So I have mostly been involved in the indie romance world and am ashamed to admit, that this is my first Susan Mallery. However, that being said, it will not be my last. I thought this story was adorable. It was sweet and romantic and oh so swoony. I thought there were moments of angst that perfectly balanced the lighter feel of the book. It is definitely one that I can't wait to read more from this series. I will also be looking for more Susan Mallery books definitely to read.

Though the story started off a bit slow, which isn't unusual in building a new world,within a chapter or two it took off like a shot. Pallas and Nick's story was intriguing and wonderful. I loved all the different artistry the characters do. The supporting cast is unique and amazing with the exception of Pallas' mother, Libby. I can't stand putting conditions on love especially with one child over the other. I love how Pallas grew with each chapter as the story progressed and slowly discovering who she is even if everyone else around her could see she was meant to be the owner of Wedding in a Box.
Nick's love and support was what Pallas needed as she sorted out who she was and who she wanted to be. If you're looking to start a new series with love, laughter, family ties, and a HEA then you'll want to read this wonderfully woven story by the always talented Susan Mallery

There is something about a Susan Mallory’s book that is so cozy and comforting! I liked this charming contemporary tale of unexpected romantic connection. And I really enjoyed the premise of this first book in her new series about Happily Inc., an enchanting wedding destination.

Pallas Saunders is the owner of Wedding in a Box, a themed wedding business. Nick Mitchell is a world renowned and gifted artist, with a passion for creating and restoring, and apparently no interest in the business side of selling his work. But obviously, he is already rich and famous. Pallas hires him to carry out some restoration works. She can’t afford to pay him more than a carpenter, though, but he wants the job. Nick is kind, he is willing to help and immediately feels comfortable in Happily Inc. That seems to be all that matters to him.

Nick and Pallas are perfect together, but they both have unresolved issues with the idea of loving someone. They grew up with demanding parents, who never really understood them. They are drawn to one another, but question the validity of what they are feeling. Pallas is convinced that Nick is not for her, she feels they have nothing in common. He is the first man to really get her attention, though, and she has no idea what to do about it. Nick likes being around Pallas, but he won’t commit to a relationship, as a way to keep his heart safe from a passion that would consume him.

The way Nick and Pallas’ relationship progressed is a slow burn. They need time to overcome their fears. I loved the way their interacted with each other, the way they came to know and trust each other. Their mutual feelings are unexpected. For the first time, Pallas is not afraid to give love freely with no expectation, she finally feels worthy of being loved. Nick is ready to put his heart on the line and give their relationship a chance, even if there are emotional risks involved.

Overall, this book is a well written heartwarming romance of love, friendship and emotional healing, with a great cast of secondary characters. I look forward to reading more of Susan Mallory’s work in the future.

"You can't control every aspect of what's happening."
"I can sure try."
"Sometimes the mess-ups are the best part. It's where the magic happens."

What a wonderful start to a new series!!!

Susan Mallery has this wonderful way of surrounding you with so many visuals and feelings within her stories. Every character you meet, you either relate to, or want to know.

Nick and Pallas have amazing chemistry!
They each have heartbreaking, and yet, wonderful background stories to tell. Within this book you will see two people change, sacrifice, surrender, and mold themselves into the people they were meant to be.
Not to mention, they finally take a chance at the love they never saw themselves having.

"You're a bigger temptation than I'd realized."

I loved every aspect of this book! Every person I met, every detail of this small town, and every word that was spoken.

I enjoyed the visuals of the weddings Pallas created with Nick and her friends. Made me want to get into the wedding business!!!

I can't wait for the next book (and all the rest) in this series!
Another win for Susan Mallery!!

"If you can dream in, we can make it happen."

I can't seem to remember a time when I wasn't reading Susan Mallery. She's one of the few authors that I can honestly say that after 20 years plus, I'm still reading her. I'm just glad that I can say after all this time of reading Mallery I still enjoy her books like I'm reading her for the first time!

When Mallery decided to end for now her Fool's Gold series (for now, fingers crossed) I can honestly say it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I've spent so much time with these people and loved reading about them that it really felt like it physically hurt. Silly, I know but that's how I felt.

When you read so many book in one series you really feel like you belong there. You honestly get to know the people like they are your neighbors. At first I wasn't going to read the new series but then I made the mistake of reading both Thrill Me & Best of my Love. Both are part of the Fool's Gold series and are Mitchell brothers. Bam! Just like that I was intrigued. I now needed to know about these brothers that moved away. Sneaky move there by Mallery.

