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A review by alissa417
A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey
5.0
Kristy's best yet! She's returned to a mix of historical and contemporary fiction, which worked so well with her 9th novel, THE WEDDING VEIL. This time, versus Asheville, she sets her story in Beaufort, NC - and Kristy describes the town she fell in love with as an adult beautifully within these pages. I suspect summer tours of Beaufort will increase as more readers find this delightful book!
Chapters alternate the perspectives of Keaton (present day) and her grandmother, Becks Saint James (1930s-1976).
Keaton has just arrived in Beaufort, heartbroken with a dog in tow, to clean out her family's ancestral home, left untouched for nearly 50 years since her grandparents mysteriously disappeared after a dinner party. The dining room table still bares evidence of that last meal, notes are left by the rotary phone, everything in the house is in place as it was left that night - yet no one truly knows how the evening ended for the Saint James'.
In Becks' chapters, she reflects on her life with her husband, Townsend, as she prepares to host what she knows will be her last "summer supper."
I love the element of intrigue Kristy added to this, her 11th novel. Did Becks and Townsend die in a car crash, or was their new neighbor to blame for something more sinister? What secrets will Keaton uncover as she packs away her family's treasures and meets the charming residents of Beaufort, who have longed for the Saint James home to be filled with life and laughter again?
This book inspired me to bake, got me journaling again, and was the first book I read cover-to-cover in the early days of 2024. My hope is Kristy's 12th is just as good, but set in Salisbury, NC - her childhood home. Her settings take on their own personnas in her plots, and I know she can (and will) drum up doozies of tales about the Rowan County seat.
Until that day, I'll be so grateful to pass on A HAPPIER LIFE to the residents of Salisbury that grace my bookstore, clambering for Kristy's next bestseller - what a perfect summer read.
Chapters alternate the perspectives of Keaton (present day) and her grandmother, Becks Saint James (1930s-1976).
Keaton has just arrived in Beaufort, heartbroken with a dog in tow, to clean out her family's ancestral home, left untouched for nearly 50 years since her grandparents mysteriously disappeared after a dinner party. The dining room table still bares evidence of that last meal, notes are left by the rotary phone, everything in the house is in place as it was left that night - yet no one truly knows how the evening ended for the Saint James'.
In Becks' chapters, she reflects on her life with her husband, Townsend, as she prepares to host what she knows will be her last "summer supper."
I love the element of intrigue Kristy added to this, her 11th novel. Did Becks and Townsend die in a car crash, or was their new neighbor to blame for something more sinister? What secrets will Keaton uncover as she packs away her family's treasures and meets the charming residents of Beaufort, who have longed for the Saint James home to be filled with life and laughter again?
This book inspired me to bake, got me journaling again, and was the first book I read cover-to-cover in the early days of 2024. My hope is Kristy's 12th is just as good, but set in Salisbury, NC - her childhood home. Her settings take on their own personnas in her plots, and I know she can (and will) drum up doozies of tales about the Rowan County seat.
Until that day, I'll be so grateful to pass on A HAPPIER LIFE to the residents of Salisbury that grace my bookstore, clambering for Kristy's next bestseller - what a perfect summer read.