I have mixed feelings about this book. I don’t dislike the idea but the execution could have been better.

Since reading an article about 31 ways to be happy, Isadora’s goal is to prove the author of the article wrong. It’s because she doesn’t believe anything could make her happy.

As you can probably imagine, it’s a story about Isadora’s journey to happiness, because, shocker, 31 ways work!

This is a self-help book in disguise but it’s pretty obvious from the premise so I was not surprised. The self help part was fine, I’m sure some people will find great life hacks here; I agree, smiling more and letting go of grudges will definitely make you feel better.

Isadora was a relatable character and her struggles were very real. Unfortunately the side characters were one dimensional and I couldn’t connect with any of them. Especially the love interest Cal had no personality which made the romance part not very exciting. Unless secondhand embarrassment is your thing because there was plenty of that… She just wouldn’t stop talking 😩

Another part that I didn’t like was how easily Isadora’s issues were solved. Such problems don’t magically disappear from smiling more and doing yoga. Even if your friends are unrealistically supportive and understanding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely adored Isadora. This was all around such an enjoyable story. I loved the main character Isadora and her quirks and loved everything about the friends that she made along the way and how each of them added to her story. An absolute delight to listen to & read. Thank you libro.fm, Net Galley, & Thomas Nelson for the advanced copy of this gem. This is such a great summer read!

I don’t think I’ve related as much to a main character as I did to Isadora. She’s a 30-year-old academic researcher that decides to debunk a magazine article on finishing happiness. As she walks through the steps with the aim to disprove them, she discovers loads about herself and the lenses through which she views the world.

I don’t usually highlight fiction, but when Isadora said something that resonated, I highlighted it. And when the people in her life spoke words of wisdom to her, I highlighted that too.

This is the first book I’ve read that dealt with the main character working through social anxiety caused by betrayal, bullying, and childhood emotional neglect—fighting against the story that she’s believed about herself for so long so that she can live out her future differently. And as someone that’s dealt with some of those same things, it struck a cord. I’m still processing, y’all!

The side characters were stellar. The story was endearing. It gets all the stars from me! Courtney, thank you for sharing Isadora’s story with us!!

So grateful to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for access to this ARC! All opinions are my own.

I would like to thank netgalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The book tells the story of Isadora Bentley (no surprises there) who is strident rule follower that doesn't believe she will be happy. This is ironic as she works at a university where she meets tons of students and stays in a neighborhood. Like any normal person on her 30th birthday she reads an article that details how one can be happy which also gives tips on why you should exercise and smile to strangers. What's a list without love and the professor that crashes that list. It's a fresh take on a romance book featuring a heroine looking for happiness. The author made Isadora relatable and somewhat made her journey our journey.

You know that book about the socially awkward person who finds people to bring them into the world? That’s this book. At least there is the change of the magazine article on which to base our life.

Why does the introvert have to become an extrovert? Just once I want others to let that person be that person.

Anyway, I was glad that the religious element was left out of this book. The MC didn’t need to base her life on a book written by a bunch of men trying to keep women in line.

“Maybe happiness isn't about what you do, Isadora. Maybe it's about who you do it with. Or simply about accepting who you are.”

Oh my sweetness. This book was absolutely lovely.

Brief Summary
Isadora Bentley believes that happiness is something that flat-out doesn't exist in her life—and never will. As a university researcher, Isadora keeps to herself as much as possible. She avoids the students she's supposed to befriend and mentor...until she has no choice!

This is not solely a romance, this is a journey of self-discovery, a bit of self-healing old wounds, and oh my goodness lovely side characters, a warm and fuzzy book that happens to also have a romance! Have I convinced you yet???

Thank you @netgalley for this free copy! Out today!
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Isadora’s story touched me very deeply and although it took me a chapter or so before I became fully engaged, the story has really stayed with me. I laughed out loud quite a few times over Isadora’s mishaps in awkward situations and I cried over her pain and her belief that happiness was unattainable for her. I especially loved the secondary characters in the book. Marty, Isadora’s first friend, was so loving and accepting. Isadora’s neighbors, Darby and her daughter Delilah, were such a delight and Darby taught me a lot about how to give comfort and strength to someone who is being bullied. Darby encouraged Isadora by explaining that maybe her negative experiences with relationships were due to her not having yet found her people and not due to her being lacking or unworthy. And Cal—handsome, kind, patient, charming Cal was such a wonderful character who is such a role model for men. Can you tell I loved this book? I did. It’s one I will probably read more than once. Highly recommend! I received a complimentary digital copy from the publisher via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I don't think I can even put into words what this book means to me, but I'll try.

