I liked this book, it made for interesting reading. It is a bit of a follow-on from I Will Survive, and even though it helps to have read the first book, this book can be read as a standalone as well.

Kate, Alison and Frankie, three very different women, make a bit of a pact to change things in each of their lives. Kate is pregnant with baby number three and she is still getting her head around it. Alison is the woman who needs to do everything perfectly, but without her mother-in-law Maggie to encourage her to let go a little, is she in danger of getting too stuck in her ways? And Frankie is still learning how to "adult" - how will things turn out in her very complicated world?

The blurb talks about Maggie but the actual book barely mentions her. Considering how much of an impact Maggie had on Alison's life, I thought that was a shame. Simon seems to be lacking a bit of depth as well in this story.

Other than that, I enjoyed reading about Frankie's life and her attitude to everything. She is a rough diamond but she has a huge heart and is capable of more than she knows. The dynamics between the three of these ladies was something I can really imagine. It is hard when you have a young child and you meet other mums who you have nothing in common with, other than your children. So it was with these ladies too.

Anyway, a solid book.

I give this one 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture.

The Happiness Project by Pippa James is light feel good book that can be read as a standalone but it the second part of her book I Will Survive.

It tells a story of three friends, Alison, Frankie and Kate who make a New Year's Resolution and try to stick with it. We follow them during the next few months to see if and how they will manage to change and better their lives.

What I especially liked about it is how strong their friendship is, and how safe they will when they are together.
On the other hand they don't spend enough time with each other.
We witness many different types of mothers, trying to best each other and generally ruin each other's self esteem.
I feel that the book is too real and raw to be considered funny although there are many hilarious moments. Most of us have encountered the same issues and fought the same battles so it is easy to relate.
Even though it has a nice flow at times it felt a bit stuck.

I remember reading 'I will survive' a while ago and wishing it would be the start of a series and now it seems like I have been granted a wish. I am feeling like a very happy camper and after two books I am still not ready to say goodbye to the prontagonists. So, this means I am hoping the fairy godmother might listen to me again.

If I would pick a favourite character, it would be Frankie. She has issues, but she is so much fun.

It is nice to see that 3 totally different women can become friends and support each other and that you can built bridges with someone when you keep the bigger picture in mind.

I love the author's writing style. It also made my smile how people who do not have children (yet) have a theory about how to bring up children. It makes me even smile more when they see that their theory has to be thoroughly adapted once the little one(s) arrive(s).

If you want to read this book (and of course you are lol), I would suggest you grab the previous as well so you do not miss out on how it all started. 

I, for sure, will put this one in my 5 stars collection.

Thank you, Pippa James, Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy.

I will begin this review by saying I liked this book better than the first one, I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes more than a few times during the story. That being said, there was this one point that bothered me so much when it was introduced, it almost threw me off my mood (will get to it at the end)

The friendship of the three woman is still in its nascent stage. They are pretty much only drinking buddies but are working their way to getting closer. All three women are different at the core and their escapades in the first book really helped each in some way to come out of their respective shells. This installment is filled with activity as all three of them work on their new year resolutions, also dubbed the happiness project. Everyone is always doing something, new people are introduced, literal and figurative hurdles come their way and overall this is was a heartwarming read.

My one issue is as follows:This might count almost as spoiler territory, but I had to mention it. There is a character who is sort of the villain of her piece, she is a 'hippy' with the lifestyle to match it. Her behaviour does border on crazy but I think it vilified the underlying concept here. There is a problem with our environment and not everyone can make the drastic changes required to feel like they are doing their bit and I do know there are a lot of pushy vegan environmentalists but I have met many reasonable ones. The idea that trying to turn vegetarian/vegan for the environment and reducing consumption of non-recyclable and fair trade products is taunted in the process of laughing at the woman. Some bits seemed necessary for the plot line but a chunk of it might even turn away people who might consider looking into the concept of zero waste/fair trade/vegan/vegetarian lifestyles. I know this might sound like a rant but believe me, although I have been a vegetarian all my life I keep finding out some action or the other that is supremely detrimental to our own future and how little I am doing for the environment as a whole. I am in the process of educating myself and think it should at some point not be a punchline anymore.

I am giving this book four stars despite the preceding 'rant' , so if you are either side of the fence with what I just said, you can be sure to enjoy the story. Just read the first book first to get to know the Mothers first.

