Winning the day is never the end of the story, it’s just where the book ends. But defeating an evil emperor and fulfilling a magical prophecy is exactly where this story begins. So This Is Ever After is a story for anyone who ever wondered what happened next… Reminiscent of arthurian legend, So This Is Ever After is perfect for fans of BBC’s Merlin, Rainbow Rowell’s Simon Snow Trilogy, and includes all the fun and flare of Dungeons & Dragons.
Arek was a nobody. At least he was until he found himself as the leader of ragtag team tasked with overthrowing a long and dark reign of tyranny. Having fulfilled his duty as the hero and chosen one, Arek doesn’t know what to do next. He certainly didn’t mean to become king. It was all supposed to be temporary, except now that he’s sat on the throne, it won’t let him go. Unfortunately for him, the throne comes with a set of rules and devastating consequences. He must marry someone, bonding body and soul, by the end of his eighteenth birthday or risk a mysterious and magical death. Time is not on his side and he can’t bring himself to marry a stranger, which leads only his friends as his marital options. Although Arek is already in love with his best friend and right hand mage, Matt, he can’t bring himself to force this burden on the only person he’s ever wanted to spend his life with. So keeping his fated nuptials a secret, he attempts to charm and seduce his other friends hoping a spark just might present itself. Will Arek find another true love? Or at least just a spouse to save his life? Perhaps the kingdom will have a second dead king to deal with…
I adored So This Is Ever After! It was fun, silly, and lovable in all right places. My heart was overflowing with glee for a this magical, gay, slow burn romance full of pining and my favorite trope: friends to lovers! If you’re looking for the perfect feel-good fantasy romance, So This Is Ever After is it.

Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

This is a great story for those who need more “after the battle” stories. Good mix of friends, a complication so they all have to band together to solve it, and a little love.

4.75

I know I say it all the time, but THIS BOOK Y'ALL!

It is a queer pining fantasy romcom of my dreams. I just . . I literally was yelling at our MC and his friends to just "spit it out already!" and I loved that for me. The torture was absolute joy. This is a really weird way to review a book, no?

This takes place in a fantasy world where no one bats an eye at who you love or puts societal constraints on that love and I was HERE for it. Our main cast of misfits felt like the people you'd see sitting around a D&D table getting ready for an epic guild quest and what we actually got in the story was their epilogue. It was the "what happens after" and it was just a joy to read.

If you have issues with the miscommunication trope, I have a note. Personally miscommunication tropes are usually a huge let down for me. They're one of the things I hate most in romance. But I honestly felt like the way our MC and LI spoke to one another actually made sense for their character and where they were in their journey.

If you like a high fantasy setting but want fairly low stakes (perhaps you're a fan of Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree) this is a good book for you. While the stakes are technically high, it's pretty clear from the way the novel is written how things are going to go and I never really felt a moment of fear for our characters.

Honestly this was kind of a mix of Legends and Lattes and Heartstopper. Two things I've read fairly recently and loved. *shrugs*

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

cover 5; characters 4; plot 4; pace 5; writing 4; enjoyment 5; cry *

I loved In Deeper Waters so I was super excited for this one. Everything I loved about In Deeper Waters was in this book. The writing, story and characters were just so spot on and it was the perfect read for a rainy day. I will be acquiring this for my library.

The concept of this book was so creative! This is a book that takes place after the “chosen one” has completed their prophecy and deals with the aftermath of completing such a dangerous quest at such a young age. It was so interesting to see these characters deal with the trauma they endured after going on a typical YA fantasy quest. This book was filled with a lot of wit and humor and the main character was faced with so much and we really saw him deal with everything through the lense of a 17 year old boy. This was also a queer romance and I loved it so much it was so cute! I wish that the other side characters were given more attention, because I did find it hard to care for anyone other than the main character and the love interest. Other than that this was such a cool concept and a fun easy read!

I STRUGGLED with this one! I wanted to love this book based off the description of the book. However, I found that the book glossed over points I thought needed to be elaborated on and went deep into parts that were not necessary at all. At times I felt like I was just too old to enjoy this book.

I loved the concept of this novel. Anything that has to do with characters dealing with the fallout of an epic quest is infinitely interesting. What do you do when the story is over? How do you keep moving forward? And Lutkens tells us that you just keep going. After the quest and everything, you have to keep living, and things will keep happening. There is no end just constant beginnings. At the heart of the novel is a love story and I wish he had gotten to see more of the love between Arek and Matt, but ultimately the whole novel was heart-warming and sweet.

When Arek completes a prophecy that makes him a teenage king, he relies on his friend group including his best friend and crush, a mage called Matt to help him rule the kingdom. He feels somewhat secure in his future until he is told that he must marry to stay king.

