30 Feel-Good Books to Get You Through Tough Times

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Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

28.0040% OFF$16.78 at Amazon

For fans of: Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

Audacious and entertainingly chaotic yet deeply thoughtful, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is more than what it seems on the surface. This 2024 novel comes from PEN/Faulkner award finalist and bestselling author Rufi Thorpe, and it does not disappoint in smart social commentary and complex characters whom you can’t help but root for.

“It might sound antithetical to call a book about a young single mom who creates an OnlyFans account, encouraged by her down-on-his-luck, formerly estranged, pro-wrestling manager father, to earn money to support her child ‘feel-good.’ But, trust me,” says Steph Opitz, the director of bookstore partnerships at Bookshop.org. “If Rufi Thorpe is not already on your radar, she will be. This is kind of her breakout book after a series of underrated bangers and already being adapted for TV.”

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Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

19.9954% OFF$9.28 at Amazon

For fans of: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

Imagine this: In a small cafe tucked away in the alleys of Tokyo, you can sit at a specific table and time-travel to whatever moment you choose, but you cannot change the past, and you must come back before your coffee gets cold. What moment would you choose? A thought-provoking novel published in 2020, Before the Coffee Gets Cold follows four women who all feel some degree of regret and bittersweet longing. While Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s sentimental writing style may not be everyone’s cup of tea (er, coffee), the societal challenges and potential sacrifices his characters face feel very real, and the message of the book is ultimately one of love and hope.

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The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

$13.99 at Amazon

For fans of: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Loosely inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Meg Shaffer’s 2024 fantasy novel is a heartfelt fairy tale for grown-ups. If the Pevensie children stepped out of the wardrobe to much fanfare and eventually drifted apart from one another, and if one of those siblings had no memory of Narnia at all, you’d end up pretty close to The Lost Story. In Shaffer’s latest, former childhood friends Jeremy and Rafe must find the courage to return to the forest they were lost in for six months as kids—six months Rafe has no memory of—to find a missing girl. In the process, they return to their childhood innocence and find both forgiveness and love.

“I was a big fan of Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game, so I picked up The Lost Story the minute it came out. It’s a similarly big-hearted novel that gave me a massive sense of nostalgia for childhood reading,” says Reader’s Digest Books Editor Tracey Neithercott. “I immediately adored the lead characters, especially Rafe, whose heartbreaking story is both a slowly unraveling mystery and part of the novel’s emotional core. Add in a (mostly) comforting fantasy realm, themes of family and friendship, and a believable romance to root for, and this is the perfect novel for anyone hunting for books like The Chronicles of Narnia … or dreaming of finding their own adventure on the other side of a wardrobe.”

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

8.9929% OFF$6.39 at Amazon

For fans of: The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett and The Martian by Andy Weir

One of the funniest books ever written, this 1979 sci-fi classic features Englishman Arthur Dent, who unexpectedly ends up hitching a ride to space when Earth is suddenly demolished to make way for a hyperspace expressway. What ensues is an adventure with strange alien creatures, a chronically depressed robot and hyperintelligent beings.

“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is a clever flight through space that never fails to entertain,” says New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Michelle M. Pillow. “I like the book’s whimsical take on the meaning of life. It is thought-provoking without being overbearing, and I enjoy the way the story combines absurdity with perception. If you enjoy comedic science fiction and are looking for a book that will make you laugh, this is the perfect choice.”

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Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

29.9954% OFF$13.79 at Amazon

For fans of: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

This stunning and bestselling 2022 novel is partially narrated by an octopus named Marcellus. And if that isn’t enough to convince you to pick up Shelby Van Pelt’s heartwarming story, know that you’ll instantly fall for the contemplative, brilliant voice of the “remarkably bright creature” imprisoned in an aquarium. Marcellus takes to a grieving woman who works in the facility at night and whose tragic losses he laments and aims to soothe. This is one of those feel-good books that brims with sensitivity and rises above the sentimental as it touches your heart. Reader’s Digest named it one of the best books of 2022, and for good reason: The story is unlike anything you’ll ever read.

