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Happy Happy Happy
Everything’s just perfect in Charlie’s life. Apart from all the things that are wrong.
It’s been more than a decade since Charlie Trewin left her sleepy Cornish fishing village for the dazzling lights of London, vowing never to return. But when shocking news of her father’s death forces her back to Carncarrow, she’s confronted with everything she thought she’d left behind: the tragic loss of her mother, her father’s obsessive hoarding—and her own unresolved emotions about them both.
At first Carncarrow seems like the same stuck-in-the-past, dead-end village Charlie escaped years ago. Nothing like London, where she’s built a wonderful new life: solid job, loving fiancé, and endless, boundless happiness. But as she sorts through her father’s stockpiled mementoes, she begins to rediscover the place she once called home—and realises that her life in London may not be as happy, happy, happy as she keeps telling herself.
When her fiancé unexpectedly shows up in Carncarrow, her two complicated worlds collide. With the past and the present competing for her attention, can Charlie finally make her peace with her memories? And can she find a way to be truly happy on her own terms?
It’s been more than a decade since Charlie Trewin left her sleepy Cornish fishing village for the dazzling lights of London, vowing never to return. But when shocking news of her father’s death forces her back to Carncarrow, she’s confronted with everything she thought she’d left behind: the tragic loss of her mother, her father’s obsessive hoarding—and her own unresolved emotions about them both.
At first Carncarrow seems like the same stuck-in-the-past, dead-end village Charlie escaped years ago. Nothing like London, where she’s built a wonderful new life: solid job, loving fiancé, and endless, boundless happiness. But as she sorts through her father’s stockpiled mementoes, she begins to rediscover the place she once called home—and realises that her life in London may not be as happy, happy, happy as she keeps telling herself.
When her fiancé unexpectedly shows up in Carncarrow, her two complicated worlds collide. With the past and the present competing for her attention, can Charlie finally make her peace with her memories? And can she find a way to be truly happy on her own terms?
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 11, 2022
Right book, wrong reader. Happy, Happy, Happy is one of those novels about lonely oddballs with personality disorders/mental health problems, that have become so popular since Eleanor Oliphant became a sensation. I’ve read and enjoyed my share of them, but they are now becoming quite samey.
I don’t always need to like a protagonist, but they do need to have some redeeming features, and Charlie’s unrelenting self-absorption and selfishness spoiled for me what could’ve been a charming read.
After hearing that her father is dying, Charlie Trewin has raced back to the small Cornish village she escaped from thirteen years earlier. Her mother’s suicide when she was twelve left them both traumatised - he became a hoarder, while she moved to London and settled into a monotonous but safe life with a fiancé she tolerates and a job she hates, convincing herself that happiness is overrated. Now forced to clear out the house and face the past, Charlie must decide for herself what kind of life she wants.
This is a contemporary story set (and I assume written) prior to the Covid pandemic, as there’s no mention of it. It’s well written with believable dialogue and some insight into the impact of parental suicide - Charlie’s chronic dysthymia felt realistic - it’s just a shame she’s such a cow; the author does deserve some kudos for not going down the “love cures all psychological problems” route.
Charlie’s treatment of James is appalling - sure, he’s not the ideal romantic lead, but none of her situation is his fault, he loves her and he tries hard. Acknowledging to yourself that you’re a b1tch and carrying on regardless is not the way to win this reader over. There are some fun support characters like Charlie’s take-no-nonsense ninety something year old neighbour Lowenna and kind would-be stepmother Pauline, and I loved the cover image. The ending is entirely predictable, in a feelgood sort of way, and appropriate for this sort of book. Overall this is a good effort for a first time author, which I think readers more keen on this genre will like better than I did. 3.5 rounded down for the first person present narration.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Happy, Happy, Happy is published on May 19th.
I don’t always need to like a protagonist, but they do need to have some redeeming features, and Charlie’s unrelenting self-absorption and selfishness spoiled for me what could’ve been a charming read.
After hearing that her father is dying, Charlie Trewin has raced back to the small Cornish village she escaped from thirteen years earlier. Her mother’s suicide when she was twelve left them both traumatised - he became a hoarder, while she moved to London and settled into a monotonous but safe life with a fiancé she tolerates and a job she hates, convincing herself that happiness is overrated. Now forced to clear out the house and face the past, Charlie must decide for herself what kind of life she wants.
This is a contemporary story set (and I assume written) prior to the Covid pandemic, as there’s no mention of it. It’s well written with believable dialogue and some insight into the impact of parental suicide - Charlie’s chronic dysthymia felt realistic - it’s just a shame she’s such a cow; the author does deserve some kudos for not going down the “love cures all psychological problems” route.
Charlie’s treatment of James is appalling - sure, he’s not the ideal romantic lead, but none of her situation is his fault, he loves her and he tries hard. Acknowledging to yourself that you’re a b1tch and carrying on regardless is not the way to win this reader over. There are some fun support characters like Charlie’s take-no-nonsense ninety something year old neighbour Lowenna and kind would-be stepmother Pauline, and I loved the cover image. The ending is entirely predictable, in a feelgood sort of way, and appropriate for this sort of book. Overall this is a good effort for a first time author, which I think readers more keen on this genre will like better than I did. 3.5 rounded down for the first person present narration.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Happy, Happy, Happy is published on May 19th.
