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Happiness for Beginners Paperback – September 1, 2020

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,879 ratings

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As seen on Netflix - from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger

Helen Carpenter can’t quite seem to bounce back. Newly divorced at thirty-two, her life has fallen apart beyond her ability to put it together again. So when her annoying younger brother, Duncan, convinces her to sign up for a hardcore wilderness survival course in the backwoods of Wyoming―she hopes it’ll be exactly what she needs.

Instead, it’s a disaster. It’s nothing like she wants, or expects, or anticipates. She doesn’t anticipate the surprise summer blizzard, for example―or the blisters, or the rutting elk, or the mean pack of sorority girls. And she
especially doesn’t anticipate that her annoying brother’s even-more-annoying best friend, Jake, will show up for the exact same course―and distract her, derail her, and . . . kiss her.

But it turns out sometimes disaster can teach you exactly the things you need to learn. Like how to keep going, even when you think you can’t. How being scared can make you brave. And how sometimes getting really, really lost is your only hope of getting found.

Happiness for Beginners is Katherine Center at her most heart-warming, captivating best―a nourishing, page-turning, up-all-night read about how to get back up. It’s a story that looks at how our struggles lead us to our strengths. How love is always worth it. And how the more good things we look for, the more we find.

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Center has written a wonderful story, a fast-paced read with sharp, perfectly written dialogue. Her newest does exactly what we want a good novel to do, introduce us to characters who engage us and take us on a journey.” ―Booklist

“If you're anything like us, you'll read this book in one sitting.” ―
InStyle

“Katherine Center has a true gift for creating a story arc that includes personal evolution, romance, challenges, disappointments, and joy in a way that avoids cliché and creates enough ebbing tension and resolution that the reader is left hungering for more.” ―
Boston Mamas

“Center has a gift for snappy, engaging dialogue that frequently had me laughing aloud.” ―
Lone Star Lit

“This wise, delicious, page-turning novel won't let you go. Katherine Center writes about falling down, growing up, and finding love like nobody else. You can always see yourself and the people you love in her characters and their stories.” ―Brené Brown, #1
New York Times bestselling author of Daring Greatly

Happiness for Beginners is my favorite Katherine Center novel yet. I folded down pages to go back to--and that's a sign of a great book: when I see something so true or profound that I know I need mark it. It's wonderful. Could not put it down.” ―Jenny Lawson, New York Times bestselling author of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened

Happiness for Beginners does what a story should do―introduces characters we want to know and then takes us on their unexpected journey to a new and braver life. Helen Carpenter is doing what needs to be done, and along the way she shows us how to be brave . . . when we need to be and when we want to be. When life doesn't give Helen what she believes she wants, she journeys into the wilderness to find what she needs, and we are with her every step of the way. Center's witty, honest and compassionate storytelling opens us to new ways of feeling and trusting, just as her character is doing the same.” ―Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Stories We Tell

“Such a charming, heartfelt novel about a woman who needs to escape from her life in order to rebuild it. I read it all in one delicious gulp.” ―Sarah Pekkanen, author of
The Opposite of Me

“Adding
Happiness for Beginners to my all-time favorites list. Fun, moving, and honest, it's a gem of a novel about finding out just what you're made of.” ―Melissa Senate, author of The Love Goddess' Cooking School

“Katherine Center has a unique talent for finding humor in the most unlikely scenarios. . . In the wholly refreshing
Happiness for Beginners, she explores life's messy moments with comic precision and proves that it is possible to make a fresh start--and find true love--in the midst of emotional disaster. Trust me; you'll feel this satisfying novel deep in your bones.” ―Jillian Medoff, bestselling author of I Couldn't Love You More

About the Author

BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen books, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down―and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple’s Best Books of 2020, Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and many more. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls her summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, “a shot of pure joy.” The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for Beginners is in production now as a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Griffin; Reprint edition (September 1, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250765250
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250765253
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.35 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,879 ratings

