This was not as good as the first one, but it was still really good! I'm so glad we got more of the story after everything that happened in the first book!

THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST has a permanent spot on my bookshelf. There isn't a way to share my love for this book without sharing how I connected to it personally after losing my husband, the love of my life, at the beginning of 2020. But first and most importantly, I want to thank Abby Jimenez for writing THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST and for helping and entertaining readers like me who are on our way to healing and happiness. 

I've read THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST twice. The first time was during the week of my husband's birthday, just four months after his death. The second time was during the week of the anniversary of his death. This wasn't intentional, but the timing of wanting to read, and later, reread this book wasn't lost on me. This has happened before - a book calls to me to be read, and it's after I've read it that I realize it was the book that I needed at that moment. 

What I need to say about starting to read this book:
I was nervous to read it. I was afraid I would get triggered and my grief would overwhelm me leaving me spiraling for days. So, like with any book, I gave myself permission to stop reading if it becomes too much for me. I cried early on, possibly from the anticipation of knowing part of Sloan's story from THE FRIEND ZONE. But when TUCKER arrived I just knew that it would be OK. Tucker, the name of the dog who jumped into Sloan's car and into her life, is also the same name that my husband would use for his Southern alter-ego. He used it when he mocked my accent and spoke like me to be silly or make me laugh. And in my mind, it felt like my husband was telling me "I'm here. I'm with you. It's OK. You're going to be OK."

I loved the romance between Sloan and Jason and the way that he wanted to love her, to take care of her, and the way he wanted to let her love him (at least until his career made it complicated). I continue to read romance because we had our own true-life romance. And sometimes when I read it in stories, it feels as though I can continue to live in that love. And while our love wasn't perfect, it was real and it was true. Books like THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST help me to remember that.

Sloan's story is heartbreaking and I saw too much of myself in her grief. Sloan had lost her love, she'd lost her passion, and didn't even recognize who she'd become. I thought the author shared an accurate portrayal of what it's like to lose your love, to lose the life you had with this person, and to lose the future you planned with them. It was difficult to read, but I also found comfort in the acknowledgment that this was her reality and she was struggling. The quote: "I missed myself. I missed being happy," really hit home for me. Yes Sloan, I know exactly what you mean.

THANK GOODNESS for the friendship between Kristen and Sloan - a best friend who remembers the anniversaries of important dates and anticipates her friend's needs. She's the friend to make Sloan laugh when she's not sure if she'll ever find anything funny ever again. I loved Kristen in THE FRIEND ZONE and she is a stellar BFF in THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST.  I'm honored and beyond grateful to have a few Kristens of my own. 💜

This book did make me cry, but it made me laugh so much more. And it reminded me of what I'd already come to realize - sadness and joy can exist in the same space. And you can let it. THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST will go on that special shelf of "Books of my Heart" that let me know that I'm going to be OK. And one day I'll be better than OK.

I loved it!

Two years ago, Sloan lost her fiance and her desire to do anything. When a stray dog hops into her car, she finally has a reason to put on pants and leave the house. After two weeks of searching for the owner (and leaving messages on the number on the dog's collar), she's ready to just keep Tucker. But then his frantic owner calls--Jason, a musician who's been off the grid in Australia. Sloan reluctantly agrees to meet him for a dog handover, and sparks fly. But is she ready for something new? And does Jason have time for anything but his music?

This was so much better than The Friend Zone. In the author's note, Jimenez says she's been working on this book for years, and wrote it before TFZ. I could tell. I'm glad that I gave her another chance, because The Happy Ever After Playlist was a hopeful read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Loved the beginning, but it slowly got worse as I read on. Didn't love this one nearly as much as The Friend Zone, so I was obviously disappointed by it.

One of my top reads of 2020! 
The extended preview of The Happy Ever After Playlist piqued my interest , and now that I've read the complete book, I can say it lived up to all my expectations! I hadn't read the first book in the series, but I went out and bought The Friend Zone as soon as I finished THEAP.

