The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery: Book Review

The Happiness Plan is the story of the trials and tribulations of three women connected by brothers and their special friendship.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

From The Publisher:

Heather is happy . . . ish. She has a successful business, a cute but contemptuous cat, and best friends Daphne and Tori who know where she’s broken and love her anyway. So why does she feel crushed when her ex gets serious about someone new? No problem, she has a plan. More connections will hold her together while her world falls apart, so she finally reaches out to the stranger who might be her dad.

Daphne isn’t having an emotional affair, despite what her husband believes. He started the rift in their marriage when he said they weren’t ready for a baby. They used to be the closest couple she knew. Can they find their way back to one another before it’s too late?

When Tori forms an inconvenient crush on Daphne’s brother-in-law, she suppresses her feelings. Until her apartment floods, and she moves in with the dog-loving doctor. If things go wrong, she could lose her friends. . . but if they go right, she could lose her heart.

My Thoughts:

I enjoy books with multiple interrelated storylines and Susan Mallery does this well in The Happiness Plan. The characters and backstories are all well-developed and the flow of the book keeps the reader highly entertained.

Heather is successful in business despite her upbringing. She was raised by a single mother who was full of self-pity and a lack of motivation. The impact of this unfortunate relationship has affected Heather in her personal life. When she meets her father and his family, things begin to change for Heather.

Daphne has recently made partner in her law firm but the 70-80 hour workweeks remain. She desperately wants to have a baby but her husband, already a father from a previous marriage, says the timing is not right. Her friendship with a male colleague is innocent, but when her husband sees this differently their relationship becomes stressed and may not be able to recover.

Tori and Daphne’s brother-in-law have always been the two singles in their group of friends. When their apartments both flood and they need to relocate, they agree to share a house while their renovations are being done. Will their friendship survive living together?

I enjoyed the book and the message about what constitutes a family. The women all grow personally and in their relationships during the course of the book and although it was somewhat predictable, I appreciated witnessing the joy that came to each of them. This is another great book from Susan Mallery.

I recommend this book to those readers who appreciate Women’s Fiction.

Other Books I’ve Reviewed from Susan Mallery:

The Sister Effect

The Boardwalk Bookshop

The Summer Getaway