I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this novel, which takes place in a 12 hour period. Ronnie is leaving her husband,Jeff, and most of the story unfolds through her eyes as she realizes his plan to commit suicide. They have two young sons, and the complex emotions of love, worry, fear, and possible loss are brilliantly portrayed.

We also read the POV of Jeff's mom, Janet, and Ronnie's mom, Beverly,- women who've been best friends for years. The depth of their emotional pasts (which, in a sense, affect their children's future) is unfolded in their short chapters.

Three women, all caring about each other and the man they may lose, and the tough decisions they've had to make along the way... and the decisions they'll have to make at the end, no matter what the outcome with Jeff.

Most authors pull a glimpse of their life into their stories in one way or another. Unfortunately, this author lived more than a sliver of this story, which is why, I feel, she was able to pull the reader into the emotional journey of the story so well. ( )

The Far End of Happy is intense and intimate, grabbing you from the start and not letting go. It is a novel, but it is based on events from the author’s life. She has stated, “It wasn’t long after my first husband’s suicide that I knew I’d one day make a story of it . . . .” So while it is fictionalized and she does not try to speak for anyone but herself, it has such a powerful ring of truth to it that you are mesmerized, tense, afraid to watch events unfold.

This is the story of Jeff’s suicide standoff that unfolds over twelve hours of absolute horror, fear and sadness not only for his wife Ronnie but for their sons Andrew and Will, her mother Beverly and her mother-in-law, Jeff’s mother, Janet. Ronnie and Jeff have been married for a number of years but most of those years have not been happy. Who is to say who’s to blame, but Ronnie has finally decided that this is it, she is going to through with the divorce she has thought about for so long. There have been bad business decisions, failed ventures, money mismanagement, and always at the core of it is Jeff’s need to control Ronnie, to make his dreams her own, to make it clear he cannot and will not live without her. She just can’t take any more. She has lost so much of herself; she can’t lose everything that makes her Ronnie. But then a drunk Jeff pulls into the driveway and the long, horrible, unbelievable day that feels like it will never end – with all of those involved afraid of how it might end – begins.

It is unlikely that most readers have been through a tragedy like this and can relate directly to Ronnie’s experience that fateful day. But The Far End of Happy sticks with you in a way you won’t forget once you’ve turned that last page. It’s not just about a man threatening to take his own life rather than lose his wife, it’s about the slow erosion of a wife’s personality, desires, dreams, about making her think she wants what he wants, about excessive drinking, spying, threatening, about subtly forcing her to make decisions and concessions that aren’t what her heart desires. And about her finally realizing she will disappear completely if she does not escape. It’s about family members with their own issues and backstories that have affected Ronnie and Jeff, about a mother who is fiercely loyal to her son and believes his choices are the only correct ones, and another mother who can’t understand why her daughter can’t just be satisfied with what she has, why she wants so much more or so much that is different. Ronnie’s case was extreme, but many women feel stuck, don’t know exactly how they got where they are but don’t think they can stay put, even if there are frightening consequences to their leaving.

The Far End of Happy is a sad, sobering, gripping story about a very strong woman. Thanks to the author for providing this very well-written book that I just could not put down. I leave this review voluntary and all opinions are my own. ( )

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was well written. It told a good story. It was emotionally compelling, crafted in a way that pulled at your heartstrings. It was relatable. It was easy to both identify and sympathize with the characters. But it was also based on an event that actually happened in the author’s life. So while I bought it as a work of fiction, I can’t help but feel that it is more a piece of creative nonfiction. And that leaves me feeling a bit cheated.

It’s not that I completely avoid nonfiction. I just prefer to chose the subject and add it to my reading diet when it meshes well with my emotional appetite. I’m well aware that most fiction has roots based in real events, but the mere label of fiction allows me to distance myself and read it in an impassive state of mind. Knowing that the story was based on something someone actually went through messed with my impression on the book.

Were my feelings appropriate? Was I supposed to feel more than I did? Is it strange that the only time I teared up was at the end when I read the author’s acknowledgement page? These are questions that I’m not supposed to have with fiction. That’s why I prefer to read it. I can cry when I want, laugh when I want, and judge the characters however I want because they’re not real. Reading this made me feel awkward and weird, but there is no denying that it was a good book. 4.5 stars. ( )

Powerful. Intense. Emotional. Gut wrenching. While all of these adjectives fit The Far End of Happy, I believe that "heartbreaking" is probably the one that comes closest to describing this riveting novel. Incredibly moving and achingly poignant, the story is a fictionalized account that is based on actual events from Kathryn Craft's life. This haunting tale provides readers with an unforgettable look into her failed marriage and the tragic circumstances that culminate with her first husband's dramatic stand-off with police.

