A Happy Catastrophe – Book Review

Author: Maddie Dawson

Genre: General Fiction

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: May 26, 2020

Book Description: From the bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners comes a novel about love, loss, and the beautiful mess of family.

Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the shadow of an earlier tragedy.

Then an eight-year-old surprise from Patrick’s past shows up on their doorstep, cartwheeling into their lives and spinning things in all directions. While it’s not exactly the change she envisioned, it looks like instant family to Marnie. But Patrick, afraid of being hurt again, retreats further into himself. Suddenly, two very different pieces of a beautiful puzzle find it harder and harder to fit. How can Marnie trust in the magic of the universe when it seems to be doing its best to knock her off her feet?

But some love stories are worth waiting for. And what’s love without a little chaos anyway?

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Review: When I finished this book, I did not realize this was a sequel to another book, but this stands completely on its own. This book is about life and all it’s messiness, and I just loved it.

Marnie owns a flower shop and is a matchmaker on the side (and she might just have a little bit of magic inside her). Patrick is an artist who has suffered through a terrible accident and is fighting many demons. Marnie and Patrick have found each other against all odds and have a happy life together.

In the span of just a few days their lives are pushed to their limits. Marnie declares she wants to have a child, which Patrick does not. On top of that, they find out Patrick has an 8 year old child, from a one night stand and they are told she is going to live with them for a year.

What happens after, is really a happy catastrophe and really everything in between. The author really does a wonderful job portraying all the joys and hardships of a relationship. I love any interjection of a child, but even this is superior to other stories, as she really captured the feelings of an 8 year old.

This is not quite the light read that the cover portrays, however it very lovely book. You will fall in love with Patrick, Marnie and Fritzie and even the supporting cast.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.