May 21, 2022
This book was okay, I liked how they told us her thoughts and how she coped with everything that happened in her life BUT I was so frustrated with Charlie throughout the whole book. The writing from Nicola (the author) was amazing but the story sadly wasn’t as good. I’m looking forward to reading other books of hers.
April 3, 2023
This debut novel follows Charlie Trewin, who returns to her hometown after a decade because of her father’s passing. During her time back, she’s forced on an inward journey: did she do well by leaving all that time ago?
This is not a happy book, so don’t let its title fool you. The story focuses mostly on grief, old and new, and the healing journey that goes with it. Despite the obvious flaws and annoying qualities of some of the characters, I really enjoyed this book.
The book deals with grief in a realistic and well-illustrated way, and the village(rs) of Corncarrow felt very real to me. Despite its heavy content, I laughed at times as well, and I enjoyed the writing style – the use of flashbacks gave Charlie more depth and the story more body.
If you’ve enjoyed I’m Sorry You Feel That Way, The Existence of Amy or The Switch, this book may be right up your alley! (Those are books I thought of while reading this)
3.5/5
This is not a happy book, so don’t let its title fool you. The story focuses mostly on grief, old and new, and the healing journey that goes with it. Despite the obvious flaws and annoying qualities of some of the characters, I really enjoyed this book.
The book deals with grief in a realistic and well-illustrated way, and the village(rs) of Corncarrow felt very real to me. Despite its heavy content, I laughed at times as well, and I enjoyed the writing style – the use of flashbacks gave Charlie more depth and the story more body.
If you’ve enjoyed I’m Sorry You Feel That Way, The Existence of Amy or The Switch, this book may be right up your alley! (Those are books I thought of while reading this)
3.5/5
February 4, 2023
This was a dang good book.
It is not really a happy one, but it is a good one.
This is a book about grief, first and foremost. It is about a girl that experienced loss way too early in life, never fully processed it, and then had it compounded by a second loss in her adulthood. She grew up and lived life by going through the motions, doing things because she felt like she had to hit certain milestones that other "adults" hit, never really second guessing it. And sure, she is "happy," but really...who is happy 100% of the time?
This book definitely made me cry at multiple points, and there were some bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout that really hit deep too. I loved Lowenna, the elderly next door lady - she had some great quips and was overall a stunner of a woman. I could not get enough of her! Then there is Pauline, a woman of significance (no spoilers), who really helped Charlie process everything going on. I mean, it was kind of moving back and seeing the whole town again that kind of kicked her into a "processing" gear, but it was the people closest to her that helped the most.
Except James, her.....fiance. Kind of? From his first entrance I did not like him, and there really isn't a single point where I found him a likeable character. His fiance is literally grieving and he found ways to make the situation about himself, or make her feel bad for not attending to his wants and desires during this time. Oh, and he insulted her town multiple times. I'm sure that deep down he's not a terrible human, but from what I saw...I was not rooting for him.
This book has a very slow character development timeline, but it's done well. Even halfway through the book I started noticing some changes with Charlie, even if she could not admit that things were not fine. Of course it takes until the last 3% of the book for everything to finally click into place, but it is also clear to see how much better off she is than when this book started. I loved seeing the slow changes in her - opening up, learning to love the town, and even processing the grief of not losing one, but two parents.
Overall, this book is quite sad but also does have a good ending, and I think that it was just beautiful. The writing was pretty amazing and I loved the humor, and even the side characters were well written and so important to the story. This story is mainly about grief and is strongly propelled by character development, and I had a hard time putting this one down. I enjoyed reading this book, and I would definitely be open to reading another book by this author in the future.
Content warnings: grief, suicide, death or a parent, violence, gallows humor, alcohol use, sexual content, vomit, mental illness
It is not really a happy one, but it is a good one.
This is a book about grief, first and foremost. It is about a girl that experienced loss way too early in life, never fully processed it, and then had it compounded by a second loss in her adulthood. She grew up and lived life by going through the motions, doing things because she felt like she had to hit certain milestones that other "adults" hit, never really second guessing it. And sure, she is "happy," but really...who is happy 100% of the time?
This book definitely made me cry at multiple points, and there were some bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout that really hit deep too. I loved Lowenna, the elderly next door lady - she had some great quips and was overall a stunner of a woman. I could not get enough of her! Then there is Pauline, a woman of significance (no spoilers), who really helped Charlie process everything going on. I mean, it was kind of moving back and seeing the whole town again that kind of kicked her into a "processing" gear, but it was the people closest to her that helped the most.
Except James, her.....fiance. Kind of? From his first entrance I did not like him, and there really isn't a single point where I found him a likeable character. His fiance is literally grieving and he found ways to make the situation about himself, or make her feel bad for not attending to his wants and desires during this time. Oh, and he insulted her town multiple times. I'm sure that deep down he's not a terrible human, but from what I saw...I was not rooting for him.
This book has a very slow character development timeline, but it's done well. Even halfway through the book I started noticing some changes with Charlie, even if she could not admit that things were not fine. Of course it takes until the last 3% of the book for everything to finally click into place, but it is also clear to see how much better off she is than when this book started. I loved seeing the slow changes in her - opening up, learning to love the town, and even processing the grief of not losing one, but two parents.
