Penguin Happy Endings.

by Melanie Cantor, Unknown Author

Brought to you by Penguin.

When Jennifer Cole is told she has three months left to live, she knows her life is f--ked. With nothing to lose, she decides it's time to admit to everything she's always longed to say but never dared. She writes three one to her overbearing, selfish sister, one to her spineless, cheating ex-husband, the third to her charming but unreliable ex-boyfriend.

At first it feels great to have finally found her voice. But as things start to unravel, she discovers that the truth has its own consequences…

'I LOVE this book. It's full of heart and hope!' - Cathy Kelly, author of Sisterhood

'Brilliantly funny and thought-provoking - an absolute joy.' - Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't Call

'Without doubt this should be at the top of your summer reading list ... full of life and hope ... A rollicking page turner.' Mel Sykes, Best magazine recommended summer reading

PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS BOTH Death and Other Happy Endings AND Life and Other Happy Endings

Paperback

Reviews

[KIRSTY LYON - BOWDEN]

Aww loved this book! Happy endings do happen!

[melanie nwosu]

---context---
this was an okay book. the story follows a woman who has been told she has less than 3 months to live, so she goes about making rash decisions like sending letters to people who did her wrong. the story on paper sounds really cool

---what i liked---
i liked jenniefer actually. lots of media like movies or tv shows can make the MC be so annoying with books being no different but she actually felt nice. infact i might say that all the characters felt very human, no obvious bad guys and good guys (except from andy, his partner and harry i hate those people) but everyone just felt very,,,, human

--- what i wasnt fond of---
sorry that plot twist was so unpredictable because it was predictable. seriously?!?!?!??! she doesnt actually die?!!?? cmon man*
another thing is how quickly things are resolved towards the end between isabelle,martin and barry. a long ass affair with her being threatened by barry that he will tell martin and it gets solved because of the spirit of christmas? ugh
also the pregnancy arc?!?!???? i was quite thrown off by it at the end, i feel like her being pregnant just was not what i was looking for in this book
*even though i did say i didnt like the plot twist, i thought the whole harry doing the whole bf act as a final wish was a nice twist and really shocked me

---final thoughts----
if your looking for a sweet, lighthearted story with ,,,, well,,, a happy ending, this is the book for you. i thought it wouldve went a bit darker considering the blurb. the story has a somewhat forgettable plot which means i would score it lower, but purely based on the characters and how much of an easy read it was, i give this 3/5

[ItzHayley Beanie]

I believe I bought this book in Asda, probably paid about £4 or so for it in a two for £8.98 deal. The book is about a lady called Jennifer who is told she has three months left to live. She sends 3 letters want to her overbearing selfish sister, want to her spineless cheating ex-husband, the 3rd to her charming but unreliable ex-boyfriend.
Something good about the version of the book I chose, is that the pages are sprayed pink, but also that 32 pence from the sale of the book was donated to Breast Cancer Now.
It was a good theme to a book, but just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

[Ashleigh Davis]

I just finished Happy Endings by Melanie Cantor and loved it. It’s funny, sharp and surprisingly heartfelt following Nell as she picks up the pieces after her life plan falls apart. The characters feel real, the writing is light but honest, and it’s all about starting over and finding happiness on your own terms. A feel-good, relatable read without being too cheesy.

[Charlotte Selby]

I enjoyed it, but it's the second time I've read it. Originally it was called 'Death and other happy endings' them 'life and other happy endings', which is read. Then released 2025 under title 'happy endings', which is how come I've read it twice. feel really duped. should state previous title somewhere so people like me don't make the mistake of thinking it's a follow on book 😡

[talia]

i really liked this book. it was kind of bizarre and so unrealistic (i know it’s a book but still) but an easy read cause it’s nice to have a happy ending. my one critique is WHY DOES SHE KEEP DRINKING WHILST PREGNANT!

and! even though they made up harry is still an complete utter knob.

[Chloe]

I loved this book you always have to try and keep positive and happy endings come in time ❤️

[Cathy]

Easy read ….nice story with a very happy ending

[Lily Coleman]

really easy & wholesome read. i enjoyed it & think its perfect if you’re looking for something to help get back into reading/out of a slump as it’s never too heavy or complicated

[Sophie Rebecca Kempshall]

I did enjoy this book, but I found myself skim reading large chunks.
I think the F it list set the bar too high :)

[Jessica]

A sweet little read, with a touch of serendipity. Easy to move through, interesting story albeit a little predictable.

[Sophie Lyman]

Easy read but way too much going on, felt very unrealistic. A shame because I did like the writing style.

[Terry Danzel]

Cute book. Relatable! Just think positive

[Emily Bossler]

Loved it, it’s impossible to just read a few chapters at a time. Such an entertaining story line and loved the characters Jennifer and Olivia