Happily Never After
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Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free ebook! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley

I was in the mood for a true rom-com so when I read the description of this I knew it wouldn’t disappoint.
I’ve read Better Than The Movies, but this was the first adult book that I’ve read by Lynn Painter, and I did enjoy it mostly because this book was laugh-out-loud funny.
Sophie was the FMC and she was so quick with her jokes. The banter between her and the MMC Max was seriously hilarious.
I loved watching them becoming a team, their fast friendship, Sophie’s roommate Larry, and the fact that they are both cat parents. Max is so charming and Sophie is so entertaining.
There is a lot of “we’re just friends” energy and a LOT of tension. This is perfect when you are looking to read a true romantic comedy. This book was fast, upbeat, and fun.
This book will be available on March 12th!

Read If You Like:
💒he falls first
💒partner in crime
💒fake dating
💒hilarious banter
💒strangers to friends to lovers

In the days leading up to Sophie’s wedding, she finds out her fiancé has cheated on her. She wants to call off the wedding but doing so would mean that her dad would likely lose his job working for her fiancés father. Enter Max, a paid wedding objector, to save the day by letting Sophie escape without looking like the bad guy. After saving her from a doomed marriage, Sophie and Max strike up a friendship while she joins him as a wedding objector and the two commiserate about how true love isn’t real. Soon, the two start falling for each other, but can they each get over their fears of having their heart broken in time to save something that could be real?

First of all, I love Lynn Painter. Her YA books are some of my all-time YA favorites and I was a huge fan of The Love Wager. So my expectations were high for this one. The first 100 pages were a miss for me and I almost DNFed. I liked Sophie and Max enough but the wedding objector bit wasn’t for me. Seriously, how many weddings do people object to and how are 4 of them in the same calendar year in one person’s extended social circles? It was all just too contrived.

The second half of the book was better. I liked the banter between the Sophie and Max and they had great chemistry. And I enjoyed Sophie’s roommates and their antics. I always love a dual POV romance and it was fun to see how both Sophie and Max had to balance their previous heartbreaks with their emerging feelings for each other. However, I also was frustrated with the last objection and resulting conflict. I get that it was the last obstacle for them to overcome before coupling up but something about both of their reactions felt inauthentic to me. I did enjoy how their story came together at the end though.

Overall - 3.5/5
Spice - 2/3

Thank you NetGalley, Lynn Painter doesn't seem to disappoint. This is my second read by her and I am now a fan.

Lynn Painter does it again! I'll admit, I had my doubts about this one because it sounded a little too oddball for me. I mean, I was always going to read it as soon as I had a copy because it's written by Lynn Painter, but I was worried I wouldn't connect with the characters and I would find the romance to feel forced due to the way they meet. I should have known Lynn Painter would be able to deliver. This was such a fun read! Very early 2000s rom-com. One of my new favorites from the author. 5 stars!

Full review will be posted closer to pub date.

Thanks for the early copy, Berkley! (partner)

This pains me to say but Happily Never After was a miss for me.

I love Lynn Painter's writing (I've adored all 5 of her other books!!) but I think that is perhaps why this one didn't really work for me. I had high expectations because she is one of my favorites and unfortunately this book feel short. The plot felt familiar to me and some of the language felt juvenile. The plot felt rushed and the tension / stakes were pretty low at any given moment.

That all sounds super harsh so here are some things I loved: formula 1 reference, Pride and Prejudice Darcy hand flex reference, and excellent banter. If you want a fast and entertaining read this is a great option.

I look forward to reading more by LP even though this one wasn't for me <3

Lynn Painter is just the best. In fact, I texted a friend 6 chapters in and called her a genius. She writes banter and sarcasm like no one else and Happily Never After holds true. Sophie's wedding is objected to. You know when the preacher says "does anyone have a reason these two should not be married?" Max says yes. He objects. Come to find out, he is a paid objector. He saves people from feeling stuck in weddings and relationships where they feel like there's no way out.

