I love a quirky and heart warming story about how families take shape. This one landed on took Marnie and Patrick for one heck of a surprise. Nothing is perfect no matter the countless hours of planning or dreaming of the perfect and ideal family. I found myself once again connected and journeyed with the characters throughout the story.

This was truly an enjoyable read that was truly endearing and quite satisfying. I recommend this for a magical read full of hope and love.

This novel has everything: A couple that shows opposites attract. A surprise twist 8 years in the making makes this cute romance more emotional. I loved these characters and loved following their growth! I would love to read more from Maddie Dawson.

I love when I read a book and I feel as if I am catching up with some old friends. We loved Marnie and Patrick when we first met them in Matchmaking for Beginners. It has been a while now and they have settled into their life together, happily it seems, and then Marnie broaches having a baby. Patrick has so many demons he still has to deal with and this one throws him for a loop. We also get thrown for a huge loop when a little girl named Fritzie shows up. She is Patrick's daughter from a couple day fling. He had no idea she even existed. Fritzie is left with them for a few months (sure) and that plus all the people who flock around the marvelous Marnie, makes things too much for Patrick. As he retreats, Marnie wonders if this isn't the life she is supposed to lead.

I wanted to throttle Patrick a few times. (Okay, a lot of times) But I do know that he was in a very deep depression and we hope against hope that he will see out of the dark and back into the Marnie light. Marnie is such a wonderful character, full of life, hope, zest, faith. I want some of her sparkle. Who wouldn't gravitate around her? Fritzie is precocious and the perfect match for Marnie. Every character brings more joy into the story.

My heart was lighter at the end and I really think it was something I needed in such strange, dark times. You cannot go wrong with anything that Maddie Dawson writes but do yourself a favor and read this little duo. You will thank me later.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union for this little piece of joy.

This book was such a pleasant surprise!

It was offered to me as part of a blog tour and I didn't realize that it was a sequel. That being said, it works perfectly as a stand alone book.

Marnie and Patrick were realistic characters and an even more realistic couple. Opposites attract can be a maddening trope but it worked so well here because they balanced each other out nicely. I was able to connect easily with Marnie but also with Patrick as someone who is not a fan of surprises - and with good reason.

I have already ordered the first book because I'm dying to know how they met and got to this point. I'm also really interested in Patrick's backstory. You know it's a good sequel if you want to go back and read the first book!

This was an entertaining read about love, marriage, family, and second chances without being overly neat and perfect.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review. My full review will be posted as a part of a blog tour and I will update the links then.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This is the sequel to Matchmaking for Beginners. This was an overall cute, heartwarming read and it was enjoyable to catch up with all of the familiar characters.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

While I hadn't read Matchmaking for Beginners, I had heard great things about it from friends who had read it, and I was excited to start A Happy Catastrophe. I enjoyed the writing, and the character of Fritzie is so spunk-filled she nearly bounces off the page. I can understand some of Maddie's baby obsession as believable but it was a bit over the top for me. The eventually arc of the story was a bit too predictable, but I obviously love a HEA.

An excellent tale of rebuilding lives, learning how to grow from trauma, and embracing what life throws at you. Not exactly a light read, but a good one for those days when you want to be introspective.

A Happy Catastrophe is the sequel to the charming Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson. I was a little hesitant to start this one, as I really loved Matchmaking for Beginners, and did it really need a sequel? Then when I read that the plot was about Patrick having an unknown daughter who just shows up out of the blue to stay with home, I was a bit more hesitant. I was worried that this plot would be awkward and unnecessary, kind of like when Luke's daughter April showed up in Gilmore Girls.

But I worried for nothing. This book quickly charmed me and won me over. I don't know if I loved it quite as much as the first book, but it is definitely worth reading if you enjoyed the first book!

Patrick's daughter Fritzie ended up being a wonderful addition to this story. I loved how spontaneous and wild she was, kind of the opposite of Patrick in every way. Who better than a young, spirited 8 year old girl to help Patrick find the joy and love that he needs to keep living in this world!