Veronica "Ronnie" Farnham's marriage is over and the day has finally arrived that her husband Jeff is supposed to move out. From the moment she awakens, she realizes something is not quite right, but it not until she, along with their two sons, Will and Andrew, spy Jeff in his car that they realize how terribly wrong things are that morning. It is apparent that Jeff is drunk and at first, their main concern is to keep him from driving away. But to Ronnie's horror, she notices a shotgun in the front seat of the car and she knows that everyone's lives are in terrible danger. Soon, their quiet farm is surrounded by police and the media while she and her children are whisked away to safety. Meanwhile, Jeff barricades himself in their farm store with the shotgun and over the next several hours, police try to negotiate with him to peacefully surrender.

As Ronnie, her mother Beverly and her mother-in-law Janet anxiously wait for news, the women cannot fathom how they ended up at this point in their lives. Each of them reflects on the past as they try to pinpoint the moment things began to go wrong. Through each woman's perspective, a picture begins to emerge of a deeply troubled man who turns to alcohol to cope with his problems.

Ronnie slowly surrendered her dreams after her marriage to Jeff. At first an eager participant as they renovate their dilapidated home, in recent years, she has grown tired of the endless projects. Her weariness is compounded as Jeff slowly checks out of their life, leaving her with the responsibility of raising their sons while balancing running their farm store with her freelance writing projects. As Ronnie comes to the realization their marriage is beyond saving, she must then cope with Jeff's increasing despondency. When Jeff threatens suicide, she is forced to make one of the hardest decisions of her life as she tries to get him the treatment he so desperately needs. But as she quickly discovers, Ronnie cannot force him to get the treatment he needs and she moves forward with her plans to divorce him.

Janet is completely blind to her son's faults and at first, she is convinced that Ronnie is to blame for Jeff's problems. He has carefully spun events so that it appears all of his decisions have been to make Ronnie happy. But as the hours pass and tempers flare, Janet is forced to face the fact that Jeff is not blameless in the demise of his marriage and that her efforts to help him only enabled him to continue on his destructive path.

Beverly's main concern is for her daughter and grandsons, but she too revisits painful events from her past. She objectively reflects on the defining event that led to poor decisions and a lifelong search for happiness. Her long held secrets are finally revealed and true healing finally begins for both her and Ronnie.

The suspense builds as the hours stretch into the early evening and The Far End of Happy quickly hurdles to its inevitable conclusion. Although it is impossible to avoid shedding a few tears as the story comes to a close, Kathryn Craft does a spectacular job of ending the novel on a hopeful note as Ronnie and her family begin the arduous task of healing from the day's traumatic events. ( )

As a blogger, I tend to read more indie published books... I do so for so many different reasons. When books like this come my way, I snatch up the opportunity. Traditionally published books tend to get overlooked more and more these days. I am not sure why. Maybe it's their cost? Maybe it's the advertising? Whatever the case may be, we need to not forget that gems like these need to be read too.

How do you describe something so profound? This book is a true work of literary fiction. So raw, so real. This story is one that will have you sobbing and clutching your heart.

I can't figure out where to start or where to go with this review. This book is so profound, so heartbreaking. It's almost hard to put my feelings for it into words. I find myself just wanting to tell you to read this book. If you are looking for something deep, personal, raw, captivating, then this is a book for you. It's so surreal that it seems as if it's a biography instead of a work of fiction.

The twelve hour journey between Jeff's wife, her mother and Jeff's mother gives you not just insight to the situation at hand, but also the insight to what has lead to this moment over time. You get so much of who these characters were and are, you will find yourself asking why hadn't anyone seen this coming? The self-denial and self-blame in the story alone will have your mind racing and your heart pounding.

Every family has secrets. There are those things that no one discusses. Whether they just choose to ignore what's right in front of them, or they are ashamed and want things hidden, it doesn't matter. There are always secrets that will come to the surface when it's too late. That is exactly what happens in this story.

Jeff is holed up in his store's office. Shotgun in hand, ready to end his life. End his suffering. His mental-illness has gotten to the point where he can't think clearly and wants to suffer no more. Had this always been an issue with him? Had his entire life lead up to this standoff? Or was it his drinking?

Jeff's mother wants to believe that her son is perfectly normal. He is where he is because of his nagging wife. She is set on the wife causing their problems. The blame is to be left to his wife.

Jeff's wife has tried so hard to get him the help he needed. His refusal and denial of his problems has lead him to his current situation. She wants to feel empathy for him. How can she? She has done everything in her power to try to save him from himself. Her love for him seems to have been buried deep inside of her with no hope of surfacing, even in this tragic time.

Jeff's mother-in-law can't seem to wrap her head around the situation. She is caught in the middle. Jeff's mother has been her best friend for decades. But shouldn't loyalties lie with your blood? Her daughter? She tries to remain the rock for these women all the while play peace keeper. She knew her son-in-law had some issues. She hadn't realized just how bad they were. Her denial of her own past and the now have now intertwined into one big mess. A mess that could be life-altering.

This book isn't just about mental-illness and alcoholism. It's also about self-discovery and retribution. This book shows that denial and secrets can rip a family apart. It's also about healing and finding strength in family. ( )