A Season of Perfect Happiness

A Novel

By: Maribeth Fischer

Narrated by: Beth Hicks

A propulsive novel that fundamentally questions what makes a “good” mother, with a heartrending portrayal of one woman’s quest to find her voice.

Ten years after an unspeakable tragedy caused Claire to flee her hometown in Delaware, she finally feels content. She has a quiet, tidy life in Wisconsin, a place she picked at random for its shape on a map. Her careful existence centers on a simple plan: keep her social circle small and keep the past a secret.

But when she meets Erik—a lighthearted theater nerd who gives Claire more of a chance than she’s given herself in a long time—that plan seems increasingly impossible, especially after she finds herself emotionally entangled not only with Erik, but with his ex-wife, Annabelle; their three young children; and a small set of friends, the kind she’d always wanted to have around her. Life after the accident can be full of joy, Claire realizes—going on a date to see a thousand-pound pig at the state fair, giggling over obscure inside jokes with friends at a music gig, making smoothies while the kids wear their infamous cooking hats. Being a partner, a best friend, a mother.

But when a person from her past arrives, Claire’s worst mistake threatens her new life, and the deep friendships she’s made hang in the balance. If Claire chooses to share the parts of herself she has kept locked away for so long, will the family she has built still recognize her—and have a place for her? Or will everything she has spent the last decade working toward fall apart?

©2024 Maribeth Fischer (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“In her indelible novel, Maribeth Fischer wrestles with how to find grace in an unforgiving world. A Season of Perfect Happiness is about love, family, and the hope we owe ourselves. It is complex and compelling, but it is also simply a beautiful book.”—Lauren Grodstein, author of Read with Jenna pick We Must Not Think of Ourselves

“Maribeth Fischer is a novelist’s novelist. A Season of Perfect Happiness has every element: characters so real you swear they are in your life, a setting that feels like a place you've always known and loved, and a plot so engrossing that it takes over your every thought. I was in awe of her craft on each page, and Maribeth shows vulnerability and humanity amid struggle and pain in such life-affirming and hopeful ways. I couldn’t return to this book quickly enough each time, and I will think about Claire and her valiant journey for years to come.”—Ethan Joella, author of A Little Hope and The Same Bright Stars

“Maribeth Fischer’s A Season of Perfect Happiness is a gripping and emotional novel that shines an illuminating light on the complexities of motherhood. In this unflinching look at the cost of being a “good” mother, Fischer writes with astonishing sensitivity about Claire, who is struggling to dare for happiness after having done something in her past that even she finds unforgivable. I was captivated by this beautiful novel, which will stay with me for a long time.”—Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party

Couldn’t put it down!

I loved pretty much everything about this book! It kept surprising me! So many topics for discussion!