The Underside of Joy

Oct 23, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a very well writen novel with underlying message that in order to fully feel joy, one must also know pain. It is also a beautiful tribute to a mother's love in spite of a past not conducive for love. Above all, through the journey, mothering does not have to include giving birth to love a child.

The story is told through the point of view of Ella, a stepmother who stepped into theshoes and life of another wife and mother who left her own when post partum depression became too much to bea...more

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Feb 29, 2012 LAURA KAY A Novel Review rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

1 Kings 3:16-28, the Bible tells of a story of two women fighting over who was the the mother of one living child. The case was brought before King Solomon, who said he would cut the baby in two, so both women would have the child. One of the women yelled out, "Please, my Lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" After the woman yelled this out he handed her the baby proclaiming, she was indeed the child's mother (NIV).

The Underside of Joy is a heart-wrenching story of two mothers fightin...more 1 Kings 3:16-28, the Bible tells of a story of two women fighting over who was the the mother of one living child. The case was brought before King Solomon, who said he would cut the baby in two, so both women would have the child. One of the women yelled out, "Please, my Lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" After the woman yelled this out he handed her the baby proclaiming, she was indeed the child's mother (NIV).

The Underside of Joy is a heart-wrenching story of two mothers fighting over 'their' children. Ella Beene and Joe Capozzi have made a wonder and caring home for Annie and Zach. Filled with love and surrounded by Joe's big Italian family. One looking in from the outside would never guess that Ella is the stepmother, because in every single way she is their real...and only mother.

Paige Capozzi, the children's biological mother couldn't handle the stress of motherhood. Soon after having Zach, she just checked out. As far as everyone knew she hadn't even bothered to send the kids cards or called to see how they were doing. Joe divorced her shortly after he met Ella, who openly welcomed motherhood. And for three years Joe and Ella seemed to have it all. It all ended one summer morning in '99.

Suddenly, Joe is gone and Ella is on her own with the kids, helping them to deal with their grief. When out of nowhere, Paige turns up. She is ready to take her children back and is ready to fight for them as their biological mother. Ella's world is turned even more upside than she thought possible, as Paige begins making outrageous claims about Joe. Two women fighting over the children they believe to be theirs. The Underside of Joy will have you asking yourself...what makes a mother, but wait to make judgement because you might not have the whole story.

The Underside of Joy is Seré Prince Halverson debut novel. This one had be grabbing for the kleenex over and over and over again! But don't worry you won't be crying long, because you won't hardly be able to put it down!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I mean it really plays with the heartstrings. I'm not a stepmother, but I know without a doubt if I was I would be just as much a mama bear as I would be with my biological children making me relate to Ella...and if someone was with my biological children no matter who she was or how wonderful she was to my children, well she wouldn't be me and I would fight like crazy for them, so I could relate on some level to Paige! What a story! And what I've written about today is only the first layer of this amazing story! That's right there is so much more, so much deeper. Ella really walks through some serious stuff to find her way to the end. I have only good things about this book, it was amazing! This is a book I know I will be sharing with the women in my life!(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Ciara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: baby-pregnancy-infertility-parentin, read-in-2012

it was probably unwise of me to read a novel about a blissfully happy woman married to her dream man, stepmother to his two delightful young children, living the good life in a charming little cottage in northern california, whose life is upended one day when her husband suddenly drowns. especially while i am pregnant. i already have a pathological fear of my partner dying in a freak accident; this book did me no favors in that department.

& i guess halverson read a few books about how your p...more it was probably unwise of me to read a novel about a blissfully happy woman married to her dream man, stepmother to his two delightful young children, living the good life in a charming little cottage in northern california, whose life is upended one day when her husband suddenly drowns. especially while i am pregnant. i already have a pathological fear of my partner dying in a freak accident; this book did me no favors in that department.

& i guess halverson read a few books about how your protagonists really need to confront conflict, because it wasn't enough to have this woman suddenly thrust into single motherhood & mourning. no, she had to discover that her husband was hiding from her the reality of how poorly his small independent grocery store was doing. it's deep in the red & she has no idea how she's going to claw her way out of the financial pit she is in. & to top things off, the kids' mother has suddenly reappeared, all composed & glamorous, & she's suing for custody.

the whole thing read like kind of a middling film that might have starred someone like katherine heigl before everyone decided she didn't like her. or maybe jennifer garner circa "13 going on 30". you'd think that with all this dark stuff happening, the book would have a darker tone, but instead, ella hatches a plan to turn the grocery into a picnic shop. called life's a picnic. her sassy gay brother-in-law, who has been suffering the life of the idle rich since he made a bucket of money during the dot-com era, will be the gourmet picnic chef. they will sell sandwiches, macaroni salads, artisanal soft drinks, you get the picture. a reclusive local artist will design a map of the area so tourists know the best places to picnic. it will be a whole family affair, with the grandparents getting involved in coming up with recipes & redecorating. it's just so...cheesy. & in this economy, it's really hard for me to imagine a shop like this being economically successful. especially in northern california, which does have seasons, several of which are not appropriate for picnicking. i mean...a picnic shop. an artisanal olive oil & vinegar store recently opened in my town & i thought that was fucking crazy because who the hell buys so much olive oil & vinegar that they would seek out a special shop for it? but a picnic store is perhaps an even worse idea.

