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When you move to a new country by yourself, loneliness is a common emotion.

In 2016 I made the ‘big move’ from Sydney to London leaving behind a safety net of university and work friends and moving to a city where I knew about three people.

Two years on there are still times I feel lonely, in a city of eight million people, it’s hard not to have bouts of loneliness and self-doubt. In fact, recent research from the Office for National Statistics has revealed a staggering 10 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK regularly feel lonely.

Health professionals have even called for loneliness to be labelled a public health hazard as further studies have deemed it more dangerous than smoking and obesity on your health.

And while loneliness can be overwhelming at times, I know one thing I can always turn to when I’m feeling lonely is a good book.

The great thing about novels is that you can immerse yourself in different worlds for hours at a time. You come to love the characters, their story arcs and the lessons you learn along the way.

So if you’re feeling a little bit lonely, pick up one of these heart-warming books below and be encased in a metaphorical warm hug.

1. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is an unlikely protagonist. She enjoys things being done in a certain manner and prefers to isolate herself from the world. Yet, throughout the book you come to understand why Eleanor is the way she is and it teaches you how being kind to others can make the world of difference to them.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, £6.99. Buy it here.

2. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

This memoir by Lawson examines her experience with depression and a number of other conditions and how she has learnt to live life to the fullest.

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson, £7.71. Buy it here.

3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And other concerns) by Mindy Kaling

The first of two memoirs written by actress and screen writer Mindy Kaling, it would be easy to assume this is just another celebrity memoir about their rise to fame and things they have learnt along the way. But what is different about Kaling’s novel is that she captures what it is like to feel lonely – even when you are surrounded by fame and people who adore you.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And other concerns) by Mindy Kaling, £7.99. Buy it here.

4. Adulthood is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection by Sarah Anderson

You’ve probably seen a number of Anderson’s drawings scattered around the internet as they are highly relatable for anyone who doesn’t feel like they are a ‘proper’ adult yet. Adulthood is a Myth is the first graphic novel by Anderson and documents the wasting away of beautiful weekends on your phone, daydreaming of getting home to your pyjamas and the awkwardness of being a young adult – like I said, very relatable.

Adulthood is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection by Sarah Anderson, £9.18. Buy it here.

5. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

The ultimate memoir about ‘finding yourself’, the lesson you can learn from Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel is that you don’t have to pack up everything and go on a solo year-long trip around the world to discover who you truly are. The novel explains that it’s okay to feel unfulfilled and confused. At its core, this memoir is about heartache, loss and the frustration you feel when you’re in a bit of a rut.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, £6.47. Buy it here.

6. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

The Sun and Her Flowers is Rupi Kaur’s follow-up to her best-selling debut poetry book, Milk and Honey. The book of prose follows the journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising and blooming – which results in the reader feeling empowered to spread positivity to others.

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur, £9.09. Buy it here.

7. The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

A heavier novel in terms of subject matter, The Way I Used to Be deals with a young woman struggling to find strength in the aftermath of an assault. It deals with the deep cuts of trauma, isolation and embracing the power of survival.

The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith, £12.63. Buy it here.