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

Title:This Is What Happy Looks Like (Click on title for synopsis)
Source/ Formtat: borrowed from the library, Hardback
Age Range: YA
Publisher/ Publication Date: Poppy, April 2, 2013




My thoughts:

    Considering that I’ve never read anything by Jennifer E. Smith before, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book.  This Is What Happy Looks Like had all the components to it that I look for in a contemporary YA novel.  The romance was sweet, with the characters connecting on an emotional level, the plot was well thought-out, and the writing style was excellent.  To say that I liked this book would be an understatement, I absolutely loved it!  It’s one book that I’d like to add to my personal library.

     This is what Happy Looks Like is told from dual POV’s, Ellie O’Neill a normal girl trying to get her life in order, and Graham Larkin, a movie star.  I liked that prior to the start of the story, they already knew about each other.  So when they met in person for the first time, I felt like it was an important part of the story.  Ellie’s reaction to Graham was understandable, she had things to hide.  I was unsure of what she was hiding at the beginning, but then I found out what it was, and I felt so bad for her, having to live with what she knew.  Graham was also dealing with his own set of problems from his parents, to his career, and what being in the limelight was doing to him as a person.  As things unfolded, I felt like Ellie helped Graham, and in turn he helped her overcome some of her fears.  The relationship between Ellie and her mom was believable, and I understood where her mother was coming from.  She was only trying to look out for Ellie, and thought what she was doing was what was best. 

     I really liked the whole concept of this book, from the way Ellie and Graham first met, to the ending, which wrapped things up nicely.  In the end, I really enjoyed This Is What Happy Looks Like.  It was refreshing to read a contemporary novel like this one, and in a few short hours I’d read the entire thing.