Caffeinated Reviewer

A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey offers a modern day romance and a look back at 1976 and the romance of Keaton Smith’s grandparents. This tug at your heartstrings tale swept me up and transported me to the seaside town of Beaufort, North Carolina where I found love, mystery and more. An absolute must read!

The historic houses in the seaside town of Beaufort, North Carolina, have held the secrets of their inhabitants for centuries. One of the most enduring refuses to be washed away by the tide: What happened to Rebecca and Townsend Saint James on that fateful night of their disappearance in 1976?

Now, the granddaughter they never knew, Keaton Smith, is desperate for a fresh start. So when her mother needs someone to put her childhood home in Beaufort on the market, she jumps at the chance to head south. But the moment she steps foot inside the abandoned house, which has been closed for nearly fifty years, she wonders if she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Wading through the detritus of her grandparents’ lives, Keaton finds herself enchanted by their southern traditions—and their great, big love. As she gets to know her charming next-door neighbor, his precocious ten-year-old son, and a flock of endearingly feisty town busybodies, Keaton begins to wonder if the stories she has been told about her grandparents are true.

Keaton’s grandmother, Rebecca “Becks” Saint James’s annual summer suppers are the stuff of legend, and locals and out-of-towners alike clamor for an invitation to her stunning historic home. But, in the summer of 1976, she’s struggling behind the facade of the woman who can do it all—and facing a problem that even she can’t solve.

As Keaton and Becks face new challenges and chapters, they are connected through time by the house on Sunset Lane, which has protected the secrets, hopes, and dreams of their family for generations.

I have family near Beaufort, North Carolina and have walked its streets. In fact, I am heading there this summer! So of course I was curious to read A Happier Life. Harvey pulled me in, made me laugh, cry and fall in love with the house and the characters.

We meet Keaton Smith, who finds herself homeless & jobless and in need of a fresh start. When her mother and uncle offer her the chance to close up their parent’s home, she jumps at the opportunity to spend the summer at the beach as she learns about the grandparents her mother refuses to talk about.

Keaton and her dog arrive to find a time capsule. While her mother and uncle have paid for maintenance, the home is exactly as it was the night her grandparents left it, the night they died in a car accident.

I loved the story that unfolded as we moved between present day and the summer of 1976. We learned about Rebecca “Becks” Saint James’ marriage and life in Beaufort from her famous summer suppers to their tragic end. We also got to know townsfolk, including the handsome neighbor and his adorable ten-year-old son.

Harvey had me equally invested in both timelines, but Becks is the one that tugged at my heartstrings from her blessed marriage to events that unfolded that summer. The characters were wonderfully developed, as was the suspenseful thread and outcome.

A Happier Life is a story I will revisit and the perfect book to bring along to the beach or include in your book club. I plan on grabbing copies for holiday gift giving. Perfect for fans of women’s fiction, chick-lit, family stories, and cute romances.

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About Kristy Woodson Harvey

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the author of Dear Carolina. She blogs at Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life and loves connecting with readers at kristywoodonsharvey.com. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's school of journalism and holds a Master's in English from East Carolina University. She is a regular contributor for The Salisbury Post, Domino magazine and Houzz. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three-year-old son.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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