Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan

I loved everything about this book, and I will re-read it when I need a beautiful and hopeful story - it is such a gentle, quiet, tender and lovely book about a coal merchant living in a small Irish town with his family during the busiest season of the year. Although his life has been far from easy, he is truly happy and at peace, adores his wife and girls, and shows his gratitude for the little things in his life throughout the book. It is set in 1985, and the town they live in is largely controlled by the church, and consequently the villagers know not to think or talk too much about the goings on in the monastery.

It’s a super short book, there aren’t too many characters, the writing style is simple and easy to follow.

Small Things Like These aesthetic - all photos from Unsplash