Book, a treatment: When stories become a balm for the soul
According to Mumbai-based book blogger and marketer Vidhya A Thakkar, this book was Michiko Aoyama’s Thursday’s Hot Chocolate. “I discovered these books in 2024 at a low point in my life. I couldn’t concentrate enough to read an entire novel. Not only were they my way back to reading, they were also part of my healing journey.”
Bengaluru-based auditor Nishtha Sikka initially attracted attention for practical reasons: it was short, easy to read, had attractive covers and titles such as Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Store. “The positivity, nostalgia, and sense of belonging I feel when I read these books keep me coming back. There’s a pattern: ordinary days, food, small problems solved with kindness, community, a listening ear, and often a single guiding character.”
All Enlightened
In an interview with The Nod during his visit to the Kerala Literature Festival this year, Yagisawa said that he “wrote these stories in response to a noisy world. My hope is that readers can use my work as a refuge.” Thakkar found exactly that: “These are not self-help books, but they do help you heal. I felt like the books found me at the right time.”
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He is not alone. Healing fiction (also marketed as UpLit, comfort fiction, or comfort reads) is one of publishing’s fastest-growing genres, proving that sometimes a book can work as a salve.
For publishers, this is no longer a niche. Poulomi Chatterjee, executive publisher and rights director, HarperCollins India, says readers are gravitating towards stories that offer emotional refuge. “Themes like kindness, second chances, found family and quiet hope meet this need. We’ve seen a shift towards character-driven stories that stay with the reader long after the last page,” he says. Apart from international titles like What You Are Looking for the Library, Days at the Torunka Cafe and The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop, there are also Indian novels like Stuti Changle’s Stars Will Take You Home. “Publishers are definitely getting more comforting fiction because readers are actively seeking it.” But the focus remains on a good story, not a trend.
Bookstores are also seeing the demand. A self-confessed fan of the genre, Rachna Chopra of KitabKhana in Mumbai has watched healing fiction meet readers across generations. He likes observational prose with kindness at its core. “It makes you think, appreciate, and slow down. When I chose Welcome to Hyunam-Dong Bookstore for our book club, a reader said it saved their life. Books remind us that healing can be found in everyday moments.”
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What binds these books together is the emotion they leave behind, rather than the plot. Ajay Jain, founder of Kunzum, says readers are looking for something that mainstream fiction often skips. It identifies three components. First, they are located in isolated, quiet micro-spaces such as bookstores or cafes, serving as an antidote to intense city noise. Second, they provide low-stakes emotional security without being the pain in the ass of most fiction. Finally, they celebrate the sacredness of small routines – the smell of old books, freshly brewed coffee and rain on the window pane. “By turning these little ordinary things into something sacred, they remind the reader that a good life does not require big, exhausting accomplishments.”
Paperback has got your back
The appeal extends beyond sales to reading communities. At The Indian Book Club, members now recommend healing fiction as a “legitimate genre.” Founder Divya Jain says these books spark a different kind of conversation. “Instead of focusing on plot or tension, members talk about emotions, their favorite moments, and how the stories make them feel. Discussions tend to be quieter.” At Bandra Reads, Days at Morisaki Bookstore attracted one of the club’s largest attendances. Founder Amie Fazulbhoy says: “Many of our members are young professionals juggling demanding jobs. There is little time to be alone with their emotions. These books help with that.”
This emotional connection is exactly what the genre does, says Bijal Shah, a London-based bibliotherapist, consultant and author. “These stories create a gentle emotional space where readers can sit without being overwhelmed by difficult emotions. They allow emotions to be explored from a safe distance while offering connection, reflection, and hope,” she says. He adds that literary fiction can be especially valuable during times of transition, such as death, burnout, divorce, and retirement.
Settings are also important. “Nostalgic environments like bookstores, cafes, and libraries are powerful because they evoke familiarity, belonging, and emotional safety,” says Shah.
Although these books cannot replace psychotherapy, their popularity reflects a broader shift in how people approach mental health and emotional resilience, says psychologist Namrata Upadhyay. “People are looking for resources to help them understand emotions, build resilience, and feel less alone. This genre can approach these themes without being overtly didactic, which can feel less prescriptive and less personally meaningful.”
Sikka says: “Books like this deliberately slow you down. Stories are a warm embrace for anyone who needs it.” And sometimes all one reads about is hugs.
