I hadn't realized starting this book that it was a sequel - I vaguely remembered a similar-type cover from the author and lo and behold, same character and this one is actually Book 2 with her as a heroine. And I just couldn't stand her as a heroine, sorry. Just so Mary Sue and as if everyone should be loving her and falling over themselves because she is (supposed to be) this adorable character. No, sorry, not for me. I'm all for sweet and sugar and spice and all things nice, but this was a bit nauseating in its sweetness, never mind all the undue pressure she keeps on putting on this man she supposedly loves but it's all about her, her, her, and her need for a baby! Just couldn't get in line with that, unfortunately

What a charming read! Delightful beach reading. I really enjoyed the banter between Marnie and Patrick.

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

This book should and will give you all of the warm & fuzzy feelings. Full of fun and quirky characters, this book is easy to dive into. But what will keep your attention is the raw emotion and highs/lows we experience and often times have trouble facing. This read is full of love and a little magic that will make you feel something great.

I didn’t know this was going to be a series (or a duo?). I really liked matchmaking for beginners, the first book in the series and this one was cute too.

The story once again follows Marnie the matchmaker who has the ability to sense romantic connections and then finds a way to match people. This time the book focuses on Marnies relationship with Patrick, in a very intense way. It’s told from both Marnies perspective (in the 1st person) and Patrick’s perspective (in the 3rd person). I liked the switch up in the narration.

I remember thinking matchmaking for beginners read like a movie. Well this one did as well. I love that we got to know the characters a lot more. I love that there was complexity and it wasn’t just a cutesy book. Far from it in fact.

It’s heavy on the ‘I want to have a baby’ talk so if that’s triggering to you, I’d skip this one, even though I think it wasn’t over bearing and was dealt with realistically. It also dealt with separation and grief and loss and renewal quite smoothly. My main critique was that the wrap up in the end came suddenly and felt a bit rushed and as a consequence, unrealistic.

Like the first book, the reviews online are mixed but I truly enjoyed it.

3.5 stars for me!

I haven’t read the first book but I didn’t really felt like missing much about that one as the author has a great way with her words and got me invested in the story throughout the book.
It was a funny and heartwarming story overall, with great reliable characters and situations that I can easily see happening in real life and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

I’ll definitely read more by the author in the future.

This was such a good book! I am glad I read the first one so I had a handle on who was who. I love Maddie's writing and definitely will be looking forward to more from her.

In this book--a sequel to the amazing "Match Making for Beginners"--readers get to continue looking at the world through the eyes of the magical and endearing protagonist, Marnie. Normally, happy-go-lucky to the extreme, Marnie shows her tough side when things get dark for her beloved Patrick and for her parents, whose long marriage might not last after all. This book is a fabulous look at what it takes to truly heal from tragedy and what love can and cannot withstand. Dawson weaves darkness and light brilliantly, leaving readers with a kind of understanding that is unexpected from this genre. A fabulous read!

This was such a good book! I felt that you had to read the first one in the series to fully understand Marnie's character. I like how quirky all the characters are written. Just a great story of realizing that you can get exactly what you want, it just might not be the way your pictured it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of what happens after the happily-ever-after. In Matchmaking for Beginners, Marnie inherits her matchmaking abilities from Blix and finds love herself with Patrick. So what happens next? Life that is, and the little things and stresses that go along with it. Marnie and Patrick are at a junction of their union – both seemingly wanting different things and both struggling to communicate that. Top that with a surprise visitor from Patrick’s past and a series of misunderstandings, fights, and relationship-altering decisions are unavoidable. This is one of those novels that starts off all cute and sweet and then turns real and deep.

I’m always intrigued by stories that tell us what happens after that life-changing kiss, after that you’re-the-one confession of love, after that they-finally-found-each-other crescendo. Maddie Dawson writes quirky and unique characters, which are one-half inspirational and one-half infuriating. Their interactions feel organic and their backstories are relatable. You want them to succeed. You’re rooting for them. They give you enough magic that you’re willing to overlook the little bit too perfect bow-on-top ending. Taking this to the next level and telling the story of after is difficult and I felt that Dawson just accomplished that so-so. The plot was interesting and fast enough to hold my attention. But the what seemed so complex characters in book 1 just felt a bit flat in this installment. I had a hard time getting truly involved in their lives. I found myself not really caring how this story ends for them. So, all in all, this novel was a fun way to spend my time but isn’t going to stick with me and didn’t make me think. Something was missing and all I can think of is that it was the depth of the characters.

When you read a book like Matchmaking for Beginners, it’s so amazing, that you doubt a sequel could ever live up to the first. A Happy Catastrophe is the sequel that not only lives up to the first, but matches it in the best way possible. The sequel takes place four years after the events of the original novel and we meet up with Marnie and Patrick as they’ve settle into being perfect for each other. But then a shakeup comes in the form of an eight year old.

