Sexy positivity? Check. Interracial couple and representation? Check. High heat? Check!
I just wish the hero was more emotionally available. Trixie and Andre were together for two years in New Orleans when all of a sudden he leaves and breaks up with her via post-it note. His mother is diagnosed with cancer and Trixie’s very traditional parents just learned she’s making a career change they don’t agree with. So all of this is happening at a very pivotal moment for Trixie. Now they’re both in DC and unbeknownst to them, he’s running his mother’s struggling restaurant where Trixie is now selling sex toys via pop-up. She’s vowed to never let him break her heart again, and I kind of wish she’d stuck with that promise! There are a lot of false starts where I thought Andre and Trixie had worked through their issues especially after she learns the truth of why he left but he’s still so private about how he’s feeling that she’s yelling at him to just talk to her. I get that he’s trying to keep his mother’s legacy alive but his friend and sister are both so vocal about helping him it’s his pure stubbornness and assumption that’s preventing him from letting them do it. I got so frustrated with him because if no one was stepping up that’s one thing but they’re saying let me help you! and he’s just ignoring them. Plus! He assumes the new landlord is going to turn his building into condos when no one said that. Wouldn’t you want to double-check that before feeling defeated and pushing more people away?

I also wanted more of a grovel at the end, especially since Andre gave Trixie an ultimatum - that if she rented out her own space in a part of the city that is adding to more gentrification she basically wasn’t choosing him. The conflict with her parents also was easily resolved and those two external conflicts take up a lot of time in the book for them to be fixed with one conversation.


I really oved the Boss Babes and how supportive they are of each other. I am definitely interested in reading more about them if their love interests are less closed off.

This was one of my most anticipated releases for this year, and it lived up to its synopsis. I was very excited about the Asian representation, food, and sex talk. All of them resonated and felt genuine. I very much enjoyed reading about the realistic family problems for both Trixie and Andre. The disconnect both of them experience is easy to understand and makes sense. My only struggle while reading this was that parts of the dialogue feel a bit robotic and don’t quite flow or fit the tone of the rest of the book. Otherwise, I really loved being able to relate to a character so deeply in terms of family conflict and a love of food!

There were a lot of things I absolutely loved about Happy Endings. To start with, the fact that Tricia, the MC, sells sex toys is a kind of representation we don’t get to see nearly enough: women and femmes freely expressing their sexuality and being in touch with their own bodies. It’s amazing and I’m so glad to see it (although I’ll also say along those lines, more queer, enby, and trans rep would have been appreciated!). Trixie and Zoe’s experiences as Vietnamese-Americans and the things they bonded over, and the things they didn’t have in common, were also important rep. And the romance was steamy!

But the dialogue and plot felt a bit stilted and predictable. Some of the particularities of the storyline were a little annoying (are there groups of women who actually call themselves boss babes?!), and the character and relationship arcs were pretty tropey. Something always felt a little off about the dialogue for me - it wasn’t natural and it didn’t flow smoothly but instead was disjointed and almost a little robotic and proscribed.

But I DID enjoy it! I think it’s a fun story with some really compelling plot points, and at the same time some of it fell a bit flat for me. I’ll look forward to seeing what the author does next, though, because I’m guessing her novels will just keep getting better!

Views and opinions are my own. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I was approved to read this book. Interracial romance all about Vietnamese and soul food? Sign me up! A strong female lead with an even stronger female entrepreneur friend group? Even better! It is so refreshing to read a romantic-comedy in which both the leads are people of color, which is the main reason I wanted the eARC.

The premise of the story is that Andre moves to his hometown of D.C. to run his late mother’s restaurant after ending a two-year relationship with Trixie through a Post-It Note. This is a second-chance romance that explores how Trixie and Andre rekindletheir relationship after Trixie moves to DC. I thought the two leads’ dynamic was very cute and realistic. Trixie is literally goals: she’s headstrong and doesn’t want Andre or any other distraction getting in the way of her sex toy business. Speaking of sex toys, I really liked the sex scenes because they were so different than what I have read before. The use of sex toys was worked seamlessly into the scenes.

Trixie had a ton of growth before the book to become an independent woman and continues to grow throughout the book so that she can be successful. I saw some reviews that Andre was too unlikable, but I thought he was caring and had a good relationship with his younger sister, which I appreciated it.

My disappointment with the book lies in the fact that although it is an Own Voices book, there was little discussion about how race affects Andre and Trixie’s life together. There was plenty of discussion of how Trixie’s Vietnamese heritage affected her childhood and career choice, and I appreciate how she wants to break the mold of a typical Asian immigrant daughter by wanting to start her own sex toy business. I was hoping for a more nuanced look how race may have affected their breakup. Andre’s friend even wonders if being black made Trixie’s parents not like Andre’s influence on Trixie. But Andre denies this early in the story and says that Trixie’s parents just thought his ideals were “too American.” Was that just code for Trixie’s parents for being “[too] black?” Do you see how I want unpack this more!? But this is on me for expecting nuanced racial discussion in a rom-com.

