When NYC gal Keaton goes back to her mom's hometown of Beaufort, NC to clean out her childhood home in an effort to put the house on the market, she enters into a time-warp. It's 1976 - and the house looks like her grandparents just walked out and never came back. Rumor has it that her grandparents died in a car wreck, as their car was found in the nearby rive, even though their bodies were never recovered. Among all the things found in the house, Keaton finds her grandmother’s journal, where Rebecca Saint James details her tips for entertaining (her dinner parties were a coveted invitation, as she was the ultimate hostess), for choosing menus, and for choosing guests for a party. Keaton comes to understand a bit about this grandmother she never knew, and wonders why her mother and uncle refuse to set foot in the house after the disappearance of their parents. As she makes friends with the locals - hello Dockside Dames! - Keaton begins to feel that maybe Beaufort is her place, and she has truly come home. And it helps that she’s struck up a friendship with next-door-neighbor Bowen and his 10 year old son Anderson. As she tries to solve what happened tin the past, she discovers more about herself as well as her grandparents. Written in a dual timeline, Kristy seamlessly weaves Becks’ (Rebecca) and Townsend’s life with present-day Keaton. Family drama with a bit of mystery too, this is a love letter from Kristy to her beloved town of Beaufort. I love all of Kristy’s books, but this one is now my new favorite!

I have enjoyed this author since I read her Peachtree Bluff Series. I was so disappointed when I was refused an ARC of this book (NetGalley/Gallery Books I’m looking at you!). So just imagine the happy dance when I was sent a widget from the author! I downloaded it quicker than you could say sweet tea just in case it was a mistake.

I think I found my retirement home in Beaufort, NC! The town has the small town charm and friendliness that we all crave. I loved the multigenerational storyline about a young woman, Keaton, finding herself thru the writings of her long deceased grandparents. The dual timeline, the 70s for Becks and Townsend, who shared a beautiful love story and current day for Keaton, who is at a crossroad in her life. The main characters were all so vivid, and the stories relatable. The secondary characters came shining thru, they are the friends you choose as family. This story had a little bit of everything….regret, drama, mystery, family, friends, idyllic location and, at the center of it all, love. I read this with a huge lump in my throat, remembering fond memories of my grandparents, long gone.

I highly recommend this book! Grab a sweet tea, pull up a lounge chair or settle in your favorite comfy seat and clear your calendar for the day. A perfect summer read.

Thanks to Kristy Woodson Harvey, Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I was enraptured by the ultimate entertainer and Queen of etiquette (Rebecca Saint James), drawn to their exquisite historic home and charming community of Beaufort, NC!

Great characters filled with enjoyable subplots. Author maintains the mystery behind what happened to the Grandparents seamlessly throughout the book. It was a pleasure to read and look forward to her future books!

Thanks to Kristy Woodson Harvey, Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity!

This book is full of Southern charm and drama, with characters that will stay with you long after you finish reading. It tells the story of a young woman who spends a life changing summer in North Carolina and ends up discovering the family which she has always longed for in her life. The story goes between present day with Keaton and 1976 with her grandmother, Becks. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand will love this story. A great beach read for the summer.

Keaton’s Mom and Uncle want her to go to their family home in Beaufort and get it ready to sell. She is currently jobless with nothing else to do so why not. The house holds so many memories, it’s too much for them to do.
This book was so good! I loved it! The story just grabbed me from page one. It’s full of great characters and I didn’t want it to end. I think this is my favorite book of hers yet.

This book touched my heart. Having been raised by a mother who, much like Victoria expected that I do things for myself I empathize with Keeton. This is my favorite Kristy Woodson Harvey book. I felt the emotion that Keaton was feeling, I could relate to how Keaton was raised to be independent and do things on her own. I loved the way Becks got to tell her story and how Keaton was immersed into the Beaufort community. A beautiful love story that entwined the life and love that Becks and Townsend shared. Against all odds, their love was unfaltering. How they died was the underlying question but the depth of their love and all they did for their family and friends is inspiring. This book touched me in so many ways. I highly recommend it to all of my friends and followers. I was given an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This is one of the best books I have read this year!!!!!!!!!! I laughed, I loved, gasped, learned, & cried with these characters. This is a story that will stay with a person for years to come.

As always, a feel good story with a bit of mystery for a perfect summer day of reading. (Yes I read this in a day!)

I love the two timelines. One is Keaton who is tasked by her mom and Uncle to go to get their childhood home ready to sell. They haven't been able to step in it since their parents' deaths. The other timeline is of their parents/Keaton's grandparents. We see their one of a kind beautiful love story (kind of like The Notebook) through a journal of Townsend and a how to throw dinner parties instruction manual/recipe book of Becks.

