The Ten Best Days of My Life

A heavenly novel about what truly matters in life.

In this hilarious and heartwarming first novel, twenty-nine-year-old Alexandra Dorenfield suddenly finds herself in heaven after an unfortunate encounter with a Mini Cooper. The seventh and highest level of heaven to be exact. Her dog Peaches is with her; she is reunited with her beloved grandparents; she has the wardrobe of a movie star; and she lives in the house of her dreams next door to a handsome guy. This is heaven!

But there's a catch. Alex must prove she led a fulfilling existence by writing an essay on the ten best days of her life or she will be demoted to a lower level of heaven, where the clothes are last year's styles, the men aren't quite as handsome, and worst of all, Peaches and her family won't be nearby. Witty and inspiring, this divine debut novel dares to ask a material girl — and the rest of us — what makes life precious.

"The hereafter is happier than ever in Halpern's debut novel. After Alex Dorenfield and her dog, Peaches, get smashed by a car, they wind up in heaven, where bubbly 29-year-old Alex is floored by how hip the digs are — especially Seventh Heaven, where Alex's dreams (of, for instance, designer clothes, an awesome house and eating without gaining weight) come true. The icing on the cake is her reunion with a few deceased family members and meeting a dreamy prospective soul mate. Only problem? She must pass an entrance exam to stay in Seventh Heaven and not be demoted to the fourth level, where she would have to live in a condo, wear last year's clothes and lose Peaches (all dogs stay in Seventh Heaven). So Alex gets to work on an essay to prove she led a worthwhile and fulfilling life. This simple little story is syrupy sweet throughout; readers into the heavenly have another bonbon to savor." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

In this hilarious and heartwarming fist novel, 29-year-old Alexandra Dorenfield suddenly finds herself in heaven. In order to stay, she must prove she led a fulfilling existence by writing an essay on the 10 best days of her life, in this work that dares to ask what really makes life precious.

Adena Halpern is the author of Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown: Notes from a Single Girl's Closet, a memoir based on her popular "Haute Life" essays for Marie Claire. She has also written for The New York Times and Daily Variety.