20 Cozy Books to Get Wrapped Up in This Fall

If your ideal fall read is basically Hocus Pocus meets Beauty and the Beast (with a sprinkle of Shrek, per the author herself), meet your new obsession. The third book in the cozy Rewitched world follows Sage Hemlock, a witch who’s sworn off magic after it brought her nothing but heartache and now hides away among the artifacts at her quiet museum job. But when a mysterious object triggers a spell and fairy tales start bleeding into real life, Sage has to finally face the power she’s spent her whole life running from. Expect whimsical chaos, found family, a slow-burn “we’re totally just friends” romance, and a cat named Mal.

From the author who gave us The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes the coziest second-chance story of the season. Once one of Britain’s most powerful young witches, Sera Swan lost nearly all her magic after using a forbidden spell to resurrect her beloved aunt. Now she runs a magical inn with the help of a semi-villainous talking fox, until she learns of an old spellbook that could restore her powers and reluctantly teams up with Luke Larsen, a gorgeous, icy historian with secrets of his own. Between reclaiming her magic, dodging the ever-watchful Guild, and slowly thawing Luke’s frosty exterior, Sera discovers the weird, wonderful found family she’s built might just be the best magic of all.

For the reader who wants their romance with a side of whimsy, this cozy, slice-of-life fantasy is set in a Regency-inspired world where art shapes absolutely everything. Florrie, a devoted art restorer, learns the only way to save her job is to track down a stolen painting, one whose inhabitant, a changeling named Vern, is trapped inside it. As the two set off to recover the artwork and free him, Florrie finds herself falling for the man in the painting. With top-tier slow burn, banter for days, and one of the most tender portraits of neurodivergent love we’ve read, it’s cozy fantasy at its most charming.

Grumpy-sunshine fans, this one’s got your name on it. Julie Olivia’s latest follows Griffin Harvey on the cusp of composing his sophomore album…if only he could find the notes. But after gaining custody of his two-year-old daughter, the only music he’s writing is about shapes and counting to ten. Enter Beverly, who lives her life in the background producing children’s television and laughter. When her variety show appearance collides with Griffin’s, their banter and chemistry is caught on live television. If you love a love interest with a soft center under a gruff exterior and a story that leaves you grinning, add this to your fall stack immediately.

This one is basically autumn in book form. Rosie is a witch who owns a bookstore called Meet Cute Magic and is determined to break the curse that’s been keeping her from finding love, except the only person who can help her is Jack, the grumpy owner of the gaming shop across the street. With a witchy bookstore, a curse, a resident ghost, grumpy-sunshine chemistry, and apple orchard kisses, it’s the definition of a cozy fall TBR pick.

A love letter to all things bookish, this cozy romantasy is a must for anyone who’s ever wished their favorite bookshop was magic. Louella Twig is a renowned Book Witch whose shop gives every customer the exact book they need, and she’s perfectly content sequestered with her stories, until a devilishly handsome rogue named Everett Sharp tumbles in, closely followed by her former tutor, whose prized grimoire has been stolen. Only Louella’s magic can track it down, so she reluctantly joins Everett on a world-hopping quest. Perfect for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and The Spellshop (which made our fall reading list).

If you need a gentle, restorative read (and honestly, don’t we all), this bestselling Japanese novel is pure comfort. At the mysterious Kokoro Clinic for the Soul in Kyoto, a clinic only those in real emotional pain can find, the prescription is always the same: a cat. Told through interconnected stories, it follows a series of patients (a burnt-out businessman, a grieving grandfather, an anxious young man) who each receive a feline companion and slowly find their way toward healing. It’s whimsical, bittersweet, and a love letter to the quiet magic of the human-animal bond.

Come for the premise, stay for the slow burn. In Grace Viall’s debut, Alexys works in the HR department of Entity, the private company that catalogs and manages the world’s cryptids and monsters. Sticking to a desk job felt like the safest way to honor her father, who was lost in the field, until an annual exercise drags her into the Appalachian woods completely unprepared, alongside her infuriatingly charming work rival, Nic, who’s chasing a terrifying undocumented monster of his own. Blending cozy fantasy, cosmic horror, and a dash of romance, it’s the perfect spooky season read for anyone who likes a little chill with their comfort.

After Louisa Walsh gets dumped by her rockstar boyfriend and can’t afford to keep the gorgeous Colorado mountain home she’s been renting, she strikes a deal with her reclusive landlord, Henry: let her stay for free in exchange for turning the place into a bed-and-breakfast. The catch? She markets it as a retreat for the recently heartbroken, which Henry, a grief-stricken veterinarian with silver at his temples, does not love. As the Comeback Inn fills with weary, hopeful guests, Lou and Henry dance around both their undeniable connection and the tender secrets between them. It’s an achingly hopeful debut about healing, second chances, and what it really means to find home.

