Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson loves writing stories. More specifically she loves writing love stories. The only person who is ever supposed to see her stories is her best friend - and number one fan - Caroline. But when her family moves hundreds of miles away from her hometown Tessa is admitted to Chrysalis, a prestigious art school, and feels like her writing isn’t good enough to share with the “serious” writers in the creative writing program. In the face of that fear her words vanish. With long-distance help from Caroline, she launches a plan to create a real-life happily ever after with handsome classmate Nico and get her words back. But what happens if the happily ever after she has planned isn’t so happy after all?

Tessa the dorky, self-conscious, boundary pushing teenager that readers of almost any age will recognize. Her struggles with writer’s block and navigating long distance friendship and the self doubt and anxiety that comes with teenage life are realistic. For all that realism, the plot is largely predictable and there is an overall lack of character development. Adult YA readers or those who read widely in the genre will see a lot of Tessa’s misadventures coming a mile away. Still, readers looking for a heart warming story that’s as much about falling in love with yourself as it is about finding a happily ever after will find a lot to enjoy in this debut.

3.5 stars

Sigh. I had high hopes for this book, but it let me down a little. I'm having a hard time articulating what exactly I didn't like about it, but it just left me feeling slightly disappointed overall.

One thing that bugged me is that I feel like everything was wrapped up too quickly. Tessa spent the whole book doubting herself, trash talking herself (that in and of itself bothered me--she was SO negative all the time!) and then within two chapters entirely changed her outlook on herself.

I was also disappointed by the ending. I don't mind an open-ended book, but I feel like this was TOO open-ended. I wanted a little more resolution at the end of Tessa and Sam's story.

I just wanted more from it, overall. I wanted Tessa to be more open about her issues with her parents. I wanted more from Tessa and Sam's relationship. I wanted more examination about why Tessa had writer's block (the phrase itself never came up in the whole book, which I thought was weird). I wanted more development of her writing teacher instead of a one-off halfhearted offer to help her. I was just left unfulfilled by the end of this book.

I know many pe0ple have enjoyed this book, and I don't want to deter people from reading it because of my review, but I was left feeling disappointed overall. I do wish the author success with her debut, and I hope that it finds its intended audience. I will most likely be buying this for my school library, though, because I definitely see it as something that my students will enjoy!

This is a sweet, fairly light read, though its discussion of race and disability is very forthright, which is great. Tessa is a fairly rounded character, though sometimes her voice and love of numerous fandoms (including a LOT of Harry Potter) can be a bit grating. Her brother Miles, who has cerebral palsy and other physical and developmental disabilities, seemed like a similarly well-developed character, and their joking sibling relationship was one of the highlights of the book. (I cannot fully speak to how solid the disability rep in this book is, though, as I do not have experience with these disabilities. I will say that Miles has a few meltdowns in the novel, including brief discussion of a past meltdown where police were called but luckily did not harm him.)
As for the rest of the book, I LOVE a book with insta-new-friends, all the more if they’re a pair of fast-talking, well-dressed wits, so Lenore and Theodore were very fun.
The ‘dorky’ potential love interest/next-door neighbor, Sam, is a fabulous baker so...I’m not at all sure why he’s Tessa’s central love interest from that revelation. As many reviewers have already mentioned, this book features mouth-watering food descriptions. It should come with a warning, since it made late-night reading with no snacks a serious struggle. In some ways, the way some characters discuss food reminded me of ‘With the Fire on High’--they were that evocative and poetic.

Why I liked it:

The characters are incredibly well-developed. I felt like they were each real people who had backstories, even if they were just side characters. It would have been easy for some of the characters to fall into stereotype territory, but each of their personalities were written so strongly that it just didn't happen.

I also appreciated that all of the trauma and emotion that Tessa expresses on the page: as a part-time caregiver to a sibling with disabilities, as the daughter of parents who can't always give her their full attention and occasionally ask a lot of her, and as a black girl in a predominately white town. I appreciate that we see a range of what allyship could look like and what it most definitely should not look like.

What I would like to change:
I wish there had been more justice for the wrongs that were done to Tessa. So much of her inner conflict involves swallowing injustices that I wanted there to be more growth in that department for her, unrelated to her relationship with a boy. I know that justice is rare in the real world, but I like an unrealistic dose of it in my fiction.

Reading this book as just like watching a teen rom-com from the 80s and I just ate that right up.

Tessa loves to write romance, and when her family moves, she gets into a prestigious arts school where she is going to be a part of their writing program. Tessa has never actually shared her writing with anyone but her best friend, but she's excited to write and have this new experience. But the first day, she freezes up and finds herself not being able to write. Anything. The solution her best friend comes up with? Have a real life romance that will inspire her to write. And Nico, the gorgeous guy in her writing class, is the perfect target.

The premise of this book was so fun, but this book also explores a lot of themes and shows just how messy and hard life can be for teenagers. One of my favorite parts of this book was Tessa's older brother, Miles, who has disabilities. Tessa talks a lot about growing up with him, how she deals with other people's opinions of her brother, and how other people treat him. I loved how he was in the book a lot, along with Tessa's parents, and how Miles was important when it came to her friends, especially Sam.

When I say this book was messy, I mean that Tessa makes some very messy decisions that felt so real when it comes to teenagers. She makes mistakes, has a love triangle, messes up with her best friend, and lies to her parents because she just doesn't know what to do and doesn't want to disappoint them. Her decisions became frustrating, but she was making mistakes that she had to make in order to face the consequences and learn and grow from what she does.

I really loved the setting and premise of this book, as well as everything Tessa went through. I was definitely rooting for a specific romance and I really loved the whole journey Tessa went on to find her words and find herself.

Happily Ever Afters has been one of my most anticipated reads since it was first announced. I so wanted to love this book, and I'm so disappointed to say that I didn't. I love the premise of a romance writer teen trying to break her writer's block by creating an IRL love story for herself. I was shocked when I started reading the book and realized that the main plot revolved around the main character actively trying to pursue someone in a long-term relationship. There was no mention of this in the marketing or the synopsis, and I'm really surprised that this was such a huge part of the story but was not mentioned anywhere.

Again, there are definitely things I liked in Happily Ever Afters: the main character was dorky, anxious, and relatable. Plus, I loved hearing the descriptions of her outfits and the little bits of her romance writing we got. And I of course loved the diverse cast: the main character Tessa is a Black biracial girl and her BFF is Filipino-American. There were numerous other characters of color and a couple of queer supporting characters. Tessa's brother is also disabled. I really did love Elise Bryant's writing style and I will definitely look forward to reading her future works.

Ultimately, the plotline of Tessa trying to steal another girl's boyfriend made it really hard for me to like Tessa or root for her. Her behavior was repeatedly justified by phrases like "their relationship isn't THAT serious" or "his girlfriend is awful" or even "there's no shame in going after what you want." I think what bothered me the most was that the love interest's girlfriend, Poppy, was villanized throughout the whole book--it was framed as though she was being mean to Tessa for no reason, when really, she was being mean because someone was actively trying to steal her boyfriend!

There were so many things that I did like about Happily Ever Afters, so I am giving this book 3 stars. I really enjoyed Elise's writing and will definitely be purchasing this book for my library and reading her future work. I would likely recommend this book to teen readers with caution. It is worth noting that this book also had a wealth of Harry Potter references, which can be triggering for some readers due to JK Rowling's anti-trans stance.

This is a really fun, easy read that deftly includes a few more serious topics such as Tessa's brother's disabilities. Mostly, however, the reader can sink in and enjoy the obvious love triangle with the development of the guy who is clearly perfect for her as opposed to the one she is trying to make fit. I loved the school setting but felt frustrated by her writer's block that kept her from fully participating in this wonderful school. And although it is clearly a major part of the story, I was VERY frustrated by Tessa not believing in who she is. Although I can totally relate. Particularly annoying when she chooses the wrong boy, mostly out of convenience. It takes her awhile to get a backbone and know who she really is, but then it's very satisfying! One somewhat minor subpoint that made this book more enjoyable for me was that Tessa's white mom had taken the time to learn how to style her biracial daughter's hair. I've read a few books with Black characters in white families where the characters have to find other Black people to help with their hair and I am always annoyed that the white parents haven't done what they should to nurture their child.

