This was my first Anyta Sunday book, but it certainly wasn't my last! Though I am a bit peeved that I read this book out of context (which you totally can, but I've seen from other reviews that this is the third in a series and I bet I missed out on a lot of cameos etc.) but it was so fluffy and heartwarming and I'll definitely be checking out the first two books in this series soon!
Anyta Sunday has a way with words and I am so glad I read this!

Anyta Sunday is the queen of the slow burn, which means you have to be in the mood for the simmer. Sometimes I like quicker pacing but there is just something so sweet about this slow burn. It makes you feel the connection of the two main characters so much more. You feel like you are on the journey with them.

All the books within the series have a loose connection to one another, which means they can be read as a standalone. In this story, this time around it focuses on Felix and Mort. Felix had his heart broken a year ago when Mort walked out of his family's lives for no reason. Then a year later Mort walks back in and Felix is torn. He's happy to have Mort back but he's trying to get over his unrequited love at the same time.

We find out the reason for Mort leaving and now he has to get back in the good graces of Felix's family. Anyta has captured the family amazingly. I LOVED the twins. The family is so loyal.

"He's the heart of our home, Mort. He keeps us all running."

Mort has his challenges to convince Felix that he has feelings for him and Felix has to work on his insecurities in regards to Mort having a crush on his brother Roch when he was a teenager.

It was a very sweet story and I can't wait for more from this author.

Nice read, but way too much angst. Not as engaging as the other books I've read in this series, which was disappointing. I wouldn't use this one as an introduction to the series. Just my opinion, thanks for the advance copy.

*I got this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Mort never had a good home life so he spent most of his time over at his best friend Roch's house. He even had a crush on Roch growing up. One day he comes out to Roch's mom and she makes him leave before she has to go in for kidney surgery. But now he's back and his feeling for Roch are gone. Then there's Felix. Roch's younger brother who has always crushed on Mort. Can he forgive Mort for leaving when he needed him most? Will Roch stand in the way of their happiness?

Felix is just a wonderful guy. He takes care of all his siblings, three little sisters while taking care of his mum AND working a full-time job! He's also always smiling while helping whenever he can. He's such a giver that I'm glad Mort came along to put him first. He needed that so much!

Anyta Sunday can't write a bad book. She can't. I think it's impossible for her because every book I've read is always so amazing! The writing is witty and funny. The characters are so freaking sweet that it makes me sick (in the best way possible).

If you're in the mood for a quick m/m romance that ends HEA and will tug at your heartstrings, this book is for you!

Will go live on my blog: 11/30/2019

I received a copy of this arc from NetGalley for an honest review. I really tried to get into this book but it just did not start well for me and I did not connect with the characters. Really disappointed.

Happy For You is the third book in the Love & Family series by Anyta Sunday. While I recommend reading all of the books in this series because I really enjoyed them, each can stand up fine on their own.

Mort wants his de facto family back, he knows he doesn’t deserve them. Not without making up for leaving them in their time of need. But it’s not easy to make amends. Mort must show how much he wants the Rochester family back in his life. When his best friend’s younger brother, Felix, has his license suspended, Mort jumps at the chance to play chauffeur and to win back the family he desperately wants to call his own. Repairing his broken relationships—with all five Rochester siblings—becomes Mort’s personal mission. Especially with Felix. Felix, who used to follow him everywhere. Felix, who idolized him. Felix, whom Mort has not stopped thinking about. Felix is just trying to keep it together, with a perma-smile as his armor, he’s determined to make his family happy. Determined to be a positive role model to his three younger sisters, while their mum struggles with depression after her kidney transplant. Unfortunately, no amount of smiling can save his license when he gets pulled over for the umpteenth time, and he still needs to get his sisters to school, soccer, and dance classes. The solution to his problem emerges in the return of their prodigal neighbor, Mort. Mort, who left their lives without a word. Mort, who was in love with Felix’s older brother. Mort, who is the last guy Felix wants charging back into their lives.