& then, with the whole birth mom thing...turns out she abandoned the kiddos shortly after the second one was born because she was suffering from extreme post-partum depression. her own mother had experienced post-partum psychosis & horrifically abused her as an infant because of it. she was worried she would replicate this familial legacy so she legged it. a few months later, her husband met ella, moved her into the cottage, got a quickie divorce, & ignored all of his ex-wife's letters about how she was getting better & ready to be a mom again. this whole plotline took a serious & potentially interesting subject & turned it into something right out of a bad soap.

& don't even get me started on the whole italian american internment camp plotline. i don't know, man. this book was far more of a featherweight confection than i had bargained for, & not in a fun way.(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Sue Seligman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was on Jennifer Weiner's blog as one of her top reads of the summer so I requested it from the library, and I am glad that I did. The novel is about a woman who thinks she has finally obtained the perfect life. After an unhappy marriage where her infertility struggles overwhelmed her relationship, she finds happiness with a wonderful husband and father of two small children in a small town in California. He helps his family run a small grocery store, the family business for generations...more This book was on Jennifer Weiner's blog as one of her top reads of the summer so I requested it from the library, and I am glad that I did. The novel is about a woman who thinks she has finally obtained the perfect life. After an unhappy marriage where her infertility struggles overwhelmed her relationship, she finds happiness with a wonderful husband and father of two small children in a small town in California. He helps his family run a small grocery store, the family business for generations, and he pursues a love of photography. Ellie has always been under the impression that Joe's wife had abandoned him and their small children, and she seemingly effortlessly slides into the role of mother to them and wife to Joe. Suddenly, the unthinkable happens, when Joe is killed in a drowning accident, and Joe's ex wife emerges on the scene to seek custody of the children. The rest of the plot concerns Ellie's struggle to save the failing business, and to face the secrets that Joe had hidden from her regarding their finances, but more importantly, about his relationship with Paige and her struggles with postpartum depression.
This story is more than just a chick lit book. Not only do we see that even the most perfect of marriages may hide cracks beneath the surface, but we are privy to a host of complex relationships among extended family members and small town residents. The prevalent theme in this novel is the importance of family, and the struggles faced between parents and step-parents when raising children. This is a story of secrets and lies, of generational and familial loyalty, parent and child relationships. Also, there is a subplot concerning a little known historical fact...that many Italian American men were sent to "internment camps" during the years of World War II due to a fear of spying and anti Italian prejudice. The characters in the book, along with many readers, are unaware that this actually took place; most people know about the internment of Japanese Americans at this time, but I, for one, had not heard about the Italian American internment.
This is a realistic and well written novel which I read in 2 days. The characters are believable and the setting is described vividly and brilliantly. The plot never drags, and immediately hooks the reader. A very engrossing and emotional read!(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Susan Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being a stepparent is not easy. Everyone watches your every move to make sure that you don't make a mistake. Birth parents are allowed mistakes but stepparents aren't. And nobody really understands the depths of your love for these children- that there are times when you forget you didn't give birth to them. I know. I raised four stepkids as the primary caretaker. If the absent mother had tried to waltz in and take custody of my kids, I would have NEVER reacted the way Ella Beene did. It just go...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

They say happiness is something that you are born with , it is in your DNA. As "The Underside of Joy" teaches us that happiness is something that we experience but in a way I do believe that it is in our outlook on life and in our DNA whether we have a postive or negative outlook on life and depending what our perosnality and life outlook is , thats the measure of how much happiness one can experience. Ella Beanne , passed through a small town called Elbow three years ago and never contemplated...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ella Bean is no fairy tale wicked stepmother. She loves her husband Joe and she loves his children, Annie and Zach, as if they are her own. In fact, while Annie remembers her birth mother, Paige, Ella is the only mother Zach has ever known. But one day, Ella’s idyllic world is shattered when her husband drowns in a tragic accident, taking with him secrets she didn’t know he was keeping. Now, Paige wants Annie and Zach back in her life, and Ella begins to realize that she may not know the truth o...more Ella Bean is no fairy tale wicked stepmother. She loves her husband Joe and she loves his children, Annie and Zach, as if they are her own. In fact, while Annie remembers her birth mother, Paige, Ella is the only mother Zach has ever known. But one day, Ella’s idyllic world is shattered when her husband drowns in a tragic accident, taking with him secrets she didn’t know he was keeping. Now, Paige wants Annie and Zach back in her life, and Ella begins to realize that she may not know the truth of Paige and Joe’s past. What unfolds in The Underside of Joy is both an uplifting and heartbreaking story of two women who believe themselves to be the best mother for Annie and Zach.

Sere Prince Halverson really weaves quite a story here. In a classic fairy tale, this would be a story of good versus evil. Instead, we get something much more complicated. Perhaps no true heroine, perhaps no real malice. What we learn is that everyone has secrets. The stories behind these secrets shape who we are and how we relate to the people in our lives. Some secrets we keep because they are too painful to remember. Others might lead us to walk away from what we most love. Yet the repercussions of these actions, and the quest for the truth, ripple much farther than we can anticipate.