About the author

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Katherine Center
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BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, The Bodyguard, and her newest, Hello Stranger. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The movie adaptation of her novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and the movie of her novel Happiness for Beginners, starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes, opens July 27 on Netflix. Katherine’s summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, was an instant New York Times bestseller, a People Best New Books pick, and nominated for Book of the Year by Book of the Month Club. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “a shot of pure joy,” and bestselling author Helen Hoang calls it “a perfect feel-good rom-com.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
5,879 global ratings
Cute and sweet novel
4 Stars
Cute and sweet novel
Newly divorced Helen is struggling to get her act together and decides an extreme wilderness trip is the way to figure things out. When her brother's best friend ends up booked for the same trip, nothing seems to go as planned.I buddy read this one with @iambookish_brooke when I found out it was going to be a Netflix movie. Embarrassingly, it was my first Katherine Center novel but certainly won't be my last. I may secretly harbor a desire to do a long backpacking trip (which surprises even me) so the premise of this book was right up my alley. I loved the pace and the style of writing throughout. I found myself giggling and maybe squealing at all the "good parts". I loved Helen's spirit and determination to go on the trip even though it was way outside her comfort zone. I loved all the all quirky characters as well, particularly the wilderness guide 😂! I wish the ending had a more futuristic epilogue to give me a bit more romance, but I did enjoy how it wrapped up. Overall, an excellent read!"I'm sorry human being are such a blight. I'm sorry we litter your earth and choke the fish in the oceans with plastic grocery sacks. We have been given incomprehensible beauty on this earth, but we don't see it. We walk around angry and blind and ungrateful. I wish we were better, our dumb human race, but I don't have much hope that we ever will be. The best I can do today is say: Thank you for this world of miracles. We will try to be more grateful. And less ridiculous. "
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
Such a good book! I love the trail romance novel. It was sweet, funny, and romantic. This book is an easy read.
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024
Something to be desired at the end. I can see how this may not be a series because this was for "beginners." However, I could see this adding to the story of Helen's life past her beginning to happiness. Helen's life had been challenging with a critical loss in her life, her parents relationship being what it was, and then her marriage to someone who was only invested in himself. During Helen's journey at her outdoor getaway, she learns who she is now, what she's capable of, and that she can lean into love again. This story was sweet and the little self identifying journey I needed to read. As a therapist I'm always preaching for people to do self check-ins every 3 months to see what their current likes and dislikes are as well as identifying who they are overall. So, the little journeys we take such as Helen's outdoor adventure are essentials to caring for ourselves, seeing the changes in ourselves, and learning to do or see new things in and of ourselves.
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2016
Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
5 stars!!

“Do not be a Helen.”

This book! This book! I loved it with a passion, sometimes you start a book and you know you are going to love it, you fall in love with the characters, the authors voice and you just know that you are going to read something spectacular, well that is how I felt reading Happiness for Beginners.

“Happiness is more about appreciation than acquisition.”

Yes, this is a love story, but if it is hot sex you are after, this is not the book…this book is so much more! This book is a journey, a journey of self-discovery for Helen and a bucket list item for Jake. But it is the underlying chemistry and the epic build up between the two main characters that make this an addictive and unputdownable read.

“But the things we remember are what we hold on to, and what we hold on to becomes the story of our lives. We only get one story. And I am determined to make mine a good one.”

As I said above, I love this authors voice, fantastic dialogue, humour and wit prevalent throughout and an amazing talent for scene setting with vivid descriptions and imagery. While reading I personally felt I was there with them, standing on the periphery looking in. I lived and breathed this book, I stood side by side with Helen, I was a “holdup.” I walked every mile with these characters and loved it.

“No lattes, no takeout food, we’ve only got this heavy dude.
My boots hurt, my blister’s sore, I just can’t take it anymore.
My pits stink, this trail is steep, why can’t the Rangers bring a Jeep.”
(sing to the marching song lol)

Helen is a thirty-two-year-old divorcee that has hit an all-time low, her confidence has been battered and she needs to find herself before she loses her identity completely. Helen is well known for her clumsiness and hair brained ideas, so when she decides to go on a three-week survival course, her brother worries and decides she needs a chaperone else he would be bringing her home in a box. Helen’s brother, Duncan is twenty-two and so is his best friend and flat mate, Jake who has been a friend of the family for years and has had a crush on Helen for as long as he can remember. Therefore, it is no surprise that Jake volunteers as said chaperone and sees this as his final chance to make his feelings known while also crossing another thing off his bucket list. This had all the trappings for an entertaining story and Katherine Center delivered this with a flourish, totally unforgettable.

• Find a deeper spiritual connection to nature.
• Push myself beyond my physical and emotional limitations.
• Rise up from my own ashes like a phoenix.
• Toughen the hell up.
• Become awesome.
• Kick the wilderness’s ass.
• Earn a damned certificate.
(I really, really wanted a Certificate.)

