Books That Read Like a Hallmark Movie

If you love a good Hallmark movie you need this huge list of books that read like a Hallmark movie.

I love a good Hallmark movie, but you know what I love even more? Books that read like a Hallmark movie!

I don’t watch a lot of T.V. but when I do it tends to be a movie for family movie night, a sappy love story, or romantic comedy. 

And when life gets stressful I tend to go straight to the somewhat cheesy and predictable Hallmark love story type of show. 

I have noticed that my reading life follows the same pattern. I don’t read a lot of fiction. I tend to read more nonfiction than fiction, but there are times, like over the last few months, where I just need some easier books to read.

When life gets crazy, or when I have read several heavy more serious nonfiction reads, I go straight to the lighter fun fiction reads. 

Books that don’t take a lot of thought. The type of read that you can escape into.

Those type of reads are like a palate cleanser for me. They give me a break before I pick up something that is sad or takes a lot more thought to process through. 

One of my favorite type of books like this are fiction books that reads like a Hallmark movie. Saying it is like a Hallmark movie is the best way that I know how to describe it. 

They are books that are lighter reads. They contain some romance, without the graphic details and love scenes. They are books that take you to another time and place. Books that you can escape into and finish in a day or two. 

Because I know I am not the only one that loves these types of books, I put together a list of some of my favorite books that read like a Hallmark movie. 

Now not all of these are quite like a Hallmark movie. Most Hallmark movies are set in modern times. Several of these books are more historical fiction, set in a different time, but you still get that Hallmark movie type of feel when you read them. 

Books That Read Like A Hallmark Movie

Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate. I picked up Tending Roses at a used bookstore that my husband and I visited. It is sweet, slightly sad but in a good way, and such a great read. It would make a great Hallmark movie! 

It is the story of a woman, who moves in temporarily with her grandmother. Instead of just helping her grandmother, she ends up realizing what is important in life. Life isn’t about stuff it is about family, faith, and love. Her time spent helping her grandmother ends up changing her life. 

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner. I had heard so many great things about The Jane Austen Society and I needed something different to read, so I picked it up to read.

The Jane Austen Society was just the type of read that I needed for the summer of 2020. The Jane Austen Society is set in Chawton, England just after WWII. An interesting mix of characters come together because of their love of Jane Austen. This book is charming and quaint. I read it in just a couple of days.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking what a great movie it would make. I have read several books by Katherine Reay and this is now one of my favorites.

The book is about a bookshop in a small town in Illinois. It is about love, friendship, second chances, and forgiveness. If you like books by Katherine Reay or books about books, this is a great read. 

The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews. Most Hallmark movies are modern day topics, but The Heart Mender would make such a great Hallmark movie.

It is about love and war. It is a WWII novel set on the Gulf Coast. Yes, the gulf coast. This was one of my favorite books of 2017, and I would love to see it made into a movie.

Jane of Austin by Manton Lodge. This wasn’t a deep or thought-provoking read, but it was a fun clean romance.

There are a lot of books that are modern versions of Jane Austen, but not all of them are well done. I thought Jane of Austin was a well written modern twist on a classic story of Sense and Sensibility.

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate. Lisa Wingate has become one of my favorite fiction writers and The Prayer Box is now one of my favorite books of hers.

The story is set in a beach town. It deals with messy pasts, friendships, dysfunctional families, and of course a little romance. This is another book that I think would make a great movie.

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate. Set in Appalachia, The Story Keeper, is a book that you won’t forget. Jen Gibbs is a successful New York editor who finds herself revisiting her past through a manuscript that somehow found its way to her desk. It is about love, family, and so much more. This book draws you in to the story in a way that few books do.

The Lady and The Highwayman by Sarah M. Eden. This book has been in my TBR pile since last fall. I finally picked it up recently when I needed a lighter read.

The Lady and The Highwayman is considered a proper romance book. It is romance without graphic details. This book is about two authors during the Victorian age. In many ways, they are the same, but in many ways, they are also different.

She is the headmistress of a school, who is not only an author of novels for the upper class but also writes stories for the working class under a pseudonym. He was a sea urchin who also became a successful writer, but he uses his money to fight for the working class and for children.

This book was a fun read that included romance and mystery. I thought the author’s writing was very creative in this one. It wasn’t your typical cheesy proper romance read.

The Gown by Jennifer Robson. If you enjoy shows like The Crown or Downton Abbey, The Gown by Jennifer Robson is a book you will probably love. The book is written from multiple points of view during multiple time periods. That might not make for the best movie, but in this book, it worked so well.