Once I started reading You Say it First I was so glad that I decided to move on to the next series. I love Nick. Yes I knew him from his brothers book but he hadn't really shined yet. Here he did. You really got to know the real man behind the art. He is really a good guy who loves to create.

He has some of the same issues his brothers have about their father and I like how he worked through them as much as he can. Do we ever really get over our parent issues? Added to the father issues they also have mother issues. How they all turned out pretty well balance is a mystery.

Nick isn't alone with his mother issues, Pallas herself has a few. I'm not sure who's is worse. But rate up there as horrible mothers. Poor Pallas has to work so hard at making herself feel good about who she is.

I happened to like who Pallas is. She brings happiness to people and their special day. Her problem is that she has to realize she lovable. That people really do care about her and that she's good enough.

You'll enjoy how both Nick and Pallas work out their pasts and look to the futures. Yes there are a few missteps but those are what make a good romance story.

Wait until you read You Say it First, you'll find a whole bunch of new neighbors to love. Plus, we have to Mitchell brothers left that needs to find their happily ever after.

You can start this series without reading the Fool's Gold series but I'd make sure to read both Thrill Me & Best of My Love first. That way you'll have the two Mitchell brothers story that came before and those set up the main thread that runs through all the stories. You don't need to, but you might feel like you are missing something.

If you are looking for an incredible old school romance, you don't have to look any further. You Say It First will give you everything you are looking for. True to her style, Susan Mallery brings to life the story of two people who are not looking for love. People chased by their demons and not believing in HEA. It is a sweet romantic story with some heartbreak, healthy dose of laughter and a sprinkle of hotness to sweeten the deal ;)

I fell in love with Nick and Pallas from the very start. Their first meeting is definitely comical but in a way it also shows features of their characters. They are both caring and will probably do everything in their power to help when they can. Even if they don't exactly know the person they are helping. Unfortunately, both of them have been thought that love and passion have a price. That you have to earn the affection of another person and that passion can be destructive. And even though, that's a somewhat empty way of life they've learned to live it and not expect anything different. Until they collide with each other and the chemistry and feelings between them can't be denied.Learning to trust each other is not easy and their path is not without obstacles but in the end their feelings win the battle :)

There are a lot of things I loved about this book but one on the top of my list are actually the similarities to the Fool's Gold series. I so loved it that it was great to have the reference to it. In a way Grandpa Frank, Pallas' grandfather, reminds me of Mayor Marsha :D I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series and read what will happen with the other characters :) Mathias and Carol are definitely an intriguing couple but I can't wait for Silver's story to come out. I think that one is going to be amazing. And let's not talk about Ronan :D

So, my recommendation is not to waste any time and pick up your copy asap. I can guarantee you won't regret it :)

This review was originally posted at Living In Our Own Story Book Blog. I received an ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review.

The first book in the new Happily, Inc series. Ronan, Matthias, and Nick have moved from Fool's Gold to start a new life with their art. Nick meets Pallas at her Wedding business. Review on GoodReads.

I read this series out of order and I much enjoyed this introduction better makes things have more sense you get a better sense of the characters. Small town series can be fun and have such interesting stories.

This is Pallas and Nick's story. Pallas runs Wedding in a Box that provides a venue for quirky themed weddings. Their meet cute was pretty fun I would say. Nick is in town to spend before a commission in Dubai what was supposed to be a part time carpenter became more. A famous wood artist in his own right creative at that. Pallas comes from a banking family and her mom is the worst I can only describe as a terror making their relationship difficult. But Pallas herself is caring, amiable, hard working and loyal. Their relationship is stressful to say the least

Being taught love must be earned and not being a banker sucks. That's so not right. I felt for Pallas her confidence took a shot and well growing up trying to earn something is a common error. Nick maybe gun shy when it comes to commitment or passion aside of art byt something about the resident wedding planner caught his eye. He is laidback to her emotional and it's a good balance. His sense of humor lights up the hard moments. They maybe passing time together before Nick leaves but I think there's potential for them of they acknowledge it.