That’s exactly what happens here. As Ella prepares to fight for custody of Annie and Zach, she learns there is much she doesn’t know about Joe’s family, who she has come to know and love. She learns that secrets from her own past have enabled her to see only what she wants to see. I’d love to say more about that here, but if I do, I’ll be spoiling major plot points but suffice it to say that Halverson deftly explores secrets and truth in a multitude of layers.

I struggled a bit with the ending of the novel. A part of me thinks it was wrapped up a little too neatly, that too many people get bogged down in the messiness of life to make this ending work in reality. But another, bigger, more hopeful part of me thinks that if people are striving to be their best self, to be generous enough to do what is best for them and others, then this is precisely the ending we should have. I’ll let you come to your own conclusion on that one.

The Underside of Joy was a wonderful read, and a stunning debut novel that will likely stick with you for a few days after finishing it. It did for me, as I contemplated just how much Ella chose to see only what she wanted to.(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Underside Of Joy
by
Sere Prince Halverson

My Thoughts...

I started crying on page 14...I wish I could tell you why but when you read it you will understand why it's best that you find out for yourself.

This very sad event is what is the heart of this story which is not so much a story of sadness but a story of hope. But you have to live through all of the sadness to experience what is on the other side.

Oh...there is sadness but there is also so much more. Characters are shared, explained, challen...more The Underside Of Joy
by
Sere Prince Halverson

My Thoughts...

I started crying on page 14...I wish I could tell you why but when you read it you will understand why it's best that you find out for yourself.

This very sad event is what is the heart of this story which is not so much a story of sadness but a story of hope. But you have to live through all of the sadness to experience what is on the other side.

Oh...there is sadness but there is also so much more. Characters are shared, explained, challenged and then they grow. This is so much a story of more than one family that hid its secrets and its sorrows and put them in boxes and under beds and in closets and just wished them to disappear. And of course that never happens...a family is destroyed but hopefully it is able to sort of reprogram itself from the ashes.

Ella Bean sort of falls into this loving wonderful extended Italian family. She marries into it and becomes Mommy to Annie and Zack. She has suffered through five miscarriages and one divorce and this family is ready made for her. They are her life...she is the mommy. Then...Annie and Zack's mother comes back after a three year absence and wants them back. Ella...just the stepmother...has no real rights to them. But she loves them and they love her...
and she is willing to do whatever she can to remain...mommy.

This is a beautifully told story set in a beautiful little town in Northern California. Lots of redwoods and vineyards and small town celebrations and a lovely old Italian grocery store that Ella must save. Food descriptions abound...you will want a picnic basket and wine to sip and cheeses and breads and salads and Eggplant Parmesan to nibble on...you will crave a garden and chickens and a wonderful dog named Callie and two kittens named Thing 1 and Thing 2.

This book is lovely and sad and beautiful and so well written that you will spend your day on a sofa in a sunroom with a kitty on your lap reading reading reading until you find out what happens to everyone and if Ella will be ok and if Zack will grow up and if there will be happiness at the end of this magnificently told journey.

I loved this book. Totally. (less)

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Jan 30, 2012 Rene rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted to like this book. It was recommended in several different places, and the summary hooked me in. The subject matter chosen was infinitely complex, and profound. It had so much potential to reveal so much about human nature.

What I got was a novel that became so predictable by the middle that it was almost boring to continue to read it. I already knew what they were all going to do and what was going to happen next; I just had to keep slogging through the rest of the obvious words trying...more I wanted to like this book. It was recommended in several different places, and the summary hooked me in. The subject matter chosen was infinitely complex, and profound. It had so much potential to reveal so much about human nature.

What I got was a novel that became so predictable by the middle that it was almost boring to continue to read it. I already knew what they were all going to do and what was going to happen next; I just had to keep slogging through the rest of the obvious words trying to point to it. The author uses so much symbolism in her novel that it cheapens the entire point of using symbolism in the first place. She further reduces the subtlety of symbolism by having either the narrator or other characters in the novel point out symbols and explain them in great detail. No symbol is left un-turned and un-exploited.

Good chunks of the dialogue between character is forced, and it was clear that the author was trying to tell the readers something profound behind the characters who spoke as nothing more than puppet heads for what she couldn't find another way to say but contrived dialogue and monologue. While there was much talk *about* everyone feelings for these children who were supposedly central to this novel, they were clearly not independent characters in this book, but served only as vehicles for the author to propel her novel towards its foregone conclusion.

I am a mother, both to biological and adoptive children. While I have never suffered this level of struggle after the birth of my children, I have been there to bear witness to some of those closest to me as they journeyed those dark places. I have glimpsed the magnitude of the pain and the love, the fear and the hope, the selflessness and self-preservation that ripples endlessly when a mother looks within and makes the decision to entrust her children to another. I bear witness every day to children thrust into the position of making sense of the senseless, and picking up the pieces of the choices that adults have made for them. I bear witness to how people join together for the sake of children, and how they fall apart. These things all speak to parts of us that are primal, and infinitely nuanced.

