The Stuff That Never Happened

You might think that a book about an affair between two married people might not be that great, or that it on its highest level it is very shallow, but this book gives a great example of how communication in marriage is vital. It was interesting switching back between past and present constantly to tell the story. The ending was not at all predictable. I was surprised to read Maddie's bio and find out that she is happily married. It was almost as if she had lived the situation and could explain all sides. This would make a great romantic drama movie.

Annabelle has been married to Grant McKay for two decades – happily married for most. They’ve made a life for themselves in New Hampshire and raised two children; Nick is a freshman in college and Sophie is living in New York City with her husband. But every now and then, Annabelle falls into the trap of remembering Jeremiah, the man she had an affair with at the start of her marriage and has continued to love. She made a promise to Grant to never speak of the affair or of Jeremiah. But as her husband withdraws more and more into his work, Annabelle begins to feel that the true relationship in her life is one that she imagines with Jeremiah, whom she has not seen in over twenty years.

When a sudden family emergency leads Annabelle to show more New York, she is immersed in the memories of the years she spent there – of being a newlywed newly transplanted from California, of learning the ropes of the city, and most importantly, of the passion she shared with Jeremiah.

The city has changed, but Annabelle finds herself face to face with Jeremiah in a store the two used to visit together. The relationship she has nurtured in her mind has a chance of becoming a reality, and Annabelle must deal with the ramifications of the past she has pretended to ignore for so long.

Longing for the one that got away is a common theme in literature, but Maddie Dawson writes with a particular honesty that makes the characters very real and convincing. The Stuff That Never Happened alternates between the present and the past, when the affair took place, but the flashbacks only add to the understanding of the characters and their motivations.

I loved every minute of The Stuff That Never Happened! Dawson’s writing was like gulps of water after a salty meal – I could not get enough of the longing, the complicated ties between the characters, and the realizations that sometimes the scenarios that we build up in our heads are never as good as they seem. show less

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 show more 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. show less

When Annabelle and Grant got married, they really didn’t know each other all that well. They moved across the country and lived with another young couple and their two children. Something happens in those early years that will haunt their marriage for the rest of their lives. Rather than talk about it, Grant makes Annabelle agree to never mention it again, and in effect, pretend that it never happened. On the surface, that seems to work – they move to New Hampshire, raise two children and seem to have a happy life. But, once the children are grown and out of the house, Annabelle finds that she can’t let go of the past.

The Stuff that Never Happened by Maddie Dawson is a quiet, introspective novel told from Annabelle’s point of show more view. The story alternates between the past, when the event happened, and the present day, when the repercussions of pretending it never occurred take place. It’s a powerful book about life and love and living with decisions you’ve made in the past.

Even though I’ve never done what Annabelle did, I found myself relating to her. She was trying to live with a mistake she made in her past, but she was never really able to move past it. She was able to keep it out of her mind while she was busy raising children, but once they were out of the house, she found herself almost obsessing over it. She thinks “maybe this is common. Perhaps the whole human race goes around with an ache like this.”

Dawson does such a good job writing the characters, I could sympathize with Grant and understand his side of things, too. He adored Annabelle and was willing to forgive her, as long as they never spoke of the event that happened again – it was just too painful for him to face. He found himself involved in a project after the children left home, so he didn’t realize the despair Annabelle was going through.

Both characters frustrated me at times, too. I think that’s part of what made the book so fascinating and compelling for me – I didn’t think either one was totally without fault. I was hoping they’d work things out, though, and I found myself rooting for them and wishing they’d make the right decisions along the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Stuff That Never Happened and found it to be a fascinating study of the relationships (between spouses as well as children) in a marriage that has suffered in the past. Fans of women’s literature won’t want to miss this book! show less

All of the characters in this book are hard to like at times. Some of them are hard to like a large percentage of the time. If you require characters you can root for (or if you object to sex in your novels, because there's a LOT of sex), this may not be the book for you.

But it's so well written! Nuanced and insightful, it's a look at the inner workings of a marriage and family in its infancy and 25 years later. It's told in first person narration, with alternating chapters from the two time periods. Despite traditional "women's fiction" themes of love, children, self-identity, and personal growth, it's an easy read but far from a fluffy "beach read". I really enjoyed this!

What if? That is what Annabelle McKay is thinking as her children fly the nest and her husband, Grant, is totally immersed in his work. Twenty-six years earlier, as a newlywed, Annabelle had an affair with Jeremiah. While she remained with Grant, and hasn't seen or spoken to Jeremiah since the affair ended, she often thinks about him and wonders what her life with him would have been like. She doesn't really regret her marriage, but what if.....

A chance encounter with Jeremiah brings her fantasy version of him face-to-face with her real life, and Annabelle struggles to deal with the memories evoked and the current feelings she has upon seeing Jeremiah again.

This is a wonderfully told story, with strongly developed characters. It show more explores what marriages can and should be; how we can distort the past; how hard it can be to fully understand the people you love. show less

I loved this book ...I had been pretty tired of the various "women's fiction" titles I had started lately but this book goes far beyond that label. Annabelle and Grant's marriage is the primary focus but also the author brings in the empty nest issue, infidelity, mid-life crises, preoccupation with work-and many other themes and issues that all tie in together and all make sense. I am very glad I read this novel.