This was an enjoyable rom-com, and I continue to enjoy Maddie Dawson's cute and charming writing style.

I adored this follow-up to Maddie Dawson’s 2018 novel MATCHMAKING FOR BEGINNERS—but fair warning (because it’s not super obviously billed as a sequel) that you really do need to read MFB first if you haven’t already! There’s a lot of critical backstory and character development that this one builds off of and that I think newcomers would just be lost without.

Marnie and Patrick are as annoying and charming as ever (love them, wouldn’t want to be friends with them). We get to see what comes after their happily ever after—something that is actually pretty rare and refreshing when you think about it. It’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbow love sparkles, but their struggles are real and feel very organic to their characters. I was all in and rooting for them to figure things out. This was one I’d definitely recommend!

Having fallen in love with the characters in Matchmaking for Beginners, when I saw there was another book about Marnie, the matchmaker and believer in “the universe” arranging things for everyone, who just needed to be shown the way by her ex-husband’s quirky great-aunt, Blix, there was no question I would read more.

Four years have gone by, and Patrick and Marnie are living together in the Brooklyn brownstone Blix left to Marnie. While Patrick still really prefers to stay home and keep to himself, he is a good complement to Marnie, who runs a floral shop (mostly just as a gathering place) and continues to see “sparkles” around people, mostly strangers, indicating to her that they belong together. But now, Marnie knows she has to break it to Patrick that she really needs a baby. And it doesn’t go well. He is perfectly content with what they have, which is frankly a lot of progress on his part, after the huge tragedy that he experienced eight years before and that left him literally scarred. He thinks he can go no further.

And then the universe sends a surprise, as it tends to do: in the form of an 8-year-old daughter Patrick didn’t know he had. And rather than being a nudge forward, as weeks go by, this delightful and energetic little person ends up being one reason Patrick starts pulling back, away from Marnie and toward the grief and guilt that had so consumed him before. Even Marnie, who has learned that the universe can always be trusted, eventually starts to lose her faith in magic, in love, in all that Blix taught her.

A Happy Catastrophe brought these characters back to life for me, a year after reading the first book, and I felt so strongly the desires and hope Marnie had for an even better life for her and Patrick, even while I could appreciate the struggles he was facing. Since Blix died in the first book, she doesn’t have the focus here, but her presence is still very much felt by the characters (particularly Marnie) and by the reader. This is the kind of story that could be mawkish or overdone in many lesser writers’ hands, but Dawson is a talented writer and storyteller who knows and loves her characters and is skilled at letting them shine on the page so they’re believable, and the bits of “magic” feel organic, the nuggets of wisdom not platitudes or clichés. I was perfectly happy to get immersed in this little neighborhood for a few days again.

(Bonus: this book had a lot less profanity than the first, with this only being rated moderate.)

4.5 stars.

I have to admit that I'm reading this series in the wrong order. (Matchmaking for Beginners is on my TBR shelf still.) But after reading this book, I can't wait to read that one. And I still really liked this one.

"Whatever happens, love that." This is the mantra bequeathed to Marnie -- along with a Brooklyn brownstone and a matchmaking business -- by Blix, her ex-husband's late great-aunt. Marnie is 33, in love with a very troubled artist Patrick, and has a biological clock with a timer that has just gone off, much to Patrick's horror. Also to Patrick's horror, surprise, it's a girl! A former one-night-stand shows up on their front porch with his previously unheard of 8-year-old daughter and leaves her there. Throw in an art show, and Patrick is on his way to a complete breakdown, which Marnie is a bit to preoccupied to see coming in time to stop it.

From the first chapter of this book, I was hooked. I really wish I had a friend like Marnie in my life. Someone who is good at letting go (usually) and letting the universe work it's magic. Someone who sees the good in everyone around them. Even with her flaws -- being so obsessed with having a baby she misses the warning signs from Patrick -- I was still really rooting for her. And I was also even rooting for the extremely flawed Patrick, since he still seemed to be an inherently good person even underneath the damage. And I always like when a book in this genre ends with an epilogue of sorts that helps wrap up the loose ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book. It has not influenced my opinion.

