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A Happy Catastrophe
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From the bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners comes a novel about love, loss, and the beautiful mess of family.
Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on ch ...more
Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on ch ...more
Kindle Edition, 381 pages
Published
May 26th 2020
by Lake Union Publishing
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OMG! It’s always pleasure to read a sequel after enjoying a book so much and truly connect with its characters. So I felt like seeing an old friend as soon as I welcomed back Marnie and her powerful optimism and her ability to see the magic around everything in the world, bringing love and compassion to people’s lives.
As a fan of Matchmaking for beginners, I was really curious about how Patrick and Marnie’s story will evolve because there was still some kind of unresolved issues about their rel ...more
As a fan of Matchmaking for beginners, I was really curious about how Patrick and Marnie’s story will evolve because there was still some kind of unresolved issues about their rel ...more

I have not read this book’s predecessor, Matchmaking for Beginners, but that did not decrease my enjoyment in any way. A Happy Catastrophe is a heartwarming, hopeful story I enjoyed very much.
Marnie and Patrick are hopelessly in love, even though they are opposites in many ways. One of the most polarizing issues is that Marnie is ready to tie the knot, while Patrick is still living in his past.
Then a “surprise” happens, which gives Marnie and Patrick an instant family, but Patrick hasn’t signed ...more
Marnie and Patrick are hopelessly in love, even though they are opposites in many ways. One of the most polarizing issues is that Marnie is ready to tie the knot, while Patrick is still living in his past.
Then a “surprise” happens, which gives Marnie and Patrick an instant family, but Patrick hasn’t signed ...more

Jun 22, 2020
Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2020
I did not read the first book in this sweet series. But I would say this can be read as a stand alone. I will go back and read the first book now. I really hope that everyone reads this series.
You are going to be pleasantly surprised by this one.
I gave this book 4 stars.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
You are going to be pleasantly surprised by this one.
I gave this book 4 stars.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

If you enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners as much as I did, prepare to be spellbound by A Happy Catastrophe—in which Marnie and the people closest to her discover that magic isn’t getting what you want, but rather in loving what life surprises you with. Maddie Dawson is at the top of her game in this charming and unputdownable novel.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

From the first chapter I fell in love with Marnie. She is this quirky flower shop owner and matchmaker. It seems she can see people's aura, which appear as sparkles, and uses that for matching, even at the most random times. This alone brings a huge smile to my face. Marnie wants to have a baby but her boyfriend Patrick doesn't see things quite the same way.
Then chapter 2 starts and you get a glimpse into Patrick's character. He's a quirky introvert with a troubled past. Despite him being quite ...more
Then chapter 2 starts and you get a glimpse into Patrick's character. He's a quirky introvert with a troubled past. Despite him being quite ...more

I love a quirky and heart warming story about how families take shape. This one took Marnie and Patrick for one heck of a surprise. Nothing is perfect no matter the countless hours of planning or dreaming of the perfect and ideal family. I found myself once again connected and journeyed with the characters throughout the story.
This was an enjoyable read that was endearing and quite satisfying. I recommend this for a magical read full of hope and love.
This was an enjoyable read that was endearing and quite satisfying. I recommend this for a magical read full of hope and love.

2.5 stars
I really enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners when I read it a couple years ago - it was full of charm and lively characters and a really sweet, fun read. I was hoping for the same in the sequel, but I'm sad to say it did not live up to the first book.
For the first 75% I was so annoyed at Patrick, who was regressing back to problems I thought had been resolved in the first book. I had so many issues with his character this time around that it was nearly impossible to ignore. But the WORST ...more
I really enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners when I read it a couple years ago - it was full of charm and lively characters and a really sweet, fun read. I was hoping for the same in the sequel, but I'm sad to say it did not live up to the first book.
For the first 75% I was so annoyed at Patrick, who was regressing back to problems I thought had been resolved in the first book. I had so many issues with his character this time around that it was nearly impossible to ignore. But the WORST ...more

❤️
Give everything you have to love. It’s the only thing that counts.
❤️
After reading the Matchmakers for Beginners and being so happy for Marnie and Patrick I couldn't wait to see how their story ends. I devoured this book. It's a quick read, and it's easy to get sucked into the characters and to care about them. I love that it shows romance and parenthood in a natural light, it is real and raw and wonderful. The book is an amusing, heartwarming tale...the prose is effortless and polished. ...more
After reading the Matchmakers for Beginners and being so happy for Marnie and Patrick I couldn't wait to see how their story ends. I devoured this book. It's a quick read, and it's easy to get sucked into the characters and to care about them. I love that it shows romance and parenthood in a natural light, it is real and raw and wonderful. The book is an amusing, heartwarming tale...the prose is effortless and polished. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

I love when I read a book and I feel as if I am catching up with some old friends. We loved Marnie and Patrick when we first met them in Matchmaking for Beginners. It has been a while now and they have settled into their life together, happily it seems, and then Marnie broaches having a baby. Patrick has so many demons he still has to deal with and this one throws him for a loop. We also get thrown for a huge loop when a little girl named Fritzie shows up. She is Patrick's daughter from a couple
...more