Such a fun quick read about three friends who decide to make a promise to each other to achieve their new years goals (their happiness project). The characters were great and relateable.

This was a feel good story about friends and family. Navigating relationships and trying to achieve personal goals is the main premise. A nice light read; I would recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting read for me. I wasn't aware there was a previous book so I did feel somewhat dropped into the story though I was able to find my footing pretty quickly It took me a while to get into it though. I like the concept of the novel and it's executed decently enough. I did find it to be slow in parts and I wasn't totally emotionally connected to the characters, but I think the characters would be relatable to some readers. This feels more like a slice of life novel. When the book ends they are still in the first half of the year. Now that I know what to expect from this author, I may read the next book as I am curious about certain plot points in the book and how they progress.

Three women all decide to make New Years Revolutions to change their lives for the better. Be more present, eat better, get a job you love and just be more happy!
I enjoyed reading about these women as they make the changes in their lives. Some of the ladies I completely loved and connected and others I was like ekkk lol but that is us. As moms and women we all are different, have different parenting techniques and just think differently and that is ok! We should embrace other women!
I really enjoyed The Happiness Project and look forward to read more from Pippa James!

Alison, Kate, and Frankie are all young mothers who know they need to make some changes in their lives. They might not admit this, even to themselves, but when Alison proposes they make a New Years resolution to do so, they're all in. Each of them has an issue- and each of them deals with it. Frankie wants a job, Kate wants zen, and Alison, well Alison really needs to get over herself. You might quibble with one or more of them but think about how realistic they are. Not all of us are always likable either! Thanks to net galley for the ARC. This is well done domestic drama. I missed the first book so this was a standalone for me- and I enjoyed it.

I couldn't help but start this a few hours after I finished I Will Survive, and I'm glad I did as it meant I didn't have to try to remember anything, and it just felt like a continuation, ok a few months on but that's natural.

As a result I really can't comment on whether this works as a stand alone but I would recommend you read both books as they are equally fabulous, although with a slightly different vibe to them.

The Happiness Project felt more about all three women bettering themselves, and trying to keep to their New Years Resolutions that were renamed as a happiness project in order to make it sound simpler.

Frankie is the character I keep coming back to and really have a soft spot for her. She is chaotic, trying her hardest to be a responsible adult for Liam but never seems to quite go about things the right way. I loved seeing her at her new job, and there are some wonderful personality traits coming through for her.

Alison has all manner of resolutions, most of which don't seem to work but the one that pushes her outside of her comfort zone the most leads to one of the most enjoyable last sections of a book that I've read recently. I was laughing and smiling at what she was up to.

And then there is Kate, and I'd say most of her story line this time is more to do with another pregnant friend Nat, and their vastly different parenting styles. I would love to see more of Nat and see how she is getting on in another book.

I loved the fun feel to the previous book is still present, and despite the title, it wasn't really too much a look at the characters happiness in a deep way - it just felt like a natural continuation of the first book, but there was a sad event overshadowing everything but I'm glad from my own point of view that it didn't feel overly emotional - or it may just be because it was inevitable.

I really enjoyed probably about 98% of the book, the only bit that has frustrated me was the ending. All I'm going to say is I really hope that we see more of these characters as that really did feel far too much like an ending for now. If nothing else I want to see what the summer term brings for these mothers and their kids.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I was excited to read this book because I am engaged in my own happiness project this year based on Gretchen Rubin's non-fiction book by the same name. Unfortunately, I was not aware that this was a follow-up book to I Will Survive, so from the beginning, I felt as though I had popped into the middle of a story. Perhaps, I would have enjoyed this more had I read its predecessor, but while the story is light, there is very little character development making the plot rather flat and predictable. What I found about this book is that I felt almost no emotional investment. It isn't bad, I just couldn't relate to the characters, any of them, enough to make me care about them or what happened to them. The plot feels choppy and unfinished despite reaching the end of the book. I am not certain I have ever felt more middle of the road about a book than this one. I wanted to enjoy it so much more, but it just fell entirely flat for me.

Amazing story! Such a sweet read. really enjoyed it! Great read for anyone looking to find a great one to curl up with!