“If I got paid to recommend this book, I’d be retired by now,” says Neithercott. “It’s hands down one of the best books I’ve read in the past few years, one of my all-time favorites and one I have recommended to pretty much everyone I know. (And yes, they’ve all loved it.) Remarkably Bright Creatures is one of those rare books that’ll make you smile and cry and sit quietly for a while afterward, mourning its end. It’s not just a feel-good book in the moment—I get warm feelings each time I think about it.”

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Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

16.9949% OFF$8.66 at Amazon

For fans of: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Top your stack of feel-good books with this adorable 2019 royal romance that’ll have you grinning from ear to ear as you flip the pages. The U.S. president’s son finds himself in a scandalous brouhaha with the Prince of Wales. It’s a public relations mess for their families, who force them to play nice, but it gets juicier when the men fall for each other—and try to keep their love under wraps. Red, White & Royal Blue is one of the most popular LGBTQ+ books, so make sure to read it before watching the 2023 film adaptation.

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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

9.0041% OFF$5.29 at Amazon

For fans of: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Jane Austen wrote early feminist books that chronicled the limiting choices for women during England’s Regency era. In this 1813 enemies-to-lovers romance, heroine Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters have a conundrum: They have to get married to survive because the law forbids them from inheriting their father’s estate, but the prospect is tricky when love and money are intertwined. Austen lets these oppressions play out against a backdrop of witty courtship and suspenseful romance.

“Pride and Prejudice is the ultimate feel-good book for me,” says Pillow. “It’s one of those books I discovered in high school and have reread many times. The book is filled with wit, charm and a sense of hope. The romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy is a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of love. This book is perfect for readers who appreciate a classic love story with a happy ending.”

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18.0032% OFF$12.30 at Amazon

For fans of: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Nita Prose is on fire: In 2022, her debut novel, The Maid, hit shelves—and the New York Times bestseller list. In 2023, the book was a finalist for the Edgar Award. And in 2025, a film adaptation starring Florence Pugh will hit screens. We haven’t even mentioned the two sequels and a holiday novella that make up this must-read mystery book series.

So is the novel worth the hype? You bet. Prose’s fast-paced mystery is the ultimate mood-lifter. Follow an eccentric young maid named Molly, whose tidy obsessions fit well with her job in a glitzy hotel. When she stumbles into a guest suite with a dead body in it, she finds herself a suspect in a murder investigation and will have to use her powers of observation to get to the truth.

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The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

24.0026% OFF$17.73 at Amazon

For fans of: Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

From the bestselling author of The Midnight Library comes a warm hug in book form. Part memoir, part self-help book, Matt Haig’s The Comfort Book, published in 2021, is filled with profound philosophical musings. They’re meant to be savored slowly, like a warm cup of tea in what can sometimes feel like a cold and dark world.

“The Comfort Book isn’t a story, per se, but a collection of his thoughts, ramblings and ideals about life and purpose,” says Louisa Smith, founder and editor of Epic Book Society. “Sometimes he writes a poem, sometimes he writes a list of feel-good songs, sometimes he writes about thoughts he has once had, and sometimes he might share a recipe. The whole book is about offering comfort when you’re feeling down or strung out, and there is plenty of wisdom to be found on its pages.”

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A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

17.0022% OFF$13.29 at Amazon

For fans of: Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

First published in Swedish in 2012 and then in English in 2013, the New York Times bestselling A Man Called Ove shot Fredrik Backman to international stardom and was even adapted into a 2022 film starring Tom Hanks. The titular 59-year-old widower is the neighborhood curmudgeon, with little joy left in his life—until a boisterous young family moves in next door and begins to melt his icy exterior. Just like Ove’s new neighbors, this book sneaks right into your heart. It will tear you apart, put you back together and make you laugh along the way.