And that, ultimately, pinpoints my entire disappointment with this book--- that a premise with such potential turned into nothing more than flat, cardboard characters puffed up with a lot of talk, who didn't exist in this story as human individuals through which a plot blossoms and makes meaning, but as chintzy props subservient a plot that already had its mind made up. Instead of book whose characters who do justice to the themes in this novel, they come off as cheap imitations of the real thing: surface and shallow, trying to make us see something that the author herself either clearly does not grasp, or is completely unable to transmit to paper. There is no depth of relationships, no depth of parent-child relationship, no depth of individual characters and therefore no true feeling, only lots of fancy words to lead us on a pre-chosen path of discovery that in the end discovers nothing, reveals nothing. Far from doing justice to these themes, this book makes a mockery of them. It cheapens them. I could not have been more disappointed by something that promised so much and delivered so little. (less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Jillian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

We want to believe that once we’ve found joy in our lives, all of the hardships have been worth it and nothing will spoil that wonder we have gained. As such, we take pains to keep our lives unblemished and pure and for some people, that means hiding the wrongs they have committed or the mistakes they have made in order to keep their lives as joyful and pain-free as possible. They never understand, after the fact, how it could have gone wrong or what they missed or how they have hurt their loved...more We want to believe that once we’ve found joy in our lives, all of the hardships have been worth it and nothing will spoil that wonder we have gained. As such, we take pains to keep our lives unblemished and pure and for some people, that means hiding the wrongs they have committed or the mistakes they have made in order to keep their lives as joyful and pain-free as possible. They never understand, after the fact, how it could have gone wrong or what they missed or how they have hurt their loved ones.
It is in the midst of this joy that we find Ella. She has been through one bad marriage and has found her way to Joe and the children she could never have. They have settled in Elbow, in Northern California, surrounded by the forests and water. Joe has a hobby of photography and chooses to go out and take pictures of the waves one particularly windy morning. He does not return. The aftermath of his loss is where we find The Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson.

On the day of Joe’s funeral, his ex-wife, long gone, has returned. Ella has already lost Joe and now she is faced with the possibility of losing everything she has left. The business he ran is failing, his children are learning to appreciate his ex-wife (and their biological mother) and Ella is slowly estranging from Joe’s family. Will she have anything left as her own when it is finished? What will she learn about herself and the nature of all encompassing love? Will she be able to forgive Joe his trespasses against all of them as he kept his secrets and his weaknesses from her to keep them in their own personal romance?

The Underside of Joy is, at heart, a love story. However, it in non-traditional in the sense that we already know that Ella and Joe found each other. What happens when they lose each other is where the real learning and bonding takes place. Did Ella ever really love Joe? Did she ever really know Joe? And can she learn to be alright with herself and who she is without him? The story is melded beautifully with some lovely twists and turns. Ella is completely fallible and she recognizes this in herself and strives to change it. So frequently authors make their heroines unaware of their weaknesses and Halverson allows Ella to grow through hers in many ways and cling to them without letting go, as well. She is a fragile heroine, at best, and a conflicted one, at worst. In other words, she is like most of us.

Plot-wise, the story was solid. I appreciated the polished setting and the author’s ability to move me in and out of the small town of Elbow and keep me feeling like I was a true part of this story without Hemingwaying me to sleep. It is a rare occasion that I feel like I am a part of the book, sitting on the edge of the page looking at the characters and silent like a ghost. I was truly there in many instances. When Ella found out about Joe, I reeled with her, though I already knew what was happening. When Paige steps in to take her children back, I fought with Ella, and yet I yearned for Paige to have what she lost. The true test of a story is whether or not it can make you believe even when you know something different. This novel passed the test.

It is a thoughtful read and I enjoyed taking my time with this one, though it is a feasible one sitting novel if you have a rainy day, a cup of tea, and some fresh cookies. I can absolutely see settling down on the couch and devouring this novel in a day and enjoying it greatly. I hope you can, too.

