4 Books to Read this Spring

Is anyone else looking forward to the new version of Emma coming out? I am! Jane Austen is a favorite of mine, so I welcome new movie versions of her stories. One of the reasons I love her stories is because of her witty and intelligent female heroines. With the just-before-Spring release of the new movie and in the spirit of Emma I decided to put together a list of 4 lighthearted books to read this Spring. The chosen books include adventurous and spirited women, romance, adventures, and new aspirations. These are perfect after a long and heavy winter season to brighten the mood!

4 books to read this spring

Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim. This charming classic involves 4 women who want to escape their dreary, everyday lives. They find the perfect opportunity when one reads about a castle in Italy for rent for the month of April. The four barely acquainted women pool their money together to spend their April in the lovely Italian castle with wisteria. Each of them has a chance to think about and change her circumstances. This is a sweet and charming story that can be read in a weekend.

Emma by Jane Austen. Yes, you can just watch the movie, but you will miss out if you don’t read the book. And you can never go wrong with any Jane Austen novel which is especially true with Emma. You can’t help but love the mischievous Emma, a young woman who makes a comedic career of matchmaking with unexpected results including her own match.

Snow in April by Rosamunde Pilcher. Rosamunde Pilcher died just this last year and left a firmly established legacy of quality family drama novels. She has a talent for portraying complex characters who are also flawed human beings living in a world that isn’t always black and white. “Snow in April” is one of her earlier works and is more of a novella because of its length. However, because it is a sweet story and a light read, I included it in this group. A young woman on the eve of her marriage attempts to save her little brother from having to move across the world by taking a last-minute trip to find their oldest brother. She ends up stranded in an April Scottish blizzard with time to rethink her life choices including her impending marriage.

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. Georgette Heyer is Jane Austen regency with much more pizzazz. In “The Grand Sophy” our pistol-wielding, heroine, Sophy, has been sent to stay with her Uncle and Aunt. Instantly locking horns with her eldest cousin and heir, Sophy defies him and sets out to solve the family’s many problems in her own way. This book doesn’t disappoint! I will be picking up more by Georgette Heyer for sure.

Have a bright and shining day!