Dillon's breakup with her commitment-phobic and perpetually late boyfriend was not premeditated, but it felt a relief to finally acknowledge that things weren't working. But everything seems against her when she loses her job the next day. The sudden decision to go back to stay with her grandfather for a while to help him feels right, but on arrival she finds that her unreliable, unpredictable mother has moved back in and taken her bedroom - leaving Dillon only an uncomfortable sofa. Things start to turn around again when her grandfather offers her an old camper-trailer to do up, and the opportunities that gives her to get to know Jordan, the owner of the local hardware store, are a definite bonus. But in the midst of her renovation, Brandon, her ex-boyfriend, reappears complete with what she'd long been wanting from him - a ring! Will his unexpected reappearance wreck whatever is happening between Dillon and Jordan? Or will Dillon realise that Brandon was all she ever wanted anyway?

Truth to tell, I'm more the utilitarian type, so the idea of doing up a trailer with all the coordinating fripperies doesn't really appeal - but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. This is a fun light read that was good for a bit of an escape but not what I'd want to read all the time. A couple of negatives: Dillon's relationship with her mum and attitude toward her bothered me a bit - possibly excusable, but I didn't really like it. Also, the specifically 'Christian' content interspersed throughout felt rather tacked on at the end, as if a generic 'sweet romance' had been written and then occasional mentions of God added to make it 'Christian'. I enjoy reading both, but if something is marketed as Christian I'd rather have it feeling a bit more heartfelt than this came across to me as. That being said, there was nothing wrong with it as such, I just found it a little disappointing.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

I had a hard time getting into the story. The start of the book was slow and also a bit sloppy and predictable. I had a hard time staying interested.

This was a rather disappointing read. The drama between Dillon and her ex-boyfriend went on far too long, there was a little bit too much miscommunication between Dillon and Jordan, and I found Dillon's mother to be a rather annoying character.. The retro camper aspect of the story saves this book from being a total loss.

The Happy Camper is a fun and refreshing book. It features Dillon Michaels, who is fired from her job the same day she and her boyfriend break up. She heads back to the Oregon farm where she was raised to stay with her grandfather, only to find that her undependable mother is there and has taken over Dillon's room. After a few days of an uncomfortable stay, Dillon's grandfather gives her a vintage camper that he inherited from a friend.

As Dillon fixes up the camper, she meets some very interesting people. She becomes friends with the local hardware store owner, Jordan Atwood. As things start to look promising with him, Dillon's ex-boyfriend suddenly shows up.

This was a sweet romance, and I really liked the two main characters. The descriptions of the vintage campers were outstanding, and made me feel like I could really see what they were like. I enjoyed seeing Dillon fix up her camper, as well as the interior of another. This was a delightful book.

“Trust the Lord with your whole heart, don’t depend on your own knowledge and experience, include God in all you do, and He will direct you through life.”

Have you ever prayed for God to give you direction? What if that direction came in the form of losing your job and two year relationship in the span of 24 hours? That’s just what happened to Dillion Michaels. She decides to pack up and move back home with her grandpa, whom she really has been missing since her grandma died. This is a beautiful story of love lost and new beginnings. I loved how Dillion listens to God’s direction for her and starts over, not looking back at her job, relationships or past. I loved that this is a story where her life didn’t go as planned and she chooses to start fresh.

She is ready to let go and let God do a fresh work in her after realizing how much she has put God to the side. Of course, moving back home, also comes with it’s own issues and she soon finds herself wanting space from her mom. When her grandpa gives her his vintage camper, she gains a new passion for life in renovating it. As she gets to know the hardware store owner, Jordan Atwood, another curve is thrown at her. Though the ex-boyfriend showing up added a nice twist to the story, I did find him to be annoying. Of course, I guess that’s why he is her ex. I find the camper renovations fun and engaging. It made me want my own. The love story was sweet. The family dynamics realistic and I loved how she dealt with the religious issues that aren’t always easy in families. Her grandpa made the story. I loved the whit and banter between the characters. If you love a warm, witty and engaging storyline with faith and family, you’d love “The Happy Camper.”

I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my honest opinion.

Melody Carlson’s books can be hit or miss for me, and though there were some things I liked about this book, unfortunately it was more of a miss than a hit.