Courtney Walsh has a way with words and this story had me on the verge of tears, with a lump in my throat, throughout most of it. Isadora Bentley is an inspiration and a definite favorite.

In her quest to prove an article entitled "31 Ways to Be Happy (Today!)" wrong, what results is something both precious and unexpected, and I was touched. Researcher Isadora is quirky and unique, set in her ways and routines and anything but personable, and I loved her determination to see this personal project through. It's easy to give up on things, but she is anything but a quitter. I found myself reflecting on my own life quite a bit as I read this. Am I happy? Do I take the time to do the little things it takes to find that fulfillment and true happiness in life or do I just float along in my typical and comfortable patterns? I don't think I'm ready to answer that...

By putting herself "out there" and placing herself in uncomfortable places and situations, she found her people, her family, and her cheerleaders in the most unlikely places and this rag-tag group grasped my heart in the most wonderful way. Marty--the lonely elderly widower; Darby--the loud, fiercely loyal and protective, frazzled mother of four; Delilah--the young girl who was Isadora 20 years ago; Cal--the gentle psychologist who grasps life by the horns and lives and loves in every moment, while truly seeing people.

I could ramble on and on, but just know that you'll be a better person by reading this and possibly even applying even a portion of it to your own life. With dabs of romance and heaps of emotion, this is one book that will stick in my soul for a very long time.

Content: moments of mild past trauma to deal with; mild romance

DNF at 31%. Chapter 15. I was disappointed in this unfortunately. I have really enjoyed 1 other of Courtney Walsh's books, A Cross Country Christmas. But this, just isn't something I am connecting with. I do relate to several of the main girl, Isadora's, struggles in school with bullying, interests that are not "socially acceptable", having a hard time not saying what you're thinking and having a hard time making friends. I think many people will relate to her. She is turning 30, works in a leadership role at the behavior and social science research lab at Chicago University and she decides to take on a project based on what she sees in a newstand magazine at the grocery store - 31 ways to be happy. She uses herself as a prospect to try each of these "ways to be happy". There is a little romance involved with her and this professor she is working with too and things go on from here as she starts making friends and finding her way to be happy.

The main reason I am not liking this is so much of this feels very "new-age" ish to me and I am disappointed in the missed opportunities for Christian faith content. I know that Thomas Nelson doesnt always publish "Christian" content and it can be classified as "clean fiction", and that's ok, but when we have a story surrounding happiness and no mention of God in His plan for your life and an author who had faith content in books before, its just a little disappointing to me. I will try more of Courtney's books in the future of course, but this one rubbed me the wrong way a bit. We have mentions of the universe a couple times, yoga, "occupying your space", and this feeling of happiness being a choice and happiness is something YOU make yourself happy etc. We also had a perfect opportunity early on to talk about God's creation when they were looking at how beautiful the earth was but it was missed.

I'm not trying to be judgemental in any way, I just feel disappointed when I feel like we could have had some faith content added and not "wordly" things.

Thank you for providing an e-book copy to honestly read and review.

I love a dry sarcastic humour, and that’s totally Isadora!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🧼

Isadora Bentley is researcher in Behavioural and Social Sciences. Everything she does it calculated, and she likes to plan. She also isn’t happy.

On her 30th birthday while stocking up on junk food at the grocery store, Isadora comes across a magazine with an article called “31 Ways to Be Happy.” She sets out to disprove the steps by trying them out.

Starting with a smile, Isadora begins to connect more and more with those around her. She’s also forced to work with Dr. Cal Baxter, a psychology professor, to help him organize his research. He becomes interested in her happiness study and helps her out there too.

What I loved most about Isadora was her blunt honesty - definitely no miscommunication in this book! This story was so much more than a romance - it was about finding yourself, self improvement, and letting go of your past to live in the present. There was a lot more about friendship kind of love than romantic, and it was so so sweet!

Read if you like:
⭐️ Workplace romance
⭐️ Forced proximity
⭐️ Opposites attract
⭐️ Researcher & Psychologist
⭐️ Witty
⭐️ Self improvement/discovery
⭐️ Found family
⭐️ Clean romance
⭐️ Single POV/first person

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Sweet book! 3.5 stars.

You know how some books are considering "coming of age" novels? This book could be described as "coming into yourself". Isadora is 30 years old, a researcher at a university and profoundly unhappy. She's dedicated herself to existing alone after being let down by most people in her life. As a researcher, she is intrigued by an article that details 30+ ways to create happiness, and she sets off to disprove the article. After all, she certainly has the science of unhappiness down pat, so this should be simple, right?

