Can I Be Happy for a While?

Maria Metlitskaya entered literature in 2011, and her debut was already a triumph. Subsequent books solidified her reputation as one of the most well-known, talented, and popular authors. Maria Metlitskaya's books seem to be drawn from our lives — small joys, everyday concerns, cozy family evenings in front of the TV, and the smell of phlox in the summer house, happy meetings and farewells, old memories, and plans for the upcoming summer. Maria Metlitskaya shows us the 'small life' of quiet people — in her characters, we recognize ourselves, our relatives, and acquaintances. 'Can I Be Happy for a While?' is one of the most beloved books by Maria Metlitskaya among readers, a story of women trying to find happiness in the darkest and most difficult times. This book is about women born in the USSR, who had to 'live in an era of change.' In their youth, they dreamed of a bottle of 'Maybe' and sewed clothes that could not be distinguished from the creations of fashionable designers. In adulthood, they gave birth in maternity hospitals where often the only medical supplies were a bandage and green antiseptic, stood in endless queues, and saw Paris only in the program 'International Panorama.' But they did not lose their optimism and femininity — they fell in love, broke up, and acted recklessly for their loved ones. So this book is about happy women. About how, for those who love life, it ultimately returns the favor.