It took me a while to get into this book, but I'm really glad I stuck with it because from around the 50% mark I was so invested in the story it was really hard to put down. I'm also glad I took my sweet time reading this book, because I got to form a deep relationship with these characters, especially Violet, and I have a strong feeling they are going to stay with me for a very long time.

The reason why it took me a while to get into it isn't to find in the story (even though it moved a bit slow for me), but in the way the book is written. At times it felt like the author purposefully chose the hardest to comprehend, unheard before, rare word to explain the simplest concept. Maybe it’s just that English will never be my first language no matter how good at it I am, but to be honest I’d have said the same if I was reading a book in Italian and this was the writing style used by the author.

This is a story about relationships with our mothers and with other important female figures in our lives. How different life can be when you have your mother’s supporting your choices, no matter what those are and if they are the ones they would’ve liked you to make, how important it is to be open with your mother or your daughter about your baggage and how that translates over in your relationship.

This story resonated to me a lot as a feminist story, in multiple ways and through multiple characters and times in history it brought along a lot of reflection on the paths we choose as women and how important indipendence and freedom is overall. My feminist loving heart adored the parts set in the past, learning about history and reading about a time when women were just about gaining some rights.

I personally think the chapters set in the past were better than those set in the “present”, though written by the same person they felt quite different. For example: both had parts with very hard to understand words (legit had to use the search function in Kindle to look up meanings), but somehow it made more sense in the “past” chapters as it could pass as mimicking how they spoke back than (1920s). Also felt like the “present” chapters kept repeating stuff at the beginning, as if the switching between chapters made the author think readers would forget things, but it was completely useless. And how many times can you say instead of show that the main character’s relationship with her mum is difficult? You’ve showed that and said that multiple times, at some point you have to just show it and hint at it instead of telling it how it is.

The story is told over a dual timeline. It is also told from dual perspectives too. The story is so interesting. The story is about secrets, family and friendship

Thank you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Tori Whitaker for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

"A Matter of Happiness" takes readers on a captivating journey through two interconnected timelines, following the lives of Melanie Barnett in the present day and her great-great-great-aunt Violet Bond in 1921 Detroit. This enchanting novel explores themes of love, independence, and the power of uncovering hidden secrets.

Melanie Barnett appears to have her life perfectly organized, with a promising career and a belief that love and career should be kept separate. However, her perspective begins to shift when she stumbles upon her great-great-great-aunt Violet's journal hidden within her inherited Jordan MX car. The journal contains a cryptic message, urging Melanie to take what she can from Violet's story and bury the rest. Intrigued, Melanie embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of Violet's past and discover what lessons she can learn.

The author skillfully transports readers to 1921 Detroit, a vibrant city in the midst of the motorcar boom and the Jazz Age. Through Violet's perspective, we witness a world of speakeasies, financial windfalls, free-spirited friends, and unexpected romance. As Violet's life spins out of control, the author explores the consequences of living life on one's own terms and the challenges faced by independent women in a rapidly changing society.

The parallel narratives of Melanie and Violet create a rich tapestry of interconnected lives and experiences. Melanie's quest to understand her family history and the lessons hidden within Violet's journal adds depth and intrigue to the story. The author seamlessly weaves together the past and the present, drawing readers into the lives of both characters and keeping them engaged throughout.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of the complexities of love and the choices we make in pursuit of our dreams. Melanie's belief that love and career don't mix is challenged as she delves deeper into Violet's story. Through Violet's experiences, readers are reminded of the importance of following one's heart and embracing the unexpected twists and turns that life presents.

In conclusion, "A Matter of Happiness" is a captivating and enchanting novel that seamlessly blends two timelines to create a compelling narrative. The author's vivid descriptions transport readers to 1921 Detroit, immersing them in a world of adventure, romance, and self-discovery. With its themes of love, independence, and the power of uncovering hidden secrets, this novel is sure to captivate readers from beginning to end.

Melanie unlocks the mysteries of her great-great-great-aunt Violet's life through her diary - when it all comes down to it, how different is womanhood in the past to womanhood in the present? An intriguing read through time and space and family.

I've sat on this book for awhile and keep going back. I finally slogged through it today and goodness. I hate leaving not great reviews but this one just wasn't for me. I tried. I truly did. The dual timelines which I usually love in a book were hard to keep up with and I just couldn't get into it. I'm sure it's just a me thing and others will enjoy it. It just didn't resonate with me.

"Take from this story what you will, and you can bury the rest.”

A Matter of Happiness was lovely debut story about two generations family secret and self discovery.

Written from two POV and two timelines, the author capable to portraying emotions and bittersweet truths between characters. I love the timeline era, especially the romantic 1920 Jazz Era. The writing and storytelling style are lovely and enjoyable. I love the stories revealed slowly and bring another level of life lesson and self acceptance through past mistakes and found what true meaning of life.
Beautiful read for reader wh love reading about family strong bond.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for provided me with this copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

2018: Melanie Barnett works at a Kentucky bourbon distillery, she’s trying her best to earn a promotion and has given up on love after her engagement ended. She's happy being single and she can concentrate on her career.