This book is everything you hope for in a series but rarely find. In Abby Jimenez’ first book, The Friend Zone, we meet sloan and live through her tragic loss in a truly visceral way.  The Happy Ever After Playlist takes you through her journey of rediscovering her joy, her spirit, and her passion. Her debut novel made us all believe in soul mates and true love, yet her follow up novel, The Happy Ever After Playlist, makes you believe that sometimes lightening can strike twice. It is a wonderfully written book that will make you laugh out loud in one chapter, cry in the next, and swoon in the one that follows. The best kind of rollercoaster that as soon as you’re done, you get right back on to ride it again.

Wonderful story line. amazing author. cant wait for the next one! I am hooked on abbys books she is doing an amazing job!

Love this book! Abby did it again! Definitely recommend this book as well as The Friend Zone! You'll be laughing one moment and crying the next!

Abby Jimenez is a wonderful writer whose characters will live in my mind forever. I loved her first book, The Friend Zone, and to be as enamored with this one. I most certainly was. Her characters are very realistic, flawed and easy to imagine knowing in my own life. I loved this book so much I bought the audio version to make the characters even more real in my memory.

If you're a music fan, Abby (working with her teenage daughter) assigned songs to different chapters to set the mood. She created a playlist for it and it is perfect to accompany this book. Such a cool extra touch!

If you are looking for a good rom-com that also tugs at your heartstrings, this is a great book for you or one to gift a friend who loves character-driven stories that will keep you riveted from beginning to end.

Abby never disappoints! This book will make you laugh, cry and feel like the characters are your friends. Thank you, Abby, for making me a reader again.

I have read (and reread, and re-reread) Jimenez's first book many times, anxiously awaiting this sequel. Once I finally got my hands on it, The Happily Ever After Playlist did not disappoint! I love how Jimenez elevates the "romance" genre beyond the typical bodice-rippers (though there is no shortage of sexiness in this book!) by creating flawed characters who feel *real* and giving them actual real-life problems (well, maybe "being a world-famous musician" doesn't qualify as a true real-world problem, but it didn't make Jason feel inaccessible as a character). Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go reread this one again.

This was a cute romance, but it didn't really stick out for me. It was really fun while I read it, but whenever I put it down I wasn't itching to pick it back up. I would definitely recommend this other other romance-lovers, though!

Abby Jimenez did it again. Probably one of my all time romance faves. PERFECT AND BEAUTIFUL AND I AM STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM IT.

I loved this book! 
I think it could be read by itself without reading the first one, which is nice. (I did read the first one and also loved it)
Very quick read - love the characters and the switching back and forth between characters.

This was super cute! Although lately with romance books that so many of the issues would be solved if they actually just told each other the truth. I definitely enjoyed this one more than the friend zone and I will definitely pick up Abby's next book.

For the last few weeks, I've seen the glowing reviews roll in for The Happy Ever After Playlist, and I was excited but also nervous, because her first book didn't sound like my thing, but omg was the hype ever right about this one.

This is one of those books that grabbed me immediately. In the opening scene, Sloan slams on her brakes to avoid hitting a dog who runs into the street, and he proceeds to leap onto the hood and then through her sunroof. I'm not entirely sure a dog could manage that, but it's definitely a great mutt-cute. Tucker stole both of our hearts. Also, the voice was great right from the beginning, and I could not put the book down.

Sloan's in mourning. It's nearly the second anniversary of the accident that took her fiance's life a month later. In those two years, she has disappeared inside herself lost in the grief. This novel will definitely disappoint some who will see this as a book where the heroine is "fixed" by new love, which is a valid take, though the book does specifically reference this to try to stress that that's not what's going on. For me, I think falling in love with Jason helps a lot, but the transformation begins with Tucker. For this dog, she has to get out of the house, taking him for walks so he won't pee on the floor (he's a good boy but he has a bladder infection and can't help it). The author's note about her friend who went through similar circumstances made me cry.

