Interesting read set during the covid pandemic. The story focuses on two friends and their evolving friendship. It is so amazing to read about different main characters and their interactions with friends and family. The scenarios are a bit too real. How many older kids moved home because of the pandemic? What is that dynamic like after being on your own and living by your own rules? Then you have to find your your way again. Friends are a wonderful support system. It is so great to see the relationships portrayed in this story. I'm a fan. I love the ideas the author put together in this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Nice read, here are some tropes/facts:
👩🏿‍🦱self development
❤️queer representation: ace and pan
😷covid/pandemic life
😨quarterlife crisis

This book follows a fuller, black, queer woman who just had her whole life fall apart. She moves back to her parents and starts developing a new life. She explores new job prospects, finds new friends, a new type of relationship with her best friend, and many other aspects of her life.

To be honest, while i enjoyed reading, i felt like the book was building up to something bigger that never came. This was kind of anticlimactic but it was still enjoyable. The many mentions of covid werent my favorite but it was reality at the time, and still is sometimes, and i think it is relevant to the book as well, because it led so many people to start a journey of self development, and this also goes for Maya.

Recommend!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the the in exchange for an honest review.

This is a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and friendship complicated by shifting emotions. Maya grapples with the daunting task of rebuilding her world from scratch after her dreams come crashing down. At the core of the story is the endearing friendship between Maya and Ant, a friendship with unwavering support in the face of life's uncertainties. Appiah-Kubi beautifully captures the genuine warmth and emotional depth of their relationship.

Delving into themes of mental health, the story delicately and authentically addresses the challenges of grappling with depression. There is also a lovely representation of an asexual relationship in all of its facets, offering a refreshing and much-needed portrayal of diverse identities within the realm of contemporary romance.

Appiah-Kubi's sensitive and thoughtful storytelling fosters a deep sense of connection with the characters and the end leaves readers with a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the journey ahead. Loved it!

Thank you to the author and Montlake for the eARC! This is an honest review.

This was a disappointment for me. If the characters were straight out of high school and this was labeled as young adult, the story may have gone over better. But as a 30+ year old, black woman (like our main character) the overall story was unrelatable. It was choppy, underwhelming, and underdeveloped.

This really missed the mark for me.

This was an okay read for me but at certain points I found the book to be rather bland. Nothing about it really stands out besides the plus-size and sexuality representation. The characters have vulnerabilities but lack actual depth. I wasn’t fond of the ending either but the author takes us on a journey with Maya as she struggles to rediscover herself and find her footing in the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’re given a dual POV from Maya and Ant which gives readers a better insight into their friendship and what both characters think of each other. It didn’t really give romance to me because I didn’t feel any real chemistry between the characters. The romantic aspects were really a sub-plot in the novel. Maya and Ant’s relationship was bound by codependency which was really on Ant’s part. The way the dialogue was written I felt they’d just been friends for so long that after awhile one of them grew feelings. But it was never anything strong enough to build a romantic relationship. Which we kind of see that in one part of the novel where Ant gets rejected by Maya.

Overall, this was decent some readers may find it very relatable. The flow and pacing were really slow so I found myself a little bored at times. This wasn’t a total fav for me but you might enjoy it. Special thanks to the author & #Montlake @amazonpublishing for my gifted copy!!!

Rating: 3.5/5⭐️

I probably would have DNF'd this book if it hadn't been for the audiobook because it just really wasn't for me. Although, at the end, it has this truly fantastic line referencing Lexapro, which I like to joke is a medication that should make me a sponsor because I literally will not shut up about how it changed my life. So loved that. The book got a whole bonus half star for it. Essentially, Her Own Happiness follows a woman whose life is falling apart and she's having to move home and in wit her parents, who live in the DC area. Her best friend decides to move with her because he's... well, he's in love with her, but he's ace and so he thinks that it is just a deep platonic love. The two of them then proceed to have their own solo journeys to self-actualization with the romance taking not even a back seat, but like stowed away in the trunk. And the solo journeys are not equal, with our FMC's taking much more space. And that is, I think, where my issues arose. Because what was this book trying to be? It didn't feel like a romance because the romance was not at all a focus beyond the two of them thinking about one another a good amount. But the page time they share? Limited. And how can you have an only one bed trope where I still feel like I got no page time with the two of them together?? I truly cannot explain how this book did not work for me because on the one hand, it seems like it should have and on the other hand, I was desperately bored. Anyway, if occasional talk of religion (Christianity specifically), trying to sort out your career after everything has fallen apart, and family dynamics are things that interest you, give this one a shot.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Depression

2 / 5 Stars

If anyone following my reviews is wondering as to why it took me ages - no really, months - to finish this, well, here's why:
The depression rep.

