As someone who has been in therapy AT LOT the desire to know more about your therapist is definitely something I have pondered over a lot. The intrigue of this person existing outside of the room you visit them in. Their reality, their 3D-ness. Happiness Forever is such an astute exploration of this feeling - the want that the therapy relationship is more than simply contractual, that such care might become more, that safety can be afforded by such a relationship forever. This was humorous, bizarre and touching. I felt that every character was at once wholly real but also potentially satirical in some way. If you liked Big Swiss this is the vibe Happiness forever gave me. A very strong debut!

Happiness Forever is an utterly beguiling debut from Adelaide Faith, blending humour, introspection and raw emotion into a truly memorable read. This book takes readers deep into the mind of Sylvie, a woman whose happiest moments are spent in therapy, largely because she is hopelessly in love with her therapist. With an obsession that borders on all-consuming, Sylvie navigates her sessions with a mix of wit, vulnerability and self-awareness, while struggling to find meaning in the world beyond that room.

Faith’s writing is sharp and engaging, drawing readers into Sylvie’s unique perspective with a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. Though the book is more character-driven than plot-heavy, Sylvie’s journey is one of growth, self-exploration and an unexpected but life-changing friendship with Chloe, who sees her in a way no one else does.

Despite covering difficult themes such as abusive relationships and self-destructive thoughts, Happiness Forever never feels overly bleak. The author masterfully balances the heaviness with warmth, charm and a dry sense of humour that keeps the story uplifting. Sylvie’s inner world is a fascinating place to inhabit, and by the end of the book, it is impossible not to root for her.

This is a beautifully crafted debut, filled with heart, wit and a deep understanding of what it means to be human. It is a book that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

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I really enjoyed this and just felt for our main character all through. I think it was delicately done with really funny parts that both softened and darkened the story.

Sylvie on paper is fairly well adjusted, she has an apartment she maintains, a job she does well at (even if she is a bit emotionally absent while there) and she has a special needs dog she takes great care of. Her current obsession happens to be her therapist but she has a history of projecting onto her relationships and wants to change. I was a bit bored reading this at times; personally I found the excerpts from her job at the veterinary office to be the most interesting parts of the book. Give it a shot if you liked Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

Seemingly efficient Veterinary nurse, Sylvie, has problems with relationships, she is obsessed with her therapist. finds problems trying to sort her life out. A new friendship with Chloe may help with the obsession?

A funny and touching debut novel. I think this would be an interesting book for trainee therapists to read alongside others

I found this book so intriguing - although as a training therapist slightly disturbing. It was a really interesting study of the therapeutic process and of love and loss. I have made it sound quite heavy but actually it felt like quite a light hearted book. I would definitely recommend it and look forward to seeing what she writes next. Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy.

A unique and compelling character driven book exploring the main character's relationship with her therapist.
As a result of some difficult relationships and life experiences Sylvie is in her 30s and lives alone with her brain damaged dog, Curtains. When she enters therapy to explore some of her issues she becomes obsessed with her therapist and the book explores this relationship and how it plays out.
An interesting exploration of the power of the therapeutic relationship, how transference and counter-transference can play out and the huge importance of maintaining boundaries in this domain.
I think this would be an interesting book for trainee therapists to read alongside others interested in character-driven novels.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Happiness Forever by Adelaide Faith is a novel to read if you've ever felt like you're not able to do life properly or as well as other people. The only thing I think could maybe have worked better is perhaps if it had been in first person instead of third.

I was a bit disappointed by this one. It positions itself as a story of an unhinged queer obsession but in reality it’s just an account of relatively straightforward therapy sessions.

The main character Sylvie is obsessed with her therapist. She lives alone with her brain damaged dog in a seaside town and works as a vet tech. She’s been in some very unhealthy and controlling relationships and is working to figure out who she is in her 30s.

I loved Big Swiss so I was hoping it would be similar to that, but it unfortunately didn’t really deliver on the obsession or weirdness, and it wasn’t really gay, despite being a story of same-sex obsession.

It reminded me more so of Emily Austin’s writing in terms of being a very interior story of a deeply neurotic individual.

I think what really bugged me beyond the fact that nothing really happened is that all of Sylvie’s relationships seem to exist to talk about her therapist. So she’s in therapy, thinking about therapy, and then she meets her friends and only talks about therapy. It gets really repetitive, and we don’t get to actually know anything about her friends because the relationship is completely one sided.

The writing itself was fine, and I’m sure some people will really resonate with it, but it just wasn’t for me.

I must admit it was the dog on the cover of this book that made me request to review it.
It was an ok read for me.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

Happiness Forever follows Sylvie who loves being in therapy because she is in love with her therapist. Sylvie knows she has an obsession but isn’t sure if it’s transference. Sylvie is a veterinary nurse who has a brain damaged dog called Curtains. Her world begins to open up though when she makes a new friend called Chloe.

This was okay. The story wasn’t really for me as I did find the whole thing to be a bit weird. I think this novel is perfect for people that enjoy character driven novels. This was exclusively about Sylvie and her experience in life. I’m not sure how true to life the therapy part was especially when Sylvie stated she was in love with her therapist. Overall, this was fine and I would recommend it for fans of short novels who like following one character.