I adored a lot about this book. The Dockhouse Dames, Anderson and Bowen and how they wove into Keaton's life, the summer feel, the mystery to solve... Just another amazing KWH book!

Be sure to read her author's note as it's very important and personal.

Here’s what it’s about. Keaton Smith is having a ROUGH time. She finds out that her ex boyfriend (whom she works with) is going to marry her boss (whom she ALSO works with). She obviously quits, but is now left with essentially no home, no job, no boyfriend…it’s bad.

So, when Keaton’s mom calls her to ask if she would be willing to help flip an old family house in Beaufort, NC (for a cut of the profit), she jumps at the opportunity at a chance to escape her hell hole life.

Keaton knows that her grandparents died decades ago in a car crash and that her mom hasn’t been home since, but she is still shocked to see that the house is still frozen in time in the 1970s.

Keaton gets to work and meets the locals. She discovers a group of people she deeply cares for (especially the single dad living next door). In the process of cleaning the house, she finds old diaries and starts to wonder if her grandparents’ deaths weren’t as simple as she once believed. Is there a mystery in it? (spoiler: yes! There is).

For fans of Mary Kay Andrews or Elin Hilderbrand, this is a solid choice for a summer read. We have no spice (honestly just a touch of romance) and dual timelines with both Keaton’s perspective and her late grandmother’s.

I will note that this has the vibes of a cozy mystery/ romance, so I was surprised that the historical timeline did have a heavier theme that may not be for everyone. You can DM me if you are unsure if you want to proceed.

I still enjoyed this one, but I definitely teared up. So grab the tissues. That’s A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey.

I absolutely devoured this book on vacation! Kristy Woodson Harvey is one of my favorite authors and, with the added element of mystery/suspense with the disappearance of Keaton’s grandparents, this is my favorite one yet! As a pancreatic cancer survivor, this hit right in the gut, but I love how the author handled it!

Kristy Woodson Harvey’s "A Happier Life" is a charming novel that intertwines the stories of two women, Keaton Smith and Rebecca “Becks” Saint James, across different timelines, connected by a historic home in Beaufort, North Carolina. This novel is full of Southern charm and richly drawn characters that resonate long after the last page is turned.

Present Day Keaton Smith is at a crossroads in her life and seeks a fresh start. 1976 Rebecca “Becks” Saint James narrative follows Becks, a renowned hostess whose summer suppers are legendary.

Both Keaton and Becks are well-developed characters with distinct voices and compelling personal arcs. The secondary characters add richness to the story, creating a vibrant community. Harvey’s depiction of Beaufort is immersive, capturing the charm and beauty of the Southern landscape. The historic home serves as a poignant backdrop that ties the past and present together.

I enjoyed the themes of family, legacy, and self-discovery. The intergenerational connection between Keaton and Becks through the house is particularly engaging, highlighting the nature of family ties. Some plot twists were a little too predictable, which lessened the emotional impact for me.

"A Happier Life" is an good read that will appeal to fans of Southern fiction and family sagas. While it has its predictable moments the strong character development and setting make it a worthwhile read. If you're looking for a nostalgic summer read with a touch of mystery, "A Happier Life" is a solid choice.

I am a huge Kristy Woodson Harvey fan, and I didn't think any book could top last year's The Songbirds of Summer but Kristy pulled off yet another perfect summer read. This was so different from her previous books, but with that same southern charm, giving us a glimpse into the past and present tense of a family with rich history.

In the current timeline, Keaton finds herself single, without a place to stay and desperate to run away from the job that's all tangled up in drama. She soon finds herself in Beaufort, North Carolina preparing her mother's childhood home to sell. Having never met her grandmother, Rebecca Saint James, the abandoned house and it's current state are a complete surprise to her and as she gets to know her neighbors, the community and more about her grandparents she finds herself wrapped up in trying to find out how they died.

With flashbacks to the 70s from the viewpoint of "Becks" you're sure to fall for this contemporary romance mixed with historical fiction. The characters were endearing and interesting, full of hope. love and dreams that made you want to get to know them better with every page. The dreamy location had me wishing I could pack up and move to a small town with idyllic views and start over!

Thank you Gallery Books for sending me a copy to read and review, definitely one of my favorite books of summer.

A huge thank you to Uplit Reads, Gallery Books, and Kristy Woodson Harvey for my Advanced Readers Copy of this book and to Simon Audio for my ALC!

I really enjoy a book that alternates between timelines so seamlessly. A Happier Life follows present day Keaton as her life is upended and she is sent to Beaufort, NC, by her mother to sell the home of late grandparents. A home she never knew existed. The house hasn't been touched in 50 years, preserved just as it was the last time Keaton's mom was there. Keaton finds a notebook in which Rebecca Saint James (Becks) tells of her life and leaves tips on hosting the perfect dinner party (but its the same for living life). This is how the reader is transported back to the life of Becks and Townsend Saint James... and what a life they lived!