Happy For You is a story that is about the two characters and their lives as it is about them finding their way together. Mort knows he has made mistakes, but wants nothing more than to reconnect with the family he depended on for years. Felix and his family have missed Mort, but have been affected by his absence- and things that lead up to it- in different ways. The honest and love in this story is heart warming and heart breaking in turns, and having read all of Sunday's full length novels I expected nothing less. I enjoyed seeing glimpses of characters from previous books, and how some had prior interaction with the characters here. The rebuilding of bridges is hard, made more difficult and complicated when feelings grow and change. Sunday did a wonderful job of showing the slow build up and growth of the connection between Mort and Felix, and how the rest of the family made things easier or more challenging in their own ways. It is the honesty about people, in all their imperfect glory, that make the characters and their interactions feel so real. I could understand all of the fears and concerns of Mort, Felix, and the rest Rochester clan even though I have never been in similar situations. My only complaint is that I did not want the story to end, I want more about all of Sunday's characters and am greatly looking forward to whatever they write next.

Happy For You is yet another winner from Sunday. The realistic characters and their growth as individuals and as a couple stays with the reader long after the book is finished.

I'd give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I really like both Mort and Felix.

What worked for me:
Felix's family and Mort's dedication to them -- I really liked all the interactions with Felix's siblings and Mort, and I though Mort was just a fantastic guy in every way. :)

What didn't work as well for me:
The whole reason Mort had been left behind by Felix's family in the first place -- because it's something of a spoiler, I won't go into that here, but it bugged me throughout the story.

Still, I liked the dual-POV, I really liked the characters of Mort *and* Felix (and Felix's younger siblings), and those two things made up for the other stuff which kind of annoyed me. I like Sunday's writing style (and I've read another of this series and really enjoyed it too), as well.

(book provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!)

The thing is, rock was so incredibly good that I feel like anything else I read by Anyta Sunday ends up being compared to it by my biased brain -- but look, we had a cameo from Jace and Coop in this one! Glad to know they're going strong. (Jace playing the piano with his eyes fixed on Cooper... ahhh just lay me to rest here already...)

Anyway. On to Felix and Mort and their will-they-won't-they relationship.

The book starts out a bit confusing, tbh. Why did Mort leave? Why'd he come back so suddenly? What's up with him and the Rochester family? What's up with the mum? I had all these questions, and they were answered, in true Anyta Sunday style, over the course of the book, in snatches of dialogue and memories and overhead convos. It's all right. I'm used to it so being left in the dark wasn't too big of an issue.

But holy shit, the sexual tension throughout the book! All the flirting and teasing!
Their past almost threatened to come between them for good (and I threatened to put down the book (I hate triangles)) but I'm so glad that Mort made the right choice, that it hadn't really been a choice, and that Felix knew he was top priority now and always.

And omg <i>sunshine</i> :')

I'm really pleased that Felix and Mort get their happy ending together <3 and that the mum gets her shit together lol + kudos to Tiffany being brave and the twins being adorable scientific nutcases

This works very well as a standalone (I read it with no memory of the two books that preceded it and it didn't matter) and I genuinely think it's one of the author's best books yet.

"Happy For You" ist der dritte Teil in der "Love & Family"-Reihe. Die Gay Romance wird abwechselnd aus den Perspektiven von Mort und Felix erzählt.

Felix ist schon lange in den besten Freund seines älteren Bruders verliebt. Als Jugendlicher ist er Mort überall hin gefolgt. Ihm ist jedoch klar, dass er bei Mort nie eine Chance haben wird; denn Mort liebt seinen Bruder Roch, auch wenn dieser die Gefühle nicht erwidert und in wenigen Wochen seine Freundin heiraten wird. Als Mort nach einem Jahr Abwesenheit plötzlich wieder vor der Tür steht, weiß Felix nicht, ob er ihn für das unerklärliche Verschwinden hassen oder für die Rückkehr lieben soll. Und vor allem weiß er nicht, wie er die Gefühle aushalten soll, die ihn heimsuchen, wann immer Mort und sein Bruder Zeit zu Zweit verbringen.
Für Mort ist die Rochester-Familie sein Ein und Alles. Er bereut zutiefst, dass er jemals von ihr weggegangen ist, und versucht alles, um seine Schuld zu begleichen - bei jedem einzelnen Familienmitglied. Bei Felix ist es ihm besonders wichtig, denn schon vor seinem Verschwinden hatte er Gefühle für Felix entwickelt, die nicht sein dürfen; denn wenn sie es zusammen versuchen würden und es schief ginge, hätte er keine Chance mehr, je wieder Teil der Rochester-Familie zu sein...