What I liked was the camper aspect, the hero, the hero’s family, and the heroines grandpa. What I disliked… the heroine got on my nerves more than I liked her and I feel like it took forever for anything to happen. Plus the ex-drama was annoying for me. And the heroine’s mom was obnoxious as well.

I love the cover and this book actually made me want to camp in one of this mini-campers because they really are charming and I loved the way they were described. I think this had a lot of potential and could have been a great read, but it just didn’t work for me personally.

This is the second book I have read by Melody Carlson and I have now decided that her writing style is just not for me. As such, this review - as always - is an honest breakdown of my response to the book, but I realise that many people who do enjoy Carlson’s writing won’t find fault with the same issues I did. If this sort of thing is your style, then I am sure will enjoy what is a simple story of coming home, and falling in love.

Dillon leaves her boyfriend and her job on the same day. She is tired of hanging around waiting for Brandon to make her his number one priority and tired of catering to the whims of her boss. A phone call from her mother inspires her to return home to her grandfather’s farm. She doesn’t expect her eccentric mother to be there, and is a little upset when she is relegated to the lumpy couch. When her grandfather gives Dillon a run-down vintage camper trailer, Dillon puts her efforts into restoring it, and quite enjoys visiting the local hardware store to see the handsome, maybe-available owner, Jordan. When her boyfriend arrives in town begging for her to give him another chance, Dillon will have to choose between her old life and her new one.

The Happy Campers is a sweet and simple story. I enjoyed the parts where Dillon throws herself into renovating her camper van. She enjoys discovering new techniques, quite a bit of retail therapy and putting the finishing touches on her new home. Everything comes easy to her and for her (except maybe backing the van itself), so this part of the story doesn’t present any complications for the story.

I also really liked Dillon’s grandfather. He is a hard worker, very kind and understanding to both Dillon and her mother and has plenty of wisdom and all the right answers to share. Dillon is lucky to have his support.

Dillon’s relationship with her mother is shaky. Dillon moved in with her grandparents while she was growing up and found great support and stability away from her mother’s more transient lifestyle. Dillon doesn’t agree with her mother’s living arrangements, eating habits (if you enjoy kale smoothies and healthy food, prepare to have that made fun of quite a bit in this book) and tendency to start a project only to quickly drop it. Dillon judges that and yet she herself seems quite unreliable, leaving a job when her boss asks her to work, flipping from liking people to not liking them at all, and jumping between Brandon and Jordan really quickly.

The romance between Dillon and Brandon ends before we readers even get a chance to see why she would have spent 2 years with him and she moves on even faster. Dillon is quickly attracted to Jordan, but questions her feelings due to a response during a swimming lesson she is giving to his nieces and what appears to be an ongoing flirtation between him and another women (who Dillon starts of liking and quickly moves to dislike). As a result, Dillon says she is done with Brandon but continues to dance, dine and converse with Brandon. It’s juvenile and a little silly really, and aside from a few renovation projects, Dillon and Jordan don’t get much time to spend with each other, leaving the romance feeling surface-level at best.

The book finished much more quickly than I anticipated, and there wasn’t time for a few plot threads to be concluded, like Dillon’s unknown work future. Dillon does find some common ground with her mother, but the depths of their relationship (or anything else in this book) are never explored.

If you like quick, light-hearted and fun books, then The Happy Camper might be just what you are looking for.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

This is another sweet story by Melody Carson. I enjoyed how Dillon, the main character, changes as she works on the little vintage camper. She stretches herself to do things she's never done before. As the camper brightens and changes, so does she.
To me this is a story about transition, family relationships and the challenges of every day. It's not easy to take a new direction but it's possible to travel a different path to a new kind of life. There is a conflicted romance which in a way is the suspense of the story.
This is a book that Hallmark movie lovers should enjoy. It is a clean, sweet read with very interesting things going on. To me it could even move into a new book. I love Melody Carlson stories and they usually do leave me thinking about what could happen next, kind of like life itself.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy of the book. This is my own personal opinion about the Happy Camper. It would be perfect to take on a camping trip or for a beach read!

