Want You to Be Happy' takes on modern-day dating

Want You to Be Happy takes on modern-day dating through the debut novel by English writer Jem Calder, which portrays the dynamics of contemporary romance as cautious and misaligned. The story follows a man in his mid-30s who ends an engagement and meets a young woman, a 23-year-old barista, at a busy London bar. Despite trying not to discuss the breakup, they struggle with what to say, share drinks, exchange first names, and head to his luxury apartment, contrasted with her crowded shared flat. Calder’s earlier hit, Reward System, used six interconnected short stories tied to social media; this novel continues that theme of connection without clarity. Told in a tight third-person structure that alternates perspectives, it emphasizes guarded texting and performance of nonchalance, while revealing differences in age, finances, and commitment levels. The characters’ literary aspirations create “a dormant feeling of possibility.”