This Is What Happy Looks Like

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There are apparently way more positive reviews on Goodreads. And I thought I was enjoying it while reading it. BUT— you had me worried at 2 oranges! I am doing a read-along of this book in a few weeks. This makes me nervous. I was so mad when I finished and noticed that no one else had read this yet. I really wanted to gripe about it with someone. Haha, this kind of review writing was a first for me xD but it was an interesting experience for sure. Hah so this book is waiting for me for pick up at the library.

I have this listed as one of the books for my contemporary challenge. Anyway, it does seem pretty flawed. Ok this is turning into me rambling so I will end with.. Yeah, I feel bad about the spoilers, but there was no way for me to really show my feelings about this book without them. It was a quick read, so it might still be worth it to read it.

This is What Happy Looks Like

Smith Published by Poppy on April 2nd, Genres: Contemporary , Romance , Young Adult Pages: Purchased If fate sent you an email, would you answer? This review will contain spoilers.

So Ellie and Graham meet by accident when Graham misspells an e-mail address. I just feel so cheated. And the rest of the book only makes it worse. They were together for all of two days, before Ellie freaked out about the paparazzi shizzle and started avoiding him like the plague. And during that time, all they do is pine for each other. This is just odd. Like, Ellie is terrified of the paparazzi because she is the illegitimate daughter of a senator. You feel that coming, but still have a certain curiosity about how it would get resolved.

Also, in the end, out of nowhere, Graham suddenly regains contact with his parents , whom he's been estranged from since he became famous. And it then turns out that, contrary to everything Graham has indicated about them in his narrations, they truly care about him and have been keeping tabs on his activities via magazines and stuff Talk about a plot element out of nowhere just for your convenience.

This made no sense to me. You can't establish one image of certain characters all throughout the book, and right at the end, over the phone prove that it was totally not like that. I get that this was supposed to just be a feel-good moment, but usually that still has some kind of cause I started off writing this review wondering, "Hmm I read the book, entirely, at a high speed, all things considered, but I just totally disagree with it.

This is not the book I hoped it would be. The characters were all right, and the concept held some appeal to me, but it desperately failed in the execution and overall in the plot. Sorry, I had to. I honestly don't think I would. View all 17 comments. Feb 27, Maureen rated it it was amazing. I'm pretty much giving it a 5 star because of how much it made me love it.

Sweet, heartwarming and very wholesome.

Three things why I like reading books by Ms. There is a familiarity to her stories the reader could easily relate to. You could easily predict the plot but you enjoy it just the same.

I just thought the alternating POV between the girl and boy would have worked better in these kinds of stories instead of the third person because it seemed like the third person narrative made the pacing a bit Sweet, heartwarming and very wholesome. I just thought the alternating POV between the girl and boy would have worked better in these kinds of stories instead of the third person because it seemed like the third person narrative made the pacing a bit more long-winded.

To my sweet friend, Adita, View all 23 comments. Nov 11, Reynje rated it it was ok Shelves: No, this is what boring looks like. The potential is there - interesting premise, realistic complications - but unfortunately the execution is bland and tedious, and I don't feel the most was made of the conflicts raised. View all 11 comments. Feb 22, Giselle rated it really liked it Shelves: A sweet romance, a small town, and fun characters make this a great summer read that you should definitely bring on vacation!

A modern day fairy tale is what this story is, really. It's not the kind of love story that's particularly believable--no one accidentally pen pals a stranger who ends up being a movie star--but if you enjoy those lightweight romance books where the story is more of a If you want a read that leaves a smile on your face, This Is What Happy Looks Like is the perfect choice! It's not the kind of love story that's particularly believable--no one accidentally pen pals a stranger who ends up being a movie star--but if you enjoy those lightweight romance books where the story is more of a dream than anything, this one fits the bill.

It's fun for a different reason; instead of being a love story that burns with the fierce realness of two people who fall in love, Jennifer goes into almost every teenage girl's dream and plucks the most famous movie star into the arms of your every day small town girl. You will likely find yourself pondering on what this would actually be like, which is fun, you have to admit!