Good emotional growth in a story is always to cheer for and Susan Mallery achieved that here. You say first it is heartwarming and feel good story about following your heart. Nick and Pallas have a story to tell and I much preferred the insght into them and other characters. Fully fleshed out and given a solid ending. Another charming small town series awaits fans.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

This is my first Susan Mallery book and I have to say that it won’t be last. I was intimidated by the sheer number of books she has written in the past. And I didn’t know what type of writing style she has but now that I have finished You Say it First, I know that her writing is an easy to dive into type of style that makes readers enjoy the story more.

Pallas Saunders, our heroine, has lived well, an interesting life. Left behind a themed wedding company, she runs the highly praised, Weddings in a Box. She works hard, trying to please everyone from the bride to the groom and most importantly, her less than supportive mother. In You Say it First, you can see the troubling relationship she has with her mother. Her mother runs by rules. Rules that determine if Pallas is standing on the good side or bad side of affection from her mother.It was frustrating to read the injustice Pallas suffered when her mother critiqued her and insulted her. I knew that I would not satisfied until Pallas stood up for herself.

Nick Mitchell, our hero, is a passionate one who loves his art and loves his wood. Wink. I’m joking. I actually mean wood like from trees. He’s a carpenter and finds his happiness through carving and creating fine pieces of work using wood as his main source of material. He likes to keep everyone at distance, claiming too much passion is not a good thing. It will consume him, destroy him, and ruin him in the end. So, definitely, love is not an option.

When Nick and Pallas meet, the chemistry is palpable. I really liked how flirtatious they were when they first met. Pallas asks for him to take off his shirt without warning and to body paint him so he could look like a greek warrior, carrying one of the greek goddesses aka the bride to her wedding. It was hilarious and I knew the story was off to a great start.

The only thing I didn’t like about this story was that it seemed generic. It was very cut from the same cloth as a lot of books and nothing was much different so it kind of got boring midway through.

MY RECOMMENDATION:

Pick it up if you’re a Susan Mallery fan!

Fool's Gold is one of my favorite all time series', so when I heard that Susan Mallery was coming out with a new series in a new town, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. You Say it First is the first book in the Happily, Inc. series. One of the greatest things… A few of these characters are from Fool's Gold. Yay! Pallas inherited Weddings in a Box, a themed wedding venue. She's incredible at her job, but she always thought she'd do something else with her life. She hires Nick, a world famous artist, to do some carpentry work for her business. She didn't know he was famous at first, but he convinced her that he wants the work. He's only in town for a few months and would love to work with her. Pallas and Nick are attracted to each other but they know it's temporary. Does that make it better or worse? I’m not sure… Nick falls under Pallas' spell and genuinely enjoys helping with the weddings. Pallas needs to do something more with the business for it to succeed. With her friends and Nick's help she decides to take on a non-conventional wedding. It's going to be out of this world. While working on the wedding, Nick and Pallas find themselves falling for each other. Will Nick realize he wants permanent before it's too late? Can Pallas trust in love? I fell in love with this town and these smart, talented characters. I loved reading about the art, the making of everything that goes into these weddings. The secondary characters are all great! I can't wait to read all of their stories!

"What happened?"
"He said he missed me."
"That bastard."
"Do you really think this is the right time for sarcasm?"
"Sarcasm is like Jell-O. It's always the right time and there's always room."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

I love Susan Mallory books. I have a gazillion paperbacks with her name on it. Most of them from her Fool's Gold series. This new series takes place in Happily Inc and has a few characters that spin off from Fool's Gold. Alright enough about FG already! Ha. So this book from the town Happily Inc (yes that's it's real name) focuses on Pallas and Nick.

Pallas owns Wedding in a Box where brides can host their themed wedding but have Pallas and her staff to do all the work. Sounds amazing right? It should be. I can be. The owner just needs to see her worth. This was my biggest struggle with this story. Pallas doesn't see her worth. She's always thinking negative things about herself and she retreats further into herself thinking she's not worth the time. Though she has friends that adore her and a man who's definitely interested in her.

This is where Nick comes in. He's an acclaimed artist and needs something to bide his time while he waits to hear if he's been hired for a two year commission. There's beautiful wooden panels at Wedding in a Box he's working to repair to take up that time. Of course it's not every day you want to have an affair with your employer.

I enjoyed the way Nick tried to show Pallas how worthy she is. With both of the negative influences coming from their respective parents it can be a huge downer on ones self esteem. Nick is a true gentlemen. He doesn't try to get in her pants right away and really does try to give her a boost every time they're together.

