Best Books to Read in Spring

by Kate Clayborn

Spring is all about new beginnings - flower blossoms, budding leaves, and - in Georgie’s case - a whole new version of herself.

Georgie has been a personal assistant for a long time, which means everyone else’s needs have been prioritized over her own for years. However, when she has to leave LA and return to her hometown, she must confront the fact that she’s never actually been sure about her own needs or what she wants in life.

When she comes across a diary she wrote as a teenager, she discovers that the ideas within it can be used as a guidebook to create a new version of adult Georgie. But this plan hits a snag when she runs into an unexpected roommate. Levi was once the small town’s troublemaker, but now he’s a grouchy hermit. Grouchiness aside, he begins to help Georgie with her journey, and if the duo can get past their past, maybe Georgie’s true desire can be found right beside her.

Reviewers say this one is emotional, witty, and steamy!

by Lynda Cohen Loigman

This dual-timeline novel has been on our TBRs. So when we saw it described as “a captivating, exhilarating, feel-good, heartwarming, and magical historical fiction with loveliest characters” we knew it would be a perfect addition to our spring reading! A bit of romance and a touch of magical realism will cast away the winter blues in no time.

Even as a child in 1910, Sara recognized that she was a gifted Jewish matchmaker and a seeker of soulmates. But on New York’s Lower East Side, this profession is dominated by devout older men who see a talented woman as a threat to their traditions and livelihood.

Two decades later, Abby, is a successful Manhattan divorce attorney with some of the city’s wealthiest clients. When her beloved Grandma Sara dies, Abby inherits her collection of handwritten journals in which Sara recorded details of her matches. The pages seem to provide Abby with more questions than answers - including why the work she once found so compelling suddenly feels inconsequential and flawed.

by Krystal Marquis

The cover of this new 2023 YA Historical Romance gives us all the spring vibes!

Step out of your own life and back to life with the Davenport family in 1910. The father, William, was formerly enslaved but made a fortune when he founded a carriage company. Now the family has immense wealth and societal expectations.

The oldest daughter Oliva is ready to do her family duty and get married, but then she meets a charismatic civil rights leader who makes her swoon, unlike her prospective husband. From Olivia’s sister to her best friend, the secondary characters also have romantic prospects with complications.

This is the first book in a new series based on the real-life story of C.R. Patterson and his family. While it sheds light on an often overlooked period of African American history, it’s also a light escapist romance read.

by Loretta Nyhan

Digging In weaves together two of our favorite themes for spring books - gardening and fresh starts. This short (248 pages) contemporary fiction novel is about Paige, who was widowed two years earlier.

Now, her trusted boss of 22 years is also gone, and his son has taken over. And he’s radically changing everything at the advertising firm, including an announcement that he’s getting rid of 2 employees at the end of the summer. Paige is trying to hold on to her job and her sanity for the sake of her teenage son, but her formerly perfect house and yard are both a mess.

As she tries to escape her new work problems on her back porch over a glass of wine, her nosy neighbor gives her a lecture about the dandelions in her yard. In frustration, she pours another glass of wine and begins yanking out the dandelions one by one…and it felt GOOD. Before long, she was looking for a shovel for more yard therapy.

Paige creates a bigger and bigger hole in her yard, much to the chagrin of her fancy suburban neighbors. But it’s helping her cope with the ongoing craziness at work and her lingering grief. Despite her inexperience in gardening and pushy neighbors, she finally begins to feel fully alive again.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/5/23.

by Julie Caplin

If you’re looking for a light, sweet, romantic read for spring - look no further!

Publicist Kate Sinclair’s had the perfect, glamorous life in London until her once charming boyfriend went behind her back to steal the promotion she’d been working for. Needing to escape, she trades in the office for a break in beautiful Copenhagen. As she discovers how to slow down and live life “the Danish way,” the city offers her a new perspective… one that might involve a tall, gorgeous Viking.

This is book 1 in the Romantic Escapes series, but it reads well as an independent standalone. The good news is that if you love this book, you can also look forward to armchair traveling to many more destinations through the pages of this series, including Paris, Iceland, Croatia, Ireland, Japan, and Iceland.

by Abbi Waxman

Like Digging In, you’ll get spring themes of both gardening and fresh starts in The Garden of Small Beginnings, which is from the author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. In this novel, Lili is three years past a car accident that unexpectedly made her a single mom of two young children.

Lili works as an illustrator and has been chosen for a prestigious boutique vegetable guide. But that means she’s also been assigned to attend a 6-week vegetable gardening class for some real-world veggie experiences. Despite convincing her kids and sister to join her in the class, she’s still not overjoyed with this required course. However, one patient instructor and a cast of quirky classmates later, she’ll realize the class wasn’t so bad.

