The Stuff That Never Happened

Good, thoughtful read. I always think I know how I would handle a situation, but this author helps you to see from other points of view, which I think makes her a great writer.

I was very drawn into the story, and it was very though provoking.

Loved this book - highly recommended. Honestly couldn't put it down! The author has great writing style and pacing and more then anything, is insightful about relationships and flat-out honest about them in her work. Again - highly recommended!

Brilliantly written. What a treat to read a book so well crafted. The story was so real. I have to laugh at the reviews that find this book slow. (I am usually the reviewer that bemoans that I couldnt stay with a book.because I find it too slow' Not this time. I was mesmerized by the author's writing style. I couldnt put the book down. I've been the other woman and Ms. Dawson nails it. Being in love is a drug. Rational thinking is pretty much not part of the equation.

One question I have for Ms. Dawson would be--given that it's normal to experience guilt for cheating on one's spouse. I wonder why she didn't really touch on Annabelle's guilt. I wonder if she thought it would detract from the story. Just a thought...

Great novel that kept be wondering throughout the whole book. I wondered in the beginning why Annabelle and Grant ever got married And then I wondered how the marriage has lasted for for so long. The interweaving of the couple in the late 70's and then in the mid-2000's lead me to understand the dynamics of Annabelle and Grant's long term marriage. This was really a great way of telling this story. I believe the "what-ifs" haunt many of us. I know there were many moments in this novel that I could personally relate to. I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. The twists, the turns, the timing of the story laid out. It reminded me again and again about how long term relationships are choices, how we are all human and the extraordinary power of patience and forgiveness. What a beautifully written story.

I usually read thrillers and mysteries, but the premise of the story intrigued me. Once I started reading this book, it was hard to put it down. I enjoyed all the characters and related to Annabelle in many ways. The story made one wonder "what if" regarding past relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I really wanted to love this book. I bought it thinking it was about a love from a woman's youth that she was still thinking about after her kids left home. It's not. The story is actually a bit depressing at times and about an affair that happens during a marriage and the agreement between a husband and wife to never speak of it again. There were moments in this book that were fantastic but overall, I found the main character to be difficult to relate to because she was all over the place and seemed to take on several personalities depending on the situation.

I enjoyed the narrative of the older woman faced with looking back at her past and thinking about the decisions she has made over time. I love the end and the reality of the story. Not a feel good type of a story, but definitely engaging and thought provoking.

I just loved this book. I wish Maddie was my friend so we could sit down and chat. She put into words so many things I am experiencing and I don't know how to say it other than this book made me feel like I'd just had a visit from an angel who told me it would all be okay. Thanks, Maddie. Keep writing from your heart. And everyone else, buy this book for every woman you love. She will thank you for it.

I really liked and enjoyed this book. I think this was one of the best books since "The Bridges of Madison County" came out. This book is about being in a long relationship and looking back with regrets of what could have been. Anyone over 40 will love this book. Especially the ones that have been married a long time. Not many books out now about mature love, and feelings, making this a rare find. Maddie expressed the boredom in a long term marriage and the mixed feelings of the past in such a way that made this book an easy read and hard to put down. If anyone is going through a mid-life crisis or is wondering about what life would have been like if.............you'll find this book very interesting.

I didn't really care for this book. The book was basically about a totally dysfunctional family. By totally, I mean every character in the family was dysfunctional. I know that these type of behaviors and this level of dysfunction is learned behavior and can affect literally everyone, but it doesn't make for a good book.

I didn't really care for this book. The book was basically about a totally dysfunctional family. By totally, I mean every character in the family was dysfunctional. I know that these type of behaviors and this level of dysfunction is learned behavior and can affect literally everyone, but it doesn't make for a good book.

I liked this story about Annabelle and Grant. It looks at the relationship of a couple who married young, gave up certain dreams and expectations and dealt with infidelity. It is a marriage of ups and downs. There is a lot of wisdom and depth in this book and I loved how the writing was realistic.

Well done.

I bought this book several months ago after reading a glowing review in People Magazine, then put it in my pile of "books to read" -- Why did I wait so long?! This book was such a treat!! I was sucked in from page one. The characters seem so real (maybe they seem like people I REALLY know?) I couldn't put this book down. Annabelle and Grant's story is told with wit, wisdom, and depth -- it's the kind of writing that's so good you quickly forget that you're reading a book, and simply feel like you've entered someone else's life. I LOVED this book. Don't wait another minute-- get it now for yourself or for a holiday gift.

This book was fantastic! One of those stories that hooked you from the beginning. The dialogue was so well written that you felt like Annabelle was sitting with you, telling her story. Loved the story line. Not the typical "girl meets boy, encounter major obstacles/struggles, end up together". This was a 'real life story'. The title grabs your attention also so if you had never read Maddie Dawson, you would be tempted to pick up the book to read the inside cover just based on the title.

The story meant a lot to me because Maddie Dawson could have based Grant's characterization on my husband. Life lesson - there's a lot to be said for consistency.

The character development in this book was so good. I liked the husband Grant although I could have smacked him a couple of times for his "scheduling" and other issues. This book just goes to show you that sometimes what we dream about isn't always as good as it would seem and what we have is so much better.

Really great book! I really identified with the main character, as I married at 20. Makes you think about your life and what would have happened if you had not gotten married at such a young age.

I am recomending it to all of my women friends!

This is a great book about how a womens perception changes over time, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. The going back and forth through time to bring you up to speed on why the main charactrer is in her current situation can be a bit frustrating, just because both story lines are so good and just as you cant wait to see what happens next your back in the past or back in the present. I highly reccomend this book.

I just finished reading The Stuff That Never Happened and thought it was terrific. The main character is someone that most long term married women can identify with; also that her children are grown or close to it and all the emotions she experiences are one's that make her extremely empathetic. I think anyone adult from the age of 30 and up would love this story.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It felt so "real". It has all the essential ingredients: great plot, well developed characters, humor, insightful observations. Maddie Dawson's writing reminds me of Anne Tyler, one of my favorites. I do hope Ms. Dawson plans to write more books.

This book was an easy read about life, love and the human condition. However as "nice" as the book is, it doesn't really have a "hook" that compels you to turn every page.

Like an earlier reviewer who said they'd skimmed through a lot of sections of text without missing too much ... I agree.