When he convinces Sophie to help him in objecting, they become friends who don't believe in love. Until they do...it's so smart and fun and easy to binge. It's steamy and sweet and just adorable and I am so glad I got to read it.

Lynn Painter at her best. This book was as great as her best adult works, Mr. Wrong Number and Accidentally Amy. I had a huge smile on my face the entire time. The idea behind the plot that of "the objectors" was original and new.

But what stole the show was the banter. Aww. This book literally was banter perfection, every interactions has me smiling, I loved every second of it. The supporting cast, from cats to unconventional roommates was amazing too.

a 5 star read by one of my fav authors.

Absolutely ate this up! Top notch banter, a unique plot and the perfect amount of steamy bits. Lynn Painter is the 👸

Lynn Painter has another delightful book on her hands. Her stories are just so easily readable that I find myself gobbling them up in very few sittings!

Sophie finds herself in a tight spot on her wedding day-- she's just discovered that her fiance has been cheating on her, but she doesn't feel like she can call off the wedding because of reasons, so her best friend finds this guy, Max, who has a little side gig where he will come to your wedding and object at the right time in the ceremony, taking the pressure off of the wronged partner to do so. A few months later, Max asks Sophie if she'd like to help him break up a wedding. Max discovers that it's easier having two people there, so he asks Sophie to join him in the objecting business.

This was a fun ride with lots of chemistry between Max and Sophie, plus fun geriatric roommates. I loved the premise and the level of spice was good, too!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

3.5⭐️

Quick intro:
After hiring Max to object at her wedding, the two become unlikely friends and even more unlikely co-workers. Self-proclaimed non-believers in true love, Max and Sophie wade through the waters of being attracted to one another, but insisting they don’t want a relationship. Can they remain just friends or will they catch feelings?

Quick thoughts:
The premise of this book is super unique and honestly a riot. I just kept thinking how great this would translate on the big screen - every single objector scene was oozing with tension and had me cracking up. Please somebody make this into a movie!

Read if you like MCs with cats, meddling parents and roommates, banter, texts, chemistry, name calling, and spice.

It’s the classic friends with benefits (ish) story and I giggled along as I watched Max and Sophie insist over and over it was just attraction and that they didn’t want more. Like the whole time you’re yelling at them THIS WILL NOT WORK. ONE character, our lovely Larry, had the brain to tell Sophie she was being a straight up idiot. THANK YOU, Larry!

I think this is the spiciest book Lynn has written, and for me I think went a little over (I’m sure many will eat it up though). Additionally, I wanted more depth from Max and Sophie - I liked them on the surface and would love to hang out with them, but I didn’t really feel like I got to know them. And the main conflict between the two of them doesn’t bubble up until nearly the end of the book. More conflict sooner in the story may have added some complexity to the story. Without it, the meat of the story was mostly attraction and sexual tension.

Lynn Painter is one of my favorite authors, one of the most wonderful people I’ve connected with, and I will read whatever that woman publishes. I’m sad this one didn’t fully work for me, but I have confidence it will work for so many others. I still have it preordered and will support my gal Lynn until the end of time!

this was a fun time! the objector + objectress storyline was so entertaining, and I really enjoyed the friends to lovers trope in this one. friends to lovers is usually boring to me, but this one felt very fun, fast paced, and so full of tension that made this book a real page-turner.

to be completely honest, I did find the fmc somewhat unlikable. her disgust with true love became annoying by the end, but the mmc was just as bad at times. their reluctance to accept the validity of love made for great tension, but it also wasn’t angsty enough to feel super enjoyable or entertaining.

this book definitely could have stood to be longer given how little we see of sophie and max as a legitimate couple, but I feel like this was a great “no thoughts, just vibes” type of read.

Sadly ended up DNFing this. I just feel like the plot, at least to where I got, was extremely boring. There is no connection between the two love interests. Just not for me

4.5⭐️

This book was so cute, like kicking my feet in the air and giggling at the banter cute.

