“Everyone is someone’s true love.”

  • Book: Happily Whatever After
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Author: Stewart Lewis

Review Author: Yvonne@FictionBooks

Location

Content

Wow! I need to stop for a moment and allow myself to draw breath. I feel quite worn out after that rollercoaster ride of emotions and non-stop action!

A great beginning, a totally unpredictable storyline, and an ending I never saw coming, albeit a bit more up in the air than I would have liked it to have been. Who can complain about the format of this book? No boring or conventional around here! Maybe a subliminal portent of a follow-up story being on the horizon?

I really enjoyed Stewart’s style of writing: short, razor sharp chapters with eye-catching titles; punchy, witty narrative and dialogue from an unforgettable cast of characters who almost defined themselves and told their own life stories; and a multi-layered storyline full of life, emotions, intrigue and  interest from beginning to end.

I don’t think I have ever had the privilege to meet such a powerfully portrayed and eclectic mix of supporting characters before, including Page’s disastrous couple of dalliance’s with one-night stands. In fact my initial reaction was ‘whoa! do people like this really exist in real life, and all in one place?’ Then I paused for thought and came to the conclusion that in such a large and cosmopolitan city like Washington DC, this probably is a true reflection of a cross section of the population, with maybe just a smidge of over-egging and exaggeration by Stewart – in a nice way of course!

I really found myself caring about this larger than life, profusion of characters as if I knew them personally and found myself amazed at just how much they took Page to their hearts so quickly, not judging her, genuinely wanting to take care of her and protect her, each in their own individual way. In return, Page also played her part in uniting this small, disparate group of people, who didn’t really know one another, their only commonality being their dogs and visiting the ‘doggie park’, this notion made even more comical by the fact that Page was the only one there without a dog of her own, until she manages to ‘borrow’ one!

When the chips are down and Page needs to move forward quickly on her plan to open her own gallery, all of her new found friends rally around to offer their help and support and it is only then that both we (and I suspect they also), discover talents many of them never knew they possessed, giving them a real sense of purpose in helping Page see her dream come to fruition. I think they all discovered a true sense of community and belonging, which Page seems blissfully unaware she has played such a huge part in making happen. No more solitary, silent sitting in the doggie park for this little team!

There is also a second, much deeper storyline running in parallel for the main protagonists. One of family ties and values. Of new beginnings and not judging people until you have put yourself in their place and walked in their shoes. The personal struggle and journey of discovering what really matters to you, what you want from your own life and how much you want those close to you to be a part of that new beginning.

Page’s bond with her brother Brady is strong and unbreakable, unlike the relationship she has with her widowed, slightly alcoholic mother and Brady’s partner Jane. Brady has the same passion for food, as Page has for the arts, but unlike Page who is drifting from day to day, Brady is very self-assured and has channelled his passion into a successful and challenging career. He longs for the time when Page comes to define herself and accepts that dreams in life can and must adapt and change, as he knows that she can be happy and successful, if only she will open up her heart and mind, to let it happen.

However, when the chips are down and Brady is fighting for his very life, it is Jane and Page’s mum who rally together and begin making the practical decisions, forcing Page to recognise that she has been too quick to judge them in the past, without asking herself why and on what evidence she has based her opinions. After bearing witness to some profoundly touching, soul searching private moments by Page, we witness her really stepping up to the plate, despite the very draining nature of the challenge, both physically and mentally. She also quickly realises that far from impeding her new self-imposed caring regime, Jane and her mother are more than willing to play their part and in fact Jane’s organisational skills, far from grating on Page as they might have done in the past, are just what they all need to maintain a level of calm and structure.

As I mentioned previously, the ending whilst not totally unexpected and perfectly acceptable as endings go, did come upon me quite suddenly as something of a surprise, leaving quite a few loose ends and unanswered questions. I do think there might be real mileage in Stewart pursuing a follow-up story, although I didn’t feel short-changed in any way.

From Page once being a very small fish in the very big lake of NYC, to her becoming a big fish in the small and intimate pond of her local community, this read was pure perceptive and intuitive escapism, with some laugh out loud moments, some cry baby sad and emotionally draining times, some life lessons well learned, and many new beginnings and friendships forged.

Definitely a rom-com to escape into, full of heart and humour, and definitely with added pizzazz.

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