A very sweet read that errs on the younger side of YA (which is wonderful as we need lots more of those for the 13-14 set!) about first love, family, identity and race. I can see a lot of fledgling writers and bookworms falling for Tessa. Perfect for fans of books like To All the Boys I've Loved Before!

Man. I really wanted to love this book because the cover and summary sound so good! Unfortunately, the hype got the best of me and this was a meh read for me.

I want to start off by saying that I absolutely adored the representation of race and disabilities in this book. It was fantastic, and handled so well. It’s nice to see a disabled character being represented, as I feel like we don’t see that much in YA.

I did not like our main character Tessa. She was selfish and annoying. She was so focused on this perfect guy and this happily ever after ending that it drove me nuts. She neglected her friends because of it and became obsessed. I mean I get it, we all want a fairy tale ending but girl chill. I get that she was under a lot of pressure from her parents but she could have been so much better. She did grow towards the end but it felt rushed.

The romance is super cute and precious. The ending was abrupt to me and left an open ending, which made me mad because I wanted to know what happened between our main character and this love interest. It’s a stand alone but it has a lot of opportunity to become a duology or even companion novel series.

Overall, not a horrible read but not the best.

“We used to call it special needs before a teacher pointed out that his needs aren’t special. They’re just his.”

Happily Ever Afters is a great read for those who love Jane the Virgin with loads of black girl magic. Elise's characters are very diverse and she does well to explore various types of relationships between siblings, interracial families, long distance relationships between best friends and persons with disabilities. I totally related to Tessa's anxiety and fear of criticism, and her character's internal narration and description of her emotions feel so real and authentic. Teens are going to love this book!

Tessa is an aspiring romance author. She’s just moved cities and gotten into a creative arts school-Chrysalis. As she navigates how to handle life with her brother with disabilities in a new neighborhood and gets the worst case of writers block she’s ever had, her best friend suggests that she needs to experience her own love story to get back on track. The question is- will she fall for the sweet pastry-chef neighbor across the street, or the rich boy in her creative writing class who looks like he walked straight out of one of her stories (and has a girlfriend)?

This book is super cute and well-written; however, I didn’t love the ending and I felt like the last bit was rushed. It’s not one you can’t put down, but a cute story nonetheless!

E-ARC Provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review:

DNF at 35%: Although I liked certain things about this book (Tessa writing romance for instance.), I wasn’t compelled to keep reading, and that was due to the pacing. And as a disabled person, though the portrayal of her disabled brother, Miles, is better than some of the non-OV portrayals I read, I didn’t need to read about her being embarrassed by him without admitting to it. Or him being judged by the public.

Very predictable. In fact, the book cites what could be considered the source material, Pretty in Pink. There's a love triangle, a close friend dispensing advice and the "right" ending. I particularly liked the baking and wished we had more of that, ditto the fanfic/romantic fiction that Tessa supposedly writes (when she writes). I also think that more of her interactions with her Art of the Novel class could have been helpful.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Love the way this book simultaneously developed a story of romance while also being a book focused on the writing process, imposter syndrome, vulnerability, and self-love. This nuanced teen romance was pleasantly complex and shed light on friendships and high school drama.

I used to read and review a LOT of Young Adult but hadn't picked up any in a while. I enjoyed this one a lot. Tessa is a high school junior and aspiring writer, romance novels that so far, only her best friend has ever read.. Her family moves to a new town, and she's the new girl at a prestigious arts conservatory. Once she's at the new school, the words stop. Her long-distance best friend comes up with a plan to get the words flowing again using every romance novel trope with the hot boy whose wealthy parents are founders of the school. He already has a girlfriend, but minor detail can't get in the way of true love, now can it!?