The story toggles back and forth between Melanie in the late 20oos and Aunt Violet in the 1920s. Each woman, though generations apart, has similar hopes, desires and even questions of how a woman can be strong and independent but still be happy and find love. Great historical markers and references to speakeasies, prohibition, and more make this a truly enjoyable read.

Cover really draws you in. A really gripping book, that I’m glad to have read as probably wouldn’t have picked it up.

Gorgeous cover, right? I really loved Tori Whitaker’s debut, Millicent Glenn’s Last Wish, and couldn’t wait to read A Matter of Happiness. I think I loved it even more.

About the book: “A cherished heirloom opens up a century of secrets in a bittersweet novel about family, hard truths, and self-discovery by the author of Millicent Glenn’s Last Wish.”

When Melanie’s Aunt Violet passes away, she leaves her an old car with a journal inside. Flashing back and forth between the present day and the Jazz Age, those two items play a huge part in the story. I love a Jazz Age setting, and even more than that, I loved the premise of going back in time to explore the life of a beloved aunt.

I grew up with an extended family and extremely close with my great aunts. They loved on me like they loved my mom and her sisters. As a young child, I loved being their sidekick, traveling around, running errands, going to brunch with them and their friends. It was such a gift, and while I’ve had peeks into their younger lives, I’ve always known they each had a big story to tell of a life well-lived and soaked up anything they shared with me.

Aunt Violet made me think of each of my great aunts, and it was the feel-good nostalgia I needed right now. Historical fiction fans will love this novel, and I think most anyone would with strong female main characters like Violet and Melanie. A beautiful story about independent women, the families they lean on, and most of all, finding happiness.

I received a gifted copy.

I am not all that interested in classic cars or bourbon, but Tori Whitaker made both topics enticing in her latest novel, A Matter of Happiness. I liked both narrators and how they embraced feminism throughout the story. Melanie broke her engagement so she could continue to pursue her career in 2018. Violet struck out on her own and didn't want to be tied down in a traditional marriage back in the 1920s.

Tori really brought 1920's Detroit to life and I especially enjoyed visualizing the fashion. Violet's story was compelling, especially because she struggled financially and sometimes couldn't catch a break. She was also torn between someone she loved and being able to do her own thing when that was generally frowned upon. Melanie's story followed a similar path and the two paralleled each other. I was stressed out from her work situation (vying for the role of director and being undermined by her competition).

I wish there hadn't been any harbinger moments. The story would have had more shock value otherwise. I could have done without the prologue, especially. So if you don't want to know what's coming, perhaps skip the prologue so that you will be more surprised than I was. There was another harbinger moment that made things easy for me to figure out afterward and that also could have been avoided. As a result, the last quarter of the book felt anticlimactic to me. It was still interesting, but it was rushed as well.

Overall, this is definitely a worthwhile read. If you want a different kind of historical fiction novel, look no further. And if you love the 1920s, this is a real treat!

Movie casting suggestions (and this is me narrowing the long list of characters down a bit):
Violet: Emily Marie Palmer
Lela: Dove Cameron (I pictured her a lot because of her role on Schmicago)
Robert: Jacob Elordi
Lawrence: Leo Howard
Evelyn: Kara Hayward
Melanie: Sarah Catherine Hook
Brian: Liam Hemsworth (since she described him looking like Chris...)
Melanie's mom: Michaela Watkins
Mitchell: Beau Mirchoff

I love a dual timeline story, but I’m not so sure about this one. The last half of the book was predictable, but it’s well written. I had a hard time liking the “past” character. It felt like they did everything they could to make them seem not racist. It’s like she was screaming ‘I’m one of the good ones’ but it felt hollow and forced without anything behind it.

⭐⭐⭐.5 -- I love the cover on this one!

Overall I enjoyed this one. It started out strong. I loved the setting (Detroit) it brought back a lot of memories since I was born and raised across the river in Canada. I mean, they even included Boblo where I worked as a teen! However, halfway through I started to get annoyed by how repetitive it was. I get it, Violet wants to be a "modern woman" and own a car. I got it the first 50 times it was mentioned. I didn't need to be banged over the head with another 50 times. Same with Melanie and her "promotion". I also started to find Violet a little...unlikable. She came off a little self centered towards the end. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Even with those annoyances I would still give this one a thumbs up!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Oh how I love this author! With each book she writes, Tori Whitaker solidifies her place as my new favorite author! This book has a glorious dual timeline, dual POV, inter generational characters, and a whole lot of heart. The bourbon, the cars, both women trying to find their place in the world when the world seems to have already decided what they should be- this is a coming of age masterpiece! I loved the historical time period and details, wanted to go out on the town with Violet and Lela, and take a ride in a Jordan car. With this book, I got to do it all and more!! Highly highly recommend!!

