The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley

She's out to prove that there's no such thing as choosing happiness.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley follows the life of Isadora Bentley, a woman who sticks to the rules and likes things just so. She firmly believes that happiness is something that doesn’t exist in her life—and never will.

As a university researcher, Isadora keeps to herself as much as possible. She avoids the students she's meant to befriend and mentor. She also stays away from her neighbours, living her own quiet, organised life in her own quiet, organised apartment. She has decided never to get involved in a romantic relationship again, especially not with another academic. It’s just Isadora and her research. Forever.

However, on her thirtieth birthday, Isadora does something completely out of character. The woman who never acts on a whim purchases a magazine with a humorous article titled “Thirty-One Ways to Be Happy.” The article suggests everything from smiling at strangers to exercising for endorphins to indulging in chocolate cravings. Intrigued, Isadora decides to start her own secret research project—to prove the article's writer wrong.

As Isadora delves deeper into her research—and meets a handsome professor along the way—she’s surprised to find that maybe, just maybe, she’s proving herself wrong. It seems there might be some truth to this happiness concept and perhaps there is something to be said for loosening up and letting life lead you to happiness.

• Christian women’s fiction
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: 100,000 words
• Perfect for fans of Rachel Linden, Gail Honeyman, and Linda Holmes
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs