The story line bounced back in forth which kind of got on my nerves. It was raw and real subject that is down played a lot but was really brought to light in this book and gives the readers a real insight to the abuse.

The format of Imagine Us Happy was very engaging and added to the book's emotional appeal. At times it felt rushed, but overall I felt the book was a fresh take on an important subject.

Today, we’re talking mental illness… So let’s start off with a content warning for emotionally toxic/abusive relationships and depression.

This story really accurately depicted the spiral that mental health can often feel like! Stella suffers with depression, and finds herself in a toxic romantic relationship without being able to tell that it is actually abuse. Our love interest suffers his own mental illness, and we see how possessive and unhealthy a relationship (that started out passionate and stary-eyed) can become! We really experience the highs and lows that Stella feels – both with her depression and from her relationship. This story was gut-wrenching and emotional! It will make you cry and it will make you smile! The non-linear story line, introduces us to the story from the end and works it’s way back, really enforcing the idea that Hindsight is always 20/20! I really enjoyed (maybe “enjoyed” isn’t the right word since I was an emotional wreck the entire time) this read and would highly suggest it to anyone who appreciates passionate and sensitive contemporaries!

It doesn’t feel like I could ever be that off the rails again, even though I’m sure that’s how I felt before everything started going to shit the first time around.

I have not emotionally connected to a book this much in… so long. I hate this and love this. Some of you might know that I am really, really into books about 1) depression, and 2) toxic parental relationships, and 3) toxic romantic relationships. This… hit me hard in all three categories. Thank god for how good this was.

So before I get into why I loved this so much, I’ll just mention objective quality and all that? Imagine Us Happy is told out of chronological level, a choice that worked quite well for the story being told; we know from the beginning that this will not end well, but we see the good parts along with the bad. It also works fantastically for conveying Stella as a character; she is so difficult not to connect with and relate to.

I will readily admit that a good portion of my enjoyment of this book was that I connected to Stella, as a character, a lot. Stella is dealing with depression and a lack of support system via her parents, which has led her to seek valiation in someone who is dealing with issues but in a very, very unhealthy way. She, meanwhile, is not in a place where she realizes what is going on with her or her partner.

Okay, bear with me, as this is really rather personal and something I haven’t talked about, but I don’t know how to review this book without talking about this.

I was recently in a relationship with someone whom I absolutely believe cared about me, and who had very, very good intentions in pursuing a relationship. The relationship was also, though I didn’t realize it at the time, not good for either of us. And I did not realize it at all because I had not come to terms with my own fear of rejection or perhaps more accurately, as I’ve recently realized, my deep-set fear that I would become a manipulative or needy partner.

So the relationship stopped being a good place for me to be, and I said nothing about it because I was desperately afraid of hurting them. I became increasingly convinced that any problems with the relationship were not compatibility issues, or their ongoing mental health issues, or anything that impacts a relationship, but my fault. There were times where they contributed to this, but I doubt it would have impacted me at all if not for my own deep-held feeling that I was destined to be a selfish and manipulative person and partner. I tried to push down my own feelings. I isolated myself from both my therapist and my friends because I was unwilling to “talk behind their back,” which began to mean no one in my life - and I do mean no one - knew what was happening in any way. My friends would have told you I seemed perfectly happy, and I got very good at pretending I was, but inside I was not at all.

So I think reading this book, in which someone goes through the same thing and they're not villainized for it, meant a lot to me. I really liked that Stella eventually got through the period of the relationship via her best friends, as the support of one of my friends, and later several more, was essentially what got me through that, too.

Oh, and I loved her friends - Katie of the dead frog kink and Lin the John Steinbeck fangirl were so fun. Really though, I love that these two characters feel so un-stereotyped; Katie especially immediately read as the hot partier friend, and I completely assumed I knew how she would be characterized. I did not. Katie does not abandon her friends for greener pastures, not even when Stella pushes her away completely. And Lin, despite being the more academic-oriented of the two, does not read like the nerd archetype — she reads as more of the offbeat-english-major type, which does not show up a lot, and she’s not the unpopular member of their friend group. I liked this a lot - especially as she’s Asian, this is a great way of defying that particular stereotype.
Yeah, it reeks of weed, and the song “Don’t Stop Believin” has been played four times by 10:30 p.m., but chilling in her kitchen getting buzzed off beer while talking with Lin is not actually that far from my ideal Saturday night.