Felix hat mit Anfang 20 schon sehr viel Verantwortung zu tragen. Man merkt ihm an, dass seine Familie ihm alles bedeutet und er das Beste für sie geben will, dass er aber trotzdem einen gewissen jugendlichen Leichtsinn in sich trägt. Felix ist jemand, der selten seine wahren Gefühle wie Wut oder Enttäuschung zeigt, sondern stattdessen viel mit sich selbst ausmacht und grübelt. Ich mochte Felix sehr gerne und konnte sehr gut mit ihm fühlen; die Situationen, in denen er sich verletzt und ausgeschlossen fühlte, aber auch die, in denen er geschmeichelt war und die sein Herz erwärmten. Felix macht Fehler, ist aber ein durch und durch lieber und guter Mensch. Ich habe ihn sehr ins Herz geschlossen und sehnsüchtig darauf hingefiebert, dass er ein bisschen Glück finden würde.

Mort ist ebenfalls ein herzensguter Mensch. Er wuchs ohne Mutter und mit einem schrecklichen Vater auf, und sein bester Freund Roch und dessen Familie wurden irgendwann zu seiner. Auch als Roch seine Gefühle nicht erwidert hat, sind die beiden Freunde geblieben, und Mort kann sich kaum verzeihen, seine Familie jemals verlassen zu haben; auch wenn er dafür einen sehr guten Grund hatte. Ich war immer wieder davon überrascht, wie feinfühlig und liebevoll er mit allen Familienmitgliedern umgeht. Ihm ist es wichtig, mit allen Geschwistern im Reinen zu sein, und er erwartet nicht automatisch, dass sie ihm verzeihen, sondern kämpft beharrlich und engagiert darum. Auch dieser Kampfgeist und diese unerschöpfliche Geduld hat mich sehr beeindruckt. Man spürt in jedem Wort und in jeder Handlung von Mort, wie viel ihm daran liegt.

Wie in den bisherigen Bänden der Reihe geht es auch in dieser Geschichte ruhig, dafür aber sehr emotional zu. Es ist eine Geschichte über Herzschmerz und über unerwiderte Liebe, übers Verzeihen und über unerschütterliche Loyalität. Vor allem aber über Familie, sowohl die genetische, als auch die ausgesuchte. Der Hauptteil der Handlung befasst sich mit Felix und Mort und wie sie sich gegenseitig anschmachten, sich aber doch nicht trauen, sich dem Anderen zu offenbaren; der Eine aus Angst vor Zurückweisung, der Andere aus Angst davor, was passiert, wenn es schief geht.

"Happy For You" ist eine wirklich zuckersüße, herzerwärmende und zugleich herzzerreißende Liebesgeschichte, die wie üblich ohne großes Drama auskommt; dennoch gab es am Ende eine Art Showdown. Im Gegensatz zum zweiten Band fand ich hier die Spannung besser gehalten, in der man ständig darauf wartet, dass sie sich näher kommen. Mir persönlich hätte die erste Hälfte ein bisschen schneller gehen können, aber ich wurde auch so sehr gut unterhalten und habe das Buch kaum zur Seite legen können. Ein bisschen schade fand ich, dass man kaum etwas über Morts Leben außerhalb der Familie erfahren hat; über seine Kindheit, seinen Beruf, andere Freunde usw. Allerdings war dies vielleicht auch nötig, um zu verdeutlichen, wie sehr Mort an die Familie Rochester hängt und wie dringend er sie in seinem Leben braucht.

Fazit:
Eine absolute Leseempfehlung an alle, die Lust auf eine sehr süße, romantische, zuckrige Gay Romance ohne dramatische Wendungen haben. Sehr gute 4,5 Sterne und ich freue mich wahnsinnig auf die anderen Bücher der Autorin!

In English:

"Happy For You" is the third installment in the "Love & Family" series. The gay romance is alternately told from the perspectives of Mort and Felix.

Felix has long been in love with his older brother's best friend. As a teenager he followed Mort everywhere. He knows, however, that he will never have a chance with Mort; because Mort loves his brother Roch, even if he does not return the feelings and marry his girlfriend in a few weeks. When Mort is suddenly at the door after a year's absence, Felix does not know whether he should hate him for the inexplicable disappearance or love him for the return. And above all, he does not know how to endure the feelings that haunt him whenever Mort and his brother spend time together.
For Mort, the Rochester family is everything. He deeply regrets that he has ever left her, and tries everything to settle his debt - to every single family member. For Felix it is especially important to him, because even before his disappearance he had developed feelings for Felix, which must not be; because if they tried it together and it went wrong, he would have no chance to ever be part of the Rochester family again ...