The subject matter is something that probably resonates with a lot of us. Just don't expect too much out of this.

The Stuff that Never Happened could've been just another book about middle-aged married people and their past. It could have been formulaic and boring. It could have been just the same old story told again. I'm glad to say, that none of that is true for this book.

Fortunately, Dawson breathed fresh, energetic life into this tale and won my heart. The writing was excellent and flowed well. So often a book starts out well but then doesn't live up to its beginning. With this book, I never felt bogged down in the story because it just pulled me in and kept me enthralled. I found myself very surprised at somethings and thought how powerful the message came through that keeping silent about troubles in any relationship can do serious harm and will always hold the power to destroy the people in the relationship.
The author handled her story with grace and humor and I enjoyed it immensely.

I loved this book and sure hope there are more books to come from Maddie Dawson. I definitely have a new author to put on my be-on-the-lookout-for-new-book list! This book would be a super choice as a book club read. There are just so many things that beg to be discussed. This is definitely a book I want to tell my friends about! I may even buy a couple of copies for a few of them. Overall, a great, great read!

I have read other books by Dawson and was wowed by all of them.
The writing is beautiful and captured moments well, like her other books. But this one drags, a lot.
Plus the lead is too flawed...She cheats on her husband. Why? Because he works too much. Grow up.
She smoked pot with 14 year old brother, you get my drift, flawed not admirable in any sense.
Plus the 2 male leads are painted in ways to lead you to think one thing, and then another later in the book another.
I kept waiting for her growth and change...She just was not a relatable lead.
I had to skip some parts to get through this one.
And I am a fan of this talented and witty writer.
The characters in general kind of made me me feel blah. 3.5 stars

It's 2005 and Annabelle and Grant have been married for almost 30 years. Their oldest, Sophie, is married, pregnant and living in New York. Their youngest, Nick, is away at university. Annabelle is feeling a bit lost because she doesn't have her children to take care of and Grant is preoccupied with writing a book on a subject she has no interest in.

When Sophie is bedridden 'til the end of her pregnancy and her husband is away working, Annabelle jumps at the chance for a change of scenery to go back to New York where she'd lived when she and Grant first got married and take care of Sophie.

Annabelle tells us how she and Grant met and married in California in the late 1970s and moved to New York. Needing a place to stay, they lived with his colleague, Jeremiah and his family for a couple years. Being young and feeling neglected by her new husband, she spends too much time with Jeremiah and they begin an affair. When the affair ends, she and Grant are able to pick up the pieces of their marriage and move on.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thought it was interesting. I liked the writing style. It was written in first person perspective in Annabelle's voice ... it was if she was sitting with me and telling me her story. It jumps back and forth from the present (ie 2005) to the past but it's obvious because the dates are at the beginning of the chapters. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I must say that I didn't really care for the characters. It's been almost thirty years and though she has had no contact with him, Annabelle is still hung up on Jeremiah. I was hoping it was more a feeling of "what could have been" but it wasn't ... she felt that she still loved him. I found this unbelievable. All Grant cared about was writing book. How do you spent 30 years with someone and be that inconsiderate? I didn't find Jeremiah charming or attractive ... he sounded like a user. I know that Sophie was going through a hard time but I got tired of it always being about her. Her mother had dropped her life to be with her and all she did was whine. The only character I liked was Nick. He was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life and his parents weren't really open to listening.

Despite not liking the characters, I look forward to reading others by this author.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/08/book-stuff-that-never-happened-2010.html

This is one of the most satisfying novels I've read in a long time. Light years beyond chick lit, wise, and worldly. It's so refreshing to find a novel whose characters feel like real people, not folks you might see on a made-for-TV movie. Annabelle and Grant love each other deeply, but the glue that holds their marriage together might not be enough once the kids are (mostly) grown. The new emptiness in their house begins to fill up with dangerous thoughts and emotions related to an earlier, difficult time in their life together, a time they have agreed never to speak of again. This chapter in their marriage becomes "the stuff that never happened." It did happen, though, and when a new crisis in their lives threatens to break through the silence, Annabelle and Grant have to face the ramifications of keeping their mutual secret.

One of the best, realest books I've ever read. An accurate take on a 20 year marriage with as Aspergery husband who may not show love in the way you want or need, but who does truly love you and is loved back as well. It's messy, it's real. She never refers to him as such, but that's sort of who he is, and there's benefits and problems to it. He doesn't display passion or interest in her, while possessing true passion for her. And it causes some messiness, but it's life, and true to life.

This is a fictional novel, but the characters are so real it reads like a true story. The scenes are so emblematic of everyday life that M. Dawson provides the experience of analyzing your best friend's journal. The Stuff That Never Happened, is full of prose that has just the right elixir of drama, humor, and back-story, making it all too easy to slip away from your own life for a few hours and stay up reading long past the time when you should have been asleep.

Just so happens that one of the things that I liked the best about this story is also the thing that I liked the least about this story. Strange, I know. This is the thing: There isn't really a big plot, no real suspense, no climax, and no big surprises. By reading the back of the book you know that Annabell McKay has to choose between two men: her husband and a man from her past. In a nutshell, that is the story. It sounds like typical chicklit, and I'm typically not a big fan of that genre, but this was much better than most of the other books I've read in this category. M. Dawson definitely has a talent for making normal and flawed characters become extraordinarily interesting.

4 1/2 SOLID STARS

Better written than many of its kind (i.e. "Books for women" mostly) but I did not really like Annabelle, which in this story, was probably necessary in order to relate or sympathize. She was just plain silly when she got married to Grant and then when she immediately dove into the affair with Jeremiah, I really disliked her. The whole thing just rubbed me the wrong way. Yes, she was young, but no one forced her into marriage. I guess the way they disregarded their spouses was what was so disconcerting. She did not even seem to consider what she was doing was really wrong, just inconvenient for her husband. And then clinging to that false "love" her entire life, when the guy let her go thru the scene with her husband, that was just silly too. Also the storybook ending was too neat and perfect. The whole book seemed to make a fool out of Grant and a complaining mean witch out of Carly. She did not deserve him. I am not super conservative at all, but this particular affair just really bugged me. None of the characters seemed like complete people.