In the meantime, Tessa has struck up a friendship with her neighbor "Hawaiian Shirt" Sam. Sam has been called into service to drive Tessa to school. He's in a new program at the school, culinary arts, and he is a master of baked goods. Sam's the kind of dorky boy next door, but man can he bake! He is definitely not the stuff that romantic heroes are made of, or is he?

Adding to the complications, Tessa's mom is white and her dad is black. At school, she blends in. It's a diverse crowd, much more so than at her old school. However, as accepting as her friends might be at school, they don't understand the complications her brown skin can add to interactions with authority figures in the community and store clerks. Also, her brother has disabilities and takes up a lot of her family's time and attention. Tessa sometimes has to struggle to be seen by her parents and not forgotten in the struggle of keeping her impulsive brother safe.

All in all a fun read, thought-provoking, too. My only critique is that I thought it ended a bit abruptly. I would have liked a little more of a resolution. The resolution was implied but I would have liked a little more detail.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read a digital advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This book was a cute accurate portrayal of a teen girl who is trying to figure this life thing out while also living in her own mind. It was beautifully written. Even if YA is not your go to, this book would bring you great enjoyment. Definitely pick this one up and add it to your 2021 reads!

A very cute and very realistic portrayal of a teen girl who lives inside her head and is testing the waters with getting into the real world. I related to Tessa a lot (she's a writer, I'm a writer, aaahh) and loved that she was pictured as this character who knew (in theory) how to make things happen on the page but not in her life. That's something I could definitely relate to at her age, and I love that that aspect is brought to the forefront here! :) Also, I love Sam. A highly recommended read!

This book is honestly the perfect YA romance to me! Tessa is such a sweet, relatable protagonist and her anxieties reminded me so much of myself as an anxious teen. The love interest is such a sweetheart (who BAKES!), and the friendships are just as compelling. On top of being a great love story, this book deftly addresses more serious topics, such as Tessa's experiences growing up biracial, facing microaggressions, having a brother with disabilities, dealing with anxiety. There was just so much to love here, wrapped up in a charming, romantic package. Already can't wait for Bryant's next book!

This book was as joyful, adorable and sweet as I was hoping it would be.

Tessa has recently started attending Chrysalis Art Academy, but her insecurities have her questioning whether she really belongs there. She’s been a writer her whole life, but once she finds out her words will be critiqued by her classmates, the words stop coming. So, she and her best friend come up with the “perfect” plan to help her live her own love story to motivate her to start writing again.

First of all, Tessa being a mixed girl who is afraid to let anybody read her writing hits a little too close to home for me. Lets just say, I felt very seen. I don’t know if I’ve ever related to a character as much as I have Tessa Johnson. Her parents were just like mine, her anxiety was like mine, and her passion for writing was just like mine.

Of course the main couple is adorable and yes it was predictable (it’s a romcom folks) but I was still rooting so hard for them the whole time I was reading.

I really don’t know what else to say about this delightful book other than that it lived up to all my expectations and that you should definitely preorder it.

CW // there were A LOT of Harry Potter references throughout this book

Thanks to NetGalley and Balzer + Bray for this ARC!

Some real Fangirl energy to this one, combining an anxious MC with concerns about sharing her writing and an unconventional love interest. I really enjoyed the way the book balanced lots of different aspects - alongside Tess's mental health struggles and her writing, there was her interactions with her mother, her relationship with and concern regarding her brother, discussion of racism and microaggressions, and her friendship with Caroline, not to mention the romantic elements of the story - giving each plenty of room on the page, and making it all seem quite real and fleshed out. I especially appreciated Sam as a character and the way Tess's relationship with Miles was shown, and found the writing flowed really well.

Like in Fangirl, I did think that skipping over excerpts from the MC's writing might have been a better choice (I hold this rule for essentially everything I read: if a character is talked up as a wildly talented writer, I end up judging the writing included pretty hard). I also did find myself wishing that the text would have included more about Tess taking Caroline's friendship advice to heart more generally - Lenore, for example, seemed like a great character, but practically everything she did revolved around getting Tess ready for a party, hanging out with Tess's brother, having opinions about Tess's relationships...

Certainly recommend not only to Fangirl readers, but those who like YA contemporaries in general.