If It Makes You Happy Quotes

“I don’t believe in destiny or stars, but I have to believe Cliff’s constellation would align right beside mine.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“And it hits me. I love this woman. I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day. I love Michelle. I’ve loved her for far too long.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“in the center of the lobby is the only woman who could make a rainy day seem not half bad. Maybe it’s because she’s a bigger storm cloud, and I like that about her.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“I don’t want to remove her walls because that’d destroy her strength, but I’d kill for more peeks into the other side.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“He’s a loser,” Cliff repeats, moving back to kneading dough. “Why else would he cheat on you? You’re stunning.” My heart skips as I stammer, “Wh-what?” “That’s not an opinion. That’s a fact. You are. Even when you scowl at me.”
― Julia Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“He gives a devilish, absolutely wicked smile. “I think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer. “And the men who don’t are cowards.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“I like Cliff Burke. Like, like, as Emily might say.
I like his deadpan humor and his messy, complicated life. I like the fact that he needs touch as much as he needs oxygen. I like that he says what he wants and takes what he wants and doesn’t apologize for either. I like that, at the end of the day, he’s my friend.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Men don’t want women like me.” “Like what?” Unfun, too serious, workaholics. “I don’t know,” I mumble. He gives a devilish, absolutely wicked smile. “I think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer. “And the men who don’t are cowards.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Are these butterflies around Cliff bad? Are they butterflies or moths? And in what world am I having potential butterflies at all?”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“I’m being guided through a dance. I hate being guided. But with Cliff, it doesn’t feel like he’s taking control. He’s moving with me in tandem.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Hey, drop it,” I say pointedly. “No, because I haven’t seen you look this happy in years, and I want to know why you’re pretending like it means nothing.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“The world tilts. It suddenly feels like I’m falling through the ground, straight to the center of the earth. God, she’s breathtaking.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“he knows how to make people feel seen. Sometimes too seen. He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“He does things like that—giving casual compliments like it’s Halloween candy.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Of course she’s nice,” I say. “But … she’s nice with many walls up.” I smile to myself. “But even brick houses have charm. So, I’m helping.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Sometimes, you have to do the silly, irrationally scary things.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“He’s gonna give me a heart attack one of these days.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Unfortunately, in fight or flight, I’m not proud to say that fight is the default.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“he’s the glue keeping me together.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“I like how you talk about your sister,” he says. “She’s my favorite person in the world,” I admit.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“This book is my love letter to both the autumn months and the late nineties.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer. “And the men who don’t are cowards.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Copper Run smells like crunching leaves and breezes that bite.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“And you haven’t smiled in years. We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but you’re more like me than you know. You’re strong. And us strong women deserve better.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Cliff might lean too close or ask too many personal questions that catch me off guard, but he knows how to make people feel seen.
Sometimes too seen.
He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Maybe I do deserve to be alone. I could spend the next few months running the inn by myself and do fine. Apparently, alone is my specialty.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“You see, this is your problem, Shelly⁠—”
“I don’t have a problem.”
“I should have known you’d keep this from them for as long as possible. You don’t tell anybody anything. Not me. Not your family. You keep all your emotions bottled up until they explode. Well, congratulations. Here’s your explosion.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“I’m doing what I always do—whatever needs to be done.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Oh my God, is that the Backstreet Boys?” Sara says, scrambling to the coffee table and clicking the remote.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy

“Copper Run is an idyllic town. The autumn leaves and cozy fall festival were perfect. New management was fine.”
― Julie Olivia, If It Makes You Happy