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By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

15.9938% OFF$9.99 at Amazon

For fans of: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Jasmine Guillory’s bestselling romances are guaranteed to make you swoon and smile. Her 2022 novel, By the Book, offers a delightfully sweet and wholesome update of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. Meet Isabelle, an overworked assistant at Tale as Old as Time publishing house who personally checks in on a star author who hasn’t delivered an awaited manuscript. Instead of a brilliant writer, she finds a man who’s sullen and withdrawn (maybe even a little beastly!). He sends her away with a shout, but when she twists her ankle, she’s forced to stay, and things get complicated, cozy and rosy.

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How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

29.0032% OFF$19.82 at Amazon

For fans of: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

In a world where there seems to be an endless supply of inspiring coming-of-age and YA fiction, it’s harder to find feel-good books with older protagonists. Thankfully, more and more novels are shining a spotlight on older readers—and we’re here for it. Clare Pooley’s 2024 hit, How to Age Disgracefully, proves that not only can there be character growth and romance at any age, but that older characters are just as riotously fun and badass. When the city council threatens to tear down a community center, the quirky members of a senior citizens’ group join forces with a neighboring day care and use their colorful pasts and talents to save it. Clare Pooley’s trademark British wit shines here, but it’s the anti-ageism and unique friendships that give this novel so much heart.

“I had an absolute blast reading this novel,” says Neithercott, who selected it as the Reader’s Digest Book Club’s July ’24 pick. “There’s so much to love here: The laugh-out-loud humor, the focus on friendship and, most of all, the characters who I wish were real.”

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The Martian by Andy Weir

$9.89 at Amazon

For fans of: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and All Systems Red by Martha Wells

We know what you’re thinking: There’s no way a novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars could be one of the best feel-good books of all time. But Andy Weir’s addictive writing turns the worst circumstances imaginable into a funny and upbeat story. Published in 2011, The Martian tells the tale of an astronaut abandoned on Mars after crew members mistakenly leave him for dead on the harsh red planet. He finds a way to survive in an uninhabitable world and communicates with Earth despite impossible circumstances.

While any version of this book is worth a read, you may want to opt for the audio format. With fantastic narration by Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, it’s one of the best audiobooks this side of the Milky Way Galaxy.

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A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

21.9920% OFF$17.53 at Amazon

For fans of: How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

While many science-fiction books set in the future are riddled with bleak dystopian governments and postapocalyptic wastelands, Becky Chambers’s solarpunk book emphasizes a hopeful future where humans live in harmony with nature. In this gentle, lush world, a tea monk filled with self-doubt meets a goofy robot who asks, “What do humans need?” A Psalm for the Wild-Built won the 2022 Hugo Award for its stunning writing and philosophical and joyful take on the sci-fi genre.

Even better news: At just 160 pages, this is a short book that you can read in a single day. But if you want more, Chambers followed it up with an equally amazing sequel.

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Ink by Elizabeth Hunter

$16.99 at Amazon

For fans of: Daydreamer by Susie Tate

When bookish Emmie returns to her small hometown, she doesn’t expect to inherit her grandmother’s bookstore … or fall in love with the burly tattoo artist she’s recruited as her business partner. Published in 2018, Ink removes the saccharine melodrama often found in workplace romances and leaves just the right amount of romantic tension.

“I love the premise of combining a bookstore and tattoo studio,” says Pillow. “Emmie and Ox are great characters, and I seriously could see just hanging out with them in their new business. There is also a solid supporting cast of friends. This is for readers who want a feel-good book that combines humor, romance and a heartwarming story about finding love and following your dreams. Plus, who can resist the allure of bookstores and tattoos?”

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Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

12.9938% OFF$8.06 at Amazon

For fans of: Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy and How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega is a YA book for anyone who “imagines being kissed about a hundred times a day,” just like charming narrator Charlie. She’s relentlessly teased for her size, and her mother won’t stop pushing weight-loss shakes on her. She struggles with building a sense of self-worth in a world with different expectations of what a female body should look like. This is a realistic, relatable story about friendship that’ll appeal to teen readers as well as adults.

