Seven Steps to Happiness

by Stella Newman

A slice of women's fiction heaven - Stella Newman is the author to watch thanks to her trademark warmth and humour. She puts the com into Rom com ..Do you love Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell? If so, Stella Newman is for you!Is there a formula for happiness?If it's Netflix, two-for-one Malbec and the perfect toasted-cheese sandwich, Lenny has it covered. But when her friend Juliet finds herself at rock bottom, Lenny realises it's going to take more than that to fix her.Luckily help is at hand in the form of a plan which promises happiness in seven easy steps. So when Lenny is asked to research it, she puts scepticism aside and persuades Juliet they should give it a go.The friends quickly find themselves immersed in mindfulness, juice cleanses and death-defying circus stunts. Yet as Juliet becomes increasingly buoyant, things only get more complicated for Lenny.Can it be that happiness is only seven steps away?A funny and moving novel of friendship, heartbreak, and the restorative power of melted cheese.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit

352 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2016

About the author

Stella Newman studied English at Sussex University, then went on to work in advertising, at the BBC and then as a professional food taster. She is now a full time writer, based in London and has written three novels: Pear Shaped, Leftovers and The Dish, as well as the festive e-short story, A Pear Shaped Christmas.
She blogs about restaurants, food and writing at https://stellanewmansblog.wordpress.com/.

Reviews

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Steps to Happiness by Stella Newman follows the day to day lives of Lenny and Juliet. Lenny and Juliet are the best of friends, and have been since school, but their lives have taken very different routes. Lenny is bored of her job, bored of her friend with benefits, and all over just a bit stuck in life. Juliet, on the other hand is happily married, with a beautiful daughter and home – although she still has her fair share of problems, too, but I won’t spoil that for you!

I absolutely loved both Lenny and Juliet – they are both very well developed characters and I ended up rooting for them both. I felt their pains, their frustrations, and smiled along in their happiness. I definitely didn’t struggle in liking Lenny (as I have read a few other people say in their reviews online), and overall I cannot fault Stella Newman whatsoever on Lenny and Juliet. I haven’t read a book where I have loved the characters this much in a long time!

I not only have to praise Stella Newman for her character development, but also the evident amount of research that must have been undertaken to create such a complex plot. Rather than skim over details of Lenny’s job as a researcher, we see her in the role with the perfect amount of detail – same goes for Juliet’s career and the cities visited throughout the novel. This made the novel that bit more realistic, and helped me create a much more vivid motion picture in my mind.

Within this light-hearted easy page turner are some more serious topics – adultery, divorce, unemployment, social hierarchy and much more. All are dealt with very well – realistically and sensitively – and also show the reader that no one is perfect: we all have our own battles in life! That being said, the characters all work through their issues with the help of their friends, which inspired positivity within me. If Juliet can get through her issues with Matt, I can surely get over my much smaller personal issues in life!

I have only a couple of negative points I have to discuss, which are the reason this book wasn’t quite up to a 5/5 from me. Firstly, it took me a while to really get into the storyline. The first few chapters seemed quite slow, with not much progress on the plot. Yes – this helped set the scene and develop the characters, but I would have preferred this to be a little bit shorter as I much preferred the second half of the book and would have loved some more chapters there, instead!
I also don’t think the blurb accurately represents the storyline – the blurb suggests the app is going to be the focal point of the book, however it actually isn’t introduced until quite a way in. It seemed as though the seven steps of the app were rushed or skimmed over, and then the most exciting part of the book is after the app with little to no further mention of it – therefore it seems strange to me that the blurb is based solely around the app.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and I could definitely see this appealing to a large range of ages. I also absolutely loved the foodie elements of the book – boy does it leave you craving a cheese toastie! Seven Steps to Happiness gets a solid 4/5 from me, and I look forward to reading more Stella Newman books in the future!

Reviewed by Jodie K on www.whisperingstories.com

[Rachel (Confessions of a Book Geek) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5* Review. Check out my full review on Confessions of a Book Geek here:
https://confessionsofabookgeek.com/20...