Overall, this book is quite sad but also does have a good ending, and I think that it was just beautiful. The writing was pretty amazing and I loved the humor, and even the side characters were well written and so important to the story. This story is mainly about grief and is strongly propelled by character development, and I had a hard time putting this one down. I enjoyed reading this book, and I would definitely be open to reading another book by this author in the future.
Content warnings: grief, suicide, death or a parent, violence, gallows humor, alcohol use, sexual content, vomit, mental illness
April 18, 2022
Nicola Masters' debut novel, Happy, Happy, Happy, follows the journey of Charlie Trewin as she navigates self-doubt and generational trauma when she's forced to return to her hometown after the untimely death of her father. It's an introspective piece that I believe will be hit and miss for the reader depending on the experiences of the reader themselves.
After the death of her mother when Charlie was a young girl, Charlie began emotionally shutting herself off from the world, purposefully growing distant from her father and everyone else in her hometown. She escapes to college in London, hoping for a glamorous, busy, semi-anonymous life; a choice that will resonate with many readers who have or hope to do the same as young adults. Masters does a fantastic job delving into Charlie's train of thought as Charlie continues to wish for closeness and intimacy while continuing to shut herself off from the world so much that she finds herself without friends and is completely unenthusiastic about her upcoming marriage to her fiance, James. Early on in the plot, Charlie remembers something her mother told her before she died: "You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with anybody else." As Charlie returns to her hometown, convinced that everyone has forgotten about her and that she's merely back to deal with her father's estate before making a quick escape back to London, she projects a stony exterior to the outside world, internally chanting, "I'm happy, happy, happy,"--especially when she clearly is not.
Readers who have dealt with extensive self-doubt and emotional trauma may identify with Charlie. A common phrase for people struggling emotionally is "Fake it until you make it," but Charlie's journey shows that lying to yourself doesn't fix underlying issues. Her mother's words ring true, but it takes work to love yourself, and this can be an incredible struggle for many. Charlie's inner turmoil can frustrate the reader, but I believe this was an intentional choice by Masters. Even if someone knows what they need to address in order to begin healing, that first step can be the absolute hardest of all. Perhaps Masters' exploration of Charlie's journey will help some readers who are themselves struggling with self-doubt and self-love. Even if you've convinced yourself otherwise, you are never truly alone in this world.
After the death of her mother when Charlie was a young girl, Charlie began emotionally shutting herself off from the world, purposefully growing distant from her father and everyone else in her hometown. She escapes to college in London, hoping for a glamorous, busy, semi-anonymous life; a choice that will resonate with many readers who have or hope to do the same as young adults. Masters does a fantastic job delving into Charlie's train of thought as Charlie continues to wish for closeness and intimacy while continuing to shut herself off from the world so much that she finds herself without friends and is completely unenthusiastic about her upcoming marriage to her fiance, James. Early on in the plot, Charlie remembers something her mother told her before she died: "You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with anybody else." As Charlie returns to her hometown, convinced that everyone has forgotten about her and that she's merely back to deal with her father's estate before making a quick escape back to London, she projects a stony exterior to the outside world, internally chanting, "I'm happy, happy, happy,"--especially when she clearly is not.
Readers who have dealt with extensive self-doubt and emotional trauma may identify with Charlie. A common phrase for people struggling emotionally is "Fake it until you make it," but Charlie's journey shows that lying to yourself doesn't fix underlying issues. Her mother's words ring true, but it takes work to love yourself, and this can be an incredible struggle for many. Charlie's inner turmoil can frustrate the reader, but I believe this was an intentional choice by Masters. Even if someone knows what they need to address in order to begin healing, that first step can be the absolute hardest of all. Perhaps Masters' exploration of Charlie's journey will help some readers who are themselves struggling with self-doubt and self-love. Even if you've convinced yourself otherwise, you are never truly alone in this world.
October 18, 2022
Charlie left her hometown, a sleepy Cornish fishing village, more than decade ago. She moved to London and never looked back. The sudden death of her father however, forces her to return home and face her past.
This book was not what I was expecting, then again, I am not sure what I expected. The main character, Charlie, is definitely not happy in her current (London) life. She clearly has been going through the motions of life (job, engagement etc) and telling herself her life is great cos she escaped her childhood. However, she actively avoids her fiance's phone calls, doesn't even call him as soon as she finds out her dad has died, just vanishes home and forgets to tell him. Does she even love him regularly crossed my mind. I appreciate she is shocked by her dad's death but just felt weird. She came across throughout as a incredibly self absorbed and selfish as a result.
Charlie clearly has been emotionally protecting herself since her mother's death when she was a child. As we see her come face to face with memories from the past and explore her father's home, we are hit with her (suppressed) emotions. She craves closeness but pushes everybody away / holds them at arms length. As a reader, I did however struggle to feel empathy for her. I wanted to love her more and ride the emotions with her but she was just built a little too cold for me. I did enjoy the exploration of coming face to face with a past you tried to escape.
This book was not what I was expecting, then again, I am not sure what I expected. The main character, Charlie, is definitely not happy in her current (London) life. She clearly has been going through the motions of life (job, engagement etc) and telling herself her life is great cos she escaped her childhood. However, she actively avoids her fiance's phone calls, doesn't even call him as soon as she finds out her dad has died, just vanishes home and forgets to tell him. Does she even love him regularly crossed my mind. I appreciate she is shocked by her dad's death but just felt weird. She came across throughout as a incredibly self absorbed and selfish as a result.
