Review : This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Pages : 416
Genre : YA, Contemporary fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating : 4/5
From the back of the book :
When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O’Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.
Then Graham finds out that Ellie’s Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?
My Thoughts :
Last year I read and fell for The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and immediately I knew I would have to read more by Jennifer E. Smith. Her attention to family dynamics had charmed me as much (if not more) than the promised romance, and I had loved how she took a familiar premise and made it hers.
This is What Happy Looks Like does a lot of the same things: a premise all teenage girls have dreamed of, a cute romance and an important focus on family matters. For me though, the result wasn’t quite as satisfying, even though I did love the book. I mean, ratings-wise, they are both 4 stars, but I felt that her previous book was just a tad better.
Mostly I was higly disappointed with Ellie’s friendship with Quinn. I could not believe they stopped talking like this for that reason, and found it childish. Don’t get me wrong, I know sometimes teenage friendships can be fickle: I remember telling my friends I would never talk to them again one morning and promising never to fight with them the day after! But here, I felt like their falling out was a bit too convenient, getting Quinn out of the picture so that the author could focus on the romance. Too bad, cause I really liked Quinn.
I also felt like the story could have been shortened a little so that it would pack more of a punch. This being said, I was never bored and absolutely adored every moment between Ellie and Graham. They formed a great pair and had a good chemistry. Their conversations were entertaining and often awww-worthy, though I’ll admit I would have loved reading more of their emails!
The book is told in third person, and even though the chapters alternate between Ellie and Graham’s point of view, I felt like the story was much more about Ellie and her personal issues. Graham is a great character, but it felt to me like he devoted much more of his time thinking about Ellie than she did thinking about him – especially since she had other preoccupations like her summer internship, her father, etc.
I think some readers will find themselves not quite satisfied with some aspects of the conclusion (both about the romance and the family), but I found it beautifully true to life. In fact, this is probably the part of the novel that moved me the most. And it still ended on a happy note, so I was okay with all of it!
Do I recommend This is What Happy Looks Like? Oh yes! It’s charming, perfect for the summer days and a treat for the heart! It’s a great selection for fans of light-hearted YA romance, even with its little imperfections.
Also by Jennifer E. Smith :
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
I listened to this book and was charmed by it too. I thought the ending was terrific – they were so young, I didn’t want them to live happily ever after . . . yet.
This sounds like a good summer read. I may pick up the author’s previous book for an upcoming readathon. Thanks for the great review.
I agree with you! While I enjoyed reading This is What Happy Looks like since it was really cute, it wasn’t all that satisfying. Graham was cute, as a character but I felt like his world revolved around Ellie a little too much. Even then, the book was quite enjoyable.
I haven’t been reading too many YA selections lately and I miss it. I miss how fun and yet still heart wrenching they can be. Your review makes me want to read this even though it has its flaws. I find myself feeling the pull of this story.