Note: I received this book for free in order to review it. Thank you for allowing me to share my opinions, good or bad.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My review for the AP:
¶ "The Underside of Joy" (Dutton), by Sere Prince Halverson: If joy was a pool, there was a time when Ella Beene "did backflips in the deep end of happiness." And then suddenly, too soon, it was as if she hit her head on the diving board and everything came to a crashing end.
¶ Ella's second husband drowns, leaving her with two small stepchildren and a nearly bankrupt business. She had no idea their financial situation was so dire. Worse, her husband had given her no hint th...more My review for the AP:
¶ "The Underside of Joy" (Dutton), by Sere Prince Halverson: If joy was a pool, there was a time when Ella Beene "did backflips in the deep end of happiness." And then suddenly, too soon, it was as if she hit her head on the diving board and everything came to a crashing end.
¶ Ella's second husband drowns, leaving her with two small stepchildren and a nearly bankrupt business. She had no idea their financial situation was so dire. Worse, her husband had given her no hint that his first wife, who had abandoned the family years earlier, had been seeking custody of their children.
¶ Sere Prince Halverson's debut novel looks at the underside of joy _ the secrets couples keep to protect each other and themselves.
¶ Her main character, Ella, is fleeing from the wreckage of a first marriage destroyed by the quiet agony of infertility when she sees her future husband, Joe, struggling with an infant and a toddler. She offers a hand, he accepts, and after a whirlwind courtship, she's moved into his home and taken over as mother to his children. She's happy not to ask too many questions. His first wife is gone. The business is his business. End of story.
¶ Looking back, Ella reflects, "The most genuine happiness" cannot be "so blind."
¶ Halverson has created in Ella a character who is naive and strong, believable in her grief, and realistically shattered when she does the right thing, only to have it cost her more. There is a heart-stopping, mind-altering pain that comes with losing someone suddenly and a slow return to sanity afterward. Halverson captures this perfectly as Ella struggles to keep herself, the family business and her family together.
¶ She also offers a sharp look at relationships among women as Ella struggles to find some common ground with Paige, Joe's first wife. Both are jealous and resentful _ Ella envies Paige's beauty, only to find Paige resents the seemingly greater love Joe bore her. And yet, the women are pulled together by their love for Joe's children.
¶ A second tragedy unites them, leading to a conclusion that is satisfying and realistic. In an era when more and more children have two moms (or two dads), the novel offers an apolitical take on why two parents are better than one, regardless of gender.
¶ "The Underside of Joy" covers the transforming experiences of most of our lives _ marriage, parenthood and death _ with maturity, understanding and grace. Anyone who has known love, loss, regret and forgiveness can identify with Ella and her transformation, and with subplots about sibling rivalry, the local food movement and the persecution of Italian immigrants during World War II, the book offers a lot to think about. I suspect it will be a book club favorite.
¶ ___
¶ Online:
¶ http://www.sereprincehalverson.com/ne... (less)

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Nov 22, 2011 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am so glad I was able to get a preview copy of this book. The Underside of Joy is beautifully written. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. And now I can’t stop thinking about and missing the characters. It’s about grief and love and marriage and motherhood and step-motherhood (really aren’t they the same?). It’s about family and all the ways we’re shaped by past generations and how our choices and actions shape future generations.
Ella is a woman who can’t have any kids...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Beth Peninger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a debut novel! Halverson's book about parental love is so good, I devoured it.
Ella Beene is living an idyllic in Elbow, CA with Joe and her two kids, Annie and Zach. But tragedy strikes our main character early on in the book and with Ella's loss comes a host of secrets Joe had been keeping from her and everyone else. As those kind of secrets usually are, a whole lot of hurt is piled on top of Ella's loss of Joe. Enter Annie and Zach's birth mom, Paige. Showing up at Joe's memorial and mak...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-fiction

When they talk about high stakes for a novel’s protagonist, none are higher than Ella Beene’s. This book is one of those immediately addictive ones that grabs you from the outset because of these stakes and how they’re high on multiple levels. It’s funny because much of this is extremely predictable yet it works because as a reader you’re reacting to the events in the same way the protagonist does. It’s like how in your own life you can totally see something coming down the pike and you’re think...more When they talk about high stakes for a novel’s protagonist, none are higher than Ella Beene’s. This book is one of those immediately addictive ones that grabs you from the outset because of these stakes and how they’re high on multiple levels. It’s funny because much of this is extremely predictable yet it works because as a reader you’re reacting to the events in the same way the protagonist does. It’s like how in your own life you can totally see something coming down the pike and you’re thinking, aw crap, xyz is going to happen and it sucks. That’s how it is with this book and it makes the reader completely sympathize with Ella. It’s almost painful to read at times given what she’s going through (husband dies, his ex, deadbeat wife suddenly wants the kids back, the kids Ella raised). The book made me uncomfortable at times and that is a credit to the author and the story she creates.

The writing is quite lovely, although some things are repeated too frequently. Loamy and wood smoke are good descriptors but when multiple people smell like them multiples times throughout the book it’s a little odd. I mean, loamy? Really? Another minor quibble is that this book takes place in the late 90s and there are a ton of anachronisms. Also there is major decision Ella makes I had a hard time with. I didn’t find it believable considering how she viewed herself in relation to the people around her. However, after ruminating on it a bit, perhaps it does make sense. A good discussion for a book club for sure.

There are many gray areas touched on here, which I love in fiction. No one is all good or all bad. There is also an exploration of the stepmother/mother relationship that I suppose was a little lost on me as I’ve never been or had a stepmother. I sometimes got frustrated with Ella’s actions and reactions and had to remind myself of her unique position. It gave me a unique appreciation for the interplay between these extended family members.

Though I adored 90% of the book, the ending didn’t totally work for me. Not that I hated (or even disliked) it, but it didn’t have me walking away fully satisfied. That said, this is a fantastic, gripping, emotional read and definitely pulled me out of my fiction rut. An absolute page-turner of a book.(less)

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Dec 11, 2012 Dale Harcombe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ella’s husband Joe dies leaving her with a shop, a pile of debts which she only discovers later and two young step children. What makes a mother? Can a stepmother ever love those children the way their birth mother who is still alive, but who for reasons which become clear as the novel progresses left the children for several years, can? This is one theme of the novel. Another is honesty? Is honesty always the best policy when it can cause more trouble for a person and a family? Another interest...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit, books-i-own, for-review

Two mothers and two children that mean the world to them both in many different ways. For Ella Beene life became complete the day she met Joe and his two children Annie & Zack, but after his sudden & tragic death all of life’s joy seems to slip away from her. For Paige her life ended when she walked away from Joe and her two children only three years prior and the news of his death becomes a reason to live again and to make up for the moments missed. In the months that follow a struggle...more Two mothers and two children that mean the world to them both in many different ways. For Ella Beene life became complete the day she met Joe and his two children Annie & Zack, but after his sudden & tragic death all of life’s joy seems to slip away from her. For Paige her life ended when she walked away from Joe and her two children only three years prior and the news of his death becomes a reason to live again and to make up for the moments missed. In the months that follow a struggle between Ella and Paige could end in another tragedy for both of them. Is it possible to have happiness when everything seems to be so wrong?