Additionally, the book is set in DC, but there is nothing unique about the setting that makes me interested in the characters’ surroundings. I feel this book could be set in any American town, big or small, and nothing really would have changed. I’ve read many books where the setting itself, be it DC, NYC, or any-town-USA, plays a major role in the plot.

I would say to give this book a chance! It’s very light-hearted and you will love all the characters’ sex-positive discussion of sex toys and of food! My criticism is pretty personal and shouldn’t deter you from the book. I need some New Orleans style soul food after reading this book!

Love isn’t an easy thing is sure fun to read about though. This one proves is yet again. Happy Endings was a delightful ditty with a unique story. Any new twist I say!

I liked this book and appreciated the family and neighborhood storylines. The love story was a little flat, but I liked the characters a lot and appreciated the focus on pleasure and destigmatizing sex toys.

Food, culture AND sex positivity! This was a cute and spicy read. The plot was really fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book! I didn't enjoy the fact that Trixie was using an MLM as a way to start her dream career, just my personal preference. The Boss Babes and the siblings, and the daughter of immigrants were all great.

Second chance romance between Trixie who sells sex toys for a living and is hoping to open her own shop and Andre who is taking over the family restaurant after his mother’s death. Overall this was about a three and a half out of five stars and three out of five on the heat scale. It’s incredibly sex positive and the food deceptions made me hungry. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdF4F3Do/

Thank you Netgally for an ARC to review. These kind of books are my bread and butter but one missed the mark for me. I didn’t like either of the main characters, they were both flawed, with little redeeming characteristics. Also the dialogue felt awkward, it didn’t flow naturally, it seemed almost robotic.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an eARC!

for as promising as this book seems, i really couldn't get into it. while the plot is promising and i love the idea of sex positive romance novels, the ACTUAL romance falls flat. it feels weirdly paced and oddly written, and i honestly just couldn't get behind it.

As someone with a degree in sexuality therapy and education, I LOVED the sex positivity in this! The different toys and their uses, and the way they applied to a wide range of genders and sexual orientations, was so refreshing to see. Trixie in general was a wonderful character, and I enjoyed her and her friends' discussions and antics. I also loved the inclusion of Vietnamese culture/expectations, the delicious recipes cooked by Andre, and how things played out with Trixie and her parents.

What I struggled with, and what knocked this down a star for me, was Andre. I'm not usually a fan of second chance romances as it is, so I was already nervous about that aspect going in. And in this case, I didn't buy Andre's reason for ghosting her in the past. The whole "I'm going to make a decision about our relationship without even talking to you, but trust me it's for your own good" crap is just that. Crap. And even with having a second chance, there were too many times where he was judging Trixie for her professional choices and trying to bulldoze her into doing what he wanted her to do without stopping to LISTEN. I was side eyeing him the entire time, and never felt like he fully redeemed himself enough for me to believe he wouldn't potentially screw her over again in the future. However, for a debut book, this was fabulous, and I'm excited to see what this author writes next!

***Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review***

Happy Endings stays true to the title. This fun romp thru personal growth and a ridiculous break-up leaves you feeling pretty darn good. There’s no surprises here, and while the book does follow some of the most common tropes found in the Rom-Com genre it does so with a fun and snarky twist. Add this to your TBR if you’re looking for a spicy, enemies to lovers, with a twist.

A cute, sometimes hot, always empowering book about second-chance love. I like how the heroine has taken control of her life, is selling sex aids, and has a good, core group of girlfriends. The male protagonist clearly cares about her a lot, which is sort of the best thing going for him. He's also got good physical chemistry with her, but I think he could have groveled more for ending things so insensitively. I love that we have BIPOC main characters. I just wish that the parents of the heroine were less stereotypical (they don't understand or support her career choices). Can there be a book with Asian characters whose parents are understanding and supportive? As a Vietnamese reader, I really appreciated all the other authentic Vietnamese references in the book.

I couldn't get into this book. The premise was promising, but I felt the writing was too cheesy, and I felt like the main character worked with a Multi-Level Marketing Company (which I wasn't a fan of, to be honest). I didn't finish it, but I could see why people would like this book

ARC/NetGalley review (a few weeks late!)