Consider this First Wives Club with a witchy twist. When three betrayed wives stumble into a magical apothecary, they find themselves bonded by heartbreak, a little magic, and a shared thirst for reinvention (and maybe some karmic justice). With tarot, tight-knit female friendship, and a cozy, slightly witchy vibe, it’s a fun, empowering read for anyone who loves a story about women rebuilding their lives on their own terms.

Yes, this read is exactly as unhinged as it sounds, and that’s the whole appeal. From bestselling author Kimberly Lemming comes this zany, steamy sci-fi rom-com about Blair, a fiercely independent woman who gets beamed up to a spaceship, stranded on a far-off planet, and claimed as the “mate” of an arrogant alien king named Osid. When their alien matchmakers ship them off to what’s essentially intergalactic couples counseling, sparks fly. Over-the-top, hilarious, and gloriously ridiculous, it’s the palate cleanser your TBR needs.

For the Jane Austen, Little Women, and Anne of Green Gables girlies, this self-published gem has quietly become a phenomenon, and one read of Emma’s witty, observant voice and you’ll understand why. Set in 1880s London, the cozy historical series follows the charming, strong-willed Emma M. Lion as she returns to her beloved neighborhood of St. Crispian’s and navigates a detestable uncle, a lost inheritance, eccentric relatives, meddling suitors, grief, and (yes) a Roman ghost, all through her delightfully self-incriminating journals.

If you want your spooky season with a side of heart, this cozy-horror duology is calling your name. Set in a seemingly charming Midwestern town that harbors a deep, dark plot at its core—one that could spell the end of its two newest arrivals if they can’t unravel the secrets woven into their late grandmother’s yarn shop. This read is proof that a book can make you want to sleep with the lights on and hug it at the same time.

Ali Hazelwood-approved and dripping with autumnal charm, this debut is the cozy fall romance to beat. It’s a second-chance love story set at a dreamy, secluded lakeside bed-and-breakfast in Upstate New York, where a Hollywood publicist retreats to his childhood-summer cottage with a plan to play matchmaker for a celebrity power couple and save his crumbling career. Told in dual POV with lyrical prose, witty banter, and a slow burn that feels like a warm hug, it’s the kind of book you’ll want to curl up with under a blanket. (Bonus: the anxious heroine is wonderfully relatable.)

Only Murders in the Building, but make it cozy and add more romance. In the first book of this grumpy-sunshine cozy mystery series set in the dog-loving small town of Labrador Falls, upbeat pet groomer Juliette Macintyre becomes the prime suspect after stumbling on a body, and the only person who might help clear her name is Joel Cunningham, the grumpy new coffee-shop owner in town. With small-town charm, an adorable cast of dogs, and just the right blend of romance and whodunit, it’s the perfect low-stakes, high-coziness pick for a crisp fall afternoon.

From the bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes comes a delightfully charming cozy fantasy about finding your place. Certainty Bulrush desperately wants to be useful, to the Guild of Mages that took her in, to the little brother who depends on her, to anyone she can help, but her tepid magic hasn’t proven much use to anyone so far. What follows is a warm, low-stakes story about friendship, belonging, and the unlikeliest of places to find both. If you love your fantasy with a big heart and a focus on found family over romance, this one’s for you.

Set in a magical zoo teeming with dragons, unicorns, kelpies, and krakens, this cozy fantasy is a fierce little joy of a book. Aila has dreamed her whole life of saving phoenixes, but her big break means teaming up with Luciana, her unbearably beautiful, insufferable hotshot rival from college, to protect an endangered species. Cue a swoony, slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers queer romance with all the awkward, anxious, wholesome charm.

From the author of Weyward comes an atmospheric, dual-timeline novel steeped in the sea and sisterhood. In 2019, Australian student Lucy flees to her artist sister Jess’s cliffside cottage after a frightening sleepwalking episode, only to find the house abandoned and her sister missing. As Lucy waits, she uncovers secrets tied to the town, her family, and the pull of the ocean itself, secrets connected to a pair of twin sisters banished from Ireland on a convict ship nearly two centuries earlier. Lush, layered, and shot through with folklore, it’s a haunting read about the strength and resilience of women across the ages.

For anyone who wishes their book club came with a side of amateur sleuthing, this charming cozy mystery is a delight. Having just moved from London to a small Cornish seaside village, Nova Davies starts a book club at the local community center, only for it to be a total disaster: the five members can’t agree on anything, and then a chunk of money goes missing during a meeting, putting the beloved community center at risk. When suspicion falls on member Michael, who promptly vanishes just as a dead body turns up at his house, the mismatched crew springs into action. Funny, warm, and packed with literary references, it’s a testament to the power of stories to bring people together.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lovelight series trades small-town romance for something whimsical and haunting, and we are so here for it. Darcy Moore is tired of death, which would be fine if she weren’t a Grim Reaper. Determined to shed her villain reputation, she decides to save her next assignment instead of dragging him to the underworld, a plan that puts her squarely in the path of Gabriel Aetos, a skeptical Guardian Angel who runs a faded old bar and does not take kindly to a reaper showing up on his turf. It’s a spooky-yet-swoony enemies-to-lovers tale.