Laura Hankin

"For fans of Sex and the City and The Nanny Diaries comes this juicy story...that would make even the most meticulously Drybar-ed hair curl."--Good Housekeeping As seen in The Washington Post - Good Housekeeping - theSkimm - Good Morning America - ABC News - Book of the Month - Belletrist - OK! Magazine - Betches - Newsweek - Parade - New York Post Best Book of the Week A dark, witty page-turner about a struggling young musician who takes a job singing for a playgroup of overprivileged babies and their effortlessly cool moms, only to find herself pulled into their glamorous lives and dangerous secrets.... After her former band shot to superstardom without her, Claire reluctantly agrees to a gig as a playgroup musician for wealthy infants on New York's Park Avenue. Claire is surprised to discover that she is smitten with her new employers, a welcoming clique of wellness addicts with impossibly shiny hair, who whirl from juice cleanse to overpriced miracle vitamins to spin class with limitless energy. There is perfect hostess Whitney who is on the brink of social-media stardom and just needs to find a way to keep her flawless life from falling apart. Caustically funny, recent stay-at-home mom Amara who is struggling to embrace her new identity. And old money, veteran mom Gwen who never misses an opportunity to dole out parenting advice. But as Claire grows closer to the stylish women who pay her bills, she uncovers secrets and betrayals that no amount of activated charcoal can fix. Filled with humor and shocking twists, Happy and You Know It is a brilliant take on motherhood - exposing it as yet another way for society to pass judgment on women - while also exploring the baffling magnetism of curated social-media lives that are designed to make us feel unworthy. But, ultimately, this dazzling novel celebrates the unlikely bonds that form, and the power that can be unlocked, when a group of very different women is thrown together when each is at her most vulnerable.

Happy and You Know It

Rebecca Hurd

Well written with some amazing characters!! Any time the book started to get a little slow boom another twist!! Kept me interested through to the end!!

Micah

This book was just delightful. I loved the perspectives of three of the moms, as well as additional gossip about the other moms from the three perspectives, on top of Claire's perspective. I like how Hankin DID NOT shame Claire for her choice to never have children, and when Meredith and Ellie brought up how Claire would change her mind, Amara shut that shit down. I like how Whitney, Claire, and Gwen offered very different mother perspectives, even bringing up the horrific mommy-shaming that occurs in society. I would definitely recommend this book to new mothers. I took one star off for not having more about Vagabond, and because Grant wasn't fleshed out enough for me to like or dislike him.

Mariane Ferrantino 

Been awhile since I read a book in one day! This hold came in on the library ebook app right on the tail of the last book I finished. Such a fun page-turner with a lot to say about 21st century parenting, feminism, and social media.

Julia

always, annej 〄

Actual rating 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 llay 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?






☑︎It will be full of luxurious adventures with the moms.



☑︎Claire will be able to provide for herself again with the help of the moms.



☑︎Claire will change the way they think.



ⓧAfter Claire learned about their secrets, she will choose to stay away from them. 



ⓧ‌Claire will have a happy ending, one where she'll be famous.



Total score: 3/5




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Lauren Attaway

Escapism and intelligence and gossipy-ness and joy at its finest! Another book that took me away from social distancing realities!

Caitlin Snyder

Tatyana

I absolutely loved it. I was interested right from the beginning. The characters are amazing and this was well written. Definitely takes you on a journey of feelings and drama but that's what makes it so good.

Kayla Smith

I read this in 24 hours and had a great time. This isn’t full of substance but it is definitely compulsively readable.

Tayler Park

It takes a while to get into this book, especially all the different character's and their POV's but holy crap stuff got interesting & real. My favorite character was Whitney. She always stood up for her friends.

Megan Leprich

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.

Krystal Pollock

I enjoyed it

This one was a quick fast paced book that I enjoyed all the way to the end. Was easy to follow and didn't have to think about it much in order to just read and enjoy.

Jordan Carrier

Happy & You Know It follows Claire, a struggling musician and the six moms in the baby play group she sings to. On the surface, these moms are picture perfect rich New Yorkers, but Claire is quickly sucked into their drama and scandals. 

The first half of this book went pretty much where I expected it to go, with the petty dramas of the mothers, social media posturing, and mom-shaming. Then the second half took a very unexpected turn and I flew through to the end! I fell into the same trap as many characters in Happy & You Know It- I underestimated these mothers and thought I knew them from what they showed the outside world. And boy was I wrong! Underneath the wild ride was the reminder that women, stay at home moms in particular, have rich inner lives that sometimes go unnoticed and unappreciated and that ignoring and mistreating them can have serious consequences.

Irin 

●●● TRIGGER WARNING : Substance abuse, adultery.

Thanks to Penguin Random House International for the free book in exchange of an honest review. 💕

Reading Happy and You Know it was such a gripping ride, filled with unexpected twists and turns!

This book showed a quite different side of motherhood during the time where social media and public expectations rule our lives. I’m really young, so I don’t know much about motherhood myself, but boy did I enjoy reading this book! It was extremely bingable and kept me at the edge of my seat with how dark the story got at times.

I really loved how the author didn’t sugarcoat the way in which women have to deal with the changes that motherhood throws over them. The characters are flawed but realistic, you cannot help but connect to them.

The friendships (specially the relationship that Amara and Claire shared) were my favorite part of the book without a doubt. The comedic timings and humor added an extra star to my rating for the book too. 😁

Overall, this book was a really enjoyable read, and an eye-opener about the life of mothers. If you have no problem reading books with the trigger warnings stated, definitely pick it up!

Happy and You Know It

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