Getting to see Graham's POV also brings up what it truly means to be famous. Not the glamorous red carpet side, but how nothing you ever do can be private, and no one truly knows the real you--he even feels like a stranger in his own family. I liked how his side of the story was just as developed as Ellie's, showing us his true feelings toward his stardom; he does not rejoice being recognized by the masses. While it's impossible to relate to that lifestyle at least for most , it's easy to understand how not all of it is dazzling. It was nice that Ellie wasn't the star struck fan that some might expect, as well.

She was basically unperturbed by stars in her town--at least until she finds out who, exactly, her email buddy is. But she wasn't pretentious about the relationship at all which made her character very likeable; how many do you know who would not immediately blast Facebook with their relationship had it been them? She actually had her reasons for wanting it to be kept on the down low which creates more than a few bumps along the road between these two. Although, it remains a lighthearted read nonetheless.

Like every small town, the people who reside in it know everyone else, this makes for a small but lively cast of side characters, as well as a great small town atmosphere which I genuinely felt throughout. Being from a tiny town not so different than Ellie's, I easily found myself roaming the streets along with her, enjoying the family owned quirky shops and town events. This small town garners more than just romance, too. We have some family issues that are visited throughout the story, friendship quibbles with her best friend, along with a scandal or two.

Not everything is complicated, though; I especially loved Ellie and her mother's relationship. They have an easy going dynamic where they can actually talk to each other; no unconcerned parenting or melodramatics involved. And to add a great touch of charm to the story, we get snippets of emails between Ellie and Graham at the beginning of every chapter which I thought was a great way to keep the romance in the air. Light, charming, funny, and sweet, this is one you pick up when you simply want to escape into a romantic lala-land! In short, this book is what happy looks like!

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads View all 5 comments. Apr 03, Mitch rated it liked it. This is What Happy Looks Like is neither. In reality, what this really is is Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! So if you're looking for some cute emails it's not written wholly in epistolary form though, don't worry , yeah this book has 'em.

If you're looking for every single movie star tired of his job deciding to looking for romance with a small town girl cliche, though, yeah this book has 'em too. If you're looking for a saccharine sweet plot that's guaranteed to cause tooth decay, yeah this book has that too. And if you're looking for an ultimately silly twist that predictably stems from said plot and cliches, down to issues with the best friend and the paparazzi and some nonsense involving the girl's father, yeah this book has 'em as well.

I guess I could've been sarcastic about the whole thing, mocked Ellie O'Neill like how I mocked Evie O'Neill of The Diviners , but you know, Ellie's a genuinely nice character, and ultimately this is a nice book about two nice people in the middle of silly season, so I haven't. Still, I'm wracking my brain trying to think of something to say and Because well, this is the ultimate fluff book that's the reading equivalent of eating a big bag of cotton candy, it's large in volume, but mostly filler, and there's just nothing substantive beyond the same nonplot of the last gazillion rom coms to critique.

So all I can say is that maybe I'm jaded, maybe strike that, more likely I just don't do lighthearted romance, but for whatever reason, if this is what happy looks like, it just seems too silly. Feb 24, Booknut rated it it was amazing Shelves: It is now I forced my drooping eyelids to stay open so that I could finish this amazing book. This is officially the best book I have ever read in my 17 years of life. I'm crying and laughing at the same time. I've been given a precious gift; a story that, like a jigsaw piece, has clicked into a place in my heart, a place I never knew was empty and waiting to be filled.

I'm so, so happy. And this book is to blame. So it's off to bed - tomorrow is nearly here! And like our main protagonist, I It is now And like our main protagonist, I plan to watch the sunrise and to meet my tomorrow with a smile: View all 20 comments.