The author had me in the first two paragraphs of The Stuff That Never Happened. When Annabelle McKay, the narrator of the story, began crying in the supermarket, not sure why she was, but conjecturing it could have been because it was February in New Hampshire, I knew I was going to enjoy this story. I've spent many, many winters in New England and I know that feeling of February--that mind numbing, bone chilling, nothing to see but ice everywhere--I knew there was a reason to cry in the supermarket.

But there is so much more to this story. Annabelle has been married for many years and her children have flown the nest. Now it's just her and her husband in the house. And her husband is very involved in writing a book, so he has very little time for anything but his writing. Suddenly Annabelle is called to New York City to stay with her daughter who is pregnant and having difficulties with the pregnancy. Annabelle sees this as a time to not only help her daughter, but reflect on her marriage. I was treated to stories of the present and the past, back when Annabelle first met Grant, back in the 1970s.

I loved this story. The characters were so fully developed, I felt I knew them. I don't remember any other book that had me practically talking out loud to Annabelle, giving her unsolicited advice and chiding her for things she did say and things she didn't say. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in a long term relationship, anyone who has felt somewhat dissatisfied and wondered if it was all worth it. This is a story well told with characters that seem real, as if they were your next door neighbors.

This book is one of the best novels I have read in years (and I read A LOT!). It starts off very subtley as you wonder why on earth Annabelle and Grant ever got married in the first place and then how the marriage has lasted for 26 years. Through brilliant interweaving of the late 70's when the two main characters first met one another and the mid-2000's as they are empty nesters, we gradually learn and come to understand the dynamics of a long term marriage and to really care about the people, even Grant, who seems rather stuffy. I'm glad we got to learn about all his good points before the end of the story! There were so many wonderful insights into human nature as Annabelle deals with her daughter's questions and explores her own life. Maddie Dawson is an incredibly wise woman to have so exquisitely captured so much truth and wisdom in this novel. I loved this book, and highly recommend it.

If you're looking for a standard-issue contemporary fiction offering about a woman, a marriage and the past, sorry to disappoint you. This may have familiar plot points, but it's five times better than most of its peers due to the strength of the characterization and the author's deployment of delicious, perfect plot surprises.

Annabelle, an almost-fifty book illustrator with a straitlaced husband, goes to New York help her pregnant daughter and face down both her her past and her present. Over and over again in this book (as in life), there are moments of upset and reversal and shock that keep your eyes on the page until you find out what happens next. It's not a perfect book, but it's a perfect read, offering up the pleasures of immersion in a life that seems very, very here-and-now, very real.

There are so many kinds of good books. Personally, I tend to love a complex, literary, grim read; this novel is not at all one of those. It's easy and charming and affectionate. We are not talking Madame Bovary. But it's not frothy. It manages to take a hard look at marriage and its expectations and to draw some surprising conclusions. Very highly recommended for a certain reader; did you like Love in Mid-Air? Then read this. You'll be delighted.

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Although I guess technically this would fall in the genre of chic-lit, those who are not a fan of that genre should give this book a chance as it is much less superficial than the average chic-lit about single girls in a big city.

Annabelle is a junior in college when she meets Grant McKay who is in graduate school at a party where the "nerdish" young man is a loner. And since Annabelle's date is busy flirting with another girl, Annabelle and Grant strike up a conversation. They run into each other on campus several times and when Annabelle's father tells her she will have to move home as he can't pay her rent, Grant offers his small place for the remaining five weeks in school. Although the two couldn't be more different, they fall into an easy friendship that soon becomes more. After the school year is over and Annabelle moves back home, Grant finds that he can't be without her and suddenly proposes. Knowing that he has a job waiting for him as a history professor at Columbia University and anxious to get out of California, Annabelle says yes although she regrets it only days later, wishing she could turn around and go back home. When Annabelle calls home and finds that her brother has been shot and in a coma, she ends up flying home to be at his side, leaving Grant to drive the U-Haul the remainder of the way to NYC. Grant ends up finding a place to stay at the home of his mentor, Jeremiah, his wife Carly, and their two year old twins Lindsay and Brice. With Grant spending long hours at work, Jeremiah being on sabbatical to work on a book, Carly resurrecting her dancing career after giving birth to twins, Annabelle and Jeremiah are left on their own. Soon their friendship becomes infatuation and despite their married status, evolves into more.

Told in first person and alternating between the late 1970s/early 1980s and 2005, Dawson, in her debut novel, has found the perfect way to tell Annabelle's story. We know that in 2005 Grant and Annabelle are still married, living in New Hampshire he teaching at junior college and writing a book and she a successful children's book illustrator, so what happened to her relationship with Jeremiah?

All comes to a head when, while back in NYC caring for her daughter Sophie during a difficult pregnancy (her husband is working in Brazil), she runs into Jeremiah, now a widower, at a market she used to go with him years ago. Being that her husband has been distant in demeanor as well as miles, will she be tempted to threaten her 28-year marriage?

In this, her first novel, Maddie Dawson has written a doozy of a story that should have a wide appeal. It is hoped that she has many more novels in her if THE STUFF THAT NEVER HAPPENED is any indication of her talent. I enjoyed this story immensely. Highly recommended.

This fascinating title just reached out to me in a really profound way. The possibilities endless (if you are a woman of a certain age)...that serendipitous turn in the proverbial road that would have changed everything. It presents itself like a beautiful door or window just begging to be opened by the reader. I take issue with the editorial review here that identifies this book as "chic lit" or "hen lit". This is "Womens Fiction"...there really is a big difference. And,if you are a fan of "Womens Fiction" this one is at the very top of the genre. Maddie Dawson has created a group of very deftly drawn characters and manages to tell their story in such a conversational way that she could be sitting right next to you.I am around the same age as the protagonist,Annabelle,and grew up in Southern California as she did as well. I could totally picture Annabelle's little halter dresses and hand made clogs while attending UC Santa Barbara. I KNEW her. The story alternates chapters between 1977-78 and 2005. This worked beautifully as you are introduced to the perfectly drawn Grant...who becomes Annabelle's husband of 26 years. Long marriages are far from being dull....they are literary treasure troves of mystery and nuance...and this one is captivating. The 70's were a turbulant time of liberal ideas about relationships...and "stuff" indeed happens. We never really get away with anything in life...the older you get you come to realize that everything is a big deal....I will not go through the plot point by point (hate that)...but I very strongly reccomend this book...especially to people that are fortunate enough to know the joys of a long marriage full of history...don't miss this one...can't wait for the next one from Maddie Dawson.

