Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and it’s not too late to add one of these fabulous reads to your gift! As you could probably guess, my family is full of readers. We love catching up on books we’ve read and passing on recommendations…but even better, is when we have a mini family book club. Last year I gave a copy of one of my favorites, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, to my grandmother, and she loved it!

Here are some great reads to gift this year:

The Miller’s Valley by Anna Quindlen

Mimi Miller has lived in a small town all her life, but as she comes to age, she’ll unearth family secrets and surprising truths. “No one ever leaves the town where they grew up, even if they go.” The novel is a quiet reminder the hold a place can have on you, as well as the people you leave there. (272 pages)

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Centered around the dysfunctional Plumb family, this debut novel will have your mom completely enticed. After an inebriated accident, the Plumb siblings will have to make some tough calls when it comes to their elder brother…a well as their troubled trust fund. Through their woeful squabbles over money and broken ambitions, they’ll learn the unbreakable power behind family and friendship. (368 pages)

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

Beatrice Nash is a lively, independent woman. Left penniless after her father’s death, she arrives in the small town of Rye to teach and pursue her dreams as a writer, but little does she know even graver changes are coming to them all. On the brink of World War I, her perfect summer will come to an end, pushing the limits on long held traditions and putting progress to the test. The perfect novel for the lover of historical fiction. (496 pages)

The Cabaret of Plants by Richard Mabey

I’m currently listening to the audio version, and it’s amazing! It just oozes with Mabey’s deep passion for plants, from ancient yews to the beautiful primrose to the first cave paintings of plants. Mabey will take you mom on a grand sweeping journey across the world a he delves into the beauty of plant-life and its impact on human life and culture. A must read for all plant lovers. (384 pages)

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

A charming father-daughter tale every reader will love. When his wife unexpectedly leaves to chase a handsome sommelier, Lars is left to raise their daughter Eva alone. In their small Minnesotan town, he’ll pass on his love of food and his passion for flavor, creating a rich narrative that perfectly captures the way good food can create a sense of community and identity. (310 pages)

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

Grace Monroe is not your typical 1950s London socialite, she’s looking for more. Then, out of the blue, she receives a surprising inheritance, from a complete stranger no less! Desperate to learn the identity of her mysterious benefactor, she’ll uncover an extraordinary woman who inspired one of Paris’ most elite perfumers. With her discoveries, Grace will come to choose between the tremendous woman she is and the woman she’s expected to be. A powerful story sweeping through the decades from the 1920s in New York to the dazzling riches of Monte Carlo, Paris, and London, Tessaro’s novel will take your mom on an amazing journey. (464 pages)

 What would you recommend to your mom?