The best books by authors who make me laugh

Let me start by saying I adore every book by bestselling author Jennifer Belle, from her debut, Going Down, to her latest, The Seven-Year Bitch. Belle is witty, wonderful, and truly New York, New York. Here I will discuss High Maintenance, her top-of-the-charts, five-star love story between a woman—and an apartment. Protagonist Liv Kellerman is engrossing. Upon leaving her husband and a fabulous penthouse, Liv relocates to a hovel in Greenwich Village that is certainly from the “beat” generation. In her efforts to be top floor again, she becomes a realtor in the cutthroat Manhattan market. You won’t want to put this one down.

Have you ever read a book by Amy Poeppel? Well, her books are humorous, and I am partial to smart New York writers who make me laugh. I love when a reader tells me she had to get out of bed while enjoying one of my books because her husband complained about her laughter. Amy’s first book, Small Admissions, reveals the killer race to be admitted to the toniest private schools in Manhattan. Do you have a spouse? Get out of bed to read Small Admissions.

I want to go to the Catskills with Elyssa Friedland. I need to do some dirty dancing and eat until I can’t eat anymore. Not this weekend. But maybe back in 1970. I just know Elyssa and I would have a fabulous time. The best I can do now is to recommend Elyssa’s charming book, Last Summer at the Golden Hotel. I laughed and so will you when you read about one family’s effort to save their ramshackle Catskills hotel.

Boris Fishman made his debut with the story of Salva, a journalist for a long famous magazine asked to forge Holocaust-restitution claims—by and for his grandfather, a Russian immigrant living in South Brooklyn. Soon Salva achieves the American dream—a something from nothing business writing false claims.  It seems there’s a neighborhood full of people who can use his writing services. I loved this novel, a tender and wise study in the meaning of family, loyalty, and justice. Tragedy meets comedy in A Replacement Life.

My family loves to laugh, and we introduce our children to books that build the funny bone. For this reason, I have a copy of every picture book written by the delightful Mo Willems. Hands down, my favorite is Let’s Go for a Drive! Here’s the story: Elephant and Piggie amass the accessories necessary to spend a day tooling around town. We’re talking sunglasses, a map, an umbrella. They are set to go when they realize they don’t have a car. Somehow, the two friends make the best of it. Good news: There are 25 Elephant and Piggie books to enjoy again and again.