I loved this book! It was the perfect read about family, love, loss and a little mystery thrown in. I loved the two timelines unfolding and how everything wrapped up in the end. I loved the grandparents love story and how Keaton used the life lessons left behind in her own journey. Of course Salt was a precious addition too! It has me wanting to drop everything and head to Beaufort!

Last summer I read The Summer of Songbirds by Harvey and it was not my favorite book of hers so I was very curious on what I'd think of this book and I loved it!!

Having been to Beaufort, I loved that it took place somewhere where I've been multiple times. I absolutely loved the dual timelines, the journal entries, the letters, the mystery of it all. I thought it was so fun and I really loved the characters.

This book is so perfect for the beach. I'm going to be recommending it to everyone this summer to take on vacation!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book!

A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a dual timeline, multigeneration family story and I was absolutely hooked from the prologue that was from the point of view from the house, which is one of the central characters in this amazing book!!
A Happier Life introduces us to Becks and Townsend and her parents who are against their relationship from the start. But their love and commitment prevail because their children and grandchildren enter the story in a unique way that shows us that love, determination and devotion really do have a place.
What I loved about this story is 'the notebook' that is found and all the beautiful secrets. I'll not give any spoilers but this was such a creative piece to bind the stories of the generations. Beaufort ( and Beaufort Historic) became the essential piece and we can't forget about the house! I definitely want to learn more about the Homes Tour & More!!
You will absolutely fall in love with all the character in this story, including Salt!! I think Keaton became my favorite (because she adores Anderson from the beginning) ... it's a must read!
Can I please give this book 10 starts!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I ADORED this book. I laughed and cried and got extremely attached to the characters. I am looking for a Becks and Townsend love story digging deeper into their world. And a continuance for Keaton. Please write more - this was beautifully written and the entire books was so easy to picture. It had me wanting to book a trip to Beaufort immediately.

In the present day, Keaton has lost her job, her boyfriend, and her house on one very bad day. She returns home reluctantly and is shocked when her mother tells her someone needs to put her childhood home on the market in North Carolina. Keaton did not know the house was still in the family.

When Keaton arrives at the house, it is a time capsule from the day her grandparents died in a car accident. With so many questions about why her mother and uncle never went back to the house, Keaton finds herself as she starts to find answers as well.

Why I love it: This is a story that is told in a dual timeline in both the present and from Becks’s point of view. Harvey weaves a wonderful story of life, love, and family in this book. I could not put it down. #gifted

Wow~ I loved this book so much! Family, drama and love! I felt like I could really picture the house and emotions of the characters. I would love to read more by Kristy Woodson Harvey.

As a native of Carteret County, I have always loved the Peachtree Bluff series that is reminiscent of our community. However, hearing landmarks and restaurants name-dropped throughout this story was such a fun surprise that connected me even more deeply to this special story. Kristy's books are always such fun beach reads for me, but they're more than just your typical summer reading--this book was sweet, and it made me laugh--but it also brought tears to my eyes, and that is what makes a master storyteller--experiencing the full range of human emotions through a story. This book connects you to some very special characters, but it also connects readers to our community in a very special way. If you are a fan of Elin Hilderbrand and the way she writes her books as a love letter to Nantucket, you'll find a similar experience with this book.

My friend Kristy has delivered another beautifully written story that gets ALL. THE. STARS! 🌟👏🏽

Keaton is desperate for a fresh start so when her mother asks for help listing her childhood home in Beaufort, North Carolina, Keaton happily accepts the task. Her grandparents died tragically in a car accident so she never had a chance to know them…until now. Shockingly, the house is exactly how they left it on the fateful night they died in the 70s. She comes across their notes and journals, making her question everything she thought she knew about her family…including HOW they really died.

What I loved:
- Family secrets
- Multigenerational story
- Mysterious disappearance or murder
- Abandoned house
- Vivid town of Beaufort
- Guide to hosting
- Dual timelines + POVs (present-Keaton, past-Becks)

Becks and Townsend have a love that is so timeless and rare. Their characters will live on in my heart for years to come. Becks brought back nostalgic memories of my grandmother. 🫶🏽

I was so immersed in this story and LOVED every minute of reading it!

This is my favorite Kristy Woodson Harvey novel thus far!

A happier life has past/present storylines surrounding the Saint James family in Beaufort, North Carolina. In the present Keaton Smith, Becks Saint James' granddaughter, finds herself back in her grandparents historical house trying to clean it up to sell it. Her grandparents died in a mysterious car crash where they never could find their bodies. This leads Keaton on a mission to learn more about her grandparents history and on a hunt to find out what really happened. Keaton also has a potential love interest in her neighbor across the street. The stories wind together perfectly and the ending was not predictable (in a good way!).

I would recommend this book to any of my friends for a great summer read.

Kristy Woodson Harvey always provides a delightful story. In typical KWH fashion, this one includes a family beach house, a loving family, and a group of characters one would love to hang out with all summer. I read it in one sitting, and enjoyed every minute. Pick it up and put it in your beach bag now.

