Secrets to Happiness: A Novel

by: Sarah Dunn

Published by: Little, Brown and Company (March 25 release)

Review by Susan Palmer

Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn is a book that takes a look at how people in very extreme ways try to make themselves happy. Her main character, Holly Frick, has been recently divorced from her husband Alex for a year before she realizes that time has passed. It’s been hard for Holly to come to terms with her husband leaving her for not one woman, but for many and to be able to let go, for she still feels she’s in love with her husband. Holly is a comedy writer for television but takes a break and writes her very own novel. She bases her main male character on an ex-boyfriend before she met her husband Spencer.

Holly’s book adds a whole new level to her life. Apparently Holly has the face that makes all men tend to tell her his darkest secrets–and if that isn’t bad enough, her best friend Amanda tells her everything about her marriage to her husband Mark. Even Mark shares a few secrets of Amanda’s life to Holly. As Holly deals with the drama of listening to everyone’s insecurities she must also deal with Spencer’s new girlfriend who, out of the blue, emails her about some infidelity of Spencer’s. Holly must also mainstream herself back into the dating scene and picks some very interesting men for herself.

Sarah Dunn takes an interesting look at how people will go to the extremes to make themselves happy. Sometimes you sacrifice yourself and other times you sacrifice your friends. It’s how you get yourself into–and then how you get yourself out of these life situations. Sarah wrote this book in a comedic way for us to look at what we do to be happy, although in truth we sometimes fail miserably and do end up hurting ourselves or others in the process.

I felt it was a book to learn from, for we as humans make the mistake of thinking one thing will make us happy, when our hearts are telling us different. What’s important is to be able to differentiate between the two.

Armchair Interviews says: The challenges of being one who listens to everyone’s problems is clear in this story.