I’m back after a hiatus from writing book reviews (I’ve been reading, reading, reading) and I’m very excited that I get to join up with Lone Star Lit and bring you Kristin Billerbeck’s latest book, The Theory of Happily Ever After. Just the cover makes me happy! I loved this book, so read on to find out what kept me from putting it down (while trying to read more slowly so it wouldn’t end) and then enter the giveaway for a chance to win your own copy, and more! THE THEORY OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER by KRISTIN BILLERBECK Genre: Contemporary Romance Publisher: Revell Date of Publication: May 1, 2018 Number of Pages: 288 Scroll down for Giveaway! According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious—serious science, that is. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies, like why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream–fueled chick flick binge. Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart. Filled with unforgettable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile—because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you. PRAISE FOR THE THEORY OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER:  “. . .the sweet will-they-or-won’t-they of Sam and Maggie’s courtship will please readers. . .”                         —Publishers Weekly “Billerbeck returns with a light Christian chick-lit novel just in time for the summer beach-read season, taking on stereotypes of femininity, intellect, and worth within an exciting cruise-ship setting with plenty of sunshine and gelato.”                         —Booklist “Billerbeck’s latest is full of memorable characters and witty dialogue. . . .The overall story reminds the reader that sometimes happiness will find you, no matter what you may do to avoid it.” —RT Book Reviews – Four Star Review CLICK TO PURCHASE Baker BookHouse  Amazon  Barnes &Noble Christianbook.com  Kobo  Lifeway  Books-A-Million Our hilarious, smart and complicated protagonist, Dr. Maggie McGuire is the author a book called The Science of Bliss.  She is not a shrink – she is thoroughly a scientist, her book is researched and based on empirical data. We first meet her after a breakup with her fiancé, as she hiding out in her pitiful excuse for an apartment in grubby clothes, binge-watching sappy movies and binge-eating gelato – and apparently feeling like a fraud in light of her well researched and successful book. This could have gone the way of all the usual breakup tales, but author Billerbeck doesn’t take the expected way of laying it all on the pathetic, traitorous boyfriend. She reveals,   gradually (as she works through her own issues, egged on by a fellow shipmate’s comment that smart girls aren’t capable of happiness), that Maggie and her issues are a whole lot more complicated than you might expect, and those reasons turn into a bit of an epiphany – for both Maggie, and maybe even for the reader. If you’ve ever been through a bad breakup, Maggie’s character is thoroughly relatable in her misery. Honestly, the woman is a hot mess, and she owns it, and every bit of her crazy – and it all makes for a delightfully fun read.  She’s clumsy, self-deprecating at times and funny smart at others, fellow passengers on the boat enter her life and push her out of her comfort zone, and into revealing some pretty deep truths and closely held secrets. There is a great balance here between the fun, the funny, awkwardness and grief, and the author does a wonderful job at making Maggie a fully human character and not a caricature.  Supporting characters are equally delightful, a bit maddening, and quite honestly, you may find yourself googling “cruise vacations” by the end of it all.  I was not expecting to find a light Christian element to the book, but it added to the complexity that is Maggie the scientist, and even if this isn’t your thing, do not let it dissuade you, because it fits into the storyline in its own way. As  I mentioned above, while I couldn’t put this book down, I struggled to slow down my reading, since I had fallen in love with the characters and didn’t want the story to end. This is a book with a lot of heart and honesty. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a book with a little bit of everything. Author Kristen Billerbeck has written more than thirty novels, and I don’t know how this could be my first encounter with her but it definitely won’t be my last. Kristin Billerbeck is the author of more than thirty novels, including What a Girl Wants and the Ashley Stockingdale and Spa Girls series. She is a fourth-generation Californian who loves her state and the writing fodder it provides. WEBSITE  FACEBOOK  TWITTER AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE GOODREADS  BLOG —————————————  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY! GRAND PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After + Bookish Beach Towel, Tumbler, & Book Sleeve 2ND PRIZE:Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After + $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card 3RD PRIZE:Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After + $10 Starbucks Gift Card (US ONLY) August 22-31, 2018 a Rafflecopter giveaway   CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR: 8/22/18 Excerpt, Part 1 Chapter Break Book Blog 8/22/18 BONUS Post Hall Ways Blog 8/23/18 Excerpt, Part 2 Forgotten Winds 8/24/18 Review Momma on the Rocks 8/25/18 Playlist All the Ups and Downs 8/26/18 Review Missus Gonzo 8/27/18 Scrapbook Page Story Schmoozing Book Reviews 8/28/18 Review The Love of a Bibliophile 8/29/18 Author Interview Texas Book Lover 8/30/18 Review Syd Savvy 8/31/18 Review Book Fidelity blog tour services provided by