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Although I guess technically this would fall in the genre of chic-lit, those who are not a fan of that genre should give this book a chance as it is much less superficial than the average chic-lit about single girls in a big city.

Annabelle is a junior in college when she meets Grant McKay who is in graduate school at a party where the "nerdish" young man is a loner. And since Annabelle's date is busy flirting with another girl, Annabelle and Grant strike up a conversation. They run into each other on campus several times and when Annabelle's father tells her she will have to move home as he can't pay her rent, Grant offers his small place for the remaining five weeks in school. Although the two couldn't be more different, they fall into an easy friendship that soon becomes more. After the school year is over and Annabelle moves back home, Grant finds that he can't be without her and suddenly proposes. Knowing that he has a job waiting for him as a history professor at Columbia University and anxious to get out of California, Annabelle says yes although she regrets it only days later, wishing she could turn around and go back home. When Annabelle calls home and finds that her brother has been shot and in a coma, she ends up flying home to be at his side, leaving Grant to drive the U-Haul the remainder of the way to NYC. Grant ends up finding a place to stay at the home of his mentor, Jeremiah, his wife Carly, and their two year old twins Lindsay and Brice. With Grant spending long hours at work, Jeremiah being on sabbatical to work on a book, Carly resurrecting her dancing career after giving birth to twins, Annabelle and Jeremiah are left on their own. Soon their friendship becomes infatuation and despite their married status, evolves into more.

Told in first person and alternating between the late 1970s/early 1980s and 2005, Dawson, in her debut novel, has found the perfect way to tell Annabelle's story. We know that in 2005 Grant and Annabelle are still married, living in New Hampshire he teaching at junior college and writing a book and she a successful children's book illustrator, so what happened to her relationship with Jeremiah?

All comes to a head when, while back in NYC caring for her daughter Sophie during a difficult pregnancy (her husband is working in Brazil), she runs into Jeremiah, now a widower, at a market she used to go with him years ago. Being that her husband has been distant in demeanor as well as miles, will she be tempted to threaten her 28-year marriage?

In this, her first novel, Maddie Dawson has written a doozy of a story that should have a wide appeal. It is hoped that she has many more novels in her if THE STUFF THAT NEVER HAPPENED is any indication of her talent. I enjoyed this story immensely. Highly recommended.

The Stuff that Never Happened could've been just another book about middle-aged married people and their past. It could have been formulaic and boring. It could have been just the same old story told again. I'm glad to say, that none of that is true for this book.

Fortunately, Dawson breathed fresh, energetic life into this tale and won my heart. The writing was excellent and flowed well. So often a book starts out well but then doesn't live up to its beginning. With this book, I never felt bogged down in the story because it just pulled me in and kept me enthralled. I found myself very surprised at somethings and thought how powerful the message came through that keeping silent about troubles in any relationship can do serious harm and will always hold the power to destroy the people in the relationship.
The author handled her story with grace and humor and I enjoyed it immensely.

I loved this book and sure hope there are more books to come from Maddie Dawson. I definitely have a new author to put on my be-on-the-lookout-for-new-book list! This book would be a super choice as a book club read. There are just so many things that beg to be discussed. This is definitely a book I want to tell my friends about! I may even buy a couple of copies for a few of them. Overall, a great, great read!

This fascinating title just reached out to me in a really profound way. The possibilities endless (if you are a woman of a certain age)...that serendipitous turn in the proverbial road that would have changed everything. It presents itself like a beautiful door or window just begging to be opened by the reader. I take issue with the editorial review here that identifies this book as "chic lit" or "hen lit". This is "Womens Fiction"...there really is a big difference. And,if you are a fan of "Womens Fiction" this one is at the very top of the genre. Maddie Dawson has created a group of very deftly drawn characters and manages to tell their story in such a conversational way that she could be sitting right next to you.I am around the same age as the protagonist,Annabelle,and grew up in Southern California as she did as well. I could totally picture Annabelle's little halter dresses and hand made clogs while attending UC Santa Barbara. I KNEW her. The story alternates chapters between 1977-78 and 2005. This worked beautifully as you are introduced to the perfectly drawn Grant...who becomes Annabelle's husband of 26 years. Long marriages are far from being dull....they are literary treasure troves of mystery and nuance...and this one is captivating. The 70's were a turbulant time of liberal ideas about relationships...and "stuff" indeed happens. We never really get away with anything in life...the older you get you come to realize that everything is a big deal....I will not go through the plot point by point (hate that)...but I very strongly reccomend this book...especially to people that are fortunate enough to know the joys of a long marriage full of history...don't miss this one...can't wait for the next one from Maddie Dawson.

Once in a while, I pick up a book that just plain knocks my socks off and this is one of those books. A story that will grab you in the first few pages and just never, ever lets go.

The story oscillates between the year 2005 and a period in the mid-1970s. We met our protagonist, Annabell McKay, and switch back and forth between these two points in her life. She is married to a community college professor, Grant, and things are a bit off kilter in the marriage. Her daughter just recently married and moved from New Hampshire to NYC and her son is off for his first year at college. With her primary roll of mothering being largely completed at this point, she is at loose ends and finds herself trying to figure out how she will live through this new phase with an empty nest and a husband wrapped up in his work. By flashing back to the 1970s, we discover how they met, fell in love and moved across the country to pursue Grant's dream of researching and writing about labor unions. Ms Dawson does a fabulous job of showing how mannerisms and habits that one finds endearing in the first blush of romance can become irritating and annoying twenty-six years into marriage. She goes beyond mundane events that transpire over the course of a marriage and explores the trauma that this marriage undergoes. She brings the reader along on the journey and allows us to discover if the marriage survives and if the spouses come together or are they torn apart.

An emotional roller coaster for the reader from beginning to end. I found myself thinking about these characters as I walked through my day and found myself caring for them, warts and all. An absolutely amazing novel in the tradition of Elizabeth Berg and Anne Tyler.

The Stuff That Never Happened, Maddie Dawson's, debut novel, is a fascinating trip into "what-if" territory: a dangerous place in this instance, because reality can hardly compete with a forbidden fantasy that's grown out of control.