I enjoyed Isadora's journey. I felt for her experiences as a child, very introverted and with a detached mother. I understand that she just kind of gave in and took the easier route of being unhappy, rather than putting her heart and emotions at risk. I'm also glad that she finally did take the risk of at least trying to be happy, and whether she succeeded or not will be up to you to find out when you read this lovely book!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Since I discovered Courtney Walsh a couple years ago I have never been disappointed by reading her work.

Great characters, and not just the main characters. We have great supporting characters who add to the mains and the overall storyline.

The storyline flowed well and was a nice quirky mix that really appealed to me.

This is such a delightfully fun book that touches on all the emotions with laugh out loud moments as well as seriously sad ones. Isadora is a smart and unique nerd who has decided that being alone is better than getting hurt, something that she has endured since kindergarten. She enjoys her job as an academic researcher but has minimal interaction with her co-workers. When she sees an article in a tabloid about 31 ways to happiness, she sets out to prove the author wrong. Her research leads her through steps where she had to interact with people on a personal level and her social awkwardness is hilarious with her straightforward ways of interactions with others. This is a sweet story to read and watch as Isadora makes friends and opens herself up to possibilities, maybe even romance. I highly recommend this story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley

This was such a feel good book!
Isadora turns 30 and finds a magazine promising steps to follow to become happy. Isadora finds this idea to be absolutely absurd so she begins a research project to prove the author wrong. So begins a really heartwarming story.

I really enjoyed this light read, especially the cast of characters. The one thing I struggled with at times is that I felt like Isadora made for a really strange 30 year old. She seemed either really old or really young 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Read this if you liked:
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Thanks so much @netgalley for the free copy!

THE HAPPY LIFE OF ISADORA BENTLEY

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This book 🥹🥹🥹. It came into my life at the perfect time. It reminded me a lot of “Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine” (which I absolutely loved). I connected with a lot of the characters, especially Isadora. There are so many sweet moments of friendship and kindness. I feel inspired to be a better human after reading this! Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the eARC.

LOVE everything about this book! Isadora was so fun! Every book by this author has me smiling but this one felt even more special! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this beauty!

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘖𝘧 𝘐𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘺 follows Isadora trying her best to change her very routined life and taking on a challenge of being happy.

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This was sorta sweet and wholesome, although, after reading the first chapter I was outta my mind bored - Isadora, then had zero main character vibes but she picked herself up and thereby the story really nicely.

I loved the found family aspect and the adorable falling in love scenes but I wasn't aware it was a Christian women's fic, which is an aspect that's just not for me and it kinda brought my mood down but the rest is great.

3.72 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘕𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I loved everything about this book. Isadora Bentley is very work oriented and a top researcher. But when it comes to human interaction, she’s not so great at it.

There were so many moments in this book that made me laugh out loud, or highlight my ebook copy, or just want to message my friends and tell them they HAVE to read this book.

In the quest for happiness, Isadora must come to grips with things in her past and understand what happiness looks like for her. It’s uncomfortable (as personal growth often is) but so worth is.

The cast of characters in this book add richly to the story and I must admit to wanting to swoon over the hero. There’s also a character I wanted to adopt as an honorary grandparent, a best friend, and of course, I’d want to add Isadora to my collection of heroines I absolutely love.

I hope Courtney Walsh continues to write books like this one and My Phony Valentine. I’m so there for it!!

*I received a complimentary copy from publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

#BookRevew: THE HAPPY LIFE OF ISADORA BENTLEY by Courtney Walsh

This book was sweet and inspiring but I didn’t like it at first. Isadora's constant monologues and life choices weren't appealing to me. As I kept turning the pages, I was hoping for Isadora to be better. Though unusual, I was delighted she met Marty. What a blessing!

“I think something is wrong with you,” the little girl says dryly. “You’re acting like the character in my book before his alternate personality kicks in.”

Then she met Delilah. That little girl was smart and honest. Isadora came to love her and her family. I enjoyed their relationship and dynamics. So many funny moments.

Isadora's new found family was my favorite part of the book. Their interactions and their words of wisdom to her were a gem. I was also pleased to see Isadora's outlook in life and faith changed over the course of the book. I didn't expect to love it but I did. It was so full of heart and relatable.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Pub date: 13 Jun 2023

Thank you Thomas Nelson--FICTION and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.