DNF at 17%. I've been stuck on this book for a few weeks - I'm really disappointed that it's not working for me (I may try again after pub date with the audio). I just couldn't get into it and couldn't keep the characters straight. I think I saw this book compared to The Princess Bride which is a pretty tall order for me so maybe that's part of it? I'm not sure. I hope this book sees success.

This book was so incredibly heartwarming and adorable. There’s great banter, action, romance, magic, and character development. I loved the pacing and the multiple POVs. Each character’s voice felt fully distinct and each character was so fully fleshed out. The story is really sweet and I’d say, cozy adjacent, but the characters are truly the charm of this book. I hope these 3 authors get together again, because they’ve created something really special. If you love cozy fantasy, with slightly higher stakes, I absolutely recommend this one.

THIS WILL BE FUN is a fantasy rom-quest by E. B. asher (otherwise known as bridget morrissey, emily wibberley, and austin siegemund-broka) about three estranged heroes who reunite to attend the queen's wedding, only to find her fiancé kidnapped—and who better to rescue the queen's betrothed than the very people who saved the realm ten years ago?

i very rarely dabble in fantasy but the premise of this book was too intriguing not to read it and i had a blast. i would say this is a great entry-level fantasy for people who don't read a lot of it, or who want to read more but find themselves overwhelmed with world building and magic systems. i loved all the fantasy versions of real-world staples like coffee shops and magical uber. i loved elowen, vanda, beatrice, and clare, their friendships and also their respective romances.

read if you like:
- dungeons & dragons
- ella enchanted
- a lowkey shrek vibe

thanks to avon for the advanced copy! THIS WILL BE FUN comes out october 29.

I DNFd this book after the first chapter. There was too much profanity and I’m not interested in reading about divorce celebrations. I’m sure there is more to this book, but if that is how a story begins, it’s not for me.

Reading the synopsis of This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher had me very excited. However actually reading the book left me a little lackluster. It totally has potential but just didn't reach that for me. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. I will be interested in reading the author's next book though!

Synopsis:
The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation in this cozy quest romantasy about a group of friends who once defended their magical land together but haven’t spoken since, reuniting to attend a royal wedding, and ending up on a new adventure to save the realm—and hopefully themselves.

DNF @ 20%. This book is very intriguing to me, but I think I personally will have a better time with it in audiobook format. I look forward to trying it again at a later date.

E.B. Asher’s This Will Be Fun had all the makings of a quirky fantasy romp but missed the mark on delivering a genuinely delightful experience. The premise—a reunion of former heroes who must save their realm while navigating personal drama—sounds like a recipe for fun, but the execution leaves much to be desired. While the blend of medieval fantasy with modern conveniences like magical texting and enchanted coffee shops was ambitious, it often felt like a clunky mashup that didn’t quite fit.

The characters are where things really go awry. Instead of reveling in their heroic comeback, they wallow in self-pity and unresolved romantic tension. The constant focus on their personal issues becomes repetitive, overshadowing the adventure that was supposed to drive the story. The quest, which should have been the heart of the book, felt more like a last-minute addition rather than an engaging plot point.

On a brighter note, Clare, the roguish hero with a dash of charm, and Vandra our sexy lesbian assassin, provides some much-needed humor and levity. His playful banter with Beatrice, and her source of positivity and being the got-her-shit-together-girl, adds a spark to an otherwise gloomy narrative. However, even their charisma couldn’t completely rescue the book from its slow and introspective pace.

In the end, This Will Be Fun had the potential to be a whimsical adventure with a healing journey through grief but instead stumbled over its own ambitious ideas, repetitive character drama, and an ending that messed up the entire process of healing. Seriously 100% hated the ending if I'm being honest. While it may have moments of charm, it struggled to maintain a consistent tone and engaging plot. Fans of quirky fantasy might find some enjoyment, but it didn’t quite live up to its playful promise.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Going into this book, I will be honest and say that I kept my expectations low. This isn’t because of the premise of the book or by any fault of the author, but I knew that me and cozy fantasy don’t always jive. I find that I end up bored or waiting for something *more exciting* to happen, which.. kind of defeats the point of a cozy fantasy. That’s totally on me.

That being said, I loved this one. I laughed out loud, often. I adored every character regardless of their faults/flaws and I loved even more watching them develop as the story went on.

I’m also a huge sucker for merging storylines and rekindling friendships. Watching each of them live their lives while also grieving the loss of their friend and old friendships was interesting, and seeing each of them run into each other was entertaining. I actually don’t think I have anything bad to say about this book.

