Very enjoyable fast read. The story was fun and moved fast. Another great book by Susan Mallery! Thank you!

You Say It First by Susan Mallery is the first installment in a new series, Happily Inc. .
Meet Pallas Saunders, she's a wedding planer in Happily Inc., a small town. She works hard to make ends meet.
And there is Nick Mitchell, he's one of five brothers and a famous artist. He works as carpenter and is smitten with Pallas, just like her with him. But their time together is limited.
You Say it First is a beautiful story, beautifully written and beautifully told. I love the characters and had a good time reading this great book. I can't wait 'll the next brither gets his story!
I give 5 stars. Thank you Susan Mallory !

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Well if You Say It First is any indication, I'm going to love Happily Inc. almost as much as I love Fool's Gold. Nick and Pallas were so fun and while their story line was a little predictable, watching the starts and stumbles along the way was so much fun. Mallery created this group of women that are so real (although I would expect a little more in-fighting among women who are so close and also work together) that I couldn't help but want to know more about each of them. I love the little hints we've gotten about what's to come with Nick's brothers and I'm so excited for them and all of Pallas's friends to find their HEAs.

Libby, Pallas's mom, was a piece of work (not in a good way) and Grandpa Frank was a character (although based on Libby, maybe he is better at grandpa-ing than he was at parenting).

And the weddings! I loved loved loved all of the details about the weddings. It made me wish that this came with pictures so I could see what Susan Mallery envisioned while writing and describing what was going on. I actually really could see this getting turned into a cute little TV show or movie because it's so whimsical and fun.

*thank you to the author and publisher for providing an arc**

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Welcome to Happy Inc. where your dream wedding is waiting to happen. And the persons who will help with that dream is Pallas.

Pallas has inherited Weddings In A Box from Gerald the pervious owner and trying everything to make the business stay afloat and keep Gerald's business alive. But some days it feels like she can barely keep her head above water and when she needs a stand in to help carry a bride in, she will pick the first person she sees.

Nick is looking for something to keep him busy while he waits to hear about a commission in Dubai that will last two years. When he sees an ad for a part-time carpenter he decides to go check it out. But when he ends up at Weddings In A Box he finds himself helping carry a bride into her wedding.

When Pallas can finally breathe from the wedding she decides there is no way that Nick will want to work for her now. And when she finds out he is a famous artist she definitely knows she can't afford him or hire him as the part-time carpenter. But Nick shocks her when he says he will do it and he doesn't care about the pay, he has seen the panels that she wants fixed up and he knows he needs to work on them.

As Nick spends more time at Weddings In A Box not only does he start to enjoy the weddings but he begins a relationship with Pallas with both of them knowing he is leaving for Dubai soon. But Pallas begins to have feelings for Nick and doesn't want to say goodbye to him when he leaves. And while dealing with Nick's impending departure, Pallas is also struggling with her love for Weddings In A Box and making her mother proud.

Will she give up Weddings In A Box and join the bank to make her mother happy? And will she let Nick go without telling him how she feels?

Join the gang at Happy Inc and meet the town who makes dream weddings possible.

Pallas Saunders came from a prominent family in the small town of Happily Inc. In the opposite of what her mother wanted - to work in the family bank, Pallas had inherited from a friend the company Weddings in a Box, specializing in themed weddings. Business was still growing.
Her life changed when, in an act of desperation, she called the carpenter, Nick Mitchell, to help with a performance at a party.

Nick was not really a carpenter, but an artist renowned for his woodwork.
He was enchanted by a panel that existed in Pallas's company and offered to work on it, to restore it for the price she could afford.
He was expecting confirmation of a lucrative contract for a 2-year job in Dubai.

Pallas gets an unexpected offer for a totally challenged wedding theme. She would have refused, but she needed to prove to herself - and to her mother - that she was capable of being happy doing what she liked, not bothering to continue to gain the approval of the woman who seemed to have only words of disappointment for her.
The way in which Pallas achieves this feat and opens up to love is what you find out here in this reading.
4 stars

Step aside Fool's Gold - here comes Happily Inc!!
This is a brand new sweet romance series that's a bit of a Fool's Gold spin-off.
We already met Nick's family in FG and now he and his two artist brothers moved to Happily Inc to get away from their dad.
Nick is waiting for a call from Dubai - he's in the running to build a huge piece for a hotel lobby over there. That would take him away from home for two years.
But for now he's here. And he's working as an underpaid carpenter for Pallas.
She recently inherited the wedding company where she worked while going to college for a degree in finance.
Because that's what she's supposed to do with her life: work for the family bank in town.
But for now - or at least until the end of wedding season - she's working hard to keep WEDDINGS IN A BOX alive.
And if watching the sexy carpenter working shirtless is the price she has to pay for that - all the better.
Nick is equally attracted, but he doesn't do love. His parents taught him that.

What will happen with Pallas & Nick??
Will there be HEA in Happily Inc??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺

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Eeeeep .... a new Susan Mallery series!
I LOVED Fool's Gold. And this is looking just as good.
We already know the 3 brothers and Pallas introduces us to all her besties - there's LOTS of room for lots of interesting books in this new town - I love it!!!!!

