A joyful read for dark times. Readers will fall in love with Aida as she pursues her dream job and ends up being caught in a fantastical chess game between gods. Surprising, fun, and lushly detailed.

This was so enjoyable and a really unique addition to an increasingly popular genre. Perhaps my favorite part of this book was that it didn't rely on our widely known gods, which I've grown quite tired of appearing in so many of the mythological fiction books. It was such a welcome change! COVID, of course, was a difficult and unprecedented time, but it was good to see such a unique take on it.

The Happiness Collector is a great book for fans of mythology and fantasy with mystery and romance elements. There was a very unique concept that was very well thought out and written with an excellent cast of characters.

Atmospheric and original, this gripping fantasy blends mystery, mythology, and romance in all the right ways. I couldn’t put it down—perfect for fans of modern magic with a dark twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for letting me read this ARC 💫. As a fan of fiction inspired by Greek mythology, this book was right up my alley!

What stood out most was its unique concept—reimagining the emotional toll of the COVID era as part of a fantastical storyline. While I appreciated how accurately it captured the sense of joy being drained from the world, I found the idea of turning that experience into a game played by the gods a bit unsettling, especially given how personally difficult that time was for me.

I did, however, enjoy the focus on lesser-known Greek deities like Euphrosyne, Sophrosyne, Momus, and Oizys, rather than the usual Zeus or Hades. It gave the story a fresh angle that mythology lovers might really appreciate.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy mythological retellings with a contemporary twist. Just be aware that its themes may hit close to home if the pandemic period was particularly hard for you ⚠️

The Happiness Collector by Crystal King a fun well written book that kept me coming back for more. Aida has found the perfect job for her, going to historical and socially important places and cataloging what makes her happiest about them. But after she visits these places they start to disappear and Aida becomes suspicious of her employers, are they what they seem on the surface or are they stealing the happiness from the world?

Aida's life is falling apart. After losing her book deal and her academic job, she is looking to make a change. Salvation comes in the form of MODA, a secretive organization seeming run at the whim of the mysterious Lady Ozie, who is almost like a ghost when it comes to recorded information. With a job that will take her across Italy, Aida knows she has scored, but is it all too good to be true? And are its heavenly connections that come with MODA going to help or harm Aida and her friends?

This is such a unique story, and an exciting one too! So much of the plot deals with the destruction of happiness and one has to wonder how much of it was created just by watching the news everyday with the famous, "if it bleeds, it leads" mantra. It's quite possible to feel that we are losing our own happiness in real life if you get too bogged down in current events.

The locations in the book are absolutely stunning, all around Europe with much of the action taking place in Italy. Additionally, the characters were interesting and uniquely created. All-in-all a good read and one that makes you think. 4.25 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.