The concept of this romance is pretty straightforward: Trixie met Andre when they both lived in New Orleans, they dated for years, and he broke up with her by PostIt note a few years ago. Now they're both in DC--Trixie is trying to raise enough money to open a sex toy boutique, and Andre is trying to keep his mother's soul food restaurant (Mama Hazel's) from going bankrupt. They team up for Trixie to host pop-up sales in the restaurant, and the rest is history...

Like I said, this was a straightforward second chance romance. That's really not my favorite trope, so it kind of already had points against it. Both characters are struggling to be true to themselves while proving themselves to their families. The characters were pretty well developed, but overall the writing (pacing and action) felt immature to me, with bizarrely raunchy sex that kind of comes out of nowhere. Not my cup of tea.

Sigh. I was thoroughly bored during this one. Honestly, the one thing they would keep pulling me back in a little was Trixie's sex toy discussions - especially when she hosted a pop up for 60-70 year olds. But other than that, this was just blah.

I'm not crazy about the break up post-it just because it feels like it was directly lifted from Sex and the City. She even mentions the show somewhere in this book so it definitely felt intentional.

The relationship between Trixie and Andre didn't do anything for me. It felt cheesy quite often and it kind of bugged me that Andre was immediately head over heels for a girl he broke up with on a post-it and never tried to see again or make amends with. And suddenly she's there and he's in love and is talking to his friend about asking her to be his girlfriend. Yeah. There were honestly things in here that felt very 6th grade. It alternated between feeling like middle school and then lots of sex so it was just jarring.

Not a hit for me. I liked the sex toy education stuff, but the relationship and the plot itself did nothing for me.

Thien-Kim Lam crafts a unique second chance romance in her first book. Trixie thought she and Andre were happy and in love but when he leaves her with just a post-in note for explanation, she’s heartbroken. A few years later she built a new life in Washington, DC, with the help of her best friends. She is on the cusp of professional success when Andre unknowingly comes back into her life.

When Andre’s mother became ill from cancer, he felt he had to return home to help her and his sister even if that meant leaving Trixie. Since their mother’s death, Andre and Keisha have been running the family restaurant, Mama Hazel’s, but bills are constantly piling up. Worlds collide when Trixie asks to host her latest sales party at Mama Hazel’s. Trixie and Keisha devise a plan for more pop-up parties at Mama Hazel’s which will hopefully lead to more sales for both businesses. The more time Andre and Trixie spend together the more they remember the good parts of their relationship.

Trixie has grown in confidence and knowledge since working for Bedroom Frenzy and sees Andre as a perfect partner for some no-strings experimentation. Andre has other plans though and wants to win her back to a committed relationship. The sex scenes were fresh, creative and sex-positive. I also really loved the scenes of Trixie in her zone and guiding people through sex education by way of selling toys.

I also loved the Boss Babes group (in spite of the name which gives off MLM vibes) made up of Trixie and her best friends. Trixie sells sex toys for Bedroom Frenzy. Reina owns and operates Lucky Stiff, an all-male burlesque club. Zoe designs and sells her own lingerie collection while Josie is a boudoir photographer. The women’s sex-positive businesses are empowering and I appreciate how they support each other. The women always have Trixie’s back, especially after she explores a new relationship with Andre.

There are some loopholes and loose threads that kept the book from being 5 stars for me. Overall I really enjoyed the story. Thank you to Avon Romance and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 (Hot on the Smut-O-Meter)
Series: None
Tropes: Contemporary, Second chance romance, Interracial couple, OwnVoices author
Content Warning: Previous death of a parent, Tough parental relationship, Gentrification

Although I love the premise, and the sex-positive attitude, Happy Endings was ultimately unreadable due to its exposition-heavy clunky writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

Trixie and Andre were in a great relationship in New Orleans - until Andre dumped Trixie via post it. Now, several years later, Trixie has relocated to DC where she earns a living selling sex toys and accessories, gives sex positive sex ed talks at a local community center, and is saving up to open her own boutique. She's doing a pop-up sales event at a local soul food restaurant co-owned by Keisha, her friend from the community center, when she comes face to face with Andre... who happens to be Keisha's brother and the co-owner of their family restaurant. After some tense interactions, Trixie seeks comfort from Andre when her dad (who hasn't spoken to her since she dropped/failed out of pharmacy school) has a heart attack and is in the hospital. They reconnect and decide to go for a no strings attached, friends with benefits type of relationship, but it quickly gets more complicated. I liked that both of these characters were dealing with challenging family issues - Andre is trying to keep his mother's restaurant going after her death and Trixie is trying to deal with disappointing her parents by not going for a more stable career like her siblings. Also, between the soul food and cocktails at Andre and Keisha's restaurant and the Vietnamese food and coffee that Trixie often consumes, there was a lot of delicious food and drink talk, and there were even a couple of recipes at the end.