In general, I felt that this book got high school on a level that not a lot of books do? The details of Katie and Lin’s characterization certainly add to this, but it’s the little things, too. Like, there’s a line mentioning the party transitioning to “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, and I laughed so hard because wow, been there.

Also, this quote so easily could have been cringey, but I laughed my ass off because t r u e:
“I think it would be great if everyone understood feminism. But let’s be realistic for a minute here. How many dudes were in your class?”
“Four,” I say.
“Out of?”
“Twenty-five,” I admit.
“And how many of them were gay?” he asks.
I pause. “I plead the fifth.”

It’s funny - I sat on this review for so long, and now I think I should probably mention that while writing this part of my review - which took me a month of sitting on, by the way - I was thinking about how much better I am feeling, three months later, and how much that relationship taught me about my own insecurities and my flaws. And I also thought about the other person in that relationship and why we broke up, and I think... we’re both doing better now.

And I don’t know if I really wish that for the love interest in this book, but I do wish that for them. And I think I feel better now, about myself, writing this, than I have in seventeen years.

It’s a work in progress. But a good one. And this book understood it on a level I don’t think I’ve ever seen.

In the very beginning of this book, we are told that she doesn't "want to disappoint anyone in search of a happy ending," and she wasn't kidding. This was a toxic love story, and a subtle caveat of how quickly something seemingly beautiful can unravel.

• Pro: What stood out for me was how well Yu conveyed the depth of the characters emotions. I really felt the joy and happiness one associates with first love, and how all consuming it can be, as well as the pain and anguish Stella was experiencing as her relationship turned toxic.

• Pro: I saw teenaged me in Stella. I was in a relationship that eerily mirrored Stella and Kevin's. I wish I had seen it depicted in a book, when I was teen, and maybe I would have recognized how damaging it was for me back then.

• Pro: Considering that this book featured two protagonists struggling with mental illness, parents constantly fighting, and a toxic romance, Yu did a good job balancing that out with some lighter parts, some tender parts, and some happy parts. There were a few characters, who did an admirable job lightening the mood, and I appreciated the balance.

• Pro: When Stella described her depression, I nodded, and felt like she really understood my struggle. I am always a fan of books, which show there is no shame in seeking out help for mental health issues.

• Pro: I know this makes other people nuts, but I liked the non-linear format. The pieces were set out in a way, which allowed the story of Stella and Kevin's relationship to emerge, and I am a fan of watching the full picture slowly develop.

• Pro: I didn't realize how much I needed Yu to explicitly state it, but I am grateful that she included an open statement, that just because Kevin and Stella were bad together does NOT mean they were bad people. Kevin wasn't a villain. Stella wasn't bad. They just didn't work together.

Overall: A toxic love story, which took me on an emotional roller coaster ride, which was funny, sad, messy, and honest.

Stella begins an unhealthy relationship with Kevin, causing a rift with her two best friends when she ignores them for him.

Stella is one of the campers in FOUR WEEKS, FIVE PEOPLE which takes place the summer after the events in IMAGINE US HAPPY, so this book gives us more insight into the character. IMAGINE US HAPPY is more a prequel, and I wish I had read it first.

Jennifer Yu does a good job illustrating the warning signs in the obsessive, overly-enmeshed relationship between Stella and Kevin. They bonded over neediness and depression. Stella’s therapist warns her not to base self-esteem on another person, but like most teens who believe they are in love, Stella knew better. Most of us have been there, done that.

