Book: Happy People Read and Drink Coffee

Author: Agnes Martin-Lugand

Genre: Fiction/Grief/Romance

Summary: Diane seems to have the perfect life. She is a wife, a mother, and the owner of Happy People Read and Drink Coffee, a cozy literary cafe in Paris. But when she suddenly loses her beloved husband and daughter in a car accident, the world as she knows it instantly vanishes. Trapped and haunted by her memories, Diane retreats from friends and family, unable and unwilling to move forward. But one year later, Diane shocks her loved ones with her surprising decision to move to a small town on the Irish coast. Finally determined to rebuild her life, Diane's new home is all quiet and comfort - until she meets Edward, the attractive yet taciturn Irish photographer who lives next door. Abrasive and unwelcoming, Edward resents Diane's intrusion into his life of solitude. Diane wants nothing more than to heal in peace, but her neighbor's gruff manner provokes her. Can their standoff bear the weight of an undeniable attraction? At once heartbreaking and uplifting, Diane's story is deeply felt, reminding us that love remembered is love enduring. - Weinstein Books, 2016

This book is just so flat. It's like a cardboard cutout of what a grieving widow should look like. You know she should be sad, and broken. You know she should be unable to function, and need support. In this case though, it's hard to feel anything at all for our main character. She's one-dimensional, and I couldn't even muster a sad sigh on her behalf.

The other big issue that caused me to DNF this was the fact that it's so cliche. Apparently this book is meant to be turned into a movie,and I can see where that stems from. This is written in an extremely formulaic fashion, that will probably translate to screen much better than it does in novel form. Reading a book that should be filled with emotion, and feeling empty, makes me sad.

Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand is not about happy people, reading, or coffee. The book is translated from the original French, and I don't know if it loses something in the translation. Unfortunately, the cliche, don't judge a book by its cover, applies to this book but not in the way it is usually intended. The lovely cover, the title, and the description conjure a picture that the book does not deliver on.

Read my complete review at Memories From Books - Happy People Read and Drink Coffee

Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through NetGalley