Everyone's Happy

Lauren Fortgang’s narration of *Everyone’s Happy* is the reason I finished this audiobook in one sitting: she nails the tone of a woman teetering between exhaustion and dark humor, her voice dropping into conspiratorial whispers or erupting into sharp, incredulous laughter at just the right moments. The pacing is impeccable—Fortgang doesn’t rush Mary’s internal monologue, so you feel every creeping doubt and sarcastic aside as if it’s your own. That said, the story stumbles slightly when it shifts into Fiona’s chapters; her perspective feels less magnetic, and the friendship’s dynamic occasionally relies too much on contrived scenarios to manufacture tension. Thorpe’s writing shines brightest when it’s at its most absurd (Mary’s kindergarten drop-off anxiety is painfully relatable), but the ending wraps up a bit too neatly, undercutting the novel’s otherwise brilliant cynicism. Still, the audiobook’s production is flawless—crisp sound, no distracting pauses—and Fortgang’s performance elevates what could’ve been a forgettable domestic drama into something darkly hilarious and oddly cathartic. If you’re in the mood for a book that gets motherhood wrong in all the right ways, this is a quick, punchy listen that’ll leave you nodding along (and maybe second-guessing your own sanity).