Wenn auch recht vorhersehbar. Viele sehr nachdenkliche Szenen haben das Buch auf jeden Fall von vielen anderen Contemporary Romance Romanen abgehoben und so kann ich bei der Wertung von vor drei Jahren blieben. Ellie ist davon aber nicht so begeistert wie Graham sich das erhofft hatte Die Geschichte war vor allem deshalb so toll, weil sie realistisch wirkte. Die beiden haben sich in einem etwas "privateren" Setting kennengelernt. Seltsam das zu sagen, wo es sich ja um das Internet handelt, aber dem war irgendwie so.

Es war dadurch realistischer. Jan 28, Shannon leaninglights rated it really liked it. Such a cute read.

MORE BY JENNIFER E. SMITH

I love Jennifer E. Smith's effortless and charming writing style and stories. I thought this story was adorable and a perfect summer romance! Not my favorite by Jen, but a sweet and heartfelt novel. Mar 06, Lala BooksandLala marked it as did-not-finish Shelves: DNF at pages. Wow, this novel single handedly solidified my dislike for fiction books about famous people. Aug 26, Carmen rated it it was amazing Shelves: So the thing with Jennifer Smith's stories is It's not unique but it's I don't know she does it, but somehow, it's almost like she takes cliches The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight used the cliche of love at first sight, and this one of falling in love with a celebrity.

It was absolutely adorable. I did wish the mystery of who Graham was withheld a So the thing with Jennifer Smith's stories is I did wish the mystery of who Graham was withheld a little longer, but it's fine. These stories are each at their perfect length. I loved both characters- they were genuine, and kind of heartbreaking Apr 04, Jessie rated it it was ok Shelves: The events in this book was actually pretty realistic. It deals with the problems Graham faces as a movie star and Ellie's past. Though there never was a real solution to them, there isn't supposed to be one in reality, and I find the no solution part really refreshing.

In reality, there are difficulties we can't tackle, problems we can't handle, that's why the whole plot felt like something that would actually happen Actual rating: In reality, there are difficulties we can't tackle, problems we can't handle, that's why the whole plot felt like something that would actually happen in real life, and I love that about the book. I also loved how the main characters could get to know and understand each other first then fall in love, rather than being instantly attracted to one another, which seems to be the trend in the romance department now.

Plus, the fact that they could actually talk to each other properly without getting lovey-dovey Oh-I-can't-get-my-hands-off-of-you is also really special. Overall, I thought this book was adorable, and I really want to know what would happen to both of them in the future.

LibrisNotes: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Dec 16, Kat Lost in Neverland rated it liked it Recommends it for: Very patient romance fans. This Is What BORING Looks like After Ellie gets an email from a random stranger online when he types the wrong address by accident, the two of them start chatting and form a three-month long pen-pal relationship.

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They never reveal their names but Ellie finds herself telling him things about her life that not even her best friend knows. The whole mystery of the situation makes Ellie look forward to each exchange with excitement and thrill. What she doesn't know is that the funny, charming stranger This Is What BORING Looks like After Ellie gets an email from a random stranger online when he types the wrong address by accident, the two of them start chatting and form a three-month long pen-pal relationship.

What she doesn't know is that the funny, charming stranger is actually Graham Larkin, national movie star and teen heartthrob. He somehow manages to get his next movie project filmed in Henley, Maine, the small sleepy town where Ellie's lived her whole life. Simply for the change to maybe catch a glimpse of her or meet her. But Ellie isn't as welcoming to the attention as he thought. She's hiding secrets of her own, ones that, if people found out, would ruin her and her mother's quiet, comfortable life in Maine forever.

So I picked up this one eagerly, hoping for a similar but still brilliant book. Smith has a way of writing an adorable love story while still keeping familial aspects and issues in check, while other YA romance can tend to just ignore those factors. I love that about her.

