Happy

by Cara Trautman

Jane Pearson is single, thirty-five, and reluctantly dressed as a squirrel.

When she’s not covered in fake fur, she sleeps with the wrong men, avoids laundry, sets her vibrator on fire, and dodges her mother’s demanding phone calls. Surrounded by eccentric friends, an offbeat family, peculiar coworkers, and a twenty-four-year-old goldfish, Jane searches for happiness through a maze of dirty clothes and hard lessons.

Happy(ish) is set in Ferndale and the metro Detroit area.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Romance, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Amazon, Comedy

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Hello there

I'm new to novel writing. Most of my experience stems from writing sketch shows and plays with other, funnier people. I loved writing Happy(ish) and am in the process of writing two other books. The next is slated to come out in the fall of 2013, computer-typing fingers crossed.

I improvise and act on the side and am very lucky to be part of a amazing creative community in the Detroit area. I also enjoy tacos and would like to bake more. Thanks for stopping by!

Reviews

[Lillian Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an extremely light read in the most literal sense. You follow Jane as she eats, works, dates and hangs out with friends and family. It tries to be hard to make mundane situations super hilarious, with odd nicknames for characters and a lot of drama about a goldfish, but misses the mark (in my opinion). The dialogue is very amateur and I couldn't take the cliche conversations with her mother.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started off really liking this book (1st chapter is hilarious!). I thought for sure that I was going to whiz right through it. Unfortunately, it fell apart quickly and I found myself bored by the minute-by-minute details. I decided to move on to read something with more substance and chose not to finish.

[Jordan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm Happy to be done with this book, which I probably should have quit reading long before I finished. My fault. I'm not sure why I saw so many great ratings, but this was a let down.

The main character, Jane, was an idiot and not as funny as some of the other reviewers lead me to believe. The dialog was pretty awful, and entire sections were written like this:
Mom: I have something stupid to say.
Jane: I have a stupid response for you.
Mom: Let's annoy readers by talking like this often and for a long time.
This was completely lazy in my opinion.

This author is admittedly not trained as a writer, and this book is self published. My review is probably pretty harsh considering that, but I was still looking for a great book to read. This wasn't it. This book could stand a heavy editing session and lots of polishing, and then it may have been an alright read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character Jane is, hands down, one of the best modern representations of what it's like to be in your 30's, childless and unmarried. What an absolute hoot! I found myself laughing out loud and felt an immediate connection with the main character Jane and could easily see commonalities between Jane and my unmarried 30(ish)friends as well. For many unmarried 30-something(ish)women, everyone around you seems to be getting swept off their feet and marrying Mr.Right. Soon your married friends are preparing perfectly baked casseroles and pies, acquire 'coupon-cutting' type organization skills, host charitable events, are members of the PTA and have husbands who smile while doing the dishes and whistle happy tunes while taking out the trash. They have suburbia houses(complete with a white picket fence)with Feng Shui interiors straight out of an IKEA catalog, 1.5 kids, an adorable and well-behaved puppy, a lusciously green lawn, a stunning garden and prize-winning vegetables. Well, at least that's how it appears to the rest of us...(wink). This novel captures those feelings (and illusions) and presents them in a humorous and entertaining way.

I'll be the first to admit, I DETEST "Chick-Lit". I cringe at the sappy romances and unrealistic stories that flood the genre. With that said, I eyed this book cautiously wondering if it would live up to it's unique description. Ultimately, curiosity prevailed and I took the plunge. I'm so glad I did. The author skillfully captured the essence of women's lives in their 30's; the dating scene, messy home or apartment rentals with stray socks under the bed, scattered take-out containers, family drama including mother's that begin to wonder if their daughter will ever find a husband, and a job that feels like a dead-end chore. The author captures all of this and more, turns it on it's head and makes the somewhat depressing incredibly, laugh out loud hilarious.

Jane's story, while incredibly funny, also carries with it important life lessons presented in a subtle yet impacting way. I won't say what these lessons are as I believe it's up to the reader to interpret the novel's deeper meanings. The fact that the author was able to convey these lessons in such a light-hearted and downright goofy way further illustrates her talent as a writer.

Other reviewers have already covered the story and bare bones of the book in detail so I won't go in depth about what others have already said. In brief, this novel is written extremely well, the atmosphere is rich and vibrant in its descriptions, each character is unique and quirky, and the novel is well-edited.

It has been a very long time since I've read a novel where I have felt so connected to the characters; each one reminding me of someone in my own life. I am certain that every reader will be able to connect characters from this novel to friends and family of their own. I was extremely invested in the story line and cannot remember the last time a novel made me laugh so hard and so frequently, while at the same time conveying a greater message about life, love, self-worth and purpose.

