12 books to lose yourself in if you're staying indoors

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

A story of hope, the kindness of strangers and the importance of community is strangely perfect for this unsettling time. This superstar of a book explores the lives of six strangers, who become connected by sharing the truth about their lives. It all starts with a little green notebook left in a cafe, and the character that finds it feels inspired to tell her own story. It's uplifting, it's timely, and it'll feel you with joy and affection for the world and the people in it.

Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

If you want a thoughtful, beautifully written story to remind you of the simple yet priceless things in life - gorgeous language, and the calming effect of routine - this is the book for you. Micah likes his life. He has it just the way he wants it, with his run every single morning, his errands for work, his woman friend whom he refuses to call girlfriend because they're in their thirties. But then a boy turns up on his doorstep claiming to be his son, and the balance he's so carefully constructed begins to crumble. If there was ever a time where we needed reminding about the impact of change, resilience and self-discovery, this is surely it.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Sometimes a good cry is the ideal way to work through your anxiety and pent up emotion, so we recommend you turn to this tear-jerker to give you all the feels. Lydia and Freddie are a match made in heaven. But then Freddie dies, and Lydia's life as she knows it falls apart. With a little hope, touch of fate and the passing of time, she might just be able to love again - but then something magical happens and she gets another shot at being with Freddie. How do you choose between a life that was, and a life that wants to keep moving? It's utterly heart-rending, emotional but ultimately uplifting.

A Springtime Affair by Katie Fforde

We all need something lovely right now, and quite frankly, this is it. Filled with spring air, new beginnings and delicious romances, it tells the story of mum Gilly and her daughter Helena, both embarking on new chapters in their lives. Gilly runs a beloved B&B, but is tempted to sell up when a handsome estate agent walks into her life. Helena is a talented weaver, who seems to be getting extraordinarily close to her landlord Jago. But they're just friends, aren't they? It's deliciously sweet, light-hearted escapism, and it'll fill your senses with the warmth of spring even if you're staying indoors.

The Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves 

This powerful, heart-squeezing story will have you hooked and wondering the whole way through. Maggie and Frank are married. But for the past six months, Frank has stopped speaking. They eat, sleep and live together under the same roof, all without a word. Maggie has plenty of ideas as to why he's suddenly fallen silent, but it's Frank himself who needs to unravel the secrets inside him. It's such a touching and heartfelt story, about love, life's greatest challenges, and the people we need to pull us through.

The Choice by Edith Eger

A memoir on the Holocaust might seem a strange choice when we're finding books to fill you with joy and escapism, but trust us. This is a beautiful, moving, hopeful story that gleams with human resilience and strength, through even the darkest of times. We think it'll make you cry, but we also think it'll make you smile. It'll remind you that things have been worse, and that things will get better. We are hugely inspired by the author, a survivor of Auschwitz, and how she's used her experiences to improve the world and the people around her. Read it and be comforted.

Riders by Jilly Cooper

If you've not delved into the wonderful world of Jilly Cooper before, now is the time. It's fun, flirty and unapologetically bonkers - if you'll forgive the pun... With sex, scandal, and show-jumping horse-riders, it's wild entertainment that'll see you flying through the pages. Set in the glamorous Cotswold countryside, it tells the exhilirating and irresistable story of Jake and Rupert, two men in feud both in and out of the show jumping ring. We'll say no more. Surrender yourself to it, and you'll be stock-piling the other books in the series before you know it. 

The Break by Marian Keyes

If Marian Keyes can't cheer you up in a time of crisis we don't know who can! The Break is a brilliant (and big, therefore pleasantly time-filling) read about a marriage on hiatus. It's about a couple re-discovering themselves, and facing a challenge they didn't expect, and it's about that line between a break and a break-up. Filled with the perfect balance of dark and light, it'll give you a good laugh, and probably a good cry as well. It'll also leave you wanting to read all of Marian's other books, and to that we say, crack on, dear readers, especially whilst you have the time.

The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward

This was chosen for the Reese Witherspoon Hello Sunshine book club and we can totally see why. It's funny, heart-twinging and drenched in sunshine, and will bring you just the kind of light you may need in your life right now. It's about an estranged family who reunite on a cruise in order to reconnect... but of course, it's not exactly going to be an easy ride. Available only in ebook, it's the perfect story to download on your kindle so you don't need to head out for a copy, or wait for it to be delivered to your door. You can slip into the sunlit story right away.

Needlemouse by Jane O'Connor

It feels as though we're all in hibernation, in a way, doesn't it? And that's exactly how Sylvia Penton feels. She's a prickly woman, secretly in love with her boss, and she volunteers at the local hedgehog sanctuary just to give the illusion that she's a nice person. But when a bright young student seems to steal her true love's heart, she realises she's been sleepwalking through life - and it's about time she woke up. It's quirky. She's loveable. If you loved Eleanor Oliphant, this is the next read for you.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Now is the time for an epic romance you can completely escape into, and Outlander has got to be one of the best. Shining with romance and adventure, it tells the story of Claire, who goes on a Scottish honeymoon with her husband only to vanish into 1743, where she meets another man who takes her breath away. She's caught between two lives and two loves, and it's the most entertaining, whirlwind read to transport you somewhere new. If you've got cabin fever, we suggest you magic yourself away with this romantic, and, let's be honest, slightly raunchy story made up of passion, action and suspense. An unbeatable trio.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

This book is just too beautiful, so much so that you might spend a good half hour admiring the cover before you can turn to the first page. But dive in! It's just the kind of story you can lose yourself in, with a feisty heroine, unwavering friendship to root for all the way, and an uplifting message about the power of books. It's a gorgeously big book too so if you need one that's going to last, it's the one for you. Carry it with you from bath to bed to sofa and leaf through it as the days slip by. It's every bit as lovely as you'd expect from the wonderful author of Me Before You.