Charlie clearly has been emotionally protecting herself since her mother's death when she was a child. As we see her come face to face with memories from the past and explore her father's home, we are hit with her (suppressed) emotions. She craves closeness but pushes everybody away / holds them at arms length. As a reader, I did however struggle to feel empathy for her. I wanted to love her more and ride the emotions with her but she was just built a little too cold for me. I did enjoy the exploration of coming face to face with a past you tried to escape.
April 21, 2022
Thank you so much Amazon Publishing and Lake Union. Oh and NetGalley!
I loved, loved, loved this book. Charlie escaped her small town for London but returns to deal with her father's death. She has not told her fiancee about her past, and he shows up for the funeral. Lots of things come up for Charlie as she tries to figure out where she belongs.
The characters and small town location are all treasures. Some people will probably find Charlie annoying and the treatment of her fiancee annoying, but I think that is the point. She has put everyone else first because she thinks she is supposed to. I thought her fiancee was annoying at times, but he also doesn't know the real Charlie. Charlie doesn't even know the real Charlie. I also appreciated the ending because it seemed the most real.
I loved, loved, loved this book. Charlie escaped her small town for London but returns to deal with her father's death. She has not told her fiancee about her past, and he shows up for the funeral. Lots of things come up for Charlie as she tries to figure out where she belongs.
The characters and small town location are all treasures. Some people will probably find Charlie annoying and the treatment of her fiancee annoying, but I think that is the point. She has put everyone else first because she thinks she is supposed to. I thought her fiancee was annoying at times, but he also doesn't know the real Charlie. Charlie doesn't even know the real Charlie. I also appreciated the ending because it seemed the most real.
October 21, 2022
excellent, but bring tissues!
Trigger warnings! Suicide and death of parent!
Wonderful characters that you might even have in your life, if you’re lucky. Total emotional rollercoaster with some good laughs thrown in. I Loved this book!
Trigger warnings! Suicide and death of parent!
Wonderful characters that you might even have in your life, if you’re lucky. Total emotional rollercoaster with some good laughs thrown in. I Loved this book!
July 12, 2022
Charlie grew a spine! It only took her a while longer than I had hoped.
May 30, 2022
“I am happy. I am happy. I am happy…”
This is a story of a young woman who discovers her true self after overcoming the obstacles life has thrown at her.
Charlie has escaped her small town for London but now has to return to deal with her father's death.
She wants to keep her two worlds separate so she has not told her fiancée about her past. He arrives to comfort her at the funeral and is now face to face with Charlie's past.
This is a story of a young woman who discovers her true self after overcoming the obstacles life has thrown at her.
Charlie has escaped her small town for London but now has to return to deal with her father's death.
She wants to keep her two worlds separate so she has not told her fiancée about her past. He arrives to comfort her at the funeral and is now face to face with Charlie's past.
July 31, 2026
I really disliked the main character in this - also her fiance was equally as horrific - Lowenna was my favourite character I found myself cracking up at some of her one liners!
July 31, 2022
Based on the title of Nicola's book, I thought this would be more of an uplifting book! I should have read between the lines on the sarcasm here....
In order to enjoy a book, I like to try to connect to the main character in some way. I get that we all put on a face to make others think our life is better, no problems in our world or from childhood. Other than this "I'm happy" act that we all display, I couldn't connect due to the main character, Charlie, since she was being so selfish, just unlikable. I also didn't like the other characters in her world.
In order to enjoy a book, I like to try to connect to the main character in some way. I get that we all put on a face to make others think our life is better, no problems in our world or from childhood. Other than this "I'm happy" act that we all display, I couldn't connect due to the main character, Charlie, since she was being so selfish, just unlikable. I also didn't like the other characters in her world.
April 19, 2022
“I am happy. I am happy. I am happy…”
If we tell ourselves this enough will it become reality? I read this book in one setting, although there was not much plot the intricacies of the Charlie’s inner world are quite wonderful and reminiscent of Fredrik Backman. It addresses the questions of escaping one’s past and what does it mean to be happy?
I found this book to be warm yet complicated as it explores one’s one sense of happiness and the implications of settling. Overall, it felt a bit like a psychological conversation with oneself in all the best ways. I would recommend this to reader’s who are character driven and enjoy inner monologues and personal growth.
If we tell ourselves this enough will it become reality? I read this book in one setting, although there was not much plot the intricacies of the Charlie’s inner world are quite wonderful and reminiscent of Fredrik Backman. It addresses the questions of escaping one’s past and what does it mean to be happy?
I found this book to be warm yet complicated as it explores one’s one sense of happiness and the implications of settling. Overall, it felt a bit like a psychological conversation with oneself in all the best ways. I would recommend this to reader’s who are character driven and enjoy inner monologues and personal growth.
April 23, 2022
What a fantastic debut novel, quite a difficult subject to write about and it feels real rather than purely for entertainment although entertaining it is. Charlie is a complex character who is like many people who do stuff that other people assume makes her happy, you go on a real journey with her and the people she meets. there are no villains in this book and you can like or dislike the characters depending on your individual outlook which is unusual in a book and quite clever. Something for everyone here.
June 9, 2022
Awesome
Well developed characters. I cried with Charlie and Martin. I felt their pain. I laughed with Charlie and Martin. I felt their joy. This book brought to me the entire emotional spectrum. It also made me homesick. Though originally from Germany I identify with village life.