Narrated in first person by Annabelle McKay, the author uses humor and truth to offer an introspective glimpse into the reality of marriage. You've got to love a character who begins her story with: "I started crying at Crisenti's yesterday, over by the frozen foods. This was not cinematic, attractive weeping, either; it was full-frontal nose-running."

The novel interweaves two storylines. In the present, 2005, Annabelle McKay has been married for almost thirty years to Grant, her stable, albeit boring husband, who's a history professor at a junior college in New Hampshire. Annabelle illustrates children's books, but now that her own children are grown and out of the house, and Grant is buried in the task of writing a book, she finds herself daydreaming about an old lover, questioning the decisions she made so long ago. Maybe part of the problem is that Grant has put lovemaking on a schedule: seven o'clock on Wednesday mornings, to be precise. Which, Annabelle admits, (though she's not crazy about the idea,) is more than most of her other middle-aged friends can brag about. The other faculty wives envy Annabelle, because they view Grant as a rock: a man who would never get drunk and dance with another woman or sleep with a student. But Annabelle sees Grant as a man who doesn't speak, a man who treats her as if she's not there. Regardless of the reason, an ominous chasm has grown between the couple.

The second storyline is a nostalgic trip back into the late 1970s and early 80s, covering the beginning of their relationship and early years of marriage. Annabelle meets Grant in 1977 while she's a student at the University of California at Santa Barbara. When Grant lands a job as a history professor at Columbia University in New York City, he asks Annabelle to marry him, and she impulsively agrees, possibly an act of rebellion against her free-spirited, recently divorced mother. After a trek across the country, the couple moves in with Grant's mentor, Jeremiah, who lives in a cramped apartment in the city with his wife, Carly and their twin boys. Nicknamed the "The Great One," Jeremiah is an esteemed and charismatic professor in his early thirties. Grant is never home, so it's no surprise that Annabelle, who often babysits for the boys, is soon caught up in a heated and risky affair with the charming Jeremiah. When the affair ends, Grant eventually decides to take Annabelle back, as long as she agrees to never speak of that dark time again, hence the name of the novel, The Stuff That Never Happened. They move to New Hampshire, raise two children and live ordinary lives.

A central question the story raises is: how wise was this decision to never mention the affair again? Because perhaps, as this observation of Annabelle's demonstrates, it only enhances the memory: "Maybe this is common. Perhaps the whole human race goes around with an ache like this. Maybe we're all dreaming of a person from the tantalizing past who sits there, uninvited, watching from the edge of our consciousness, somebody you find packing up and moving out of your head just as you're waking up in the morning, and whose essence clings to you all day as though you have spent the night with him, wandering off together somewhere among the stars, making out on strangers' couches and in train stations and football stadiums, laughing over things that make no sense at all."

The two timelines ultimately collide when Annabelle gets a call from her pregnant daughter, Sophie. She's been diagnosed with placenta previa, and her doctor has ordered complete bed rest. Sophie has marital troubles of her own: her husband, Whit, is filming a documentary at an orphanage in Brazil and doesn't see the need to rush home to help his wife. So, Annabelle volunteers instead and moves into her daughter's apartment in New York City. Inevitably, during her stay, Annabelle runs into Jeremiah--a widower now--while he's shopping for apples at a local market. They arrange to meet for coffee. Now offered another chance with the man who's never let go of her heart, Annabelle is forced to choose between fantasy and reality.

In spite of its rather predictable ending, the novel successfully transcends the genre of chic-lit; Dawson has created a character who's flawed, believable and incredibly human. With her self-deprecating humor and wit, Annabelle works her way into your heart, and you can almost see her in your kitchen confessing her secrets over coffee. Secrets that make for an enjoyable, thought provoking read.

The Stuff that Never Happened took a hold of me early, and it never let me know. I was initially intrigued by the mystery of the plot: What could their big secret be? What could be so bad in your marriage that you would rather just ignore it? But the mystery aspect of the novel was just enough to get me into the plot. Then Annabelle and the fantastic story took over.

Usually, I have a little trouble with narrators. Sometimes I find them frustrating. Sometimes I wish they would turn right when they go left. Usually, I feel like they are friends that I just can't control. Annabelle was not in my control, but Maddie Dawson did such a great job of letting me in her head that I could truly picture her. I could see why she would react the way that she did. Throughout the majority of the novel Annabelle was described so well that her movements were not predictable, but they were relatable. I rooted for Annabelle. I rooted for her whole family. I wanted to see them win and make it all work.

I have not been married as long as Annabelle and Grant, but already I can see how a good marriage could turn out badly. I love my husband, but marriage is hard work (daily) and at every turn you and your partner could lose sight of the prize. Maddie Dawson did such an excellent job with The Stuff that Never Happened because you see deep into another couple's marriage. You understand it. She took marriage apart, and then she let her characters put it back together. I enjoyed this book tremedously, and I hope you do too.

This book drew me in from the beginning. I loved the character's voice -- authentic and introspective yet really funny at the same time.

The story alternates between the late 70's and the present, when Annabelle and Grant McKay are trying to come to terms with being empty nesters. He's wrapped up in his work, and she's feeling neglected and left without a purpose. The flashback portions take us to the late 70's -- all feminism and free love. Annabelle is in college, and her parents are going through their own marital difficulties. She's drawn to the bad boy, but super-nice guy Grant touches a part of her and fills her need for stability.

The story is told in a masterful way, revealing only certain parts of the whole story, so that when other facts come to light, the reader is surprised. This is not your typical story. As I neared the end of the novel, I was surprised at the turns -- not once but twice.

It's told in first person, with a confessional tone, but it works because we have a reliable narrator in Annabelle, who also benefits from years of perspective.

Though I'm not an empty-nester, I'm a mom and a wife, and I related so much to the twists and turns that marriage takes and the choice that we make when we pledge to stay together "for better or for worse." This novel actually looks at several marriages in a couple of generations. You will find yourself or your parents in one or more of them.

Highly recommended.

I checked out the e-book from the library. If I had paid$10 to read this book I wouldn't be happy. I liked the story and the characters. They make mistakes and had regrets which give most of the characters depth. The problem I have with this book is that it ended so abruptly that I feel cheated...like somebody came along and deleted the last chapter.

