Reading for Joy: How to escape a reading slump and embrace comfort in 2025

It happens quietly. It has happened to me. The pile of unread books grows taller, the will to open one grows thinner, and suddenly reading—this thing we once loved—feels like homework. We tell ourselves we’ll get back to it.

When things slow down. When we’re more focused. When we finally feel smart enough for the Booker-longlisted doorstop. But maybe the way out of a slump isn’t through discipline or guilt. Perhaps it’s a return to softness. To stories that ask nothing of us except to enjoy them. In 2025, perhaps the kindest thing we can do is let reading be easy again.

The weight of worthy reading

There’s a particular kind of literary guilt that creeps in when you haven’t read in a while. It whispers that you should be tackling something profound. A 19th-century classic. The latest political memoir. A thousand-page epic translated from three languages. And yet, those books sit untouched, while your desire to read quietly dissolves.

This year, we’ve seen a shift in how people talk about reading. A soft rebellion against the tyranny of "should." Writers and readers alike are speaking more openly about prioritising joy, ease, and emotional connection over critical acclaim. The Financial Times framed it perfectly in January: reading doesn’t always have to be aspirational. It can simply be fun again.

Comfort as a literary strategy

Enter the comfort read. Those books we turn to like old friends. They may not win prizes, but they never let us down. Rom-coms with reliably happy endings. Cosy mysteries with familiar settings. Childhood favourites that smell faintly of the school library. In the Guardian's beach-read round-up this summer, the author admitted she gave up on Tolstoy by day three of her holiday and found bliss in Sophie Kinsella instead. Who among us hasn’t been there?

Comfort reads give us more than escapism. They offer rhythm, reassurance, and a kind of narrative hospitality. In a world that often feels fractured and fast, comfort fiction brings us back to a place of narrative trust. You know what’s coming. And that’s the point.

Breaking the slump gently

So, how do we find our way back when the reading groove is gone?

• Re-read an old favourite: There’s no better way to reconnect with the act of reading than picking up something you already love. It removes all pressure to "get into it."

• Dip into a lighter genre: Whether it’s romance, fantasy, or even a comedic memoir, let yourself gravitate toward what sounds enjoyable rather than meaningful.

• Keep it short and sweet: Novellas, short story collections, and even graphic novels can gently coax us back into narrative.

• Try a literary palette cleanser: Something funny, fast-paced, or voice-driven can help clear the fog. Think Nina Stibbe, David Sedaris, or a well-crafted thriller.

• Let go of the list: That list of books you feel you should read? Put it away for now. Curiosity is a better guide than obligation.

Eight gentle recommendations to help break a reading slump

If you're looking for a soft entry back into books, here are a few comforting reads to consider:

• The Switch by Beth O'Leary – A warm, intergenerational rom-com with plenty of charm.

• 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff – A delightful epistolary booklover's gem.

• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman – Cosy crime with a sharp wit and heart.

• Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason – Wry, affecting, and beautifully written.

• Goodnight, Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian – A poignant childhood favourite worth re-reading.

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune – Soft fantasy with heart and humour.

• Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe – Everyday hilarity told through letters.

• Heartstopper by Alice Oseman – A graphic novel series full of gentle love and hope.

A quiet revolution in reading culture

What we're seeing in 2025 isn't laziness. It isn't anti-intellectual. It's a quiet redefinition of what it means to be a "real reader." It’s reclaiming reading as a pleasure, not a project. And it's a nod to the idea that joy—especially in hard times—is not a lesser literary value. It’s a vital one.

So if you’re in a slump, let this be your permission slip. Reach for the rom-com. Dust off your childhood copy of Matilda. Pick the slim novel with the bright cover, even if it’s not on any lists. Let the story carry you, not the other way around.

Reading can still be serious. But it doesn’t have to be serious all the time.