BOOK REVIEW: Happiness of Beginners by Carole Matthews

Molly Baker is living her best life. Thirty-eight years old, she lives on the twenty-five-acre Hope Farm in Buckingham shire, surrounded  by (mostly) four-legged friends and rolling hills. There's Anthony the anti-social sheep, Tina Turner the alpaca with attitude and the definitely not miniature pig, Teacup.
Molly runs the farm as an alternative school for kids who haven't thrived in mainstream education. It's full on, but she wouldn't have it any other way. So when the well-groomed Shelby Dacre turns up at Hope Farm asking to enrol his son Lucas, Molly isn't fazed. But Lucas is distant and soon Molly realises he might be more of a handful than she anticipated. And then there's the added problem that his dad is distractingly handsome. Molly has her beloved farm to think of- could letting Lucas and Shelby in be a terrible mistake, or the start of something wonderful?

Publisher: Sphere

Pages: 445

Carole has done it again, Happiness for Beginners is fantastic. The cover is stunning and perfect for this time of year, just looking at it cheered me up.
Our protagonist is Molly Baker, she runs Hope Farm, an alternative school for kids plus home to a range of slightly eccentric animals. It is hard work for Molly but highly rewarding. Molly's whole life revolves around the farm so it is no surprise that she doesn't recognise TV superstar Shelby Dacre when he turns up with his son Lucas. Shelby is in a long-running soap opera and very much a heartthrob and household name. He is also at his wits end with son Lucas, since his wife died they have grown more and more distant and Shelby is at a loss as to how to reach his son.
Molly isn't fazed and agrees to take on Lucas at the school. She quickly develops a soft-spot for the troubled teenager and is determined to help him. There is a connection between Molly and Shelby too and she is convinced there is more to him than his glamorous persona.
I really loved this book and I think the idea behind it is fantastic. Hope Farm provides such a good setting. There is so much humour and warmth derived from the animals and other characters involved in Molly's life there. It felt very familiar and homely, I could picture it all so well in my mind.
Carole weaves a fantastically romantic element into the story in the form of Shelby and Molly's growing relationship. I was a little wary of him at first as Molly seemed slightly naive but it was great to see their relationship grow and develop.
Happiness for Beginners is such a lovely read and perfect for the Spring. It is full of hope and opportunity, romance and mischievous alpacas. I can happily recommend Happiness for Beginners and all of Carole Matthew's other books, you will not be disappointed.