When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure what to expect - the reference to death was more than a little off-putting!

However, I'm glad I persevered since I found Melanie Cantor's writing engaging and uplifting, with interesting, relatable characters and a satisfying end. It had twists and turns, not all of which were as predictable as I thought they might be, and I stayed up far too late turning the pages to find out what was going to happen (always a good sign!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Ruth at Transworld/Penguin Random House UK for bringing the book to my attention and allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a rather unbelievable story but such great fun – I really enjoyed it. It tells the story of Jennifer Cole whose life is on a bit of a downward spiral. She is divorced after suffering a series of miscarriages, she doesn’t get on with her sister and to cap it all she has just been given the news that she has a terminal blood condition and isn’t expected to live beyond three months. Wondering what to do with what little time she has left she decides to write three letters to really open her heart and say how she feels about how she has been treated. The first goes to her cheating ex-husband, the second goes to an ex-boyfriend Harry because she feels the relationship ended unnecessarily. The last letter goes to her sister, Isabelle, who has a perfect life with a wealthy husband, beautiful home and perfect children. Jennifer feels she let all three people ride roughshod over her without complaining. All three respond in ways that Jennifer hadn’t really expected and their responses are what a lot of the story is about. Their responses bring Jennifer closure or solutions to the relationships and that is the crux of the story.
The book is a very easy read and although there is a certain amount of it being unbelievable and it is fairly predictable throughout, it does not detract from the book which is full of great characters. It is witty and looks at how relationships can affect us. I certainly wanted the central character to have her happy ever after and although the title is not uplifting the book itself certainly is. I fully recommend this and thank NetGalley for the ARC.

I was initially not sure how to take this book but once started I was hooked. Jennifer has 3 months to live - once she has received this diagnosis she decides to write to the three people with whom she has has significant relationships which have failed. She writes to each expressing what she wished she had stated at the time - this allows her a sense of release and allows her to focus on her present. She is able to rebuild her relationship with her sister, tell some home truths to her ex-husband and reconnect her her ex-boyfriend.

A chance encounter and a ‘clerical error’ prove to have huge repercussions for her future.

This is an entertaining, thought provoking and enjoyable read. I liked Jennifer - she turned into a resilient sparky character who stood up for herself. Her sister and her best friends were delightful - the author gives a very positive view of female friendship.

A delightful read.

True to it's title!

Was wondering if I would like the book as the beginning was about Death and about putting one's affairs in order, saying to people what should have been said before it's too late! But.... the book does have a happy if predictable ending. A nice read tackling a hardsubject with honesty and bluntness.

The book held my attention allthe way through and I feel a good first book for the author. I hope she goes on to write more or indeed continue the story of Jennifer.

I enjoyed this novel a lot. Very well written and spellbinding, with an engaging cast of characters. Highly recommended.

This is Melanie Cantor's first novel and if her writing continues the way this has been presented then she has a long way to go in her career. I enjoyed reading this and it has a good storyline. The characters come to life . This is funny and emotional and makes for a good read snuggled up under a blanket.

A great read with plenty of quite emotional moments as Jennifer reveals her future to her best friend and also to the 3 people she feels have let her down in life, this time by letter.
Plenty of emotions are very well expressed through the characters, from the fear, grief and suffering of Jennifer and her best friend following her diagnosis to the slightly less empathetic reactions of her ex husband the author really captures the different friendships and relationships between Jennifer and those closest to her.
Although a bit predictable (after all, the blurb tells you the twist in the plot!) this does not detract from what is a really lovely book.

Loved this book and all the characters, a bit predictable but just what is needed to enjoy a good read during the dark evenings and transport you to other places. The book was well written and I hope there will be more. Congratulations on your first novel.

Jennifer is a middle aged woman who is just told she has three months to live. No cure, no real treatment, just three months. This story is about her facing it head on, telling her nearest and dearest (and even people not so dear to her).

A lovely well written story - I felt so sorry for Jennifer for many reasons (no spoilers) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My only irk was Jennifer moaned about exes quite a bit for a forty year old woman.

I loved this book so much that I read it in two days!
Jennifer’s character was written so well, I really became invested in her and was desperate to work through all the ups and downs and twists and turns with her. The snippets of dark humour were a brilliant addition, and I enjoyed how Jennifer’s relationships developed throughout the book. All the characters were warm and engaging.
At some points this book made me feel quite emotional, and then I would feel uplifted - it’s a real rollercoaster of a read!

