Rating 5/5

Who doesn't love a one-night stand that went wrong only to find its HEA? Will and Mackenzie's love story had all I wanted in a romance - lust, passion, anger and forgiveness. It was so snarky and the devilish banter was so fun and entertaining! What a fantastic read that had me finishing it in a couple hours!

This is the 3rd book in the British Bad Boys series but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone. This one is about Will and Mackenzie. These 2 grew up together and were always friends until one night changed everything. But when they spend time together again, they both find that they still miss each other's friendship among other things. But can they move beyond misunderstandings and be more than friends? Or will this end everything once and for all.

I truly liked this book. It's lighthearted and an easy read. I just had a little bit of trouble connecting with the characters themselves. They seemed a little too angsty to me. Mac and Will both have parent issues but neither feel they can stand up for themselves and do what needs to be done to be happy. Even though both of their families seem like people who would want them to be happy more than wanting them to do what they expect. There are definitely some hot parts to it! The book itself is good, the writing is great, for me it was just the characters I had an issue with. That being said, it still managed to make me like it and I went back to get the books about her brother's because they also sound good and the writing (and the story itself) made it worth it to me.

I enjoyed this story Will is Mackenzie's brother's best friend and years aho they had a one night stand and fell out, now he is back because Lucas asked him and he and Mac have an arrangement, great characters and a wonderful chemistry make this book

I received a copy from Netgalley and i am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion

I love the friends to lovers trope and this blurb sounded like it would be right up my alley. Throw in the fact that CP wrote some of my favorite (safe) MC books and I was ready to fall in love with this book. Unfortunately it didn't quiet work out that way.

The story is about two friends who give in to their mutual attraction but the fall out when regret, panic and fear set in, splinters their close friendship. Mac and Will were best friends until they crossed the line into "more than friends" territory and the awkwardness left behind tore them apart.

What kept throwing me for a loop was the reason behind their disassociation. It was weak and Will didn't grovel apologize enough in the end. Then there was the constant, repetetive inner dialogue of both MCs. It got old fast how many times both Mac and Will had to tell us they were hot for each other but nothing could ever happen. It made them both sound immature rather than angsty. Especially since they obviously cared about each other and there was nothing really keeping them apart other than Will's past. And call me crazy but a whirlwind 6 month relationship back in college soured him to ALL relationships? Even knowing that what he felt for Mac was 100% different/special?

Bottom line I couldn't warm up to either character. Bummer since I really like this author.

Will and Mackenzie were very close friends until they crossed that line two years ago. In addition to being great friends, Will is also Mac’s brother’s best friend.

So this story has that second chance aspect that I enjoy so much.
BUT, here’s the thing. I’m super picky when it comes to second chance. I need some kind of feel for these characters pasts TOGETHER.
I think some flashback scenes or a strong memory to tie up those connections would have made this story richer.

There were some qualities to this book that I found enjoyable. There was a good sense of humor to these characters that had me smiling. And I appreciated the very real aspect of living your life a certain way to please others. Mackenzie’s struggles I found to be quite relatable to me personally.

Overall, it was an okay read and I liked it, I just thought it was missing something to make me love it.

Complicated people that don’t talk to each other!

Mackenzie Carter summer at home is almost at end and she is not sure she wants to return to med school and she’s not sure she wants to be a doctor but she’s receiving a bursary from where her mom had worked that makes it hard to change degree plans and instead work on her art. She runs into banker Will Hamilton, her brother’s best friend that she had dated earlier. Mackenzie quit talking to him after he missed her art exhibition and didn’t return her calls, so she avoided him whenever possible. Will hadn’t planned to take over the investment bank but instead work with friends at an adventure camp after the death of his father and his mother’s illness.

Mackenzie and Will are two people that don’t like what their futures holds because of promises to family. But at the end of story they actually talk to each other and to their families which make them realize everybody just wants them to be happy.