The way we included Maya's depression just for the book to depict her "recovery" from it in less than a chapter, less than half a chapter, less than 5% of a chapter even, was so ridiculous, I couldn't decide whether I should laugh, scream or cry. There are some nice one-liner quotes in it, but they don't really do it for me. I like to see my fellow mental health struggling folks struggling please. And no, a few self help, think positive:D, Youtube videos will not fix things. The whole book then proceeds to ignore the depression, besides one - max. two - blink and you'll miss it throwaway lines, just for the book to recall that "Oh yeah, MC was depressed" about 15 pages before the end. And then it has the audacity to claim that she was depressed all the time and of course she was and of course we should have seen that that was the case. The fact that the author suffered from depression and should therefore know how to not write depression rep, makes this even more sad.

The love story didnt do this book any favours either, given that it's not really developed and pushed into the back until the end where it comes kind of out of nowhere.

On top of that, I felt like Ant as a character was kind of underdevelopped, especially after his confession, when he figures that yeah, he might have been too clingy and needy, just for him to (maybe) get development off page.

The book is clearly trying, and I appreciate the inclusion & handling of the virus, but other than that, it's just lacking and missing and not quite where it wants to be.

I wanted to like this book so bad, since it features not one, but 2 fat queer MCs. One of them is even fat AND asexual. Which is something I've wanted - needed - in my life for a long while now. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Final Thoughts:

This was a rough read. And not one I particulary enjoyed.

I adored this compassionate and compelling story from start to finish! Her Own Happiness by Eden Appiah-Kubi is an escape into friendship, self-discovery, and coming-of-age (no matter your age). I found this story to be a love letter to open hearts and unwavering spirits.

Meet Maya Davis. Her life took a turn on her thirty-first birthday. She finds herself packing her life into two suitcases and moving back to her parents’ home to formulate a plan. Happy Birthday, right? Will Maya be able to keep from losing herself as she tries to find her way? Meet Ant. He’s leaving home for the first time. Just as his best friend is moving home. Will the distance be too much for their friendship, or will feelings deepen?

I found this story to be a relatable exploration of how friendships can evolve and change over time. A tender read, I found myself really loving the message and relating to it. Basically, finding the “right” path in life isn’t as important as the people who walk with you, and don’t leave your side. I also was here for the representation Appiah-Kubi wove into the story.

Featuring a plus-sized, queer Black female main character and a plus-sized, asexual Afro-Latino male main character, this story was everything I wanted and didn’t know I needed. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for something to get you all up in your feels, it’s beautifully written and is deep with meaning.

Her Own Happiness is a type of second coming of age story. Due to COVID-19, Maya's future plans are derailed and she has to find a new path. She and her best friend Ant make it to the mainland from Hawaii for employment and to figure out what they're going to do with their lives. In comes romantic feelings each of them feel for one another. Maya is pansexual, Ant is asexual (demisexual?). This book takes a look at how they balance work, their feelings, and mental health.

I appreciated the look at mental health for each of the characters and the exploration of sexuality. If you've ever had to change courses in life, I think this is a book you'll relate to. The characters have to make tough decisions and sometimes those decisions take a toll.

If I had to nitpick at anything in this book is the relatively slow pacing and a few opportunities in the plot that are not addressed. I thought the plot of Maya's work was going to take a different direction. It's not a bad thing but I felt like it would have been interesting to explore and maybe sped up the plot a teeny tiny bit.

As a millennial and a fat black woman living thru the Panorama, this was relatable. I would have loved to have seen the inbtween of Maya's and Ant's dynamic of coming back together after seeing each other at the ice skating rink. But over was a great story.

Thank you so much to the publisher for a free proof in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately this story was not engaging enough for me. As it did not peak my interest I have decided to DNF.

I wanted to love this book but unfortunately I didn’t. I don’t think I was the target audience and that’s fine.

I did like that fact that this was the first book set during the pandemic and it showed how scared a lot of us were during the time

I found this beautiful cover on NetGalley and was immediately pulled in by the story.
Maya and Ant are leaving Hawaii for Washington DC. Ant is starting a prestigious internship and Maya is going back to live with her parents after her job and home was lost.
As it is a romance, which is a genre I often struggle with, I was pleasantly surprised. This might be my favourite book in the genre. It has fat, Black, queer, ace and lesbian characters. The vibe in the book is so comforting. Yes, there is tension and complicated feelings and relationships of various kinds, but there is a genuine warmth to these characters. If people were like this, not without flaws, but with a care for each other our world would be so much better.

