I really liked the main character but unfortunately this was not the book for me. I was bored very early on. A lot of rambling without getting to the actual plot. I wanted more storyline than day to day events.

Researcher Isadora Bentley is celebrating her 30th birthday and she is discontent. Working in a field that interests her, and that she excels at, she was disrespected by her user ex-boyfriend. That hurt her and she is now protecting herself by isolating from other people. At work, her boss requires her to work with a new colleague to help him with research and organization for his new book. At home, an escaping toddler in her apartment building introduces her to the family across the hall. Isadora wants more from her life. Running across an article in a magazine with 30 ways to happiness, Isadora vows to try them and document them to disprove the steps.
This is a fresh story which digs into the types of relationships we all need to thrive.

Courtney Walsh knocked it out of the park with this one! The characters are quirky enough to be fun, yet have a depth of feeling that makes the reader care what happens to them. I listened to the audio version of this book which was very well done.

Isadora Bentley likes being in the background, researching for those who actually want the limelight. She keeps to herself, avoiding neighbors and colleagues alike. She doesn't present ideas, but she makes the ideas shine through her research. Burned by the last man she fell for - who was with her for her research skills, not for HER - who took her research as his own and didn't even give her credit for her work, she refuses to work with anyone else, even the graduate students she's supposed to be mentoring. On a whim, she picks up a magazine at the grocery checkout with a headline that seems to scream at her, "31 Ways to Be Happy." Isadora decides that her next "project" is going to be proving the doctor who wrote that drivel wrong. Starting at step 1, she begins moving through each of the steps which include smiling at strangers, exercising to increase endorphins, and giving in whenever her chocolate cravings strike. Really, how hard can this be?

The more steps Isadora accomplishes, the wider her circle becomes. Could it be that she isn't as happy alone as she thinks she is? When her neighbor's daughter sees a kindred spirit in Isadora, can she break down her own mental barriers and mentor this child who is more like Isadora than she is like her very social mother?

As an introvert myself, I understood Isadora's need to "not stand out." While she's super intelligent, she's also socially awkward, and WOW, was her mother ever unhelpful! I loved how her neighbors showed her how unconditional love works, and how their love opened her heart to receive Dr. Cal's love as well.

Readers who love contemporary romance with lots of giggles, will love The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley. I give it ALL the stars!

As a former employer in a Psychology Department at a university, I appreciated the research aspect of the book. And then when you factor in the characters, the story line, and the relationships that develop throughout the pages, you are in for a treat. I was challenged reading how negative Isadora was about herself. But seeing how the people that were part of her life and the way they helped her overcome her insecurities was touching. Watching Isadora develop, mature, and realize that she was appreciated was entertaining. The story definitely made me examine how I find my own happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Isadora just turned 30. She celebrated by herself with junk food, an annual tradition. She also picked up a magazine with a headline about 31 things that will make you happy. As a researcher, she questioned the veracity of the article. And, she decided to conduct a personal research experiment. Her original hypothesis was that she was going to prove the author wrong, that the 31 items did not lead to happiness because she doesn't really believe in happiness.

Isadora had always been slightly awkward, incredibly smart, routine-oriented, and solitary. Her first task was to smile at someone. After much effort, she did smile at someone and suddenly found herself with a friend. 😊 This was the start.

I loved Isadora's journey. She was equally apprehensive about trying new things and committed to her research project. She suddenly found herself with a group of people who were claiming her (a lovely found family).

This is advertised as Christian fiction, and it's not what I was expecting. There were themes of reflection, forgiveness, and grace, and they easily fit into the story. If it wasn't advertised as Christian fiction, I don't think I would've known it was.

A bonus for me was the location. It takes place at fictional Chicago University on the southside of Chicago. I actually attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. I could absolutely picture parts of the campus while reading this book.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

This story is so charming and so sweet! I loved Isadora’s inner dialogue, Darby’s personality and how sweet Cal was. I only wish there were more parts set in Woodstock. It felt so dreamy and very Stars Hollow-like. I would recommend this to anyone who loved Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine or The lost ticket. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this e-ARC for my honest review.

What an abolutely delightful journey filled with emotions and epiphanies! I loved this book with the highs and lows, laughter and tears. Definitely worth the read! This book was provided to me through Netgalley by the author, Courtney Walsh and publisher, Thomas Nelson. The opinions expressed are my own.

DNF. Way too much inner dialogue from the gate. This girl is a rambling mess. Not in the mood. Stream of consciousness writing style is also a turn off for me.

This book made me so giddy with joy! I adored Isadora as she made her way through her 30th, trying to find happiness and achieving beautiful found family relationships. This was so much more than just a romance. This found happiness in all the wonderful places. It honestly gets you thinking: maybe I should try Isadora’s list!

