The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley #chicklit #womensfiction #mustread

 

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley 

August 1, 2023

by Courtney Walsh (Author)

She’s out to prove that there’s no such thing as choosing happiness.

Isadora Bentley follows the rules. Isadora Bentley likes things just so. Isadora Bentley believes that happiness is something that flat-out doesn’t exist in her life—and never will.

As a university researcher, Isadora keeps to herself as much as possible. She avoids the students she’s supposed to befriend and mentor. She stays away from her neighbors and lives her own quiet, organized life in her own quiet, organized apartment. And she will never get involved in a romantic relationship again—especially with another academic. It will be just Isadora and her research. Forever.

But on her thirtieth birthday, Isadora does something completely out of character. The young woman who never does anything “on a whim” makes an impulse purchase of a magazine featuring a silly article detailing “Thirty-One Ways to Be Happy”—which includes everything from smiling at strangers to exercising for endorphins to giving in to your chocolate cravings. Isadora decides to create her own secret research project—proving the writer of the ridiculous piece wrong.

As Isadora gets deeper into her research—and meets a handsome professor along the way—she’s stunned to discover that maybe, just maybe, she’s proving herself wrong. Perhaps there’s actually something to this happiness concept, and possibly there’s something to be said for loosening up and letting life take you somewhere . . . happy.

• Christian women’s fiction
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: 100,000 words
• Perfect for fans of Rachel Linden, Gail Honeyman, and Linda Holmes
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

my thoughts:  THE HAPPY LIFE OF ISADORA BENTLEY is simply a mustread.  I loved this book as Isadora went in search of happiness--or rather disproving an artical she read about 31 steps to happiness.  Step 1  exercise daily.  Yeah, thats enough to make me slam the cover shut right there. And the exercise sounds rather painful.   Some of the steps sounded fun.  Like eating chocolate.  Yum.  I'm with her there.  I really enjoyed this book and want to reread it again asap.  There is a romance, but there is absolutely no faith message.  It is a clean read.  Highly recommend.