I am a professor's wife, about the same age as our heroine, and I have a "what if" man in my past, whom I met up with 30 years later. My story is very different from Annabelle's in the particulars, but most, if not all professors' wives, and certainly the extroverted ones, can attest to the toll on relationships the distractedness, the extreme focus elsewhere, the introversion all can take at times. Dawson does an excellent job of creating a real world situation with very real characters I cared a lot about. The denouement is very, very real, and the ending quite earned. My only quarrel is that the "story" takes a good while to get going--the anomie of the martial relationship starts to get this reader down, but perhaps that was the point. Stick with it--an excellent depiction of how things were after the counter-cultural revolution, how different Californians can be from New Englanders, and so on.

An excellent book.

The Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson is an artfully crafted story of Annabelle McKay, a wife and mother who, by outside accounts, has all the reasons to relish in her life. But Annabelle, after her two children were grown and moved from home, begins to think of days long past when she, in the very first years of her marriage to Grant, had a secret affair. Exploring the emotions invoked when pondering how things may have been under different circumstances, Dawson tempts readers through the well-crafted thoughts and feelings that Annabelle experiences, especially when a chance encounter brings her face-to-face with her love of past years. The emotional range of this story is enough to keep fiction fans entranced by the choices made long ago by one woman, the rebirth of opportunity as the path not taken reopens before her, and the ultimate decision she faces at this new crossroads.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Stuff That Never Happened through the the store VINE Program, for review.

This book is realistic and thought provoking. I want everyone I know to read this just so we can sit and talk about it. This book is a fictionalized warning to not take anyone in your life for granted and to not spend too much getting hung up on the "what if's" in life. We all make choices and then wonder what if I had made a different choice. This is a story of a marriage, why it works and why it has challenges. This is a noteworthy book in terms of the discussions it could begin with others.

I found the main character to be a whiner, but then when I latched onto the storyline and was intrigued by the fact that it delved into the guts of a marriage, I started to understand the characters far more. You just have to stick with it long enough.

I wasn't sure I would like this that much but I loved it, couldn't put it down! It is an age old story told many a time. This story is different in that it is the woman who has the affair and is deceitful.

Annabelle meets Grant at a party during their college days. Grant is what most would call a nerd and Annabelle was a fun loving girl of the 70's. The long and the short of it is that they end up together after only a short time of knowing each other. He is offered a job in New York and proposes to her, she accepts. They marry and move to New York.

In New York they live with an older married couple (Jeremiah and Carly) and their children until they are able to find a place of their own. Jeremiah is the man that Grant is working for. Jeremiah and Annabelle eventually fall into a very torrid love affair in which he decides one day they should confess to their spouses and run off together. Well she confesses to Grant, leaves him and Jeremiah doesn't come through. He tells her he can't leave his wife.

This is all the back story. The real story is that Grant does eventually take her back and they marry and have two children. Annabelle still feels that love for Jeremiah and never got over him. The story plays out when she travels to be with her daughter who is pregnant and on bed rest. After 26 years she sees Jeremiah again by a chance run in at a market. She and Grant had made a "Pact" that she would never have anything ever again to do with him.

Things do come to a head for all the key players and there is a satisfying ending in my opinion. Worth the read.

We just had a local carnival and I rode the Zipper. The Zipper makes you spin every which way and this is how I felt reading this book. Okay. I loved the characters and Maddie Dawson writes fluidly. I was hoping for an easy read and did not get it at all! Meaning, this story is very deep and while I get that love is about the ups and downs and survival, I would have walked away from the drama long ago. But I'm glad people aren't like me because this was a great story that I couldn't put down. And it made me question my own thoughts about what love really means. I'm going to buy this book when the price drops(I have it on my Kindle currently)so that I have it on my shelves. I also really like the cover (I saw it in the bookstore which is what made me look for it on Kindle). That way I have this book forever in case something happens to my Kindle.
How better of a recommendation do you need? I'm buying this book twice!

I really enjoyed this book. I did not guess the end, but I can't tell you what I thought was going to happen, without giving away a big part of the book. The entire book kept taking different turns throughout the book. I loved how Annabelle stood up for herself and what she wanted. I liked the different extremes of her two children and how as a mother, she was able to relate to both of them. Unlike Grant, she was able to accept them for who they were and the choices they made. The book jumps back and forth between later seventies/early eighties and 2005. As the present is unfolding, the choices Annabelle makes are explained by reading about her past. I really liked this format and thought the author did an excellent job going back and forth and interweaving the story. I recommend you read this book.

[...]

Some of the best novels start with "What if . . . ?" I loved what Maddie Dawson did with this question in this sweet, compelling, and achingly real story of a woman who lets good memories from the past grow in power over the years while, like so many of us, she forgets all the bad that went with the good. By the end of the book, I was shouting at Annabelle McKay to DO THE RIGHT THING! I loved it.

She had thirty years of marriage to historian Grant McKay, but with their two kids gone, Annabelle wants more as she always loved someone else although her husband is a nice kindhearted person. When her pregnant daughter Sophie has a major health issue, Annabelle comes to Manhattan to help her.

The city reminds her of her first love back in the 1970s when as newlyweds with Grant teaching at Columbia University, they lived with his sponsor Jeremiah. Both Jeremiah and Annabelle knew an affair between Grant's beloved wife and his cherished mentor would destroy him. However, they could not resist the passion. Now back in New York, she knows Jeremiah is near; Annabelle must choose between the two men she cares most about.

This is an entertaining chick lit family drama held together by Annabelle as readers compare her and her two loves in the 1970s with her as an about to be grandma with two loves in 2005. The triangle is strong as is Sophie and the city. Although the ending feels abrupt and too pat, fans will enjoy The Stuff That Never Happened as the lead protagonist has a second chance at selecting between the two men she loves.

Harriet Klausner

This book is so true to life. I felt disappointed and as though my heart fell to the floor at one point; just what the author intended I'm sure. Her way of writing is so authentic. The underlying premise was golden. On the surface, it's about that so-called long lost, yet unforgotten love. As we go deeper, we realize that relationships are anything but easy, yet we hold on to those that matter for a reason. There's a lesson in each experience. Maddie Dawson took me through the whirlwind of emotions experienced by Annabelle, all the way through the dark tunnel to the light on the other side. It's about life being full of highs and lows that can't be denied. Guess that's why some people call it a rollercoaster.