And not only that, I think that this is the first cozy fantasy that I’ve read that had enough adventure and questing in it for me to be entertained the entire way through. I realize a lot of the lure of cozy fantasies is how relaxing they are and being able to watch the heroes like.. run a bakery or something, but seeing all of our heroes rekindle relationships AND go on one last quest together before returning to normal life was heartwarming and honestly a little rewarding.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a sweet, cozy fantasy. And I double recommend it if you haven’t been thrilled by any of the others that you’ve read. 5/5, easy.

This book was so fun! It’s rare when reading a multi perspective book to love each character equally, but there wasn’t a moment where I was wishing a charger would wrap up so I could get to the next one. Each character’s identity is so fully flushed out. Beatrice’s soft sassiness, Clare’s false arrogance, Elowen’s juicy drama—every minute of it was pure fun.

When I say that I was beyond excited for this book, believe me because The Princess Bride is one of my top five favorite movies, and I have a whole shelf in my library dedicated to the movie and the book, including a board game, bobble heads, Funkos, wine bottles from the special screening at Alamo Drafthouse, etc. I am a HUGE fan, so when I saw the comps for this book, I knew I had to check it out.

So it is with the greatest of regret that I tell you I just could not get into this story. I only read about 30% of it before setting it aside, and I just never felt compelled to pick it back up again. Instead, I chose to re-read some other favorites for comfort because every book I picked up after this one was also not a winner. I wish I could say it was just me, but I'm fairly certain, at least in this book's case, that I'm not alone.

First off, there was such an undercurrent of sadness throughout, with the remaining hero and heroines not feeling triumphant at all in the wake of losing their fearless leader and having to face their queen as the ten year reunion of their victory loomed large. For a book that is supposed to be "fun", none of us were having any.

Secondly, the anachronisms drove me nuts. I can get behind magic making a medieval-type setting more favorable, but not when it leads to magic tapestries that act like texting devices. And don't even get me started on the Starbucks-like "brew" shops on every corner, the "shadow play" dramas that were beamed into homes via magic, or the ride-sharing service for carriages to and fro. I don't want modern inventions and conveniences in my cozy fantasy by way of magic.

Also, I did not realize until I cracked the book open and saw the copyright that E.B. Asher is actually three people. Yes, this lent individuality to each of the three main characters, but I think it might have been to the detriment of the story because it didn't feel cohesive. Well, except for how depressed each of them seemed.

I can admit I was a little charmed by Clare, the erstwhile hero and rogue who was loosely based on Westley. His commentary was humorous and his banter with Beatrice was a nice balance to her pithy retorts. But his character alone could not save this book for me...

3.5 Stars ! This was such a fun quick read fantasy book ! I loved the characters and the romance/banter between the couples. I did not care for the modern technology throughout the book. I felt like it brought me out of the story each time anything modern was brought up. I wished we had more adventure instead of dialogue about their first quest. I would recommend this is you are looking for something cozy and quick to read and you enjoy fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not for me. The premise was good and I thought that the LGBT inclusion was also needed. But I didn't find myself caring for the characters as much as I had hoped.

This novel is a really great idea with a creative story, and really well-imagined and well-defined characters. And while it starts slow with a big old blanket of sad pressed down on all the characters [which is a little problematic when the marketing uses ‘The Princess Bride’ to attract readers] it does deliver a satisfying journey of bravery, love and self-discovery with a lovely story-book ending.

However, it does struggle in a few areas. The writing is a bit uneven and inconsistent. [E.B. Asher is actually 3 writers – what you gain creatively may be outweighed by the challenge of blending all contributions into an end product that is cohesive and evenly-paced?] And it also takes too long to bring all the characters together. By that point, when things finally pick up in tone and action, personal engagement is low. It takes some time to build interest and momentum. Finally, the world building feels unfocused – incorporating some modern conveniences with a sly wink [video calls, Starbucks-type brew pubs, gossip magazines, and Uber-esque ride share wagons] is fun, but also distracting in a way that can take you out of the story.

Ultimately, this is not a rollicking adventure. It is an inventive story about grief, friendship, second chances and love. The blending of worlds and genres may earn this “romantasy” some “not for me” comments. But as this book receives more exposure and attention, it will find its audience and be well loved.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books, for providing an advance reader copy of this book.

I wanted to like this more than I actually ended up liking it. I thought it was a really fun premise but that the execution was just a little bit off. The pacing and plot development both felt too slow in the beginning and a bit long winded. I did enjoy the humor and still had a lot of fun with the story and enjoyed how the characters developed and how their relationships with each other developed over time. I just feel that the project was underdeveloped as a whole and could’ve used better development and editing. Still fun though

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Negalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

This was so highly anticipated for me and just fell flat. Like there was nothing noteworthy about this. Characters were too angsty. The magic versions of Uber and texting and therapy were stupid. I’m not sure if this was supposed to be satire or not but either way it didn’t work. Big disappointment.

