According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious science, as serious as Maggie takes herself. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies–for instance, why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends … friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.
Filled with memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, Kristin Billerbeck’s The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile–because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.
“Billerbeck has the most delightful voice I’ve ever read. I adore her stories, and she returns with an enchanting new novel, The Theory of Happily Ever After. I laughed, cried, and rejoiced with her wonderful characters and was sad when the story ended. Highly recommended!”–Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author
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Kristin Billerbeck is my go-to author when I’m looking for a sparkling, romantic escape. Her newest, much anticipated release does not disappoint!
What in life makes you happy? There are many possibilities but only you can know what works for you.
Maggie is having a hard time figuring out what makes her happy and if you look deeper into her history/childhood you will understand why she has such issues. I’m amazed she is as stable as she is considering she lost a sister and her parents’ personalities appeared to have done a 180 when they lost their other daughter. While it is understandable, I can’t imagine growing up in that sort of family. Maggie’s behavior/thoughts are hard to take because she is one hot mess, but when you realize that this story takes place over a week,it is a little easier to understand and accept because you can’t have a complete turn around in just a few days, or at least not the kind that Maggie needs especially after wallowing for two months in her apartment with the Hallmark Channel and gelato!
Maggie’s two best friends, Haley and Kathleen, are interesting characters and add a dynamic to this story. Haley does become unlikable later in the book all because of a man. I had a hard time with Haley’s attitude and was surprised that Maggie tolerated it at all. I appreciated some of Maggie’s observations about Haley, that perhaps she was spoiled because no one ever told her no because it helped make sense of Haley’s actions and comments. Kathleen is a hoot and apparently an adrenaline junkie. I admired that spunk and she rounded out the trio of friends nicely.
The story would not be complete without a couple of hunky men. Brent the bartender from Texas teaching a mixology class on the cruise, and Sam, the man that doesn’t think intelligent women can be happy. Let’s just say that statement doesn’t bode well for his happiness. But there is more to his story and he is immediately taken with Maggie. Because of his misstep at the beginning of the cruise and Maggie’s insecurities, it takes quite some time before they are on the same page. But the road to that place was interesting between Maggie’s desire to prove him wrong (she is a scientist after all) and Sam’s desire to get on her good side. I wasn’t sure whether I should root for Brent or Sam to end up with Maggie. Brent was great for the impulsive and daring side that I think Maggie wanted to have, but Sam was more grounded and has similar beliefs to Maggie.
There is a little bit of suspense too when it comes to the ex-fiance, Jake, and some of his actions back home. The one conversation that happens between Jake and Maggie explains a lot of Maggie’s insecurities. There are some twists regarding Jake but you’ll have to read the book to find out those details.
Overall this story has some laugh out loud moments, along with some thoughtful lines that gave me additional insight into all of the characters.
I absolutely adored The Theory of Happily Ever After from first page to last. Billerbeck’s signature humor made me laugh again and again, and her memorable characters stole my heart. Don’t miss this one!
An easy-going read with a conversational tone that was like talking with a good friend. There were funny moments, references to things I “got,” and definitely a lot of twists and turns to keep me wanting to read through to the end. Even though the characters are younger than me, I felt that they were still relatable. Many times throughout The Theory of Happily Ever After I found myself thinking back to when I was the age of the main character Maggie and the way I viewed life. I highly recommend it!
What a fun summer read! The setting of a cruise ship makes you feel like you’re on vacation. I really enjoyed Maggie, the main character, and her quirky personality. Not just a self-help guru, but a happiness scientist, which means she’s super smart; just insecure in her genius. It was fun to follow along on her self-awareness journey in realizing she doesn’t have to be perfect to be loved, she doesn’t have to try to make everyone happy, and she’s beautiful just the way she is. The chemistry between Maggie and Sam is absolutely delicious! Reading about their time together just left me wanting more.
I really liked this book. I read it because I have read other books by her and have always enjoyed them. She is witty, humorous, and lays the Gospel out in a truly relatable way. Her heroine is believable but not perfect. I enjoyed the opening of each chapter with theories from a “book” the character wrote, setting up the idea of each chapter.
The premise of this book is promising: girl gets dumped, goes on a cruise with friends, and meets the right guy. While this book covers those plot points, it doesn’t do it in a way that’s endearing. The main character, Maggie, is supposed to be very cerebral, but she comes across as a wishy-washy hot mess. She goes back and forth so many times on her feelings for Sam that it’s frustrating, and I can’t empathize with that level of indecision. Her interactions with him are confusing, and they spend more time arguing and debating than falling in love. Her two best friends are supposed to be her support, but Maggie spends more time resenting them than bonding with them, and I can understand why. They’re not likable, and her friend Haley in particular is just rude. She continues to pursue Sam even after she sees him kissing Maggie. Seriously, what kind of friend is that?!
