What makes a book a “cozy” read?

There’s something about this time of year that makes me want to curl up under a fuzzy blanket and dive into a feel-good story about happy families and cute pets and warm hugs. I can’t honestly say that I’m a fan of Hallmark movies, but there is something massively comforting about knowing how a story is going to end. 

The whole cozy genre has been gaining popularity in recent years. Many experts believe it is a reaction to the lockdowns and leftover anxiety from the pandemic, but many also think it has to do with the increasing levels of stress and exhaustion that plague average readers. Everyone is tired and worn out, and life has changed so rapidly, we are all just looking to take a step back and breathe. 

Join us today on Pages Of My Life where author A.C. Williams talks about what makes a cozy read. Share on X

It’s not that people want boring stories. That’s not the point at all. Nobody wants a boring story. Am I right? People just want to know that a story is going to end well, and they are more aware of high tensions and rising stakes than they ever were before. 

Obviously, this isn’t everyone. Authors like Brandon Sanderson haven’t cut back on the high drama and complicated elements of his massive storyworld and its associated brands, but he writes to a very specific audience. And within the Christian market, I’m not sure that the idea of cozies has really taken off. From what I hear, romantic suspense in the Christian market is stronger than ever. 

But when you are looking for a cozy read, what are you actually saying you want? Let’s do a quick review of what classifies as a “cozy read” and see if it’s the same thing we all think it is. 

1. No graphic violence on the page

No matter what cozy genre you’re talking about, these stories leave the violence off the page. Maybe violence has happened before the book started or out of the view of the main perspective character, but throughout the story, there won’t be any gore. There may be peril, but it will be comparatively less dangerous than in other “non-cozy” genres. 

2. Wholesome charm

What the story lacks in action, it makes up for in charm and creative approaches to the environment. Think autumn towns or wintry villages full of fireplaces and never-ending mugs of hot cocoa. Think non-toxic relationships and best friends baking cookies together. Even if the story challenges those relationships, the content will remain wholesome. 

3. Protagonists who lack some kind of official training

If it’s a cozy mystery, the protagonist will be an amateur sleuth. If it’s a cozy fantasy, the protagonist will lack some ability that is necessary to survive wherever she ends up living. This lack of knowledge or experience usually plays a role in the emotional growth of the character throughout the story. 

4. Small town settings with warm communities

Most cozies will be set in small towns or villages where people get along with each other and support each other in cute, wholesome ways. Sure, there might be one disagreeable person, and obviously, in a cozy mystery, someone is a murderer or thief. But the vast majority of people in a cozy community are kind, warm, wholesome, and quirky in some way.

5. Happy endings

Finally, to be considered a cozy, stories in this genre must have happy endings. The conclusion can’t be full of sadness or loss. Nobody dies. The bad guy gets caught and nobody gets hurt. The hero gets the girl (or the guy), and everyone ends the story better friends. 

I mean, think about the cozy genre like Winnie the Pooh for adults. Cozy books ought to make you feel like you’re getting a big, warm hug when you’re done reading them. That doesn’t mean there’s no tension or danger; it just means that the tension and danger is kept in perspective. 

Personally, I love cozies, and I am digging into the cozy fantasy and cozy sci-fi genres as an author with the intention to start releasing books as early as next year. 

What genres would you like to see “cozy-fied”?

Meet A.C. Williams

Author A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. She’d rather be barefoot, and if she isn’t, her socks won’t match. With fifteen published books in both fiction and non-fiction, she is a Realm Award winner and a Selah Award finalist, as well as the 2022 Arise Daily Writer of the Year. She is also a popular monthly contributor to two blogs ranked in Writer’s Digest’s Top 101 sites for authors.