Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey [Paperback]

Jessica Bram (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her first book, essayist Bram convincingly disputes the common belief that there's no life after divorce. At age 41, the mother of three young children, Bram was in a loveless marriage. But she was surrounded by people who insisted it would be hell on her and her children; even the marriage counselor she and her husband saw presented her with studies about the irrevocable trauma divorce inflicts on children. But Bram was out to prove them wrong, and in her memoir, she recounts the steps she built to create a new life and take joy in finding her own true self. Whether slogging through legal paperwork, arranging custodial visits or re-entering the world of romance, Bram put her sons first, and they all came through intact. For anyone facing divorce, Bram's frank and optimistic tale shows that one can not only survive divorce but thrive in the new possibilities life will offer. (Apr.)
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Product Description

While more than half of all marriages end in divorce, joy and happiness does not have to die with it.  Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey gives a seldom touched-on view of divorce – a positive view of life on the other side.   A uniquely upbeat approach to "going it alone," Happily Ever After Divorce shows readers how author Jessica Bram, an award-winning radio commentator and essayist, maintained a sense of self and humor during a most difficult time, and emerged triumphant.  

While being true to divorce's pain and challenges, Bram's personal stories reveal the exhilaration, joy, growth, and triumphs of moving through difficult times and emerging stronger and happier at the other end. In this candid, intimately written book, you will discover: 

•  How the author rebuilt her self-esteem through handling everything from everyday tasks to earning a living with newly discovered talents
• How children can thrive when parents approach custodial issues with respect
• The delightful aspects of spending time alone, single parenting, and unexpected friendships
• How Bram approached dating with humor and an upbeat attitude
• How, after rebuilding her life, the author opened her heart and found love again.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: HCI (February 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757307582
• ISBN-13: 978-0757307584
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #297,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for women going through divorce, May 6, 2009

By	Maria E. Andreu "author of Illegal: Growing U... (Leonia, New Jersey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey (Paperback)

It was the title that first attracted me: Happily Ever After Divorce. As someone who once bought a decorative pillow with the words "Happily Ever After" embroidered in demure cream, and tossed it on my marital bed hoping that the pillow would make that wish could true, I keenly felt the pain of thinking that my own impending divorce would kill my dreams of happily ever after.

Jessica Bram, a witty and honest writer, is here to tell you that there's a lot people aren't telling you about your divorce, and most of it is actually pretty good news.

Ms. Bram doesn't sugar-coat the pain, fear and confusion that come through the process of tearing one home into two. In there are all the gut-wrenching legal battles that feel so much like being under seige, the guilt at what she's doing to her children, the anger at the man who was supposed to love her forever now turning into an enemy. But the resounding message throughout each lovely chapter is, "I made it, and so can you." It is a genuinely uplifting book. By the time you get to the chapter "Friends With My Ex-Husband," you feel like although it can be dark during a divorce, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

If you're expecing a "how-to" of happy divorce, this isn't the book for you. It's a series of stand-alone first-person essays about one woman's experience. But in many ways, it's even better than a how-to. It's certainly more personal, touching and well-written. You feel like you're talking to a sister or old friend who has gone through what you're going through - and is here to let you know that everything will be okay.

At times hilarious (the chapter on eclipse-chasing in Europe with her young boys is not to be missed), often poignant but mostly hopeful, Happily Ever After Divorce is a book you'll want to read again and again and pull out in your darkest nights. By the time the author finds love again in "Then Comes Love" (you hoped all along that she would, but were not always sure, since she seems to really love being single), you feel like someone has shone a light on the map, and you no longer feel you're in alien territory alone.

This book is an engaging, charming and fast read. I recommend it highly.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most realistic piece of literature about going through Divorce and the final outcome - Happiness!!, November 20, 2009

By	L. Johnson "LucretiasBoutique.com" (Plainfield, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey (Paperback)

I finished the book last night and I must say this book is Pulitzer!

I have never in my 39 years of life read such realistic literary literature, ever!
This book, "Happily Ever After Divorce" is an exact replica of my life right now!
The only difference between this author's married life/divorce and mine is I'm African American, LOL!
The only part in her book that I have not experienced is the mother-in-law bonding after the
divorce, I filed in August 2009 and my mother-in-law and I still have not spoken yet.

After reading the book, I hated coming to the last page, it was that good!
I feel much better about my circumstances now after reading it and I'm encouraged to go to the end.
I do see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looks bright!!

Anyway, the climax in this book is on pg. 128 and it describes my whole 12 year marriage and why I filed for divorce, in the first paragraph it reads," So despite my otherwise normally independent nature, I tended to be uncharacteristically complacent about allowing myself to be led around.......The relaxation afforded by not having to find my way around seemed well worth the surrender of autonomy"....... Pulitzer!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful--even long, long after--, August 21, 2009

By	L. Gibson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey (Paperback)

It was inspiring to encounter this memoir of/by Jessica Bram. Her story immediately walked off the page and into my thoughts and feelings. I was divorced many years ago, but I still wrestle with issues around the breaking up and making up of relationships. There i was in the coffee shop with her, doing the emails, making friends with the one I used to love, and finding I too could go on. One of the intriguing things about the book was the framing of each of the issues/moments in a separate chapter. I loved the titles--it meant i could easily return to a particular episode I wanted to re-experience. When i started the book, I began to read fast and furiously; it was as if I had been offered a sumptuous feast, lots of courses, none of which I could resist. But then I realized that the moments were even better when I slowed down and savored them, "consuming" only one--at most two--chapters at one reading session. It occurs to me as I write this, that Jessica's story would be especially good reading for folks who meet to share dilemmas about relationships.