I thought this was going to be a true Hallmark kind of book with romance and young woman finding herself and maybe I set my expectations to high. While I found all the trailer rebuilding and multitasking a great add on to the book, the romance connection was not there at all. The romantic couple has barely a handful of meetings throughout the book and we are to find something deep and meaningful from this and I just couldn’t do it. Most of their meet ups are spent with miscommunication as key, I realize this book is very heavy on the “clean” aspect, so hand holding is as far as it goes which is fine by me. However deep conversations and meaningful looks could go a long way.

Dillon does start to come into her own in this book even though I feel she may still be quite naïve for a 35-year-old woman. Again, the restoration of the camper was quite adorable, I loved that she found her passion besides the farmhouse and garden. The interactions with her grandfather were quite amusing and thoughtful, I felt more of a connection with him than with Jordan. Understanding her history with her mother was another layer to Dillon that was nice to see get settled down.

I think the overall lack of connection between characters was my biggest fault with this book, if you wanted it just to be a women’s fiction book of Dillion coming into her own that would’ve been fine for me but it’s listed as romance when there is basically none. You need to have a connection between the romance characters for there to be a romance, you can’t proclaim love on two characters who have barely spoken. As always, I give authors more than one chance so I would gladly give this author another read.

Thank you NetGalley, Fleming H. Revell Company, and Melody Carlson for a copy in lieu of my honest review.

This was such a sweet book!!! I love the idea of remodeling a vintage camper! How fun! It was great to read about Dillon learning how to do this herself and finding her confidence in the process.

What a sweet read!
I love camping in our RV, so when I saw the book cover to Melody Carlson’s latest release I HAD to read it!
To be honest, I was more interested in the restoration of the antique trailer than in the love interest of the heroine. The book did not disappoint – I learned quite a bit about restoration and could picture the transformation in my mind thanks to the vivid detail and descriptions provided by the author.
The story follows Dillon Michaels, a fed up computer programmer who calls it quits one day on the boyfriend who hasn’t been able to commit and on the tyrannical boss who expects Dillon to be a slave to the office. Neat, orderly and organized Dillon makes a spontaneous decision that sends her packing and heading home to her grandfather’s farm where she grew up.
Perhaps the most precious thing about returning home is the gift her grandfather gives her – a-run-down-in-bad-shape-fixer-upper-antique-trailer he’d been given by the widow of a close friend. To the average person, the trailer would be worthy of the junkyard, but to Dillon, it was just the change she needed. She throws herself into the restoration and finds a new calling in life.
Secondary characters abound and add complications to Dillon’s planned reprieve from life – especially the clueless ex-boyfriend who is determined to make Dillon his, while a budding friendship with the town’s local hardware owner is just what she needs to embark on a new adventure.
A light-hearted read that has arrived just in time for camping season.
If you love camping (or even glamping), you’ll enjoy The Happy Camper.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you netgalley and Revell for access to this arc.

"The Happy Camper starts very slowly and from the start, I felt it was more Women's Fiction instead of a romance. But then I got into the swing of the story and began to enjoy watching Dillon turn her life around. That is until the book became a primer for how to renovate a tiny trailer. Nope, not romantic. Than just when that section was mercifully over, the book shifted into a romantic tangle that was straight out of high school. And around the 65% mark, suddenly Dillon recommits to God being more in her life after almost no religion in the book so far beyond a mere mention of going to church. Then she starts preaching at her atheist mother - who I suspected would get this treatment as she was the nasty, selfish and sarcastic character.

I grew up being intrigued by campers, as I expect most kids are, so this was a delightful story. Dillon is a woman who realizes her own fascination with campers. It helps her make sense of her life that has gone topsy turvy. It was fun seeing how she put her personality in her renovations beyond just making it functional.
This is a light-hearted read. It is a bit predictable but still enjoyable. It made me want to rent a beautiful camper. Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

THE HAPPY CAMPER is a whimsical tale by prolific author Melody Carlson and almost enough to make this non-camper want a camper. But unlike Dillion in the story, I don't have a small fortune to spend on restoring and decorating a vintage camper.

I'm not sure how I feel about the story. Dillion and her mother hardly try to get along. Margo (Mom) is lazy while Dillion is superwoman able to deep clean an entire farmhouse in a single morning and spend the afternoon cleaning a green house and planting a garden. And then both Dillion and Jordan are immature, pitting other people into the relationship triangle and then sulking... and then resolving it way too fast. Not to mention, the story is told, not shown.

