Happiness for Beginners: A Novel Paperback – March 24, 2015

I watched the movie a few years ago and it was not that bad. When nights came that I needed some snacks, ice creams, and cozy, comfy, low stressful movies, I’d watched it again but always forgot the ending. It was that ‘meh’.Then I saw a few recommendations about the original book here and there, saying the movie didn’t capture even the 1% of the book. I decided to try it, and was completely hooked from the beginning. I can’t read any books, even great books, if they don’t hook me from the beginning, and when I’m hooked, it’s 95% destined that I’m gonna finish them in less than 24 hours. I did. After a lot of laughing, highlighting, book marking, and crying.I would say, the movie and the book are completely, completely! different. I really want to erase this movie version book cover so that I can 100% compartmentalize these two. The book was that good.The romance was cute but the whole human interactions, relationships, self-discovery, learning, healing, love, all those things were just so wholesome I was grateful. For experiencing this.Helen was very realistic, flawed, still immature in many ways, sometimes petty, often hotheaded, but I admired her. I admired the way she was failing and trying and failing and learning and failing. She was not that kind of amazingly wise, caring, forgiving, mature FMC beyond her age we often meet. She was the most common, a little bit lost adult who wanted to arise from her ashes and become something else- more awesome like a superhero, or just not her current self, at 32 years old. Just like the rest of us.Jake…oh JAKE. This 22, just graduated kid guy, will live in my head rent free for the rest of my life. He’s that kind of person who has a soul you can meet once in your lifetime if you’re lucky like aurora and then you can’t never forget. He’s extraordinary, would have made a great couple with Windy, equally wise and wonderful beyond bee age, but I’m glad he has vision to see good things in everything, people, and Helen, and for some inexplicable reasons, can’t help but love her. As if proving we’re all lovable.Unlike the movie, I’ll not ever be able to forget the ending of this book. I’m glad he is extraordinary, mature, awesome, smart, wonderful, but still so young he chickens out the most important moment and Helen is ordinary, immature, trying to be awesome, trying to keep going, just starting to learn how to be happy, how to appreciate, but still such an adult she knows what it feels like too tired and old to beat around the bush and can’t help but be honest the most important moment. They’re such a badass couple in the most realistic, friendly, and warm way.And Duncan, you’ll live in my heart rent free, you excellente kid.

Katherine Center’s Happiness for Beginners is a heartwarming blend of romance and self-discovery. After her divorce, Helen seeks a fresh start by joining a wilderness survival course, despite being far from the outdoorsy type. Enter Jake, her younger brother’s best friend and a seasoned wilderness expert, whose unexpected presence sets the stage for an unforgettable adventure.Jake quickly won me over as one of my favorite book boyfriends. His unwavering care for Helen, even before their trip, added a layer of tenderness to the story that was truly endearing. The relationship dynamic between Helen and Jake is delightful, filled with humor and chemistry as they navigate their differences.While the romance is a key highlight, Helen’s journey of personal growth is equally compelling. Watching her face challenges head-on and overcome obstacles was inspiring, and the story’s emotional depth made it impossible to put down—I read it in one sitting.This book is a feel-good read that’s perfect for anyone looking for a charming story of love and resilience. Highly recommended!

Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center5 stars!!“Do not be a Helen.”This book! This book! I loved it with a passion, sometimes you start a book and you know you are going to love it, you fall in love with the characters, the authors voice and you just know that you are going to read something spectacular, well that is how I felt reading Happiness for Beginners.“Happiness is more about appreciation than acquisition.”Yes, this is a love story, but if it is hot sex you are after, this is not the book…this book is so much more! This book is a journey, a journey of self-discovery for Helen and a bucket list item for Jake. But it is the underlying chemistry and the epic build up between the two main characters that make this an addictive and unputdownable read.“But the things we remember are what we hold on to, and what we hold on to becomes the story of our lives. We only get one story. And I am determined to make mine a good one.”As I said above, I love this authors voice, fantastic dialogue, humour and wit prevalent throughout and an amazing talent for scene setting with vivid descriptions and imagery. While reading I personally felt I was there with them, standing on the periphery looking in. I lived and breathed this book, I stood side by side with Helen, I was a “holdup.” I walked every mile with these characters and loved it.“No lattes, no takeout food, we’ve only got this heavy dude.My boots hurt, my blister’s sore, I just can’t take it anymore.My pits stink, this trail is steep, why can’t the Rangers bring a Jeep.”(sing to the marching song lol)Helen is a thirty-two-year-old divorcee that has hit an all-time low, her confidence has been battered and she needs to find herself before she loses her identity completely. Helen is well known for her clumsiness and hair brained ideas, so when she decides to go on a three-week survival course, her brother worries and decides she needs a chaperone else he would be bringing her home in a box. Helen’s brother, Duncan is twenty-two and so is his best friend and flat mate, Jake who has been a friend of the family for years and has had a crush on Helen for as long as he can remember. Therefore, it is no surprise that Jake volunteers as said chaperone and sees this as his final chance to make his feelings known while also crossing another thing off his bucket list. This had all the trappings for an entertaining story and Katherine Center delivered this with a flourish, totally unforgettable.• Find a deeper spiritual connection to nature.• Push myself beyond my physical and emotional limitations.• Rise up from my own ashes like a phoenix.• Toughen the hell up.• Become awesome.• Kick the wilderness’s ass.• Earn a damned certificate.(I really, really wanted a Certificate.)The three-week survival course is a real test of Helen’s mettle and she takes a lot of knock downs before she finds her feet. She becomes the butt of the jokes, gets landed with a plethora of nick names, none of which were complimentary but she stood tall, with her chin up and her head held high. With fantastic side characters that will have you laughing out loud, this survival course was really brought to life. It didn’t help that Helen was ten years older than most of them, it didn’t help that Helen and Jake had almost kissed, it didn’t help that Helen told him in no uncertain terms that he was dead to her and to never acknowledge they knew each other…but Jake was biding his time. He has his reasons, he just needed the right time to explain.“I had finally come to understand that not getting what you want is actually the trick to it all. Because not getting what you want forces you to appreciate what you already have.”This book was real; it was real life with seemingly real life people so it made for a relatable read. While I personally would never entertain the idea of becoming a female Bear Grylls I could see Helen’s reasoning and she really needed that boost to her self-esteem and morale. Helen does find her inner strength but does she find love?“Why did you think I gaped at you with my mouth open all the time?“I guess I just thought you were a mouth-breather.”“No,” he said. “Crush paralysis.”I loved Jake, he was a fantastic character that had his own mountains to climb but never let it show. He loved Helen with his whole heart, always had, but never before had he stood a chance. He knew that she would be a tough nut to crack but he was happy to wield the sledgehammer to break through. He has a battle on his hands and with the camp rife with rumours of his and another camp mates love life he has his work cut out, but our Jake has perseverance and he needs every ounce of it.“Sorry, what happens on the roof stays on the roof.”This was a fantastic read and one that will be on my favourites shelf and a definite re-read. I highlighted so many lines and paragraphs, I laughed, I cried, but most of all, I loved. I loved this book, loved these characters and now I love this author. I will definitely be checking out her back list and future releases.“You are my problem. It’s not a dopamine addiction, it’s a Helen addiction. And I cannot seem to kick it.”