I highly recommend this novel. If you are like me and avoid "chick-lit" like it's a contagious disease, don't pass this one by. I'm glad I didn't. This novel should act as a beacon for the genre, as an example for other authors of how to write a realistic(ish) book about aging, women, men, friends, family and love that ordinary, real people can connect with. Well done to the author, Cara Trautman, for writing such an engaging novel. It left me feeling very...happy(ish).

[Nikita · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Seriously...do you not have an editor? "Could care less" means THEY CARE. They care enough that they could possibly care less than they do now. COULDN'T CARE LESS means they do not care at all....that they could NOT care less than they do now. 3 times this phrase was used incorrectly. Is this self published? Did no one who read over the book have any common sense? Seriously, how do people not understand this phrase. Read the actual words. How is it not obvious? I could care less! You could? Really? That's great. Then, what is the level of caring you have now where you could possibly have a less amount of it? UGH. Ok rant over.

I could relate to the character really well (to the point where one of my closest friends is having similar problems with his bf!). Some of the characters really got on my nerves at times. I think it was supposed to be humorous but it just made me agitated. Then again, I'm not one to put up with annoying morons. :D But, it was a fun story and it garnered a few laughs actually out loud from me. I am not proud to admit I have been in similar situations (and acted the same way) being single and starting my 30s! I really enjoyed the author's take on it.

Overall it is a good, light read.

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underwhelming

The plot failed to stay with me and, even worse, was far too easily digestible like most other sitcoms. There was good diversity in the characters; I would have liked to see Greta utilized more as an aid to Jane’s convalescence. It’s reGrettable (ha) that the book didn’t cover mental illness more. In the throes of her, Jack’s, or Steven’s despondency surely the word “depressed” could have been used one time to describe their states.
Tldr; Some good parts, a lot to trudge through including plenty of typos.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I freaking LOVED this book! I can't stop talking about it. I even let my daughter try to win a goldfish at the fair today because of Jane's goldfish. And yeah, my daughter won the dang thing and now there's a goldfish in my house that I secretly love all because of this book.

There's a lot about Jane that reminds me of myself. Sure, I never set my bedroom carpet on fire after having a mishap with a toy. And I never almost quit a job because I was afraid of a pending presentation. But there are other things. I used to sort of stalk a guy too, only at least I knew who he was.

Jane is a modern day gal with a decent job. She's got some good friends and a very bizarre family. She's the glue that holds it all together.

I'm afraid to say too much and give it away, but I was so sad to finish this book that I refused to pick one up for at least a week and I'll probably read this one again after I finish the current book. Happy(ish) is laugh-out-loud funny. And there were a couple of times I cried real tears, so kind of an emotional roller coaster going here.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently picked up a Kindle and I'd forgotten than I had this book in the Amazon Cloud. I don't know the author but I do know that she's a local girl and I support my local talent.

I really enjoyed Happy(ish). It made me laugh out loud. "Herpes, you can cure. Babies, you keep forever". I loved that line. It made me emotional over a stupid goldfish. I can't say that I've read any book that made me tear up over a goldfish.

The storytelling is spot-on. It's about a woman in her 30's facing the next step in being a grownup like getting your shit together. I can relate.

There's a lot of references to the places I know and love. That might throw off a reader not from the Detroit area. Other than that, I thought it a great read.

[Ignaura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not going to say this book was a total waste of time, that will make look really bad for not putting it down. At the very beginning it was somewhat funny, but then it all went downhill. I didn't expect much of this book, but it was extremely stupid. Not at all believable situations, cliché characters with no personalty. It stopped being funny after just a few pages and turned into a mix of predictable, idiotic situations.

And I'm not even going to mention the obvious grammar mistakes all over the book.

Yeah, it was a waste of time.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book for free from book bub. I struggled with trying to decide if I should give this 2 or 3 stars. There were parts that were entertaining but other parts seemed down right silly. It was a book about a person's mundane life so I couldn't fault the author for that but there seemed to be too many issues in her life to be believable. If I had paid anything for the book I would have been quite upset.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a free ebook and honestly I didn't expect much from it. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down though. I read it in one afternoon and it's kind of a long book. Happy(ish) was interesting from beginning to end, it made me laugh and cry... mostly laugh. If you've got some time to kill I heartily recommend checking this out.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read it because it was free on kindle. I'm sorry to be harsh to what seems like a well-intentioned first novel, but it was dopey, unlikely, and too long. I want to say that I appreciated the Michigan setting, but local details popped up only intermittently.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story kept me reading. I was drawn in and totally felt for the characters. Although there were so many peripheral characters that at times they could be hard to keep up with. There were a few things a good editor could have helped with. But those things were small.