When I initially picked up The Underside of Joy by Sere Halverson I was most intrigued by how the story would play out and my prejudice against the birth mother Paige began almost before I turned the first page. Who wouldn’t dislike a mother who picks up and leaves when things get a bit tough? But what I learned from reading The Underside of Joy was that there is always more to the story than there appears at first glance. Sere Halverson’s ability to build this multi-dimensional world where the lives of these characters are revealed layer by layer was miraculous especially considering this is her debut novel. Within a couple of chapters I was completely absorbed in Ella’s story, her loss, her future and the potential she still had for losses to come. It was beautiful story telling and one that made me more appreciative of the fragility of the lives we live.

Ella’s story was obviously the main focus of The Underside of Joy and it was something I’d never read before. Imagine marrying the love of your life, inheriting two beautiful children to then have it all ripped away only a couple of years later. It was unbelievably compelling and I couldn’t help but have extreme sympathy for her even when in most cases the step-mother is looked at as the “evil” one. Ella was kind and loving and perhaps a better mother than I even am, so it was unbelievably sad to see her whole life ripped away. Her determination and devotion to her family and the life she created was something I thoroughly enjoyed.

What I was surprised by was how much I disliked Paige’s character and subsequently Joe’s as more truth was uncovered throughout the book. It’s a theme I’ve seen before in other books and one that I find incredibly interesting. We all keep secrets, everyone does. The question is when does it go too far and when do those secrets do more harm than good. In Paige’s case the truth was something that not only damaged her, but her future life with her own children. At the same time, had some of those truths been revealed earlier I’m not sure whether they would have helped or hurt her case in regards to the custody of her children. Would Ella revealed them, were she told by Joe, and subsequently had her deemed unfit to be a mother? I’m not sure, but in the end things played out for the best for everyone no matter how unconventional it may be.

The Underside of Joy by Sere Halverson is a stunning debut. A novel that turns the standard stereotypes of step-mothers on it’s head and creates a gorgeous portrait of a woman devoted to her family & life. There were only a few occasions near the beginning of the story that I felt were a little slow, but otherwise I was completely engulfed in the beautiful writing of Sere Halverson. Reading about the lives of these characters, their choices and the secrets they kept from one another was perfectly crafted creating a story that played out layer by layer to reach a very surprising ending. I’m eager to read more by Sere Halverson in the future and I’d highly recommend The Underside of Joy who loves well written women’s fiction.

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site Chick Lit Reviews and News.(less)

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Feb 04, 2012 Melanie Coombes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

This is the author's debut novel and I certainly hope she continues writing. I loved the story, the writing style, the characters....
I highly recommend this book!
The story begins almost immediately with the death of Ella's husband Joe. Ella has been married to Joe for 3 years and in that time has become a stepmother to his two young children. In fact, Ella is really the only mother the children have known, since their birth mother abandoned them 3 years earlier.
But suddenly, Paige, the children...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

I loved this book from page one. The beautiful descriptions allowed me to transport myself to the Sonoma setting and to observe the happy existence Ella had created with Annie, Zach and Joe. In the following passage, Ella describes herself:

My name is Ella Beene and, as one might imagine, I have had my share of nicknames. Of all of them, Joe's was one I downright cherished. I'm not a physical beauty - not ugly, but nothing near what I'd look like if I'd had a say in the matter

That is so well p...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ella may have had her problems, not least of which is a marriage that has fallen apart due to being unable to have children. One day she finds herself in the small town of Elbow where she runs into Joe Capozzi , a single father of two. Ella swiftly falls in love with the whole family and settles into life in Elbow. One morning, Joe goes missing in the water and is discovered drowned. The children need a parent and in the absence of their biological mother Paige, she loves and supports them whils...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars. I started reading this immediately after finishing The Hunger Games, so it took me a few days to shift gears and transition into such a heavy and emotional story after the suspense and tension of HG. It was hard for me to get into this story at first, probably because of that stark contrast of the previous book that I adored, but once I got into this I was hooked.

Beautiful story about a woman who loses her husband and then has the bio-mom of her step kids show up and want custody. Of...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, nook, best-of-2012

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....

