I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

My first Laura Hankin book. I really enjoyed it and would definitely buy more of her books, This was fun and witty. Would definitely recommend.

Rich people behaving badly, a young musician pulled into their world, and plenty of drama (and heart warming moments!) to go around! I would characterize Happy and You Know It as a dark, witty drama and it delivered above my expectations.

Initial Thoughts

The Upper East Side moms provide top entertainment and salacious gossip with a great thru-story in this surprising and delightful popcorn drama set in the wealthy elite of New York City. I accepted this title on a whim without a ton of context and I’m so glad I finally read it. The surface of this book is totally soapy in a good way, but the messages and themes of the book are what really shine and make it an all timer.

Characters

Claire Martin is a musician who was recently replaced in her band and is looking for paid work, which she finds singing private song showcases for a group of babies and toddlers of wealthy upper eastside moms. Whitney is the creator of the mommy club and has made the club (and herself) famous by posting about mom life on social media. Amara is a snarky mother who gave up a successful career in media to be a fulltime mom, and feels unfulfilled. Veteran mom Gwen is there to dole out advice as someone more experienced in parenting. Vicky is the peace-loving hippie mom. And Meredith and Ellie are nearly interchangeable and round out the group.

Narrative, Setting, and Plot

Claire Martin is reeling after her band (and ex-boyfriend) dump her for a sexier model and then go on to make it big with their latest song while she is left unsure of what to do next. In need of money to get by, Claire takes a gig for a mommy group on the upper east side singing for their children. While she may be there for entertainment, she soon realizes it is more for the mothers than the children.

The moms are obsessed with juice cleanses, perfecting motherhood (particularly on social media for hostess and influencer Whitney), and a new vitamin craze for moms that is sure to help them become their healthiest, best selves. Though Claire initially rolls her eyes at them, over time she realizes she actually likes these women, not in spite of their flaws but because of them. The moms are fun and she admires how much they do seemingly without effort.

As Claire grows closer to influencer and head mommy Whitney and sarcastic Amara who used to work in late night tv, she starts to realize they aren’t as put together and flawless as they seem to outsiders. Soon she begins to learn some of their secrets that would destroy not only the moms, but the entire playgroup. Things that could shatter their perfect existence.

Final Thoughts

I don’t have kids myself so I definitely related to Claire a bit more, though I’ve thankfully grown past my lost early twenties phase of life. The moms themselves were fascinating. I love books about the wealthy, out-of-touch upper eastside moms, and this book had a taste of that but ultimately I really liked that Hankin made the mothers so real. These were whole people, from the perfect exterior to the flaws underneath. I liked Whitney a lot more than I thought I would. I actually felt for her—I got how she was in the spot she was in and desperately trying to hang on to the life she worked so hard to craft.

The central story that comes up was fascinating and felt very true-to-life for me. It isn’t teased in the about the book portion so I consider what it revolves around a spoiler and I’ll keep it out of this review. But ultimately there was so much more to this book than rich moms behaving badly and the poor broke musician that they pulled into their outer circle. The story had depth, weight, and still managed to be filled with humor and light. Claire’s story of her band, the break up, their success without her, and how she found herself brought the book home.

A surprisingly light, humorous read with some real depth—Laura Hankin’s Happy and You Know It was a surprise and a delight!

I feel like this story was okay, but it really fell flat when it came to looking to make this book great.

I found myself interested in the beginning in all of the drama. As the story continued, it just really kept declining.

I found there being a lot more fluffy aspects than substance. I would read another Laura Hankin because the writing wasn't all that bad, and I have higher expectations for the next one I pick up!

Mommy drama at it's finest! I am not a mom and usually books about this set do not appeal to me, but this one was excellent - I loved the drama and could not get enough of this one!

This was a fun read with Sex and the City vibes. I felt transported into the NYC lifestyle. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

A quick read reminiscent of Desperate Housewives + drugs... #ifyouknowyouknow. Thank you for sending!