**Spoilers**

IMAGINE US HAPPY is repetitive in incidents between the dysfunctional couple. The timeline skips, leading readers to believe some Big Event causes the breakup, perhaps abuse, perhaps a suicide or murder. Nope. They just breakup and while this is realistic, leading readers to believe there would be a climax made the ending anticlimactic. Stella didn’t even make the decision to walk away, Kevin did, so readers don’t get to see her build the inner strength she might have. Because Stella didn’t make the decision, reading IMAGINE US HAPPY before FOUR WEEKS, FIVE PEOPLE would have been helpful to seeing linear growth

Another positive aspect was that Jeremy and Stella were always just project partners and friends, because men and women can be friends. His girlfriend Jennie was badass in that she was strong enough not to be jealous or insecure. I wish she had had a bigger part in the story.

IMAGINE US HAPPY is a good companion to Yu’s first novel.

I really enjoyed this novel. The characters felt real, the emotions well played out.. I could see both sides of this tragic relationship ending up in disaster.

Imagine us dysfunctional...

I don't know how I feel about this book. It gives us a snapshot into the senior year of Stella who falls hard for a boy that is super philosophical cutter and abandons her other friends. Their relationship is good at first. (I was a bit disappointed because it didn't seem that he was all that into her in the beginning!) But slowly deteriorates into one filled with jealousy and arguing. Much like the relationship between Stella's parents.

The story starts with a breakup and jumps around the timeline showing how it happened.

All I can say is that I hope that Stella's happiness is about to begin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin TEEN for an advance copy of this book.

Note: I received a copy of Imagine Us Happy by Jenny Yu via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Before I start, I would like to mention that this book focuses on some heavy material. Our main character & a secondary character suffers from depression, and there are mentions of cutting. Imagine Us Happy also deals with a toxic relationship.

Imagine Us Happy by Jennifer Yu is definitely going down as one of my favorite Young Adult Contemporary reads of 2018. I felt extremely connected to Stella, in terms of her awkwardness, her unhealthy relationship with Kevin & her fight against depression. For me, it’s this connection that I have with the protagonist that makes me want to scream about this book to everyone who will listen.

Bad relationships happen all of the time. & I’m sure a few people could relate to this. We’re not going to find our soulmate in the first go (– & if you did happen to stumble across The One your first try, I salute you). & sometimes, we find ourselves in relationships that are so incredibly toxic & yet, for some reason, we still think that everything’s going to be okay.

I know I definitely have been there.

My first serious relationship was a complete shit show that lasted about a year & a half. When we met, I developed this insta-crush on him & for some reason, he liked me back & that was pretty magical. But, the magic didn’t last forever. We found ourselves in some pretty severe fights, but yet, I always felt like it’d be okay. We’ll make up & everything will be fine & magical again. I had so many friends who got to witness it with an outside view tell me how I needed to get out. Can you guess what I didn’t do? Yep. I didn’t leave.

I stayed & I stayed until I just couldn’t stay anymore. In hindsight, I’m like wow what was I thinking that entire time? Now, the man in this story isn’t extremely horrible. Yes, I still question some of his life choices. But, we’re friends. We just weren’t meant to be. And, honestly, that’s okay. It’s okay to realize that some things just don’t work.

& that’s exactly what Stella learns in Imagine Us Happy.

I needed this book when I was that young girl who’s head was extremely wrapped around a relationship that didn’t work. Just like Stella, my grades also slipped (I was a high school drop-out! Thankfully I went back & got my diploma & now have my Bachelor’s degree), & I lost so many friends. On top of that, I obviously wasn’t happy. I’m just so glad that people can get their hands on such an amazing book now. I know that Jennifer Yu’s words will help someone else.

Jennifer Yu’s writing style & story format is amazing.

The scenarios listed in Imagine Us Happy aren’t in chronological order. When first opening the book, you are shown a snippet of Stella & Kevin’s break-up. Following that, we watch multiple scenes where Stella & Kevin fall in love. In a way, Imagine Us Happy is a story about falling in & out of love. Throughout, the book bounces between their happiness & their falling out. None of this ends up messy at all; everything flows just as it should.

