~ REVELL READS THE THEORY OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER ~

~ REVELL READS BLOG TOUR ~

'THE THEORY OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER'

by Author Kristin Billerbeck

-- POST INCLUDES BOOK SPOTLIGHT,

REVIEW & LINK TO EXCERPT --

 

About the Book:
According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious--serious science, that is. But science can't always account for life's anomalies, like why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.

Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie's friends book her as a speaker on a "New Year, New You" cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she's qualified to teach others about happiness when she can't muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can't ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.

Filled with unforgettable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile--because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.

Link to Excerpt {Courtesy of the Publisher}
 
About the Author:

Kristin Billerbeck is the bestselling, award-winning author of several novels, including What a Girl Wants, Perfectly Dateless, and Perfectly Invisible. A Christy Award finalist and two-time winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year, Billerbeck has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. She lives with her family in Northern California.

My Review:
This book is advertised as a romantic comedy. The setting is a singles' cruise called, 'New Year, New You'. The main character, Dr. Maggie Maguire, is a research scientist working at UCLA. She is known as a happiness expert after her first book on the subject became a bestseller.
 
At the beginning of the story her close friends, Haley and Kathleen, seize control of Maggie and whisk her away to the cruise because she has completely withdrawn from her professional and personal life after her fiance broke off their engagement two months ago to marry another woman. Haley, Maggie's publicist, has booked them on the cruise so that Dr. Maguire can present talks to the cruise guests about happiness.
 
I thought it was clever how the author wrote chapter headings featuring quotations from the main character's bestselling book, 'The Science of Bliss'.
  
Maggie's ex-fiance, Jake Stone, was well-framed as a villain by the author. He was whiny, dependent, and manipulative. Towards the end of the story an explanation is given for all of Jake's awful behavior.
 
I have read dozens of book by Baker Publishing Group, one of the top Christian publishers in the United States. This particular novel did not have the strong faith element which is the usual focus of Baker's books.

Maggie lies--a lot. She calls it "lying by omission" when she discusses her untruths with her friends. I felt Maggie's best friends, Haley and Kathleen, overfunctioned throughout the book. The way the three women interacted with and treated each other seemed odd to me. Perhaps some readers would consider their snarky dialogue to be humorous. I kept thinking, why would you want to be friends with people you treated with such disdain and vice versa? 

There were a lot of twists and turns in the plot and several unexpected revelations popped up at the end of the story which appealed to the mystery fan in me.

Disclosure from blogger: I received a paperback copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review to be posted on my blog and on retailer sites and Goodreads. I received no compensation for my review or posts here or on any other site.

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
--  Friday, May 25th:  Blog Tour Stop for 'Cowboys of Summer'. This post includes an interview with the author, book spotlight, and a giveaway. Blog Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.

--  Saturday, May 26th:  Blitz for 'Loving Grace'. Event hosted by JustRead Publicity.

--  Monday, May 28th:  Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Memorial Day Feature honoring Memorial Day. I will feature a non-fiction book entitled, 'Arlington National Cemetery'.

--  Tuesday, May 29th:  Book Blast for 'A Gentle Heart'. Blast includes a $50 giveaway. Event hosted by I Am A Reader.
 

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