Let’s face it: we live in a messed-up world and sometimes, all we need are some feel-good YA books to get lost in. Heartwarming stories to melt our heart into happy puddles, uplifting stories to make us smile, comforting books to pick up whenever we feel down.
I know I turn to reading a lot whenever I want to escape this messy world and I’m particularily fond of these soft, feel-good books that just makes you feel, well… better about everything. I thought I’d compile this little list today, hoping that you’ll find in here some new books to fall for.
Please let me know if you have any recommendations in comments, I’d LOVE to hear them!!
This blog post contains affiliate links. If you buy something on my recommendation, I will receive a small commission. Purchasing via these links will not cost you any extra and will help me cover the costs of book blogging. You will find more info on my privacy policy and disclaimer pages. Thank you!
10 Feel-Good YA Books For All The Happy Feels!
A Taste for Love, Jennifer Yen
A Taste for Love was such an adorable romcom, I loved it. While Liza dreams of culinary school, her mother dreams of setting her up with the perfect boy and turns her annual baking show into a Bachelorette event for her daughter. With a soft, heartwarming romance, a great girls’ friendship and a bit of family meddling, it’s the kind of book you need to make you feel happy and all gooey inside.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Last Chance Books, Kelsey Rodkey
Rival bookshops, hate-to-love romance, LOTS of banter and lots of feels: Last Chance Books IS the perfect recipe of a feel-good YA books. I loved reading this book so, very much, it made me smile, laugh, I was so invested in the romance and the characters as a whole. Definitely a YA contemporary you need on your TBR, friends!
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Like A Love Song, Gabriela Martins
Swoon-worthy, adorable, addictive, so heartwarming: Like A Love Song is such a good contemporary read. I loved reading about this international pop-star, fake-dating a small indie actor in order to restore her image. I loved the friendship, the character’s growth, the little show-biz peek. Such a fun read!
Add to Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
XOXO, Axie Oh
Since we’re talking about celebrities… XOXO has a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world, forbidden from dating and a cello prodigy who has no freaking idea who he is. I’m such a fan of celebrity romances and this book made me SO happy to read.
Add to Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
This is What It Feels Like, Rebecca Barrow
THIS BOOK, friends, you need to read it because I love it so much. This Is What It Feels Like is about Dia, Jules and Hanna. They used to be friends, they used to be a band and now they’re not…. but maybe a great gig will reunite them. This is a story about friendship, recovery, with fierce, main characters you’ll adore.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Today Tonight Tomorrow, Rachel Lynn Solomon
Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors and Today, Tonight, Tomorrow is an excellent feel-good YA book, if you ask me. It has the academic-enemies-to-lovers trope, a scavenger hunt in Seattle, a lot of questioning about the future and lovely friendships. It’s a book you devour and have so much fun reading.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
With the Fire on High, Elizabeth Acevedo
You know this feeling? When reading a book feels like slipping under your favorite blanket, wearing your best sweater, cuddling your favorite person? That’s how it feels to read With the Fire on High. This story is about a teen mother, dreaming of cooking and having a tough time juggling between this dream and life’s responsibilities. It’s a wonderful, wonderful read.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Tweet Cute, Emma Lord
A chronic overachiever and a class clown start a Twitter war over a stolen grilled cheese recipe… while also falling for each other on an anonymous chatting app. Tweet Cute is such a fun read, filled with banter, online messiness and a WHOLE LOT OF CHEESE that just made me soft. It’s such a feel-good, book that you definitely need to read if you want to laugh and have a good time!
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Save the Date, Morgan Matson
Morgan Matson is one of my favorite authors and I feel like a lot of her books could fit into that category. I wanted to pick Save The Date, for this list, because it’s a beautiful, family-focused read about change, growing up, moving on. It has its load of fun and unexpected moments as the main character prepares for her sister’s wedding and it’s one of these contemporaries that just makes you feel good and happy.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Chasing Lucky, Jenn Bennett
I love recommending Jenn Bennett’s books for anyone looking for a feel-good contemporary read. Chasing Lucky is set in a small town, it has this ex-childhood-friends trope I love, complex family relationships and it’s the kind of YA book you read all at once and, when you’re turning the last page, you have a smile on your page.
Find on Goodreads ☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Enjoyed this list? See a book you’d like to read? Order them through these retailers below!
For more YA book recommendations, check out these blog posts:
- 10 Cozy YA Books To Read For Fall
- 10 guilty pleasure YA books you’ll love to cozy up to
- 10 of my Favorite Romances in YA Books
📌 Pin 10 Feel-Good YA Books to Give You All the Happy Feels on Pinterest!