There are not enough words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. I am a Stepmother, a fairly new Stepmother, but a Stepmother nonetheless. I have a Stepmother and my own Mother is a Stepmother. I can not say how GREAT it was to read about a Stepmother in a positive situation with kids who adore her as much as she adores them. Ella's scenario is not one I am ever likely to be in, but if I were, you bet your bottom dollar that I would fight to the death...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is our current Book club book. It was an easy read...quick, compelling and not too "thick" either in width, or in depth. Without giving too much away, it is about grief, loss, and excavating past demons. The characters all seem to have a past issue that is brought to the surface when Ella's husband Joe dies unexpectedly, leaving her with two stepchildren and the birth mother who abandoned them fighting for custody.
While some of the plot twists are predictable events to compel the story alon...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star

Ella loves her life living in Northern California with her husband Joe and her two step-children Annie and Zach. Joe's first wife abandoned him and their children when Zach was only 2 months old. Ella always wanted children so she loves stepping into the role of mom. For 3 years their life seems picture-perfect, but one day Joe is killed suddenly and their picture-perfect life is shattered. But worse still Paige, Joe's ex-wife, shows up at the funeral and wants to be back in the kids life again....more

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Mar 15, 2012 Michelle added it · review of another edition

What is one’s definition of a mother? Does the title automatically fall to a woman who gives birth, only to give the baby up for adoption immediately? Is it a title that is earned through the tender nurturing and loving of a child? Can one forfeit the title under certain circumstances? Can one earn back the right to be a mother? All these questions and more face Ella Beene in Sere Prince Halverson’s The Underside of Joy.

As much as I wanted to embrace The Underside of Joy wholeheartedly and shout...more What is one’s definition of a mother? Does the title automatically fall to a woman who gives birth, only to give the baby up for adoption immediately? Is it a title that is earned through the tender nurturing and loving of a child? Can one forfeit the title under certain circumstances? Can one earn back the right to be a mother? All these questions and more face Ella Beene in Sere Prince Halverson’s The Underside of Joy.

As much as I wanted to embrace The Underside of Joy wholeheartedly and shout from the rooftops about what a wonderful novel it is, I just cannot do so. My problems with the novel revolve around Paige. I do not believe that birth mothers should be given more rights than adoptive mothers, and it never ceases to infuriate me when judges continually forget the child’s best interest in custody disputes. Like Ella, I wanted to forgive Paige and give her the benefit of the doubt, but then she goes and continues to put her own needs in front of those of her children’s. Her actions in court, on the phone, in front of the kids, and in general upset me so much that I wanted to throw the book across the room. While one could argue that this emotional response is a sign of an extremely well-written book, and it is, my overall enjoyment of the novel will forever be tainted by my abhorrence of Paige’s actions in the name of motherhood.

No matter one’s opinion of Paige or of Joe for keeping secrets, any reader will marvel at Halverson’s beautiful writing. The scents and scenery of Northern California come alive with her words. Ella’s pain is so perfectly rendered that readers will find themselves sobbing uncontrollably at random moments or, as in my case, forced to stop reading because of an inability to handle the intensity of Ella’s, and subsequently their own, roiling feelings. It is an emotional juggernaut of a novel that will make even the most hard-hearted of readers wilt until the feelings of pain, loss and confusion while at the same time make readers start planning trips to Sonoma to find their own Elbow, California.

The Underside of Joy is a magnificent ode to motherhood – the endless sacrifice, the unconditional love that makes even the worst day better, the doubts, the fears, the pain, the joy. Ella is a formidable heroine, refusing to buckle under three of the most difficult situations one will ever face. Ms. Halverson’s writing is so amazing that Ella’s pain becomes the reader’s pain, her celebrations become the reader’s joys. Except for my personal issues with Paige, her actions, and the court system in general, The Underside of Joy truly does live up to the hype as one of the best books of the year.

Acknowledgements: Thank you to the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association trade show for my review copy!(less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Carrie Ardoin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: posted-on-blog, from-netgalley

Ella is perfectly happy living her small town life with her seemingly perfect husband and 2 young stepkids. That is until her husband drowns. While she is in the midst of grieving for her husband, she realizes there were some things he was hiding from her. Very important things that she cannot afford to lose after she's already lost him--the store they ran, which has been open over 60 years, and most importantly, the two kids...whose birth mother is suddenly back in the picture after three years...more Ella is perfectly happy living her small town life with her seemingly perfect husband and 2 young stepkids. That is until her husband drowns. While she is in the midst of grieving for her husband, she realizes there were some things he was hiding from her. Very important things that she cannot afford to lose after she's already lost him--the store they ran, which has been open over 60 years, and most importantly, the two kids...whose birth mother is suddenly back in the picture after three years.

The two children were abandoned by their mother after the birth of 3 year old Zach. Ella came into the picture shortly after that, and for the past 3 years she has been the only mother the two kids have known. After her husband Joe's funeral, the kids' birth mother, Paige, shows up and seeks custody of them.

Ella, with the help of her loving band of friends and family, has to buckle down and turn her life around while she struggles to keep her stepkids and the store. There are plenty of rough moments and breakdowns along the way, but it all ends in a way that seems to work for everyone.

I was intrigued when I read the plot synopsis of this book on NetGalley. But the major conflict of the story, Paige showing up to get custody of the kids, doesn't happen until halfway through the story. The first half is just Ella dealing with the sudden loss of Joe and trying to help the 6 and 3 year old kids cope as well. The plot moved quite slowly until the appearance of Paige, then it seemed to move in double time.