Unfortunately, this novel was lackluster in both the relationship and the mind-boggingly slow and tedious storyline. The beginning was great, I loved the unique, summery setting, the loveable characters, and the utter cuteness. The middle was boring, uneventful, and yawn-inducing. The ending was pretty uneventful but generally okay, albeit the excessive cheese. A lot of things bothered me in this book. Ellie and her mom's financial pride. Both Ellie and her mother had the same irritating problem: Ellie needs a thousand dollars to pay for a poetry college course at Harvard which she and 14 other teenagers won and she can't 'let' Graham help her out.

Yeah yeah, I get it. There's that annoying little thing called 'pride' that people have. I've never understood this. If you are obviously struggling financially and someone who loves or cares about you cares enough to support you, why would you turn them down, simply because your pride won't have it? In this case, Graham is a flipping movie star. He pays more than a thousand bucks every month on his pet pig Wilbur nice name, btw, very original.

Yet Ellie would still feel horrifically guilty and needy if she let him pay for it, which would only make him happy to make her happy. You know how many people would kill for that kind of loving aid, Ellie? Sometimes you just have you screw your pride and accept help when it's openly given to you. Ellie and Quinn's friendship. I ship Quinn and Devon tall, lanky geek with glasses who reads The Great Gatsby and has been in love with her for years more than the main characters. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

I really wanted to know more about Quinn and Ellie's relationship and see them interacting and, you know, being friends. Unfortunately, Quinn was, in my opinion, shoved out of the storyline over a petty 'fight' between her and Ellie. It seemed as if the author just wanted her out of the way so more time could be spent building Ellie and Graham's cutesy love scenes. This, however, was drawn out and stretched and pulled until anything enjoyable was yawned away by a actionless plot. I can't tell you how many times I literally yawned and almost fell asleep while reading this book.

I'm happy that Smith never let the characters actually ever say the word 'love'. Still, I'm not sure anyone should waste their time with this. It's a much faster plot and kept short and cute. Not that this book wasn't cute, it just was far too long for what it was; a cheesy, unrealistic love story. View all 4 comments. Before you know it Ellie and Graham are sending e-mails back and forth to each other for the next few weeks. I initially adored the e-mails that went back and forth between Graham and Ellie, they were adorable funny but most of all honest.

But then when Graham arrived at Maine, the e-mails started withering down to nothing. Both characters had awkward pasts which brought them together in the first place. They were both at a place in life where they still wanted something else. Ellie and her mum were just able to scrape by, they had a shop which was doing okay, but when something broke down they had to just manage. So just having this correspondence with each other through e-mail brightened up their day. I did like this cute relationship which was developing between Graham and Ellie, with the way their lives were, they deserved that bit of happiness.

But I had a hard time connecting to either character. I did feel for them at times, the heartache they had to experience, but there was never anything which they did which left a great impression with me. Also characters which dither about frustrate me hugely. This is What Happy Looks Like was a book which I had really high hopes for, but it just really fell flat in places, I found myself forcing to read for the sake of reading and not because I was actually enjoying it. View all 14 comments. Feb 27, Nafiza rated it liked it Shelves: I do think the premise, while it has been done countless times in countless variations, will remain attractive to anyone looking for a fairytale romance.

This Is What Happy Looks Like Series

Stuff like that is addressed quite fairly. However, the novel is, predominantly, fluff. The feel good fluff that you will consume preferably by a pool or at the beach. It is happy-making though there are rough spots scattered here and there to spice up the narrative. I wanted there to be a grand confrontation and yes, I realize there is something understated about it and in hindsight, I will probably appreciate the delicacy with which it was handled but the drama queen in me really wanted there to be some screaming.

Also, what the heck is happening with the friendship between Ellie and her best friend? Another issue I had here was with the romance. Graham, on the other hand, is almost spilling over with his love for Ellie but then the ending occurs and the incongruity between him wanting to be with Ellie, being heartbroken by her etc, when juxtaposed with the ending which is not sad but leaves room for thought just confused me.

They are very cute when they are together but I found it so interesting that, despite their obvious interest in each other, they are still still, somehow, inexplicably, level headed. The image of Graham sitting at home alone with a pet pig is very convincing.

