Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Happyish by Jeanette Escudero starts off with Alex Martinez, the protagonist, in a joyful mood, ready to celebrate her first divorce anniversary with her best friends. But before she can party, she bombs an office presentation, learns she might have a brain tumor, and maybe even lose her job. With both her personal and professional life in jeopardy, Alex goes on an impromptu trip to process everything and reflect on all that’s going wrong in her life.
Alex, the lead protagonist, can often be hard to like, as her dominant trait is overthinking everything and acting like the world revolves around her, even though she is a total people-pleaser. Alex proclaims herself to be the “bra-burning” kind of feminist but is whiny about men in general for no real personal reason. Author Jeanette Escudero often addresses gender discrimination in the book through Alex’s opinions, although, ironically, practically nothing detrimental happens to Alex in the story due to sexist men or gender divides. In one annoying scene, Alex and her friends burn a note from Alex’s ex-husband at a bar, practically setting the table on fire and inviting the manager’s wrath. When Alex tells him he wouldn’t have called a man “crazy,” he snaps back with something along the lines of, “If a man set a table on fire, I would call him crazy too,” to which Alex has no response.
Despite not being very likable, Alex does have moments where she is relatable, especially in not wanting to burden anybody else with her problems or needing some “alone time” to process life-changing developments. She has a fun relationship with her best friends, who always try to have her back. And Alex’s overbearing moms are quite sweet.
Happyish is most fun in the second half, when Alex flies off to Arizona on a whim, embarks on a multi-day trek along the Grand Canyon, and meets some interesting new people. A potential movie-like romance blooms between her and a hunky man, which, despite its clichés, is entertaining to read. She then takes off to Costa Rica, meets two hilarious girl cousins who are travel influencers, and has a riotous time.
Overall, Happyish is an easy read, even though many descriptions are repetitive; tighter editing could have made it sharper. Despite its flaws, the novel is a decent one-time read with a timeless message: love yourself. For someone who had never taken vacations, Alex finally realizes that taking time off can be transformative and that prioritizing her own happiness isn’t selfish but necessary.
Rating: 3 on 5. Happyish is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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