6 Feel-Good Books for Spring
Every year I eagerly look forward to spring. Much to my great delight we have enjoyed spring-like weather in our area for the past couple of weeks. We could still potentially have winter storms and cold snaps for another couple of months, but I’ll take days of sunshine when I can get them. And now that Daylight Saving Time has kicked in, I’m going to just go ahead and say, “Spring is here!”
Just in case the weather doesn’t continue to cooperate, or even if it does, here are a few favorite seasonal novels for your reading pleasure this spring.
Obligatory Disclosure: As usual, book titles and covers are affiliate links which means I might earn a little bit if you end up ordering from Amazon.
Anne of Green Gables
While Anne of Green Gables actually spans a few years Anne’s buggy ride with Matthew from the train station when she first arrives at Green Gables makes me think of this as a springtime book…
The “Avenue,” so called by the Newbridge people, was a stretch of road four or five hundred yards long, completely arched over with huge, wide-spreading apple-trees, planted years ago by an eccentric old farmer. Overhead was one long canopy of snowy fragrant bloom. Below the boughs the air was full of a purple twilight and far ahead a glimpse of painted sunset sky shone like a great rose window at the end of a cathedral aisle.
Its beauty seemed to strike the child dumb. She leaned back in the buggy, her thin hands clasped before her, her face lifted rapturously to the white splendour above.
Leota’s Garden
It’s been several years since I read Leota’s Garden by Francine Rivers but I remember it as an excellent story (as most of hers are).
I also remember Leota’s whimsical tradition of tucking interesting little pieces in and around the plants in her garden. I’ve always thought that was such a fun idea.
The Shop on Blossom Street
Spending a springtime afternoon knitting and chatting with friends in a charming little yarn shop in Seattle sounds relaxing to me!
If you enjoy knitting and/or girl time you’ll enjoy The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. It’s the first in a whole series set on Blossom Street.
Glory Road
I love the down-home county setting of the multi-generational story told in Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton.
Garden shop owner Jessie and her 14-year-old daughter, Evan, live next door to Jessie’s mom, Gus. The novel includes full-blown plots for each of the women. I loved how they interacted with and supported each other. It was an engaging story including coming of age for Evan, second chances for Jessie, and aging and memory loss for Gus. I also loved each of the heroes… the boy next door, the returned high school sweetheart, the father of the bride, and the stinky old man!
April Gold
I can’t compile a “feel-good” list of books without including at least one Grace Livingston Hill novel!
April Gold is twist on the old-fashioned rags-to-riches trope. A well-off family loses everything when the father dies. The mother and her two young adult children have to learn to adjust to living in a shabby neighborhood.
Spoiler alert: “April Gold” refers to daffodils and other yellow flowers.
Strawberry Girl
Strawberries in the spring make me think of Louisiana. We lived there for 4 years when I was in middle school in the late 1970s. My grandma worked as a berry packer every spring for a number of years. She brought home the “culls” and we kids helped stem the berries to put in the freezer. We got tired after awhile but I have to say it was much more pleasant than de-heading shrimp which was another similar job during that time period.
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski was one of my favorite books growing up. It takes place in Florida in the early part of the 1900s, so it didn’t really match up with my experience in Louisiana, but I still enjoyed it. As adult I appreciate the theme of learning to understand and get along with neighbors who are different.
These books are perfect for enjoying on the front porch in that little patch of sunshine during the warmest part of the afternoon!
Happy spring!