This was such a sweet romance. Exactly what you've been used to from Susan.
Plus it has lots of weddings! So romantic and funny and adorable!

Of course it's not all insta-happy-endy. We have some serious 'afraid-to-love' problems to overcome - but of course we'll get there in the end! ☺

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The perfect book to read while lounging on your couch with a glass of wine and some snacks.

Oh and I should also mention, if you thought Fool's Gold was crazy with their resident elephant! Happily Inc has zebras, water buffalo, a GIRAFFE ... and so much more!!! ☺☺☺
(We find out more about all that in book #2!)

I enjoyed every second of this book!
Can't wait to read the second one!

YOU SAY IT FIRST was such an adorable and funny and romantic love story! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Nick - this one is MINE! ☺

This brand new spinoff from the Fools Gold series starts with Nick Mitchell. One of several brothers we met in Fools Gold California. Nick and two of his brothers now reside in Happily Inc. California. All artists, the brothers work through family issues together but each has their own as well. Nick finds himself working for Pallas Saunders wedding business. He's there for the job of rehabbing some wooden artistic panels but ends up helping her with the creative side of her business as well. When Pallas' good friend left her Weddings in a Box in his will she has to decide if she can make a go of it or give into the pressure her mom has been putting on her to work with her at the local family bank. Both Nick and Pallas have relationship hang ups but they click immediately. The chemistry was amazing and i loved Nick right from the start. It was a toss up on which would blow the relationship first but watching them be together and support each other was fun. I think this is amazing start to this new spin off series. It's not always easy to make these spin off series work but i feel like this one is going to be a winner. One of those enjoyable reads where you practically smile as you read every page.

Find out more about Susan Mallery and this series here www.happilyinc.susanmallery.com

'You Say It First' is the first book in the Happily Inc series. What I liked about this one is that we get more of the Mitchell brothers. We met them in Mallery's Fool's Gold series. While I only read a few of those books, I loved what I did read. Wonderful, feel good romance.

I'll be the first to admit that while I liked this story, I felt it lacked the a certain spark I look for in my romances. The romance part was a little too fast for my liking. But that's just a personal preference for me...I like the slow buuuuurn. This book is about Nick and Pallas. Her name is weird and I take it that it's said like Dallas but with a P? It's weird but in a good way; I always like to read character names that are different.

Pallas owns a wedding venue that makes all future brides and grooms's wedding dreams come true. Nick is an artist and part time carpenter. When the two meet, they have an instant and easy connection. I think what worked for me in the story was the fact that we are going to get more stories with other characters. Mallery has already set up some potential storylines that I'm most excited to read.

While this wasn't a favorite of mine, I did enjoy Nick and Pallas. Despite the romance, there was some drama with families on both sides, and then the whole thing with Pallas needing to do something to make sure her business stays afloat. I look forward to more stories from Susan Mallery!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Eek! Susan Mallery is back with a new small town romance series called Happily Inc. And this first book, You Say It First is absolutely wonderful. If you loved her Fool's Gold series then you're going to love this too. Nick Mitchell used to live in Fool's Gold but he moved to Happily Inc with his brothers. They're all artists and this new town is filled with so many creative and artistic people. I loved meeting all the secondary characters in this book but I especially loved Pallas, the heroine. She was so lovable and sweet. I loved how her character developed and I loved that she was able to teach Nick a thing or two about being brave and about love. Definitely a sigh worthy story with lots of strong friendships and relationships that just makes you feel so good. A new fictional town, with some quirks, that I wish I was a part of.

*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book*

If you enjoy visiting Fool’s Gold than Happily Inc will be your next favorite locale.

As a huge fan of Mallery and Fool’s Gold I was a bit apprehensive about starting this series mainly because it is in the same vein as Fool’s Gold. Mallery writes stories other than FG but they are a different, they fall more under Women’s Lit while FG would fall under Contemporary Romance. But I picked up the new story and I am so glad I did.

We met Nick in a previous FG story but he and his two brothers have moved to Happily Inc. Nick is good looking and talented. And he knows it. Pallas is the new owner of a local business learning how to be her own person professionally and personally.

As are all of Mallery’s characters this couple and the background characters are well formed and enjoyable. Knowing her writing we have a lot of new characters to befriend and this story is just the beginning.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

You Say it First can be summed up in five words: "Laughter before happily ever after." That phrase seems to be working well because Ms. Mallery always comes out on top. From that stepping stone, she delivers tales of heartache, moments of passion and scatterings of hope. All with just the stroke of a pen and the soul of a dreamer. Humor is the beginning of life's most precious moments and through all the anger and pain it showed Nick and Pallas the road to happiness.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32570383-you-say-it-first" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="You Say It First (Happily Inc, #1)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486127321m/32570383.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32570383-you-say-it-first">You Say It First</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8716.Susan_Mallery">Susan Mallery</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2095664315">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A great start, a wonderful ending and a lot of fun in-between - that is You Say It First, the first book in the Happily Inc. series by Susan Mallery. There are characters from her Fool's Gold series and on is the main male characters in this book. There is a lot of backstory in the first part of the book. It slowed the plot down but everything speeded up after that. I loved the setting, the town and the side characters. Sculptor Nick Mitchell and Pallas Saunders are great characters. Their interaction is spot. Both saying they do not want forever but we know best. Happily, Inc is a nice quirky town with a lot of room for new stories and new characters.<br /><br />I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1372248-jo-mixed-book-bag">View all my reviews</a>

