Autumn’s Here: What Should Be on Your TBR

The cosy season is approaching which means even more of us may be inclined to curl up and read a book. The following list offers a variety of suggestions that are fitting for the season 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine:

October is when for many everything has truly settled back into routine, Eleanor’s life is built on routine and the mundane until she forms a crush on a singer and a friendship with a work colleague. This book explores trauma and the importance of emotional connection.

Pumpkin Spice Cafe:

This book, as the name suggests, is the epitome of Autumn. Laurie Gilmore has made her name in her seasonal and cozy books and her debut novel definitely made its mark leading to over 600,000 ratings on good reads and an inspired colouring book as well as cookbook. The book encapsulates many tropes including: city girl x small town boy, grumpy x sunshine and found family - making it the perfect simple fall romance. 

The Cruel Prince:

The autumn season prompts many to get into their fantasy era and The Cruel Prince can be considered a more approachable fantasy for new readers of the genre to get into. This is due to its less complex world building as well as side plot of romance. The novel follows Jude, a human wanting to win a place in the High Court of Faerie despite their hatred for mortals. She must defy Prince Caden to win her place and face the consequences.

The Cozy Creek collection

The Cozy Creek collection is a spicy, small-town, autumn-inspired romcom stand-alone series. It involves six books each by a different romance author which I think is quite a creative concept to see how different authors use the same town setting. Adding one of these to your TBR fits the autumn vibe to a T and three of six were released this year if you want something new. Fall I Want by Lyra Parish first introduces us to Cozy Creek and billionaire Zane and the fittingly named Autumn, as they fake date. The second book in the series is Fall Too Well by Erin Branscom which is a second chance workplace romance between a single mum and brooding cowboy. The third, Fall at Once is by Nora Everly and follows single dad firefighter Cole and Madison who’s returned to help run her grandmother's bakery. The fourth, Fall Shook Up by Piper Sheldon follows Levi, a reclusive artist who is renting his house to nosey journalist, Claire. This is the one I’ve personally added to my physical TBR after seeing its gorgeous sprayed edges and it feeling fitting as I’m an journalism student. The fifth, Fall Me Maybe by Lacey Hatcher sees Lu fall for her rideshare driver Noah as he drives her to and from dates where she hopes to find ‘the one’. And last in the series, Falling Slowly by Enni Amanda follows a single mum on her all-expenses paid luxury autumn art retreat and her boss’ son who crashes her private cabin. One of the above synopsis should be just right for a fall romance for you!

Wuthering Heights

 If you fancy a classic for the autumn season, frankly many of the Brontë sisters’ works could serve you but the windy moors of Wuthering Heights certainly fits the autumnal season as well as an at times gothic atmosphere. The tragic tale of Cathy and Heathcliff captures readers and afterwards you may even fancy watching a slightly less book accurate film inspired by the book directed by Emerald Fennell.

Halloween Town

This book perfectly fits the October theme with Halloween literally in the title. Poppy McMaster flees her wedding to return to her home town, where Halloween lasts all year long. But the town isn’t how she left it with her grandparents' beloved inn now being owned by Thom Sheffield, her ex-fiancé’s brooding brother. Halloween Town is another 2026 release by Joss Wood and is the second in her interconnected standalone series Halloween Town, following the first Summerween. 

Hopefully one of the above will fit your mood and give you some ideas for what you may like to read as the leaves fall this autumn!

Written by, Freya Woodcock