While there is a minor romance thread, this is not a romance novel. Instead, it’s somehow both funny and emotional, with themes of sister relationships, family, and healing.

by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but did you also know that those flowers have a language all their own? Victoria Jones spent her childhood bouncing around between no fewer than 32 foster homes, but in one of them, she met a woman named Elizabeth who instilled in her a love of flowers and their meanings.

At age 9, Victoria wanted nothing more than to be adopted by Elizabeth, but something went terribly wrong. Nine years later, having aged out of the foster care system at age 18, Victoria finds herself homeless on the streets of San Francisco.

While Victoria is unable to get close to anyone, she finds that she can communicate through flowers, which allows her to get a job working for a florist named Renata. When Victoria meets a flower farmer named Grant, her past and present begin to collide and she is forced to confront some painful secrets for a second chance at happiness.

This novel is beautifully written and hard to put down! The book also includes the author's own flower dictionary, modeled one from the Victorian-era.

by Erica Bauermeister

“We sat in silence, letting the green in the air heal what it could.”

There’s nothing better than stepping outside and discovering that finally, after a long winter, spring is in the air! Perhaps more than any other season, when we think of spring, we think of all the wonderful scents that come along with it - from rain and dew to flower blossoms and fresh-cut grass. And that’s why The Scent Keeper makes our list of the best books to read in the springtime.

This is a moving coming of age novel about how fragrances connect us to our memories and help share our lives. Emmeline grows up on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the world through her sense of smell. Throughout her enchanted childhood, the one thing her father won’t explain, however, are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline gets older, her curiosity gets the better of her and she finds herself vaulted out into the real world, with all its ups and downs - love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge.

This book is described as lyrical and immersive, and unique in its exploration of scent. Even if magical realism isn’t a genre that you usually gravitate towards, give this book a chance this spring! It’s especially recommended for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and The Great Alone.

by Sarah Kuhn

Armchair travel to Japan this spring break! This sweet YA novel will completely immerse you in the spring sights, sounds, scents, and tastes of Kyoto. When you need a break from books about heavier topics, this cherry blossom-filled, light-hearted book about self-discovery and young romance is a delightful pick.

Kimi is a high school student who aspires to attend art school. Her mother is a well-known painter who wants Kimi to follow in her fine art footsteps, but Kimi has become much more drawn to fashion design - a field that her mother strongly disapproves of.

After an explosive fight with her mom, Kimi receives a letter from her estranged Japanese grandparents inviting her to visit them in Kyoto, Japan for spring break. Even though she's never met them, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to escape her troubles at home.

When she arrives in Japan, the cultural customs and language and completely familiar to her - as are her grandparents. Soon she discovers that inspiration is everywhere - from Kyoto's outdoor markets, art installations, and the cherry blossom festival. She meets a young man named Akira - an aspiring med student - who helps to show her even more of the city.

As the week goes on, Kimi gets to know her grandparents and learns so much more about both her mother back in America, herself, and her art.

The Book Girls Say... This YA book was a huge hit with our readers during the Book Voyage Challenge. Another great option is The Little Teashop in Tokyo, the standalone book 6 in the Romantic Escapes series. This second-chance romance story is set amidst the temples and soft pink cherry blossoms of Japan where a travel blogger comes face to face with the man who broke her heart a decade ago.

by Heidi Swain

If you’re looking for a very light and enjoyable book about new friendships to kick-start your spring, this is a fun one. Kate moves from her hectic London life to a cottage on Nightingale Square to escape her almost-ex husband and start fresh. However, as soon as she arrives, she realizes that the village is not quite as quiet as she thought. 

Her neighbors take neighborly to the next level, and before she knows what has happened, she’s assigned the job of convincing the local council to turn the Square’s green space into a community vegetable garden. But that’s not their only problem with the council. The historic manor at the end of the square is at risk.

Will Kate and her new quirky neighbors be able to save the mansion? 

by Georgia Clark

Springtime, with all its beautiful blooms, is a very romantic season, which is why historically spring was the most popular time of year to get married. May kicks off “peak wedding season,” so what better time than spring to read a wonderfully heartfelt and laugh-out-loud funny rom-com all about weddings?

For twenty years, Liv has run a successful NYC wedding-planning business with her husband, Eliot. When he dies unexpectedly, Liv is shocked to learn that he's left his half of the business to his young girlfriend whom Liv knew nothing about. Much to Liv's chagrin, perky Savannah shows up on her doorstep eager to be her partner and protege.

