11 Heartfelt Books Perfect For Mother’s Day: From Historical Fiction to Humor & More!

Feeling consumed by her job, rattled by her failed marriage and guilty for avoiding her mom, Grace Johnson is ready for a change. She decides to grant her outlandish mom’s 70th birthday wish: a dream road trip from El Paso to Graceland. While learning about all things Elvis on their trip, Grace and her mom start to discover even more about each other, strengthening their bond along the way. 

Legendary author, poet and activist Maya Angelou penned seven autobiographies — and her last one is perhaps her deepest and most special. In Mom & Me & Mom, Angelou discusses — for the first time — the struggles of being abandoned by her mom, Vivian Baxter, at 3 years old, and the heartfelt catharsis of their reunion 10 years later. Over the years, Angelou became enamored with her mother’s strength and they grew to have a wonderful relationship. The book poignantly chronicles the healing and love that evolved throughout their lives.

Readers are transported back to 1945 Malaya in this rich, spellbinding saga that follows Cecily Alcantara, a strong mother who was also an unlikely spy for Japanese forces during WWII. Ten years prior, a chance meeting with General Fuijwara lured her into a life of espionage. Now, she’ll do anything to save her family. This difficult, captivating story shines a light on the dangers of war and the lengths to which we’ll go to save the ones we cherish. 

Known for her charming and comical novels, Abbi Waxman stirs up all of the signature smiles and laughs in this one. Mother-daughter duo Jessica and Emily Burnstein travel to the East Coast for a college tour. Emily wants freedom, while Jessica wants to restore a bond with her daughter. On a bus with strangers — and two enemies — the pair face truths that may just alter their future.

Heart-wrenching moments about the unbreakable love of family abound in this novel set in a dystopian time period. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner’s mother, Margaret, left him and his father a few years prior. One day Bird receives a letter in the mail with a cryptic drawing, and he begins an epic quest to New York City to find his mother. A story of the power of art to create change, life lessons, family love and legacies.

Family, old secrets and tender moments…this novel by Sally Hepworth has it all and more. Neva Bradley is a third-generation midwife and right now she’s determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy — including who the father is — hidden from her family and coworkers for as long as possible. Meanwhile, Neva’s mother, Grace, who is an open book, struggles with her daughter’s more private nature. Then there’s Floss, Neva’s grandmother and a retired midwife, who can’t help but be reminded of her own past when reflecting on Neva’s current reality. Will these three generations of women reveal their secrets and heal old wounds…or are some things better left unsaid?

Bestselling author of In Five Years, Rebecca Serle is known for her powerful stories that feel like a warm hug — and her latest novel is just as unforgettable. When Katy’s mother, Carol, passes, Katy is shattered in every way. To make matters worse, their mother-daughter trip to Positano, Italy, is already planned, so Katy decides to go alone. When she arrives at the stunning Amalfi Coast, she starts to feel the warmth and joy of her mother’s spirit, and she soon comes to learn that those we love never leave us.

This touching novel about family, love and growing up by bestselling author Ann Patchett is set during the pandemic, when three grown daughters are forced to return to their family’s cherry farm in Michigan to help with the harvest. During those long, isolated days in the orchard, the daughters get their mother talking about her first love. It’s a wholesome book about the different directions a life can take and children seeing their parents in a new light. It’s also about the comforting rhythms of nature that never change, even when life spins faster and faster.

India Allwood grew up dreaming of being an actor. Armed with steadfast determination, she miraculously goes from awkward 16-year-old to Broadway star to TV superhero. And now, her newest movie is about adoption, but its spin is the same old tragic story. In real life, India is an adoptive mom to twin 10-year-olds and she wants everyone to know there’s real joy in families like hers. What follows is a huge media backlash, ongoing drama and family antics. A story that proves family ties — no matter how they’re formed — are always a little complicated.

Debut author Julie Chaves’ new memoir, Everyone But Myself, chronicles her busy life as a librarian, mom of two, wife and book lover living with anxiety. Chavez opens up about the trials and tribulations of navigating life when everything feels unmanageable. What follows is a hopeful, honest account of love and loss, a husband who can’t read minds, chaotic family outings and — despite all odds — finding a path toward peace and happiness.

Lighthearted yet poignant, this novel follows Natalie Harper after she inherits her mother’s quaint bookshop in San Francisco. During this time, she also becomes caretaker for her grandfather Andrew, who is her only living relative — not counting her estranged father. After she moves into the apartment above the shop, Natalie hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together as Peach works. Soon, Natalie uncovers new connections and revelations. She also discovers a lot about her mom, her family and herself.