The writing and character development are well done. It draws you into the story and makes you care about the characters and what happens to them. It takes a story about sewing and textiles and makes it interesting. It also gives you a look into what the lives of lower-class workers at the time were like.

Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson. This is Jennifer Robson’s latest book. It weaves Queen Elizabeth’s coronation into a story of what life was like in London after WWII. There is also a mystery that gave the story an interesting twist.

I really enjoyed this one. It is another great book for those that love books set in England and another book that would be great made into a movie.

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett. This was a fun easy read that I finished in two days. After abandoning two modern fiction books because they contained way too many descriptive love scenes, it was nice to read a clean Christian romance type of book. In my opinion, a good storyline does not need descriptive love scenes to sell it.

All too often modern-day fiction has at least a few pages that I feel could have totally been left out of the story. This book is a bit cheesy and predictable, but it was also fun to read. It is set in a National Park, and I enjoyed the descriptions of the mountains and scenery.

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett. This is the third book in the Vintage National Park series, and I have read all three. There are three books in this series, but they do not have to be read in order.

Each book is set in a different National Park with totally different characters and plots. I really enjoyed this for a fun mindless read. Yes, it is a predictable somewhat cheesy romance, but it is clean, fun, and has a decent plot.

Not By Sight by Kate Breslin. This was an easy read. I found the story a bit unrealistic, but I enjoyed learning historical facts that I didn’t know.

They are many historical fiction books based on WWII, but not nearly as many on WWI. I enjoyed the fact that this book covered WWI. I enjoyed the author and have added a couple of her other books to my to read pile. This is another one that would I think would make a great movie. 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. I loved the book and the movie. Yes, this one has already been made into a movie.

If you have not read the book, I highly recommend this one. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book vs. movie be sure to read my post all about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book vs movie.

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. I feel like The Blue Castle is a hidden gem that doesn’t get the praise it deserves.

It follows the life of Valancy Stirling who lived on a quiet street in an ugly little house and never dared to go against her domineering mother and her unforgiving aunt. Then she gets a letter from the doctor and decides that things need to change. For the first time in her life, she does exactly what she wants to. She moves out, takes a job, and lives her life as she wants to.

If you love Anne of Green Gables but haven’t read The Blue Castle, it is time to add it to your to-be-read list. It is so well written. It captivates the reader into the life of Valancy. If you need a well-written love story without some of the annoying stuff in modern books, this is it. It may be old, but it still rings true for readers today. 

Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne.This was a fun easy to read clean romance book. I would describe this as a Hallmark movie in book form.

It was predictable but good. I liked the characters, and the story line was a little different than most books like this. I read this while recovering from surgery, and it was the perfect read when I wasn’t feeling well.

Healing Hearts by Sarah M. Eden. This is another book that fits in the proper romance category, but after reading several fiction books with way too many graphic details, this book was just what I needed. 

This book reminded me of the Jeanette Oke type books that were popular when I was a teenager. It is a clean, somewhat cheesy, predictable, romance.

This is not the type of book I would read all the time, but it I enjoyed reading it for a mindless easy read. I think it would be a good book for a teenager that like historical fiction but is looking for something without all the graphic details.

The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge. I don’t know how else to describe The Scent of Water besides saying that it is a charming story set in a rural English village.

The author deals with difficult issues in an unexpected but well-done way. Her writing and description of characters and place is great. It draws you into the character’s lives and stories. The book deals with sadness, illness, and everyday trials in a way few books do.

This book is also a reminder that knowing your family and their history helps you know yourself better. I was sad to see this book end. I wanted to know more and kind of wished there was a sequel.

Gilded Newport Mysteries by Alyssa Maxwell. The Hallmark Channel now has quite a few movie series that are mysteries, so I knew this would be perfect for my list of books that read like a Hallmark moive.

The Gilded Newport series is not just a book, but a whole series of books. They would all make great Hallmark movies. They are set during the Gilded Age. They contain romance, mystery, and history all in one great book series. 

Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay. I already featured a Katherine Ray book on the list, but I knew I had to include this one too. Dear Mr. Knightly made me list of favorite books a few years ago. It is such a sweet story.

It is about a modern-day girl who has had a rough life. She receives a grant to go to college. As part of the grant, she has to write letters to the donor detailing how life and school are going. You learn about her life, her hardships, and how she overcomes them through the letters that she writes.

When I started the book, I was not sure I was going to enjoy it, but by the end of the second chapter, I was hooked and could not put it down.

Do you have some favorite books that read like a Hallmark Movie? I would love to hear some of your favorites! 

Originally published July 2020. Updated April 2023.