Imagine Us Happy is a very emotional ride with important lessons sewn in. I can’t express enough how much I recommend Imagine Us Happy by Jennifer Yu.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Teen and Jennifer You for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

Imagine Us Happy tells the story of two teens who are navigating life, high school, relationships and family life while dealing with depression. Stella and Kevin meet at the beginning of the school year. They end up dating for the whole year. We know its not going to end well, and the book is the story of their lives the past year.

I like that the author portrays depression and therapy in a realistic manner. That it’s a process, not a magical cure that will fix everything in a few sessions. Stella is doing better because of therapy but she has to keep working on herself. It’s not easy. The book portrays the challenges of dating or any extra stress when you’re dealing with mental health issues. No that it can’t be done, but both people have to be taking care of themselves in healthy ways.

A super realistic look at depression, dating and friendships. I think this is going to be a very popular young adult book for years to come!

<b> Trigger Warning: depression, self harm, abusive relationships </b>

I didn’t know going into this book that our main character Stella is the same Stella from Four Weeks, Five People so that was an interesting surprise. I didn’t love this one as much as I love to Four Weeks, Five People. This was mostly due to formatting. I’m not a huge fan of going back-and-forth in a timeline and this book does that. Stella wasn’t my favorite character in Four Weeks, Five People, but I definitely enjoyed seeing her backstory and getting to know the mysterious Kevin that is referred to in Four Weeks, Five People. I did like it and I do recommend it.

I really liked this book. It was a quick read and I found it to be one of the most realistic YA novels I have read in a long time. Well Kevin was a leetle cliche with his reading habits. But other than that I really enjoyed this book. I like how the author warns you ahead of time this won’t be a HEA. This book also made me feel happy to be on the downward slope toward my 40s. I wouldn’t be 16 again for anything. That age is so hard.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one yet. Lots of triggers. I wanted more at the end. Some of the story is just too upper middle class for me.

Good book, but kind of slow and took me awhile to get through because it jumped around time-wise from past to present and future which also made it harder to follow.... Interesting main characters facing some tough problems including depression, self-harm (cutting), toxic relationships, a dysfunctional family, and the value & importance of friendships, as well. Mostly well-written except slow in some places.....definitely a story line that you need to pay attention to as it develops. Definitely a realistic look into a teenage relationship involving two teens looking to heal themselves through therapy, love and support.

First off I enjoyed reading it and I rated it 3.5 stars. The book really shows the red flags people ignore when they are in love, and it was told in an interesting format, changing between future and present tense.

The diversity and representation of mental health is a big part of this book which is great. Also there isn't many parents in YA books but Stella's mom always had her best interests in mind, with a good cup of tea at hand :) Another relatable aspect for people might be parents with an unhappy marriage.

I liked that our main character was already seeing a therapist while all of this was happening. She even warned her when you place all your self worth in one person it can get really unhealthy really fast, and it does. A lot of people with depression tend to isolate themselves and you can Stella doing this as well, which made it quite realistic to me.

My only dislike was the pacing wasn't the greatest and the ending sort of seemed too quick. This book is definitely not for everyone, you have to be in a good place to read it, because it deals with depression, self harm, and unhealthy relationships, and may be triggering to some people but if you enjoy reading about mental health it is great.

This well-written and timely novel will resonate with teens. Yu effectively captures the nuances of teenage personalities and relationships in an authentic and meaningful way.

I wanted to give this book 4**** but just felt there was too much jumping around from past to present.

Ms. Yu did a good job capturing what kids and even adults go through with depression and cutting. This is a big deal with our teen population and it needs to be written about and explained to our young people that this "stigma" is not something to take your life over, that there is help out there.
Parents especially need to pay closer attention to what their kids are doing and how they are acting.

Wow. Do not read this and expect to sleep after. This book is intense. I've read many YA books dealing with mental health and this one sticks out as a harder one to read but also a really important , realistic one.