May 22, 2020
Rachel McMillan
added it
I ADORED Matchmaking for Beginners and made everyone read it. Dawson's voice is so warm and inviting that you feel like you're scraping a chair up to a lovingly worn table for a cup of tea and biscuits. I love it and the world and the characters so HOW DELIGHTED WAS I when I learned we got more from the Matchmaking world. Featuring one of the most resplendent openings I have read in an age and peeling back the curtain to the intersection of hope, loss and love, this has a lot of my go-to-favouri
...more

I was so happy that Marnie’s story was not over when I saw this book pop up on my radar! I loved Matchmaking for Beginners and although I thought it was better than the sequel, I still really enjoyed A Happy Catastrophe. It was just as quirky and full of drama! I definitely recommend picking it up if you enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my copy.
I absolutely loved this book! I was so excited to see there was a sequel on Netgalley. I loved Matchmaking for Beginners. It was a book I found with Amazon First Reads. I loved it so much I bought an actual copy of it when it was released. I’ll be doing the same with this one as well.
This book continues Marnie and Patrick’s story. Marnie is ready to get married and have babies while Patrick is still living in his dark past.
Their p ...more
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my copy.
I absolutely loved this book! I was so excited to see there was a sequel on Netgalley. I loved Matchmaking for Beginners. It was a book I found with Amazon First Reads. I loved it so much I bought an actual copy of it when it was released. I’ll be doing the same with this one as well.
This book continues Marnie and Patrick’s story. Marnie is ready to get married and have babies while Patrick is still living in his dark past.
Their p ...more

Nov 26, 2019
Kerry Anne King
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
women-s-fiction
A triumphant tale about the redemptive magic of love—and the way life sometimes drags us through the muck before giving us what we never knew we wanted. Marnie is one of the most delightful heroines in contemporary fiction and you won’t want to miss her!
Moment of truth. When I saw that Dawson had written a follow up book to Matchmaking for Beginners, I was skeptical. How can you follow up a perfect book? Where is there to go? But if anything, this book is stronger than the first and I think I m ...more
Moment of truth. When I saw that Dawson had written a follow up book to Matchmaking for Beginners, I was skeptical. How can you follow up a perfect book? Where is there to go? But if anything, this book is stronger than the first and I think I m ...more

If you feel like you’re missing some sparkle, joie de vivre and a little bit of craziness in your life then I recommend you drop into Marnie’s world. Owner of Best Buds florist shop in Brooklyn, Marnie is a witchy matchmaker who see sparkles above people wherever she goes, believes in the magic power of the universe and occasionally uses spells to fulfill her dreams. Oh, and don’t forget her toaster which is inhabited by the spirit of Blix (the woman responsible for bringing Marnie and Patrick t
...more

I haven’t read the first book but I didn’t really felt like missing much about that one as the author has a great way with her words and got me invested in the story throughout the book.
It was a funny and heartwarming story overall, with great reliable characters and situations that I can easily see happening in real life and I enjoyed it quite a lot.
I’ll definitely read more by the author in the future.
It was a funny and heartwarming story overall, with great reliable characters and situations that I can easily see happening in real life and I enjoyed it quite a lot.
I’ll definitely read more by the author in the future.

I enjoyed this novel of a less than traditional family with lots of interesting and loveable characters. I hadn't read the preceding novel but this one stood alone just fine. I did get a little impatient with Patrick's withdrawal from the family group at one point, but he ended up redeeming himself. I'm going to go back and read the first book too.
...more

WOW!! A first by me by this amazing author and I must say it’s one of my favorite books of 2020!! This was a well written and captivating story I read in a day and hated to put down! I read as a stand-alone and I can’t wait to read book one Matchmaking for beginners!! A heartwarming story of love, loss, family and surprises that change everything! I highly recommend this book it was a fantastic feel good read!

this book summoned a split personality in me. it was devastating at how heartwarming the love the characters held, but one of the main characters spent 90% of the story in a regressed matter, which i did NOT enjoy in the slightest. i loved it yet hated it at some points.
we have patrick, who, from the first moment he's introduced brings a gloomy vibe. he's been through A LOT; i am well aware, however, he cannot seem to move on from the past. moreover, we have marnie, his partner. she's a bubble o ...more
we have patrick, who, from the first moment he's introduced brings a gloomy vibe. he's been through A LOT; i am well aware, however, he cannot seem to move on from the past. moreover, we have marnie, his partner. she's a bubble o ...more

I enjoyed Match Making for Beginners and was looking forward to the sequel. This book was not the happily ever after that I was hoping for. This book implies that Marnie and Patrick had four great years and then plops us where the trouble begins. I had a really hard time reading about how Patrick pushed everyone away again, and how Marnie was too distracted to stop it. I feel like he treated her and Fritzie very badly, and I wanted someone to go in and shake some sense into him before he wasted
...more

