A ‘jewel of romantic comedy’ (New York Times) from the late great author, adored by Nigella Lawson, Dolly Alderton, Katherine Heiny and Caroline O’Donoghue.
It was just as she suspected: love turned you into perfect mush.
GUIDO is not in the habit of falling in love with women he sees in museums. Until he meets HOLLY. Precise about everything, she knows what she likes: pressed sheets, oranges (but nothing orange-flavoured), tea on a tray – and now, Guido.
Meanwhile VINCENT, Guido’s eternally cheerful best friend and cousin, falls for his misanthropic new colleague, MISTY. She seems as uninterested in love as she is in Vincent (at first).
Through courtship, arguments, wedding plans and other perils, the couples find a way to be happy (almost) all the time.
‘Seriously wise, seriously wonderful, seriously comic – your life will be richer for it’ Katherine Heiny
‘Uplifting, funny, generous. One of the most comforting, clever novels I know’ Samantha Ellis
‘Human and humorous, full of wisdom and love’ Emma Straub
It was just as she suspected: love turned you into perfect mush.
GUIDO is not in the habit of falling in love with women he sees in museums. Until he meets HOLLY. Precise about everything, she knows what she likes: pressed sheets, oranges (but nothing orange-flavoured), tea on a tray – and now, Guido.
Meanwhile VINCENT, Guido’s eternally cheerful best friend and cousin, falls for his misanthropic new colleague, MISTY. She seems as uninterested in love as she is in Vincent (at first).
Through courtship, arguments, wedding plans and other perils, the couples find a way to be happy (almost) all the time.
‘Seriously wise, seriously wonderful, seriously comic – your life will be richer for it’ Katherine Heiny
‘Uplifting, funny, generous. One of the most comforting, clever novels I know’ Samantha Ellis
‘Human and humorous, full of wisdom and love’ Emma Straub
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Reviews
A pleasure ... endless surprises and ultimately boundless joy ... It would be difficult not to enjoy it all
Amazing! Impossible to put down ... sharply funny, altogether unusual. I recommend it highly
Uplifting, funny, generous and perspicacious (especially about love), Happy all the Time is one of the most comforting, clever novels I know.
The cleverly curated new W&N Essentials range launches with Happy All The Time by Laurie Colwin. This sparkling and witty romantic comedy of manners... is like literary serotonin.
it abounds in good lines, aphorisms, advice to both the loved and the lovelorn
Laurie Colwin was the best kind of master: human and humorous, full of wisdom and love. When am I happy all the time? When I have a stack of Laurie Colwin books beside me
A jewel of romantic comedy
An elegant, fresh, funny tale of four people in love ... There's electricity here ... Pure delight
Rare and charming ... refreshingly soothing
Merry and bright and tender ... written in exquisitely balanced sentences that taste just right. Comparison with Jane Austen is not out of order
Delicious with much wit ... author and reader have the greatest fun
Shimmering ... funny... it made everything in my life seem a whole lot better
Colwin's canny Manhattan pastorale strikes me as at least as much fun to read as Sense and Sensibility
A funny, loving, celebratory book ... in which everything is perfect