Still, Ms. Carlson is a fan-favorite with avid collectors of her books. And with camping season approaching, this would be just the book to put you in the mood--or to enjoy it from the safety of home.

I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

I have not read many of Melody Carlson's books. However, I really must read her more. Her stories always bring a smile and a laugh to my time. The Happy Camper tells the story of Dillon Michaels. When her life in begins to fall apart, Dillon remembers that one can go home to heal or so she thinks. Making a hasty decision, she packs up her life and flees to her Grandfather's farm in Oregon. Only problem is her eccentric Mother has already taken up residence there and in her bedroom. The lumpy couch is not the answer. Enter Grandfather and his birthday gift for her. His vintage little camper. Dillon decides to update and redo the camper. Enter Jordan Atwood: the hunky hardware store owner who has a soft spot for little vintage campers and just maybe Dillon. Just when everything is going well, Dillon's ex boyfriend show up and this makes for more chaos.
The characters in the story were so fun and lovable. I love how even the camper itself became a beloved character. I would love to see a follow up story. I received a copy through Netgally. A positive review was not required.

Reading this sweet romance made me one happy camper! After her professional and personal lives fall apart, Dillon leaves Colorado and returns to her grandfather’s home, the place responsible for the happiest memories of her past. Upon her arrival, Dillon discovers that her meddling mother has already taken up residence in Dillon’s old bedroom, leaving Dillon to sleep on the couch.

Enter Jordan-a potential new love interest, Brandon-Dillon’s emotionally unavailable ex-boyfriend who took her for granted and now appears determined to win her back, and a fun vintage trailer renovation project, and you’ll soon be pining for a vintage trailer of your own to restore.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Revell for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mostly enjoyed this one. Dillon’s new enthusiasm for campers is infectious. Could have done without the Margot parts, seemed forced and unnecessary. The Brandon bits were cringeworthy.

Wouldn’t mind reading more stories set in this cute town.

5/5 stars I can't even begin to express how much I adored this book, the characters were very easy to like and i definitely fell in love with the story. Best book I've read in 2020!!

Dillion leaves her boyfriend Brandon who can't seem to commit and decides to move back home to Oregon from Colorado where she was living, Dillion ends up at her grandfathers house and by surprise her mother is also there who she doesn't have a great relationship anymore. She discovers that her mother is now living in her old room so she definitely doesn't have a bed to sleep in, so the couch it is! Her grandpa decides to give her a gift for her upcoming birthday, a vintage trailer that he received from an old camping friend. Dillion decides to restore the trailer and within the many many trips to the hardware store she meets a man named Jordan who is the "most unavailable bachelor in town", they have more in common than they think when they connect over vintage trailers. Dillions ex Brandon shows up all the way from Colorado to win her back but has already started connecting with Jordan, should she settle with Brandon who is suddenly ready to commit? or take a chance with her new love interest Jordan.

Thankyou netgally and publishers for the early release of this book

The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson was a fun story about a woman going back home and trying to find her way back to herself. When Dillon leaves to visit her grandfather in Oregon after some unfortunate events in her life—she realizes that the life in front of her (including the owner of the local hardware store) might be worth everything that she thought that she wanted but left behind in Colorado. Readers will enjoy the growth and development of the main characters, as well as, the slow burn romance in this novel. The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson is a sweet, small-town read.

A delightful story from start to finish! Felt like a perfect script for a Hallmark movie, with characters who had their fair share of struggles along the rocky road to love.
Uncertainty in life decisions and relationships, a neglected faith, plus dealing with some baggage from family relationships, added to Dillon's problems. It would have been interesting to have Brandon's and Jordan's viewpoint in the mix, adding a guy's perspective. A good take on showing the need for boundaries in relationships, romantic and with family too. Looking to God for direction and peace was a theme shown well through Dillon's situation; also a need for forgiving others and showing grace.
Loved the whole tiny home, fixer upper type aspect with the trailer. It sounded like a fun way to gain a bit of independence and confidence. The ending was sweet and might have made me sigh a little.

Light romance fans may enjoy this one. 4.5 stars