Book Review: ‘Happy People Read and Drink Coffee,’ A Novel of Hope by Agnes Martin-Lungand

Tragedy can strike at any moment. In Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, we are introduced Dianne, a young woman who has lived a wonderful life. She is married to the love of her life, has a delightful young child, and owns a charming literary café in Paris. In the blink of a moment everything changes when her husband and child are killed in a car accident.

Suddenly everything has lost all meaning, and depression becomes her norm. Both her parents and best friend continue to keep after her to go back to work and try to move on. For her there is no way to put the past behind her, and she is done with being pushed when she is not ready. She knows she will never be ready, and decides on a whim to leave her home and head to the Irish coast, a place her husband had always wanted to visit. The objections of those closest to her make no difference for she has made up her mind. She is determined to heal in her own way and rebuild her life on her own terms.

Here she meets an abrasive and angry photographer who dislikes her from the beginning. She has no idea why he is so set against her, but she really doesn’t care. She will not be bullied by the likes of him or anyone else. Yet as they are thrown together they find they have more in common and, as the days stretch on, Dianne realizes that she has fallen for him. Romance is re-kindled for both, but it is time for Diane to return home and pick up her life. Will the romance be enough to sustain them?

This is a powerful story of love and loss and how life moves forward often of its own accord. Both tearful and uplifting this is an exquisite story of re-growth and renewal after tragedy. Lugand takes you into a tragedy and makes you feel the pain. She then give you romance and hope which makes this work one of believing that love brings its own healing, and memory of love past doesn’t need to destroy but can help to build a bridge to that future.

If you enjoy romance and growth you will find this an uplifting story beginning with tragedy and yet moving beyond, finding a way to love and trust again. A story of finding yourself when it seems that all is gone.

This would be a great work for a reading or discussion group.