Solid Combination of Zany and Drama. I think the title says it all here. This is one of those books with enough off-the-wall WTF moments to make it truly fun, but also quite a bit of pulling your heartstrings. Few characters here come out looking spotless, but all look very, very human. Excellent story, very well told. Very much recommended.

Marnie and Patrick are surprised at the sudden appearance of an 8 year old from Patrick's past. The questions of what they each want out of life and their relationship is brought to the surface and there are some tear-inducing moments that follow. I hadn't read the previous book to this one, but didn't feel like I was missing anything by just reading this sequel.

Every once in a blue I need a feel good book and this fit the bill. Engrossing enough to keep you happily turning the pages because you have to know what happens. Definitely worth picking up. Happy reading!

A Happy Catastrophe is the perfect quarantine read. It is light, fun, yet will still make you feel things.

Happy #bookbirthday to A Happy Catastrophe 🥳❤️

#bookreview ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars!

I was so happy that Marnie’s story was not over when I saw this book pop up on my radar! I loved Matchmaking for Beginners and although I thought it was better than the sequel, I still really enjoyed A Happy Catastrophe. It was just as quirky and full of drama! I definitely recommend picking it up if you enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#AHappyCatastrophe #NetGalley #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookblog #bookblogger #bookish #books #booklover #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #bookcommunity #bookworm #bibliophile #goodreads #bookblogger #bookblog #booklife #reading #spiveys📚club #booksofinstagram #readstagram #readeveryday #alwaysreading #allthebooks #bookrecommendations #bookreviews #arc

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Maddie Dawson for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
Right away I can relate to Marnie and Patrick. Together for a few years, they somehow manage to make their relationship work while being polar opposites. My boyfriend is a 2 on the enneagram scale.. I’m a 9. I GET it! But honestly opposites do attract and when they work, man do they work. Marnie is hoping for marriage and children (my boyfriend) and Patrick is focused on the here and now and that’s it (me). I have to admit, a surprise eight year old child is a serious change in their relationship and I think it would be an adjustment for anyone!
I realized after finishing that this is actually the second book in a series, the first is Matchmaking for Beginners. I didn’t have any problem understanding this one without reading the first book, but I am curious to go back and see if it makes me like this one more!
A feel good book that reminds us the magic of love!

I enjoyed this, but I found Patrick to be very hard work to relate to or to find likeable, he drags the story down and I understand his past, but maybe just with the things going on I just needed something lighter and not as depressing in a character. Then at the very end he changes and it just seemed inconsistent although with relationships probably realistic. It was a good read on the whole but Patrick made it harder for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Publishers Synopsis:

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?

Review: This is now my favourite book of all time. Let me say it again. This is now (and I cannot stress this enough) my favourite book of all time. I’ve never had a favourite author before, but if that is what this little warm feeling in my heart is then I’ll take it, and a copy of ALL of Maddie Dawson’s books. Full disclosure (because I pride myself with how honest I am with these reviews) this book was in a huge pile (HUGE!) of netgalley arcs that needed to be read. Even with the publication date approaching, I was nowhere near reading this book. Then I received an email from the publisher (assumingly as did other owners of the arc) and it triggered something in me to bring this book to the top (I now know that was Blix working her magic on me).

From the first chapter I was swept up into the lives of Marnie and Patrick. I genuinely and honestly couldn’t put the book down. I made a note one day during a rare moment that I wasn’t reading this book and it says, verbatim, that I genuinely missed the characters in the book. I wasn’t even half way through yet! The cart-wheeling eight year old that comes out of nowhere and into their lives is an accurate depiction of my character as a child. I am, in all regards, the living adult version of Fritzey. Unfortunately, my quirks, mannerisms and constant chatter was suppressed, by all means, by my mother. So it was incredibly refreshing to read about how every adult in this little girls life just took her as she was and let her be. I think that might be for the most part why for me this book is such a winner. I don’t believe in crystal, or holistic healing or moon phases, or burning sage or mercury in retrograde or any of that. None of it. I don’t even belong to a religion (although I respect all religions and people that come from them) but I do like magic. So the touch of magic in this book, combined with Fritzeys energizer bunny personality, and the love story that is Marnie and Patrick just has this book ticking all of my boxes.

