84 books like You Had Me at Ice Cream

Mhairi McFarlane is a go-to author for me. I love her witty turn of phrase, and her characters and settings are always so real and relatable. Laurie is a great female protagonist, with a meaningful career and a loyal circle of friends, and I like that she’s shown to have a full, rounded life outside of her romantic relationships. There’s sparky dialogue, emotional depth, a very hot leading man, and fantastic chemistry between the two leads that fizzes off the page. 

We are total suckers for British humor. Give us a smashing bloke or a cheeky heroine, and we are all in. Mhairi McFarlane weaves together a friends-to-lovers trope with a second-chance love story. In this novel, readers explore the fantasy of the one who got away along with the complex problems that happen in real life, such as failing marriages and self-doubt. You’ll fall in love with the main character, Rachel, but it is through her friend relationships and inner monologues that you see her development. She isn’t a damsel in distress. No, she is a strong female character with a tight group of friends who you quickly fancy. It doesn’t hurt that there is a leading man sure to make you swoon. 

My granddaughter also introduced me to Elephant & Piggie. Cautious, plan-ahead Gerald Elephant and free-spirited Piggie are best friends, kind and open about their emotions, but sometimes oblivious. We’ve read the more than two dozen tales in the series, and it’s hard to pick a favorite. The stories are designed for early readers. The text shows in cartoon balloons, with repeated phrases, but it doesn’t have the stilted quality and vocabulary limitations that sometimes bog down easy-to-reads.

Gerald is licking a very yummy ice cream cone when he thinks of Piggie. Should he share it with her? The yumminess makes him want to keep it to himself; but Piggie would love some. He wrestles with his conscience so long that the ice cream melts into a puddle.

If you love creamy desserts, downhome recipes, and close-knit communities, you’ll love the first entry in Abby Collette’s Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series. Like all of the protagonists on this list, the story centers on a woman who has inherited a family eatery. In this instance, recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse isn’t able to get her new business off the ground when an early snow and a deadly confrontation with a family adversary put her plans in cold storage and her life in jeopardy.

Frozen desserts are an integral part of pastry baking that is sometimes overlooked. A pastry chef must be competent in ice cream and sorbets to secure work in any restaurant or hotel. The Perfect Scoop is an excellent introduction to the world of frozen desserts with recipes for ice cream, gelato, sorbets, sherbets, and granitas. Readers will also enjoy recipes for sauces, toppings, and mix-ins like butterscotch toffee and spiced pecans. Ice cream recipes include popular flavors like chocolate to fancier ones like chartreuse and lemon speculoos. The best part? All of the recipes yield batch sizes perfect for the home pastry baker.

Ice Cream with Grandpa is about the love between a child and his Grandpa.

The child tells the story beginning with the first time his Grandpa gave him ice cream. Their love of ice cream bonds them, but they also enjoy gardening, and walks in the park. When Grandpa moves to an apartment, it took some adjustment. What helped was the ice cream parlor nearby. Grandpa eventually goes into a memory care home.

The child fears Grandpa won’t remember him. His mom explains that Grandpa is still Grandpa. They can still enjoy spending time together. On Grandpa’s last day in hospice, they eat ice cream. Grandpa passes, but the child continues to remember their love each time he eats ice cream.

This story moved me so much that I cried. I love that this book includes a Guide for Parents and Caregivers: Tips for Talking with Children about Dementia, Hospice,… show more.

This is the book I used to read with a torch under the bedcovers as a kid. It introduced me to many great science fiction writers. My copy had an excellent cover depicting an ice cream with an eyeball staring out of it. I loved entering the book’s different worlds. It inspired me to lie awake at night, speculating about the universe, only to awake the next morning wondering if this was the day when the school teacher would say, ‘OK enough of these spellings and sums, let’s talk about why life exists.’ I still don’t understand why it never happened.

Another great title! When all the other ices and lollies get chosen by the children, Icecream feels sad and unwanted. “No one wants me!” she cries.

It gets so bad for Icecream she has a meltdown! “I give up!” she cries, flopping to the floor! Will Icecream be stuck in the freezer forever? Will no one choose her?  Find out in this funny tale, with a kind-hearted message, that all children will be able to identify with.

Super illustrations with lots of fun detail.

Mr. Jay is a wonderful author and master of rhyme.

In this story, Anda, the T-Rex is convinced she is hexed, why else would she have such bad luck? With the help of a friend, and a positive attitude, she soon learns that anyone can make the best of a situation. The colorful illustrations and fun rhymes help bring the story to life.

No, this is not a throwaway or a joke. Cinderella is the ultimate template for modern romance. It was the first bedtime story I remember being read to me, and it immediately sparked my curiosity about romantic love. 

The protagonist is a young girl living in service to her wicked stepfamily. She must wait on them hand and foot just to have a roof over her head - talk about abandonment, rejection, and betrayal! But with it all, our girl stays sweet, charming, open, and optimistic.

I wanted to be Cinderella. I wanted to wear that ball gown, have all these little critters become my loyal friends, and eventually end up with a dashing prince. Admittedly, my dress shoes hurt my feet when I was little, but I would’ve been willing to endure a cramped sole to find my soulmate. And eventually, with my soles intact, I did.

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