Thank you for the ARC Avon and Harper Voyager!

I adore each of the authors that make up this pen name so I was thrilled to be able to get an ARC of This Will Be Fun! I’d been counting down the days til pub day ever since they announced they were working on it!

This was such a fun adventure with a mixed bag of friends, romance (with a bit of spice!) and fun humor. The slow burn was slow for sure but it pays off in the end 🔥 but overall this book was about friendship which was pretty special to me. If you’re looking for a cozy romantasy adventure that has a group of friends going on an adventure both physically and emotionally, then you’ll enjoy this one!

A fantastic read for the cozy fantasy genre. Its all about the slow burn and how their friendship comes together. It's not an epic fantasy and sometimes I wish there was a bit more plot advanced, but I appreciate it for what it is.

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is exactly like the title - fun.
It’s a campy, quirky story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you read it for what it’s meant to be, you’ll be entertained, especially if you like puns. I love puns!
It’s a light-hearted tale of three friends after they save the realm, which is something we don’t see often in fantasy books. It reminded me a bit of Monty Python and that’s exactly how I read it - fully expecting it to be satire.
The pacing wasn’t great and sometimes the jokes took center stage over the three main characters. This made it difficult to connect with Beatrice, Elowen, and Clare. Which is important because it’s definitely a character-driven story that deals with trauma, grief, and heavy feelings that these friends are all struggling with.
Yes, they do grow and heal once they meet again for their second quest, but sadly it was hard for me to fully invest in them because I was distracted by all the silliness. I even had a hard time believing in one of the romances but the other relationship has a lot of heart and history.
The plot is slow and low stakes because that’s not really the main point of the story. Does anyone really care about the guy who is kidnapped by the already defeated villains? I didn’t.
This Will Be Fun, at it’s core, is a story about friendship, second chances, healing and realizing that you have the power to change your future.

Most fantasy books I have read are spent telling you about the great adventure the heroes are about to go on. The quest to save the princess, the relationships that are forged along the way. Very few talk about what happens after. The trauma, the regrets, and broken relationships that sometimes come after the day is won. This book tells that story in the form of a humorous yet cozy-feeling fantasy adventure.

Told in the POVs of the three main characters, this story felt like a warm hug to me. I fell in love with each of the characters, from moody and self-isolating Elowen to regret-filled Beatrice to overly-enthusiastic yet full of insecurities Clare. I loved watching these characters grow throughout the book. The world of Mythria is entertainingly full of fantasy-infused modern amenities such as carriage Uber, coffee shops, and soap operas, and it kept me giggling.

I would highly recommend this book as a lighthearted palette cleanser. It worked wonders for me. Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the arc!

This one surprised me. I was attracted to this book because of the cover, it's cute and gives cozy fall vibes. This book had me laughing and I loved the plot of the book as well. Where I thought it could do better is giving us more world building. There wasn't a lot and I was having a hard time understanding the world and magic system. I loved the romance in this novel, but I didn't feel a connection to the characters.

“Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation”??!!! I’m sat. Best friends saved the realm. But it ruined their lives.

The premise of this book is refreshing. Yes we get to see these characters fall in love and save their realm, but they’ve also done it once before. This is mythical world where the characters fight for love and friendship and their realm to be safe. Wish I lived there too!
There could have been more world building and development but all in all it was a cute cozy romance fantasy!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I really enjoyed this book with a minimum of large action but a lot of emotion and character growth. The setup of the novel being like The Princess Bridge is correct and the humor shined throughout. Clare, Beatrice and Elowen all grew during the novel and got back to who they wanted to be and still saved the realm. Sometimes you just want a cozy book and this was it even with some higher stakes near the end. 4 stars.

What happens to heroes after the quest is finished? What happens when a group of friends loses one of them, and now ten years later are dealing with the aftermath of their grief, romances, and friendship. Two set of ex lovers, a road trip, and facing off against a new evil.... maybe a new quest can help mend the pains of the old one. Ten years ago, four people, four best friends, went on a quest to save the realm... but in doing so ruined their own lives when their leader dies. now ten years later there is Beatrice (freshly divorced and dealing with her hatred for Clare), Clare, a handsome ex bandit who has been nursing a crush on Beatrice for ten years.... and despite hating her for what she did he can't seem to let her go, especially now that she is divorced and free, and finally there is Elowen, a recluse who has run away from her ex-love ( a cunning assassin named Vandra). When their leader and best friend died, all of them separated... and have not been in touch for over ten years but when they are all asked to attend the Queen's wedding they all have to face one another again.... and when the Queen's fiancee is kidnapped they'll have to go on one last quest, but it could either break them apart further or finally heal them all. This was definitely a book for fans of second chance romances and DND adventures. It just kind of fell flat for me personally and I wasn't all that invested in the characters and their romances. The characters just felt like they were missing something and that they could have benefitted from a bit more personality. Overall it just didn't fit with me but I do think it would be a fun read for others.

