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    The Far End of Happy
    The Far End of Happy
    The Far End of Happy
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Far End of Happy

    Written by Kathryn Craft

    Narrated by Janet Metzger

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The next twelve hours will change everything.

    Ronnie's husband is supposed to move out today. But when Jeff pulls into the driveway drunk, with a shotgun in the front seat, she realizes nothing about the day will go as planned.

    The next few hours spiral down in a flash, unlike the slow disintegration of their marriage—and whatever part of that painful unraveling is Ronnie's fault, not much else matters now but these moments. Her family's lives depend on the choices she will make—but is what's best for her best for everyone?

    Based on a real event from the author's life, The Far End of Happy is a chilling story of one troubled man, the family that loves him, and the suicide standoff that will change them all forever.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMay 5, 2015
    ISBN9781491591291
    Author

    Kathryn Craft

    Kathryn Craft has been a leader in the southeastern Pennsylvania writing scene for more than a decade and is the author of The Art of Falling. She lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania with her husband.

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    Reviews for The Far End of Happy

    4/5

    43 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Ronnie's husband is supposed to move out today. But when Jeff pulls into the driveway drunk, with a shotgun in the front seat, she realizes nothing about the day will go as planned. Based on a real event for the author's life, it's a chilling and heartbreaking story. Craft is a great storyteller and this is one you won't forget any time soon. I'll have to check out some of her other stories.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft


      The story begins the morning Jeff has argued to move out of his house. He’s been drinking and his soon to be ex-wife, Ronnie, has asked him to leave. This begins a stalemate between Jeff and the local police. Ronnie and the boys are taken away from the family farm while the police try to coax Jeff to leave their small farm store. When the boys are safely at a friend’s house, Ronnie, her mother, and her mother in-law continue to wait and try to make sense of Jeff’s position and their own lives.

      This isn’t a non-fiction work, but it reads almost like one. As each of the three women tell their points of view, the pieces of Jeff’s life become clearer. He loves his wife, his boys, and his mother, but is that enough to lure him back into the reality that has been clouded from years of isolation and drinking?

      It was an emotional book to read. Each hour pulls the three women apart, together, and apart again. The work focuses not on an alcoholic and his decisions, but on how those decisions affect those who love him. The story reminds me of words spoken at my father in law’s funeral. “We couldn’t ask him enough, fuss at him enough, or love him enough to bring him back to us.”

      I received this ARC from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      I thought that this book was very interesting. I like how the author moved from present to past with Ronnie remembering all of the things that had gone wrong between her and Jeff. The story felt so real, almost like I was there experiencing everything first hand. What a terrifying situation. And after I finished the book I found out that the author had based this book off her own personal experience with her first husband's suicide, it made it all the more real. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into very dramatic, fast paced real life issues.
    • 5/5
      The Far End of Happy by Kathryn Craft is a very highly recommended novel about a suicide standoff and a woman trying to come up with the inner strength to make it through the horrific day.

      As she is mentally preparing herself for the day, Ronnie (Veronica) Farnham contemplates, "How many months had it been since she’d been able to relax in her own home?" Today her husband, Jeff, is supposed to move out of their farmhouse in Bartlesville, located in rural eastern Pennsylvania. Their marriage has been struggling for years, but with Jeff's increased drinking and out -of-control spending, which has led to huge credit card debt, Ronnie knows it is time to leave and try to make a future for her and her two boys.

      A day that is already guaranteed to be stressful turns into a nightmare when a drunken Jeff pulls his car up to the front of the house. He has had way-to-much to drink, has a hose hanging from his exhaust pipe, a shotgun in the front seat, and is threatening to commit suicide. Ronnie and the boys manage to get the car keys and call 911, but when a crazed Jeff chases them into the house they are afraid. The police arrive but Jeff has taken off, holing up in the office of their farm store, New Hope Farms, with his gun.

      The police manage to get Ronnie and the boys out of the house and off the farm. Ronnie's mother, Beverly, and Jeff's mother, Janet, meet them at the local firefighter's hall while the police have the road to the farm and the area locked down and under surveillance. The 12 hour standoff has begun. Ronnie manages to get the boys to a friend's house for the day, but she is stuck waiting, with her mother and mother-in-law. The story is told through Ronnie, Beverly, and Janet. Ronnie discovers that there are more family secrets than she thought, as the truth is slowly revealed during the tension packed standoff. We also learn more about the families and the history of each character as each woman reflects on her life.