Maddie Dawson's novel, The Stuff that Never Happened, is aptly named. Throughout protagonist Annabelle McKay's lackluster marriage, she has never forgotten about the man she didn't get when she was young - ex-lover Jeremiah. Over the years, she continually fantasizes what life would have been like if other choices had been made. Now in middle age, she travels to care for her daughter back to the days of her courtship and marriage to husband Grant, and the scene of her affair to Jeremiah. Her past collides with her present, and she is compelled to view her life through a different lens.

Sometimes a little slow, sometimes slightly rushed (specifically the ending), the book is a tad uneven. Yet the author manages to give the reader something not found that often - a book about love and relationships for the middle-aged adult. The differences between young love and mature love, the power of the loss of a fantasy, and how difficult it is to get off a path once on it, are all themes nicely investigated in this novel. This is a solid attempt. 3 1/2 stars.

A refreshing read.

A real good refreshing, satisfying read. Maddie Dawson paints her descriptions so well, that I felt I could identify with her characters on the topic of love and marriage. The story reflects on the choices we make in life, and what if we had chosen differently. I can recommend this book. Good style of writing that kept my interest.

I came upon this book while browsing on the store. I am so glad that I did, or I would not have discovered Maddie Dawson! I became engrossed in the book from the very beginning. I had to slow myself down to ensure that I would relish each and every word. I immediately searched to see if Ms. Dawson had written any other books. Sorry to say that she has not, but that she is working on another book. It may be a while, but I will try to wait patiently for it's release. It is always wonderful to find a new author, and this one holds a special place in my heart. The characters are so real...the kind that stay with you when the book is finished. This is one of the best books I have read, and I recommend it highly to those who like sentimental, witty, family novels
Give it a shot. I think you will be a Maddie Dawson fam also!

I actually stayed up until 6am devouring this novel. It's a heart-rendingly beautiful & honest story ..... & it's REAL. The characters are more than believable; they are touchable, reachable. The story is about the "what-ifs" of life & about marriage - real, down-to-earth, through ups & downs marriage; not the storybook kind that none of us have. I cried at the story - so rich with LIFE - & I laughed out loud, too. YES, it's about a woman fantasizing that she'd be better off with the man she thought she SHOULD have chosen ..... we ALL have questions like that. Did we pick the right road, the right man, the right career, the right life ..... & it's wonderful to see HOW she finally lays all of those questions to rest. I - for one - cannot WAIT until Maddie Dawson writes another book for me to read!!!!!

I was pleased to read this novel in preparation for interviewing Maddie Dawson on my WPKN radio show. I don't frequently interview fiction writers (preferring non-fiction, memoir, etc.), but Sandi Kahn-Shelton/Maddie Dawson is a popular CT journalist, and I thought it would be of interest. It was compulsively readable, had great narrative drive, and was tenderly written. Most importantly, I believed the story, and I believed these characters. Sometimes even impressively-written novels have "false notes," and this one did not have any. It was as if the author took a deep breath, and from the first sentence, exhaled a chunk of wisdom and truth. It's inappropriate to label this book "hen-lit" or "chick-lit" or any of those trendy and ultimately demeaning terms. Yes, it concerns relationships, parenting, lost loves, and aging, but so do many great literary classics. I look forward to Dawson's next one.

I read The Stuff That Never Happened in one weekend, and then regretted that I'd read it too fast and couldn't stay longer in the characters' lives.
It's an engrossing read. At 46, Annabelle has a life that others envy: She's married to a solid, dependable guy; her kids are almost launched; she has a beautiful home. But she also has a long-buried indiscretion that she and her husband have agreed never to mention again. It's that bit of her past--which she cannot simply forget--and the corrosiveness of enforced secrecy that fuel her discontent.
The book has two story lines, present-day Annabelle's and 20-year-old Annabelle's. Both are full of well-drawn, compelling characters and great dialog, and as the stories unfold, you find yourself wondering what you would have done -- and what you WOULD do, in her shoes.
I loved this book and highly recommend it.

The Stuff That Never Happened is a quick and enjoyable read. What I liked best about this novel was how real the events and characters felt and how the story unfolded in such a way that you grew with the characters. While I don't condone cheating on your spouse, it's easy to follow Annabelle McKay's thought process and understand what caused her to make the choices she made. And in the end, the reader could understand the reasons why her husband, Grant, made his choices as well. I enjoyed the 2 timelines within the story, and what happened once those 2 storylines intersected. For me, one of the best parts of this book was seeing what happened to Jeremiah's character over the course of the 26 years that he and Annabelle spent apart, and her eventual understanding of past events that lead them to that moment.

The book was very well written, though at times a bit slow and slightly rushed towards the end. Annabelle's self-depricating humor was refreshing and Maggie Dawson did an amazing job of bringing Annabelle to life.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It almost seemed like a memoir but it was just fiction! Well written and a quick read. I think one reason I connected with this book is because my family tends to ignore and forget about issues that arise, pretend they never happened. Personally, I could never do what the husband did in this book and be so forgiving, or do what the wife did and cheat. Even so, I did like the book.

But it just grew on me! By the time it ended, I felt like I had been brought into the characters lives like an old, close friend. It was interesting to go from seeing the husband, the lover and the wife from different perspectives at different points in time. By the end of the book, everything was turned kind of topsy turvy, but in a good way. The author has a real talent with emotionally powerful and believeable dialogue, and although the jumping back and forth in time was sometimes maddening, it did work in the end. Fabulous job, especially for a first book!

I loved this book it was easy reading and very well written. Enjoyed the journey with all the ups and downs I cried in some parts and laughted in many others. Read this book if your looking for a real life experience.

I have not been so consumed in a novel like this is a very long time. If you're looking for a book to get lost in, this is your book. I instantly fell in love with each character and found myself rooting for and against them throughout the story. Annabelle is very relatable, from her wild past to her motherly qualities and questions about love. Grant is also so charming and easily imagined. Their two children, Sophie and Nicky are witty and sweet and add a unique depth to the plot. The story line was well developed and cohesive. Remembering the past and living in the future oddly work together to create a lifelong story of love. By the end, I found myself wishing the story would continue.
I read this book on a snow day in Connecticut and I truly found myself completely intrigued. I couldn't help but keep reading to find out the ending. I highly recommend reading this novel if your looking for something light but intriguing and heartfelt.