Do you ever get the feeling that certain books were meant to find you at exactly the right time? That they resonate with you straight to your bones, and you almost wish you could walk into the pages and become absorbed in to that world? THAT was Seven Steps to Happiness for me.

This is a fantastically well-written, very humorous, at times quite hard-hitting, relevant, and perfectly-paced story, that I quite literally could not put down. These characters have depth, there is minimal cheese-factor (except perhaps in those wonderfully described toasties), American-isms are at a bare minimum, and the story-line rarely ventures anywhere near the ridiculous (let’s be honest, realism isn’t a strong point of much “chick-lit”, is it?).

A variety of issues are tackled in this novel but at no time does it ever feel too dark, no one issue is focused on for long enough to entice boredom, and the characters are not perfect, they are perfectly flawed.

Overall, a fantastic read (that will be kept, treasured, and reread), and one that is already one of my favourite books of the year. You just wait for my Favourite Books of 2017 post and see if I’m lying.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted the delicious-ness that was this novel.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Steps to Happiness follows two friends Lenny and Juliet.

Lenny has never really grown up and even though she wants to find true love, she seems to be stuck in a rut of going back to the same guys who like her are just 'friends' with benefits. Her high flying career is getting boring and she aches for being able to stay in the same country for more than one week.

Juliet, has it all, or so she thinks. When her world starts to fall apart, her good friend Lenny steps in and helps her get back on track.

This is a story about two very different women who through their experiences, try to find happiness for themselves. It's a fun and inspiring read and I really enjoyed it.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliant story, predominantly focussed on Lenny and Juliet - best friends since school, now 38. Lenny is unhappy in her job, struggling for recognition and frustrated in her role. Juliet has the perfect life - happily married for 20 years.... things take a drastic turn for both women leaving their lives upside down for different reasons. Lenny tests out a new app on herself and Juliet - 7 steps to happiness.

This book wasn't as predictable as I thought it might be. Turns out happiness is not straight forward and that it is about more than what makes us feel good at the time or distracts us from feeling bad. This is a tale of friendship and the courage to try new things - difficult at the best of times but harder still when we're struggling with motivation. I really liked Lenny and Juliet but felt that Juliet had more potential than she realises so I was a bit frustrated but not untapped with the ending for her.

This book will make you want to eat cheese toasties. Lots of them. I was hungry for most of the time I was reading it!! This is a nice, easy read and I would definitely recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen Mace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seven Steps to Happiness is a fun and easy to read story following the journey of two friends - Lenny and Juliet - as they hit troubles in their lives and try to find a way to put the fun back in their lives and achieve their dreams.

Lenny is asked to roadtest a new app that promises happiness in seven easy steps, so when her best friend Juliet is extremely down in the dumps she decides that they both should try it out and see what effect it can have on both their lives - and the results aren't quite what they expected!

There are so many funny moments between the 2 friends that you really enjoy their friendship, and even during the darker times they seem to be able to find a little humour which puts a smile on your face as you are reading.

This is my first Stella Newman book and won't be the last! Looking forward to reading more soon!
This isn't a sugar coated book where everything runs smoothly, and that just adds to the enjoyment and the foodie mentions are always an added bonus - can't imagine why I'm craving a toastie or two right now!!

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Stella Newman books. I just love them, and every new release is a real treat for me, and I'd love Stella to write them quicker and keep them coming! So there, Stella, I've said it. There is always food in her stories, and she can really write in a very yummy, suggestive way and the dishes she suggests in her novels are so, so brilliant! This time, in "Seven Steps to Happiness", there is also food but I couldn't help thinking that this book was a little different to previous Stella's books, a little more serious in tone, about different issues and food, yes, it play a major role but I think not as important as in the previous novels. But I'm not saying that it's wrong, oh no, I think the author has brilliantly captured the essence of the novel and in a great way told us a story of two friends, Lenny and Juliet.