I will read anything Kristy Woodson Harvey writes! I loved this generational story which follows Keaton who heads to North Carolina to take care of her grandparent's house. She never met her grandparents and her mother and uncle are very hush-hush about their parents. What Keaton discovers is a grandmother who hosted incredible dinner parties, a charming town, and the connection and love she was missing. Hard to put down, and I didn't want it to end.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel.

Keaton's life implodes when her boyfriend and his ex-wife--Keaton's boss--announce they're having a baby. Keaton takes an offer to fix up her family's historic home in North Carolina so it can be sold. 
Keaton walks into a virtual time capsule of the past--the home looks exactly like the last day her grandparents lived there. Her grandparents were famous for their summer suppers, and her grandmother, Becks, kept a journal of everything needed for entertainment and life.
After meeting the neighbor and his son, making fast-friends with the women in town, and becoming a welcomed member of the community, Keaton is feeling torn about her future. As she uncovers secrets, she has more questions, till unraveling everything reveals what happened all of those years ago. 
Keaton has decisions to make about her own life, as she's found love, has a job offer too good to turn down, and her grandmother Beck's book might just be the key to everything she wants to make a happier life. But making it work would be the biggest boon, if she's willing to make changes out of her comfort zone. Plus, there's her scene-stealing dog, Salt.
A fantastic book perfect for your summer beach read.

First let me say this was the perfect beach read and readers are in for a treat.

This multi-generational family story had mystery, family secrets, and love. It is everything you want in a story of this magnitude. I loved Keaton going home to Beaufort and having to clean out her grandparents home. I’ve done this and as you can imagine these homes are loaded with memories. Keaton finds her grandparents journals and begins to learn about her grandparents in a way she didn’t before.

Readers will love this story about family and friendship set on the North Carolina coast.

Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for this ARC!

What a cute story that I can absolutely see my patrons LOVING. It really touched my heart and I cannot wait to share it with my patrons.

I loved this book. It was interesting to learn about both protagonists. The flashback elevated the story. I didn't predict the ending which was a nice perk!

I absolutely LOVED A Happier Life. It was giving me Peachtree Bluffs vibes which is one of my all time favorite series. Kristy Woodson Harvey's writing is pure perfection. I want to move to Beaufort, South Carolina and be friends with all of the characters. This is the perfect beach read! I highly recommend it!!!!

I was thrilled with the opportunity to read Kristy Woodson Harvey’s delightful new novel, “A Happier Life.”

Keaton quits her job the same day she discovers her ex has returned to his former love—and Keaton’s boss. Prepared to move in with her parents, instead, her mother sends her to a lovely beach town in Beaufort, North Carolina to get the family home ready to sell. This is a home Keaton didn’t realize her mother—and uncle—had been holding onto until now. Keaton knows very little about her maternal grandparents but from the moment she steps into the house in its seventies’ era grandeur, Keaton is determined to learn everything possible about who her grandparents were—and what might have led to their (very possible mysterious) disappearance.

The novel is written from Keaton’s POV, but we also get peeks into the lives of both her grandparents from writings that Keaton discovers. Her grandmother—Becks aka Rebecca Saint James—hosted dinner parties that everyone in Beaufort hoped to attend, and, as a result, left a part-journal/part-entertaining guide to Keaton’s mother. But Becks had her own secrets as did Keaton’s grandfather, Townsend. But while there is plenty of angst in the past, there is also plenty of drama (and romance) in the present, especially as Keaton grows closer to the townspeople of Beaufort (including the hunky Bowen and his precocious son, Anderson). I honestly thought I had this novel figured out, but the author had a few unexpected surprises for me.

This is a perfect summer read for anyone who wants to bask in the sunshine with memorable characters.

Four and a half out of five stars.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for a chance to read and review this heart-warming book.

There’s just something so cozy about southern fiction, and KWH brings it to life! I really enjoyed this story with multiple timelines and POVs. Becks’s notebook about her dinner parties especially made me smile. The found family, the town, the mystery…it was so charming!

Kristy Woodson Harvey does it again!

I just love Kristy's books so much. They have the perfect balance of depth, romance, drama and rich setting details, fully immersing the reader in the time and place, in addition to the characters' lives and relationships. And A HAPPIER LIFE is no exception. It's clear that Kristy poured her heart into this book — no wonder she calls it her favorite book she's written yet.

Starting with the character development — Keaton is so well developed. Truly one of the best character growth stories I've read in a long time. I enjoyed reading Keaton's voice, but there were times I was like, "COME ON, girl! You are a grown woman!" But that's the point. She had to start where she was to get to where she'd end up. And I loved that journey.

I also loved the various side characters and the nuance they brought to the story, from Anderson (love) to Harris and all the Beaufort ladies who added so much love and charm to the story. The romance sprinkled in was such a nice touch, too, without overwhelming the purpose of the story.

While the ending is tragic, there is beauty in it, too, and I was very satisfied with how everything played out. Another knockout from Kristy Woodson Harvey. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so good and pulled my heart strings in all the right ways!! Perfect to read on the beach!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!