubbly confection I expected but still a beach read I couldn’t put down! Lots of buzz for this one.

38. Writers & Lovers. This cover is terrible and the name isn’t much better but everyone said to read it and they were right. I loved this. Devoured it. So much about the story felt familiar and comfortable and not just because of the Boston setting. This is a book of my (cold New England) heart. So much so that by the end, I loved the cover and the name, too.

UPDATE #2! I have more to add!

39. The Guest List by Lucy Foley. I found this utterly engrossing. My advice: don’t overthink it, just go along for the ride and enjoy being sucked into this page-turner. She also wrote The Hunting Party, which is essentially the same book set in a different place. Not quite as good but equally engrossing.

40. One to Watch. This is one of those books where I’m like “yeah, I like it. I think it’s pretty decent.” And then realize I’m taking extra-long walks and finding more things to clean just so I can listen a little bit longer. So fun on audio (complete with media commentary and podcast excerpts that appear in the text) and chockablock with body positivity and all kinds of diversity. I devoured it and want every single outfit described.

41. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me. A love letter from a grieving granddaughter to her grandmother. But! Written as if the grandmother is telling her own story, personally, after her death, to her granddaughter. It’s love letters all around. Beautifully done, wonderful on audio, so many laugh-out-loud moments and I sobbed through the end.

32 Escape Reads for a Pandemic

Caitlin's currently-reading book montage

2022 Reading Challenge