Cozy Canadian stories full of heart & humour
Books by
Barb Bissonette
Where small towns and second chances meet stories that feel like coming home. Cozy fiction, magical, and small-town mystery books
about life, love, and family, set in Northern Ontario.
Warm Fiction You Can Fall Into
Barb Bissonette's books are cozy in the best sense.
Small-town settings, memorable characters, and stories that feel human from the first page.
Expect warmth, humour, second chances,
and the occasional four-legged best friend who steals the scene (and your heart).
All of Barb's books include strong female characters you will love.
Shop Barb's Books
Heartwarming small-town fiction with a touch of everyday magic.
Feel-Good & Funny (Latest Release)
(Oct 2025) At sixty-three, June Howard thought she wanted peace and quiet. Life (and love) had other plans... When the town’s aging doctor begins losing his memory, June takes him in. Then a runaway teen appears on her doorstep (with a gigantic, shaggy dog in tow) and insists he’s family. June isn’t so sure. Then came the boy’s teacher, his friends, more dogs, and before long, her house and her heart are far too full for the solitude she thought she wanted.
A tender, funny story about found family, second chances, and finding love at any age.
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The Christmas Field
(Jul 2023) Rachel Knight was only seven when she decided to do her bit for the environment and plant her holiday spruce trees, instead of discarding them when Christmas was over.
Much to her delight, her uncle dedicated an unused field on his farm for the trees, and it became a symbol of hope for her. The hope was not only for the trees to live on, but for Rachel's family life to improve, since it was coasting along on a cloud of alcoholism and discord.
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A Winter Town
(Dec 2010) Welcome to Coopers Detection Agency: "No job too big. No detection too small." It's been one year since the body of a sixteen-year-old boy was found in the woods. It was just a few days past Halloween, when the snows came too early and covered up any evidence that might have been. But the boy's parents insist that their child was murdered. Now all Lucas Cooper has to do is convince his sister and partner, Gillian, to spend five weeks in the bitter cold in a remote town in Northern Ontario.
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Leave a Light On For Christmas
It is Christmas Eve. The elderly woman narrating the story is rocking her great-grandchild by the light of her Christmas tree. She tells the story behind every ornament on the tree, thereby telling her own life story, beginning in 1935.
It covers the war years, and the many important changes that have led up to the present day.
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No Ordinary Day (An Anthology)
(Jan 2022) Foreword By: Maria Mutch. Edited By: Sheila Horne. Contributors: Ewa Anderson,
Kate Anderson-Bernier, Kimberley Aslett, Barb Bissonette, Loni Cameron,
Sylvia Ding, Gloria Ferris,
Cathy Hird, Allison Hannah,
Charig Hodgins, Sheila Horne,
Leslie Johnstone, Kayla Kurin, IzzieMae, Maria Marchese, Rose-Ann Marchitto, Kim McDougall, M. J. Moores, Nanci M. Pattenden, Jeannette Paule, Carol Teal, M. K. Todd Allyson Tojcic, Nancy Thorne, Val Tobin, Roderick D. Turner, Jeanette Winsor.
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Just a Bit of Magic
(Mar 2020) Every morning, Jenny Smith (a hedgewytch) stares into her magic mirror, searching for glimpses of two girls. Today, she is joyful with anticipation, knowing that this is the day they will materialize in her village.
Molly has come to the village for a fresh start, but nothing as it seems in the village. Not the yoga studio. Not the bits of magic that seem to hover everywhere. Not even the assortment of women who gather there.
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Nobody's Dog
(May 2022) Ernie spends his days, and most nights, under his beloved bridge, watching the river roll by, and conjuring magical notes of music from his old, worn harmonica. He has never stopped looking for his twin brother. One spring evening, a vagrant, gifted dog changes everything for Ernie and the town. Together with a relentlessly cheerful girl they are the unlikeliest of trios.
This is the story of their once-in-a-lifetime summer full of sunshine, friendship, and intrigue, of losing precious things and finding so much more.
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Among Little Faces
Little Emma was only a baby when her 16-year-old mother brought her home to be raised under the care of her grandparents, Alma and Joe. A tiny bundle from heaven was all they knew and, despite the hardships and illnesses they must face together, Alma and Joe raised her as best as they could on their beautiful farm of Lilac Thyme.
Eventually, Emma and her mother move away from the farm and now Emma must struggle to live with a mentally challenged sister as well as deal with her own incapacitating illness. It is more than anyone is prepared to handle, especially a sweet little girl like Emma, but Alma and Joe are not about to let their granddaughter lose hope.
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Why Readers Love These Stories
A beautiful Story
"The beautiful representation of magic, and connections to nature, is so well intertwined throughout the story of this charming little town. It makes me want to meet these characters and join their yoga class!"
Beautiful, Magical, Uplifting
I loved wondering what was going on with regards to the magical undertones. [They] made me want to keep reading. All the women seemed so real and their stories and relationships were interesting and special. I recommend it 100%!
Entertaining, Easy Read
I really enjoyed this book. A pleasant distraction from the pandemic. The story gets the reader quickly involved into the lives of the characters. The book is written with good flow and I think two styles including story and news style type facts.
From Nurse to Novelist
Barb Bissonette is an Ontario-based retired nurse who’s always been curious about people—what they’ve lived through, what they’re carrying, and what helps them keep going. She’s a lifelong reader, a dedicated writer, and a devoted dog person. When she’s not at her desk, you’ll find her soaking up small-town life, noticing the little details that make everyday moments feel meaningful.