I will recommend this book to all my friends (well, ok, two anyway) or anyone who asks.
Well done, Ms Masters.
Well developed characters. I cried with Charlie and Martin. I felt their pain. I laughed with Charlie and Martin. I felt their joy. This book brought to me the entire emotional spectrum. It also made me homesick. Though originally from Germany I identify with village life.
I will recommend this book to all my friends (well, ok, two anyway) or anyone who asks.
Well done, Ms Masters.
September 13, 2022
I feel a bit torn reviewing this book.
There are so many sad and difficult situation and events covered so well, respectfully and delicately . I feel it deserves praise for that alone.
And charlie is a quirky, and really likable character. However, I felt frustrated with charlie for most of the book.
I did enjoy the plot and wanted to see how it ended, and loved the ending.
My initial rating was 3 stars, but having given it more thought I feel its more a 3.5/4 .
There are so many sad and difficult situation and events covered so well, respectfully and delicately . I feel it deserves praise for that alone.
And charlie is a quirky, and really likable character. However, I felt frustrated with charlie for most of the book.
I did enjoy the plot and wanted to see how it ended, and loved the ending.
My initial rating was 3 stars, but having given it more thought I feel its more a 3.5/4 .
May 11, 2022
First off i would like to that NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for providing me with this ARC. What is something that everyone wants to be? Happy, I would assume. But the main character, Charlie, is not and has a habit of not being happy. After the devastating loss of her mother, Charlie escaped her village to start a new life in London. She had a new life, stable and fiancé. Is Charlie finally happy? But then she had to move back to her village to face her past when her father died. So was she trying to convince herself that she was happy? I think she was. Charlie is a very sad girl and is clueless about what she wants in life. She just takes the path life gives her and thinks that is happiness because she’s on a good path. She puts up a wall and disregards the emotions of her dad and fiancé. She is very detestable at first and needs to get over her mother’s death and her feelings towards her dad. But then her saving grace enters the picture: Pauline, her stepmom. Along with the help of Lowenna, they lead Charlie towards development and transformation. Every so often, the author tells the reader why Charlie is the way she is. I was very grateful for this because people are so quick to judge others for how they are without knowing their past. This is something that needs to change because judgement hurts people more than you know. I judged Charlie in the beginning but I ended up loving her because she became a strong, respectful and HAPPY young lady.
July 30, 2022
This looked a lot like in the lines of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine so I dived into this book head first. The writing is extremely easy to get into, but the character not so much. We follow Charlie who hates her job, barely tolerates her fiance must now move out of her London apartment, face her past and with her mindset that happiness is overrated, have to grab all her ducks and try and get them in a row and decide what is the type of life she wants for herself.
I unfortunately couldn’t tolerate Charlie. I note that parental suicide played a pick role in her personality, but she is incredibly selfish, rude and treats James horribly. How he stayed just boggles my mind. I basically only continued reading in hopes for some massive character development, and the side-characters also were very sweet. The ending was not exactly what I had in mind, but was written well in a feel-good way.
Great book, wrong person I guess.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
I unfortunately couldn’t tolerate Charlie. I note that parental suicide played a pick role in her personality, but she is incredibly selfish, rude and treats James horribly. How he stayed just boggles my mind. I basically only continued reading in hopes for some massive character development, and the side-characters also were very sweet. The ending was not exactly what I had in mind, but was written well in a feel-good way.
Great book, wrong person I guess.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
April 1, 2023
Just ok. Rare but quite telling that a story so concerned with death, grief and the loss of yourself so leave me so “meh”… a few seconds of a poorly timed tv show or even a commercial that deals with grief and loss and I immediately tear up, but this never did more than “hm, Ok” while I just got to the very obvious ending. I quite liked the authors “happy, happy, happy” motif; the repetition felt quite authentic of when we’re trying to convince ourselves of something we want to want, but mostly the characters were flat, unbelievable and unengaging- the most interesting character was the ancient grandmother figure who was a bit too good to be true, and, considering the themes of the story, you were too wary to really grow attached to.
A cheapie for a reason sadly.
A cheapie for a reason sadly.
July 19, 2022
2.25⭐️/5. This book was..ermm..ok? I found it became quite tedious after a while, to the point I just wanted it to end. I couldn’t stand the main character, I found her really annoying and really whiny, I get she’s been through some big things but the whole book seemed like constant whining and very self-centred. I thought this would be a quick read, but turns out I was so wrong. I just couldn’t get into it.
June 8, 2022
A Phoenix from the Ashes!
At first I found this book so depressing because it reflected back so much of my own life. It reminded me that all the indecisiveness, all the times I traded happiness to avoid conflict. Loved this book!
At first I found this book so depressing because it reflected back so much of my own life. It reminded me that all the indecisiveness, all the times I traded happiness to avoid conflict. Loved this book!
January 5, 2023
Happy.. happy… happy.. to be done with the book.
2.5 ✨
My pride wouldn’t let me DNF but probably should have. It was just boring to me and the main character was slightly annoying… take control of your life girl friend!
2.5 ✨
My pride wouldn’t let me DNF but probably should have. It was just boring to me and the main character was slightly annoying… take control of your life girl friend!
May 28, 2022
When you fake happiness so long you believe it.
