What is your perfect happiness?
There are no perfect lives….
There are no perfect solutions….
A very complex and complicated story that will have you feeling many different emotions.
With that said, as the story went on, I did begin to understand where the author was taking us.
What will you get with reading A Season of Perfect Happiness?
Secrets
Friendships
Relationships
Broken bonds
Sacrifice
This was not an easy book for me to read. I read it very slowly in order to fully digest my feelings and emotions.
Beautifully written story by author Maribeth Fischer.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This story is so emotionally charged and is beautifully written, it had me enthralled from the first page. It is the story of family, second chances, love, forgiveness, regret and so much more. Can one ever truly forgive oneself for an unspeakable act? This story explores this question and in the process helps it's characters heal deep, deep wounds. The writing is gorgeous and takes the reader on a long winding journey which fully satisfies at the end. A beautiful piece of work. The cover art is perfect. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
Many thanks to Net Galley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for chance to read and critique an ARC version of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Claire ran away from her home and everything and everyone one she knew after a terrible accident and has been living a small quiet life. Under the radar is her mantra. The smaller the better and yet things change when she meets Erik. Her simple black and white life changes to technicolor, but her past life is still a secret she holds close. It's about family, love, loss, forgiveness, friendship, motherhood, parenting, relationships, betrayal, second chances, emotional growth and so much more. It was an emotional well written road they all traveled. I must admit, a few tissues were needed. Well worth going along for the ride.

Without having much connection to any of the characters, I thought this was well written. The pacing was set up well and the flow was easy to follow along with.

The mysteries behind A Season of Perfect Happiness just kept coming! At first, I had to know what Claire did. Then as the book went on, I had to know how things would affect Erik and then Annabelle! I enjoyed the whole thing and read it in a day. I enjoyed the themes of second chances and forgiveness while also tacking big issues around postpartum depression and infidelity. A few of the characters actions felt inauthentic to me, but was a great read with characters I will remember.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book of second chances. Claire had made a choice to start her life over after a devastating emotional time in her life. But will her secret of her past life inhibit her from moving forward in happiness. A beautiful written story of finding love, friendship and family. I had a hard time putting down this book, I did not want to see it end. I wish there was an epilogue though.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I only made it 30% through this book and just couldn't carry on. The pace was slow. The characters were not interesting, and the writing was fine but not captivating enough to carry on. If you like books dealing with a main character grappling with grief, maybe this would be for you? I also felt like the main character read more like a 40-something than a 34 year old. Just not my jam.

A Deep and thought provoking book. Not a typical read for me. I’m used to reading mystery/thriller or romance. Not a big just fiction person. But I did really enjoy this book. How even though it seemed to just go through somebody’s life; it was so much more than that. The ability to really make you think and take in the bigger picture of the themes presented. I gave a different perspective that I didn’t know I needed.

Wow, this book was an emotional roller coaster, but I loved every minute of it! Maribeth Fischer writes a beautiful and sad portrait of a woman with a heavy past who must decide whether she can open herself up to be loved, and forgive herself.

Claire has moved to Wisconsin from Delaware under mysterious circumstances. She gives little away and holds herself at a distance from others - until she meets Erik, with whom she falls for hard and fast. Erik has three young children and an ex who is still a big part of his life. Claire melds into their group of friends and feels happiness like she hasn't felt in years. We as readers are given clues that this will not last, and the story is revealed in a compelling manner with lovely prose that is tender, gripping and emotionally charged. I appreciated how the book sheds a light on mental health issues and the stigma that is still present.

I will enthusiastically recommend this to readers who like women's fiction with family drama.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Author, Maribeth Fischer, brings us the characters Erik and Claire. Claire is running to forget her past and Erik is starting over after a bad relationship. The story line is full of intense emotions and life-altering experiences, weaving together themes of divorce, deception, postpartum struggles, and more. It's a deeply layered narrative where each chapter unravels new complexities, exploring the raw and often messy aspects of human relationships and personal growth. The story is rich in conflict and emotional depth, capturing the turbulence of life as characters navigate a maze of secrets, broken bonds, and the challenges of starting over. While I enjoyed the book, it may be extremely painful for someone that has struggled with postpartum depression. It would have been an excellent platform for the author to educate others about the condition. The portrayal feels somewhat surface-level. A more in-depth exploration could have provided readers with a better understanding of the complexities and realities of this important issue. The author includes the use of "GD", which is totally unnecessary for the story. 3+ stars

You don't want to miss this one. Such suspense kept me reading far longer than I had planned. What happened to make Claire run away from her home in Delaware? And why is she keeping it all such a secret?

Loved this one

This emotionally charged book had me hooked right from the beginning. A family tragedy has occurred and the main character, Claire, moves to Wisconsin in search of a new life as she deals with her past. It’s a story that is hard to tell but in this author’s capable hands it becomes a page turner. The characters feel so real as they move forward in their lives. Tragedy, pain, love, forgiveness are all interwoven as we experience the growth of all the individuals. This is not my first book by this talented author and I just wish she would write them a little more frequently!
Thank you to Dutton Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced digital eGalley.
#ASeasonOfPerfectHappiness #MaribethFischer #NetGalley

This is a beautiful story about strength, courage, friendships and second chances. The author put a lot of time and thought into this amazing storyline, it pulls your heartstrings It's heartfelt and emotional with exceptional characters who will remain with you long after the book has ended. This interesting and moving story was hard to put down and well worth the read.

