4 Feel-Good Reese's Book Club Picks To Pair With Your Slice Of Pie This Thanksgiving

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The fall months are a great time to curl up with cozy, heartwarming reads, especially as the spookiness of October gives way to the festively thankful vibes of November. While Reese's Book Club definitely has a genre preference, the celebrity-led lit group has highlighted plenty of feel-good selections since it launched in 2017. While these heartfelt titles vary in perspective, setting, and genre, a certain subset doubles as great Thanksgiving-break reading material.

What makes a story comfy and cozy can be very individualistic, with all of us having nostalgic pieces of media that serve as a personal pick-me-up. Even so, "feel-good" books are generally those that leave readers with an uplifted and hopeful feeling. This doesn't mean titles that are devoid of emotional stakes, as many of these heartfelt stories feature moving journeys and explore meaningful themes while maintaining a hopeful, if not lighthearted, overall tone.

In this way, we've curated a list of Reese's Book Club picks that are heartwarming enough to pair with a slice of pie this Thanksgiving. Whether you're interested in feel-good romance or moving nonfiction, the celebrity reading group has a little something to offer everyone this holiday season.

Balli Kaur Jaswal's "Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows" ranks as the first feel-good entry on our list, with the March 2018 book club selection coming equipped with plenty of humor and heart. While not explicitly fall themed, the 2017 release features a heartwarming story about a multi-generational family — just right for a holiday read.

Our plot follows Nikki, a West London-based twenty-something-year-old and daughter of Indian immigrants, as she agrees to teach a community college writing course due to her family's financial situation. The Sikh widows who sign-up for the creative writing class are there to learn English literacy, but a collection of sexy stories prompts Nikki and the class to tap into a much spicier, and eventually quite scandalous, education along the way. 

"This is a story about liberating women at every age, and empowering them to express their hopes, their dreams and what makes them feel good," Reese Witherspoon said of the book club pick. "Most of all, it's about how women across all generations can come together to change their community." With an average rating of 3.93 stars on Goodreads, other reviewers echo similar praise, highlighting the cultural representation and investigation of societal norms as standout elements. Alongside these thoughtful themes and topics, the novel has been shelved as "feel-good" and "light-reading" on the reading platform, with readers pointing to an abundance of humor and warmth. In this way, "Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows" is a great choice for readers looking for something lighthearted to pick up during the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Long-time fans will know that Reese's Book Club has selected some great nonfiction reads, with Cheryl Strayed's "Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice from Dear Sugar" landing on the list of standouts. Released in 2012, the memoir-meets-self-help book is a collection of entries from the "Dear Sugar" advice columns, with Strayed tackling topics ranging from love and sexuality to grief and healing under her pseudonym. "Sugar's advice is no-nonsense, poignant, soul-searching, grounded, and fierce in so many loving ways," Reese Witherspoon said of the novel. "No matter who I give this book to, the response is always a Big THANK YOU for sharing Sugar's wisdom and humor."

While the November 2022 book club pick is definitely an emotional read, bringing many readers to tears, it's filled with plenty of heart and hope. Reviewers point to the author's compassion and generosity as helping to foster these positive vibes, with the title garnering a 4.15 star rating on Goodreads. The reading platform also sees the nonfiction pick shelved as "feel-good" and "thought-provoking," demonstrating that "Tiny Beautiful Things" is a solid choice for readers willing to crack open something emotional this Thanksgiving holiday season. Given that this title tackles difficult topics, trigger warnings should be consulted as needed.

Next, the first-ever Reese's Book Club pick ranks as a laugh-out-loud ode to friendship, with "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman naturally being a solid, feel-good read fitting for the fall season. While the socially awkward Eleanor has structured her life to avoid social interactions, things change when she and Raymond, a bumbling IT guy for her office, save an elderly gentleman named Sammy. The three have each been living in their own form of isolation, but find an unexpected friendship budding among them. "Beautifully written and INCREDIBLY funny, this book is about the importance of friendship and human connection," Reese Witherspoon said on her official site. "I fell in LOVE with Eleanor, an eccentric and regimented loner whose life beautifully unfolds after a chance encounter with a stranger; I think you will fall in love too!" 

Other reviewers add that the book club pick brings an abundance of humor and emotion, being all about friendship, self-discovery, and forgiveness. Plus, with over one million ratings on Goodreads, the 2017 title averages a 4.23 star rating on the reading platform. It's also been shelved as "feel-good" and "made-me-cry," giving autumn readers an idea of the emotional, but uplifting journey "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" promises. This title does mention some potentially triggering topics, so readers should consult warnings as needed. 

For many, Thanksgiving traditions include transitioning into the Christmas season, either by putting up a Christmas tree or preparing for some intense Black Friday shopping. In this way, "One Day in December" by Josie Silver is a great pick for readers looking for feel-good vibes to round out the autumnal season. In the 2018 release, Laurie isn't convinced that love at first sight exists until she locks eyes with a man through a foggy bus window on one, fateful December day. Though she's certain he's her true match, she doesn't come face-to-face with the mystery man until a Christmas party, where her best friend Sarah introduces him as her new boyfriend.

"I think this book is just gonna warm your heart. It has a great ending," Reese Witherspoon said of the December book club pick, describing it as a combination of "Love Actually," "Bridget Jones," and "Serendipity." "If you love all those movies, you gotta read this book." With a 3.83 star rating on Goodreads, reviewers echo similar praise, with Laurie and Sarah's friendship alongside Laurie's character development being highlighted as major appeals. "One Day in December" has been deemed immersive, angsty, and heartwarming, with the romance novel being shelved under "fluff" and "feel-good." So, if you want to use your Thanksgiving break to transition into the winter holiday spirit, this Reese's Book Club pick is definitely a feel-good read to check out.

To curate this list of feel-good books, we looked to commentary from Reese Witherspoon along with reviews from readers to identify books that have been deemed heartwarming and uplifting, with bonus points being granted to titles that featured humor. Though our list includes books that explore heavy themes and topics  overall, our selections are hopeful and feel-good in tone and message. Additionally, to fit the autumn season, we avoided including books that focus on a spring or summer setting.