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is like a cross between The Magicians and Shrek. The basic premise is four best friends save the world but then ten years go by and their lives are decidedly not Happily Ever Afters. The setting and voice of the novel are both quite campy which makes for a fun if a bit trite read. I particularly enjoyed reading about the characters interpersonal lives and their relationship dynamics but the overly modern dialogue took me out of the story more than once. Overall, this book was a fun, fine time. It's not amazing but it's not awful either.

Beatrice, Elowen, and Clare are Heroes of Mythria, the last remaining members of The Four. And they haven’t seen each other in ten years. Not since the fateful day they saved their Queendom from evil and lost their beloved leader, Galwell, in the process. Now they’re reluctantly gathering to celebrate their Queen’s upcoming nuptials. What was supposed to be a quick visit has turned into a rescue mission. Queen Thessia’s fiancé Hugh has been kidnapped by the same heinous villains the Heroes defeated ten years ago. Beatrice, Elowen, and Clare each have their own reasons for accepting this new quest…guilt, loneliness, love, but in order to be successful they must make peace with their pasts and each other. Accompanied by former assassin and questing troublemaker Vandra, Mythria’s Heroes set out on their new adventure not knowing what awaits them. Will they get a chance at redemption or will everything be taken from them a second time?

E.B. Asher’s This Will Be Fun is exactly that…fun! It has everything. Action! Adventure! Humor! Heartbreak! Magic! Mayhem! Legendary Heroes! Dastardly Villains! In the same vein as The Princess Bride, This Will Be Fun brings the sarcasm, wit, and snarky banter while also exploring more serious themes of grief, death, and trauma. It’s the perfect blend of everything you could ever want in an epically grand escapade. And you can’t forget about the romance! Our three Heroes have all experienced the highs of love and the lows of heartbreak and they are desperately trying to trust each other again, sometimes with mixed and hilarious results. Each of these incredible characters is on a path of self-discovery and healing, things that are vitally important in order for them to overcome their pasts and save their futures. These aren’t your typical Heroes. They are all flawed but beautifully written and they’re dragging the reader along on their wild ride to find absolution for past mistakes. A quipy, hysterical, romantic romp!

DNF @ 25%
I requested an arc of this cause it was comp as Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation. It was the latter in the sense of a second chance romance, but not the former. It was more like the movie version of Ella Enchanted where they’re doing that weird modern pop culture stuff but make it fantasy. And I forgot that I kind of hate that. But the main reason I’m DNFing, even though I kept reading another chapter hoping it got better, was because I just couldn’t connect to the characters. On paper they sounded interesting, sort of like Veronica Roth’s Chosen Ones with these heroes a decade later kind of struggling with life post saving the world, but I couldn’t care less about these guys. I can see it trying to get me to care but it wasn’t sticking the landing. It wasn’t helped the amount of telling and internal monologue and those are also often the bane of my existence.
I think this book can definitely be enjoyed by people, but sadly it wasn’t for me. And sadly the characters just couldn’t convince me to stay.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This Will Be Fun follows a group of friends who once united to save the world, but have grown estranged over the years. Now ten years later, the friends are reluctantly reunited at the Queen’s wedding. But old habits die hard, and even heroes need some saving every once and awhile.

I picked this book as it was dubbed a mash up of The Princess Bride and People We Meet on Vacation, two solid stories that I loved. I also had no idea that one of my favorite writing duos, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka were contributors to the collective E.B. Asher moniker. Although I didn’t end up finishing this one, I could feel their imprint within the story. Unfortunately, fantasy isn’t my go to genre, so where I probably would have embraced a story where friends with baggage come together and hash things out, the fantastical aspects of this novel were just too distracting and ultimately, not for me.

To be fair, fans of genre mashups like romantasy might love this one and if that’s your jam, I’d definitely say give it a try. It’s just for this reader that This Will Be Fun wasn’t as much fun as I hoped.

2.5 stars. The story is super fun but the pacing and worldbuilding are ALL over the place.

I really enjoyed the central storyline and characters: the author did a good job of creating characters who struggled to recover from the events of ten years ago. The interpersonal relationships were incredibly important to the plot and drove the action.

But the pacing - it took FOREVER for the actual plot to kick in, and then we kept getting sidetracked by silly interludes. The fight to the big bad lacked tension - and since the story sped through these parts, there wasn’t a satisfying ending.

Overall it felt like they tried to cram in as many fantasy versions of real life things that they forgot to make the plot drive. Very disappointing, as the story and characters are super fun.

Thank you to NetGalley, E.B. Asher, and Avon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.