Happiness for Beginners

Fun-filled, feel-good fiction from the Sunday Times bestseller

By: Carole Matthews

Narrated by: Emma Powell

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

The brand-new audiobook that will make your heart sing from the best-selling and beloved Carole Matthews. 

Molly Baker is living her best life.

Thirty-eight years old, she lives on the 25-acre Hope Farm in Buckinghamshire, surrounded by (mostly) four-legged friends and rolling hills. An ex-teacher, Molly runs the farm as an alternative education for kids who have special needs or behavioural issues. It's full on, but she wouldn't have it any other way. 

So when the well-groomed Shelby Dacre turns up at Hope Farm asking to enrol his son Lucas, Molly isn't fazed. But Lucas is distant, and soon Molly realises he might be more of a handful than she anticipated. And then there's the added problem that his dad is distractingly handsome. 

Molly has her beloved farm to think of - could letting Lucas and Shelby in be a terrible mistake or the start of something wonderful?

©2018 Carole Matthews (P)2018 Hachette Audio UK

Critic Reviews

"Fabulously enjoyable...full of heart and fun." (Milly Johnson)

"Gorgeous." (Katie Fforde)

"I laughed and cried and marvelled." (Cathy Bramley)

Must read for animal lovers

If you’re an animal lover, this is your romance. I loved mature, optimistic Molly Baker who operates a farm for misfit animals and children. Each animal, named after celebrities, are characters in their own right. However, Matthews pairs the creatures with children who also have difficulty fitting into the status quo. The children and the animals had me at page 1, but enter the local soap star and his teenager with problems and the story takes off.

I’m not usually a fan of authors as narrators, but Matthews pulls it off. I loved the rhythm of the speech and the interesting differences between the US and UK use of words.

Wonderful story & narrator!!

As always Carole Matthews does not disappoint with her fabulous and creative stories. I was instantly in love with the characters and all the animals! And Emma Powell did a lovely job narrating. I found it so soothing listening to her narrate this story. I cannot wait for the next novel!

Great listen

Slow beginning, but hang in there, it picks up it’s a moving story.
Great read

Happiness for Beginners

I loved this hopeful, big hearted book. I am a teacher so I enjoyed reading the accounts.of.the kids.and how the main character and her crew dealt with them. Descriptions of the animals, farm routine and the English.countryside were fun. We also get a little glimpse into soap opera show biz.

Love love love

I've loved every Carole Matthews book so far. But this one is by far the best yet. <3

For teachers is a must

wow a book that any teacher of alt provison this is must!!! this catures all emotion ,stories of a every day alt provision that seems to happening to more and more children every day yet another amazing book from her

Brilliant escapism

Carole Matthews never fails to write an interesting book, well written and good characters. Loved it. Narration was great too!

A very, sweet, pleasing read!

An easy, uplifting, pleasant read! Funny, sad, thought provoking but leaves you with a nice feeling!

Fantastic book

Didn’t want it to end, great story. Funny with great characters. Read well. Will look for more by same author

Amazing!!!

I loved this book. A thoroughly enjoyable story with plenty of laughs and giggles. Another one of Caroles best books to add to my top 5 must reads xxx

Fantastic

This is a brilliant story, Carole Matthews at her very best. If you are a fan of an ultimately feel good book then look no further.

Just lovely

A really lovely story from Carole Matthews. I feel her stories just keep on getting better and her story lines more varied. Loved this one about the little guy versus the big guy - it was enchanting. Just one thing Carole - teachers haven’t been able to qualify by going to college for a very long time!

absolutely rubbish

I gave this a chance up to chapter 9 to get better its awful boring as hell.

Takes too long to get into

To much time spent introducing the farm normally live Carole’s book but the main character wasted far too much time talking and introducing her farm and the animals that I gave up 😴😴

Life inspiring romantic comedy

This is romantic literature

at its best,

Characters are beautifully created and depicted. Nearly every player has a clear and fascinating arc. Even the animals.

The story starts quickly and ends magnificently.

Well it had me in unmanly tears.

Well done, Carole Matthews! Thank you!

I'm moving onto the sequel, Christmas for Beginners, immediately!

😃😃