Death and Other Happy Endings

A Novel

By: Melanie Cantor

Narrated by: Hannah Curtis

There's nothing like being told that in three months you'll be dead to make you think about what you really want in life

"A novel about self-discovery, with plenty of surprises and a snappy, Bridget-Jones-gets-a-terminal-diagnosis vibe." -Booklist

Jennifer Cole has just been told that she has a terminal blood disorder and has just three months to live--ninety days to say goodbye to friends and family, and to put her affairs in order. Ninety days to come to terms with a diagnosis that is unfair, unexpected, and completely unpronounceable. Focusing on the positives (she won't have to go on in a world without Bowie or Maya Angelou; she won't get Alzheimer's or Parkinson's like her parents, or have teeth that flop out at the mere mention of the word apple), Jennifer realizes she only has one real regret: the relationships she's lost.

Rather than running off to complete a frantic bucket list, Jennifer chooses to stay put and write a letter to the three most significant people in her life, to say the things she wished she'd said before but never dared: her overbearing, selfish sister, her jelly-spined, cheating ex-husband, and her charming, unreliable ex-boyfriend--and finally tell them the truth.

At first, Jennifer feels cleansed by her catharsis. Liberated, even. Her ex-boyfriend rushes to her side and she even starts to build bridges with her sister Isabelle (that is, once Isabelle's confirmed that Jennifer's condition isn't genetic). But once you start telling the truth, it's hard to stop. And as Jennifer soon discovers, the truth isn't always as straightforward as it seems, and death has a way of surprising you....

Critic reviews

Praise for Death and Other Happy Endings:

“A novel about self-discovery, with plenty of surprises and a snappy, Bridget-Jones-gets-a-terminal-diagnosis vibe.”
–Booklist

“[An] accomplished debut. . . Twists push the story in intriguing directions, and the clever, personable voice of Jennifer is like that of a witty friend with a bad news/good news story to tell, resulting in a moving novel with a surprisingly playful edge.”
–Publishers Weekly

“A brisk, witty tale of saving your life by finding your voice.”
–Kirkus Reviews

“Witty, very touching, and entirely unexpected.”
–Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner

“Brilliantly funny and thought-provoking--an absolute joy.”
–Rosie Walsh, New York Times bestselling author of Ghosted

“Effortlessly charming and endlessly life-affirming. Death and Other Happy Endings is a joy from start to finish. An emotional, uplifting story from a bright new voice in fiction.”
–Georgia Clark, author of The Bucket List

"Bursting with heart and charm, Cantor serves up a wonderfully warm take on love, loss, and second chances."
–Hannah Orenstein, author of Playing with Matches

"A spirited feel-good story that made me smile."
–Fanny Blake, author of An Italian Summer

"Written with energy and sparkle. . . clever."
–Elizabeth Buchan, author of The New Mrs Clifton

Don’t take life for granted

I like when I read a book and think it’s going to go one way but ends up another in a good way! A lot of times good people don’t get happy endings… while I guess depending how you look at it but in this case it did! In life sometimes you have to go through the bad to get to the good! Good book!!!

Lovely story

I really enjoyed this story, lots of life lessons, both good and sad. All of it wonderfully plausible. Glad I chose this book.

Happy Endings

I knew where the story was going, which early on frustrated me. But hooray for happy endings! Melanie Cantor made the expected end a beautiful surprise. Thank you for the journey .