ARC received from netgalley in exchange for review.
For a book titled "A Happy Catastrophe," this one got...surprisingly dark. 3.5 stars, debated whether to round up or down, but ended up rounding to 4 because I liked that it took an intentional turn from the themes and the mood of "Matchmaking for Beginners." Many of the same characters, of course, but getting into new situations this time. The contrasting tones of whimsical and dark made it read somewhat uneven at times. The characters sometime ...more
For a book titled "A Happy Catastrophe," this one got...surprisingly dark. 3.5 stars, debated whether to round up or down, but ended up rounding to 4 because I liked that it took an intentional turn from the themes and the mood of "Matchmaking for Beginners." Many of the same characters, of course, but getting into new situations this time. The contrasting tones of whimsical and dark made it read somewhat uneven at times. The characters sometime ...more

I was a big fan of Matchmaking for Beginners and was really excited to receive this ARC. A Happy Catastrophe allows readers to see what happens “after they get together.” Patrick and Marnie were really relatable and fun characters to read about. While there was less magic in this story than MfB, there was still a touch added to remind you to believe. This book had so many laugh out loud funny moments and also moments where I had to grab my tissue box. Fritzie was hilarious and lovable. I absolut
...more

Publishers Synopsis:
From the bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners comes a novel about love, loss, and the beautiful mess of family.
Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the ...more
From the bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners comes a novel about love, loss, and the beautiful mess of family.
Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the ...more

A Happy Catastrophe
by Maddie Dawson
my first book by this author and I really liked it. Apparently, there is a book before this one called A matchmaking for beginners, but this book can be read a standalone.
Marnie and Patrick are happily married, a perfect couple with an amazing life. But life is so full of unpredictable beauty and strange surprises and it is no different for Marnie and Patrick when a surprise lands on their doorstep. This causes the two to grow apart, as Marnie wanted children a ...more

Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney's story continue with more funny and crazy situations that will have your stomach hurt after so much laughter.
Many new scenarios and characters will show in A Happy Catastrophe that will make this story more enjoyable.. if you love Matchmaking for beginners this book is for you.
Marnie is having a great life with Patrick until somethings happened that change their lives forever, making them even have tenser and without any answers feeling more confused, especial ...more
Many new scenarios and characters will show in A Happy Catastrophe that will make this story more enjoyable.. if you love Matchmaking for beginners this book is for you.
Marnie is having a great life with Patrick until somethings happened that change their lives forever, making them even have tenser and without any answers feeling more confused, especial ...more

This was not as charming as the first book but i did like it. I wasn't expecting a sequel to "Matchmaking for Beginners" but it was a nice twist to the usual stories that have that HEA. This way you could see that Marnie & Patrick still had work to do in their relationship as well as the evolvement/development of the characters from the first book.
Marnie is ready to move things to the next level w/having a child but Patrick is content w/the status quo.
Marnie is still the same enchanting characte ...more
Marnie is ready to move things to the next level w/having a child but Patrick is content w/the status quo.
Marnie is still the same enchanting characte ...more

I enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners and loved getting to know Marnie, but I actually preferred A Happy Catastrophe. It went deeper and covered a lot of serious topics and life changes and endeared me even more to Marnie (and the rest of the characters in her quirky world). I love Dawson’s writing and look forward to her next book.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

I dnf this book because I found it insufferable. I tried on numerous occasions to finish the book but the main characters were very annoying and I just couldn’t understand her selfishness. I’m aware that others enjoyed this book. It just wasn’t meant for me.
I received this ARC from Netgalley for my honest review.
I received this ARC from Netgalley for my honest review.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Kindle Book Club ...: July 2020 Book Discussions, A Happy Catastrophe, Reading in Progress. | 8 | 12 | Aug 23, 2020 02:18PM | |
Kindle Book Club ...: July 2020, SPOILER ALERT, A Happy Catastrophe, Reading Completed | 3 | 5 | Jul 16, 2020 02:16PM |
I'm the author of eight novels about love, crazy families, secrets, parenthood, and--yes, they have reasonably happy endings. Kind of like life. My newest, A Happy Catastrophe, will be released on May 25, 2020. My other novels are: Matchmaking for Beginners, The Survivor's Guide to Family Happiness, The Opposite of Maybe, The Stuff That Never Happened, Kissing Games of the World and A Piece of Nor
...more
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“She had a mantra she lent me. I pinch my fingers and say it over and over again: Whatever happens, love that.”
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“I don’t know if you’ll be able to understand this,” she says, interrupting me, “which is why I’m going to tell you now so if you ever come up against this in your own life, maybe you’ll handle it differently. I’ve realized that none of what I was feeling was about your father, not really. Sure, I felt neglected by him, and taken for granted, and ignored a lot of the time—but I now see that what was really happening was that I was the one taking the easy way out. I was being lazy with my own life. Not taking responsibility for my own happiness.”
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