I Want You to Be Happy: 'I couldn't stop reading.' Sally Rooney

by Jem Calder

* AVAILABLE WHILE STOCKS LAST - LIMITED FIRST PRINT featuring an exclusive hidden cover *

AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2026

'Prepare to see this everywhere.' Elle
'I was totally invested.' Saba Sams
'I was utterly enthralled.' Leslie Jamison
'Jem Calder is my new favourite writer.' Andrew O'Hagan
'Will appeal to Cleopatra And Frankenstein fans, and the setting and themes is reminiscent of Evenings And Weekends.' Stylist

Chuck and Joey meet in a bar. He's in his mid-thirties; she's twelve years younger. He's long abandoned his ambition of becoming a novelist and now works as a copywriter at a big ad agency. 'Lead copywriter,' he corrects himself. Joey lives paycheck to paycheck on her barista wages and privately dreams of making it as a poet. They go back to Chuck's luxury flat-a world away from Joey's cramped house-share, the crumbs in her bed. Soon, Joey's imagining a future between them, and Chuck's moving on from a mistake in his recent past. Amazing, how meeting a new person can make you feel so new.

Funny, excruciating, and true, I Want You to Be Happy is a sharp-eyed tale of two people searching for meaning and connection in modern times, missing the mark maybe, but still trying.

Audible Audio

Published May 19, 2026

Reviews

[Vera Simões · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ate this one upppp - so relatable (unfortunately)

Also, the level to which Joey’s thoughts could be my own is sinister - just goes to show there really are no unique experiences in this life

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Chuck and Joey, who meet and start a sort of relationship. Joey is a copywriter, and Chuck is a waitress in a coffee shop.

Joey has recently become single; his long-time girlfriend called it a day. He is an aspiring writer, and Chuck is making ends meet and would prefer to be writing poetry. So, they do have something in common. Chuck's friends refer to Joey as being an "old man" as he is 12 years older than her.

The story is of how the two meet, form a friendship, and live life. It is a slower-paced story and told from the perspective of mainly Joey, who starts to spiral, and his work and life in general start to suffer. Chuck wants more, or at least a definition of what they are, while Joey just continues on his own path.

I have to say this is one of those books that I did find interesting, but find very hard to review, as it's about two people living their lives where nothing much happens, well, it does, but it is more the everyday stuff of life in general. A story of two people trying to make sense of the world around them and trying to make the most of things. Ideal for those interested in contemporary fiction. I would recommend this.

[Brigetterose · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an incredibly hard read. Not my type of book at all. I actually should’ve stopped reading when I realised how much I hated Chuck. Chuck is the worst kind of human. Seek help, get out of that poor girls life. GO TO REHAB. I empathised with him but I wish he got help :( just when I thought he was going to…. Back to being a selfish man

[ophelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

He is a Pisces man and she is a Gemini woman (arguably the worst star signs to date as an Aries, speaking from experience) it was never going to work.
The main character is insufferable and instead of solving his issues before going back to a relationship he sabotaged he does none of these things and jumps back in headfirst… great…

[Caireann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two lonely people searching for meaning and connection in London are drawn to each other, despite their different personalities and age gap. I couldn’t put this down. Equal parts depressing and hopeful. You might want to punch one of them in the face.

[Ananyaa Kapoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me feel a bit sick. A hard read mostly because of how coldly accurate it is about modern dating and relationships and people (it’s possible I’m projecting now). Anyway, a feat of writing, I suppose. I got a signed copy

[Abbie Nuttall · Rating 5 out of 5]

CHUCK ❌❌❌

[Rhiannon Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fast and fun read, thank you ruby for your VIP access!

This book is like the London NPC manual but also still affecting and interesting - which is no mean feat!

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

sadly, I found Joey relatable.

[Zac Taylor Schindler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Devoured it