I am equal parts delighted and distressed after reading an extended preview of The Happy Ever After Playlist.

Distressed because I have to wait until April for the book to be released.

Delighted because I loved every page, and every interaction in it so far--Sloan and the cop, Sloan and Tucker, who is a very good boy, Sloan and BFF Kristen, Jason and the ladies on the airplane, and the main attraction--Sloan and Jason! And they haven't even met in person yet!!

Looking forward to Pub Day!

Such a tease!!!!! I was excited to read this book before but now I am pumped. I love it when chararacters exchange texts and phone calls, develop feelings, and build up that chemistry before they even meet. This looks like the perfect example of that, and I already know from reading The Friend Zone that Jimenez has some intense emotion ready to go with this one considering how that book ended for our heroine. There was so much that I loved about The Friend Zone that I'm really looking forward to giving The Happy Ever After Playlist a read.

Anyone still suffering a book hangover from The Friend Zone will appreciate this peek into what's next for Sloan Monroe. She definitely stole everyone's heart in TFZ and I can't wait to see how she bounces back and takes control of her happiness. Counting down the days til I can read this in it's entirety and already pre-ordered!

This book was such an experience!! After reading The Friend Zone I was so excited to hear there would be a sequel. The songs before each chapter gave so much meaning to the characters and their witty banter is unstoppable! I laughed, cried and tried to savor every minute of the book! Abby has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read her next ones!

I was happy to read this extended preview as I somewhat enjoyed Abby Jimenez’s last book. My best friend, however, loved it. From this preview, I can tell it is sticking to her framework of romance with characters that have internal struggles. This one seems promising and I do plan to read the rest of the book. I especially like the title.

We meet Sloan in full grief 2 years after the loss of her fiancée when a new love crashes into her life and teaches her how to live again.

This is where the story ends in the extended preview, but I can't wait to see how Sloan's story ends when the book is released in April.

This is only the preview, but I’m already obsessed.

I loved The Friend Zone so much- to the point that I now use Josh Copeland as a measure of great book boyfriends. But after this preview, I’m wondering if Jason will give Josh a run for his money.

Sloan’s story just broke my heart in TFZ and I cannot wait to see her get her HEA. I’m loving the banter back and forth between him and Sloan. I cannot wait for them to meet and see how their relationship develops.

Can we also talk about how adorable Tucker is?

Thank you Netgalley, Abby, and Forever for this preview! I cannot wait to have access to the full book ❤️

I am hooked, from the first page I can't wait to see where this takes me! Love the banter between the characters. I have read the preview 3 times...can't wait until April!

Loved this preview so much. Can’t wait for the full book. I rave to everyone about the Friend Zone and this preview did not disappoint!

I enjoyed the excerpt from this book. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Each chapter has a song that has to do with what’s going on with the characters.

I had pretty mixed opinions about the Friend Zone - there was so much I really liked, but also some pretty important things that I just couldn't get on board with (especially the end). But, I think I like Jimenez's style, so I wanted to check out the preview of The Happy Ever After Playlist. Plus, I expected that this would give me a good sense of whether I'll need to read the full book or not!

Nope. I am still over in the mixed opinions camp.

I really like the way in which Jimenez makes things feel fully realistic - I can hear people engaging in the dialogue she writes, and can easily picture the scenes she crafts. I also like the little bits of sarcasm and humor she works in. And, because it's relevant to both TFZ and THEAP: I love dogs.

But when it comes to the bigger issues - here, grief - I just sort of cringe. On some level, I get it: It's a romantic comedy. In order for Sloan to move on with this new guy, she needs to put Brandon in the rear-view mirror. But...I also deeply disagree with that stance? It's really been Nora McInerny, more than anyone, who's taught me that it doesn't have to be like that. That you can love your dead partner AND the person you couple up with after they're gone. That maybe you don't ever really "move on" from them - that even if you marry someone else, and make a life with someone else, that doesn't mean that you've stopped loving the first person just because they died. Maybe Jimenez is headed there - maybe this is a message that'll be conveyed later on in the book - but I was really frustrated by Kristen and Josh's attitude regarding Sloan's period of not dating in this extended preview. Who are they to judge how long it takes her to want to date again? And who is Kristen to, THE FIRST TIME SLOAN SHOWS INTEREST IN ANOTHER MAN, give her a hard time about it? Ugh.

I'm also concerned that it seemed Sloan could really benefit from therapy, but instead she's suddenly better because she has a dog in her life. Look, I'll be the first to tell you dogs make everything better. But I'm not sure this is the most responsible portrayal of grieving the loss of one's partner.

So, plot-wise: A+ for the dog, solid A for chemistry between Sloan and Jason, D for portrayal of friendship, F for depiction of grieving/living after the loss of a partner (mostly due to the attitudes Sloan's closest friends have, that she too readily agrees with in my opinion). I don't know what that quite works out to. Four stars because I think Jimenez is a great writer - we just maybe have different opinions or perspectives?

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for a free "extended preview" of this title for review.

I did not know this was going to be a spin off from her previous book! I was really excited when I realized it. In the previous book, my heart broke for poor Sloan. Just as things started falling into place for her best friend, Sloan’s fiancée got into an accident and wound up dying. It was really heart breaking. I thought, how can we leave off with poor Sloan so sad?
This book picks up two years after her fiancee’s death. Sloan is still heart broken but there’s the possibility of something good around the corner.
The start of this book is one of the cutest meet cutes ever and the characters haven’t even met yet.

