Skip to main content

Book Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

This Is What Happy Looks LikeTitle: This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Series: Standalone
Pages:  416
Publisher: Headline
Date of Publication: 4th April 2013
Source: Publisher*
Synopsis from Goodreads: If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith's new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle," the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don't even know each other's first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don't tell each other everything; Graham doesn't know the major secret hidden in Ellie's family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham's new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie's mom want her to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?


My Thoughts:
YOU GUYS THIS BOOK IS SO ADORABLE! Seriously, I absolutely love love loved it. I devoured it in one day, completely by accident - all 416 pages of it. Perfection on the page, right here.

I read Jennifer's previous book, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and enjoyed it but thought it was a little rushed, so when I saw that This Is What Happy Looks Like was a good 400 pages I couldn't wait to jump in and start it, so that's exactly what I did. The book begins with an email conversation between a boy and a girl, about a pet pig. Awesome right? From the very beginning it was super, super adorable and I just knew that I would absolutely adore it. I just had a feeling...

After the first few pages of emails, the actual book starts, and each chapter begins with a new email. It was different and a really great way to add another layer to the story. I love things like this in books, especially in contemporaries. It just adds reality and helped to drive the plot, which was fast paced but not rushed. It moved along at the perfect pace and I could really imagine this summer romance playing out... Aww it's just so perfect! (Sorry, there could be a lot of that here...)

I really like Ellie. I think one of the things that Jennifer E Smith is best at, apart from writing adorable romances (obviously), is creating believable and realistic characters. Ellie was down-to-earth and very normal, and because of this I could empathise with her. She didn't fall straight for Graham, despite his obvious movie star attractiveness, so it was clear she had her head screwed on nice and tight and I loved that about her. There's nothing worse than a ridiculous main character, seriously. Anyway ;)

Graham was so cute. He wasn't the cocky, obnoxious and spoilt-rotten movie star that I was worried he would be, and I absolutely adored that he hated the paparazzi and I loved finding out about how he felt about being a star. I guess I'd never really thought properly about what it must really be like to be a movie star - to be constantly followed by cameras and never having anything in your life secret must be really difficult and it was really cool the way he dealt with the press and the cameras when he was with Ellie. How Olivia loved it, and welcomed the attention, I have NO idea at all. It makes me shiver, just thinking about it.

Lastly, I also felt that the way Jennifer E Smith dealt with Ellie and Quinn's relationship and the friendship they had was extremely realistic and I was actually kind of glad (in a weird way) that they didn't resolve their differences immediately, because that's not how real teenage girls are, as much as I wish they were (me included, I'm no hypocrite). We hold grudges over stupid things and don't want to be the first to apologise, so hats off to Jennifer for getting that so right. In the end though when it was all worked out I was super happy and even a little jealous of Ellie for having a friend as great as Quinn turned out to be.

This Is What Happy Looks Like is so adorably perfect and I cannot recommend it to you enough. I can find no faults. Please, go and pick up a copy as it is the perfect summer read and I can promise you, you will not be disappointed.

Comments

  1. I loved this a whole lot more than I did TSPOLAFS. There was so much more to it, especially the characterisation of Ellie. And you're defintiely right about it being a perfect summer read.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LOVE adorable books! :D I'm so glad you enjoyed this one because I have it for review, and now I'm even more excited to read it. Great review!

    Zoe @ Bookhi
    www.bookhi.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for commenting! :D I love comments, so comment away! :D

*I am no longer accepting blog awards :( I do not have time to go through all the things that come with it, and though I'm honoured you thought of me, I'm sure you can find someone who will love it, and be able to carry out the rules :)

Popular posts from this blog

REVIEW: A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

Hello all! Hope you're all enjoying the summer! I'm currently on holiday in a huge castle in the South of France and enjoying relaxing, playing games, and of course reading a lot!  Today's post is a review of a dreamy summer romance that's perfect for your holiday TBRs! Title:  A Sky Painted Gold Author:  Laura Wood Series:   n/a Pages:   356 Publisher:  Scholastic Date of Publication:  5th July, 2018 Source:  Publisher for review* Synopsis from Goodreads: Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams. But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... And is there something darker lurking at the

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went Author: Gayle Forman Series: If I Stay #2 Pages: 260 Publisher: Random House Date of UK Publication: April 28th 2011 Source: Borrowed from friend Synopsis from Goodreads: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever. Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future and each other. Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance. My Thoughts: Where She Went continues the story from If I

REVIEW: Floored by Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood

Good morning! Hope you're having a good week! Today I have a review for one of the biggest titles at YALC this year. Title:  Floored Author:  Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson, and Eleanor Wood Series:  n/a Pages:   320 Publisher:  Macmillan Date of Publication:  12th July, 2018 Synopsis from Goodreads: When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shoul