This book was really hit and miss for me. I admittedly, did not like The Friend Zone at all, Jimenez's previous book. But I know many people who lover her work and I wanted to give her another go. I loved her characters upon introduction and how they meet through Tucker, the dog, (who really stole the story if you ask me) but I found the conflict over Jason's rockstar status to be rote and boring. The whole book didn't feel entirely believable or I just never became invested in the first place. I'm glad Abby Jimenez has such a great and loving fan base, I think her writing is just not for me.

It's been about six months since I read Abby Jimenez's debut The Friend Zone and the wait for her next book was a struggle. But at the same time, the wait was well worth it. The Happy Ever After Playlist delivered on my expectations, even though Jimenez set them high with The Friend Zone.

This book follows the story of Sloan, Kristen's best friend from the first book, and Jason, the next big thing in the music business. Jason couldn't have come at a better time for Sloan, or should I say Tucker his dog couldn't have come at a better time. Her world was rocked two years before the beginning of this book and without saying more about that, a dog seemed to be something she needed at that moment in her life. Did the sexy musician and best friend of the dog Jason also come into her life at a good time? Yea. But again, dog! Tucker's character was great and a big part of this book if you ask me.

This book started out a little big of a downer, at a time when I was in the mood for a solid rom-com. But it started there for a reason and picked up the com and the rom fast. I think the best part of the book was in the early stages of Jason and Sloan getting to know each other long-distance through texts and phone calls. If the book stayed that way the entire way through, I would not have complained. Once they met in person things only got better.

Love isn't easy. Love can hurt. And while fame is fun, it can also hurt. This book explores all that and more and I want Jimenez's next book right now! But I'll sit back and wait patiently. It will be worth the patience. Until then, I have a playlist to listen to over and over again. (A real one. There are song titles with each chapter heading and I'm going to go listen to them all now.)

Boy, I was all over the place with this one. I really, really loved the beginning. I liked how quickly the leads got together in the beginning. I really liked them together and was so happy for Sloan to find happiness after Brandon. When the inevitable drama came I was expecting it but it didn't happen exactly the way I though it would and I think that lulled me into a sense of complacency. I should've known better having read the first book in this series which has a full-on gut punch moment late into the book. The relatively low impact early drama was never going to be all that Abby Jimenez threw at Sloan and Jason but I was still really upset as things got worse and worse for them. If you've read The Friend Zone definitely pick this one up because it is a very satisfying conclusion to Sloan's story with great appearances by Kristen and Josh, but be ready to work for that conclusion because it is an emotional rollercoaster!

4 stars
An adorable story about a couple who meets because of a dog named Tucker and hoe me played the ultimate matchmaker. Loved this fun and flirty book. Cute and fun read.

*** REVIEW ***

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars

When I read The Friend Zone earlier in the year, I loved it and knew this was an author to watch. I also expected her follow-up story, The Happy Ever After Playlist to keep me enraptured.

I was not disappointed!

The story follows Kristen's best friend, Sloan two years after a tragic event leaves her in a state of catatonic grief. She finds a dog in a rather unique way (he jumps through the sunroof of her car) and starts looking for his owner. Through a series of text messages and phone calls she finds Tucker's owner (a hot musician named Jason AKA Jaxon Waters). When they meet, sparks fly.

I loved Sloan and Jason's story. It left me with many laughs, some tears, and an abundance of sighs.

Make sure you read TFZ first for background information.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

While this initially grabbed me and the depiction of grief and grieving was real, the relationship and conclusion were way to unrealistic and contrived to be believable.That said, the author does a good job creating engaging characters with good backstories and I did enjoy reading their story.

Absolutely loved this one! Read it in basically one day. It was even better than her first. Sloan and Jason were great together and I loved the music collection!

I absolutely loved this follow up to The Friend Zone. Both books are the epitome of great contemporary romance novels in my opinion. The characters are relatable and well written and their is just the right about of steam! I loved how the dog was a large part of this story as well. The author’s use of songs for each chapter was unique and creative. Overall a great story and one I’ll recommend to everyone!

This had a really fun meet cute. I liked how the main characters had a bit of a friendship before they dated. After reading and enjoying The Friend Zone, I'm glad I picked this up. I saw that there will be another book in this series which i will also read.

While I didn't love it QUITE as much as The Friend Zone, this sequel that stands alone is still awesome. Jiminez is able to write dialogue that sounds almost exactly like actually real people who are fun and funny talk. You want them to be your friends. The depiction of Sloan two years after losing her fiance felt realistic. I'm glad she got two years to grieve so that her new relationship felt guilt-free. She had waited long enough. Jason (aka Jaxon) the music star felt a little idealized, but he was charming and appropriately awesome. Will recommend!

I really enjoyed this novel. I read the Friend Zone first and I was invested in the character's story. And I was curious to see how the other character's plot line would turn out. This was a cute, funny and sometimes heartbreaking read. I would definitely recommend this novel.

