Happy And You Know It

Happy And You Know It caught my attention with its cover. I'm a sucker for a cute cover and based on its blurb I expected this to be a humorous read with a side of Feels that focuses on drama between rich mamas. But that's not the story I got.  

This is a lighter read that has a bit of a satirical 'Desperate Housewives' feel with its story set around the power playdates of a gaggle of privileged moms, their offspring and their private playdate musician (apparently that's a thing?!). The plot had just enough to keep me reading but overall, I thought this was a bit bland because not a lot happened. I thought its plot felt contrived, its twist lacked oomph and by the time the twist finally happened I was ready for the book to be done. 

I appreciate that the author tried to explore some aspects of 'mommy culture' (particularly the pressure to be the perfect mom) and didn't pit the moms against each other. A revelation! But I quickly became frustrated with the scattered plot and I think Hankin missed a big opportunity by not diving deeper into the topics of mental health, addiction, racism, and privilege. 

I got pulled in by its cute cover and I had higher hopes for this book. In the end, this was a superficial contemporary fiction read with a last-minute mystery that unfortunately is not a story that will stick with me long.  

My Rating: 2.5 stars

Author: Laura Hankin

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Publisher: Berkley

First Published: May 19, 2020

Opening Lines: New Yorkers are good at turning a blind eye. 

They ignore the subway ranters, the men who walk with 

pythons twined around their shoulders, anyone 

who suggests meeting for dinner in Times Square.

Book Description from GoodReads: A dark, witty page-turner set around a group of wealthy mothers and the young musician who takes a job singing to their babies and finds 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 overprivileged 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 perfect 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 cool 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.