These seven books are truly beautiful, and I suggest that you prepare yourself to feel a flood of emotions as you sink into their depths. While sadness may echo through the pages, whispers of fun and gales of laughter can be experienced too. Some of my favourite characters to exist linger here, their ability to provoke feelings of course lies with the skill of the author. That a character can live long in your mind, coming out every now and then to say hello speaks volumes doesn’t it. And I find, that those characters are usually ones who provoke me into feeling the whole gamut of emotions. Every single one of these novels made me cry, every single one made me laugh. So I invite you to enter with your heart and mind wide open, ready to welcome, ready to experience the joy that they offer.

Our most recent addition to this collection comes in the shape of One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Cricthley, a debut read, and a stunningly beautiful one at that. What shines most is the portrait of Edie herself; you can’t fault her loyalty, wisdom and kindness as a young girl, and you continue to admire her resilience and determination over sixty years later. She’s an absolute diamond – and one of the most sensitively drawn characters I’ve had the pleasure to meet on paper in a long time. One Puzzling Afternoon manages to keep the full range of emotions in play – you’ll cry, you’ll chuckle and there are times you won’t dare turn the page.

For even more recommendations on a similar theme, take a look at our 50+ Emotionally Turbulent yet Beautiful Novels collection.