      Even as I felt the tension ratchet up during the twelve hour standoff, I also could see the personal reflection from each character as they wondered if they had a role in the day's tragic events. Could the marriage have been saved? Did any one action push Jeff over the edge? At the same time secrets are revealed that might have been helpful if they were made known, if risk factors were discussed. There are a wide range of emotions and questions that would plague anyone in this situation. Craft also realistically includes the ever-present media and their following of the "story."

      I was totally engrossed in this well written, engaging story from start to finish and only learned afterwards that it was based on a personal experience by Kathryn Craft. That would explain her uncanny ability to capture the genuine, raw emotions of each character and honestly confront the effects depression, alcoholism, and suicide can have on a family.

      Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Sourcebooks via Netgalley for review purposes.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      The tragic evolution of strong romantic love into broken marriage is a common theme. But this autobiographical domestic thriller takes place over the course of one given and one taken day. Ronnie returns home from college and falls in love with Jeff, her mother's best friend's son, whom she worshipped when she was six years old and he was a college freshman. At first all goes happily as they renovate a farm together. But Jeff brings on big debt and hides it from Ronnie, and he seems strangely uninvolved in the lives of their two sons, although his professed adoration for her never wanes.Unaware of tragic secrets of both families, Ronnie soldiers on until Jeff's alcoholism and his disinterest in her writing career creates a deep rift and she decides to leave him and their idyllic farm life. The novel takes place on the day Ronnie has set as her deadline to leave Jeff.Each hour ticks by agonizingly slowly, with especially strong scenes with Ronnie's mother Beverly and her mother in law Janet, as Jeff holes up in their farm office with a shotgun and bottles of booze.The novel is a bit too long and a bit too wordy, but it's very affecting and would be the source of much good discussion on the nature of depression, marriage, and attraction.
    • 4/5
      This is not the genre of reading that I typically would choose.- Standoff Suicide- a mother with 2 young sons decides to divorce her alcoholic husband - she tries to do everything right, she wants him in their son's lives - she wants this to be as amicable as possible - he shows up the morning he is suppose to move out- drunk and brandishing a shot gun - 911 is called and the state police whisk Ronnie and her children out of there and then begin the standoff with police trying to talk him out of the barn ------ the traumatic events of a 1 day standoff suicide--- This is a DINNER with the Author book and since our local book store Loves Kathryn Craft !! This read for me was out of respect for the author. I read her "Art of Falling" which was beautifully written and enjoyed the Meet the Author at Java's. Since then, Kathryn has been very supportive to many of the local authors who do events at the Harleysville Book Store and we have all come to love her. Kathryn told us about this book while she was working on it, so knowing the storyline made it a very difficult book for me to pick up and read.... I really didn't want to... too depressing... but once I got started, I paged thru it pretty quickly - although knowing the outcome before I opened the book.... I was engaged in the way she told the story, from the points of view of her, her mother, and her mother-in-law. She intertwined present day with a back drop of where it all started so seamlessly and the book flowed flawlessly. Its so hard to say that I enjoyed it...but I can say it was so very well written that it engaged me from early on and I was committed to the last page. It was a very emotional book, I am glad I read it and I am proud to have met the strong woman, mother, daughter and daughter-in-law portrayed as Ronnie in this book and I wish Joy to her and her 2 sons and peace in moving on with their lives. Thank you Kathryn for sharing your story! 
    • 4/5
      On the day that Ronnie's husband, Jeff, is supposed to move out of the home that they share with their two sons, he shows up drunk with a shotgun and a threat to kill himself. The book takes place over the next twelve tense hours. We learn the back story of Jeff and Ronnie's marriage as well as the secrets in her mother and Jeff's mother's lives. I found the story to be very riveting. Even though much of it took place in Ronnie's mind, I could understand a lot of her feeling of ambivalence over what she should do to make everything right for herself and her sons. This was an excellent and well written book. I didn't know until the end that it was based on something that happened in the author's life. Once I realized that, it made the story even more remarkable to me. This would be a great book club read as there are many parts to it that would be great discussion points. Even if you aren't in a book club, you need to give them this a read.