Enjoyed this list? Please consider supporting my work by ordering yourself a little book through my affiliate links. No extra cost and a brand new book to read for you!
What are some of your favorite feel-good YA books? I’d LOVE to hear your recommendations in comments!!
Twitter ☂️ Bookstagram ☂️Goodreads ☂️ Bloglovin’ ☂️ Support the blog
Subscribe to the newsletter for more book recommendations, exclusive intl giveaways, behind the scenes and more:
- YA contemporary
- sisters
- social media
- anxiety rep
Buy my book!
Against her mother’s wishes, Abby drops out of university to follow her dream: being a successful travel influencer.
Her sister by her side, Abby stretches herself (and her own mental health) thin for the likes.
But what, and most importantly, who, will she risk to lose on her way?
Us Against The Likes is a heartwarming college-aged YA book about how social media shapes us – and changes us. Perfect for fans of Amelia Diane Coombs and Kara McDowell.
I finally read Save the Date and Chasing Lucky, and I really enjoyed both of them! They were great recommendations given by you. I have to read the rest of them though 🙂 Great post xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Melina! I hope you’ll read more books by Morgan Matson and Jenn Bennett, I really recommend them all 😀
Absolutely agree with last chance books, omg loved it!!
Ofcourse virtually all the rest of the list is already on my wanna read, ahah! 😘
Ahh yay! I hope you’ll love them!! 🙂
Love this list! Totally agree with Fire on High and Tweet Cute, both were amazing books!
Oh thank you so much! I loved these so much! 🙂
I’ve read the last 2 but not the rest. I need to keep them in mind for when I want a cute YA. They seem to be harder to find these days for me.
I hope you’ll give them a try and that you’ll enjoy them as much as I did! 🙂
Dang, I even read THREE books this time and absolutely, whole-heartedly agree on everything said, which makes me believe I’d enjoy the rest as well 🙂 truly feel good YA!
YAY! Thank you so much, Kat!!
Ooh I absolutely love With the Fire on High!
Ahhh yes me too, it’s such a wonderful book <3
Tweet Cute and XOXO were two that definitely made my makes-me-happy list
Yay! I loved these two so much!
These covers are very cute. Nice list.
Thank you so much!
I love this list. ♥ Sometimes you really just need a warm, cozy hug in a book, and these sound great!
Oh thank you so much Destiny! <3 I agree, we all need these kind of books every now and then!
I’m always in the mood for some feel-good books, so I loved your recommendation post! 💕 Last Chance Books is still on my TBR and I’m very excited as it has both hate to love and bookshops, the perfect combination 😄 Same with Like A Love Song & XOXO, I was so excited for them, but still haven’t read these books 🥺 But I did read Today Tonight Tomorrow and I loved it!! 💗
Ahh thank you so much, Caro! I hope you’ll het a chance to read these, I have a feeling you’d really love Last Chance Books 😀
thank you for this! i’ve only read with fire on high from the list and i’m hoping to read the rest this year 😁✨
Oh thank you so much! I hope you’ll love these!! 😀
Jenn Bennett and Morgan Matson always manage to write wonderful feel-good books! 🙂 I also love Simone Breaks all the Rules by Debbie Rigaud and Becky Albertalli’s books in general <3
Agree, I love their books so much! I need to read Debbie Rigaud’s books, I heard great things about this author! 🙂
I’m going to have to check out the Rebecca Barrow book as one of the first teen contemporary novels I fell for was about a band. And I seriously can’t believe I haven’t read Save The Date yet 🙈 I’ve read one of these though and considering how little I seem to pick up contemporary lately that’s good right? The rest are all on my tbr.
Oooh yes you should! I feel like nobody’s talking about This Is What It Feels Like and yet, it’s such a fantastic read! I hope this list will make you want to pick up more contemporary reads 😀
I have surprisingly read most of these and I 1000% agree with you! They brought me all the happy feels. I need to read Last Chance Books and A Taste For Love!
Ahhh yay, I’m so glad you agree with these recommendations. Last Chance Books was such a fun read, I hope you’ll love it 🙂 Thank you so much!!
Love this list! I actually own quite a few that are on it, so I finally need to read them!
Ahh thank you! Can’t wait to hear what you think of them 🙂
This is a great list! Sometimes a feel-good book is just what you need. The ones off this list I’ve read hit the spot, so I’ll have to check out a few others.
Thank you so much, Nicole! 🙂