Just before happiness

The moving story of a young single mother who surprises everyone with her courage and strength when fate challenges her.

Novel awarded the Prix Maison de la Presse, the French booksellers' prize.

It has been too long since Julie stopped believing in fairy tales, in kindness and all that nonsense. Barely twenty years old, she is a supermarket cashier where she endures her boss's impertinence and harassment for fear of losing her job. She can't afford it, she needs that job. She is a single mother and has to fend for herself, since her family turned their backs on her when she became pregnant with little Lulú, an adorable three-year-old boy.

But one day a stranger lends her a hand out of sheer generosity. Moved by her family situation, Paul, a supermarket customer, spontaneously invites her to spend a few days with her child on the Breton coast with him and his son Jérôme. Reluctant at first, the young mother finally accepts the proposal without knowing that these holidays will change their destinies forever. A journey of no return and a chain of unexpected events will show Julie the saddest but also the kindest side of life.

A story full of vitality and hope that reconciles us with life.
Optimism, tenderness and subtle humor permeate the pages of this emotional novel.

Critics have said...
«One must have a deep understanding of life to express with such sensitivity, sincerity, and maturity that instinct that allows us to keep going. An anthem to hope.»
Le Figaro Magazine

«A novel full of kindness, hope, and humor. A single mother, her three-year-old child, and a generous stranger show us that life is beautiful.»
Mia

«A beautiful and sad novel that reconciles you with life. A whole lesson in positivism.»
AR

«A novel about hope [...] starring characters who maintain optimism and rely on friendship amid emotional chaos.»
Última hora

«Some compare her to Anna Gavalda, but everyone agrees that this novel makes you feel good. Agnès Ledig is full of vitality and optimism.»
L'Avenir

«This novel, full of humanity and illusion, is an ode to second chances.»
France Dimanche