Eight cosy fantasies with warmth at their heart

Sometimes the fantasy you want is less about conquering a kingdom and more about finding somewhere you can finally put the kettle on. Cosy fantasy makes room for those smaller desires: useful work, friendship, a home that feels like yours, and people who notice when you need help. The pleasure comes from watching characters build a life as well as face whatever magic has interrupted it. These eight books offer different versions of that appeal, from a coffee shop to a travelling castle.

Warmth does not mean that every book here is free of danger. Some lean towards romance, some towards comic adventure, and some give their characters genuinely frightening problems. We have grouped them for their interest in connection and the possibility of making things better, rather than promising identical levels of comfort. If you want the gentlest entry point, start with the book whose everyday activities sound most inviting. If you prefer your comfort with sharper edges, the adventurous choices leave plenty of room for that too.

Find your next read

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Viv is an orc leaving mercenary work behind to open a coffee shop, which gives this fantasy a wonderfully concrete ambition: make something people want to return to. The practical business of creating that place is also a way of finding companions and imagining a different future. Choose it for the pleasure of watching a venture take shape through effort and unexpected help, especially if you like a fantasy world that makes room for ordinary work.