Gentle fiction takes the reader to a comfortable time and place with a leisurely story populated with enjoyable characters sharing meaningful relationships. Expect gentle pacing and light humor, but definitely no unsettling surprises, and no explicit sex, violence or strong language.
This page offers an introduction to select authors and titles in this popular genre.
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For One More Day
By Mitch Albom
Ever wish you had one more day with a relative who is now deceased? Ever wish you could ask the questions about the family that possibly stood between you and that person? Ever wish for resolution and understanding? Charles “Chick” Benetto’s life is pretty much down the tubes. He is an alcoholic, his family disowns him, and life has pretty much hit rock bottom. Chick decides it’s time to end it all. After his suicide attempt fails, he gets that “one more day” with his deceased mother, Pauline.
A Woman's Place
By Lynn Austin
World War II created many changes in the lives of America’s females. Meet four women, all of different backgrounds and social class, who form a tight bond while working in a ship factory. They face some traumatic moments and life changing decisions together.
Nights of Rain and Stars
By Maeve Binchy
A local cruise ship sinks. Four tourists are brought together through the tragedy, and, along with the local taverna proprietor, find strength and healing to deal with their pasts.
Family Tree
By Barbara Delinsky
Hugh Clarke’s parents always felt their son was marrying beneath him when he wed Dana, a woman who knows very little about her heritage. Now, with the birth of Hugh’s and Dana’s daughter, they feel their suspicions are confirmed when the baby is born with African-American features. Hugh struggles with his suppressed racism and Dana must struggle with finding out about the father she has never known. Will their marriage survive the tension and turmoil?
The Divide
By Nicholas Evans
Ben and Sarah, once happily married, are now divorced. Their children, Abbie and Josh, are devastated. Abbie turns to Rolf, an eco-terrorist, for consolation and a sense of direction from the tumult of her world. Then Abbie disappears. Eventually, her body is discovered in Montana. Past hurts and mistakes are revisited as Ben, Sarah, and Josh grapple with their loss.
A Perfect Day
By Richard Paul Evans
Robert Harlan is the author of a best seller, A Perfect Day, which is a novel based on the relationship between his wife, Allyson, and her father as he dies from cancer. He gets caught up in the success of his new vocation and strays away from what’s really important in his life, his wife and his daughter. A stranger enters his life and tells Robert he has a short time to live. Will Robert be able to salvage the love he has neglected?
Bleachers
By John Grisham
Coach Eddie Rake was a coach who got results. It’s been fifteen years since Neely Crenshaw became high school all-American quarterback, and he returns along with some of the others from the team to bury their coach. Sitting on the bleachers of the stadium, they reminisce about those days with a mixture of feelings towards the man they have come to honor. Neely struggles to find it in his heart to forgive his coach so that he can move on with his life.
Even Now
By Karen Kingsbury
Shane and Lauren are high school sweethearts, planning to marry and spend the rest of their lives together. Their passion gets carried away, and Lauren becomes pregnant. Both sets of parents intervened and rather than allowing the two to marry and raise their daughter, they force Lauren to put the child up for adoption and separate the two lovers. The parents take the step of moving to insure the relationship is over. Many years later, Emily Anderson discovers the story of her parents and attempts to find them.
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons
By Lorna Landvik
Freesia Court, MN, is the new home for Faith Owens. During a power outage, she meets her neighbors as they pummel each other with snowballs. The women embrace Faith into their group, the Freesia Court Book Club, a.k.a. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons (the name bestowed upon the group by one of the husbands). Audrey, Merit, Slip, Kari, and Faith go through life’s tumultuous journey together, both the joys and the sorrows. The women become closer than sisters.
The Birthright
By Janette Oke
Two young women, separated geographically and by many years, discover a secret their families have kept from them. They were swapped at birth to save the life of one. Now they have been brought together and are closer than sisters. But life is threatening to separate them once again.
Sam's Letters to Jennifer
By John Patterson
Jennifer is very close to her grandmother, Sam. She receives word that Sam has fallen and is in a coma. Jennifer rushes home to Lake Geneva and stays at her grandmother’s house. She discovers letters that Sam has written over the years to her, some of which contain some surprises.
Dear John
By Nicholas Sparks
John Tyree enlisted in the service right after high school. While home on leave, he meets University of North Carolina senior Savannah Lynn Curtis who is spending her summer volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. After two weeks together, John has to return to Germany to finish out his tour. Then 9/11 happens, and John signs up to go over to fight in the Middle East. Will Savannah wait for him?