I liked the other characters in the story, but I felt they were somewhat stereotyped. A big, loud Italian mother in law? A tough, macho Italian father in law who refuses to talk about anything dealing with emotions? The gay best friend who is an awesome cook and wine connoiseur? Blah. I know Paige was supposed to be the villain of the story, but at least her background was somewhat interesting.

I'm still not sure how I felt about Ella. I couldn't decide if she had a harder time with the loss of the kids than that of her husband, or if she lost it because the kids were the only things keeping her grounded after his loss. She seemed a little too naive to me at times, especially for someone of her age who had already been through a divorce.

Overall, I could feel both Paige's and Ella's pain because I am a mother, and I would hate to be in either one of their situations. But, this story was a bit too Lifetime movie for me. The writing was very flowery and descriptive, and sometimes I skipped over whole long paragraphs because they were simply (over)detailing the scenes. The book was just mediocre to me...I saw what was coming. I finished the book, and mostly it left me with a sense that this story has been done before.(less)

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Jan 04, 2012 Nada rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: other-review-copies

Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com...

The Underside of Joy is a book of a family - the one we are born with and the one we choose. Ella Beene has stumbled into and found a loving family - Joe and his children Zach and Annie and the whole clan that surrounds them. She is a mother to Zach and Annie whose birth mother left when they were very young. However, at the beginning of the book, Joe is an accident and dies. The birth mother comes returns, and a custody...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.0 out of 5 stars - "The most genuine happiness is kept afloat by an underlying sorrow."

Poignant story of love, loss and the power of family ties. It's not just blood that binds people to each other.

Ella Beene stumbles into a small town named Elbow along the Redwoods River in Northern California. There she meets a divorced man, Joe Capozzi, and his two small children, Annie and Zach. She falls in love and marries him -- and is embraced by his entire large Italian family and the rest of the peo...more

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Oct 14, 2011 EL. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is something driving me crazy - I know, am certain, that I have read something so similar to this before. I just can't quite put my finger on it. I wasn't very crazy about this book for a couple of other reasons, too. There are a few interesting mentions about two old Italian men (grandfatehrs) who had been interned during the war. Far and away I thought this was one of the more interesting things in the entire book - I had NO IDEA that anyone other than the Japanese Americans were interne...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Lightblue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The underside of joy
Non mi aspettavo moltissimo da questo libro, invece mi è piaciuto tanto e mi sento di consigliarlo come lettura leggera ma che pone degli interrogativi importanti ed interessanti. Ella, reduce da un matrimonio precedente, fallito a causa del fatto di non riuscire ad aver figli, incontra John, divorziato e con i suoi due bambini piccoli in affido. Il loro è un amore improvviso e travolgente e subito Ella si innamora di John e dei suoi figli, diventandone di fatto la madre. In...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Florinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sere Prince Halverson’s debut novel, The Underside of Joy, explores a family where the lack of a legal relationship between stepparent and stepchildren contributes to an already complicated situation. Having arrived on the scene just a few months after Joe Capozzi’s wife left him and their two small children--one just a baby--Ella Beene falls very easily into their lives, and a near-instant family is born. Three years later, that family is almost as instantly broken when Joe is suddenly swept in...more Sere Prince Halverson’s debut novel, The Underside of Joy, explores a family where the lack of a legal relationship between stepparent and stepchildren contributes to an already complicated situation. Having arrived on the scene just a few months after Joe Capozzi’s wife left him and their two small children--one just a baby--Ella Beene falls very easily into their lives, and a near-instant family is born. Three years later, that family is almost as instantly broken when Joe is suddenly swept into the ocean and drowned. Ella’s struggles with her own grief, and that of the daughter and son who feel like her own, are complicated by the unexpected discoveries she’s making about things Joe never told her...especially the ones about the family business that’s barely surviving and the children’s mother who wants to re-establish her relationship with them. Paige Capozzi left her kids while in the depths of major postpartum depression, fearful for their safety with her; she’s recovered now and rebuilding her life, and wants them back in it. The fact that her children have just lost their father and have little recollection of her as their mother isn’t going to deter her from pursuing that goal.

One dead parent and a custody conflict would be enough domestic drama on their own, but Halverson adds in a history of family secrets and Things Not Discussed to raise the stakes. Some of the Things Not Discussed were between Ella and Joe, and as she starts digging into them after his death, she’s forced to recognize her own complacency and willingness not to know. Willful denial plays at least as much of a role in this family’s lives as does deliberate secret-keeping, and things don’t begin to change until Ella pushes herself past her own denial and begins to dig for the truth.

There is a lot of story packed into The Underside of Joy, but little of it feels extraneous. Having said that, there were a few plot points that felt a bit contrived and Lifetime-movie-ish to me, most notably one dramatic episode near the end of the novel; I was invested enough in this family’s story by then that I found it unnecessary. Halverson is both a mother and a stepmother, and although she chooses to narrate the story through stepmother Ella’s first-person perspective, she deals with the complex nuances of the relationships here with great empathy and effectiveness, and I was very impressed by that. The Underside of Joy looks at the blended-family relationship under fairly extreme conditions, but within that framework, it explores some broader truths, both factual and emotional.(less)

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