That’s Not How It Happened A Novel
That’s Not How It Happened A Novel by Craig Thomas is a smart and humorous exploration of family dynamics, published by Harlequin Enterprises ULC on November 4, 2025. This original edition spans 320 pages and is presented in English. The story follows Paige, a stay-at-home mom who, after years of raising a son with Down syndrome, finds her life turned upside down when a Hollywood producer expresses interest in adapting her memoir into a film. As the family navigates the complexities of fame and personal challenges, they confront the realities of their relationships and the impact of external perceptions.
Readers will find a blend of humor and poignancy as the narrative delves into themes of family life, marriage, and neurodiversity. The characters grapple with their identities and aspirations while dealing with the pressures of Hollywood, revealing old resentments and new betrayals along the way. The story captures the nuances of sibling relationships and the challenges of raising a child with a disability, all while maintaining a lighthearted tone. This novel promises to resonate with those interested in family stories infused with black humor and heartfelt moments.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Funny and poignant… Craig Thomas is a big-hearted, empathetic writer who knows his characters inside and out.” –Tom Perrotta, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Mrs. Fletcher and The Leftovers
“Funny, real and moving all at once…[A] wonderful, heartfelt debut.” -Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tony-Award Winning creator of Broadway’s Hamilton
From the Emmy-nominated co-creator and Executive Producer of How I Met Your Mother, this smart, funny, bighearted novel for fans of Kevin Wilson and Monica Heisey, follows a family turned upside down after Hollywood decides to make a movie version of their lives.
With Audiobook narration by Cobie Smulders and Josh Radnor
Paige didn’t set out to be a stay-at-home mom, but when her husband’s screenwriting career took off right before they had a son with Down syndrome, the decision was made for her. Now, with their children nearly grown and unsure what’s next, Paige writes a memoir about the challenges of raising a child with a disability. When a major actress-turned-producer shows up at her door eager to make her “inspiring” story into a movie, she’s shocked, excited, and a little terrified.
This movie just might be the comeback opportunity her husband, Rob, desperately needs. His career has fizzled in recent years. But the movie is going to need a screenwriter, and who better to adapt his wife’s memoir than him?… Meanwhile, their son, Emmett, doesn’t understand why people think his Down syndrome is the most important thing in his life (that’s definitely his girlfriend, Amy)–but he hopes his newfound fame might somehow get him closer to meeting his idol, Eddie Vedder. Their daughter, Darcy, couldn’t care less about the whole thing because she’s hardly even in their mom’s book. The “normal” child who nobody ever worries about is feeling more forgotten than ever as her love life implodes and college decisions loom.
As their lives are chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood machine, triggering old resentments and launching new betrayals, will any of them even recognize the “inspiring” family in this film? Or will this “feel-good” movie be the end of them?
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