Stories such as these, are the reason I read. A book that truly transports you right into the life of someone else. Becks Saint James is full of grace, poise, strength, and wisdom. From marrying Townsend against her parents wishes to meticulously planning her dinner parties, I longed to be in her presence and sit at her dinner table. To love so fiercely without fear. Such an amazing character.

But we can't live forever in the past and Keaton's story was just as intriguing. How, in learning about her family and their past, she learns so much about herself and where she belongs. The secondary characters were crafted with love and expertise.

I read the physical book and when I couldn't do that I was listening to the audio. With a great cast of narrators, I felt even more connected. It was like talking to my family on the phone and getting caught up on the latest gossip. Extremely well done.

A true nod to first loves, defying and beating the odds, of letting go, and the things we do for friendship. If you read one book this summer whether at the beach or tucked in bed, let it be this one!

Kristy Woodson Harvey has another best seller in “A Happier Life". If you are a fan of "Summer of ‘69", and "The Notebook", you will be so happy to add this must have story to your home library.
I just loved all the little tips before each chapter begins, such helpful words you want to look back on.

Written in a dual timeline. Keaton Smith will be going back to a home that is still in 1976. She is the granddaughter of “Becks”Rebecca Saint James from Beaufort, North Carolina. What she finds there will change the lives of everyone.

You will fall in love with all the beautifully written characters.
You will meet the one true love (Townsend).
(Dr. Daniel Walker) & (Patricia), are more like family than friends.
(Bowen) & his son (Anderson) who loves Pain au chocolat🍫 , like me.
"The Dockhouse Dames", (Betty, Violet, Suzanne, Arlene), what wonderful ladies they are.
So many other characters from the past & present will make you feel like you are part of this story, and don't forget (Salt).

You will experience the funny moments like the squirrel 🐿️ & the bike 🚲, and the large fryer situation. You will also need a box of tissues for the sad moments. In the end the mystery will be solved, as the past and present come together.

I highly recommend this remarkable 5 ⭐ read. Enjoy ❤️.

Publication date is June 25, 2024

Thank you NetGalley & Gallery Books for the ebook ARC.
Thank you Kristy Woodson Harvey for another awesome story, and the recipes. I can't wait to make them.

#Netgalley
#Gallerybooks
#Ahappierlife
#KristyWoodsonHarvey

This was a great book. Kristy is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to her summer beach reads every year! Her books by far get better and better each time I read them!

A Happier Life is a summer read for those that like southern charm, past/present timelines, family dramas, and women’s fiction stories. I liked it okay. The writing is a lot of telling, not showing, which bothers me, but may not others. The love story is extremely surface level/not super believable. The MC showed growth in her personal life and solved a family mystery and I was happy to keep going to see how it played out, but overall not super into this one.

Touching, sentimental, and bittersweet!

A Happier Life is a beautiful, heartwarming, affecting story that sweeps you away to Beaufort, North Carolina, and into a tale where friendships are developed, mysteries are solved, memories are cherished, secrets are unearthed, tears are shed, lives are remembered, and love is forged and savoured.

The writing is smooth and heartfelt. The characters are sincere, genuine, and lovable. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, hope, humour, nostalgia, drama, and emotion.

Overall, A Happier Life is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, dreams, heartbreak, friendship, family, ageing, and finding happiness, and I absolutely loved it. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and in the end, it reminded me once again why Kristy Woodson Harvey is one of my all-time favourite authors.

Kristy Woodson Harvey's books are always perfect summer reads! 

A Happier Life is KWH's upcoming release, and it's loosely based on her own family history. It takes place in Beaufort, North Carolina. 

I enjoyed the current timeline, where our main character travels to her mother's hometown to sort through her grandparents' old house. The house has been empty ever since her grandparents mysteriously disappeared in the 1970s. 

The second timeline takes place during the weeks leading up to the disappearance, and I didn't find it interesting. This storyline felt overly wrought and saccharine, rather than heartfelt. 

Longtime KWH fans will still enjoy this story!

I always enjoy books set in the summertime in the south. I had never read a book by Harvey before, and I enjoyed her writing style. The two stories between generations was well developed, as well as the characters. I look forward to more of her stories.

I really loved this! I was engaged the whole time and loved the mystery aspect. The small town feel was so fun and makes you want to hop on a plane to Beaufort asap! I also loved the romance and the chapters from Becks. Sometimes it felt like it was a little vague and jumped around a bit so I got a little disconnected but overall I loved it!