New Book Alert: The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis; Predictable, But Sweet and Romantic Novel About The Desire To Give Happy Endings

 

New Book Alert: The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis; Predictable, But Sweet and Romantic Novel About  The Desire To Give Happy Endings

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis is one of those types of novels with twists that you can see a mile away. The surprise revelations can be spotted in the next country with how predictable they are, especially if you have read a lot of these types of books that tell two stories: one historical and one modern. It won't be a big surprise that the two characters from different eras have a lot in common, or that the modern character learns a valuable lesson from the older character, or even (shocker), that the two stories of two complete strangers are actually connected. Despite or even because of its predictability, The Keeper of Happy Endings makes the Reader love the characters and want to see them get their happy endings after experiencing such hardship as war, abandonment, loss, abuse, and death.

The plot focuses on two women. The first protagonist is Aurora "Rory" Grant, a

young woman from the 1980's who is anxious about her fiance, Hux, a doctor who had been reported missing in South Sudan. The worry is intensified by the verbal abuse that she experiences from her mother, Camilla, a wealthy snobbish woman with extremely high standards that Rory feels that she can never achieve. Feeling lost and disenchanted, Rory decides to open a gallery and maybe display her own textile art. She has even spotted a lovely old building that would be perfect.

The building is owned by the second protagonist, Soline Roussel. In the present, Soline is an elderly recluse. As we learn about Rory's present, we also learn about Soline's past. She was one of a family of dressmakers, whose specialty lay in wedding gowns. The Roussels acquired quite a reputation as being almost magical with their talent. It was said that a bride who wore a Roussel wedding gown was destined to have a happy ending. 

However, the happy endings did not cover the Roussels themselves. Soline's mother had a  mysterious lover who disappeared before she realized that she was pregnant. Her grandmother was deserted by her husband after the birth of her second daughter. That daughter, Soline's aunt, became widowed when her husband died in a car accident during their honeymoon. The Roussel women put their pain and grief into their beautiful intricate designs earning the nicknames of "The Dress Witches." 

Soline also succumbs to the Roussel Family Curse of being unlucky in love. In 1943, shattered by her mother's death, her discovery of Edher father's identity, and the French Occupation by the Nazis, Soline falls in love with Anson Purcell, an American Red Cross medic. The romance begins sweetly enough but let's just say that things don't end well between them. 

The Keeper of Happy Endings is a lovely story which intertwines past and present like the threads that make a Roussel wedding gown. LIke with many of these stories, Rory and Soline's stories are paralleled. Both are talented artists with textiles and fabric. Both have missing lovers due to war. Both have to live up to their family's immense expectations. The difference between the two women is how they handle those similarities. 

Rory is a lot more passive than Soline. Though highly talented, Rory lacks self esteem to display her art. Hux gives her the suggestion to open the gallery and her friendship with Soline gives her the confidence to display her art. Until these influences, Rory never believed in her talent. 

However with Rory's mother, it is easy to see where Rory gets her insecurities from. Camilla micromanages Rory's entire schedule and commands that they meet for regular luncheons. The lunches usually consist of Camilla telling Rory everything that she feels that she is doing wrong, which from what I can tell, is everything that Rory is doing. She is constantly picking at Rory finding different ways to undermine her daughter's self esteem and unfortunately because Rory is still in close proximity to her mother, she is forced to listen. 

Anyone who has lived with a narcissistic verbally abusive parent will understand exactly what Rory is going through. That pain lasts into adulthood and many, like Rory, often accept it. Sometimes it takes an outside agent to break that cycle of abuse and dependency and lucky for Rory, Soline is that outside agent.

In contrast to Rory's passivity, Soline is much more active. While her family already established their reputation as makers of dressing gowns, Soline's addition of bows to the gowns makes the company her own. She becomes just as well known in her own right in New England as her family is in France.

During the war, she volunteers at a hospital and becomes an ally to the French Resistance showing that she can be resourceful in times of great stress. She also has the strength to leave France when her business dries up and the Nazis are on the lookout for Resistors.

Some of the best passages that show Soline's more active character is when she arrives in the United States and like Rory finds herself in a potentially abusive situation. She stands her ground against her abuser and befriends a family member, even making some lovely designs to get back into the business. When Soline finds herself in a troubling situation, rather than accept it like Rory, Soline stands up for herself and leaves. Slowly, she retains her reputation in the states as a prominent designer. Hearing this story gives Rory the confidence to act upon her own life and take charge of it. Like the gowns that her family designs in the hopes that the bride will have a happy ending, Soline almost acts like a fairy godmother by becoming the catalyst for Rory to get hers.

As I said, the plot twists and revelations are somewhat predictable but their placement in the book is well executed. Usually, the revelations are at the end where the characters are gob smacked and strengthened by this deeper bond. Sometimes there is an epilogue that serves as a "Where Are They Now?" Moment to show how the characters reflected and evolved because of the deeper connections.

In Keeper of Happy Endings, the revelations occur towards the middle so there is more to be done. There are still hurt feelings. Characters say that they aren't ready for such a confrontation and still spend several chapters estranged. These characters' worlds are rocked by such news and Davis realizes that one chapter is not going to change that.

What actually stands out is how this news affects Rory. Far from the passive wallflower that she was before, she is compelled to act and fix what went wrong in the past. This news, along with Soline's friendship, propel Rory to bring about not only her happy ending but everyone else's as well.

Yes  The Keeper of Happy Endings is predictable. But it is also sweet, romantic, and filled with lovable characters that you root for. Yes you do want to see, and are glad when they finally get, their happy ending.