James was never the right man and deep inside she knew it but was too insecure to admit. Happy that Adam and the community let her feel was love was like.
James was never the right man and deep inside she knew it but was too insecure to admit. Happy that Adam and the community let her feel was love was like.
April 29, 2022
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.
These are all my own opinions.
This book was okay. If I could do half stars it really would be a 3.5. The overall story was good I really enjoyed the 'young woman discovers her true self after overcoming the obstacles life has thrown at her'. However, the main character really annoyed me. She developed slow and so the next to last two chapters is her really coming into her own so I feel it didn't wrap up as well as I'd like. Also the fiancé was supposed to be the "bad guy" I think and part of me felt sorry for him for how she treated him and the other part of me couldn't stand him.
These are all my own opinions.
This book was okay. If I could do half stars it really would be a 3.5. The overall story was good I really enjoyed the 'young woman discovers her true self after overcoming the obstacles life has thrown at her'. However, the main character really annoyed me. She developed slow and so the next to last two chapters is her really coming into her own so I feel it didn't wrap up as well as I'd like. Also the fiancé was supposed to be the "bad guy" I think and part of me felt sorry for him for how she treated him and the other part of me couldn't stand him.
May 14, 2022
Charlie returns to her hometown following the death of her father. She begins to realise that the life she has been living in London - career in HR, fiance James - might not be making her happy after alll, and that the town she was so desperate to leave has a lot going for it, not least her father's next door neighbour Lowenna, his partner Pauline.and her ex Adam.
I loved this book so much. The author did a wonderful job with the story and especially the character of Charlie - I wondered if Charlie is neurodivergent (takes one to know one!) - and dealt with so many issues in a meaningful way. Read the whole book in practically one sitting and was cheering Charlie on all the way. Loved the characters of Lowenna and Pauline too. Very highly recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
I loved this book so much. The author did a wonderful job with the story and especially the character of Charlie - I wondered if Charlie is neurodivergent (takes one to know one!) - and dealt with so many issues in a meaningful way. Read the whole book in practically one sitting and was cheering Charlie on all the way. Loved the characters of Lowenna and Pauline too. Very highly recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
May 16, 2022
“If and when you go out with somebody, you have to remember it’s a nice thing, but it’s not the most important thing.”
“You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with anybody else.’”
I would rate this book for a 2.5, but I hate down rating books, as a lot of effort and hard-work goes into writing, publishing etc. of a book. But frankly, it went a bit slow for me. Nevertheless, there is a lesson to learn in every little thing we read.
“You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with anybody else.’”
I would rate this book for a 2.5, but I hate down rating books, as a lot of effort and hard-work goes into writing, publishing etc. of a book. But frankly, it went a bit slow for me. Nevertheless, there is a lesson to learn in every little thing we read.
May 3, 2022
Happy Happy Happy is about a young woman named Charlie, who left her village in order to escape from the tragic loss of her mother and unspoken emotions between her and her father. Charlie decided to run away from her past and live a new life in London determined to forget about everything. She had a new life, had a stable job, she found herself a fiance telling herself that she had indeed found her happiness... until her father died and she needed to go back to their village and face her past again. She was now finding herself asking whether she was indeed truly happy.
"You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with anybody else." - Happy Happy Happy, Nicola Masters
I have never had such a love and hate relationship with a book, but this book.. argh! I honestly don't know how to feel about this one. This book is so sad, sad, sad and it was such a drag to be reading Charlie's thoughts. Charlie is such a sad girl and doesn't know what she really wants in her life. She usually just follows where life takes her and does not think about what really matters to her and would assume that she is happy just because she thinks it's a good thing.
Nicola made sure readers see Charlie's struggle to make peace with her dad and past. At first, I could never understand why some people are ungrateful to their parents. Charlie is a hateful female who disregards everything around her, not to mention how she treats her fiancé.
She just loves to push everyone away.
She hasn't gotten over her mom's death, and she expects her dad to do the same. She actually has the balls to feel infuriated when she learned he found someone new when she just ignores him whenever he tries to reach out to her. I almost DNF this book because I hated how she treated her Dad until the very end, and how she closed herself to the people in her village.
This was until Pauline came, her supposed-to-be stepmom was so awesome that I knew she would be a key to Charlie's acceptance of whatever she was battling with. Alongside Lowenna, I loved how they build friendships over time.
As I read further, I love how Nicola made Charlie so unlikeable in the beginning and slowly pave the way for her character's growth and transition. I love how she drops snippets of Charlie's past in every chapter making you understand why she is the way she is. I understood that she was never ungrateful, she did not disregard people, when was just so...sad, sad, sad.
Understanding her back story, I am glad I didn't give up on this book. I've learned that it's easy to judge people especially if you're only seeing what they want you to see. This book has reminded me that every one of us has different struggles in life, and how you see life even after the darkness is important.
Always know that you are not alone, and there will always be people ready to support you along the way... just find the right one and know what it really feels like to be happy.
"You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with anybody else." - Happy Happy Happy, Nicola Masters
I have never had such a love and hate relationship with a book, but this book.. argh! I honestly don't know how to feel about this one. This book is so sad, sad, sad and it was such a drag to be reading Charlie's thoughts. Charlie is such a sad girl and doesn't know what she really wants in her life. She usually just follows where life takes her and does not think about what really matters to her and would assume that she is happy just because she thinks it's a good thing.