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Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

17.9926% OFF$13.40 at Amazon

For fans of: The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older and A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Who says dark academia has to be, well, dark? Sarah Gailey’s fast-paced 2019 mystery, Magic for Liars, is set in a school for magicians and, while at home in the dark academia genre, is undoubtedly a feel-good book. Intrepid heroine Ivy arrives at the academy where her sister works to investigate a murder. They’re estranged twins, both with secrets and their own forms of power and sorcery. It’s a fun, suspenseful world to dive into and will hold your interest until the final pages.

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Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

17.9937% OFF$11.30 at Amazon

For fans of: Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

Legends & Lattes is a lighthearted sapphic fantasy romance that’s as cozy and comforting as it gets. Our beloved protagonist is an orc named Viv, who has retired from her mercenary adventures and, as you can guess from the title, opened up a coffee shop. With the genuinely friendly and caring characters in Viv’s growing community, this novel has delightfully low stakes but is no less engaging. It’s no wonder this wholesome fantasy romance tale was nominated for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy.

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Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

28.9931% OFF$19.94 at Amazon

For fans of: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata and Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’Nan

Ever dreamed of quitting your job and opening up a bookstore? Us too. In Hwang Bo-reum’s 2023 international bestseller, Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, Yeongju lives out this dream, quickly realizing that managing a bookstore is both more challenging and more gratifying than she expected. This relaxing slice-of-life book is as much about Yeongju’s journey as it is about her community of fellow book lovers and outcasts who understand that there’s more to life than the conventional definition of success. While this is admittedly a slow-paced one, it’s also unexpectedly emotional. Each chapter gently pats you on the back, assuring you that it’s OK to follow your own path and that everything’s going to be all right. If you’re looking to add more books by Asian authors to your to-read list, this is a warm and comforting place to start.

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The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

9.9911% OFF$8.94 at Amazon

For fans of: Love Is a Revolution by Renée Watson

The Voting Booth is a breezy, uplifting 2020 teen romance with an affirming story about voting rights and activism at its center. After working for months to get out the vote, 18-year-old Marva is prepared and excited for her first day in the voting booth. But her enthusiasm dims when she sees Duke, who’s registered to vote, get turned away at the polling station. The two teens band together to make sure his vote is counted and find themselves falling for each other along the way. This is an upbeat presentation of civic duty and pride. A timely book about race in America, it’s worth reading for a feel-good dose of social activism.

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The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

18.9941% OFF$11.11 at Amazon

For fans of: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

When TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea debuted in March 2020, it was truly what the world needed most at that dark and scary time. This absolutely enchanting bestseller follows a caseworker with the Department of Magical Youth who is sent to an orphanage to determine the risks of six magical children there—one of whom may destroy the world. It may sound intense, but the story is actually about kindness and celebrating differences. And lucky for readers, the Cerulean Chronicles fantasy book series continues with 2024’s Somewhere Beyond the Sea.

“When I think about feel-good books, TJ Klune’s cozy fantasy instantly comes to mind,” says Neithercott. “Just look at that cheery, whimsical cover! It’s the perfect representation of a story that feels like a warm hug. With endearing characters, a cleverly crafted world (that isn’t all sunshine and rainbows) and a found-family story that will move you, the novel is uplifting and entertaining. If you want a book that feels like a balm during stressed-out times, this is it.”

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The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

16.0039% OFF$9.75 at Amazon

For fans of: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Helen Hoang’s addictive 2018 bestseller, The Kiss Quotient, will pull you in from the first witty pages. This love story is filled with humor and charm. Meet Stella, a single woman with Asperger’s syndrome who’s a virtuoso with data but far less skilled when it comes to love. She devises the perfect solution: hire a male escort to teach her the art of French kissing (and other assorted love languages). When you’re done, be sure to add Hoang’s other smile-inducing novels to your TBR list.