All the characters, not only the main ones, are so, so, so brilliantly written, guys, believe me! I read many books, and almost always the characters are great, but there are only a few authors that can so easily and effortlessly (at least it looks like this for us, readers) capture the characters, their ups and downs and make them feel so realistic, so honest, so genuine and so brilliantly observed! Lenny and Juliet have flaws, they make mistakes and yet I was rooting for them, supporting them in every situation they found themselves in and wanted to knock out all others that were trying to trouble them. Lenny and Juliet are friends, but they couldn't be more different, even if you asked for it. Juliet got married as a young girl and very quickly became a mum, and now she's working as a ghost - writer, discovering recipes for a celebrity. I adored her recipes! She was so creative and she was able to combine the most unusual ingredients and create a wonderful, tasty dish. Also, Juliet really thinks she has it all, but when we get to know her, her life is going to fall apart. I loved Juliet, and I wasn't annoyed with her for not seeing what was coming, as I usually am with the characters that don't see it, I only wanted to strangle her husband, that's all. I also wanted to give her a standing ovation when she already overcame her initial shock for the way she dealt with the situation and Matt.
Lenny, the lovely Lenny. I had a feeling that she doesn't want to show the world her real face, that she's hiding behind a mask of a strong, resolute and assertive businesswoman, but inside she hides a really soft, warm persona. She was telling she's happy with her life, but in fact she was missing on having her own family, I think. She was somehow stuck in a rut, both with choosing unsuitable men and sticking in the job that started to make her feel bored. I loved the friendship between Lenny and Juliet, it seemed so genuine and not too forced, all their interactions were so realistic. They haven't always seen eye to eye, they haven't always agreed with each other, and Lenny hated Juliet's husband, but those details made it more true. And at the end of the day those two supported each other and could count on each other, no matter what, and this is what made me like them even more.

There was of course the romance element in the story, and with two female leading characters we could have hoped for more than one, right? What I so, so liked was that both of them were so different and that both the girls were having different problems. As for Lenny, I was DEAD SURE how it's going to end for her, as soon as this character entered the scenes, because in my opinion there was such a FREAKING chemistry between them, no matter what they said and did and how much they didn't like each other, and if they didn't end together I'd be very, very disappointed.

I'm so impressed how down - to - earth and realistic the story sounded. I think you really need to have incredible skills to be able to capture all the things that make life so difficult and dull but also so colourful and optimistic and put it into interesting, hooking words, just like Stella Newman did. She is a brilliant observer of life how it is and she doesn't beat around the bush, she shows how it really is when you feel lonely, abandoned, when you lose your job and think you have no friends.

So really, with those brilliant characters, great one - liners, sharp dialogues, perfect mix of poignancy and humour, this is a real page - turner and a book not to be missed! Combine it also with food and romance and you can be absolutely sure that you are for a real treat.

"Seven Steps to Happiness" is a story about how everything can change in your life in a heartbeat. How you can be happy and glad and in the next moment you can feel as if you've lost everything, or you've just lost everything. It shows how different the changing fortunes are. But it also shows that we should never give up, that there is always a way and that we should never allow other to undermine us. The idea of the book was that an app that Lenny was about to test promised happiness in 7 steps, and so Lenny persuaded Juliet to give it a try, but for me personally this book was much, much more than that, although sure, it is about finding happiness. It's about second chances, it's brilliantly observed, it's funny and poignant at the same time, it's a little sad but also uplifting and I enjoyed every single second of this story. There is a lot of depth in this story and I think that Stella Newman has just started a new chapter in her writing career, as this book really is on a different level - and I'm not saying that her previous novels were worse, because I loved them as much as this one - I'm just saying that it felt a little different, this bit more ambitious, and it truly lived up to my expectations. I've got this what Stella Newman got me used to, but I also got much, much more with this story, and I am really already looking forward towards her next release. Highly recommended!

Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Steps to Happiness by Stella Newman a five-star read that will have you following all the right steps. This one did start a little slower than I usually like, but honestly it just helped with the overall development and made you feel for the characters so much harder. Lenny and Juliet are great characters and you will easily love them both, they are a true testament to how good Stella Newman writes. This is a light-hearted story, and its filled with such a good story line, but it also deals with troubles in life and they are dealt with in realistic and compassionate ways that just make this a deeper and more amazing story.

[Kim Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good chick lit with food thrown in - what could be better. The novel centres around Lenny and Juliet, two friends navigating lifes challenges in endearing and sometimes funny ways.