This was a lovely heartwarming feel good story. Isadora is a lovable character that goes on a journey to find true happiness. Something we can all relate to. This is a story about finding yourself, finding a “family” and knowing what’s important in life. The characters are like family in this book. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for something heartfelt and light.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I have to say that I did not love this book. I thought it was going to be a cute RomCom but it was not.
I had a hard time getting into this book and could not connect with the main character.
It seemed a little "off " to me. I put it down and then picked up and put down again.
Sadly I DNF.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this was not for me. I was unable to get into the story and did not finish it. I encourage others to give it a try for themselves!

4.5 stars

I always love Courtney Walsh and this was no exception. She created such a distinctive and relatable character with Isadora. I loved watching her bloom and grow through the book.

This is a romantic comedy about an introvert and her journey to happiness. One lonely evening in the grocery store, she stumbles across a magazine article discussing 30 things a person can do to be happy. Ever the cynic, she decides to use her research scientist background to disprove the article. I’m sure you can guess that she doesn’t find the answer she originally seeks! This book was outside of my normal genre comfort zone and quite quirky, but I’m sure romance readers will enjoy it even more than I did.

This book really got me in all the feels. Isadora had up so many walls and as her story unfolded it was easy to see why.

She had the same hurts that so many of us carry- hurt from mean childhood friends, hurt from unrequited high school crushes, even hurt as an adult from a badly broken heart.

Courtney wrote a story that reaches deep down into the reader’s soul and invites them to choose happiness and healing.

As Isadora chose healing and pursued true happiness in her life, I found myself wanting to do the same. Let go of hurt, heal, and choose happiness.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley is a fantastic read. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, relatable, and made up of a cast of character you can’t help but love.

If you’re ready to laugh, cry, and choose happiness, Isadora is for you!

Thank you to Courtney Walsh and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy, all opinions in this review are my own.

The format of this book is that of a standard uplit done well. A reader has to know that going in, although the cover and the title do give a clear indication for that to be the case.
Isadora is uninspired. She clocks in and out of work quite automatically, especially after her last romantic issues. She is a researcher who should be inspiring students or even contributing to writing her own paper or book, but she does not feel the urge.
The one day she allows herself some leeway is on her birthday, and on this particular birthday, she finds an article that annoys her. It is an article that lists ways to be happy. She decided to prove that happiness is not achievable by such simple means, but things don't go according to plan.
Our protagonist is one who has kept her head down, made no eye contact or even bothered to learn the names of people around her for several years. When she starts to open up, things start to happen. It is a gradual process with more than a little backtracking before the final end.
It is the kind of book that readers of the genre will relish and can be read in very few sittings.
I love books with a lot of interactive and entertaining cast, and this was a treat in that sense. I enjoyed all the people who crossed Isadora's path and disliked her mother (as we are almost meant to). I would definitely pick up another book by the author.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Isadora Bentley is a loner, a bit odd, and too direct for most people. On her 30th birthday, she leaves the store with more than the just junk food she came for. She also leaves with a tabloid promising a happier life in 30 steps. As a researcher at the university, she sets out to prove the article wrong one step at a time by conducting her own experiment. Isadora decides to do one step a day, make observations, and log her research. On the very first step, smile more, Isadora’s life changes. She meets an older man named Marty when she smiles at him in the courtyard on her lunch break. The next day, she meets her across the hall neighbor, Darby. And eventually, she meets Cal, a professor at the university who needs her help with researching his new book. Although Isadora has made her life so that she doesn’t let people in, she learns quickly that these people aren’t leaving her. Ever. They like her for who she is, and maybe she can start liking herself too. This is the ultimate feel-good book that really does make you happy while reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance, complimentary copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

This is sunshine in a book! I’m having a major book hangover after finishing this. I rarely want to pick up a book and reread immediately, but it is THAT good.

Isadora is an adorable character, but all she sees is someone unlovable who only gets disappointed by others. Why open up to others when it will only lead to pain? But perhaps this is not the way to live she feels deep inside.

Isadora is a researcher at a university in Chicago. On her 30th birthday she decides to eat junk food to her heart’s delight….alone. While going through the check out with her mountain of junk food, she randomly throws a women’s magazine on the belt. She wants to check out the article “31 Ways to be happy today”.

She decides she will prove this wrong in a secret research project. It just so happens that other people seem to be an integral part of her research. And she’s not a people person, or is she? She still is feeling the pain of being called “Isadorcus” growing up. Could it be that she actually enjoys being with others and they actually value her? Of course the handsome psychology professor needing help with his book has nothing to do with it all, right?

Thanks to Thomas-Nelson publishing and Netgalley for a copy of the ebook!

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Isadora’s name is very fitting because I adored her so much! She reminded me of Arthur Truluv and Eudora Honeysett…hard shells to crack, but ultimately kind and loving humans.

The interactions she had with the side characters were my favorite parts. A 70 year old man and a 10 year old girl (and her mother) opened Isadora’s eyes and heart to what life could be. It was a wonderful book.

This. Book. Is. Everything.

Her inner monologue is hilarious

She is so endearing. Isadora is a character I won't ever forget.