Review of Happy Endings by Jon Rance

 Four people. Two couples.

Six months that will change their lives forever.

Kate wants to go travelling before she reaches the big Three-O, while her long-term boyfriend Ed just wants to settle down.

Jack is desperate to be a published writer for many reasons, but mainly to save his relationship with fiancée Emma.

Emma wants to be an actress more than anything in the world, or at least that's what she thought until she finds out she's pregnant.

Told uniquely from all of their perspectives, this is a story about love, growing up and, of course, the search for a happy ending. 

   

   

 Having read Jon Rance's book 'This Thirtysomething Life', which I loved due to it humorous plot and characters, I just knew that this book would be just as good. After reading the blurb, I knew I wanted to get to know all of the characters and the crazy things that they call their lives as well.

 

The story revolves around two couples, four friends who have known each other for years. They are the best of friends, they meet every Sunday and have lunch, gossip about everything that is going on in their lives. The story is told over a period of six months and the life changing events that take place in the lives of Kate, Ed, Jack and Emma.

It is told in all of their points of views, Kate and Ed have been a couple for a long time, as Kate gets near to thirty, she wants to do her live long dream of travelling before it is too late. Emma and Jack are also a couple who have been together for nearly as long as Kate and Ed, though Emma, Kate and Ed have known each other a long time before Jack started dating Emma. Since then they have became the best of friends.

The first chapter in of the book is four years previous with all of them talking about things they would like to do, then the next chapter jumps ahead four years in the future. Kate has decided to follow her dream and travel for six months, living her job and Ed behind, though she knows that if she doesn't do this she will regret it for the rest of her life.

Though Ed doesn't want her to go, he knows that he can't stop her though he care more about his job that he doesn't know what he wants from his life anymore. There is also Jack and Emma who's careers have been taking more positive turns lately, with Emma wanting to be a actress, her life long dream though that takes a back step when she finds out she is pregnant. Though Jack wants to be a published writer, but it is hard trying to get published as well as trying had to keep his relationship off the rocks as the same time.

Though none of these four people knew what they were in for. In the matter of six months everything they wanted and everything they have worked for will some be changed forever. Kate didn't know that when she left for six months, she would change in the process and how it will effect everyone in her life. Ed is lost without Kate there but he decides to focus on his work, though even that has become harder and everything changes before you even realise it has. Jack wants nothing more that to save his relationship with Emma, trying to get his book published has taking over his life and then there is Emma, she has always wanted to be a actress but when she finds out she is pregnant everything in her life changes but is it for the better.

I would recommend this book to anyone who love a laugh and romance all wrapped in one, for fans of Nick Spalding and Mike Gayle.

If I could sum this book up in three words, they would be Brilliant, Humorous and Happiness. All of these things make the story what it is and how they all add to this amazing story.

Thank you to the people at Hodder & Stoughton for giving me a copy.

I would give this book a 5/5.

It is out on the 10th October 2013.

 

   

Born in Southampton, England, in 1975, Jon Rance is the author of the bestselling romantic comedy novel, This Thirtysomething Life. He graduated with a degree in English Literature from Middlesex University, London, before going travelling and meeting his American wife in Australia. He drinks a lot of tea and spends far too much time gazing off into space.  

  Another day, another book,