Not So Happily Ever After by Christina Phillips is related to others in the British Bad Boys Series but can be read as a standalone book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mackenzie/Mac opens her door expecting her best friend Brooklyn/Brook but instead Will Hamilton is there who is her brothers Lucas’s best friend. Will with his bone-melting knee-knocking smile. Mac has know Will most of her life. Lucas was in Madrid right now so Mac couldn’t figure out why Will was at her door. Then Will asked if Lucas had called her and added he had asked Will to pick her up and then added Atomic Fire had been in a bus crash and they needed to go to the hospital. Atomic Fire is the hottest new boy band and Lucas and their manager Baz are good friends. The band was to be the headline act for the charity ball Mac had been planning for half a year. Four years ago Lucas and his teammate Jax set up the Rainbow Star Foundation to help grant wishes of sick kids and raise money for children’s charities and every year Mac organized the Christmas fundraiser. Then Will told he Jake- the lead singer- is convinced his career is over and is pulling out of the fundraiser. He won’t talk to anyone but Mac about it. Mac can hardly remember the last time her and Will had a normal conversation the way they used to before that night. Mac and Will slept together and he took her virginity he was suppose to go to her art exhibit and never showed and broke her heart as her parents felt her art was just a useless hobby. But Lucas didn’t want mac to go see Jake alone as he felt Jake had a crush on her so Will was like her bodyguard. Will let her know it wasn’t his idea. Mac wishes they were friends again but since she couldn’t turn back time that wasn’t going to happen. She has to get over Will. Will thought how Mac’s eyes always did stupid things to him. Growing up Will had spent half his time at Lucas’s house and Lucas was more the brother he didn’t have then a best friend. Mac is starting her third year at Oxford and not doing very good but her heart wasn’t in it everyone expected her to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a Dr of research. Will had thought before mac did the Oxford route she would have done something with her art but she hadn’t. Will said he missed them hanging out together. Mac hated the way everything fell apart between them after that night. She shouldn’t have let one mistake ruin their friendship. Then Will asked if they could be friends again and Mac said she’d like that even though her desire for Will was so consuming. Mac had lost her mom six years ago Will’s dad had died three years ago so they both knew how it felt to lose a parent. Will took over the private investment bank his parents had owned. Mac found she sucked at Uni and her heart wasn’t in becoming a doctor. Yet she couldn’t tell Will that.Mac remembers when she and Will took advantage of a sprig of mistletoe . Two years ago Mac had fell for Mac and never really got over it. Mac had thought they had a special connection and gave her virginity to Will then he was suppose to go to a exhibit showing her art and he never showed up and broke her heart. They had some words when they did see each other again and then avoided each other after that. Mac ends up going to wales with Will for the weekend. Mac and Will decide to become friends with benefits as they both want each other so much and it was so hard to keep their hands off each other. Then mac has to go back to Uni but more and more their feelings are getting involved. Until the fight…
I enjoyed this book. I liked the plot and the pace a lot. But I thought there was just a little too much drama. I loved Will and Mac together and how they interacted. I felt there was also too much where Mac and Will went into their thoughts , it got a little annoying. I advise you to read this series in order for a smoother read. I did think this was predictable to a degree but it didn’t take away form the book. I loved the the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.

Enjoyable return to London and this fun cast of character with this being Will and Mackenzie's story. While this is the third book in the British Bad Boys series it is easily read as a standalone. Will and Mackenzie are great characters and I chuckled throughout the book at their sexy banter. Will and Mac have some history to get past but once they do their relationship really begins to change. Will this just be a friends with benefits fling or will it turn into a whole lot more? You'll want to grab a copy of this one and find out. I definitely recommend it.

A best friend romance gets a second chance. Sweet and hot.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.

This series is so light hearted and fun. Also I love the cover models they use. Mackenzie and a Will get a second chance at romance. The move from friends to lovers is never smooth. Throw in additional obstacles such as him being your brothers best friend and it makes the situation even worse. They try to hide the relationship from friends and family and as they fall in love that becomes more difficult. They also have individual issues that they have to resolve before they can complete the relationship. The story is fast paced with a often funny and witty dialogue.

From the moment I started reading this book, I loved Will and Mackenzie. The story is told from their alternating points of view. After Christmas night a couple of years ago, their friendship deteriorated. When they see each other again, everything they felt and more comes rushing back. They can't stay away from each other during her university break. I liked getting to know their feelings during their parts of the book. Both of them have characteristics and reasoning that the other is unaware of, despite their being best friends in the past. Although it's part of the British Bad Boys books, I didn't think Will was especially bad. I'll be going back to read the first two books.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I loved it. It was such a sweet romantic story about two people that had a one night stand and things really did not end the way either of them wanted. Now they come face to face again and old feelings come back. Mac tries really hard to keep her distance but Will makes it very hard. Before you know it they end up in bed together again. I just loved this book. The bantering between Mac and Will was priceless. I loved how hard both of them tried to keep their feelings at bay. How they both fought so hard against what we as the reader new was what they both wanted. This was a really great read and it kept me entertained from beginning to end. I am looking forward to reading another book by this author. Thanks Net Galley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
DNF @ 17%

