Wonderfully entertaining book with great character development. Also quite thought provoking in a way that it makes you think of what actually makes you happy.
Following Dr Cooper, who’s just landed her dream job in the psychology department at Yale but also wrote a book about happiness. Now she’s got to decide what is actually making her happy.
A story about self awareness and self improvement, but written in a lighthearted fun way! I really enjoyed this one and I read it at the perfect time in my life!

Noted for her very successful Key West Food Critic Mystery series, Burdette has written her second standalone.

The novel, a contemporary women's fiction, is set in the academic world of Yale University. Similar to her firsthand knowledge of Key West, Burdette is also quite familiar with Yale.

Many readers know Lucy Burdette is the pen name for Roberta Isleib. Isleib is a clinical psychologist who spent time at Yale during her internship and postgraduate training. The book’s genesis happened when Burdette wondered what if an expert on happiness was herself unhappy?

On first glance, our protagonist, Cooper Hunziker, should be filled with happiness. She has a massive social online presence, has published a self-help book on happiness, and is now in line to be a tenured assistant professor at Yale. But she is not. Instead, Cooper feels anxious, slightly insignificant, and has fully bought into imposter syndrome. Relying on her relationship with Daniel, she looks forward to his joining her for a brief visit. He cancels, and her mood plummets. The icing on the anxiety cake is she has been given an assignment that looks like a nonstarter in the world of academia. Whew! If I were Cooper, I would give up on happiness and settle for sitting quietly.

Burdette is known for writing realistic women who grow through challenging times. Cooper, like Hayley, has an analytical mind, which she applies to the study of human psychology. Both women own their vulnerabilities, face tremendous challenges, and are capable of transformation. While both are living authentic lives, Cooper’s is quite a bit darker than Hayley’s. Even rereading the book recently, I still stayed up late hoping Cooper would be all right. Burdette has said this is a standalone. Her characters are so vivid, I do hope a secondary character might have a voice in another Yale tale.

What a charming romance with MC Cooper you grow to love and cheer on from miserable Yale psychologist to contented best-selling author. I almost got bogged down by the emotional drains in Cooper's life, yet the author writes such real characters -- especially the women in the happiness group she co-leads with hunky Judd -- that I could not help but plow through, knowing there was good stuff ahead. And boy was there! One of my fave books this year, a delight that uplifted my spirits.

I didn't fully finish this book.
It was confusing. A mix between a self help book and a novel that didn't have a real clear path. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters and it just felt like it was confused.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Ingredients of Happiness by Lucy Burdette in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I loved the bright yellow cover and just seeing that made me happy and excited to read this. This is one of those books that will make you stop and think about how to be happy! This is definitely a feel good story and I'm so glad I read it (It made me so happy!).

I really enjoyed The Ingredients of Happiness.
It’s a thought-provoking book which although centres around some excellent character development it actually also inspires you to think about what makes you happy.
The book centres on main character Dr Cooper Hunziker who has just landed her dream job of working in the psychology department and continuing her research at Yale University.
She’s just written a book about happiness and is on the book selling promo campaign at the same time as starting her new role, settling into a new town and juggling her long-distance relationship.
The story follows her journey of self-awareness and self-improvement.
Cooper feels that her boss and others in the department are out to get her – hiding her mail, stealing her research assistant, leaving her out and so on.
And she soon starts to question whether Yale and her research is actually making her feel happy and fulfilled.
There were some breadcrumbs that I picked up that all was not quite as it seemed around the plagiarism and lack of support from her boyfriend.
The happiness group sounds wonderful – I’d love to be a member!
I really loved some of the supporting characters and the friendships that Cooper started to make.
I also enjoyed the little happiness quotes at the start of each chapter.
The ending left me wanting to know what happens next not just for Cooper but for her friends too – this could easily make a series!
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting take on happiness. I like that it is a novel written by a psychologist. The conclusion is one of those things that sounds simple but is so hard to do in real life.

This started out with a cool concept but the characters were really unlikeable.

I had a hard time wanting to finish, so I eventually put it down.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

A beautifully written book that explores the relationships with not only oneself, but with a whole variety of people too; bosses, colleagues, friends, family, strangers etc.

I felt a lot of feelings throughout this book; I was often hopeful, happy and inspired. But on occasion I was also shocked, outraged around downright miserable. I definitely felt how the characters felt on their journeys.

One specific moment gave me actual goosebumps as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.


I absolutely adore the inclusion of the chocolate cake recipe; never have I been more jealous of a fictional character as when all of the delightful cakes were talked about in great detail.

I would have loved an epilogue to see exactly what happened with everyone's situations. Vague questions to avoid spoilers but...

Was the romance a success? Did the sister trip go well? How was the birthday cake? Did the app work? Did the group continue? Was the quiz truth admitted to? Who got tenure? Did Stella hide more than the letters? Did the shady couple make long distance work? And many more.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The story is about Cooper Hunziker, a 32 year old who accepts a position as an assistant psychology professor at Yale University whilst she is also on the verge of publishing her book "The Happiness Connection", however despite writing this book Cooper isn't happy and some people at Yale University have it in for her making it tough for her to fit in. Cooper has had a hard time and is suffering from some childhood trauma which is brought to light in the story, whilst she deals with different issues in her life whilst trying to find out what it really is that will make her happy.