While this book wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea, it was extremely well written. There were so many amazing metaphors and lawyers within the words. It’s definitely has the potential to be a 5 star read for some people.

I felt that all of the main characters were incredibly toxic, except Eva. I also felt that the book didn’t really pick up until 30% through which made it difficult to continue . There was something overall that just rubbed me the wrong way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for this eARC

This book, truly, is a tearjerker. I found myself constantly moved by the story of love and second chances, a trope that never fails to touch my heart.

The narrative introduces us to Claire a decade after a harrowing event that drove her from her Delaware hometown. She's made a new life in Wisconsin, where she meets Erik, starts a relationship, and is quickly embraced by his circle. The full extent of Claire's past isn't revealed until a quarter of the way through, though hints are dropped early on. As her history begins to infiltrate her present, it creates significant upheaval in her new relationships. The portrayal of adult friendships in the novel is enviable, showcasing the lengths to which they go to shield one another from pain, and the solidarity they exhibit, despite not always leading to positive outcomes.

At times the themes may be somber, but the journey is immensely rewarding. The climax is particularly gripping, making it an excellent selection for book clubs, sparking deep discussions. It's a challenging read, prompting introspection on profound questions such as the essence of motherhood and the extent of personal sacrifice for the sake of others' tranquility.

*****Readers should be warned that the mental health issues broached in the plot may be difficult for many readers.*****

<b>Inside this book you will find a devasting mix of the following:</b>
- Reflections on life after trauma
- Fresh starts and second chances
- Mother-daughter relationships
- Female friendships
- Motherhood and marriage
- Emotional reads
- Wisconsin setting (Waukesha County)
- Secrets, lies, and betrayal
- Well-developed characters
- Framily (friends that are family)
-Second Chances

<b>Content Warnings:</b>
-Mental Health Representation
-Postpartum Psychosis
-Harm To A Baby
-Infidelity

Wow, this book was an emotional rollercoaster. So many deep emotions were laid bare on every page of this book.

While I haven't experienced any of what the 6 main characters have, I felt their pain so deeply. Claire, the main character, deserved so much in her life. It sucked, after all she went through, that it took her so long to realize it.

The other 5 people, all suffered in their own ways too. The author did a fantastic job of telling each story, and making it so believable and thought-provoking.

I would definitely recommend this book!!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Season of Perfect Happiness by Maribeth Fischer is a wonderful and emotionally-driven novel about love, second chances and forgiveness.
Her characters are vibrant and alive, and tend to leap off the page and move into your life for the duration of the book.
A well written and engaging story!

Thank You NetGalley and Dutton for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

If you're looking for a perfect book to close the summer with you aren't going to get much better. When I received this book I didn't know if I would like it. From the very first page I could not put it down. I read on a Saturday and never left the house. It's about a woman named Claire who had something happen to her in her life that slowly unspools in the story. It's character that you love and get frustrated with. I'm sure there will be some people who say I didn't like her. Well you're not supposed to. You're there to understand her and the people who are all flawed in their own ways. They all try and work things out but sometimes you can and sometimes you can't. What makes this book so special is that the author magnificently rolls out the story so that by the end you will weep like a baby like I did. I did not expect to be moved so much by this book. I would recommend this book to everyone I know because there is something for everyone to learn from this book. This will be a word of mouth book so be the first one to spread the word. You won't regret it. Oh and read the acknowledgments at the end of the book. It's an amazing story how this book came to be!! Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the read. I'll be gifting this book to all my friends!!!

This is a moving, tender story about family, motherhood, relationships, and connection. There are moments of mundane, normal, daily family life balanced with highly emotional, resonant moments that challenge the characters and their relationships. There's a lot to chew on in this one.

A SEASON OF PERFECT HAPPINESS by Maribeth Fischer is a stunning, complex, emotionally devastating study of motherhood, friendship, sacrifice, and atonement. It is an examination of whether some sins are too grave to be forgiven and looks at the damage caused by carrying secrets.

This is not an easy book to read or process. I found myself putting it aside in order to think through the questions it raises: What does it mean to be a good mother? How much of ourselves are we willing to sacrifice to bring peace to others? How can we expect others to forgive us when we can’t forgive ourselves. This is a book that forces you to look at the ugly parts of ourselves we hide from others.

Ms. Fischer has created a fully fleshed out character in Claire. She is multidimensional, sympathetic, infuriating, and so very damaged. In short, she is human with all that it entails. While this book presents challenges and poses hard questions, it is beautifully written and worthy of your time.

An unexpected delight for me were the many references to places I’m quite familiar with. It’s not often I find a book set in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Each local connection got me further invested in the characters and story and each was like discovering a hidden jewel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.