Woo boy, Abby Jimenez writes the kind of romance I think we both want and need right now. The Happy Ever After Playlist is not only fun, smart, and sexy, but it will also break your heart while still giving you so much hope. The characters are so grounded and their hardships are so real, but the love story is still light enough especially during these crazy times. I think this book is a perfect quarantine read! It takes you on tour with Sloan and Jason as they try to juggle grief, fame, and love while being constantly tested by outside sources. If you liked Sloan is The Friend Zone then you’ll definitely want to pick up this book to see her full journey. And honestly, Jason is the cinnamon roll we all deserve! So go grab a coffee, a bunch of tiny creamers, and settle in for a great spring/summer read.

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy.
This book was so much fun to read. I enjoyed it so much. Great follow up to Friend Zone. I was quite entertained by this book. Super sweet rom com. It has all the feels.

This was my first book by Abby Jimenez and I can tell you it sure won't be my last!
The Happy Ever After Playlist follows Sloan two years after her husband was killed in an awful car accident.
Ever since that day, Sloan has been stuck in a never-ending whirlwind of pain and sorrow then on the anniversary of his death as she is on the way to the cemetery she is stopped by a large golden blur running in front of her car and then he jumps through her sunroof window right into her passenger seat.
This big ball of fluff named Tucker takes Sloan and his owner Jason on a heartwarming roller coaster ride and helps Sloan to reopen her heart!

I have always followed Abby because she is an amazing chef! Turns out she can cook up a great contemporary story too!

The characters are very well developed and Abby made the emotion come through the story perfectly!
I love Sloan and Jason's relationship and how Abby shows that the ups and downs of dating in the world of Glitz and Glam isn't always a good thing!

There is an actual Playlist with songs for every chapter that perfectly fits the theme Abby had for each part of the story!

All together I give this book a total of 5 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
After Abby Jimenez sucker punched us in The Friend Zone it was a relief that Sloan gets her own book. Jimenez knows how to write quirky, witty characters with sizzling chemistry. She also deals with real issues, which I admire.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and, damn, it did not disappoint! 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 follows Sloan's journey from tragic loss to finding yourself again and more. We met Sloan in the previous book, The Friend Zone, but you don't have to have read it to dive into this one.⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Right from the get go I loved the unexpected meet-cute between Sloan and Tucker. No, Tucker is not a regular boy, he's the goodest boy there ever was! He's a dog, in case that wasn't clear. lol⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Thanks to Tucker we meet Jason. Jason completely stole my heart and I loved him and Sloan together from the start. This book had everything a love story needs to be a top one in my book. I won't give it away, but the highs were high and lows were so freaking sad! I cried so much when these two were going through it in the end and I was so relieved for that HEA. I had not cried like that because of a book in a VERY long time, but this book just made me feel all the things!⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I highly, HIGHLY, recommend you pick this one up. You won't regret it!⁣⠀

2.5 (maybe 3?? We’ll see when I process more)

Very mixed on this one. The pacing was
good and kept me hooked, but I didn’t necessarily like the multiple time jumps, nor how it handled sexual assault (as in, never naming it as such even though it blatantly was)

I've been dying to read this book since the moment I heard about it. I've also been putting it off for several reasons, namely because I just *knew* it would make me so at some (most likely several) points, just like The Friend Zone did. Jiminez had a GIFT for weaving a story that reels you in and makes you feel as if you're living life alongside the characters. So when hard things happen to them, it's as gut-wrenching for the reader as it is for the character. It a beautiful, amazing thing.

And this story absolutely loved up to everything I had built it up to be in my head. It was at times hard and filled with its characters pain, yet deep and thoughtful, and most of all joyful and hopeful. It ended squarely on the latter with such resounding hope that I had a dopey from on my face and immediately set out to read my favorite portions again.

Absolutely cannot wait for more from Abby Jiminez. <3

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance! Sloane is afraid to love after losing her fiance in a motorcycle crash. Jason is the owner of the dog that she found and when he comes to get him, sparks fly.

A love story with a built in soundtrack and a precious dog sidekick, I was hooked fast.
Sloan and Jason didn’t move in the same circles. They had no reason to ever meet until one precocious and friendly dog lands in her lap. Literally, he lands in her lap via her sunroof. That was a great scene!
Sloan’s back story is a bit a of tear jerker. She loved someone and then lost them tragically. She’s still in mourning and not ready to re-enter the living world much less the dating world. But then she gets a sign. He’s furry and full of life but Tucker came bounding into her life at a truly important juncture in her life and he gave her a reason to be happy again. Too bad he belongs to someone else.
Touring musician Jason is that someone else. I already wanted Sloan to keep her happy so I was really hoping Jason would be reasonable and even nice to her. He’s actually super sweet. From their second conversation I knew this was going to be a fantastic story and I wasn’t disappointed.
They have the best text conversations. Honestly, I was laughing out loud and smiling like a loon. If you don’t want people giving you strange looks, don’t read this book in a public place.
I haven’t read the prequel to this book, The Friend Zone, but I think I must. I want to know more about Kristen and Josh. These are obviously good people, good friends and have a sweet romance.
This book checked off all of my romance boxes. Great chemistry (even thru the text messages), fun characters and story that had me looking forward to their first face to face meet. It was sizzling I tell you. SIZZLING!
For romance that will give you all the feels and the best kind of swooning HEA, read this book!