From what I understand, this book is supposed to be Christian fiction, but the faith element is weak, and Maggie is quick to use derogatory names for people that she doesn’t like. I admit that we probably all do that sometimes, but it just threw me off a little to find it in this book.
This was my first book by Kristin Billerbeck. I’ll probably read some of her other books to see if they are more enjoyable. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Theory of Happily Ever After (2018) by Kristin Billerbeck is a standalone Contemporary Christian Romance. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 288 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very busy six-year old at home, this novel took me two days to read. I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from Revell Publishing via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my opinion of the story. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give The Theory of Happily Ever After 3.5 STARS.
I am a bit torn with this book. On the one hand, I really love the concept — a happiness MD who is miserable. I mean, that screams hilarity. And, I absolutely love Maggie, the main character. I think she behaves EXACTLY like a person in her position would behave. She endeared herself to me almost immediately. I have been where Maggie is emotionally, so I completely get the sense of loss and exhaustion and depression that she experiences throughout this book. I get that desire to want to do something for yourself instead of doing what is expected of you. BUT, I do not like Maggie’s “best friend”, Haley, and Maggie’s mother. I actually had to put the book down to get away from those characters a couple of times. I also struggled some with the first-person narration. To me, it felt like Maggie is unreliable at times, and I don’t know if that was done on purpose or not.
What I LOVED…
Sam Wellington is FANTASTIC. I would read any book with him in it. He is an excellent hero!!! He is swoon worthy to say the least.
Maggie and how she deals with all the bad that is thrown at her. She is very realistic and funny and self-deprecating. If she were real, I would be her friend.
The singles-cruise setting is fabulous. I found this premise refreshing, unique, and funny!
The Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) costume scene is the BEST scene ever! I laughed so hard.
The first KISS!!! I didn’t see it coming, but loved it so much when I realized it was going to happen. Again, I love Sam Wellington.
The quotes from Maggie’s book that begin each chapter are excellent! I feel like I got to read two books in one.
Best Friend and Mother
I am spoiled. One of the greatest humans on this earth just so happens to be my best friend. Lara is more than a friend to me. She is like my mother, my sister, and my best friend all rolled into one. She knows everything about me, but never uses that against me. She helped me through my first years of teaching, was with me the night I met the man who would be my husband, was at my wedding, got me through one of my lowest periods of life ever, and was the realtor when I bought my first home. I literally trust this lady with my life! She has been with me through highs and lows. She has listened patiently as I cried my guts out in front of her, and has always responded with the sagest of advice. I love Lara very much, and I thank God for blessing me with such a phenomenal friend.
I’m telling you about my best friend so you know that I know what a best friend looks like. Haley is NOT a best friend. Haley is self-centered and selfish.
Haley is supposed to be Maggie’s best friend, but she treats Maggie terribly. She is judgmental at almost every turn. I think, as the reader, I was supposed to get that Haley was speaking “truth” to Maggie, but it never came off that way to me. Several times, my feelings were hurt for Maggie because of the things Haley says. Not once did I actually get the vibe that Haley legitimately cared for Maggie. She never spoke to her respectfully. She never treated Maggie as anything other than a nuisance. Maggie had her whole life turned upside down and was reeling terribly. Instead of being a true friend and helping Maggie through everything, Haley seems to get irritated and offended. It didn’t make me feel like Haley was truly there for her BFF.
Maggie’s mother is completely wretched. There is one phone call in particular that made me so mad, I wanted to throw my book across the room. If I had been reading a paperback copy of this book I would have! I get that in real life there are mean moms. I have a lot of experience with meanness in this area. So, as far as reality goes, the author completely captured a true-to-life mean mom. But for what purpose? All it did in this book was make me dislike Maggie’s mom intensely. It didn’t make me feel like, “Yes! Now the main character will pick herself up by her boot straps, stand up to her mother and her meanness, and make excellent life changes to prove her mother wrong!” Nope. It just made me hurt. And, it just devastated and embarrassed the main character.
First-Person Narration > Unreliable Narrator
I am not a reader who has a problem with first-person narration. I prefer novels that allow me to see both the Heroine and Hero’s sides of things, but I don’t hate first-person. I’m not a fan of the first-person narration in this book though.
The actions of Sam, and the words that came out of Haley’s mouth, many times contradict with what Maggie relays to the reader. I’m not sure if this contradiction was intended by the author or not. I couldn’t tell if I was supposed to see Maggie as so emotionally fried she kept misinterpreting things, or if she is just too much a left-brained character that she can’t interpret people correctly. Maybe it’s a little of both? Also, she would put words into other characters’ mouths, but the actions of the other characters completely contradict what Maggie says. The use of first-person narration in this story made me feel like I couldn’t trust what Maggie said at times, and some of her reactions appear outlandish.