Nicola made sure readers see Charlie's struggle to make peace with her dad and past. At first, I could never understand why some people are ungrateful to their parents. Charlie is a hateful female who disregards everything around her, not to mention how she treats her fiancé.
She just loves to push everyone away.
She hasn't gotten over her mom's death, and she expects her dad to do the same. She actually has the balls to feel infuriated when she learned he found someone new when she just ignores him whenever he tries to reach out to her. I almost DNF this book because I hated how she treated her Dad until the very end, and how she closed herself to the people in her village.
This was until Pauline came, her supposed-to-be stepmom was so awesome that I knew she would be a key to Charlie's acceptance of whatever she was battling with. Alongside Lowenna, I loved how they build friendships over time.
As I read further, I love how Nicola made Charlie so unlikeable in the beginning and slowly pave the way for her character's growth and transition. I love how she drops snippets of Charlie's past in every chapter making you understand why she is the way she is. I understood that she was never ungrateful, she did not disregard people, when was just so...sad, sad, sad.
Understanding her back story, I am glad I didn't give up on this book. I've learned that it's easy to judge people especially if you're only seeing what they want you to see. This book has reminded me that every one of us has different struggles in life, and how you see life even after the darkness is important.
Always know that you are not alone, and there will always be people ready to support you along the way... just find the right one and know what it really feels like to be happy.
August 6, 2022
What really struck me about this book was Nicola Masters’ ability to truly portray the lingering nature of grief and the power that that has to fundamentally change you as a person. In running away from her life in Cornwall, Charlie has chosen a life that is completely distanced both physically and emotionally, convincing herself that she is happy (happy, happy) because it allows her to bury her grief as a distance where she is almost living a life of suspended animation, numbed to all real feeling. It’s only in being confronted with the grief surrounding her father’s death that she is finally forced to confront the grief that she has held onto over her mother’s death as a teenager.
That was the potential of this book and it hit that potential in some spots, but I was left a little bit unfulfilled. We see so much of Charlie’s delusion and refusal to confront her feelings surrounding the past and how that’s impacting on her present and I don’t want to feel frustrated because grief is such a complex journey, but the whole plot felt a little bit…jumbled. We needed to be allowed to submerge under Charlie’s skin a little bit more to truly appreciate her emotional progression and I was frustrated by the author choosing to tie everything together with a flash forward. It felt like the journey that we’d been on with Charlie deserved more than that and, actually, it deserved more than feeling reduced to a love triangle for much of the book too. I struggle to understand why James was with Charlie in the first place, never mind proposed, such was the emotional gulf between them at Charlie’s instigation.
I liked the idea behind this book, and the exploration of long-term grief, it just didn’t quite come together in terms of allowing Charlie to reconcile herself with her past.
That was the potential of this book and it hit that potential in some spots, but I was left a little bit unfulfilled. We see so much of Charlie’s delusion and refusal to confront her feelings surrounding the past and how that’s impacting on her present and I don’t want to feel frustrated because grief is such a complex journey, but the whole plot felt a little bit…jumbled. We needed to be allowed to submerge under Charlie’s skin a little bit more to truly appreciate her emotional progression and I was frustrated by the author choosing to tie everything together with a flash forward. It felt like the journey that we’d been on with Charlie deserved more than that and, actually, it deserved more than feeling reduced to a love triangle for much of the book too. I struggle to understand why James was with Charlie in the first place, never mind proposed, such was the emotional gulf between them at Charlie’s instigation.
I liked the idea behind this book, and the exploration of long-term grief, it just didn’t quite come together in terms of allowing Charlie to reconcile herself with her past.
November 6, 2022
J'ai beaucoup apprécié ce roman qui traite du deuil, des traumatismes, des relations familiales et amoureuses, et de nombreux autres sujets touchant à la vie d'adulte, aux choix que l'on fait tout au long de sa vie et leurs conséquences au court et long terme.
J'ai apprécié le personnage de Charlie. J'ai réussi à m'attacher à elle, à ressentir sa confusion et à la comprendre. Il est vrai qu'au début, elle paraît assez froide, sans réelles émotions ou sentiments pour les autres, mais on en comprend rapidement les raisons et on apprend progressivement à la connaître mieux. Il y a une évolution graduelle dans sa relation avec les autres, des efforts, des pas en avant et d'autres en arrière. Le style de narration joue un rôle dans la compréhension du personnage et de son esprit. Les répétitions montrent bien les difficultés de Charlie, son besoin de certitudes et de se convaincre de celles-ci. Même si l'on n'est pas complètement heureux, rester dans une routine sûre est toujours plus rassurant que de changer les choses : Charlie le vie, et je compatis et comprend complètement.
James, son fiancé, n'est présenté que du point de vue de Charlie, ce qui le rend agaçant, mais aussi attachant. Le comportement de Charlie est bien souvent horrible envers lui, mais il reste et continue, montrant une grande douceur. Mais, il a aussi l'air, comme Charlie, de ne pas écouter sa partenaire, menant à des situations délicates. Leur relation montre bien la routine et les mécanismes dans lesquelles de nombreux couples sont rentrés, créant des tensions, sans qu'aucun ne soit réellement prêt à faire des efforts pour changer. Cette relation plus réaliste m'a plu, il m'a été plus facile d'y croire, même si elle était dure à suivre.