This was an interesting book with some storyline I didn’t see coming (sometimes plots are easily predictable). It was like the author opened the curtain to parenting among the elite, showing that no amount of money can make you happy, and wealth doesn’t always mean happiness.

This book was absolutely charming. Such a fun read, every character felt vivid and nuanced. Loved the chaotic ending!

This felt like a very unique book! It was funny and also had a few twists that I was not expecting! Great read!

This was a cute story, but I felt like nothing really happened din this book. I wouldn't recommend it to friends.

Whew, this book took me on a ride!

Down and out on her luck, Claire, an aspiring musician, takes a job as the entertainment for a chic playgroup on Park Avenue. Though it's definitely not what she saw herself doing, it's better than doing nothing. Particularly when there are bills to pay, and the ladies of the Park Ave playgroup seem flush with cash and flashy trips to woo Claire into their tight-knit little circle. But the posh glamour isn't all that it seems, and the playgroup has a few secrets that are just dying to be discovered. And when Claire starts to discover them, well... the picture perfect playgroup starts to crack under pressure.

With fresh characters and believably hilarious and harrowing hijinks, this is an easy breezy read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for advanced access to this title!

Rich, privileged moms have issues too! I was pretty invested the drama and secrets of this mommy group, and how Claire would navigate it. I feel like if you're into the "Real Housewives"-type shows that this would be a BIG hit, but I'm not into those types of shows. It went in a direction that I didn't see coming, which was cool, but it also lost me a bit at that point. Overall, it was a good read, and I'd probably be into reading other novels that are similar to it.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

This book was very eye opening in terms of what we see as “poshmoms” and “instamommies”. The author did a fantastic job with each individualized character and what each of their struggles were. I loved the character Claire and how her coming into the group of moms brought out the truth in everyone but also brought them together in the best way possible. What started out as a cute, light read quickly became more intense and almost dark at times but overall, a pretty good book.

A raw, honest look at motherhood and all its perks and faults...with a lot of humor and a little mystery! I wasn't expecting to get as sucked into this one as I did, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

When people use the term "Chick Lit" I never knew what it meant or if it was an insult or not. But I have heard that term used a lot around this book in a positive way... and I loved the book! So I hope it is not a bad thing to say? But either way, this book was just such a good read that helped get me out of a slump as well as helped change things up on my TBR and reading outlook a bit. Sometimes it is nice to get out of your comfort zone with a pallet cleanser book, and this one is a great option for that! I definitely had more fun with this than I had expected - and I love when a book can do that. As this is not a book I would normally look at, I would encourage others who feel the same way to maybe give this a second chance as it will surprise you in a good way!

If you have a sense of humor, like some entertainment and like a little mystery and frenemy type behavior...this is it! This just wasn't for me as it was hard to relate to.

3.5

Thank you to PRH International and Netgalley for this sponsored copy.

How can you say that they're happy & you know it if you haven't read their story?