Do I recommend this book? View all 6 comments. For me, happy looks like reading good books. I wasn't exactly the happiest person when I finished this novel. But that's not to claim that Jennifer's latest was a complete disaster, I would just put it as mildly interesting and cute.

I think I would've rated this differently if I was in a different mood. Maybe something way harsher, because in reality, there wasn't anything too outstanding about this novel apart from a few points. However I never try to change a rating if I read it more than 3 days ago it's something to do with my OCD-ness. Graham and Ellie's friendship begins with an email about a pig named Wilbur and a wrong email address.

Graham is a movie star; middle of everywhere Los Angeles and Ellie, a plain girl from middle of nowhere, Maine. The characters of Jennifer's novel are relatively amiable. Our main character, Ellie was full of hope and dreams that may never come true due to her family's economic issues, but her maintaining positivity during the majority of the time made me like Ellie even more. Nevertheless, there were times where she became way too weepy. My other small qualm was her dramatic-ness and how sensitive she became with the slightest of issues, like thinking of what the public would think of Graham and her.

As for Graham, I loved him. His light humour kept me absorbed throughout the novel and his belief in impossible becoming possible was touching. These to practically polar opposites turned out to be an unconvincing couple. While their relationship had been building over such a long time over emails, it just didn't sell it for me when they finally met in real person. It was like instant love in an indirect way. Like it was cheating me.

From what I gather, Graham and Ellie only really spent less than a week together and their love was rather strong. Sure, this novel went over a longer time but time that they actually spent together was low. For me, this chemistry was not selling it to me, unfortunately. There's just drama, romance, family-issues but not much else for such a hefty book.

I must admittedly say that I was looking for more. More depth, more motion and more intricacy. This Is What Happy Looks Like is a cute summer read that lacks a little complication but is satisfying all the same. May 07, Irena rated it it was amazing. There's one thing about me that you did or did not know that had a huge impact on me when it comes to enjoying while reading this book: I am a celebrity freak.

So I didn't go into this book totally blind. Even if I wanted to, I don't think that would be possible for me since many of my GR friends have already liked and recommended this book to me. This is a light and fluffy contemporary novel, perfect for summer read.

I can't help but to feel a little bit sorrow for not waiting two more months so There's one thing about me that you did or did not know that had a huge impact on me when it comes to enjoying while reading this book: I can't help but to feel a little bit sorrow for not waiting two more months so I could read it for the first time on the seaside.

But hey, I can always re-read it! And I surely will! This story is written in third person, but it is written so good that it took me almost one third of the book to realize it was not written in first person. That happens very rarely to me and I always take it as a good thing. I liked every single character in this book. The thing I liked the most was that Graham was a celebrity actor and since I like to read and watch the news when it comes to famous people, I liked reading about Graham's let's call it adventures on the set, celebrity gossip plotting from his menager and everything that comes between.

This book has one particular scene that got me so invested into that moment of reading, it made me feel things I wouldn't expect I would, it made me sad. That scene is view spoiler [when Ellie comes to her dad and he doesn't know who she is. I was so sad in that moment. I only wish Ellie somehow talked to her dad, told him she's his daughter I think that's the way to get the best reading experiance when it comes to this story. Oct 15, Claudia B. Sep 20, Robin Bridge Four rated it liked it Shelves: This is the kind of book you read in-between other books.

It is sorta like cotton candy, you put a big fluffy wad in your mouth and it dissolves immediately without much fuss or substance to it. It is easy and flows along without much thought. It is cute and if you have already read Anna and the French Kiss or Lola and the Boy Next Door it t This is the kind of book you read in-between other books. It is cute and if you have already read Anna and the French Kiss or Lola and the Boy Next Door it then this is as good as any other cuddle on the couch easy YA romance read.

I actually liked a different book by this author a little better. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was a little more enjoyable read for me and I liked the story line of that better. But if you have read those three books already then yep give this one a go.

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