I found the novel really heartwarming - all the characters were intensely likeable and relatable.

The only thing that let this novel down, and why it's only got 4 stars instead of 5, is that I found Lenny a little irritating when she went into her meltdown.

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who wants an easy, life affirming read.

[Jessica Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m torn between giving this a 3 and a 4 star. I really liked the pace of this - never once did it feel to me like it was dragging. I liked how the narrative switched from the two main characters. I liked the irony of the juxtaposition of the characters’ journeys. I think for me I found it frustrating that the title of the book didn’t quite fit with what was actually happening. It feels as if the title was a bit of an afterthought. Overall, a satisfyingly predictable read but with enough twists and turns to keep interested.

[Sarah Noonan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think this book is an overly complicated read and it did take me until about half way to be excited about reading it. The way the characters are developed throughout means you really feel a connection with their situations. The last 100 pages were my favourite part because there was a lot of passion coming through with all the characters and a sense of happiness I guess you could say. Overall, I really enjoyed it for a Sunday afternoon read.

[Oana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sorry but this wasn't my cup of tea.
I wanted to scream at Lenny so many times..
Not anybody can afford her life's choices ... I don't know what it's like to live in London, but somewhere else life would have kicked her in the a**.
Julie was nice and their friendship was nice, but I'm afraid I won't be rereading this book.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lenny and Juliet are best friends, this is the story of what happens to them and how they pick each other up. I won this book from Good Reads and enjoyed it, but both women had their faults. An easy read that ticks along nicely - how the worst things in your life may lead you on the best!

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read,basically the story of friends who come full circle in their relationships and find happiness through being true to themselves and enjoying delicious meals and food! Especially cheeses toasties!

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious, charming and funny. Engaging characters. Going to look for another Stella Newman to pop in my beach bag.

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Great story, great characters and a comforting read.

[Claire Cleary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming story of life's ups and downs and friendship.

[Katherine Sunderland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lovely cover which is so eye-catching. I was really attracted to the design, colour and whole suggestion of what this book would be like and I think it will really stand out in shops and on bookshelves.

As the blurb suggests, this is a great read for fans of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell. Our main protagonist, Lenny, also feels a little "Bridget Jones" at times too and I'm sure this is a book that would translate well to the screen. It's a perfect read for this time of year when the weather is dark, cold and wet and you crave just sitting snuggled up with an entertaining, light read - although by the end of this book you'll probably be craving something toasted, possibly with melted cheese such is the description of food throughout the novel!!

Which takes me straight on to Juliet and her job as a "ghost writer" for Celina; a vacuous celebrity who poses as a chef, taking the credit for the laboriously researched, prepared, cooked, photographed and tweaked recipes that Juliet dedicates her working life to creating. I really enjoyed these scenes - although Juliet's ability to handle everything with such calmness and perfection prevents them from becoming too comical, Celina and Mitchell could be something out of an "Absolutely Fabulous" sketch. What a shame their inspiration for a book called "Epic Kale" will only remain a fictional concept!

Juliet's commitment and talent is admirable. She is a conscientious employee, wife and mother which makes the devastating (although heavily hinted!) deception by her husband even more cataclysmic. But Juliet is more resilient than even she realises. I enjoyed watching her suddenly see how talented she was and begin to take control back over her life. I enjoyed her quickly working out the maths while pretending to be in the loo before standing up for herself and making a brave decision to go it alone.

Lenny is a colourful character. Haphazard, a little chaotic, a little directionless - but ultimately well meaning and prepared to do anything to help her friend. Her retorts and quips are entertaining and sharp and the reader cannot help but be drawn to her. I really enjoyed Lenny's first foray into the world of 'positive thinking' when she begins to use HappyGuru.

"Dr Durcat said, 'When it looks like we're facing a wall, the question to ask is not, How do I get over this wall? but rather: Is this wall really a wall or is this wall a door?'
Is that door really a door? Lenny thought, looking longingly towards the exit."

This book does what it says on the label - or cover....It has the perfect ingredients for tasty treat that will leave you feeling satisfied and content. It's full of lively characters, great dialogue, life, love and laughter. A great companion for your lunchtime toastie!