The characterisation is a little bit jumbled and the pace of the book is off. Two things could have been the central plot; a character trying to move forward from the death of her mother in law who she was very close to or; friends coming together to achieve new year resolutions. Neither of those themes was well developed even though they were referred to often. By the end, I honestly just wasn't rooting for anyone one way or the other, I found it hard to really care. I was happy they found their personal triumphs and strengthened their relationships but the journey to get there was honestly kind of long-winded and bland. I would still recommend as an easy read.

I'm so sorry but this wasn't a book that hold my interest - I didn't finish it because we just couldn't "get together".

Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy!

As the blurb mentions, this story is about 3 women who are trying to become happier in their lives as a New Years resolution. Alison, Kate and Frankie are 3 young mums each with their own issues in life including single parenthood, mothering anxiety and crazy PTA meetings. While the interactions between the three friends is certainly realistic and the author does a good job at making you feel involved, I felt there was a lot left unresolved in the book that the ending didn't address - the book ends within the first few months of the year. Also, there's no real rationale for some of the character's motivations and their partners' behaviors. At times I almost felt like I watched a random few episodes in the middle of a long running TV show. Easy read but could have been better.

Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.

Let me start off by saying that when I chose this book, I looked at the title and thought it was going to be a self help book teaching you how to be happier in life. So imagine my surprise when I started to read, only to find out it is a fiction book about three women coming together to make their New Years Resolutions. That sounds kind of cliché right? But I loved how the individual stories about each woman and her resolution became mingled together and worked as one big story. You have the typical lose weight one, which so many women make each year and begin to fail at after about a month or two...but within that story, she decides to go one step further and do it in a way that takes her out of her comfort zone. That is the kind of idea I am drawn to. Nothing ever grows in a comfort zone. Another woman decides to become more zen, which I think we should all give a shot at. There are so many things that happen in the world that we can't control so why do we let it get to us so much? The third woman just wants to be able to become a better adult...one who can be a better mom and maybe hold down a job while she does it.

All of these women have something comparable to most women of the world if we are being honest with ourselves. I loved how what started it all was the death of someone that made a difference...throughout the book, they face challenges but they overcome them and in the meantime, they become closer to each other. All in all, I really liked this book. It deserves 3 1/2 stars but that wasn't an option.

A warm and wonderful story about three friends. Kate, who is pregnant, Frankie, who is starting a new job, and Alison, who is trying something new. I liked the characters and the stories surrounding them, although I did wonder why some of them were friends. All are very different, and no background is given on how they became friends. Still though, enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. I read some of the other reviews, and felt like I must have read a different book. Light and fun, and one I enjoyed.

I'm torn between 3.5 and 4 stars for this one. I like the idea behind the book--I think following a group of women through their NYR is a great idea for a book, especially because all of their resolutions are very relate-able. However, what threw me right away, was the fact that it didn't seem like they were friends at all, yet they commit to this "pact" together. Frankie regards Alison, though only in her thoughts, as "Scary Alison"; this doesn't scream "friendship" to me.

I wish we got a longer look at the lives of the women--I just wanted to know more. Maybe a sequel will follow and we'll get that information. The characters were likable and the writing flowed smoothly. I like that each chapter focused on a different character because I feel like we got a more well-rounded narrative this way.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

All three of the main characters have been wronged in some way and have walls built up around them. After agreeing to The Happiness Project they try to better themselves and learn how to take the walls down and grow as individuals and in the friendships.

While there is nothing bad that stands out in this books I also can't think of anything noteworthy that stood out either. It is a basic women fiction book that makes you feel good after reading it. It gives you a little kick in the bum to move on your own life. Each of the three characters are at different places in their lives so it can be appreciated by almost any woman.

It was an okay book and if this is your type of read you will enjoy it. I just found it to be a little slow paced and repetitive at times.

While I enjoyed this book, I wish we got to see more of the three woman. They all made a New Years resolution, but the book only goes up to April. I would have loved to see Kate have her baby and how she maintains her zen-like attitude towards her pregnancy and handling three kids. I also wanted to see more from Frankie and how her, Ben, Liam, and Charlie got along as a family unit and how Frankie’s promotion worked out.

Alison was probably my least favorite character. I’m actually shocked that the book doesn’t center around her more. Because the description seemed to make it out like the huge catastrophic event happened to her and “the happiness project” was the result and it seemed like she was going to be the main focus of the book.

Still enjoyed the book, but wished that their storylines got tied up a little better at the end.