Stella, the MC and narrator is in her junior year and has been dealing with depression and her parents constant fighting. She has 2 best friends and thinks that's all she needs. Until she meets Kevin. Kevin is a quiet, analytical boy, dealing with his own issues. But we are warned from the beginning that this love doesn't last. Now, I've recently read another book that starts with the same idea, the break-up ,so at first I thought oh no , another one. However, this ends up being completely different . (And I will recommend both , The 7 Torments of Any and Craig, and this one!)

Both Stella and Kevin are dealing with major mental health issues. Both are in recovery. Both think each other is the answer . The relationship becomes all encompassing. Therapy sessions are skipped, grades slip, friends get forgotten. It's all Stella and Kevin . They start to fight, major symptoms reappear. Man, my heart broke for both of them. The author does an incredible job with the pacing of the book, alternating between the beginning of falling in love and the building fights. This style lends to the intense feelings I had while reading. She pushes and pulls you through so many ups and downs along with the characters.

This is such an important book in YA mental health that shows the reality of a relationship NOT saving but hurting them. Super intense,trigger warnings, but real and honest and important message.

Release Date: October 23, 2018

Synopsis (as showcased on Goodreads):

Some love stories aren't meant to last. 

Stella lives with depression, and her goals for junior year are pretty much limited to surviving her classes, staying out of her parents’ constant fights and staving off unwanted feelings enough to hang out with her friends Lin and Katie.

Until Kevin. A quiet, wry senior who understands Stella and the lows she’s going through like no one else. With him, she feels less lonely, listened to—and hopeful for the first time since ever…

But to keep that feeling, Stella lets her grades go and her friendships slide. And soon she sees just how deep Kevin’s own scars go. Now little arguments are shattering. Major fights are catastrophic. And trying to hold it all together is exhausting Stella past the breaking point. With her life spinning out of control, she’s got to figure out what she truly needs, what’s worth saving—and what to let go.

Hello everybody!

I recently finished reading Imagine Us Happy by Jennifer Yu (which was kindly sent my way by NetGalley and Harlequinn TEEN; thank you so much!) and I wanted to share my thoughts about the story with you all.

I'm going to start off with a little heads up for you all: if you are not comfortable with reading about depression, mention of self-harm, or a toxic relationship, I would say to not read this book. While these subjects (in my opinion) were handled very well, your well-being is more important! 

The format in which this story is told in is very interesting; the main character Stella starts out by informing the reader that this isn't a typical love story where you receive a happy ending by the time you reach those final pages. You also have your introduction to the main relationship (that being between Stella and Kevin)  when it's reaching its end. I found this to be such a clever take on showcasing a romance because you really don't get the insight for these characters until you keep reading, yet you are aware of how their relationship is destined to crumble.

Something to keep in mind is that this book alternates in the time frame (with numbers shown to indicate where you are reading) for Stella and Kevin's relationship. While I personally had little trouble following along with this, I can see how readers could become confused.

I enjoyed Stella as a character; her narration made me feel like I was right beside her as the story moved forward and I really felt for her when she recognized that everything she had known was falling apart. What I came to realize once I finished Imagine Us Happy was that relationships are precious (whether they are with a partner, your family, or your friends) and Stella's growth in rekindling the ones she didn't care for as she once had while she and Kevin were together really spoke a lot to me. While they surely wouldn't be what they once were (and Stella realizes this), I commend her on trying to rebuild them because they matter and they are clearly ones she cares about. 

I really enjoyed this book and if you're interested in reading about Stella's journey (and are in a place where you feel comfortable to do so!), I can't recommend Imagine Us Happy by Jennifer Yu enough!

Before I get into my review this book has some trigger warnings, there’s talk about toxic relationships, mental health. If you are triggered by any of that then do not read forward.

Stella has depression and to see her POV in the story was defiantly unique. Stella is relatable. I think a lot of teens will connect to her story.
This book does tackle some serious issues that a lot of teens are experiencing now its relevant and up to date and I think it did a good job executing the story.
I did have an issue with how the book was jumping from past, present and future. That took me a little while to get used to. Once I did I really got into the book.