Initially, i was worried that I hadn’t read Dawson’s previous book “match making for beginners” and was worried this would affect my ability to love this book. Hey, it didn’t and now I want no less than seven copies of both. I could talk forever about how good this book is- one night I even skipped a meal in order to read more!- but I think you get the point. I’ve read a lot of books the last few months. No less than 20 papers and 20 arc’s. But this one beats them all. I want to carry it around with me wherever I go. I am now Maddie Dawson’s biggest fan and the #1 promoter for this novel.

My sincerest thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

5/5 stars

If you feel like you’re missing some sparkle, joie de vivre and a little bit of craziness in your life then I recommend you drop into Marnie’s world. Owner of Best Buds florist shop in Brooklyn, Marnie is a witchy matchmaker who see sparkles above people wherever she goes, believes in the magic power of the universe and occasionally uses spells to fulfill her dreams. Oh, and don’t forget her toaster which is inhabited by the spirit of Blix (the woman responsible for bringing Marnie and Patrick together) and offers inspiration and words of wisdom at every given opportunity. This sounds like the most bizzare scenario for a romantic tale but despite initial reservations it’s impossible not to get swept away in all the madness and I absolutely loved it.
Marnie is the most spontaneous, irrepressible, positive and eccentric character you could imagine with a hopelessly romantic heart. With some initial eye rolling at her ridiculously naive nature I felt like I’d been plucked from a black and white world into an alternative technicolour universe, with no idea
of the rules but happy to see where the ride would take me. Welcome to Planet Marnie!! Living with long term partner Patrick she spreads joy wherever she goes, happy to surround herself with the lovely customers who frequent The Frippery which adjoins her shop and acts as a haven for all those seeking a bit of Marnie magic. But there is one thing missing. A baby. At thirty something Marnie is feeling the burning desire to procreate but can she convince Patrick to commit to such a life changing decision when he is resolute in his belief that fatherhood is not for him??
After the first few pages I thought Marnie was going to be this annoying, irritating,far fetched character living in la la land but her love for life is infectious. In her eyes there’s nothing that can’t be sorted with a bit of sparkle, a wave of an imaginary fairy wand and a side helping of inspiration from toaster Blix. Except perhaps a baby. What first appears to be an extremely lighthearted frivolous storyline turns into a charming, emotionally charged novel when the planets align, Mercury is in retrograde and eight year old Fritzie enters their lives. Unbeknownst to Patrick, he is her bio-daddy and Tessa, Fritzie’s mum is looking to dump her child with an almost stranger so she can pursue her own love interest in Italy.
What follows is a rollercoaster of events with Fritzie at the helm, complimenting Marnie’s personality with her endless bouncing energy asking a million questions per minute!! Poor Marnie and Patrick don’t stand a chance in the face of this intelligent bundle of fun who turns their lives inside out and upside down. As a character, Fritzie is the icing on the cake for me, the cherry on top that makes this novel so appealing and enjoyable. I wanted to wrap my arms around this little girl, smother her with love and never let her go. Her innocence and curiosity and straight talking made my heart melt as well as make me chuckle!!
It is Patrick who provides a hefty dose of realism to counteract all the frothiness and is a complex character suffering from survivors guilt. The appearance of Fritzie in his life disrupts the status quo and unable to deal with his feelings, Patrick gradually retreats back to his own planet which is light years away from Marnie’s. Is this the end of their love story or can the spark be reignited? I liked the contrast between these two lovers, with such differing outlooks but confirming that opposites do attract. This is a love story full of quirky characters, humour, sadness, loss and hope and of course love.
A Happy Catastrophe is an utterly,utterly charming novel that took me by surprise with the depth of emotions it aroused in me. As I’ve already said it’s an emotionally charged novel that I think would translate well to the big screen. A delightful escapist read that will bewitch any incurable romantic. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.