To answer the general part of the question, rather than specifics about that book and author, authors, are often problematic because they’re just people, and people will have all kinds of views, or do all kinds of things, that are bad to some extent. Some worse than others of course.
In the end it’s up to you to decide if that taints their book too much for you to read.
There are no universals. Even with the most popular and best selling books there are still plenty of people who couldn’t stand them, found them boring etc. If there was one universal thing they could make a book appeal to everybody we’d all have the same books on our shelves.
I’m sorry for your loss. And there are many much more unhealthy ways you could be dealing with your grief than spending time reading, so don’t for one minute feel bad about that.
Mt comfort books would be Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books. They’re fun and funny, but also compassionate and understanding of human nature and human weakness.
Yes, I asked Terry Pratchett to sign a copy of my favourite of his books (The Truth) at a signing for a different book (which I was also getting signed.)
Just don’t be an ass about it. General etiquette:
Buy the book the signing is for too.
Don’t show up with a big stack of books to have signed.
If the writer or the venue is only doing signings of the new book, don’t expect that you get to be the exception to the rule.
Angel Clare in Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Screw Angel Clare. I’m still mad at him 30+ years after reading that book.