“The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer is a book many readers cherish. Its epistolary style and the setting in Guernsey during and after the war are truly captivating.
If you enjoy books that evoke a similar warmth and charm, you might want to explore other authors.
Annie Barrows is an author known for her warm, engaging stories filled with charm and friendship. She co-wrote “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” with her aunt, Mary Ann Shaffer. One of Barrows’ own novels you might enjoy is “The Truth According to Us.”
Set in a small West Virginia town during the Great Depression, it follows a witty and observant young girl named Willa Romeyn as she watches a visitor named Layla Beck shake up their quiet town researching its history.
Through vivid, relatable characters and thoughtful storytelling, Barrows pulls you into their intertwined lives and secrets. If you were captivated by Shaffer’s storytelling style and vividly drawn characters, Annie Barrows’ work is sure to resonate with you as well.
Helen Simonson is a British author known for warm, insightful novels about small-town life and charming characters.
In her debut novel, “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand,” she introduces us to the wonderful Major Ernest Pettigrew, a retired British army officer with a deep love for order and tradition.
Set in the quaint English village of Edgecombe St. Mary, the story gently explores themes of love, family, and cultural expectations through the friendship that blossoms between Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Jasmina Ali, a local Pakistani shopkeeper.
Simonson wonderfully captures the gentle humor, social tension, and emotional richness of village life, offering readers a thoughtful and heartfelt experience similar to the works of Mary Ann Shaffer.
Books by Louise Walters have a gentle charm that can appeal to readers who enjoyed Mary Ann Shaffer’s “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.”
In her novel “Mrs Sinclair’s Suitcase,” Walters explores family secrets woven through letters discovered by Roberta, a young woman working in an old bookshop.
When Roberta finds a mysterious letter addressed to her grandmother, her quiet life shifts, unraveling a hidden past from World War II. Walters creates characters who feel authentic, capturing their emotional depth with tenderness and sincerity.
Her storytelling blends past and present seamlessly, forming a thoughtful narrative full of warmth and emotional resonance.
Jojo Moyes is an author whose stories often touch on themes of love, loss, and personal strength in challenging situations. Her book “The Giver of Stars” captures a fascinating piece of history through a memorable cast of strong women.
Set during the Great Depression in rural Kentucky, the novel follows Alice Wright as she leaves behind her life in England to join a group of brave women known as the Packhorse Librarians. Each woman delivers books on horseback to communities tucked in isolated areas.
Facing resistance from the town and dealing with their own personal struggles, these librarians create bonds that transform their lives and those around them. Moyes’ characters feel vivid and authentic, offering readers warm storytelling blended with historical insight.
Books by Elizabeth Berg offer the warmth, charm, and heartfelt storytelling readers admire in Mary Ann Shaffer’s novels. Berg crafts vivid characters and emotional narratives that often explore deeply personal relationships.
In “The Story of Arthur Truluv,” she introduces readers to Arthur, a gentle, elderly widower who visits his wife’s grave daily, and Maddy, a teenager who feels alone and misunderstood.
Their chance meeting leads to an unexpected friendship that brings comfort, joy, and a genuine sense of belonging into both of their lives.
Filled with tenderness and humor, the story celebrates the power of connection found in unlikely friendships and small, everyday kindnesses.
Readers who enjoy Mary Ann Shaffer’s heartwarming storytelling and engaging characters will likely appreciate Kim Fay. Her novel, “Love & Saffron,” explores friendship, food, and the bonds forged over shared recipes and heartfelt letters.
Set in the 1960s, the story unfolds through correspondence between Joan Bergstrom, a young aspiring food writer from Los Angeles, and Imogen Fortier, a seasoned columnist living on an island near Seattle.
Through these letters, readers experience the authenticity of their friendship, the warmth of their exchanges, and the vivid culinary discoveries that connect their lives.
Like Shaffer’s work, Fay’s writing offers comforting narratives with charming detail, vibrant dialogue, and emotional sincerity.
Kathleen Rooney is an author who captures quiet heroism and thoughtful storytelling in her novels, making her a great find for readers who enjoy Mary Ann Shaffer.
Her book “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” revolves around a charming elderly woman, Lillian Boxfish, who strolls through New York City on New Year’s Eve of 1984.
As Lillian explores the city she loves, she reminisces about her career as a pioneering copywriter in the 1930s, her experiences as an independent woman in a changing world, and the things she has won and lost along the way.
Rooney beautifully portrays a personable and reflective character, someone whose memories unveil a richly detailed life story. For readers drawn to Mary Ann Shaffer’s warm and vivid characters, Rooney offers a similar emotional depth and captivating narrative in her novels.
Hazel Gaynor is an author readers often enjoy if they appreciate Mary Ann Shaffer’s warm, historical storytelling. Gaynor’s novels bring history to life through strong characters and heartfelt relationships set against significant historical backdrops.
