“Permit yourself to be joyous, even ecstatic, whenever you can. Every day, find something to laugh about.”

—From The Wisdom of Morrie: Living and Aging Creatively & Joyfully (April 18) by Morrie Schwartz, the subject of Mitch Albom’s best-selling memoir Tuesdays with Morrie

Turns out the guy isn’t just a stellar actor. He’s also a darn good writer. Hanks’ first novel, The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece (May 9), is an absorbing tale that jumps from 1947 to 1970 and on to the present-day creation of a splashy superhero movie based on an old comic book. Witty and loaded with colorful characters, it’s a winner.

Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal Stradal’s wonderful, warmhearted multigenerational story focuses on a young couple from two Minnesota restaurant families—one running an old-school supper club—who feel the weight of their legacies. A tragic accident leads them in new directions. (April 18)

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Don’t miss this super-entertaining, yes, rom-com about a smart, wry and rather cynical writer for an SNL-style show who falls for a handsome pop-star guest host. Packed with humor and lots of fun, this is by the best-selling author of Rodham and American Wife. (April 4)

Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan In this charming debut, an Indian American family is shaken up when the parents divorce 36 years into their arranged marriage and enter the wild world of dating—surprising their two adult children, who have their own share of challenges in the love department. (May 2)

A daughter-mom celebrity memoir arrives on April 25: Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding) by Laura Dern, 56, and Diane Ladd, 87. —Christina Ianzito