Sunday, May 24, 2020

A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson





What They Say....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?

What I Say.....I haven't book blogged in over a year.  Not because I haven't read any fabulous books, but more because my mind just wasn't in it.  Too much work stress, too much family stress, I just wanted to hibernate when I was home alone.  But as I've crawled out of my depression cave, I kept thinking that there were books I wanted to talk about.  
I picked this book off of NetGalley because I've read and loved Maddie Dawson's books.  I'm not sure exactly what happened with this book, but somehow when I downloaded it, I ended up starting it about halfway through.  And I couldn't figure out how we had gotten to this kid being there and the dad being so withdrawn, and a divorce seeming imminent.  They kept referring to things that had happened and I thought I just missed something.  But I was quickly drawn in even with the weirdness of the disjointed story.
Talk about living your life being distracted!  When I finished the book, I went back to the beginning to see if this was a sequel - and found out that yes, it was a sequel, but I had also missed at least half of the book.
Anyways.....I actually enjoyed going back to the beginning and starting the book knowing the ending, although it seemed anticlimactic.  One of the best things about Dawson's books is that you never know how they are going to end - they aren't formulaic. 

I love an awkward kid story, and Fritzie certainly fills that need for me.  As she drops (is dumped) into Patrick and Marnie's life, she's a little untamed, verbally expressive and very uncertain about why she suddenly has a dad, and one who doesn't seem to want to get to know her.  

Patrick and Marnie are total opposites, and while Patrick recoils from the connection, Marie dives headfirst into mom-hood and love for all of Fritzie's ways.  

Marnie is also full of empathy and compassion for Patrick's ghosts, but she's not okay with him not wanting kids with her, and she's definitely not okay with him emotionally distancing from a little girl who needs more from than he night be able to give.

I moved right into Matchmaking for Beginners, (it's $1.99 on Kindle right now) which was the first book about Patrick and Marnie - and I suggest you do it the right way, start there and then go to Happy Catastrophes, which right now is $4.69 on Kindle - total bargain!

This was the weirdest way to read two books, but it worked out, and I continue to be hooked on Maddie Dawson and all of the feelings that her books bring!  Give them a try, I'd love to know what you think.  

Current Goodreads Rating is 4.0




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