In “The Girl Who Came Home,” Gaynor tells the touching story of Maggie Murphy, a young Irish woman who boards the Titanic in 1912, full of hope and excitement.
Decades later, Maggie finally shares her story with her granddaughter Grace, revealing the personal struggles, courage, and heartbreak she experienced during that fateful voyage.
Gaynor skillfully alternates between Maggie’s memories and Grace’s modern life, building connections across generations and showing how stories from the past continue to shape who we are today.
Nancy Mitford was an English novelist celebrated for her sharp wit and insightful views on English society and family dynamics. Readers who enjoyed Mary Ann Shaffer’s distinct characters and gentle humor might be drawn to Mitford’s novel “The Pursuit of Love.”
This book provides a warm yet satirical look at the lives and romantic adventures of the eccentric Radlett family, particularly the passionate protagonist Linda.
Set against the backdrop of interwar England and filled with charm, laughter, and sharp dialogue, Mitford’s narrative explores themes of family bonds, societal expectations, and the often complicated path to finding happiness.
If you enjoy Mary Ann Shaffer’s charming characters, vivid historical settings, and witty dialogue, then Deanna Raybourn might be the perfect author for your next read.
Her novel “A Curious Beginning” introduces Veronica Speedwell, a clever butterfly collector with a sharp tongue and independent spirit.
Set in Victorian England, the story begins with Veronica narrowly escaping an attempted abduction, only to find herself under the protection of a mysterious natural historian named Stoker.
Together, this unlikely duo investigates secrets surrounding Veronica’s birth, hidden family connections, and dangerous conspiracies.
With intriguing characters, humorous exchanges, and a lively adventure, this book offers the same warmth and charm that fans of Mary Ann Shaffer appreciate.
Readers who enjoyed Mary Ann Shaffer might also appreciate the storytelling style of Jessica Brockmole. In her novel “Letters from Skye,” Brockmole creates a heartwarming narrative told entirely through letters.
The story takes place during World War I and World War II and shares the romance between Elspeth, a spirited Scottish poet, and David, an American student who writes to praise her poetry.
Through their correspondence, their connection deepens, even though an ocean separates them.
Years later, during the Second World War, Elspeth’s daughter Margaret discovers her mother’s treasured letters, revealing a past secret that changes everything she thought she knew about her family.
The intimate format and emotional depth of “Letters from Skye” offer readers an engaging, romantic journey through time.
Natasha Solomons is an author whose novels beautifully blend warmth, history, and emotional depth into memorable stories.
If you’re a reader who enjoyed Mary Ann Shaffer’s “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” you’ll probably like Solomon’s novel “Mr Rosenblum’s List.”
This delightful story introduces Jack Rosenblum and his wife Sadie, Jewish immigrants from Germany who settle in post-war England. Jack is determined to fit into British society, carefully assembling a list of rules to help him become a true Englishman.
But when Jack decides to build his own golf course in the English countryside, unexpected challenges and humorous mishaps arise. Through Jack and Sadie’s heartfelt journey, the novel explores belonging, identity, and the meaning of home.
Natasha Solomons captures the charm and bittersweet humor of someone determined to create a new life out of the shadows of the past.
Susan Meissner is an author known for her ability to weave heartfelt stories that connect past events to modern-day characters.
If you enjoyed Mary Ann Shaffer’s “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” you might appreciate Meissner’s novel “Secrets of a Charmed Life.”
This book introduces readers to Emmy Downtree, a determined young woman whose dreams of fashion design collide with the harsh reality of World War II London.
As Emmy and her younger sister face the devastating events of the London Blitz, the choices made in those moments ripple through decades, vividly affecting present-day characters connected to their story.
Meissner’s storytelling brings history to life through the intimate experiences of her characters, creating an emotional tale of hope, sacrifice, and the lasting weight of wartime decisions.
Erica Bauermeister crafts stories full of warmth, emotion and the comforting sense of community that Mary Ann Shaffer readers appreciate.
Her novel “The School of Essential Ingredients” introduces readers to Lillian, a chef who runs cooking classes that transform the lives of her students. Throughout the story, ingredients and recipes become gateways into each character’s life, memories and secrets.
Bauermeister gently connects food, friendship and healing into a story that feels both uplifting and deeply personal.
If Mary Ann Shaffer’s portrayal of heartwarming, character-driven relationships appeals to you, Erica Bauermeister’s work provides another satisfying reading experience.
Readers who enjoyed Mary Ann Shaffer might also appreciate author Kate Morton. Morton writes historical fiction rich with mystery, family secrets, and an atmospheric blend of past and present.
Her novel “The Forgotten Garden” tells the story of Nell, a woman found abandoned as a child on a ship headed to Australia.
Nell searches for clues about her past, a search that decades later leads her granddaughter Cassandra to a cottage on the coast of Cornwall and a hidden garden tied to Nell’s mysterious origins.
This engaging novel pulls the reader into a web of secrets, romance, and family histories across generations.