In addition to Liv and Savannah, we are introduced to many of the wedding vendors that they work with - the florists, caterer, servers, and musicians. In a Love Actually-style narrative, this book follows each of them as they navigate love and friendship, and we see their lives overlap at weddings throughout the city.

With five different storylines, we were worried that we'd be left feeling like we didn't get enough of any of them, but the characters were very well developed and the way that each couple was woven throughout the book left us feeling very satisfied! This book was especially lovely in its representation of so many different types of love stories!

by Jennifer Brown

As we brainstormed all the goodness that comes with spring, like fresh starts and gardening, Melissa couldn’t help but remember her least favorite part of spring as well - tornado season.

We found this highly-rated YA book for spring that tells the full story of fear and devastation along with hope, love, and survival. The main character is 17-year-old Jersey, who has a pretty normal life and family in Missouri, including her mom, step-dad, and a baby sister. She’s not worried when she learns of a tornado warning, they happen a few times a year, but nothing ever happens.

But this time is different. The town is leveled, and lives are lost, including her mother. Daily life is rough when she has to move in with her grandparents and father, who abandoned her. The book shows not only the original tragedy of the tornado but the ripple effects that often happen with natural disasters. Reviewers commonly call this short book both amazing and heartbreaking, so grab some tissues.

by Julia Kelly

Spring kicks off the traditional British “social season,” so we picked Last Dance of the Debutante for this spring reading list to allow us a peek inside the grandeur of this aristocratic world.

The social season emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries. The British aristocracy would leave their country estates for the spring and summer months for a series of balls, receptions, and other social events. The season culminated with debutantes - the daughters of the upper class - being presented to the King and Queen in London.

Last Dance of the Debutante is a historical fiction read that takes us back to 1958. When it’s announced that this will be the last year that debutantes will be presented to the royal court, thousands of eager parents flood the palace with letters seeking the coveted invitation for their daughters to curtsy before young Queen Elizabeth as they come out into society.

The story follows three different young women - Lily, an aspiring university student who agrees to do be a debutante to appease her traditional mother; Leana, whose apparent perfection hides a darker side; and ambitious Katherine who dreams of a career but is willing to help her parents find a place among the elite. But the season takes an unexpected turn when Lily learns a devastating secret that could destroy her entire family.

by Mary Kay Andrews

Spring weddings are fun, unless perhaps it’s your ex-husband getting married! Annajane thinks she has totally moved on, but seeing Mason at his wedding makes her reconsider. But, her unexpected feelings aren’t the only secret in this small town.

If you enjoy Southern chick-lit and don’t mind when characters are quirky and sometimes even unlikeable, this could be a fun spring read for you!

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/5/23.

by Benedict Brown

While fall makes us think of dark and brooding thrillers, spring is the perfect time for a nice, light, cozy mystery.

The year is 1925, and Lord Edgington of Cranley Hall, England, has planned a grand ball to celebrate his 75th birthday. There will be a little music, a little dancing, and - as it turns out - a little murder.

Lord Edgington, a retired Scotland Yard inspector, enlists the help of his teenage grandson to help him find the killer before any other family members turn up dead.

This is the first of six books in the Lord Edgington Investigates series, all of which are included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/5/2023.

If you love the time setting of this book, check out our full list of Mystery Books Set in the 1920s.

by Clare Pooley

Sometimes at the end of a long, cold winter what we really need most of all is just a truly feel-good, uplifting read. The Authenticity Project fills that role perfectly!

Julian is an eccentric artist in his 70s who is frustrated that more people aren't honest with each other. He shares his feelings in a notebook and leaves it in a cafe. The owner, Monica, adds her thoughts and leaves the notebook across the street at a wine bar. As former strangers find the notebook and share their authentic selves, they being to learn that instead of being scary, being yourself brings happiness.

by Rachel Lynn Solomon

The cover of this book gives major spring vibes, but the story actually takes place during the few months following the holidays! Nonetheless, Weather Girl makes our list of best books to read in the spring because it’s all about fresh starts and new beginnings!

Ari loves her job as a TV meteorologist, and she’s eager to learn from her boss Torrance, Seattle’s famed weatherwoman. But Torrance’s ex-husband, Seth, is also the station’s news director, so she’s too wrapped up in her own relationship drama to provide mentorship to Ari.

After a particularly disastrous office party, Ari commiserates with sports reporter Russell. Together, they hatch a plan to get their bosses back together to calm the office storms. Their scheming leads to unforecasted results when it turns out that they are the ones with the real chemistry. Despite their connection, both are skeptical about starting a relationship - Ari is struggling with her mental health and Russell’s heart belongs to his tween daughter, and he’s not sure he’s ready to share it with anyone else.

by Barbara Kingsolver

Our spring reading recommendations wouldn’t be complete without a book for Earth Day. While most of the lists you find online are books for kids, there are just as many wonderful Earth Day books for grown-ups. Flight Behavior is one of the best environmental novels to read on Earth Day because it paints a complex picture of the impact of climate change not just on the natural world, but also on ordinary working people.

