Surprisingly funny and entertaining, Pippa James knows exactly how to deliver a feel-warm book. Three different families, three different ways of life, and one heartwarming story.

At the beginning of the new year, three friends, Alison, Kate, and Frankie decide to follow the Happiness Project. Basically, each one of them has things they would like to change about themselves - be it something trivial as losing weight or worry less, to maybe more important tasks, like finding a job.

Alison, the most organized of all three of them, has decided that it was time for a change and of course she couldn’t leave her girlfriends out of it.

Do you know the feeling when you want to just cuddle with the books? It leaves you emotionally satisfied and warm. That’s what «The Happiness Project» by Pippa James was to me. A light and happy read. We do need these from time to time.

I just couldn’t get into this one. I found the main characters to all be a bit annoying and not relatable. Did end up finishing but was not a page turner.

This is a light fun read about three friends. It is perfect if you want a little laugh or to lift your mood.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

The Happiness Project is a lovely story about three women who are unlikely friends. I realized upon finishing this book that it is actually a sequel, but not reading the first book did not affect my enjoyment of this story. As these characters embark on their individual "Happiness Projects," author Pippa James explores the joys and struggles of being a mother, wife and friend and embracing ups and downs of life.

Sometimes I need a break from all the psychological thrillers I tend to read, so I was excited to pick up Pippa James's The Happiness Project. I was looking forward to an uplifting novel about characters who are beginning their own paths to happiness. While this IS what the book is about, I found myself not very uplifted at the end.

Alison, Kate, and Frankie are our three main characters on this growth journey. All have either a boyfriend or husband and children but feel they need something more in their lives outside of that. Alison gets the ball rolling on New Year's Eve by suggesting they begin a Happiness Project to get out of their comfort zones and begin living life to the fullest.

This all sounds great on paper, but I think there are two main problems with this story that I found. First, the Happiness Project itself is really only mentioned a few times throughout, mostly at the beginning. Even though these characters are supposedly on this experience together, there are not many checkpoints along the way. Because of this, the title of the book seems oddly out of place.

The other issue I had was with Kate's thin character development. Alison and Frankie both scored major accomplishments, but Kate started out as a doormat and remained one. It's great to be a wonderful wife, mother and friend, but when one of your "friends" treats you poorly (namely Natalie), and you don't eventually tell her off, the reader is left unsatisfied. Which is, unfortunately, how I felt about The Happiness Project.

MY RATING -2

I was drawn to this book through the promise of making positive changes in an effort to bring more happiness into one’s life. Three friends decide to start the new year afresh with the goal of reaching greater heights of happiness - through either a job, health or new family outlook.

I felt the author tried to make the interactions between the three friends as down to earth and realistic as possible, however for me, it just did not work. Perhaps, those that read the first book (this is the second in the series but can be read as a stand-alone) may have found a greater connection to the characters, unfortunately I really struggled and found them underdeveloped on the whole.

There also appeared to be much unresolved, for example, rather strange that it is a year’s resolution yet the book ends within the first few months of the year. As mentioned, I found some of the characters - main and secondary - behaviour at times, to not quite gel and I didn’t really empathise with them. So all up, a well written story that will definitely appeal to some with its classic chick lit approach in both character and story - for me, however, it just fell a little flat which is disappointing as the premise was a worthy one.



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

I really enjoyed this book. It was very light hearted and easy to read. It did take me a little bit to get into the story, but that was probably more to do with home life than the book. But once I got into reading it I really loved it. The characters Frankie, Kate and Alison are each very different and it's a story about friendship and the relationships behind that. You just wanted to see them all succeed in their happiness project. From Frankie's job and watching her do so well, to Alison wanting to become fitter and tackling The Glorious, to Kate and her zen pregnancy. There were times that I thought the story might have taken a different course however it was just a real feel good book. I definitely want to find out more about each of these characters so will purchase I Will.Survive to continue the journey. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Pippa James for the chance to read The Happiness Project. Definitely five stars from me.

I really liked this book, it was light and cute and heart-warming, but it also spoke deeply to me. I loved how the main characters were portrayed, how we could see their good and bad parts, how they were not at all perfect, but were trying to live the best way they could.

It is perfect book to take with you to the bed with warm tea and a blanket. It will make you feel better than when you started reading :)

A quick and easy read.

Although officially the second in a series, it easily worked as a stand-alone novel as well (I haven't read the first, and didn't feel like I was missing out on anything) and turned out to be a really charming comfort read. It's real life - no big drama or high-stake risks - but just cozy friendship between the three main characters. I'd worried that some of them might be too caricatured, but that ended up not being an issue at all. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and to read about what was going on in their lives.

A low-key book - but sometimes that's exactly what I want and need.