This is a book with such underlying , somewhat dark, humour. When I first began to read it i felt it was going to be a miserable tale, but in fact it is anything but.
Jennifer has been given a diagnosis of a rare blood disorder by her (rather stupid and ineffectual) Doctor. How is she going to cope with this?
One of the first things she does is to write three letters to people whom she feels have wronged or misunderstood her. She tells it straight to the point. So much comes from these letters, but it would be a spoiler to say much more.
I enjoyed the book, felt the ending was a tiny bit rushed, but altogether it was very readable. Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.

Jennifer is divorced, childless, and has just been given a terminal diagnosis. How would you cope if this happened to you? Jen writes letters to her sister, her ex husband and her ex boyfriend, saying everything that she’d always wanted to say but was too scared to go through with. This is what happens when she then gets to see these people after they’ve received the letters.

This is a lovely read, fairly predictable, but as the characters are engaging this doesn’t really matter. This diagnosis obviously changes her life dramatically and changes Jen too. I would definitely recommend this book. A good summer read.

Thanks to netgalley & the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Ahhhhh this book was everything to me!! i love love LOVED it! Like hugged the book when I finished because it was just so adorable!! Such a fun adorable book that had me laughing out loud!

Very entertaining and very enjoyable! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Don’t let the title put you off and think it’s going to be sad, there are actual laugh out loud moments and lots of tales of true friendship. I’d definitely recommend

Thanks to the publisher penguin random house uk,I was invited to read the debut novel Death and other Happy Endings so here is my review.
I think the first thing to say is please suspend any notion of reality when you start this novel because some of the scenarios are beyond preposterous. If you can do that and take the storyline at face value, then this is actually a fairly enjoyable read which did grow on me, with the second half of the novel proving to be the better half.
The premise for this novel is interesting. What would any of us do faced with a terminal diagnosis and given three months left to live?? How would we react and decide how to spend our final days on this planet? Would we want to mend bridges with people we’d once loved? Would we have a bucket list of things we wanted to experience before time ran out? ‘Death and other happy endings’ is a very lighthearted insight into how the main character Jennifer deals with such a situation, sometimes funny, sometimes quite touching and at other times a bit ridiculous. Of course it is entirely predictable, which isn’t a criticism, because that’s what I expect from this genre and usually I warm to the characters easily but it did take a while for me to engage with Jennifer. She’s not had it easy, with a ex husband, three miscarriages, a good for nothing ex lover and an older sister who’s always overshadowed her. Maybe by writing heartfelt letters to these people, she can come to terms with how life has treated her.
What threw me early on in this almost but not quite comedy of errors, is a scene that takes place shortly after her diagnosis. Frankly it was too implausible for my liking but undeterred I carried on and actually grew to like Jennifer, her sister Isabelle and her best friend Olivia, to the extent that I finished the book very quickly. It is an easy read with all the obligatory ingredients; humour, romance,a bit of angst and self discovery. By becoming open and honest Jennifer manages to learn things about herself and others that perhaps wouldn’t have happened without facing imminent death. I liked the way the relationship between Jennifer and her sister developed, evolving into something far more meaningful which added depth to the novel.
I could easily predict exactly how events would unfold and there were plenty of funny moments which make this the kind of read that doesn’t make demands on your brain and is a pleasant if slightly silly way to pass a few hours. As I said, I do think this novel improves further into the storyline so that towards the end I was fully disengaged from reality and enjoying this piece of escapism fiction. Perhaps I would have ended Jennifer’s journey differently as the author offers the reader one more coincidence that for me is a step too far but equally I totally knew it was going to happen!! In fact surprisingly, after a few eye rolls it was quite sweet and completely the perfect way to draw things to a conclusion.
If you’re a fan of Lucy Diamond,Lucy Dillon and the like then I think you’ll find this an amusing, entertaining read.
My thanks as always to the author and publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book . The way that Melanie Cantor writes she evokes friendships and shows friends will be there for you come what may. Definitely recommend. Don't be put off by title ...this is not doom and gloom ...its very funny, emotional , with twists and turns , loved the characters and their relationships with each other

Do I hear you all asking for a summer read?

Well then, here you go! I honestly don’t think you will find a better one.

A controversial, thought provoking, extremely moving, witty and beautifully inspiring read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5

This book was both entertaining and enjoyable
The characters are quirky and interesting. This book is a thought provoking read and makes you think what you would do in a similar situation
A light entertaining read

Seeing the title, I giggled and had to pick it up after some heavy books. Despite the heavy subject, this is actually a really enjoyable, easy read. Good for book clubs and women's fiction lovers

great book! Funny and relatable and touching. Loved the story and every character was interesting and three dimensional