The three-week survival course is a real test of Helen’s mettle and she takes a lot of knock downs before she finds her feet. She becomes the butt of the jokes, gets landed with a plethora of nick names, none of which were complimentary but she stood tall, with her chin up and her head held high. With fantastic side characters that will have you laughing out loud, this survival course was really brought to life. It didn’t help that Helen was ten years older than most of them, it didn’t help that Helen and Jake had almost kissed, it didn’t help that Helen told him in no uncertain terms that he was dead to her and to never acknowledge they knew each other…but Jake was biding his time. He has his reasons, he just needed the right time to explain.

“I had finally come to understand that not getting what you want is actually the trick to it all. Because not getting what you want forces you to appreciate what you already have.”

This book was real; it was real life with seemingly real life people so it made for a relatable read. While I personally would never entertain the idea of becoming a female Bear Grylls I could see Helen’s reasoning and she really needed that boost to her self-esteem and morale. Helen does find her inner strength but does she find love?

“Why did you think I gaped at you with my mouth open all the time?
“I guess I just thought you were a mouth-breather.”
“No,” he said. “Crush paralysis.”

I loved Jake, he was a fantastic character that had his own mountains to climb but never let it show. He loved Helen with his whole heart, always had, but never before had he stood a chance. He knew that she would be a tough nut to crack but he was happy to wield the sledgehammer to break through. He has a battle on his hands and with the camp rife with rumours of his and another camp mates love life he has his work cut out, but our Jake has perseverance and he needs every ounce of it.

“Sorry, what happens on the roof stays on the roof.”

This was a fantastic read and one that will be on my favourites shelf and a definite re-read. I highlighted so many lines and paragraphs, I laughed, I cried, but most of all, I loved. I loved this book, loved these characters and now I love this author. I will definitely be checking out her back list and future releases.

“You are my problem. It’s not a dopamine addiction, it’s a Helen addiction. And I cannot seem to kick it.”
19 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2023
Reading a Katherine Center story is better than a trip to the spa or a double dose of the latest ‘feel good’ vitamin. Whenever the doldrums hit, I order a KC book. Happiness for Beginners is entertaining and uplifting, with a perfect mix of women’s drama and romance.

The dialogue is quick and the characters are real and flawed, but even their weaknesses are endearing. With all of Katherine’s book, there are truths, life lessons, written in prose so beautiful that the reader has to stop to read them again. Main character Helen grows into a strong and independent woman. I loved every character, even Wendy, who is a real-life Barbie doll, but she’s the one who brings the best lines, “Getting what you want doesn’t make you happy” and “The things you think about determine the things you think about.” Now stop and think about THAT!

This book is full of hope. It's about taking care of family, of starting over, about second chances, of forging your own way at your own pace, and about falling in love when one least expects it. There is redemption for everyone, including Mama. Don’t dare skip the epilogue. Happiness for Beginners is a 5-star delight.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
Such a wonderful book - author did a great job of romantic tension and weaving the past into the present experience. Really loved the book - everything except the foul language. Almost made me close the book and put it away. Would have loved it much more without the language.

Top reviews from other countries

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Cecilia
4.0 out of 5 stars Lindo
Reviewed in Mexico on April 11, 2024
Me encantó, pero me quedo con la película. Hace más sentido la película que como lo cuentan en el libro. Aún así grandes lecciones. Cómico y romance! Vale la pena
Cliente Kindle
5.0 out of 5 stars Para ler mais de uma vez
Reviewed in Brazil on January 31, 2024
Gostei de cada página, cada acontecimento, cada vírgula, cada personagem.... A história é de deixar a respiração presa e muitos momentos, de.passar o tempo todo torcendo e esperando pelo lindo e surpreendente final. Gostaria que houvessem não uma, mas várias continuações. Gostaria de ler sobre os últimos dias de Helen e Jake. Gostaria de saber se Dunkan encontrou alguém tão incrível quanto ele, se Hugo melhorou, como está Bekett, enfim se em algum momento a autora estiver com muita vontade de escrever uma continuação, certamente lerei.
2 people found this helpful
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Princess Megs
5.0 out of 5 stars cute, lightweight book
Reviewed in Canada on September 17, 2023
Very cute little romance book. Definately a light read and a little inspirational. As per usual, the book and movie is slightly different in a few ways. I think I prefer the book more than the movie.
Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Carinissimo
Reviewed in Italy on April 28, 2024
Per chi ha visto il film, consiglio assolutamente di leggere anche il libro che approfondisce diverse dinamiche personali dei personaggi ed è davvero delizioso, si legge in un battibaleno.
Debora Zuñiga
5.0 out of 5 stars Me ha encantado el libro
Reviewed in Spain on September 7, 2023
Me leí el libro porque vi la película, y definitivamente no será el último que lea de la autora.