If It Makes You Happy is my perfect romance novel, mixing a will-they-won’t-they romance with small town life, baking, and four holidays. It’s a slow burn of a story, winding its way through the personal growth of its two main characters until the inevitable happy ending. At just over 500 pages, I wasn’t sure how all of it could be necessary, but somehow every little detail fit perfectly. Each side character had a perfect place in the story, inching it along with some kind of laughter or small town moment that made me yearn for the kind of life that only a small town romance could conceive of. It’s fall romance that expertly ushers you into the season and I’m now desperate to throw on a flannel, blast some 90s tunes, and start baking. I’ve read a lot of romance and I can honestly say this is one of my all-time favorites.

The Best Bits

A Few of My Favorite Things

Michelle + Cliff = Love

Michelle and Cliff were perfectly done, a mix of grumpy and always joking that worked well together. She begrudgingly lets him in and he shows her that he likes her for her. They circle around each other for hundreds of pages, darting in and out of a possible relationship until it suddenly clicks. In my opinion, that build-up was perfect, allowing the reader to really get to know each of them and the details of their lives. Is Michelle’s complete lack of self-awareness about her love for the inn frustrating? Yes. Is it completely something her character would do? Absolutely. It’s all done so well and I just loved the two of them together.  

The Perfect Small Town

As anyone who reads small town romance knows, it’s all about the town. This one was peak fantasy Vermont, thanks primarily to the constant festivals, small businesses, nosy but friendly neighbors, and endless traditions that make it a magical place to live. I can picture the houses and corners, the bakery and the park where so many events unfold. It’s the exact kind of place you wish was real, that you could visit on the weekends or just escape to permanently. As someone who lives in a biggish city with a stressful job, it’s incredibly calming to see kindred spirit Michelle escape from that life into a town there things go at their own pace, everyone is ridiculously happy, and baked goods are eaten thirty times a day.

All the Holidays

I was expecting a fall romance with maybe a hint of Halloween. What I got was Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter, Christmas, and New Years. Somehow this book covers all of them and that really makes the story and the small town shine. I loved getting to see Michelle experience each of the holiday traditions firsthand. From a haunted maze in a neighbor’s front yard to a huge Thanksgiving dinner and early morning present unwrapping, it was as festive as a book could be.

A True 90s Ending

I was dying by the end of the book, in the best way. I love a good run through the airport and when you throw the dog in, it’s absolute perfection.