    • 4/5
      A special thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A lovely front cover depicting the perfection and calm of the exterior, versus the turmoil inside. THE FAR END OF HAPPY, a complex, intense, and powerful novel told over a twelve hour span; three women, a trouble man (a son, a father, a husband), secrets, a past, mounds of debt, shame, insecurity, responsibility, guilt, baggage brought into a marriage, a family history, a suicide standoff, tragedy, two sons, despair, hope . . from private to public. An author who courageously revisits a painful time, creating an emotional, sensitive and painful yet captivating story, with a highly charged subjects, beautifully written --based on true events, seamlessly blending fact and fiction. "Interaction with death almost always invites us to reassess how we are spending our lives, why is suicide so troubling--the persistent, unanswered questions. The ongoing questions-- when did things begin to fall apart, how did I miss it, and in what ways is there compensation by each family member, or signs ignored? There are no clean lines in a story like this, only endless shades of gray, and a lot of questions about relationships and life that are well worth asking.” ---This is why Kathryn Craft writes THE FAR END OF HAPPY.I cannot even image the emotional trauma, the guilt, the what ifs, and the persistent unanswered questions of a spouse, a family member, or a close friend of someone feeling they have nowhere to turn, utter desperation. I believe this story needed to be told, even as a work of fiction. It could provide a great help and support for families facing such despair, or early warning signs.No one likes the word “suicide” and we all tip toe around it; however, it is real. In addition, many women live in fear each day, whether domestic violence, verbal abuse, or the neediness, or insecurity of the man or woman, making them feel guilty for wanting to divorce or wanting to leave an unhealthy environment. Many women stay in marriages for their children’s sake; however, in the end, they create a more unstable situation by remaining. Or as in the case of the book, a woman is made to feel guilty and pressured not to leave with the threat of suicide. Everyone in life has choices and we are the keeper of our own lives, and cannot control others out of fear or abandonment, due to their own illness. With the crash of 2008, many families have been affected by the economy, while different people handle the same situation in a completely different way. Some are more fragile than others; however, many times they do not want help. A very controversial subject and highly commend the author for tackling and sharing this story. As the author mentions, a tragedy is always unfolding somewhere, whether we know it or not—during the time it takes to read her interview at least one more person in the US, will die at his or her own hand. The story will be relatable to many women and families and hopefully provide hope to others starting over. Even though the novel may be painful for some to read, it can be uplifting and inspirational to others.An ideal book for book clubs and discussions with many POVs. I enjoyed the honest discussion with the author and the reading group at the end, which will help readers gain new perspective about life. Now I am excited about reading her previous novel, The Art of Falling! A word to the wise, always have a lengthy conversation with the first wife (or husband), of the man (woman) you are about to spend your life with. Keep an open mind – there may be much to learn which will save you pain down the road. Don’t we all wish we could step back and know what we know now? We would be so wise! Again, thanks to the author for a special book. On a person note, I have been involved with two suicides in my life, (not immediate family); both times each of these men found themselves in a horrific situation and as things began closing in, drove them to end their lives. But what if? A first cousin in Florida, a young man with a bright future, involved in a horrible situation with a woman he met online, and later married, without being aware of her past, fell in love and became involved in an illegal scam against his own brother; he had to choose between brother and wife, which would put her away, and he an accessory to the crime. A devastated brother and the parents (my aunt and uncle) in Amelia Island, he left behind. The wife is now serving prison time and a family is without a brother and a son, due to greed and money.The next, in Atlanta, a wealthy man, owner of a large accounting firm with celebrity clients and professional football teams, private jets, country club home, and many second homes – on top of the world. A husband and father of my son’s best friend, as things began closing no one was aware of the secret scandal, accounting fraud, an affair, upcoming loss of his business, career, money, and about to face prison. A mother’s nightmare --their oldest son, college age, repeating the same suicide a year later, in the same car. It takes strength, courage, and faith for those left behind to move on and rebuild their lives.