Dellarobia had dreams of college, but she gave that up to marry Cub when she accidentally got pregnant at 17. After a difficult decade in an unhappy marriage on their failing Tennessee farm, she begins flirting with a younger man. One day, while hiking up a rural mountain road in Appalachia to meet this man, she spots what appears to be a lake of fire in the forested valley below. She soon learns that what she saw are actually millions of Monarch butterflies covering the trees. But why are these butterflies so far off course from their normal winter home in Mexico? Soon scientists, religious leaders, tourists, and the media descent on the town, each offering their own explanations.

This book strikes a nice balance between storytelling, science, and sociology - all with wonderful character development. While the specific biological event described in the book is fictional, Kingsolver says, in her author’s note, that “the rest of the biological story...is unfortunately true.”

by Amanda Flower

While some of our readers are already experiencing warmer weather for spring, others are still bundled up, trying to get through the rest of the cold season. To cross both weather patterns, we found some cozy mysteries about gardens!

Grab your blanket and head to Scotland to meet Fiona in the Magic Garden Mystery series. In the first book, she inherits her godfather’s cottage and walled garden, which may be a bit magical. However, when she arrives in the Scottish Highlands to make a new home for herself, she finds the garden overgrown with weeds…and a dead body!

As a newcomer, she’s quickly questioned but soon realizes that half the town had a motive to take out Alastair Croft, the dead lawyer with more enemies than friends.

Check out The Garden Plot, part of the Potting Shed Mystery series for another UK-based gardening cozy mystery. It features a Texas ex-pat living in London as a professional gardener who stumbles on a mysterious artifact, followed by a body, on one of her job sites.

by Jean Grainger

What could feel more like spring than the green, rolling hills of Ireland? We’ve always loved the Irish works of the late, great Maeve Binchy, so when we heard Jean Grainger referred to as “the next Maeve Binchy,” we knew we needed to check out her books. And then when we read a review that described The Tour as “a feel-good Irish springtime read,” we knew we’d hit the jackpot.

Each week, Conor O’Shea leads American tourists on a high-end tour of “The Real Ireland.” He’s a seasoned guide, but his most recent tour group is filled with a colorful cast of unintentionally hilarious characters that manage to leave him speechless for the first time in his life. As the tour continues, you won’t be able to help but fall in love with these tourists, as well as the locals they meet along the way. This is the perfect spring break book for armchair travelers!

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/5/23. Jean Grainger is also the author of the popular WWII historical fiction The Star and the Shamrock.

by Leslie Meier

St. Patricks Day is often the mental start of the spring season, so a cozy mystery set around an annual St. Patricks Day parade seemed like a perfect addition to the list. This is book #27 in the popular Lucy Stone series. The books all work as stand-alone cases, but there are threads in Lucy’s life that progress throughout the series.

In this book, Lucy meets the young new reporter, Rob, who threatens her job. In fact, she only gets assigned to cover the parade after he passes on the story. However, the tables are turned, with Rob becoming the story instead of the reporter. Despite the charges and her skepticism about him as a co-worker, she also doubts his guilt and needs to get to the bottom of this mystery.

You might also like some of the other springy titles in the Lucy Stone series, including Easter Bonnet Murder, Mother's Day Murder, St. Patrick's Day Murder, and Easter Bunny Murder.

by Mary Ellen Taylor

We try not to judge books by their covers, but if ever there was a book cover that radiates spring, this would be it. Fortunately, the story that unfolds on the pages - filled with romance, mystery, and family history - is just as beautiful!

Megan is a young historian and a pregnant widower. Despite her grief, she is eager to restore a landmark hunting lodge on Virginia’s Eastern Shore that was built by her great-great-grandfather, in hopes that it will help attract much-needed tourist revenue to the town of Cape Hudson. As the renovation progresses, Megan discovers a collection of old letters in Spring House - the caretaker’s cottage on the grounds of the lodge. Through the letters, she is drawn into the life of the woman who wrote them a century ago. Like Megan, this woman had many secrets. As the past and present weave together, Megan learns more about her family and herself.

There are lots of characters and quite a few different storylines in this book. If you’re not feeling up for the challenge of keeping track of the family tree, this might not be the right book for you right now.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 3/5/23. It is the second book in the – series, but reviews say it reads as a standalone, and many liked this book more than the first (Winter Cottage).