Release Date: October 29,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

An enchanting story on friendship, love and self-discovery in a magical world. "This Will be Fun" by E.B. Asher follows three POVs that made it a little difficult to follow the plot. The story is light and fun. The characters are forthright and exuberant.
I listened to this book on audiobook after the release date and enjoyed the separate narrators for each POV.
I found myself favoring Beatrice because she is introspective and hopeful. Her intentions are often selfish and she tends to live in the past. Nonetheless, her experience resonated most with me. Beatrice's perspective would bring me back to the plot when I became lost from the different perspectives.
The idea for this book sparked from a friend group chat and felt just like one with a fun, fantastical twist.
I recommend this for anyone looking for escapism in fantasy.

*I did not finish this book, stopping at 24%. My review is of the portion I read.*

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is a medieval-modern fantasy about a group of heroes reuniting ten years after they saved their kingdom and lost one of their closest friends in the process. The heroes' lives are nothing like what they thought it would be. Instead they've gone their separate ways, not speaking since their last battle. Now they are summoned to the queen's wedding and forced to be together and face the choices they made long ago.

I really wanted to like this one. It was compared to The Princess Bride and People We Meet on Vacation, both favorites of mine. While I can see the comparison, it fell short. The story is told from Elowen, Beatrice, and Clare's points of view, each chapter flipping between them. Beatrice is recently divorced and struggling with the choices she made during their last battle, blaming herself for Galwell's death. Elowen has become a recluse, hidden away in the trees where no one can reach her easily. Clare has embrace the life of hero, signing autographs and living in fame. None of them want to go to the wedding, not with the hole in their friend group. None of them feel like true heroes, and yet that is what they are.

While all of this sounds intriguing and I was really excited to dig into the story, it was (to be bluntly honest) dull. None of the characters really held my attention. Their magical abilities were there but not really explained. The world itself while supposedly medieval (castles, no electricity, horse and buggy, etc) had modern day technology and stores attributed to magic which created an odd juxtaposition to the story that I personally couldn't wrap my head around. The writing itself was good, but the chapters going from one perspective to the next did not flow well together which made for a disjointed reading experience.

Overall, This Will Be Fun was just ok for me. It isn't one I would personally recommend. However, I have seen several reviewers who have enjoyed it, so I'll chalk this one up to just not being for me.

This Will Be Fun had a lot of promise, but was overall a little hit or miss. At times it was clever and fun, at others, too obsessed with its own jokes. But the general inconsistency could have been forgiven if it wasn't for that infuriating ending.

Ten years earlier, the Four saved their kingdom from an evil organization, losing one of their own in the process. Now the remaining three are forced to reunite to save the kingdom again - and are confronted with how little they've healed their old wounds.

I love a book that explores what happens after the big battle and the happily ever after. In this case, it was a lot of fights over stupid things, a lot of emotional betrayal, and a lot of burying feelings. All of this was an excellent setup for what came next - getting the gang back together for one last quest. But with the inconsistent pacing and inconsistent tone, the fact that this was a collaboration between three authors really showed, and not in a good way. There were plenty of fun and even heart-warming moments, but the book was also too entertained by its own jokes about fantasy-meets-modernity (the soap-opera-like shadow plays come to mind), many of which didn't add much at all. I was more interested in the characters and their arcs, but those were often obscured by all the extra set dressing.

But what really made me angry - like genuinely pissed off - was the ending. I don't want to get too spoilery, but the sudden growth and implementation of Beatrice's magic led to a deux-ex-machina situation in the final battle that was frustratingly conflict-avoidant. And if that wasn't enough, she used that same magic to basically undo the reason for all of the characters' growth and healing. The authors seemed to want to show that they could subvert rules and bring about a truly happy ending, but sometimes things can't be undone. Tragedy in stories exists for a reason and without it, emotional growth doesn't have nearly as much weight.

In the end, what could have been a fun read was undermined by a truly bad ending, taking this from a book I would have enjoyed and probably forgotten to one I'll be mad about for a long time.

3/5

E.B. Asher's This Will Be Fun is a delightful blend of fantasy and friendship. This cozy quest follows a group of diverse friends as they embark on a magical adventure, as well as come to terms with their individual trauma from their first quest.

The characters are endearing and relatable, each with their own unique quirks, strengths, and struggles. The world-building, while not overly complex, is imaginative and charming.

While the plot may not be groundbreaking, the book's true strength lies in its ability to evoke feelings for the reader as the characters overcome their pasts and work through their relationships.