Sloan is driving down the road, on the anniversary of her fiancées death when she thinks she’s hit a dog.
When she pulls over her car, the adorable dog leaps in.

She tries to reach his owner but her calls go unanswered for two weeks. As an animal lover, I know she’s deeply fond of the dog by the time Jason calls back to claim the dog.

What happens next is a string of cute text messages and phone calls.
The excerpt leaves off after they’ve started flirting a bit but haven’t yet met.

I definitely want to read this. I already like the characters, the storyline and the dog :)

Thank you Forever Romance for this extended preview! I already know the full story of The Happy Ever Playlist is going to GUT me in the best way!

Sloan experienced a loss and she is having a difficult time walking out of her grief. She meets a dog named Tucker; or rather, he flew into her life. With Tucker's companionship, Sloan gets better slowly and attempts to live life again. She also manages to get in touch with Tucker's owner Jason, who is on a work trip on the other world in Australia (Sloan and Jason are based in LA, United States). The two get to know each other through calls and texts, and it is clear that they're both interested romantically in each other.

And this is where the preview of this book ends; and it annoys me because I will have to wait to find out how the story progresses and what the ending will be. Which is a positive start, as I believe this is what the hallmark of good books should be. I feel that good books should be engaging and enjoyable to readers and if it could strike a chord or teach a lesson, that makes it all the more meaningful to read.

I find the descriptions very real and touching, and I can sometimes empathise with the emotions felt by the characters (such as joy, sadness, gratitude to friends). I am shipping for this couple and I hope that I will not be disappointed. I particularly enjoyed the banter shared between Sloan and Tucker, as it serves as a reminder to Sloan that she can enjoy life again.

Lastly. here's a quote I particularly enjoyed from this book:
Sometimes, the hardest place to live is the one in-between - Jason, The Happy Ever After Playlist

I've only been able to read the extended preview but even with that I devoured the chapters. Abby writes in such a way that its relatable and so incredibly witty and real. I cannot wait to see where the excitement goes!

What a tease! I found Abby Jimenez via social media and she made me laugh, so I read The Friend Zone. I loved it! Couldn’t get enough! Now the sequel is coming out this year and excitement is an understatement. Reading the first few chapters has me so excited to see where Sloan and Jason may go. I can’t wait!

It has happened again. Abby Jimenez already made me fall in love with another one of her stories and I just read an extended preview!!

The Happy Ever After Playlist is so romantic and unexpected. Sloan is still dealing with the loss of her fiance. Although it has been 2 years since his passing, she is still broken. Jason is a popular musician who is traveling and making the most of his career.

When Jason's adorable dog Tucker finds his way into Sloan's life she becomes attached. Jason and Sloan begin communicating through texts and phone calls. It started out like concerned dog parents and then things got even flirtier.

I am so excited to finish reading this amazing story.

I give this extended preview of The Happy Ever After Playlist 5 stars. Abby Jimenez grips your attention in the first few pages and knows how to make you experience all the feels!

Side note: I am already loving the songs so far. Listening to Paramore's 'In the Mourning' gutted me and listening to 'Ocean Eyes' by Billie Eilish is an experience in itself!

If you want to know what it’s like to have a little taste of something sweet and then have it taken abruptly taken away for to you only have to wait a couple more months before you have it again, read this preview. This was everything. It make me extremely happy and emotional all within a couple of chapters. And now I want to kick a puppy (just kidding, I would never do such a horrible thing. Let me change that to cat)... a cat because now I want the rest. The writing is amazing and I know the story will totally live up to the idea in my head. I can’t wait to get to know the characters and see how everything plays out. I cannot wait to dive more into this when it comes out in April. Why can’t it be April already?! Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for this free preview. And a huge thanks to Abby. The devil works hard, but man you work so much harder. 😁

I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this book and was excited to have the opportunity to read the first 6 chapters. This is the sequal to the Friend Zone and the second book from my new favorite author Abby Jimenez. This woman has the rare ability to write everyone's story into her book. If you read her books you will instantly feel that the characters are you or that your own story is intertwined. You will see yourself having the same conversations with your best friend or feeling the same insecurities or guilt that Sloan or Kristen are going through. Abby's books will be the kind that you will need to own a digital copy, hard copy and as an audio book because reading just once is never enough. It's like that classic favorite movie that regardless of how many times you've seen it, you'll watch it again and somehow you find something new to appreciate or identify with each time. This preview picks up about a year after the Friend Zone. Two years after the accident and I soak up every word like I finally get to talk to my best friends again. Each chapter starts with a song from the playlist. I listen to it first and then read the chapter. Sometimes I have the song playing quietly in the background while I read, because, why not. This book has all the warm and fuzzies of a hallmark movie, but I know based upon the previous book, TFZ, it's more suited for HBO. Abby doesn't shy away from real and uncomfortable conversations or situations that people really go through. The Friend Zone was the first book I became obsessed with in a long long time. I laughed out loud, ugly cried a few times, and hugged the book, wishing we had more pages or for support or just because of all the feels. I know I'm not the only one that's done that. I know Happy Ever after playlist will bring about these same feelings. I'm prepared this time.

Loved this preview so much. Can’t wait for the full book. I hit the last page and kept trying to swipe to scroll to the next lol.