‘I Want You To Be Happy’ by Jem Calder

I Want You to Be Happy follows the story of Chuck, a 35 year old copywriter who, following a broken engagement with his long term partner, meets Joey, a 23 year old barista. Told through their alternating perspectives, the story follows the pair as they navigate their new relationship. Despite their age difference, they find common ground in their shared creativity, with Chuck working on a novel and Joey pursuing poetry.

I enjoyed the story, particularly as I’ve always liked novels about two people meeting and forming a connection. Calder’s writing is incredibly accessible and I found myself relishing what might otherwise be considered the mundanity of a blossoming relationship. There’s something quite captivating about those early stages of getting to know someone, and I enjoyed reading along as their connection developed. As their relationship progressed, so too did their individual relationships with writing, as both began to rediscover their creative ambitions.

What I hadn’t quite expected was for the novel to delve into loneliness, addiction and the ways in which the two can intertwine. Chuck’s relationship with alcohol, and his ability to function despite his struggles, added another dimension to a character I didn’t particularly like. He was selfish, arrogant and seemingly lost, unsure of what he wanted from life and attempting to find the answers through his relationship with Joey. I suspect that was very much the point.

Beneath its contemporary setting are some rather timeless feelings about loneliness, connection and the emotional consequences of intimacy.

Joey, on the other hand, was someone I warmed to. I enjoyed her perspective as she attempted to navigate her own life, and I felt for her in various ways, particularly when it came to the uncertainty surrounding her relationship with Chuck. Her youth and relative naivety, coupled with the fact that she hadn’t yet become jaded by life, provided an interesting contrast to Chuck’s outlook. Where he seemed weighed down by his experiences and dissatisfaction, Joey still had a sense of possibility, even if she wasn’t entirely sure where she stood.

Ultimately, this was a novel that really sucked me in, and I was delighted to find myself reading something I genuinely looked forward to picking up again. It’s a story that feels very much of the moment, but beneath its contemporary setting are some rather timeless feelings about loneliness, connection and the emotional consequences of intimacy. Sometimes someone can enter your life for only a brief moment, yet the hurt they leave behind can linger long after the relationship has ended.