A Happy Catastrophe    by Maddie Dawson Order:  USA  Can Lake Union, 2020 (2020) Softcover, CD, e-Book      Reviewed by Rheta Van Winkle Marnie MacGraw is a joyous, happy person who loves her boyfriend Patrick Delaney. They have been together for several years, and she thanks Blix, an old lady with a magical matchmaking ability, for bringing them together. Marnie's marriage to a grandnephew of Blix turned out to be a disaster, but Marnie was surprised when she inherited from Blix the large brownstone house in New York City, where Patrick lived in the basement apartment. She left Florida and all the sadness of the failed marriage, moved into the building for what she thought would be a short time while she arranged to sell it, fell in love with Patrick, and stayed in New York. What she realized after moving into the house was that now she could see sparkles between two people who are meant for each other, which is the same magical ability that Blix had. Her life is perfect, except for one thing. She wants to have a baby, and Patrick doesn't. Patrick has been scarred by a fire that killed his prior girlfriend, and he blames himself for her death. He also believes that his scarred face would terrify a child of theirs as much as it now scares random babies and children. I loved the way this story developed, from the beginning when Marnie uses her magical powers to bring two people together in the restaurant where she's eating with Patrick, to the, of course, happy conclusion. All the characters, from the least important to the main two, are well-developed and believable. Patrick struggles with his past and Marnie has to take a break, while he finds a way to heal with an amazing child who shows him the way. There are also a couple of pets who worm their way into our hearts in this fun, imaginative story. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews