4 feel-good books to lift you up when you're down

Sometimes, all we need is a really good, happy-go-lucky book (or four) to help us through a tough time. I know that, for me, reading is my go-to form of self-care when I'm feeling a bit down or unhappy. For anyone who needs uplifting but doesn't have a feel-good book in mind, look no further, because I've listed my four favourites that will definitely put a smile on your face.

1. Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell

“I'm going to have that carved on my gravestone. 'Here lies Joseph James. Nicer than you thought. And great in bed too.”

Three Amazing Things About You is a touching novel that follows the stories of three ladies whose lives all intersected in the most unexpected and fascinating of ways. There's Hallie, who's dying from cystic fibrosis but is hell-bent on living her life to the fullest (she's even crushing on her doctor, Luke Hilton), Flo, a care assistant who was left with an astonishing inheritance when her patient passed away, and Tasha, who meets the man of her dreams while arm-deep in a rubbish bin. In Mansell's signature style, there was an underlying current of hope, friendship and love throughout the book that would leave any reader addicted.

2. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

“Lover? I don't know. I don't know if she loves me. I don't know if I love her. All I can say is, she's the one I think about. All the time. She's the voice I want to hear. She's the face I hope to see.”

When Poppy Wyatt loses her engagement ring, an antique, three-generation-old emerald and diamond ring given to her by her fiance, in a hotel fire drill, and has her phone stolen only a few minutes later, her life as she knows it is over. Her luck beings to look up, however, when she spots an abandoned phone in the rubbish bin, and she immediately claims it as her own. What ensues is a hilarious and unexpected turn of events as Poppy and Sam, the owner of the phone, increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and texts. I've Got Your Number is one of my all time favourite books and is a must-read for anyone who loves a good laugh.

3. The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson

“Anyway, seeing as it is Bronte Tuesday and we should respect that, Charlotte, Emily and Anne - snog, marry or avoid?”

The Teashop on the Corner is a story that teaches us never to give up hope, even in the hardest of times. The book follows the lives of a group of strangers, each at a low point of their lives, who happen upon a gorgeous literary cafe and come together to form a close-knit group of friends sharing happiness, heartbreak, and a lot of very special moments. Filled with a wonderful mix of characters and a wealth of delicious baked goods, must-have gifts, and interesting literary debates, this is the perfect pick-me-up to enjoy Sunday with a freshly brewed pot of chamomile tea and a big slice of homemade cake.

4. The Best Man Kristan Higgins

“What’s more appealing than a guy who gets down on his knees and lets your dog lick his face?”

Three years after being jilted at the altar, Faith Holland (unhappily) returns to her hometown and comes face-to-face with the ghosts of her past. As she attempts to juggle her life between work at Blue Heron Winery, saving her father from a potential gold-digger, and a budding relationship with her neighbour/ex-fiances best friend, Faith ultimately learns that there is no place better than home.