So Much For My Happy Ending [Paperback]

Kyra Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

When her boyfriend of three months, Tad Showers, proposes, twenty-six-year-old April thinks that everything in her life is finally falling into place. Between her flaky, tree-hugging mother and her she-devil boss, marriage seems like the place she'll find love and security. Tad's exactly the kind of man April wants: smart, ambitious and wildly romantic.

But soon after they're married, the honeymoon ends. Tad's crazy, extravagant gestures are starting to look less romantic and more…well, just plain crazy. Is it normal for her husband to never mention his family, rack up secret credit card debt and get less sleep than your average insomniac? Are you still supposed to stand by your man, even if it turns out he isn't who you thought he was? When she promised "for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health," this isn't what she pictured. But sometimes you don't get the life you imagined. And sometimes you have to figure out how to write your own happy ending.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Between her heinous boss and beatnik mother, 26-year-old San Francisco department store manager April Silverperson's only hope for escape is Tad Showers, a modern Prince Charming. His wildly romantic gestures sweep April off her feet, so when he proposes, things finally seem to be going April's way. Trouble starts brewing shortly after their fairy-tale wedding at The Ritz, beginning with a less-than-romantic honeymoon in Spain. On their return to San Francisco, Tad's true colors begin to show: mountains of hidden credit card debt, a secret family history and embezzlement make up only a small measure of Tad's dark side. In diary-style prose, April tells the story of her husband's strange unraveling, finding her own strength and self-determination along the way. Davis crafts an engaging, humorous voice for April and strong if familiar characters to support her, including April's feisty grandmother and a sensitive rock singer named Jeremiah. The fusion of light-hearted romance and keen domestic suspense makes this an absorbing if slight read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Davis, author of the romantic suspense novels Sex, Murder and a Double Latte (2005) and Passion, Betrayal and Killer Highlights (2006), turns to a more somber subject in her third outing. April Silverperson, the daughter of a radical feminist, is taken aback when her boyfriend of only three months proposes to her. With some misgivings, she accepts, then is shocked when Tad wants to have the wedding at the Ritz in another three short months. Dissatisfied with her job as a manager at an upscale department store, April jumps headfirst into her new marriage, only to discover that Tad is both mercurial and secretive. After she learns Tad has been running up large debts and lying to her, April has to admit that her fairy tale isn't all it's cracked up to be. Davis' engaging departure from her usual focus is a unique entry in the chick-lit genre and should appeal to those looking to move beyond typical fare. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Mira; Original edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 077832351X
• ISBN-13: 978-0778323518
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kyra Davis is the internationally published author of the critically acclaimed Sophie Katz Mystery Series and So Much For My Happy Ending. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and is currently living in Southern California with her son and his charming albeit moody leopard gecko. You can learn more about Kyra Davis and her books by visiting her website: www.kyradavis.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than I expected!, August 22, 2007

By 

JGC (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: So Much For My Happy Ending (Paperback)

It's always nice when you find a book that is better than you expect it to be. I had wavered back and forth for months over whether I wanted to read this book. While I sounded like a great character study, I still wasn't sure.

I think many readers will have the same response to some of April's early decisions as I did, namely, why would you marry someone you hardly knew? After agreeing to marry Tad, April quickly looses control of her life because she consistently cedes her decision-making powers to Tad. It becomes clear even before their marriage that they really don't know each other, and that Tad is over-the-top.

However, once they are married, April's reactions begin to make more sense to me. She struggles with how to handle the relationship as Tad's actions and reactions spiral out of control. Particularly, now that they are married, April has to figure out how to deal with a man that she'd walk away from if she were only dating him.

It is interesting watching April's character grow and develop throughout the book, and I think Davis ended the book in a way that all readers will find satisfying.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick and engaging read..., July 3, 2008

By 

Diane Moore - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: So Much For My Happy Ending (Paperback)

April Silverperson (yes, Silverperson, her mother changed it from Silverman) knew that it probably wasn't a good idea to marry Tad Showers after only three months. But, on the other hand, he is gorgeous, smart, and endlessly dotes on her. Her grandmother Bobe, her best friends Caleb and Allie, and even her mother (who doesn't believe in the "institution of marriage") are happy for her. Then why does she feel that something is a little bit off?

After the whirlwind engagement, and the perfect wedding, (at the Ritz) Tad and April spend their honeymoon in Spain, where the party is...most definitely over. But, when they get home, things are seemingly normal. They go out for dinner and drinks almost every night, but where is the money coming from? When April discovers some secrets about Tad, she realizes that there were a few red flags that she had ignored before.

This book reminds you that if something seems perfect, then it probably isn't. How far will you really go to make it work with the one you love?
I really liked it because the story was original and witty. There were times that I knew what was going to happen before it did, but it didn't ruin the book for me. There were also a couple of typos, which was frustrating, but all in all, I really enjoyed the book, and was staying up late into the night reading, because I wanted to see what was going to happen next.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scary, funny, and uplifting, November 7, 2006

By 

Maryasha - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: So Much For My Happy Ending (Paperback)

It takes talent to make something scary, funny, and uplifting all at the same time, but Kyra Davis manages to do just that in her newest book, So Much For My Happy Ending. This is definitely not a "just for fun" Sophie Katz mystery. I know quite a bit about Bi-polar illness and Kyra manages to capture that condition and the confusion and distress of those whose loved ones are afflicted with poignancy and compassion. At the same time she keeps a lightness of spirit and her heroine, April, has a sassy strength that is delightful. The supporting cast is quirky and fun and essential to the movement of the story. In Kyra's books no one is ever an island. I truly enjoyed Kyra's first two books, but this one has a lot more meat. It took me on a bit of a harrowing ride, but it was tempered with humor and a strong life force. It was a satisfying read all around.