Sloan and Jason start talking because of Tucker, but things quickly grow from dog-sitting to flirting, even before he's seen her, since she's a smart, modern woman who is terrified he will turn out to be a murderer. The banter is A+ consistently, and I was in a happy, shippy haze for most of the book. It's one of those books where it's instalove in the absolute best way where you totally think they're in love and you're in love WITH them. This is how you do that.

Even though Jason's an up-and-coming celebrity, he's a convincingly good and down-to-earth guy throughout. It's generally hard to believe, but Jason seems so authentic. Maybe it helps that he's an indie artist rather than a rocker or boyband guy? I wish he was actually real, because I'm fairly certain I would love his music, based on how many of the songs in the chapter headings are in my own playlists.

There was a downturn obviously, which I knew was coming (it's pretty much always coming because plot UGH), and I hated it. I mean, not HATED like it was utter garbage, but hated because WHY WAS I GIVEN EMOTIONS. Obviously I don't want to spoil anything, but what I will say is that the thing I'm most glad about is that the mean girl romantic rival trope is totally overthrown, because that was my main worry about the book for much of the time. The book does get dramatic and travel down some well-worn plot paths, but it does fit the crazy circumstances they were in and resolve in a satisfying way.

This book hit me in my heart space in both happy and sad ways. Jimenez has definitely made a fan out of me with this one.

I loved this book!  Sloan lost her fiancé about 2 years ago and has not stopped grieving or found a way to move forward.   

One her way to visit her fiancés grave she ends up finding a puppy that is lost.  She takes the puppy in and tries to locate the owner - this leads her to Jason.

What starts off as a cute romance that starts with a dog getting loose, ends in a higher stakes relationship romance. 

I appreciated the music titles as chapter headers, they added a personal touch to the atmosphere of the book.

We have Sloan who has spent the last 2 years mourning the loss of her fiance after dying due to a motorcycle accident. Then there's Jason whose an upcoming musician that is getting ready to tour the world with his music. Neither were ready for love at the time, but Jason's dog changed that plan.

The fact that the book starts off with a dog jumping into Sloan's car instantly made this a favourite.  The dog, Tucker has gotten away from his dog sitter while Jason is in Australia for work. Due to Jason being on another continent, Sloan can't get ahold of him for 2 weeks! Therefore claiming Tucker for herself. I am happy that Tucker comes a constant throughout this book because he is such a good boy! He gets Jason and Sloan through their ups and downs.

Due to the romance involving a musician I expected a handful of conflicts to occur and even though I anticipated what might happen, it still doesn't make it hurt any less. I just wanted to protect them. 

Both Jason and Sloan had things from their past that needed addressing in order to progress their relationship. I appreciated how understanding and supportive Jason was to Sloan's mourning. His past has to do with a specific person who is essentially misunderstood and I just wanted to hug them too! They both help each other get their life on track. The side characters we meet are fun and loving and want the best for these two characters. 

Overall, this was an adorable romance that incorporated big city life and cottage life with that rock and roll lifestyle.

This book was both laugh out loud funny and poignantly heart breaking. Sloan's sorrow for losing her fiancé is painful to read but also her joy as she moves past her grief is amazing. Jason is great, funny and a good dog daddy. The dog is clearly the star and so many funny parts come from that dog's antics. Overall one of my very favorite books of the year.

I was so happy to be able to revisit Sloane from The Friend Zone in The Happily Ever After playlist! I was so devastated for Sloane in the first book, and was so happy to hear Abby Jimenez was writing a second book about her. 
I really loved this book and found myself completely engrossed in the story line. I felt like I was watching a comfortable TV drama that I've been watching for years, watching Sloane and Jason go through the trials and tribulations of love! Also, I think Josh may have some competition for resident literary hot guy!!!