Felix already has a lot of responsibility in his early 20s. You can tell that his family means everything to him and he wants to give the best for them, but that he nevertheless carries a certain youthful levity in himself. Felix is ​​someone who seldom shows his true feelings, such as anger or disappointment, but instead makes a lot of self-pondering and brooding. I really liked Felix and could feel very good with him; the situations in which he felt injured and excluded, but also those in which he was flattered and who warmed his heart. Felix makes mistakes but is a thoroughly good and kind person. I took him very close to my heart and eagerly feasted that he would find happiness.

Mort is also a kind hearted person. He grew up without a mother and with a dreadful father, and his best friend Roch and his family became his own. Even when Roch did not return his feelings, the two friends remained, and Mort can hardly forgive himself for ever leaving his family; even if he had a very good reason for that. I was always surprised by how sensitively and lovingly he deals with all family members. It is important for him to be at peace with all his siblings, and he does not automatically expect that they will forgive him, but he is constantly and resolutely fighting for it. Also this fighting spirit and this inexhaustible patience impressed me very much. You can tell how much he cares about in every word and action of Mort.

As in the previous volumes of the series, it is also calm in this story, but very emotional. It's a story of heartache and unrequited love, forgiveness, and unshakeable loyalty. But above all it's about family, both the genetic and the selected. The main part of the plot deals with Felix and Mort and how they feast each other, but do not dare to reveal themselves to the other; the one for fear of rejection, the other for fear of what happens when things go wrong.

"Happy For You" is a really sugar sweet, heartwarming and at the same time heartbreaking love story that, as usual, gets along without much drama; nevertheless there was a kind of showdown in the end. In contrast to the second band, the tension here was better, in which you wait constantly that they come closer. Personally, the first half could have been a bit faster, but I was entertained so well and could barely put the book aside. It was a bit of a shame I did not learn much about Morts life outside the family; about his childhood, his job, other friends, etc. However, this may have been necessary to clarify how Mort depends on the Rochester family and how urgently he needs them in his life.

Conclusion:
An absolute reading recommendation for anyone looking for a very sweet, romantic, sugary gay romance without dramatic twists. Very good 4.5 stars and I'm really looking forward to the author's other books!

An immensely satisfying romance--not quite a second chance, but the plot does revolve around themes of forgiveness and vulnerability. Mort disappeared from Felix's life at the same time as a family tragedy struck Felix's family--even though Mort was best friends with Felix's older brother, and had been an integral part of their family. A year later, he returns.
Felix's trust issues and anxiety surrounding his relationship with Mort were very believable, and I really enjoyed the full cast of characters. Anyta Sunday's Love and Family series is especially comforting for those who want to read stories about families that must commit to honest emotional labor in order to thrive.

An absolutely lovely romance between 2 people who have known each other basic ally their whole lives. Felix has been in love with his older brother's best friend Mort for forever, but the major problem was that Mort was in love with his best friend Roch - the aforementioned older brother.

Mort left for a year without saying goodbye, and is now back to bed the forgiveness of the only family he's ever known. And if he manages to convince Felix that he's in love with him, all the better.

I loved watching these two dance around each other (sometimes literally). They are so sweet with each other and very supportive. All of the characters were unique and added to the richness of the story. I am definitely going to go back and read books 1 and 2!

Very cute, this book is great for reads of Annabeth Albert or Sarina Bowen. While I did get a sense that I was missing something having not read the other related books, that did not make it impossible to enjoy this one. The writing is decent, the characters are relatable, and the romantic scenes are steamy. What more could you ask for?

I received this earc from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Mort had always considered the Rochester his real family, since he wasn't loved by his biological one. Everything changes when he disappeared for a year, leaving his best friend Roch, his younger brother Felix (who is in love with him since forever), the twins April and May, the teenager Tiffany and a sick and recovering mother alone. When he comes back it's hard regaining the others' trust, since they didn't know at first the real reason he went away. The mother pushed away when she understands he's gay and he's forced away when Felix donated one kidney to the woman, souring his relationship with them since it's not there for them, for him. This book is a slow burning romance, told by Felix and Mort who love each other but fear their relationship and to trust the other again. Felix above all is scared of being hurt. Mort loved Roch years ago and Felix is scared to be a second choice, fearing to trust him completely, while Mort has the most to lose since he considered them his family,battling against loneliness. Their relationship is a sweet one. Mort has to make up for the lost time, taking care of the twins, two crazy young scientists, involved in their experiments, sharing with Roch and Tiffany the passion for dancing, teaching her to drive with Felix, helping Roch to get married with Lauren, hoping to save his relationship with Dolores, the mother, who hurt him and Felix. It's a slow burning romance and it's very cute. Felix is so cute and awkward, Mort is so thoughtful and caring, how he managed to be forgiven, making up for the lost time and saving his friendship with Roch and the others and discovering his love for Felix. I love how their relationship developed into a romantic one. I adore how Felix takes care of his family, his relationship with his sisters and brother. This book is absolutely cute, a sweet romance.

