This Is What Happy Looks Like

by Jennifer E Smith

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

With two characters struggling to hide their secrets and their vulnerabilities as they fall in love, This What Happy Looks Like is thoughtful contemporary romance that will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen and Huntley Fitzpatrick.  Indeed, the formula is a little familiar (characters have family problems that they initially hide from each other but then help each other work out), but the execution is lovely  and the characters complex, so readers who enjoy the genre will find another book to love here.  Smith also adds a unique touch by interspersing emails and conversations that Graham and Ellie share between traditionally written chapters, bringing readers into some of the more intimate aspects of their relationship.

Although What Happy Looks Like features a teenage heartthrob swarmed by fans and paparazzi, the tone of the book is a little mellow.  It draws on the atmosphere of the small Maine tourist town in which Ellie lives, and the calm of the surroundings seems to seep into Smith’s writing.  Even as Graham and Ellie run from the paparazzi, run from each other, run from their parents and manager, nothing  is written as urgently as one suspects it must be.

Part of the point of the book, of course, is showing that being a movie star is not always as glamorous as it sounds—but if an author puts a movie star into a romance novel, a reader does expect it is to make the romance more exciting, evoking girls’ childhood fantasies of marrying their favorite celebrities.  Smith succeeds so well at making Graham come across as an ordinary guy that his status as a movie star seems like a plot point more than part of his character.  (Ellie has reservations about dating him and subsequently being in the public eye herself.)  His being a star initiates events, but does not add much swoon-factor to his romance with Ellie.

In general, the romance is not swoony—few lines stick out as being romantically quotable.  The real emphasis is on Ellie and Graham as characters, often individually.  Both are complex and dynamic; they accomplish true growth during the story, ultimately strengthening their bonds with their parents and friends and coming to understand more about themselves.   In the end, the exploration of their characters overshadows their romance, both thematically and plot-wise.  This is hardly wrong, but it is surprising due to the romance-heaving marketing and may disappoint readers who go in expecting a little more love.

This What Happy Looks Like is cute and solidly written, great for fans of contemporary YA who enjoy light issue stories and a smidgen of romance.  It is not highly original, but it will just hit the spot for people looking for chick-lit.