"This Will Be Fun" is a cute fantasy about the after effects of saving the world. The traditional epic quest ended a decade ago, and since then the three remaining members of "The Four" (the heroes who saved the realm) have gone their separate ways, unable to deal with the way things ended. The bonds between them have frayed near to breaking, and they are all in some way stuck in the past and unable to move past their trauma. Of course as the story starts events contrive to bring them together and force them to face their fears, and each other.

I enjoyed this book, especially its angle in dealing with what happens after the world is saved. I didn't always agree with the characters or even like them very much, but what Asher was great at doing was getting inside each person's head and showing us why the way that they are acting is completely logical (to them) and coming from their different methods for processing trauma. The first half of the story is a bit light as events and characters are moved into place, but the second half moves along at a better pace and concludes with the expected happy ending. "This Will Be Fun" is a great choice for anyone looking for a light character heavy fantasy with just enough adventure thrown in to keep it moving.

Exploring the moments of a fantasy book that we don’t always get, This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher shows us the what ifs & the what nows that come after the quest ends & the heroes have to just somehow move on with their lives. This premise alone is what grabbed my interest, making me literally think, “Huh. Why don’t we get more of the ‘after’ in the adventure fantasy stories?”

And you know what? This book was indeed fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this book which had silly vibes similar to Ella Enchanted (the movie), Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Monty Python & the Holy Grail, & dare I say…Shrek. It has all of the fantasy vibes combined with fun elements like gossip magazines, side characters who often steal the show, & even conventions with cosplay. And because we bounce between various POVs, we really get a chance to learn about & experience quite a lot of the realm that is Mythria.

This is a story of adventure, grief, healing, & love. But the heart of the story is friendship & found family & all the many ways we can grow together & apart. In fact, it’s given me my new favorite quote about friendship & the vibe that I would like to embody more: “Your life isn’t a burden to me.”

I laughed, I cried, but mostly I just had a silly smile on my face while reading this book. It gave me all of the warm, cozy vibes that I needed in this time of my life & I know that I’ll definitely read it again in the future.

Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy of this book for review. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.

A fantasy book with a focus on friendship in this romantasy book. There were a lot of modern aspects that pulled me out of the story for a moment. One of the couples felt like it dominated the book and they could get annoying.

Best friends Beatrice, Elowen, Clare, and Galwell the Great defended the land from darkness many years ago. But they were devastated by what their quest cost them. They all receive an invitation to the Queen's wedding and end up reunited again.

Although there are a lot of fun elements in this book, it was lacking cohesiveness. The book relied too much on dialogue and character introduction was slow. It was fun at parts but I just could not get into it.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was another story where I was really interested in the idea for the book, but the execution was a bit boring. I feel like the relationships (even if they're technically drifted apart/no longer talking to one another) are never really developed at all--I was lost as to why they are angry with one another and why they aren't friends. Though it's possible I just missed something at some point. Despite this, I did like the characters--they were well-developed and the dialogue was witty but believable. Mostly, I think I ended up disliking this because of the low stakes present in the plot--there just wasn't enough to keep me sucked in. I also hate miscommunication--I'm someone who needs direct and clear communication and does their best to reciprocate that with others--so it always infuriates me when I read it in books. Not enough was revealed to the reader, and so the book just felt a bit boring because it was like picking up a show on season 8, episode 4 where all the action has happened and now you're left with the emotional reactions of characters and relationships you don't understand.

2.75 stars

Honestly most was just sort of boring. It has a lot of characters, but the focus is really on if two certain ones should get together or not. Rather than merging an older time period with modern elements, it just felt disjointed and the worse of both worlds. While I like the idea of this book, and some of the friendships, it was largely a miss for me.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netfalley for an advanced copy to form opinions from.

This ended up being not for me at all . I picked it up and put it down so many times. I ended up dnfing it at 20%.

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is a cozy quest romantasy following four past heroes who are reunited after 10 years of not speaking. While the journey they face during this book is much lighter than the feat they conquered in the past, each member of the group is struggling with the grief and trauma of losing their friend in their own way.

Throughout the book the reader is blind as to why the heroes are no longer friends and why many of the characters have anger/resentment towards each other. The reader is also blind to exactly what happened 10 years ago that lead to their friend's death. The character's personalities shine very clear through Asher's writing and the banter and dialogue that bounce between them is very entertaining!

I personally made it 45% of the way into this book and decided to DNF. I know many readers who would enjoy the low stakes quest of this book coupled with the mystery as the reader of not knowing why the past friends have fallen out. Personally for me, I struggle with a low stakes plot and combining that with both the intense level of miscommunication that seems to be going on between the characters and being 'in the dark' as the reader, I felt myself getting frustrated and not wanting to pick the book back up again.

Overall, if a reader enjoys a whimsical world with very light magic, a low stakes quest, and a character-driven story, this is likely a great book for them!