This couple is definitely a good balance for each other. I think their sweet love story will give you an "awe" moment for sure.

You Say It First by Susan Mallery is the fist book in the brand new series Happily Inc. If you have followed Susan you know that she is most none for her Fools Gold series. This is a town not far from there and you may even get to visit with some previous characters. I was a bit standoffish at first. How can anything compare to Fools Gold. Well let me just tell you I am so glad I made a visit to Happily Inc. I will for sure be coming back for me. Happily Inc. is full of so many interesting people I could not get enough of these people in this first book.

Pallas captured my heart. She never feels adequate. Having the most important job of a wedding as wedding planner and business owner she still felt like something was missing. As if everything she had on her plate wasn't enough to fulfill her life. She needed to figure out her dreams and how to make them come true.

Nick an amazing artist needed a gig in between jobs he knows he will be heading to Dubai. I mean he is Nick Mitchell who wouldn't give him the job in Dubai. His family name was enough to ensure he got even if his talent wasn't. (a bit full of himself when it comes to his art maybe) Nick had passion but buried resentment when it came to certain forms of art due to his lack of love for his father.

You Say It First will absolutely take your breath away and bring you into this perfect new town. Don't miss out on this journey. Join Susan with this new series from the very beginning. I promise you will not be disappointed. I for one couldn't put the book down and I am so glad I got the opportunity!

3 1/2 stars

There is much to like about Susan Mallery's first book, You Say It First, from her new series, Happily Inc. How can you not like an initial scene with the woman, Pallas, telling the man, a very confused man, Nick, to take his shirt off when he thought he was interviewing for a regular old carpenter job? And then he's dressed as a Roman and expected to carry the bride in on her throne (or whatever the Romans called it).

Like this opening scene, many amusing scenes play out as Pallas and Nick come together in this well written romance. And near the ending, there is a beautiful scene, which I can't go into in detail because I won't spoil the story for you, that emphasizes that love is not conditional, that you should say it when you feel it, and be glad for and apppreciate all of the time you have together.

Unfortunately You Say It First is not without its problems. First, Mallery decided to introduce perhaps all the rest of the characters from the series in the first book, or so it seemed. I found it too much and far too much to try to keep up with, especially when there was a scene with a character called "Natalie" and I was trying to figure out which one she was. Less is more is a great motto to adhere to--pretty much always.

And then there was repetition. I noted three instances and then stopped counting of Pallas reiterating the difficulties with her mother, almost verbatim. Likewise, the same type of discussions arise with Nick and his brothers regarding their own father and the bombshell he'd dropped. I'm afraid that when I noticed myself putting the book aside more and more frequently that the repetition was affecting my reading.

However, and this may be a big however, I really enjoyed the story. As wedding planners seem to have popped up a lot in fiction lately, a wedding planner who does theme weddings was a nice change. And, Mallery did provide a great detail of interesting detail about the weddings as well as Nick's artistry, which certainly raises the You Say It First above the norm. So when you consider the quality of the writing (minus repetitions), the sense of humor, and freshness of the read, I think that this is a novel to add to your tbr pile and definitely a good start to a new series. I do hope that the repetitions and number of characters are minimized in future installments though.

I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Susan Mallery books are like sitting down with a good friend and hanging out. No matter the setting, or the characters, or the plot, you know you are going to enjoy the book and be glad that you read it.

So, when I got ahold of this one, I dove right in.

Nick and Pallas are wonderful together, and so perfect. A woman who is afraid she is not good enough to be worthy of love, and one who feels that love always has to be earned, that it is not given freely. Nick is afraid of the kind of love that consumes a person, as he has seen the damage it can do (his parents are the ones he looks at for this example) and he wants nothing to do with a great passion.

But, as all best laid plans do, this goes awry as Pallas learns that you can love someone, without them asking or demanding it, and Nick learns that it might, possibly, be ok to love someone with passion, that his life is lacking because he closes himself off to this.

Susan Mallery's books are character driven and they are focused on the people in the stories, not just the romance. There were references to Fool's Gold, which were fun for those who have read the books. There is a slight connection in the new Happily Inc. to that series, but not enough of one that you are unable to read this as a standalone without reading all of the other books. That said, the plot of this does have a minor spoiler to one of the Fool's Gold plot lines. But, it's not a huge issue.