La relation de Charlie avec les habitants de son village natal sont aussi intéressantes à suivre, bien que moins attachantes. Certaines tournaient un peu en rond, des éléments revenaient plusieurs fois, donnant un peu en longueur, mais ces relations montrent la diversité des liens qu'une personne peut créer et la façon dont chaque peut avoir de l'influence sur nous.
J'ai trouvé le rythme de narration bien trouvé. Charlie passe par différentes étapes, et chacune a assez de temps pour se développer. Il y a quelques flash-backs incorporés, ajoutant plus de contexte, mais la façon dont ils sont incorporé ne m'a pas toujours semblé naturel, cela créait une sorte de coupure dans ma lecture. Le dénouement laisse percevoir des jours plus heureux, mais elle m'a laissé quelque peu indifférente.
J'ai apprécié le personnage de Charlie. J'ai réussi à m'attacher à elle, à ressentir sa confusion et à la comprendre. Il est vrai qu'au début, elle paraît assez froide, sans réelles émotions ou sentiments pour les autres, mais on en comprend rapidement les raisons et on apprend progressivement à la connaître mieux. Il y a une évolution graduelle dans sa relation avec les autres, des efforts, des pas en avant et d'autres en arrière. Le style de narration joue un rôle dans la compréhension du personnage et de son esprit. Les répétitions montrent bien les difficultés de Charlie, son besoin de certitudes et de se convaincre de celles-ci. Même si l'on n'est pas complètement heureux, rester dans une routine sûre est toujours plus rassurant que de changer les choses : Charlie le vie, et je compatis et comprend complètement.
James, son fiancé, n'est présenté que du point de vue de Charlie, ce qui le rend agaçant, mais aussi attachant. Le comportement de Charlie est bien souvent horrible envers lui, mais il reste et continue, montrant une grande douceur. Mais, il a aussi l'air, comme Charlie, de ne pas écouter sa partenaire, menant à des situations délicates. Leur relation montre bien la routine et les mécanismes dans lesquelles de nombreux couples sont rentrés, créant des tensions, sans qu'aucun ne soit réellement prêt à faire des efforts pour changer. Cette relation plus réaliste m'a plu, il m'a été plus facile d'y croire, même si elle était dure à suivre.
La relation de Charlie avec les habitants de son village natal sont aussi intéressantes à suivre, bien que moins attachantes. Certaines tournaient un peu en rond, des éléments revenaient plusieurs fois, donnant un peu en longueur, mais ces relations montrent la diversité des liens qu'une personne peut créer et la façon dont chaque peut avoir de l'influence sur nous.
J'ai trouvé le rythme de narration bien trouvé. Charlie passe par différentes étapes, et chacune a assez de temps pour se développer. Il y a quelques flash-backs incorporés, ajoutant plus de contexte, mais la façon dont ils sont incorporé ne m'a pas toujours semblé naturel, cela créait une sorte de coupure dans ma lecture. Le dénouement laisse percevoir des jours plus heureux, mais elle m'a laissé quelque peu indifférente.
May 18, 2022
Charlie Trewin is happy with her fiancé, her job, and her life in London. Happy, happy, happy. Or so she tells herself.
Returning to her hometown of Carncarrow after her father’s death, Charlie finds that it is the same old small village she fled more than a decade ago. Coming home to the house where her mother committed suicide and her father’s death has left her to deal with his massive hoarding habit, Charlie becomes overwhelmed with panic. The unexpected and unwelcome arrival of her fiancé James only serve to add to her growing sense of panic. Along the way, Charlie meets up with some old friends and makes some new ones who help her come to terms with her past trauma and realize she deserves to be happy, and that she truly does belong in Carncarrow.
The characters in this book were unbelievable. The author wrote them in a way that you either loved or hated them (sometimes both). Charlie was a hot mess. Her unresolved childhood trauma led her to a life of seeking safety and certainty, not happiness. From a dull job to an even duller relationship, she strived for security rather than happiness. It made me want to shake her! In the end, she finally realized where she was meant to be, and that she really could be happy, happy, happy.
I LOVED Pauline and Lowenna. They were both there for Charlie (Pauline in a motherly way, Lowenna as more like an eccentric grandmother), and helped guide her through her father’s funeral and coming into her own.
I give this book 3 stars.
Returning to her hometown of Carncarrow after her father’s death, Charlie finds that it is the same old small village she fled more than a decade ago. Coming home to the house where her mother committed suicide and her father’s death has left her to deal with his massive hoarding habit, Charlie becomes overwhelmed with panic. The unexpected and unwelcome arrival of her fiancé James only serve to add to her growing sense of panic. Along the way, Charlie meets up with some old friends and makes some new ones who help her come to terms with her past trauma and realize she deserves to be happy, and that she truly does belong in Carncarrow.
The characters in this book were unbelievable. The author wrote them in a way that you either loved or hated them (sometimes both). Charlie was a hot mess. Her unresolved childhood trauma led her to a life of seeking safety and certainty, not happiness. From a dull job to an even duller relationship, she strived for security rather than happiness. It made me want to shake her! In the end, she finally realized where she was meant to be, and that she really could be happy, happy, happy.
I LOVED Pauline and Lowenna. They were both there for Charlie (Pauline in a motherly way, Lowenna as more like an eccentric grandmother), and helped guide her through her father’s funeral and coming into her own.
I give this book 3 stars.
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