A Happy Catastrophe was a can’t put down read. The characters are witty, fully developed, and you can’t help but fall in love with them. You want nothing but for the characters to succeed and for the book to never end. I can only hope for a third book in this series from Maddie Dawson!

The second I saw that Maddie Dawson wrote another book in this series, I knew I had to get my hands on it. While I didn't find it as un-put-downable as the first book she wrote, I still found this book to be adorable and much needed.

I adored A Happy Catastrophe just as much as I adored Matchmaking for Beginners. I loved getting to be with Marnie and Patrick and their new additions to their family. I love the little bit of magic in the book and the setting is just perfect. Such a great read.

Imagine you were madly in love. Planning your future and praying that children would be a part of the plan. But your soulmate didn't quite feel the same...until the product of a one night stand shows up on his doorstep 9 years later and he is forced to face his new role as a father head on! I have no idea how I would react in that situation, so seeing Marnie's character unfold was quite endearing

The characters in this novel were wonderfully constructed and so believable that they feel like your best friend. Both struggle with their own demons - Marnie who desperately wants to build a life with Paul (including lots of kids) and Paul mourning the loss of his "old life" and the skeletons hanging in his closet that wont let him be fully happy (no spoiler alert because this was a rather emotional piece of the story that I dont want to give away).

What I cherished most were the relationships in this book ... they were flawed, special and charming. There were happy moments, sad moments and very tender moments that bring the reader on quite a rollercoaster.

This book is actually part of a series (Matchmaking For Beginners), but stands out perfectly on its own. I never felt that I missed anything pertinent while reading this book, as Dawson did a wonderful job of bringing the reader up to speed.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours and Lake Union for my #partner copy of this book. I will definitely be reading more of Maddie's novels in the future!

From the first chapter I fell in love with Marnie. She is this quirky flower shop owner and matchmaker. It seems she can see people's aura, which appear as sparkles, and uses that for matching, even at the most random times. This alone brings a huge smile to my face. Marnie wants to have a baby but her boyfriend Patrick doesn't see things quite the same way.

Then chapter 2 starts and you get a glimpse into Patrick's character. He's a quirky introvert with a troubled past. Despite him being quite the opposite of Marnie, they fit so well together.

I expected this to be a light fun read. At times it was but it was so much more. It was sad, sometimes dark, and sometimes uncomfortable. It was so much more than I expected it to be.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great read with amazing characters that you will laugh and cry with. Once again Maddie Dawson captures the hearts of her readers as you follow along with her characters through life challenges, highs and lows. Add a little magic and spark to keep things interesting.

I loved this continuation of Marnie & Patrick. It was all the feels. And Fritzie. Such a lovely ride. I really enjoyed this book.

I just finished A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson & thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Dawson did an excellent job of introducing the characters & I got a full sense of who each one was & why they did what they did. This story has some unusual story points that I haven’t read before & I throughly enjoyed where the story went. Dawson has written an enjoyable book with delightful characters. I always enjoy a touch of magical realism & this book has that, which is a treat.

This is my first time reading one of Dawson’s novels. I didn’t realize that this book is the sequel to Matchmaking for Beginners. After reading this one, I’m going to go back & read her earlier works, especially Matchmaking for Beginners. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

It was lovely to be able to sink into this sequel after having loved the first book! It was like seeing old friends that had been away. Both Patrick and Marnie are such strong characters and after loving them so much in Matchmaking for Beginners I couldn't wait to see where their story would go. This was a pretty intense story, focusing a lot on Patrick's development. It was clear before I started the story that he had a lot of growing to do and he does develop well throughout the book but his pessimistic attitude began to wear thin before the end, I think things could have swung around a little quicker. Overall though it was a great story. I highly recommend reading Matchmaking for Beginners first though!

I loved Matchmaking for Beginners and A Happy Catastrophe was equally charming.

Marnie is a bit too whimsical and naive while Patrick is a bit too serious and pessimistic. Ordinarily these qualities in a character would have put me off (and I did actually struggle a bit with the beginning of the story) but Marnie and Patrick are a perfect pair. They balance both the story and each other and the result is a sweet, charming read.

I fell in love with Maddie Dawson’s characters Marnie & Patrick in “Matchmaking For Beginners” and could not wait to continue their story. “A Happy Catastrophe” dives in to some more deeper, darker relationship issues that the couple has to overcome, but it made their love story richer. Maddie’s writing made me love the characters more by seeing their flaws. Love isn’t always about the sparkles and Maddie perfectly captured the disappointments people face in relationships. I will be recommending this book to all of my girlfriends!