I wanted to love this book. The prophecy story was great, but it was really the only plot in the book. You spend hundreds of pages reading the characters remind you that there was a prophecy and now Arek is king. Arek completed a prophecy and must now marry to stay king. Arek must save a kingdom because there was a prophecy that said he would... I found myself waiting for something more to happen, but essentially that was it. The characters, especially the side ones, were great, but the book needed more. More plot, more world-building, even more fleshed out characters.

Gave me T.J Klune vibes. A heartwarming, fluffy, gay book, what more could you ask for? If you don't like the miscommunication trop this may not be for you, but I feel like you also have to keep in mind that they are teenagers, and in general teenagers aren't great at talking about things and sharing their feelings.

I adore fluffy fantasy books. Full of sweet moments and laugh out loud witty characters, its hard to find fault with the easy writing. The plot was lacking a little but like I said, the amazing characters make up for that.

"So This Is Ever After" follows Arek and his band of friends in which they have to rule a kingdom after defeating the previous ruler. Because Arek was the one to defeat the ruler he became king, however that came with the consequence of needed a soul mate, a partner to rule beside him. Arek has to find a partner, and his best friend Matt is there to help him find one.

This was a really cute story! I read In Deeper Waters last year and really enjoyed it. Both stories have the same wholesome and fluffy plot that reminds me of a Studio Ghibli or Disney film. All of the characters are interesting and compelling and overall I really enjoyed it. The queer rep was well done, this book featured both mlm, wlw couples. Overall it was a cute story that made my heart happy. Would recommend

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review based on final copy. All opinions are my own.
So This Is Ever After caught my attention due to the bright, cute cover and that it was a different type of fantasy story, following the hero and his friends after he’d saved the day and was the new ruler. That has the potential to go either way, as all the big swashbuckling adventures are behind them, but I ended up really liking it.
There’s little in the sense of grounded world building. Sometimes this might bother me, but the fairytale and the “this is what happens after ever after” vibe allowed me to roll with the punches, even if I wanted a bit more in the sense of imagery. Fellow author Ashley Poston makes a comparison to TJ Klune (presumably House in the Cerulean Sea), and it has a slightly similar cozy vibe. It also felt like a queer response to The Princess Bride, and thinking about it in that context helped a lot.
I also really liked that by exploring what happens “after,” it discusses the implications of what the often-young characters of beloved fantasy series have to go through to save the world, especially in regards to the resulting trauma that would happen if this occurred in real life. These issues are touched on compassionately, and ultimately it’s light and about navigating life and finding joy in the wake of all that.
The plot also has a ton of shenanigans, as Arek and his friends tackle the new challenge of ruling the kingdom they saved. The main problem of the story is Arek’s attempt to find a spouse, to prevent an unfortunate death on his eighteenth birthday. However, his courting attempts all go comically wrong.
I really liked the bond between Arek and Matt. They do take a while to get together, but it also feels right for them as they navigate their feelings in the situation they’re in.
This book is a lot of fun, pure sweet candy and fluff. If you want the equivalent of a romcom in a fantasy setting, I recommend this one.

Now that Arek has fulfilled the prophecy and (rather sloppily) beheaded the tyrant king known as the Vile One, he agrees to take possession of the crown to safeguard the kingdom of Ere until he and his friends can free the rightful ruler, an imprisoned princess. Unfortunately, the princess is no longer alive to take her crown and Arek is now magically linked to a throne he didn't want. Even worse, he now has to find a partner to soulbond with before his eighteenth birthday or he will die. With little time to find a partner, Arek begins trying to woo his friends, but he might be looking in all the wrong places.

I ADORED So This is Ever After by FT Lukens. I love the idea of exploring what happens AFTER the quest is over and "happily ever after" seems assured. Arek's whole crew of adventurers are adorable cinnamon rolls! This found family is one I'd love to be a part of! Lukens does a fantastic job of providing well-developed side characters that you'll love just as much as the main characters (maybe even more!) This Dungeons and Dragons-esque tale is full of magic, love, and snarkiness I couldn't resist. If you're looking for a fantasy book that is unique and fun, I can't recommend So This is Ever After enough! I absolutely will be rereading this one because it felt like a hug in book form. The beginning of the book is a little gory and graphic, but the book is overall not too dark and very sweet. Anyone looking for good queer rep and new cinnamon rolls to fall in love with will enjoy this one!

DRC provided by Margaret K. McElderry Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: bisexual white protagonist, queer white secondary character, demisexual demiromantic Black secondary character, queer secondary and tertiary characters.

Content Warning: gore, violence, vomit, death, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder.

So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens is an astounding fantasy novel focusing of what happens to the heroes after the villain has finally been defeated and evil and fear are no longer running rampant in the kingdom. This original take on the fairy-tale theme plus the swoon-worthy, slow-burn main romantic plot created one of the best reading experiences I had this year.

Arek followed the prophecy the old wizard gave him until the very end. He found loyal and fierce companions and defeated the big bad, escaping the Grim Reaper’s clutches more times than he could count on a single hand. In order to avoid the kingdom from falling in the hands of another evil sovereign, the young warrior is peer-pressured by his friends into declaring himself king before rescuing the last remaining royal from the tower the evil sorcerer imprisoned her in, unaware of all the requirements the crown and the title would demand of him.

