Reviews - Happiness for Beginners: A Novel

3.01k reviews for:

Happiness for Beginners: A Novel

Katherine Center

3.98 AVERAGE

catschapters's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

istegemoeller's review against another edition

4.0

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

nikkier's review against another edition

2.0

I didn’t really like this book. I read something else from this author and liked it so I wanted to give this a shot.

Her kid brother’s friend has a crush on her. She didn’t really pay attention to him because there is a big age gap and it would’ve been criminal back then. But he still has this crush and they both end up on this wilderness trip to work through their issues.

Issues are worked though but she starts having a crush on the friend. So she gets jealous because all the other young ladies have crushes too. They survive the trip and she goes home and he goes to see the world. Then he decides to come back to their home town and they confess their feelings in a stuck elevator.

What I didn’t like is how Helen would get stuck in her head about how things would play out only to go back to the story to find out none of that happened. Example: Someone will ask Jake a question. Helen imagines what Jake’s answer would be and then what she would say and what they would do. Except Jake will give a completely different answer and none of that happened. Oh. And the dog died too.

snowdogvt's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

alexanicole04's review against another edition

2.0

I love Katherine center and will continue to read anything she writes buuuut this was not a favorite for me.... I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the mood for a rom com as quirky as Katherine Centers usually are or what. I wasn't really rooting for the main characters at all throughout the book. Their actions were so confusing, and I strongly disliked the whole Windy situation. It felt messed up to do to Windy as well as Helen.

Also, I felt like there were still loose ends to tie up. Like the relationship and resentment towards her mother after learning what really happened. And some sort of closure for her divorce; I feel like ignoring one phone call kind of leaves that unfinished still.

I did like the theme of how we shouldn't be taking nature for granted and trying to enjoy more of what we already have. The earth can survive without us but we cannot survive without it.