I seriously enjoyed this book! I loved quirky Felix, the importance of the family being there for each other, the adorableness of the romance. I don’t usually go for slow burns but this was like sliding right into something wonderful and comfortable.

My only caveat being that the problems weren’t really flushed out or felt very serious, and were overcome pretty quickly. There could have been a bit more angst.

I loved this book. Super cute and super fun. I can’t wait to pick up EVERYTHING by this author.

Excellent story line. Mort ignored his "family" for a year, but no he's back and intends to make it up to them. He needs his "family" and will do whatever he needs to to become a part again. Each of them, mother, Roch, Felix, April, May and Tiffany require different paybacks and some are easier than other. Felix is especially tough since Mort used to crush on older brother Roch, and knows that Felix has always crushed on him. It's tough to work it all out, but it's worth it..

The story was definitely cute and enjoyable. I'll admit there were a few times I was really confused about the location because of the mix of phrases I associate with American and British English, but then they finally mentioned New Zealand about halfway through and that cleared it up. Maybe if I'd read the other books in the series I would have known the country from the start. It's not super important, it was just a bit strange. I also feel like Felix and Mort read way too similarly. It was sometimes difficult for me to remember who's POV a chapter was in. It would have been nice if they had slightly more distinct personalities so it was more obvious.

This is truly adorable and fun and I loved every moment of it. Anyta has such a great way of writing romances that just make my heart swoon.

I must say that I feel absolutely in love with Felix! He is an adorable, somewhat awkward man who has always been in live with his brother’s best friend, Mort. But Mort hasn’t been in their lives for the past year. He just up and left the entire family who was supposed to mean so much to him. When Mort suddenly reappears with apologies and guarantees to make it up to everyone, Felix is forced to reevaluate his “secret” feelings once more.

When Felix temporarily loses his license, Mort sees this as an opportunity to make it up to the family by acting as Felix’s (who basically runs the entire household of his three younger sisters) chauffeur. Mort is enjoying being close to Felix again and exploring the feelings he has for him, but it proves problematic when Felix can’t get past the constant fear and insecurities over thinking Mort is still in love with Felix’s brother, Roch...

This book was really sweet and the back story was interesting and kept me very invested. Why did Mort take off in the first place? What are his true feelings for Felix? For Roch? I had so much fun learning the answers to these questions. But aside from the main romance, we learn so much about the Rochester family; three amazing sisters, an isolated mother and a brother who Felix feels like he is in the shadow of.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Anyta Sunday through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I did not love this…I usually love all of Anyta Sunday’s books, but this fell a little flat for me.

From the beginning I felt like I missing some information in order to understand what was going on. I think there needed to be little bit more character development at the beginning in order for me to feel like I knew who the characters were. At the beginning it felt like I was just tossed into a book that was already a few chapters in.

The plot was fine, but the dialogue between characters felt cheesy and unrealistic. Especially the dialogue between Mort and Felix. I also felt like the voice for Mort’s chapter and the voice for Felix’s chapters sounded the same. There were times when I was reading a chapter that was told from Mort’s perspective and I forgot that it was him, and thought that it was Felix. It would’ve been helpful if the two characters had more distinct personalities.

I did enjoy the build up of the romance between Mort and Felix. In Anyta’s usual style, the build up was slow and very sweet. I also love the family aspect in this series! Anyta truly shows the significant of family when it comes to romantic relationships.

Overall, if you’re new to M/M romance I would not recommend this. This was slightly confused and lacked character development. I would recommend Anyta Sunday’s signs of love series if you want to get into M/M romance.

Another 5* from Anyta Sunday. Reading one of Anyta's books is like curling up on your favourite chair in front of an open fire with a hot chocolate, the perfect slow burn comfort read.