Okay, let me start by saying that the synopsis sounds super interesting. I was really to love this book. The author's name sounded familiar to me, but I assumed I was just thinking about Christina Lauren. Unfortunately, I then saw the part on the cover that says this is a series, so I checked, realized it is #2 in series that I have started... Unfortunate because I completely read the first book and ended up giving it one star.
So, my thoughts before starting this were negatively impacted. Bummer.

I still tried reading it, hoping that things would be different, because you really never know!

17% in though I could see that this couple would probably end up having sex and in some kind of relationship, while not talking about their problems. There will be miscommunication and they'll feel bad for not have just talked before and trusted one another. --I'm assuming here.
Still, I couldn't get it in me to care for this couple. We know next to nothing about them except how good looking they are nor do we even know why they like each other, even back in the day.

It just doesn't have the depth I was looking for.

I'm going to give this book 2 stars instead of 1 (like I did the first), because maybe I would have given this book more of a chance had I not seen what happened to the prior couple.
I've learned that this is not the author for me, but people looking for light romances might like this one. I'm just a reader who prefers more to my characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not So Happily Ever After, contrary to the title, ends quite happily. Mac and Will, long time friends have a fling a couple of years before the story takes place. Here I am at a disadvantage as I haven’t read the previous books in the series. If I had I might have had more insight into their relationship. Both protagonists have issues with family and their future except they feel so much for each other that it only becomes a small hurdle. A nice easy romance, I give it 3.5 stars. Thank you for the ARC.

Two years ago Will and Mackenzie sleep together and ever since they have avoided spending time together.
Present day when they are forced to spend time together, they decide to be friends again. But their attraction towards one another soon has them agreeing to be friends with benefits till Mac returns to the Uni. As they get closer to each other when the time comes, will they be able to let each other go ?
Not so happily ever after is a cute and sweet read. It is a light hearted read with lovable characters who share indisputably hot chemistry. It’s a book that has romance, is fun and has a touch of drama, in short a complete entertainer.

No! Not for me!
DNF at 30% then went back and finished it...

I cant condone the back and forth, heart breaking shit.

This was short, and not as good as the description led it to be, Will and Mac go from denying the sexual connection in there friendship that we don't really see them build, I dunno know it just felt off. Then they were friends and bens, and I honestly didn't feel the chemistry the romance... nope! Was seriously lacking and I just couldn't enjoy it at all.

I received a free ARC version of book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions and critiques are my own.

The title says it all. Not so happily ever after. Will used to be one of her best friends and he still is one of her brothers best friends. The problem is that Will and Mac slept together two years ago and had a falling out This is their not so happily ever after. After two years they try to be friends again and they develop a not so healthy relationship. In my opinion they really ren't good for each other. The story and their relationship can be sweet at times and then I just want to yell at them both. Or yell at the storyline.

In the midst of their developing relationship, they have a lot of family drama, work drama and school drama.

Overall, I liked the book but didn't love it. I probably wouldn't recommend the book but I'm not sorry I read it.

This short Novella was not as good as its book description. You never really see the friendship build with Will and Mac. They go from denying their sexual connection straight to being friends with benefits. I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. The romance seemed rather flat and uninspiring.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So Wil is Mac's brothers best friend and two years ago they had a one night stand, and Wil was supposed to meet Mac the next day but he never showed up, breaking Mac's heart when they finally saw each other they both said some harsh words and for two years avoided each other and their relationship was never the same. Now Lucas asks Wil for a favor putting him and Mac together and they both realized how much they missed each other's friendship and more even though they are both lying to themselves claiming that they wont go there again, but that doesn't even last a week. As they agree on a friends with benefits situation until Mac goes back to Uni their feelings get deeper and deeper and then they have another blow out all due to misconceptions and their own feelings into the mix. Buuut they do get an HEA, I enjoyed book but there back in forth in there inner thoughts drove me a little crazy.

This book was just okay for me. Definitely slow in some parts but came together gold overall. I received an ARC via netgalley for an honest review.