The Happiness List by Annie Lyons

Item: The Happiness List
Rating: 5
Author: Gaele

Come back to Hope Street with Annie Lyons and her latest release, a story full of challenges, choices, discovery and growth in

The Happiness List

Pammy, Fran and Heather are all living in the neighborhood of Hope Street, that of the famous choir, and while ‘friendly’ in that ‘nod and perhaps chat a moment way, they aren’t visiting and sharing tea. But when a course on Happiness is offered, the three women decide (not necessarily commit) to go to the first session, led by a Danish man, Nik. Of course, the three are ‘grouped’ together at the course, an odd pairing from the outset, but one that is surprisingly the best for all. See, Pammy is in her mid-60’s, married nearly 40 years and finding that she and her husband Barry have lost that luster and camaraderie.. Fran is recently widowed unexpectedly, with her two children and her dog Alan, she’s just retreated from everyone and everything, spending hours on the sofa she hates talking with her dead husband. Heather has just moved back to Hope Street with her fiancé Luke, although he’s constantly off working, or home ignoring her because of work. She’s wanting to plan the wedding and make inroads into the life they will share, and nothing seems to be falling into place as she hoped.

What emerges is a story that EVERYONE needs to read for the twists, turns and journeys that these three travel together and separately, showing how, despite being at different ages and stages in life, these three women find ways to support, uplift, advise and nudge one another forward. You wish, no matter where you are currently, that you had friends like this: those who push you when you need it, rant and rail when that is what’s required, and always allow you to be yourself, no matter what form that may take at any time.

Annie Lyons is a genius at making readers care for, and empathize with, her characters. Perhaps it is because we can see ourselves in situations, with feelings, and perhaps even mistakes, in her characters, and they seem to find a way through it all, no matter how dire situations may look at first. Make the effort to pick up and read this book, a bit slow to start – soon you will be reading (and rereading) passages because you just don’t want it to end. A favorite for all of the emotions, the characters and the sheer joy of being back to visit Hope Street.

Title: The Happiness List
Author: Annie Lyons
Genre: Contemporary Woman's Fiction, Family Saga, Setting: Britain
Published by: HQ Digital
ISBN: 9780008221003
Published on: 11 July, 2018
Format:eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Pages: 368
Rated:

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Life is about to change forever…

Heather is finally back on Hope Street after running from the memories for so long. She hasn’t bumped into many neighbours yet but with her upcoming wedding to plan there’s plenty to keep her busy!

Fran is still trying to get used to a life without her husband by her side. It’s hard enough raising two children on her own – she doesn’t have time to even think about dating…

Pamela is fed up with being taken for granted by her grown-up children and grumbling husband. She’s ready to shake things up a little, but will her family even notice?

So when the three women hear about a ‘happiness course’ starting on Hope Street, surely it’s the perfect opportunity to let their hair down, laugh with new friends and maybe even change their lives in ways they never expected…

Don’t miss The Happiness List, a delightfully uplifting story from bestselling author Annie Lyons, coming soon!

A copy of this title was provided via Publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

About Annie Lyons

After leaving university, Annie Lyons decided that she ‘rather liked books’ and got a job as a bookseller on Charing Cross Road, London. Two years later she left the retail world and continued rather liking books during an eleven-year career in publishing. Following redundancy in 2009 she realised that she would rather like to write books and having undertaken a creative writing course, lots of reading and a bit of practice she produced Not Quite Perfect. She now realises that she loves writing as much as coffee, not as much as her children and a bit more than gardening. She has since written another novel and is about to start work on her third.

She lives in a house in south-east London with her husband and two children. The garden is somewhat overgrown. One day she hopes to own a chocolate-brown Labrador named John and have tea with Mary Berry.

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