I read a lot and usually get bored with things in the "chick lit genre," so either this is the best piece of writing in that genre or it belongs in another category. Dawson has an incredible ability to lay the characters before us piece by piece, broken as they are at times. She artfully portrays the way these characters (and we, perhaps) grope our way through the tough times while still keep a sense of humor. Her characters are believable, likable, and so refreshingly real! AND, the story unfolds in a way that kept me reading past the usual lights out. I could not put this one down.

Beautiful story about young love and married life. The love she felt for someone in her twenties helps her survive adulthood and all it's trials and tribulations. At the end she realizes it was mostly in her mind and learns to appreciate her actual life.

This slow moving character drama is about a woman named Annabelle who is married to the somewhat boring, absent Grant. It is revealed that she had an affair with Jeremiah, who she fell in love with. Will she leave her husband? Will he leave his wife? This story flits back and forth between present and past. I did enjoy this, but didn't have an easy time getting into it, until the first 100 pages but I'm ultimately glad I stuck it out.

Loved this fantastic novel, and believe it will make one sensational movie! Maddie Dawson's story is so believable, as are the characters and the settings of "before" and "now" which Annabelle puts us in with her. I felt like I knew the characters, and loved Annabelle and her never-ending sense of family, love, and humor! I found myself rooting for her throughout the story, propably because I felt like I knew at times what she was experiencing and going through. Since it's a love story, we can all identify with various parts of the story, which adds so much. Finally, the twists and turns and various surprises in the book make for an "I couldn't put it down" winner of a novel, as I found out firsthand! Loved it!

Loved this fantastic novel, and believe it will make one sensational movie! Maddie Dawson's story is so believable, as are the characters and the settings of "before" and "now" which Annabelle puts us in with her. I felt like I knew the characters, and loved Annabelle and her never-ending sense of family, love, and humor! I found myself rooting for her throughout the story, propably because I felt like I knew at times what she was experiencing and going through. Since it's a love story, we can all identify with various parts of the story, which adds so much. Finally, the twists and turns and various surprises in the book make for an "I couldn't put it down" winner of a novel, as I found out firsthand! Loved it!

So many emotions...I loved this. My first reaction was only a woman who has been married for many years may be able to relate to this story. As someone who describes this, I found this an emotional read. It really isn't a story about young love, more of a reflection of how love evolves over the years. Love doesn't diminish, it simply evolves and becomes more complex and rich. Love becomes more than just passion and sex. If that is all a relationship is built on, it will not last...or survive. True and lasting love is what keeps bringing you home day after day.

Love books that you can't put down? Then, "The Stuff That Never Happened" may be just what you are looking for. As a writer myself, I read a lot and tend to be somewhat critical of much contemporary fiction; however, this is definitely one of the best novels I have read in the past few years. I love books where I never once feel annoyed by something the author does that feels unreal and makes me conscious that I am reading a contrived story - and such books are rare, but "Stuff" is the real thing. Dawson is a wonderful storyteller; her dialogue is natural and pulls her readers into the story, which is a difficult one to put down once you turn the first page.

The author did a great job in this book of formatting it in a way that takes a reader from one part of her life to another. Each chapter moves from the beginning of her marriage and then back to the present. I really did not know what to expect from this book, but once she started really getting into the characters, I just had to keep going. I liked the book, and I am typically more of a non-fiction reader. It was told so well that it seemed like it could have been a real story.

Absolutely LOVED this book. Couldn't put it down from the first page. The amount of detail was spot on. Felt like I knew each character to a T without all the mindless detail. I hadn't seen it coming when it was revealed who Annabelle had the affair with. Also had me wondering through much of the book how she and Grant made it to 26 years. I'm offically a Maddie Dawson fan and cannot wait for her to publish more books!

I was drawn to this book because the characters had real depth - the strength was that just as in real life, there wasn't a clear white hat or black hat. Good people had flaws and just as in real life, the people who are close to them had to choose whether to forgive them or turn away. I had trouble putting down The Stuff That Never Happened because there was never a clear answer in sight that would wrap up the story. It got me thinking about my relationship and helped me to appreciate what I have.

Real multidimensional characters. Portrayal of an imperfect marriage with its up and downs and what happens when a woman loves two men. Annabelle's journey from California to New Hampshire and college student to grandparent is told by going back and forth between her past and present.

This is a must-read! Maddie Dawson climbs right into our hearts and our minds, and makes us feel like she knows us better than we know ourselves. She has an uncanny understanding of human nature, and when you read this book, you will feel like you are sitting down with a dear and trusted friend. A friend who takes you gently by the hand and tells you it's alright - all of it. Because we've all been there. I could not put this book down!

For the most part I enjoyed this book...I thought it dragged in parts. Although most families are dysfuntional to some degree, I felt somewhat disappointed with every character in this book. Still a worthwhile read.

I couldn't put it down. It was a wonderful emotional roller coaster where you find your opinions and feelings changing throughout the book and I just had to keep reading to find out how it it would end. For once I had no idea on how it would end! Great read!

This book should have been titled The Stuff That Doesn't Matter. The story moved at a snail's pace and was marred by sterotypical and underdeveloped characters. Much of the book consisted of trivial moments such as watching TV, eating at diners, and kittens giving birth in a laundry basket. The only part I enjoyed was the love affair. Everything else seemed insignificant.

I have a feeling I will be hated by all the reviewers who thought this was the best book of the year. I found the story to be flat and I got tired of reading about the wife Annabelle complaining about her husband Grant. I too have been married for years and she was not perfect either. The end of the book was better but I think it was too long and needed more heart. I am sorry for those who loved it, I was just reading to read. The stuff that never happened really did not matter.

I really enjoyed this book. It was thoughtful,funny and interesting. Sometimes as you read a book your life style and age determine how much you understand and relate to the characters. I am of that age where my children are much older and in many ways I can relate to the characters of this book. The book was written well and was a quick read. I will be looking into other books by this author.

Maddie Dawson's The Stuff That Never Happens took me deep into the heart of Annabelle McKay, a middle-aged wife, mother, and artist, whose marriage survived her long-ago betrayal--and may once again be in jeopardy. How does love change through children, careers, tragedies? Would we even want a relationship to remain the same? Annabelle was so multi-layered and real that I couldn't help but adore her, despite her faults. Read this book! You'll be sad to turn the last page.