It was a bit slow at first where usual mom stuff happens - their daily lives, struggles of keeping up with their babies' energy, and their insufficient capacity to do so. Then there's the newcomer, Claire, the musician who was kicked out from her now famous band. I don't really have any idea what will happen next in this book, at first I thought it will turn into a mystery one because of Amara's scene with Claire. But as the story goes, things started to click into place, why Amara did that, or who caused the most humiliating scenes, or the one who started the chaos in their little group. It was really lovely, to have that almost perfect group of mom friends to share your maternal challenges with. Plus, that stunning Instagram page by Whitney that attracts almost every brand offering them freebies. Of course, they looked perfect from the outside but what people didn't know was the pretending they are doing. Well, especially Whitney, the account's owner. I really love Amara with her blunt retorts, her intellect, and her diction! I also listened to the audiobook version so I was really in love with how the words roll in her tongue. I also love how Claire seems to tolerate each of them, of the detective skills she possessed that made her put the pieces together in this mess. Unfortunately, they became a wreck because of the revelation but it's for the betterment of them all. It was a pity for Claire's ex-band to leave her. She was very quick-witted though there are parts of her that felt flat for me, like, she almost always agrees to everything. But it was nice that her character developed to be much braver than she was, to have that fighting spirit Amara influenced on her. Their friendship was really a lasting one. Everyone seemed to change as the story continues except for Vicky, Eli, and Meredith. Especially Vicky! I never noticed her until 50%, I think? Of course there were small problems that had happened but the real one kicked in only at 80% where all their secrets were unraveled. That was the reason I rated it 3.5 because it was that kind of a slow burn. Okay, so decisions were made, there were ties that might break but which was it? Who was the lying face among them? It was awesome how the author put the least noticeable or bland character in the beginning into the mastermind behind all these. In the beginning you might feel the same way as I did, asking yourself where this story will go because it felt like there's no definite path for it. If you've started this book and you're feeling that, carry on because there's something huge waiting for you in the end. Well, maybe not very huge but it's still a surprise you won't see coming. I thought at first that it will end with only one conflict by one selfish decision but it piles up and okay, wow, the resolution to it all. They may not be as flashy as they were in the beginning but they eventually became the TRUE mommies. As in, real, not just the pretentious ones they used to be. They've learned from their mistakes, accepted what had been, and opened up for the new adventures that comes their way. Some of them might be gone but the bond created in this small play group out of coincidence was truly lasting. Things might never be the same, not so glamorous as they were, but what they have now is much more priceless than those. It's the kind of story that is perfect when you're looking for an intriguing read with an unusual twist to it. Something you might pick up in an early morning or afternoon to pass the time wanting to dive into rich women's lives and their misadventures. If things fall out of place, how are they going to handle it? Who was the culprit of it all? What was so true about them that makes them live up to the title of their story - Happy & You Know It? It's not just because of the classic children's song they used to sing in play group that you'll sing along once you heard - If you're happy and you know it, clap your hand. This one will make you continue and finish the song as you unconsciously clap clap once everything clicks into place. How can you say that they're happy & you know it if you haven't read their story?

Once again, Berkley blew me out of the water with another unexpected non-thriller read. I can see why this novel is being talked about so much and why it was a BOTM choice for the month of May. This is at times hilarious, at times darker, and all around beguiling. I started this one on my lunch break and completely found myself riveted in this unique and rather complex story that was easy to sink my teeth into and for something that was a non-thriller, I was surprised with how much I just loved this story from the beginning, not that a mention of Beyonce and I Know What You Did Last Summer within a single page wasn't an example of why I love Laura Hankin so much!

This read reminded me of an adult Gossip Girl combined with elements of Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives. You have these elite and filthy rich women, a new outsider that they embrace, and some backstories that combine brilliantly with the present timeline creating a whirlwind of an emotional story and a pacing that is jaw-dropping. Hankin's prose dazzles off the pages as much as her stunning characters crafting together the perfect novel. I read this one in one day and I'll be damned if I was even close to letting anything get in my way when it came to reading this story. I loved these characters and I loved how unique they were. With each chapter, I found myself completely captivated with their lives and the turn of events. While the prologue to this one was intriguing and comedic, yet a little panic-inducing, even without it I would have been addicted to this story and Hankin took me on such a funny and thrilling story that at each moment I was either laughing, picking my jaw up off the floor, or wondering where this one would go next.

If you want a funny story with vivid characters, phenomenal pacing, and an illuminating prose then this is the story for you. It was a perfect combination of a plot, characters, and fantastic writing. I loved this story so much; I simply cannot recommend it enough. Did Laura Hankin turn me into a fan of contemporary fiction? She just may have! I do know one thing, I am going to be absolutely begging for more stories by Laura Hankin for quite a long time.

Special thanks to Berkley for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

A book that seemed like it was going to be a drama about moms trying to have it all, turned into a mystery half way through. I'll happily recommend this in the library.