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Well I found the second half of the book very readable and enjoyable, and the last perhaps 100 pages to be even better, however it took me the entire first half to get properly into the story, and I just found it to be a very slow starter and hard to get into.

My problem with the beginning and with a fair amount of the early story, was I didn't like Lenny at all, I can't necessarily put my finger on what I disliked about her character, but she took forever to grow on me. However I did quiet early on enjoy reading about Juliet, her best friend, who is having a really up and down journey in this book.

I may just be skeptical, but I found that the suggestions proposed by the HappyGuru app, that Lenny was testing, were mainly common sense, and not all that innovative in the search for happiness. I did enjoy Lenny and Juliet trying them out though, and the trapeze class was brilliant.

I did quite enjoy seeing how the pair's fortunes changed after attempting to use an app that promised an increase in personal happiness after following a 7 step programme. Juliet has a very positive experience as a result of it, whereas Lenny's "reward" at work for the testing of the app, was not what she was hoping or expecting.

I loved Juliet I think because she is a fabulous cook, and lot of her chapters involved delicious sounding food descriptions, that really enticed me. I thought this in a previous book by Stella Newman, but she really can write brilliantly about food, and I felt transported to some of the kitchens.

Seven Steps to Happiness is a good book, it's just in places it didn't feel like the right book for me at the time I was reading it. The writing on the whole is good, and there definitely are some memorable bits, and the trip to Amsterdam was a classic, but equally I'm never too keen on books that feel like they take a long time to get going.

Thank you to Bookbridgr for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant! Juliet and Lenny have been best friends from school. Juliet appears to have the perfect life - married, child, part time job. Lenny is single, has a good job and is your typical city worker - coffee shops, wine drinking and generally going along with the flow.

Juliet's life is turned upside down just after her 19th Wedding Anniversary when her husband asks her for a divorce. Juliet's disbelief is one that a lot of women will relate to as she has had no inkling of her husband's infidelity.

Lenny is determined to help Juliet get back on her feet again so when she is asked to research a new HappyGuru App which promises happiness in 7 steps, she persuades Juliet that they should give it a try. Whilst the App helps Juliet to conquer her fears and put her back on the road to happiness, Lenny struggles to come to terms with hers and as a result, she starts eating comfort foods and drinking in order to deal with it.

Honest, humorous and heart breaking in places, this well written book is a must for Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes fans. Looking forward to reading the next novel by Stella Newman.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a firstread prize from goodreads.
This is a light and fun book which I really enjoyed! Lenny is on a mission to sort her friend Juliet's life out after an unexpected divorce. Using a happiness app she has to test out for work, Lenny pushes Juliet to try new and exciting things, whilst realising that her own life is unravelling as fast as Juliet's is being rebuilt.
There were lots of fun moments such as a drunken cheese on toast party and an enforced juice cleanse in Spain all brought about by doing the challenges on the app. Both women also have their fair share of romance, both good, bad and unrequited! What I most identified with was Lenny's confusion at the way her life had turned out, something I think we can all relate to! After being invigorated by new age teachings, she finds that it is actually the support and encouragement of her friends that will reveal her true life's calling.
I would recommend this book if you find yourself thinking 'What else could I do?' but would not recommend reading between meals, as I was definitely craving a cheese on toast fix throughout!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an uplifting book that makes you realise that there is a happy outcome from even the hardest situations.
Following Lenny as she tests the Seven Steps to Happiness App in order to help herself and friend Juliet who has found herself at rock bottom following the discovery of her husbands affair.
Such a great storyline with very modern, humorous and believable situations that absorb you into it, becoming part of the journey.
Will definitely be looking to read more books by Stella Newman soon.

I received this book as part of the GoodReads giveaway.

[Sheila Bibby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A witty well written book lots of humour an easy to read book, to pick up any time enjoyed it a lot.

[Suan Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a few chapters to get into this story. On the whole I enjoyed it but there were a few bbland bits in it

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable chic lit. Sometimes predictable is good.

[Isabelle Broom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, witty, honest, funny, poignant, unique – full review to follow on publication.