HAPPY AF

Romero’s motivational guide aims to put readers on the road to happiness.

The author, like millions of other people around the world enduring the global pandemic, had a horrible 2020. Here she tells the story of how she bounced back and offers lessons for others trying to get back on track. In the period covered by the text, the divorced Romero experienced a new romance that quickly ended in infidelity, the loss of her job, and the death of her father from Covid-19. Though the author doesn’t like the term “self-help,” this is essentially a self-help book, full of tips to help hone the mind, body, and soul. Each chapter includes what Romero calls a “happiness check,” including exercises to help the reader achieve happiness. The first happiness check includes a deep-breathing tutorial, an exercise to help the reader feel empathy for someone who has wronged them, and guidance for developing a personal affirmation. Other topics include retraining your brain to be happy, staying resilient, maintaining gratitude and faith, practicing grace, setting goals, and finding a purpose. The author holds a degree in psychology and asserts that all of her advice is supported by clinical research—she backs this up with a number of citations that lend credibility to her arguments. At the same time, the book is enjoyable; Romero’s a sharp, straightforward writer. Sometimes, though, she tries a bit too hard: The book is littered with gratuitous pop culture references (Sharknado, J. Lo., Survivor, Oprah, Judge Judy, Pete Davidson), making Romero seem at times a bit like the mom who wants to be cool around her kids’ friends. She also seems to think she’s being relatable with her use of expletives, which is constant (“F*ck you, 2020. You seriously kicked my ass”). There’s nothing really wrong with that; it’s just that, coming from an adult professional with grown children, it can appear calculated and patronizing. This should not deter the curious, however—this guide is filled with information that just might help the most unhappy of us.

A sharp, sometimes witty, often helpful map for pointing your life in the direction of happiness.