Soul-Happy
A Viking Woman's Long Road Home
by Anette Nilsson
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Pub Date Mar 24 2026 | Archive Date Not set
Mindbuck Media | She Writes Press
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Description
Nette Nilsson has big dreams and is in the midst of pursuing them—starting by leaving Denmark to attend university in Toronto, Canada—when she falls for a beguiling but volatile American. Their romance moves fast, and in what seems like no time she finds herself living a privileged but deeply unhappy life in New York with her now-husband, Cal. After suffering for too long, she finally begins to find her way onto a better path—only to be abruptly faced with a life-threatening physical condition. To survive and to heal, Nette must confront dark family lies and her hidden traumas and find her own power again.
In an era of increasing awareness regarding how many strong, intelligent women ignore their gut and lose themselves—and the lives they dream of having—when they become entangled with toxic men, Soul-Happy illuminates the underlying reasons for one promising young woman’s downhill slide after she falls for “the wrong kind of love,” and follows her harrowing battle to put herself back together again.
Advance Praise
“Anette’s story is an empowering example of what we can overcome when we redefine what true healing and living means.” —Amy B. Scher, author of This is How I Save My Life and the How to Heal series
“Anette Nilsson’s Soul-Happy is a must-read, brilliantly written memoir that demystifies the connection between the soul and physical healing. Her harrowing journey will leave an indelible mark on your own soul. From cover to cover, I couldn’t put it down.” —Kiersten Hathcock, author of Little Voices: How Kids in Spirit Helped a Reluctant Medium Escape and Heal from Abuse and cofounder of The National Institute for Law and Justice
“The strength of this work is your presence, your voice, your honesty, and your wisdom. You’re a gifted writer who has been to the edge and lived to tell about it. Reading your memoir is like reading a novel of courage and survival.” —Bonnie Hearn Hill, author of If Anything Should Happen and Presumed Guilty
“With penetrating candor and searing insight, Anette Nilsson, a gifted writer, explores her profound experience of self-denial, illness, loss and grief as an entry point into understanding the breakdown of her own life and body. . . . a raw and real read through Nilsson’s journey of being broken open to uncover the ways in which truth heals and love and forgiveness can be received.” —Bridgitte Jackson-Buckley, author of The Gift of Crisis and lead writer for Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday website
“Anette’s story is a page-turner detailing a journey of physical, emotional, and spiritual growth. An engaging and easy-to-read memoir that empowers us all to remember healing is possible.” —Dr. Melanie Joy, PhD, holistic health practitioner
“This is a memoir of sharp contrasts and deep truths: Denmark and America, privilege and loss, health and illness, falling apart and finding one’s way back. What shines brightest is Nilsson’s hard-won courage and resilience. Her story is both deeply personal and broadly resonant for anyone navigating loss and reinvention.”—Lori Erickson, author of The Soul of the Family Tree and Every Step is Home
“I’ve read a lot of memoirs about women who got caught in bad relationships, but few are as honest, sharp, and ultimately uplifting as this one. Full of humor, hard-won insight, and fierce Nordic resilience, this is a book about what happens when you stop trying to be perfect and start telling the truth.”—Kay Xander Mellish, author of How to Live in Denmark and Working with Danes
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9798896361046 |
| PRICE | $17.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 256 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 4 members
Featured Reviews
Vanessa H, Reviewer
In a world of perfect pretenses, Nilsson’s storytelling is fresh and relatable. She courageously takes off the conditioned human mask and bears her soul for all to see.
Throughout the book, she eloquently weaves how conventional medicine cannot cure hidden inner scars except truth, authenticity, and grace.
The author’s character, peppered with spunk and humour, shines through each chapter of her life. Even with life’s mishaps and suffering, Nilsson displays strength, resilience, and tenacity of the Viking spirit.
This memoir is an enthralling personal journey of breaking the chains of generational patterns and being free to be soul happy.
Julie S, Reviewer
Soul-Happy: A Viking Woman’s Long Road Home by Anette Nilsson is both a triumph and a testament to the healing power of truth. The author takes us on an unforgettable journey, from her soul-happy childhood in Denmark through the "beige" years of marriage and disconnection, a painful divorce, and ultimately a life-threatening illness that brought her face-to-face with what truly matters.
What makes this book remarkable is its unflinching honesty about the corrosive nature of secrecy, both in her biological family and her marriage. But this is not a story of defeat. It's a story of choosing faith over fear, again and again. The author's Viking stamina carries her through the darkest times, grounded in an internal strength rooted in spirituality and a deep understanding of the soul-body connection.
The descriptive language transports readers through moments of breathtaking beauty and raw vulnerability. The second half of the book becomes a powerful illness memoir, heartbreaking and tough to read (though far tougher to live). It also serves as an essential primer for medical professionals, illustrating both how NOT to treat patients and how a small amount of compassion and humanity can make all the difference.
Above all, this is a story about resilience, finding your way back to color, joy, and soul-happiness after years of merely surviving. Truth, as she discovers, really does heal.
Highly recommended for anyone navigating their own journey through loss, illness, or the search for authentic living.
Connie B, Reviewer
I loved this book: Soul-Happy by Annette Nilsson. From her earliest years, Annette comes across as a force to be reckoned with. She is not willing to just go along with what is expected of her as so many women do. She was determined to live life on her own terms. .
Of course, since her marriage was not a happy one, it's not surprising that she ends up divorced. Through all life's trials, she did life her way!
Reviewer 1396975
Reading Soul-Happy feels like holding someone’s heart in your hands while they tell their life. There are moments that took my breath, for how fierce she allowed herself to feel, for how many layers she had to peel back to reach what was underneath. Her journey isn’t one of simple redemption; it’s of confronting darkness to reclaim light.
I closed the book feeling both moved and unsettled, not because I was depressed, but because good memoirs make me linger on what I might also hide or leave unsaid. Soul-Happy is a testament to how pain, when faced openly, can kindle strength.
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