That said, the book doesn't shy away from tougher topics and it is set in 2021 with the reality of the pandemic. For some it might be too much but I found it well balanced. We all went through it, we are all still going through it.

In conclusion, I found this a lovely book and I look forward to reading more romance books from this author.

This was okay, I had a really hard time getting into it and was really excited to read it, however this just missed the mark for me. LIke it was fine, I wouldn't read it again.

I really enjoyed this book and how the author developed the characters. I am definitely recommending it others.

I enjoyed this authors previous book, so I was happy to read this book also. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one quite as much.

Her Own Happiness follows Maya, a 31 year old who has to move from Hawaii to Maryland, back in with her parents. Her best friend Ant decides to move with her, but while Maya is befriending a famous 'girlboss' and trying to make contacts for her career, Ant is realising he may have feelings for her.

The synopsis of this book had me excited. I love books following characters in their 30's going through a life change. Unfortunately, while Maya is described as being 31, she doesn't act like it. To me she came across incredibly immature. Firstly, her reason for having to move from Hawaii to her parents house is due to a fire. This is obviously unfortunate timing, as a month before this book was released the Maui wildfires happened, killing 100 people and burning thousands of acres of land. Obviously the current fire is unrelated to the fictional one in the story, but I couldn't help see Maya as being fairly self-centred in her thoughts about the situation. She acting as if the fire at the Ohana Center she worked at was a huge inconvenience to her, but her boss, a Hawaii native, lost her home in the fire. She also fails to put any thought towards any of the children who will be affected by the loss of the Center. She complains that she was "preparing for a very specific life that is gone" and "I earned my degree in December, and they’re mailing it out here" she says that "If the Ohana Center was still standing, I would have slid right into an assistant director position" Her sister points out that their parents still had her college fund sitting around and would help with room and board if she were in school. So she, has a safe place to live, she already has a degree, and her parents are able to fund her going back to school for a second degree if she chose to... but she is acting as though a fire that destroyed her boss' home, and the Center that was probably a safe space for many local youth has only ruined HER life, while completely ignoring her own privilege. I do understand that her mental health played a HUGE part of her mental state at this time, but it all came across to me as very immature, and something that a freshly 18 year old would act like.

Unfortunately this is not the only selfish display by Maya. As my other example happens later in the book, I'll avoid spoilers, but a friend is dealing with a scary and difficult situation, and Maya is AGAIN only thinking about herself. She literally even says I’m trying not to be a bitch, but I’ve made two professional contacts... and continues on to list things that other people are going through that is preventing her from advancing in her career...one of which being a medical emergency.

At the 25% mark, she finally acknowledges that living in a safe home with her parents wasn't exactly the worst thing in the world: "Finally, there was another big point of clarity: (3) Her situation wasn’t unique. Many people had been forced to move in with their parents in the last year or so, and many more folks had been forced to let go of their carefully made plans. Something kept happening when she told an old family friend, or church member, or longtime neighbor why she was home: the other person inevitably had their own story of loss. Some had lost loved ones in the past year—not only to COVID but to new addictions or despair. Her aunt was getting a divorce. A high school acquaintance she’d run into had lost a job she loved after her day care center closed. A friend of Ella’s had moved home to help a parent with long COVID. Cousin Gigi had thought she had a minor case of COVID until she lost her sense of taste for six months (and counting). Lots of people were swimming in the same sea of confusion and pain." but as I mentioned, she acts selfishly at later parts of the novel regardless of having this inner thought. The inclusion of COVID in the novel was interesting, I had not read many books that are set during the very real pandemic, so it was definitely something different. I'm honestly not sure that I enjoyed it, and the authors note at the beginning says "This novel is not about the pandemic" and explains that it is merely set in 2021 during the real world...however I would argue that it IS in fact about the pandemic. I do appreciate the authors note to warm readers before going in, but the pandemic is mentioned SO MUCH.