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This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

16.9943% OFF$9.76 at Amazon

For fans of: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone collaborated on this 2019 epistolary sci-fi novel, each writing letters from the point of one of the protagonists. Red and Blue are interstellar rivals trying to win the best future for their faction. As they travel through time and dimensions, they leave letters for each other, first taunting, then breathtakingly romantic. This Is How You Lose the Time War is the critically acclaimed winner of the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards, and it promises both a wholly unique love story and thrilling adventure. Get ready for captivating world-building and an inspiring emotional wallop.

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The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

14.9938% OFF$9.29 at Amazon

For fans of: Sister Friends Forever by Kimberla Lawson Roby and The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

A witty romance published in 2020, The Boyfriend Project is the first novel in Farrah Rochon’s Boyfriend Project romance book series. After a no-good guy catfishes Samiah and two other women, the trio goes viral, and the women eventually become best buds who, together, swear off romance. Of course, that’s when love falls in Samiah’s lap. This is a zippy and endlessly entertaining novel that focuses as much on friendship and career as it does on navigating love and figuring out how to trust along the way.

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No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal

19.0054% OFF$8.79 at Amazon

For fans of: Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan

This heartwarming 2017 novel offers richly drawn, relatable characters you’ll find yourself rooting for as they search for connection in a lonely world. In No One Can Pronounce My Name, author Rakesh Satyal weaves together the story of two Indian Americans and the people around them with comedy and nuance. A new empty-nester, Ranjana secretly writes erotic fan fiction. Meanwhile, Harit is a middle-aged man living with his elderly, grieving mother. Both experience a sense of isolation that they traverse in a story that’s witty and deeply moving at once.

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The Good Part by Sophie Cousens

18.0047% OFF$9.49 at Amazon

For fans of: In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

If you loved the film 13 Going on 30, you’ll adore The Good Part, a whimsical 2023 novel that serves as a reminder that the entirety of the human experience—even the challenges and heartaches—is what makes life so beautiful.

“Feel-good fiction at its best, The Good Part by Sophie Cousens wonders what life would be like if we could suddenly skip to the ‘good part,'” says Neithercott. “I completely fell for this tender story of down-on-her-luck Lucy and the bond she forges with her future husband and kids when she’s whisked decades ahead in life. Pick this one up when you need a major mood boost.”

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Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon

12.9922% OFF$10.14 at Amazon

For fans of: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Bibliophiles and book club hosts, this one’s for you. Published in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meet Cute Club is dedicated to “anyone turning to romance for an escape,” and author Jack Harbon promises “we’ll get through this.” Sounds like the definition of a feel-good book, right? Immerse yourself in a sweet love story that follows Jordan, an obsessive romance reader in charge of a book club who’s sworn off love. Enter: the cute bookstore employee who makes fun of Jordan’s taste in reading, then shows up at the club. Naturally, sparks fly. This one is captivating, funny and totally adorable.

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This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

18.0042% OFF$10.41 at Amazon

For fans of: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Emma Straub’s 2022 novel, This Time Tomorrow, is a compulsively readable story that combines science fiction with poignant family drama. Just as she’s about to turn 40, Alice travels back to age 16, long before her beloved father became sick. Straub tackles the question “What if?” as she takes her character on a journey to the past, indulging in the universal desire to consider what you would change if only you could. This is a heartwarming story about a woman’s relationship with her dad—and one that’ll stick with you long after you turn the final page.

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West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras

12.9538% OFF$7.99 at Amazon

For fans of: West Side Story by Irving Shulman

This gorgeous retelling of William Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet, published in June 2022, is one of many feel-good books from the romance genre. Priscilla Oliveras reworks the classic tale of forbidden love with page-turning passion. Set in modern-day San Antonio, West Side Love Story follows Mariana and Angelo, who come from rival families that have been feuding for decades. The two would-be sweethearts find themselves caught up in the community’s Battle of the Mariachi Bands event on different sides of the fierce competition, and things heat up.