[Justine Adelizzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like a half-baked college fiction writing project. Half of the story was boring, while the other half was frustrating or illogical. No one behaved like an actual person would throughout the majority of the book. But, it was an easy enough read that got marginally better at the end.

[Kathrine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous, cheesy, boring. So many flat, stereotypical characters. Stilted dialogue, true way too hard to be funny and was pathetic. I have only ever given up on a book one time before. I'm mad I wasted my free rental for this month on this preadolescent drivel.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and all the characters in it. It's a quick, fun read. I wish there was a sequel because I would love to know how the characters all make out. I recommend this book.

[Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A humoristic easy read about a single (somewhat) young woman looking for direction in her life...

[Tracey Madeley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m tempted to say ‘dull ish’ in response to this book. The opening is enough to make anyone want to put it down, but it does get better. There is that Bridget Jones vibe of a single woman in her 30s but there isn’t the same insight and depth to this book.

There seemed to be a lot of stock characters – the gay best friends, the serial date who finally settles down, the older woman with a younger man, the TV personality, the obnoxious misunderstood neighbour, the awkward colleague at work and a protagonist who wanders through life. The most intriguing part of the book was the man whom she was stalking on her morning run, but even this fizzled out as a damp squib.

Written in the first person it should have been a lot more intimate and engaging than it was. It lacked the psychological depth and insight to make a deeper impression and came across as a little bland. There did not appear to be anything at stake for the protagonist. She could have lost her job, but it did not seem that important in the first place.

The dialogue between Jane and her mother was labelled like a play, rather than the words being included in ‘quotes’ and followed by said Jane or her mother replied. There are some attempts to show what happened with the fire and the chaos around the wedding, but this did not happen to the protagonist. The most dramatic thing she had to cope with was the death of a goldfish which admittedly was a beloved pet, but to make this novel work the drama needed to be bigger. The novel could have tackled the problems of depression and the pressure to achieve milestones in life.

I’m afraid if this author wishes to keep on writing she needs to read more books.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this would be a really funny book, judging by the blurb. It had some good moments, but it definitely wasn't as funny as I had been expecting. It didn't have me hooked, and I kept finding myself putting it down and finding other things to do rather than reading it. Never the sign of an amazing book. Can't really put my finger on anything specific, but it just didn't do it for me.

[Laurie Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo

I really enjoyed this book, I was laughing so hard I had tears running down my face when Jane was rushing around looking for batteries for Gary, then nearly started her bedroom on fire...I cried when Sparky dies, and when she went to her neighbors house and found out she was a widow...this was a well written story, I'm certain I will read it again.

[Lori Scadden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed It

Happy(ish) was a great read. There were some slow parts where I completely rejected the main character, Jane, but I was too committed to put it down. I needed a fun, simple read and this awkwardly sweet story did the job. There are still some areas that could use editing but overall it was very satisfying.

[A Book Lovers Diary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a very easy light read. Janes was just like any women trying to find themselves and go about their life.

The only downside for me was the ending. It was completely predictable, which I expected, but it lacked so much detail and I felt that the ending was very abrupt. Kind of felt like the author couldn't be bothered to continue.

However, if you are looking for a quick easy read, definitely go for it!!

[Sandy Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A steady read

It's easy to lose track of time while reading this book. You get so caught up in the sweetness and humor. While it isn't the best book I have ever read, it's very charming.

[Julie Ebanez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing style!

I would love to read more books by this author. Her characters are intriguing and likeable. She had me in her beginning pages and the middle and I love happy endings.

[Oxana Otogo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this and powered through to the end, but to no reward. The dialogue is a cringy mess; the main character’s not funny, she’s a moron. When the previous generations look down on millennials, this is everything about us they don’t like. Skip it, even if it’s free.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm hoping next time I read a book on my Kindle I'll be able to insert my highlights and notes.
But I still have my review on blog http://scifisstrs.blogspot.com/2018/0...

[Widge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

‘‘This was a fine read. The story line moved along satisfyingly and there are quirky secondary characters. It was a fun romantic comedy.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny. Enjoyable read,

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quirky, funny and memorable even years later when reading it. Jane was such a likeable character and I had a great time reading this

[Linda Frisbie]

I enjoyed the book.

The book is funny, the characters are extreme and interesting, and likable. From the start of the story to the end, I was entertained.