I expected this book to be more of a romance but it's more about friendship. It's a bit slow paced but enjoyable and relatable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A really sweet and relatable book. I loved that I felt something in common with all the characters...they felt very “real.” I did think the book was a bit slow. For me, I like a faster pace with perhaps a more complicated plot. But I can see that this book will find a place among many.

A quick easy and fun read about friends who make a pact on NYE. This was enjoyable and would recommend.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The book follows three women: Alison, Frankie and Kate. They are all mothers. Kate has two kids and the third one is on the way. Frankie is very chaotic and a single mom. And then we have Alison, who’s mother-in-law passes away and now she has to do all by herself.

The three friends decide to have a fresh start at the beginning of the year and come up with a plan. It’s all connected to live, health, jobs etc.

I liked the idea of the book, but I think I just expected something completely different. I couldn’t warm to the characters and that made it really hard.

I have to be honest, I struggled with this book. I really had difficulties getting into the story, I couldn’t relate to the characters and I feel like the title is a bit misleading. I really wanted to like it and give it a chance. I finished it, but couldn’t really warm up to the storyline. It’s well written and structured, but there was no real excitement for me and it was just not gripping.

The friendship aspect was the strongest part of this book. I think the author really grasped it and included it in the story.

I was definitely the wrong reader for this book. I requested it because I fancied a heartwarming humorous tale about female friendships, as an antidote to all the crime thrillers I’ve been reading recently. I was disappointed to discover that this is the sequel to I Will Survive, which was not clear from the blurb or on GoodReads. Had this not been a NetGalley book I would’ve given up at an early stage, so that’s another useful lesson learned. If you are in your thirties with young children you will probably love it.

Three women, each struggling with the stresses and drudgery of motherhood, make New Years resolutions. I didn’t like any of them. Frankie, prickly, disorganised, selfish, and borderline alcoholic, wants to find and keep a job to support her son, who is getting to know the father who abandoned them. Insecure Kate, unexpectedly pregnant with her third child, wants to feel more relaxed about it in spite of her wannabe earth mother friend giving her unhelpful advice, and perfectionist Alison, mourning the loss of her mother in law, wants to get out of her comfort zone and get one over the yummy mummies from the PTA.

This was nicely written, but I didn’t find it funny, and was pretty bored for most of it. Only the final 10% showed any real friendship between the women as generally they have nothing in common and are more envious of each other than anything else. I feel like I’m being overly harsh, as there are plenty of good reviews for this, so don’t let the fact that reading about women who chose motherhood, but then do nothing but moan about how hard it is, being one of my particular bugbears, put you off. In fact, if you are contemplating pregnancy, read this and get a cat instead!

I received this arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The Happiness Project is a available now.

Life runs uncertainly for three friends when one of them suggests New Year’s resolutions named the Happiness Project. I loved reading about the struggles of Kate, Allison and Frankie as they try to complete their individual challenges. Plus, life keeps shooting arrows into their paths to try and deter their efforts. Maybe they will succeed, may not but they are sure to give it 100% effort through it all.

This is a cute, feel-good book about three friends who decide to make a pact on New Year's Eve to make their lives happier. There are some bumps along the way but the book celebrates, love, friendship, and accepting who you are. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys chic lit or is looking for an uplifting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free advanced reader's copy of "The Happiness" Project" in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now!

A quick easy read.
It was okay, but it definitely wasn’t very engaging
A cookie cutter storyline.
Honestly if I didn’t receive it from NetGalley for review, I most likely would have abandoned it. It was not engaging enough to keep my interest to the end.

I did not read the book before this one so I was a little lost. i basically skimmed thought the book. I was not a fan

This book is a follow up to another book. Which obviously i should've known, but i didn't. So from the beginning of the story i felt really lost. Then i lost interest. I'm sure it's a good book. But unfortunately it's not for me.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the Arc in exchange of an honest review.

I first met the three main characters when I read and reviewed the first book in the series I Will Survive. It was lovely to revisit the women who despite being very different people had formed a very special friendship.

The story begins on New Year’s Eve and Alison is heartbroken after the loss of her Mother- in- law Maggie. Anyone who has read the first book will know that Maggie was a kind, warm and voracious character whom everyone seemed to love. In Maggie’s honour the women make a promise to themselves and each other, and they decide to call it The Happiness Project. It consisted of goals they wanted to achieve before next New Year’s Eve and ranged from getting a job, eating healthier to the more physical (muddy!) type of challenge.

I really enjoy the dynamics of this friendship group and how everyone is accepted just as they are (even though certain personality traits can be very annoying!) The women share a lighthearted banter but underneath there is a healthy respect for each other and when the chips are down they are there for each other. As you get to know the women it becomes apparent that they are nothing like there outward personas and each one has emotional difficulties to overcome.

This book is a welcome tonic, best taken at the end of a long day, with feet up and glass in hand. The subtle humour gives a feel-good flavour and the friendship will make you feel warm inside.