Book ~ "Happily Ever Before" (2012) Aimee Pitta and Melissa Peterman

From HappilyEverBefore.com ~ Happily Ever Before is what would happen if the hit comedies Bridesmaids and Baby Mama had a love child. It tells the story of two sisters and the biggest, most important question anyone has ever been asked: would you, if I for some reason couldn’t, loan me your womb and have my baby?

Years ago, Grace and Clair Higgins made a drunken pact while watching a Lifetime Movie Marathon (is there a better time for drunken pact-making between sisters?). In a nutshell, the free spirit older sister, Grace, promised her control freak younger sister, Clair, that she’d have her baby, should the need arise. But she certainly never thought she’d have to deliver on it. 

Now everyone is dealing with situations they never dreamed of. Will Clair’s WASP-y in-laws accept that Grace, the black sheep of the family, is carrying their grandchild? Will Diane, Grace and Clair’s mom, be able to stay out of it and focus on moving forward with her own life, which has been on hold for so long? Will Clair’s husband Henry stop giving Grace bizarre and overly personal pregnancy gifts? Will Grace be able to navigate true love while being “scientifically knocked up” by her sister’s husband? Will Grace’s best friend George find someone else to drink with if Grace is busy with gestation? And the more importantly will the sisters be able to navigate the slippery slope of sibling surrogacy with their relationship intact?

I received an ecopy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

This is an interesting question posed in a chick lit format ... would you artificially inseminate yourself with your sister's baby if she couldn't have kids?  A life changing decision.


Clair approaches Grace to do her this ultimate favour, which she eventually agrees to.  I didn't initially like Clair.  She was very bossy and anal but she settled down (or maybe I got used to her) as the story moved on.  Grace is a free thinker who is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.  She's had many jobs and is wondering if she's really cut out to be a 911 operator.  One benefit, though, is that she's met Jack, a fireman, through one of the calls.  But is she really over Ray? 


I found it to be a quick read.  I liked the writing style, though I found there was a lot of swearing (keep in mind that I'm not a prude) and there was a bit too much detail sometimes (like when Grace couldn't poop).

The editing could have been tighter.  There was a huge lack of punctuation ... for example, capital letters at the beginning of quotations, periods at the end of sentences, etc.

I'd recommend this if you are looking for something different ... it's a feel-good story about sisters and their families.