Quite a lot of content with some highs and lows and covers some difficult topics but overall an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

This one was a tough one for me, I had a really hard time staying invested in Cooper's story. I am glad that I stuck it out because the last third of the book was worth the wait. If there was a sequel to this book, I would read it because I think the story would move along at a faster pace now that Cooper knows what she wants from her own life.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I have to say I was a little disappointed. I expected this book to be completely different.
I found it disturbing about how unhappy Cooper. I also felt like it was hard to keep up and a bit slow.
I kept wondering if Cooper will ever be happy.

I think Lucy Burdette is a better mystery writer and look foward to reading her mystery novels.

This is my first book by Lucy Burdette. I found it good, but had a hard time liking the main character. I loved the setting at Yale.

I’ve read several mysteries by Lucy Burdette so I mistakenly thought this was a mystery as well but was pleasantly surprised when no one died (though there were several people who would have been perfect to be the victim). I enjoyed getting to know Cooper and her new friends in Connecticut but found the story predictable. I also found it troubling that she let her legal issues sit without any action on them whatsoever for so long. Despite that, the writing flowed well and the story was engaging. Still kinda wishing there was a dead body, though.

I really thought I’d like this book but I found it boring and very predictable. I’d already guessed each twist so it really felt like I was just waiting for it to end.

The main character in this novel is supposed to be an expert on Happiness. But Cooper was a very negative person which was not at all what I was expecting in this one as this made for difficult reading.

What a charming romance with an MC Cooper you grow to love and cheer on from miserable Yale psychologist to contented best-selling author. I almost got bogged down by the emotional drains in Cooper's life, yet the author writes such real characters -- especially the women in the happiness group she co-leads with hunky Judd -- that I could not help but plow through, knowing there was good stuff ahead. And boy was there! One of my fave books this year, a delight that uplifted my spirits. Highly recommended for romance fans who love intelligent stories with endearing characters.

This book tells the story of Dr Cooper Hunziker who becomes a media sensation after her self help book on happiness is a hit. Everything seems to be going well - she is in with a shot of getting a tenure at Yale, her book is a success and she has a great boyfriend.
We soon find that all is not what it seems, someone is out to get her and the happiness guru is not happy at all.
Cooper takes on an advisory role in a friendship group and while she helps the women, she finds they help her in ways she never thought possible.
I really enjoyed the book, loved the elements of friendship and family relationships and especially loved the foodie element.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Most people want to be happy. Yet why is that so hard sometimes? In The Ingredients of Happiness, author Roberta Isleib helps her characters and readers realize where life’s true joys lie.
Many of us pursue happiness by chasing success, just as her main character Cooper does when she accepts a stressful, tenure-vying Yale professorship. Or we invest in unsatisfying relationships without calculating the cost, just as Cooper does, mismatched in love and invested in a toxic friendship. Through her engaging, thoughtful story, Isleib shows us where real happiness can be found: in supportive relationships, meaningful careers, and the simplest of pleasures such as cuddling a beloved cat or baking a scrumptious chocolate cake (recipe included!)
Happiness quotes and research set the stage for each chapter, and readers can glean much insight into their own happiness journey by noting the rich wisdom on offer there. Isleib also introduces many useful ‘happiness’ exercises through Cooper’s fictional self-help group’s tasks: One I particularly appreciated was to make a list of your daily activities, then think about which ones make you happier. Quite revealing! (So no more doom scrolling for me, I say.)
Isleib accomplishes all this within a page-turning mystery (who reported the plagiarism? why?); provides us with a take on childhood dynamics that dampen our happiness; and sets up delightful comeuppances for the bad guys. Even then, happiness wisdom frames the action. When Cooper finally takes down her blustery boss, for instance, she says: “Wasn’t it Jung who wrote that every person must face a measure of darkness in his life? I suppose it might be your turn.”
One other delight: Isleib, author of the Key West Food Critic mysteries, truly excels whenever food enters the picture. You’ll be hungry after reading wonderful descriptions of quiche (carmelized onions, leeks, homemade cheese), chicken pot pies (brimming with real carrots, potatoes, peas and chunks of chicken in creamy sauce), ravioli (fresh pasta stuffed with rich roasted eggplant and cheese, floating in a red sauce with fresh basil and more carmelized onions), and cake of course (melted chocolate, bundt pans brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with large crystals of sugar). Yum!
So do your happiness levels a favor today and read The Ingredients of Happiness. As you do, you just may find the wisdom you need to come to terms with the past, rethink a career, or ditch the toxic people in your life once and for all. All that wrapped together make for a very satisfying read. I highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for this opportunity to offer my honest review.

Cooper Hunziker seems to have landed her dream job as an assistant professor in psychology at Yale University and her self-help book, The Happiness Connection, is being published. But Cooper isn't happy. The department chair and staff are far from welcoming & have saddled Cooper with the task of co-leading a happiness support group. When accusations of plagiarism from a pop magazine arise, the university legal team is eager to protect its reputation at any cost. Can the visit of her lawyer fiance Daniel & her best friend Alafair help Cooper find the happiness she touts? An unexpected ending leaves Cooper in a better place in both her personal & professional lives.

Burdette's own background as a psychologist played a major role in the development of this story.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Severn House. All opinions are my own.