The characters are all interconnected, and it seems clear that there will be a number of stories in the new series, but that is ok. There is some time spent in this title, as there is in all starts to a new series, building up the other characters so you have a relationship with all of the main people in the story. But, this is welcome, and it does not take away, much, from the core story of nick and Pallas.

This book also has zebras. If you read it for no other reason (and honestly, there are so many good reasons to read it) read it because it has zebras.

I recommend this title and I look forward to the next in the series.

4.5 Stars
This the first book in Susan Mallery's new series Happily INC. I'm already sold on it. I'm a huge fab of her Fool's Gold Series and I already have a feeling I will love this one as much. I liked the the Mitchell brothers have ties to Fool's Gold so it's kind of nice to have that tie in between the two series. I love the group of friends Pallas has. They have different personalities, but so much fun. Another thing that I like about the series it's a wedding town and the businesses work together to achieve it. Pallas' business Wedding in a Box is so intriguing and so much fun though she doesn't know that's her future. With the support of her friends and Nick she may find the courage o go after what she wants. Pallas' Grandpa Frank is a hoot. I can't wait for more from this series!

Pallas and Nick were such a great couple to me...they had such great chemistry and the storyline kept you involved. What I loved most was the cast of characters. It started off with a bang with Pallas asking Nick to take his shirt off and be her Roman soldier for a wedding when he comes for an interview. When he takes a carpentry job repairing panels, he gets to know Pallas a lot better. If you love Susan Mallery - then you'll love this one!!

An ARC was provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect anyone else's.

As a long time fan of Susan Mallery I was sad that the Fool's Gold series ended. However, the author designed a new quirky town, full of interesting characters, for readers to love.

Nick's all-in artistic attitude was a great contrast to Pallas's reserved personality. The author introduces so many intriguing characters - Nick's brothers, Pallas's zany friends, and other town folk.

This is another great place, like Fool's Gold, that I'll be revisiting.

I can't wait for Silver's story, I love her!

A sweet start to a new series!

Though the town's origin/purpose is unique, it's also a bit on the hokey side (come here and get married because of a fictional history...)--still, it (and the quirky cast of characters that inhabit it) will give Ms. Mallery a host of possibilities for future stories. Nick and Pallas were a lot of fun--their "we can't be together" reasons weren't the best, but a good case was made for why they believed them. They were good together, though, even if the way they kept insisting that it was just temporary was a bit annoying. Knowing an HEA was coming made it easier to bear. ;)

I loved the idea of Pallas's business--even more so once she shifted her focus slightly--and can't wait to see what future wedding challenges this series will offer!

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

With her Fool's Gold series, Mallery is known for bringing readers quirky, humorous stories that somehow manage to be lighthearted with depth.  And with Happily Inc she does it again!  SQUEEEE!  As we've come to expect, her characters are great with the zingers but can bring you to tears ... and not just with laughter.  They have issues - real ones that you can totally get behind - and they have to deal with them before they can find their happy.

Pallas's has to do with her mother.  For some reason her mom is really hard on her and nothing Pallas does is good enough, although she's spent her whole life trying.  She's at a crossroads in her life, though, having just inherited a wedding planning business while her mom wants her to work for the family bank.  Pallas has to decide what is right for her. 

Nick's issues have to do with his father and returning readers from Fool's Gold will be familiar with the backstory (but new readers should have no trouble catching up - Mallery's a pro at giving you the info you need).  His stay in Happily Inc is just a stop on his way to whatever he's doing next, giving him a chance to connect with his brothers.  He definitely didn't plan on Pallas and the kinds of feelings he's developing for her.  He's seen what that does to a person and he has no intention of getting that involved.   If you are familiar with Mallery's work you know how that turns out ... when does anything go as you expect it to?  :)  

For me the fluidity of Mallery's stories really keeps me coming back for more.  I mean, the snappy dialogue and fun people are definitely at the top of that list, but she knows how to wrap everything together so that it works seamless towards that HEA.  Both Nick and Pallas work on their family issues (although Nick's can't be 100% resolved because he has brothers who need their own stories) and their concerns over the future, including whatever hangups are involved with committing to their relationship.  It's pretty common in Mallery's stories but she makes it seem fresh when she does it.  Every.  Single.  Time.  I don't know how but she's gotta have some kinda of magic going on.  And I am so ready to see what she has in store for us next!