No but for real, so cute!! The banter between the main characters was chefs kiss💋 but also the funny side characters Larry & Rose, love them.

Super easy and fun read. This would make the perfect rom com movie. I haven’t read a romcom in a while that truly felt like I was watching a 90’s/2000’s romcom and this was it.

Thank you to Berkeley Romance for the ARC!

Thanks NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book!
I love literally everything Lynn Painter writes. I think that she is one of the few authors who can successfully do both YA and adult romance. This book is no exception. I think both Max and Sophie are super likeable characters. Painter does a great job making believe that these two people would have a great friendship and insane chemistry, and i enjoyed reading about two people falling in love when they really don't want to. I also love Sophie cranky, geriatric roommates and how mean they are to Max. Is the premise totally unbelievable, yes. But I still had a good time reading it. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of her other work.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an early copy of this!

With the premise of our two narrators working as "objectors" for people's weddings, this is the most early 2000s romcom that Lynn Painter has written. As usual, the chemistry between her two leads is electric and I loved watching the relationship between Sophie and Max develop and the banter-filled exchanges.

Another fun and fresh romantic comedy from Lynn Painter whose stories excel in their sweetness and simplicity. Will be sure to delight both her ardent fans and new readers.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Lynn Painter does it again! I love her ability to spin out new, original plots for rom coms. Can’t wait for anything she writes next.

Happily Never After
Lynn Painter

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I absolutely adored this book. Painter always nails the hilarious banter every time and this one was no different. It had me giggling out loud and was such a fun read.

My only criticism is that I thought her best friend Asha should have played more of a role in the story. She was there at the beggining and briefly the end but not at all in the middle of the story.

What you’ll find:
Fake Dating
He Falls First
Hilarious roommates
Swoony moments
Great banter
Strong and successful FMC

This is quintessential Lynn Painter rom com goodness. The plot of this one is a little messy like more “situationships” but I actually think the premise works for what she wanted the characters to accomplish. It’s messy, but it’s direct with open communication and characters taking what they want. Is Sophia a little delusional about what love is? Sure thing. Is Max the exact right guy to show her it exists and she’s deserving of it? Absolutely he is. The side characters were hilarious and the fake dating friendship was pure joy. The third act breakup was a little predictable but it was resolved well and they’re just so cute together. I laughed hard and the spice was swoon worthy. Highly recommend.


Thanks Net Galley and Berkley for the ArC in exchange for an honest review.

Utterly adorable and enchanting! This is my first Lynn Painter book and if all of her others are half as sweet and simple (THIS IS NOT A BAD THING) as this one, i've really been missing out.

The idea that Sophie and Max strike up a mutually beneficial friendship (situationship? would that apply here?) after Max was hired to break up her wedding is adorable. This is one of those books where the writing is on the wall immediately, the HEA is virtually guaranteed from the start, but there is enough tension to make the journey to that HEA worthwhile.

Sophie is staunchly anti-love, so its cute to see her struggle with the feelings she is clearly developing for Max. Its also refreshing to see an anti-love MC who has practical reasons and sticks to them. Sophie is a type-a character, to a lesser extreme, and very intelligent and intellectual about why she believes love doesnt exist. It never feels forced or put upon. Even in the end when things resolve and she still insists she doesnt believe, it feels more like someone who is willing to have their mind changed, to see where the data takes them than someone who just gives in to the all powerful feeling of love being the end all be all.

Because thats sort of the point of this book. LOVE is just one tiny piece of what you might feel for someone. There are other things that make up a healthy relationship (respect, friendship, etc) and all of those combined might spell out love, but everyone is entitled to their own definition.

This is a very conflict-free story, so if you're looking for a lot of angst and longing, its not really here. Even the conflict hinted at in the book's description is... not all that much. At first that was an issue for me, but then I realized i'm just used to a different type of romance and once I made that distinction, the enjoyment factor came back. This book is sweet and simple and safe in all the right ways.