Overall, The Theory of Happily Ever After is an enjoyable book, it just had two aspects that I struggled with. I do recommend this novel. It’s engaging and fast-paced, and there are some really hilarious moments that had me laughing out loud. And, I could relate to a lot of what Maggie goes through and how she deals with it. If you are looking for a contemporary novel that’s quick, easy-to-read, and hilarious at times, check out The Theory of Happily Ever After.
Chick Lit has become less rare than a decade ago, but it’s still around. It’s been a few years since Kristen Billerbeck gave us her brand of chick lit, so learning she had a new book coming out, just in time for summer vacations, had me excited.
The concept of The Theory of Happily Ever After is interesting. A scientist who wrote a best-selling book about happiness based on research who is anything but happy dragged on a cruise by her two best friends? What could go wrong?
Well, it turns out plenty can go wrong, including a lot of drama. I mean, Maggie has some just plain bad luck on the ship. But she’s got her best friends with her and the attention of two good looking men.
There were a few laugh aloud moments but I saw the potential for a few more than were missed. The biggest missed opportunity in this book was development of some of the supporting characters. One of
Maggie’s friend’s starts acting like a middle school mean girl while the other bosses them around. In fact, more often than not, Maggie’s friends come across more bossy than concerned or supportive.
And then there’s the whole issue with the rehashing of about five topics continuously throughout the stories. I mean, I get it, Maggie likes Hallmark movies (for the same reason most of us like Hallmark movies, by the way).
While there were some aspects of this book that could have been better examined by leaving out a mention or two (or ten) of aforesaid Hallmark movies, there is a strong theme of finding what brings you happiness, of not letting others decide what you want in life, and of grieving loss instead of burying it.
Over all, The Theory of Happily Ever After had some high points and some low points for me which equals an average read. It also left a few unanswered questions about Maggie’s friends which makes me wonder if we’ll be seeing them again in future books.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Maggie is quite a smart young woman.She thinks she has it all figured out about what it takes to be happy. All her scientific facts don’t prepare her for a big breakup with her fiance. She sure didn’t see that coming. How embarrassing for her to be an author who is suppose to be an expert on happiness. Now what can she do to fix her life?
To the rescue is her two best friends. What a plan they have for Maggie. I’m not sure that the idea of a cruise is what she needs but off they go. The characters are fun to know and I liked how the author showed how we can laugh at ourselves and be okay with our mistakes. Can Maggie find true happiness on a cruise? Will she be able to open her heart to a new romance?
The story is fun with a great theme of trusting God and finding true happiness in Him.
I received a coy of this book from Revell Publishing. The review is my own opinion.
Theory Of A Happily Ever After Is such a joy to read – get it – joy – you may find yourself laughing out loud that’s how much enjoyable this is. This book is set on a cruise – how fun is that? The main character is Maggie the mess – that is what her life is – a mess – all she wants to do is – Hey now I can’t tell you everything., you have to find some things out for yourself – now two friends get her to the cruise by – nope you have to find out that too – I will tell you there is romance in the book – now is it with one or more? – interesting. This book does talk about certain types of things that woman like to do when they are depressed about things – they go and watch certain types of these – you have to read it to find out what it is. I received a copy of this review from the Publisher and Netgalley; all of the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.
if you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviews.blogspot.com
“Forgetting the pain isn’t the answer – feeling the love we had is.”
Kristin Billerbeck spins a youthful, snarky, aching yet hopeful tale between a down-in-the dumps happiness scientist/researcher Maggie and a brooding contemplative Sam set during a singles cruise to Mexico. It is told in first person present tense from Maggie’s perspective, which helps the reader really get into her brain but does lead the plot to slow down at times because Maggie is stubborn and somewhat clueless or sometimes simply doesn’t get what is happening around her. Maggie and Sam both have tragic pasts and they’re looking for and hoping for that “something” to help them get back to who they were before life’s circumstances changed them. Maggie’s life has imploded both personally and professionally and her best friends Kathleen and Haley drag her to this singles cruise to be a speaker and also to get back her groove.
At first, I had some trouble connecting with Maggie, Kathleen, and Haley. They are all in their early thirties and professionals but are quite selfish, whiny, and a bit mean. Maggie does mature through the book, though, and I did find myself empathizing with her. She’s the nerdy girl who is socially awkward who just really wants to be loved for who she is, not what she can do. Her understanding of God’s grace and love is a touching moment in the story.
The plot has plenty of comedy as well as sharply-edged dialogue.
If you enjoy contemporary rom-com, you will certainly enjoy this newest offering from Kristin Billerbeck.
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group via Interview and Reviews. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own and subjective.