A Matter of Happiness is a historical fiction novel that alternates between the past and present day. I found it a little hard to keep the different stories straight at times but overall this was still a really enjoyable read if you love historical fiction as much as I do!

A historical fiction novel that tells the story from two different timelines. From the nineteen twenties and the modern era. This is a beautifully written story about two very strong women. The author did their research throughly and gives the readers a glimpse of the roaring twenties.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, I received review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Matter of Happiness by Tori Whitaker

Going back and forth between the the 1920s and 2018, A Matter of Happiness follows the stories of Violet and her great great great niece, Melanie. Violet has moved from her home in Kentucky to Detroit to become a modern, independent woman. While there, as she experiences new things and meets new people, she struggles to balance love and a future as a wife and her life of independence that she has grown to love. Years later, after Violet's death, her niece Melanie finds her journal while cleaning out her carriage house in preparation for Melanie's mother to sell Violet's old house. Melanie has just broken off her engagement with her longtime boyfriend and is throwing all of her effort into her job in marketing. She struggles with the balance of love and being career driven.

I was honestly disappointed by this book. I feel like the author didn't do a good job of creating separate voices for Violet and Melanie. Honestly, if it wasn't for the dates at the beginning of the chapters, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the two POVs. There was also too much of a push to have the two characters come off as righteous and there were a lot of parts of the book, both in the dialogue and their internal monologues, where they came off as trying too hard to not be the typical girl or to try to be different or taking things too serious. There was a lot there that didn't work, personally for me. I feel like there was an interesting opportunity to address the segregation of the 1920s through Violet's story but every time segregation was brought up by her, it again came off as her trying to sound righteous. It seemed like it was taken as more of an opportunity to make Violet look better with the rhetoric of how she would never treat people this way, rather than an opportunity to really have a conversation about a very real issue. I also don't think that Melanie's story was developed enough. I think the author spent too much time with Violet's story and the book could've had all of Melanie's chapters cut out and not have been effected. It was a really interesting concept and the story had a lot of potential but I think the author fell short on delivering for this book.

A Matter of Happiness is a Roaring 20s to goalgetting 2010s dual timeline story about what having a career means for several generations of women, family and loyalty.
Melanie inherits her great-great-aunt’s vintage car and discovers a journal left behind in the glove compartment. The journal reveals quite a lot about her beloved aunt but also about a woman’s life in the Detroit of the 20s. Melanie’s aunt Violet was woman with a passion for independence and finding her own way. In contrast to her sister she did not want to be restricted to a domestic life and care for a husband and children while being “provided for” - she leaves Kentucky and goes to the bustling town of Detroit. She finds work and lodgings and gets to live the 1920s life on the wilder side with cars, parties, and speakeasies.
Tori Whitaker set the scene with details on music and dresses, drinks and it brought the atmosphere to life.
Since this is dual timeline Melanie is facing her own struggles trying to achieve the next step in her career and living up to her mothers (perceived) expectations. Although these two women live a century apart, there were common themes in the search for happiness without bending to the whims of others just to be “marriageable”.
If you are intrigued this book is available as a kindle unlimited read !
I enjoy books set in the 20s and this was no exception- it was even more fun that it was set in Detroit were I have lived for several years with my family.

This dual timeline book about family, bourbon, and antique cars is so amazing! This was a really fun book to read but it also packed an emotional punch. I loved Violet Bond's storyline set in 1920's Detroit during Prohibition and a booming car age. She had a deep love for her family but was living her life for her and to the fullest. I learned a lot about the car industry and bourbon. As a Southerner, I loved the Kentucky references. I highly recommend reading this book!

A Matter of Happiness
Author, Tori Whitaker
Available now!

Thank you @tlcbooktours, Tori Whitaker, #lakeunionpublishing, and @netgalley for my e-arc and my #gifted and #signed finished copy!

I loved this unique historical fiction novel and absolutely recommend if you love:
- intergenerational, dual timelines
- strong independent female protagonists with an emphasis on modern womanhood
- 1920's historical fiction with a hint of mystery and the perfect amount of realistic romance
- classic cars- bourbon, aka- a good Kentucky hug
- quick, well- written chapters with an engaging plot that keeps you turning the pages
- themes of family, self- discovery, choices, and of happiness

A Matter of Happiness by Tori Whitaker is a coming-of-age book. While Violet is in her 20’s, she is still young enough to learn the importance of caring and the downside to letting maybe impossible dream to rule your decision. Throughout the book, however, Violet is a person who tries to do the best she can and has great personal conflicts. Melanie follows her dreams and learns that with caring, doing the right thing and being true to herself, she can have it all. This is a nice story with a rather tearful ending, however.