To move onto some more positive points, something I loved in this authors previous novel that this also had, was the amazing amount of diversity and representation. Maya is an openly queer, plus-sized, black woman, and the book touched on each of these things many times throughout. The other main character, Ant, is asexual, and his sexuality is discussed at length throughout. While I can't speak to how well the representation is done, I really appreciated the ways in which it was discussed. I think it was explained enough for anyone who didn't have much knowledge of asexuality to understand, but not in a way that is tiresome for readers who already have an understanding. eg "Crushes that were very real at the time, which was probably why it took him extra long to figure out his orientation. He did feel butterflies when a woman took his breath away. He caught the spark of attraction in the middle of a conversation—the kind you move from the couch to the back porch at a party. He could distinguish between a pretty he admired and a pretty he desired. It was just that his desire didn’t involve sex. For the longest time he’d thought that meant he couldn’t be asexual—turned out he just wasn’t aromantic and asexual."

I've noticed that the book is tagged as romance first. I'm not sure I felt as if it was while reading. In fact it did feel like an interesting blend of genres. While the synopsis mentions Ant discovering his feelings for Maya, it didn't feel like the main part of the plot. I think maybe the book could've just been a coming of age fiction novel following the two characters. I also felt like when the character Emme was introduced, the book started to allude that she was maybe up to something, or some sort of reveal was going to happen, but it all sort of fizzled out. Maybe I was imagining there being a build up to something, who knows. That storyline just felt like it was going somewhere bigger.

I'm sad that I didn't enjoy this as much as Eden Appiah-Kubi's previous book, but I hope that this book can fall into the hands of the type of reader who will enjoy it much more than I did. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc.

I absolutely loved the writing and the pop culture references, in that sense it felt like a novel written for me personally and I couldn't have enjoyed it more. I struggled with the characters in the sense they read very YA in their decisions and way of thiking, when they were supposed to be in their 30s. Their relationship was treated with care but it failed to catch my attention, I felt they had no chemistry and were overall a bit akward around each other.
I really liked the debate around mental health and sexuality, very needed as the context is the Covid pandemic and how life altering it was and still is for so many.
I would love to read more from Eden Appiah-Kubi, very talented writer.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimately, this book is about love in its' various forms and learning to trust ones instincts after tragedy strikes. The friendship between the two protagonists (Ant and Maya) was sweet to read about. Additionally, I enjoyed the asexual rep; so much of the language utilized within the ace community was (and is) created in online spaces. I appreciate Appiah-Kubi incorporating those virtual communities within Ant's arc.

However, the plot was a bit redundant and the catalyst for one of the conflicts toward the end of the book seemed to come out of nowhere. Considering the dynamic between the two characters involved in the conflict, it didn't make a ton of sense to me based on their characterizations up to that point. Additionally, the ending was a bit rushed.

Despite my critiques, this was a good book. As someone in my late twenties, I related to many of the woes Maya and Ant experienced while navigating the pandemic in 2021.

TW: This book is set during the Covid-19 pandemic; look up additional content warnings.

Her Own Happiness is a really lovely coming of age story. Set in 2021, as the world is just emerging from lock-down, friends Maya and Ant are restarting their lives in DC after moving back to the mainland from Hawaii.

The timeframe of this book was rough - 2021 was a hard year to revisit, even in fiction. However, I really enjoyed following Maya and Ant as they learned more about themselves and grew individually and together. The author’s note in the beginning does give readers forewarning about what’s ahead.

Her Own Happiness touches on so many topics - queerness, COVID, accepting yourself, depression - being a millennial, specifically a Black queer millennial, in such tumultuous time in our history.

Thank you to Turn the Page Tours and NetGalley for the review copies of Her Own Happiness by Eden Appiah-Kubi.

4.25/5 stars
0/5 spice

Lots to reflect on, but essentially, this book is very much a rediscovery of what's important and how to take ownership of your life during and after very difficult and stressful times. This was a bit triggering because it very blatantly brings the pandemic into the story and affects every single character on the page. It's hard to reflect back on the beginning of those dark times, but it's even harder (and necessary) to read about how it affected people who are more marginalized than yourself. So, with that in mind, I was very much hoping for the rainbow at the end of the storm for Maya. Her story resonated with me. Her journey to find her own happiness (see what I did there 😉) is relatable to a lot of people post-pandemic. The love story is a background player in the book, and I didn't mind at all. I think both Ant and Maya needed to grow away from each other in order to reflect on what they wanted. Their friendship was perfection... I loved that for them and would have been OK if they never got together romantically.

I will definitely be thinking about this book for a while and highly recommend it to anyone who loves self-discovery books that focus more on the journey than the actual destination.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Pandemic, illness, mental health topics