Spring is when the cottagecore side of my soul comes to life. What is cottagecore you may ask? Well, it’s an aesthetic that really took off during the pandemic on TikTok, Tumblr, Instagram, and Pinterest. It romanticizes and celebrates a simple, slow, life in the country and it focuses mainly on rural living, baking, flowy dresses, crocheting, gardening, pottery, drawing, embroidery, and even more activities that cause you to slow down and appreciate the little things in life.
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While you can see multiple examples of cottagecore on Pinterest, there are several books that can also help you dive into this aesthetic. In today’s post I’m sharing some of my absolute favorite cottagecore books that will help you catch all the spring vibes.
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Ok, so let’s dive into the first book . . .
The Cottagecore Handbook: Embracing a Simpler Way of Life by Karima Ameziani
While there are a lot of cottagecore guides out there The Cottagecore Handbook is my favorite. Not only does this book come with colored pictures, it includes novelty things like cottagecore playlists, activity, movie, and book recommendations for every season and home decor tips. This little book is your short guide to slow living.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This next book is a cottagecore staple mostly because it centers around a beautiful garden – and not just any garden – but a secret garden. It follows the story of Mary Lennox, a ten year old girl who was never loved by her parents. When they both die of cholera she’s sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven, in his large country house in England. While there, Mary learns that a secret garden once existed on the property and she makes it her mission to find it. But she soon discovers that there may be more secrets to find than just the garden.
The Beekeeper’s Cottage by Emma Davies
Grace is a beekeeper who lives in a beautiful cottage. When she kicks her cheating husband out she’s suddenly faced with losing her home to a property developer. While sharing her problems with her best friend, she’s overheard by a man named Amos, a handsome visitor who just might be able to help her save her cottage. Grace agrees to give Amos beekeeping lessons and the more she gets to know him the more she begins to like him. But will Amos let go of his past and open his heart to Grace? The Beekeeper’s Cottage is such a cozy read – perfect for a lazy afternoon.
The Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen
Lillian Haswell is the daughter of a local apothecary in a quaint, English village. She works in her father’s shop but longs for adventure and the truth of why her mother disappeared. Every changes when a distant aunt offers to educate her in London and while there, Lillian learns more clues about her mother’s disappearance. Eventually she rushes back home to her father’s side when he falls ill. And in order to keep her father’s shop open, she pretends he’s still making all the diagnoses and decisions, but will she be found out by not one but three potential suitors? And will she ever learn what really happened to her mother? You’ll just have to read and find out. Julie Klassen is a master at weaving mystery, romance, and intrigue into her stories and The Apothecary’s Daughter is one of her best.
Wild Beauty by Anne-Marie McLemore
If you love gardening and you love fairies, this next book is definitely for you. The Nomeolvides women are known for cultivating beautiful gardens that enchant people from all around the world, but they also have a tragic curse – any man they fall in love with mysteriously disappears. When a young man appears in the gardens one day, it’s up to Estella, a young Nomeolvides girl, to help him remember who he is and where he came from. But the closer Estella and the young man grow to finding out his identity, the closer they come to dangerous secrets that may affect the Nomeolvides as well as the boy.
Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell
The next book on the list is probably one of the most cottagecore books I’ve read in a while. It follows a girl named Clara who has wild magic running through her veins. And while it’s always been unpredictable it’s never been dangerous – until one day her touch causes poisonous flowers to bloom from her father’s chest. The only way to save her father is to cast a very difficult spell that requires the help of her former best friend, Xavier. But she soon learns that Xavier isn’t the shy boy she used to know and may be keeping secrets from her. Will Clara be able to master her magic and save her father and will she ever learn what Xavier’s hiding?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife’. Elizabeth Bennett is a bright and intelligent young woman who wants more out of life than a husband, but when the elegant Mr. Bingley lets Netherfield Park nearby, her mother has one thing on her mind – secure a match with England’s most eligible bachelor for one of her daughters. Immediately, Mr. Bingley takes a liking to Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, but while they grow closer, Lizzie butts heads with Mr. Bingley’s good friend, the elusive and proud, Mr. Darcy. Will they ever see eye-to-eye or will Lizzie and Darcy forever be blinded by pride and prejudice? This classic is a cottagecore/spring must read.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Out of all of the literary characters I’ve ever read none is more cottagecore than Anne Shirley Cuthbert. Anne is an orphan who mistakenly gets sent to live with a brother and sister duo named Matthew and Marilla on the homey farm of Green Gables. At first, Marilla is not so sure that she and Matthew are up to the task of keeping Anne, but soon they realize that life just wouldn’t be the same without her. Although you can read this book any time of the year, I think there’s something extra special about reading it in the spring. Anne loves all things nature and making flower crowns and using her imagination and enjoying the little things in life – nothing’s more cottagecore than that.
The Landscapes of Anne of Green of Gables by Catherine Reid
If you’re a fan of Anne of Green Gables then you have to check out this next book. Unlike the other recommendations on this list, this book is actually about the author of the Anne of Green Gables series, L.M. Montgomery. It details not only L.M. Montgomery’s life but the inspiration for her writings and it’s full of gorgeous pictures of Prince Edward Island and the flora and fauna that inhabit it. It’s a must-read for any and every Anne fan.
The Wind on the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Nothing says cottagecore more than talking animals and in this next book you get exactly that. It follows the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they attempt to help Mr. Toad, who becomes obsessed with motorcars and lets his obsession get him into trouble. The book also includes short stories about each character and their every day lives. Some of the stories take place in Winter but the book opens in Spring, making it a perfect choice to dive into now.
The Cottage in the Woods by Katherine Coville
This next book is a middle grade read perfect for lovers of fairytales and cottages. It follows the well-known story of Goldilocks and the three bears – but you quickly learn that there’s more to the story than you originally thought. The three bears – the Vaugh family – find a half-starved and terrified Goldilocks wandering in the Enchanted Forest. So, doing what any kind-hearted family would do – they keep her. As the Vaughns and their governess, Ursula get to know Goldi, they soon come to accept her as part of their family. But there are human townsfolk who aren’t as accepting as Ursula and the Vaughns and want to send Goldilocks back to where she came from – even if she doesn’t want to go.
A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering
The last book follows a woman named Tamzin who wants a new start and moves to a cozy cottage in the Yorkshire countryside. While there she finds an old photo of a woman named Stella, the previous owner of the cottage who lived there fifty years ago. There’s a sadness in Stella’s eyes that Tamzin relates to and it’s then that Tamzin decides to find out if Stella ever got her happy ending – but will learning about Stella’s happy ending lead Tamzin to a happy ending of her own?
What cottagecore books have you read? Have you read any of the books on this list? Let me know in the comments. Also, to see even more Cottagecore/spring/Bridgerton-inspired book recommendations check out my previous post here.
Verse of the Day: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever. – Isaiah 40:8