As I said above, this book was IT for me. It checked all those boxes I look for in a book: originality, nice pacing, slow-burn romances, queerness, delightful characters and oblivious protagonists. It caught my heart since the very beginning and it now sits among my favourite books of all time.

This isn't the *BEST* book I've ever read, but it was a super fun escape from all of the more hardcore fantasy books I've been reading recently.

Arek and his friends Matt, Lila, Rion, Sionna, and Bethany have just fulfilled the prophecy that said Arek was meant to kill the evil ruler of their kingdom. Once he does, he's forced into ruling the kingdom (kind of by his own stupidity, lol) and has to find a soulmate before he turns eighteen, or he'll wither away into nothing. Literally.

The whole point of this book is to answer the question, what happens to the chosen one after they complete their quest? This is a really interesting take on the chosen one/prophecy trope, and I think it was executed really well. The characters were all pretty well-developed, as well, especially for it being such a short book. There's tons of pining and maybe one too many 'inappropriate boner' jokes for my taste, but all in all, I genuinely enjoyed reading this. Would recommend to fans of BBC Merlin and Robyn Schneider's 'The Other Merlin'!

I didn't end up finishing this book. I don't know if my vibe was off or ther book's vibe was off, but I could not get into it. My library did end up purchasing this, so it's available for our patrons to borow.

This book began strong and ended strong, but the middle wasn't very engaging. Everyone was walking around the fact that Arek and Matt liked each other, and even though they were still friends during that time, there wasn't a lot of character growth individually or as a duo. The rest of the characters also weren't dynamic. A great idea, I wish it had worked for me.

This book follows a group of friends in a sort of King Arthur type setting. The main character Arek has just slain the evil villain and assumed the role of king of the land of Chickpea. He doesn’t intend to be king forever, but magic seems to have other plans. And, in a fun turn of events, he must bind his soul to another before his 18th birthday (in three months) or he will die. Of course, he tries to woo each of his friends instead of finding someone else, and this goes horribly, hilariously wrong. Of course, he is overlooking his best friend the whole time, where true love really lies (spoiler alert, whoops).

I didn’t NOT enjoy this story, but I really do hate the miscommunication trope. I knew about it going in, but still, it was rough for me. I also was expecting a little more of a YA story, and this seemed like it was Juvenile trying to be YA. Some swearing, a little violence, but lots of silliness and such. It was a quick read, and several times I thought “wow I really wish this was an Adult story”. So overall fun, but not quite what I was expecting.

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

If you don't like the miscommunication trope, do not read this. The entire plot is miscommunication. You'll only be endlessly frustrated that they just keep ASSUMING and won't SPEAK to each other.

Now. That being said. I typically don't find myself liking anything with the trope, but I will say that this book is charming. There's something I always love about asking what happens after the heroes win. Each character, even with rushed introductions for length's sake, is charming in their own way, and I really ended up loving our main couple. (Despite them both being absolute idiots)

Overall, this book is cute. I wouldn't say it's wholly remarkable, but I don't regret reading it at all.
And bonus points for an unshakable happy ending.

How I love irreverent fantasy humor with prophetic fuckery, less-than-cinematic final boss fights, and supportive questing parties prone to teasing and peer pressure (those assholes). I laughed at something on almost every page. It's like I found my humor soulmate.

Speaking of soulmates, in this kingdom found in the realm of Chickpea, the ruler must bind their soul to a partner by adulthood or fade to nothingness. King Arek was first the Chosen One who hacked the head off a royal tyrant. Finding himself with a crown was not part of the plan, and he and his besties are making it up as they go along. The magical requirement to find love shouldn't be too stressful given that he's in love with his best friend, Matt. However, Matt's never shown an interest, and Arek is unwilling to trap him in a bond he doesn't want. So he tries wooing all his friends in the hopes that something clicks. Luckily, he is the most clueless in a group dubbed "a merry band of doofuses," so everything goes wrong in hilarious fashion.

I loved literally everything about this book. I've already mentioned the humor, which I could go on about endlessly. It is a challenge to write cringey rom com scenarios in a way that makes me shriek with laughter rather than hide in secondhand embarrassment, and this book nails it. It's also a masterclass in pining, stringing Arek (and I) along for most of the book in a milieu of angst but hitting that pitch perfect note of heartfelt despair rather than annoying defeatism. Yes, there are miscommunications and missed opportunities galore, but the humor grounds the stupidity in an enjoyable way. To round out my love letter, I want to say that these characters have my whole heart, which is what I want most out of reading. The found family vibes are exquisite, the queer representation is broad and inclusive, and the personalities are clear and multifaceted.

This book is the best. Everyone go read it and make your lives better. You're welcome. Thanks to Simon & Schuster for my copy go read and review!