I was excited to start a new series by Susan Mallery, especially one that is a spin-off from her Fool’s Gold series. The new town is called Happily, Inc., and no wonder that the main tourist attraction revolves around weddings. Nick, formerly of Fools’ Gold, and Pallas are the main characters who meet when he is answering an ad for a carpentry job at her business called Weddings in a Box. Although he is a renowned wood sculpting artist, he takes this job just to bide his time while he waits to see if he gets a huge job in Dubai. As usual, there are sparks, but both are tentative with their emotions. He may be leaving the country for a few years, and Pallas is trying to make a go of her business so that she doesn’t have to be a failure in her pushy mother’s eyes. How these two find their happily ever after is a delight to read. I’m so glad to have another series from Susan Mallery, filled with small town charm and quirky characters whom we are introduced to in this first installment. Looking forward to more from Happily, Inc.!
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

3 1/2 STARS!

Weddings in a small town! It was definitely a slow start with Susan Mallery's kick-off to her new Happily Inc series. The town is quirky and the characters have potential but it kind of felt like we were fed too much info on many of them just to lay the groundwork for the series and it overshadowed the ability of the main characters to catch my attention. They were cute together, and by the end I was hoping for a happy ending, but they didn't grab me and reel me in like I wanted them to. If you're a fan of Mallery's small town life, you'll probably still enjoy the book, but it might not snare you as easily as some have in the past. I'm hoping for more connection and depth when I dig into book two!  

Pallas Saunders had big dreams for her life, but it hasn't turned out anything like she imagined ... and she's not so sure that it's a bad thing! She's enjoying her newfound freedom running a themed wedding venue, but it's not taking off as fast as she had hoped. If she doesn't soon start to bring in some money, she may be caving to her demanding mother's wish for her to come work at the family's bank.

World-renowned artist Nick Mitchell has a big commission on the horizon, so he's not looking to start some big job right now, so he finds himself answering an ad for some carpentry work at Pallas's wedding venue. He ends up working on a project that he really enjoys and he can't help but indulge himself with Pallas's company as often as he can as well. He's not looking for a relationship, but some temporary companionship could be nice!

You Say It First is a fun and entertaining book that is the first in a new series by Susan Mallery. It features Pallas Saunders, who has inherited a wedding business called Weddings in a Box. Pallas does theme weddings, and soon hires successful artist Nick Mitchell to do some carpentry. Neither Nick nor Pallas will place trust in a real relationship, but they are willing to see where their attraction takes the in the right now.

This was a really good book with interesting characters and an intriguing storyline. The backdrop of the wedding destination venue and the small town setting were great. Nick's large family and their drama added to the story. This is a good start to the series!

It's always hard to end one beloved series and begin a new one, but Susan Mallery has done that with grace and charm. I was sad to hear that we were at the end of the stories of Fool's Gold, but was open to learn what Happily, Inc. has to offer and I wasn't disappointed. With this new series, Susan has brought us to a unique town and introduced us to some new friends. It helps that the characters include a few who had previously left Fools Gold to move to Happily, Inc, so there are enough references to the past to help us maintain our connections as we branch out to a new experience. This is a sweet and charming novel, with interesting characters to enjoy, and a fun storyline that will make anyone want to plan a unique wedding. I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

World famous sculptor Nick Mitchell has some downtime while waiting for his next commission so he interviews for a job as a carpenter for the owner of a wedding venue. Pallas Saunders is giving it everything she has to make her business a success or she will never hear the end of it from her controlling mother, who seems to enjoy making it very clear how disappointed she is with her daughter.

The first meeting between Pallas and Nick starts off very interesting when she needs an extra to fill in for one of her wedding venues. This relationship will really take off once they get to know each other. But they both have some issues to deal with due to family history.

Nick is a famous sculptor visiting the town of Happily, Inc. to spend time with his artist brothers while he waits to hear if he's being hired for a 2 year gig overseas.. Looking to keep busy, he answers an ad for a part time job and meets Pallas, the owner of Weddings in a Box. Pallas lives to put on theme weddings for her customers in spite of her mother's plan for her to join her at the bank. How to do what you want to do and still please your family is one of the themes in this great read.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I've read a ton of Susan Mallery's books from the Fool's Gold series, so it nice to see some characters from that series cross over into a new quirky town and mingle with a new cast of characters. So the characters were likable.

The story line was good, closely follow's Mallery's formula from the Fool's Gold series, but also a bit predictable. But that may be because I've read so many of her other books.

If you're looking for a fast, fun read, try this one out.