After reading The Friend Zone, I was left wondering what exactly happened to Sloane? In The Happy Ever After Playlist, we get to visit Sloane two years after the accident that left her fiance in a coma. She's grieving the death of a life she thought she would be living and not quite sure how to move forward. That's when a puppy named Tucker enters her life!

Tucker is hilarious and I love how he was able to get Sloane out of her shell a bit. She tries to contact Tucker's owner - some guy named Jason - but she doesn't hear back and decides that Tucker is her dog now. That's when Jason and Sloane have their meet-cute. I loved the way Abby Jimenez is able to create this great chemistry between two characters who don't even meet yet! You see, Jason is a singer and has been overseas for a few weeks. He thought he left his pup in capable hands, but his pup got lost and Sloane was the one who found him. Now Jason wants his dog back, but Sloane won't agree. The witty banter had a grin on my face the whole time.

I absolutely loved how Sloane and Jason got to know one another. It was slow and sweet and Jason was so respectful of Sloane's feelings. He knew to be tender with her heart. Sloane's feelings were so transparent and I loved that. She was excited and hopeful, but wasn't sure if she was moving too fast.

The relationship between Sloan and Kristen that I loved so much in TFZ, was also here in The Happy Ever After Playlist. These two are always there for each other no matter what. We should all be so lucky to have friends like that in our lives. I also loved Jason's family and how much they support him. There were parts in this book that reminded me of how tight I am with my family and my husband's family. When someone needs help, whether that's around the house or on a property - we all show up and help the best way we can. That family dynamic was so very special in this book and it hit home for me in so many ways.

I won't spoil the rest of the book for you, but just know that I loved it so very much. The feelings between these two people were so genuine and real. They are a team and are willing to take on anything and to always keep each other happy. The level of angst that Jimenez writes is so so so good. My heart strings were being pulled on so hard and I couldn't help it when there were tears streaming down my face. If you get a chance to read The Friend Zone and can't wait to read Sloane's story - you won't be disappointed! I can't wait to re-read this beautifully written book. The Happy Ever After Playlist is set to release April 14, 2020.

p.s. each chapter has a song that corresponds to what is happening in that chapter. Listen to the music - I loved it so much and it added another dimension to this book.

Abby has done it again! Abby’s debut novel The Friend Zone introduced us to Sloan Monroe, and here we see her 2 years later.
Let me first say I used to read constantly – and for whatever reason….well life happened…..and there was this lady that owned this cupcake shop that was coming out with this book called “The Friend Zone” and it was so hyped up and who could resist it because cupcakes and books 😊 So preordered it and rediscovered my love of reading in a matter of minutes literally. That was almost a year ago and I haven’t stopped reading since! Thank you, Abby. I didn’t think it was possible to get a book that was better than Kristen and Josh but holy guacamole on all the tacos this book is amazing!
I received an ARC of The Happy Ever After Playlist and was hooked from the first chapter! Sloan is dealing with the loss of Brandon and while this may be a work of fiction, this story will resonate so thoroughly with so many that are dealing/have dealt with the loss of a loved one. It’s complicated as the story goes, but along comes Tucker. Tucker is owned by Jason; who we find out is from Minnesota. Being from Minnesota myself I loved this book and all of its true Minnesota references! It’s refreshing to have an author get it right (even in fiction where things don’t have to be).
My first moment that I thought I needed some serious support while reading was quickly helped out by the Zombie Apocalypse (whew crisis averted).
You won’t go wrong by reading this book. If you didn’t think anyone could be perfect for Sloan after Brandon, you’re wrong. It’s Jason. He’s perfect. He’s the perfect match for Sloan after Brandon and Abby knew it all along.

You can read this book even if you haven't read In the Friend Zone. I did and it just made me want to go buy it as soon as I finished this. Both books have now been purchased for our library collection
Also, I recommend listening to the Spotify playlist before you read each chapter. A fun, full experience.

Holy moly, I LOVED this book. I really enjoyed The Friend Zone, but this sequel really took it up a notch. I enjoyed getting to see more of Sloan's story and I absolutely loved Jason, and Tucker if course. It was so nice to read a story that seemed like it could be about real people, other than being famous of course, and making mistakes that seemed real. I could have read about them all day. One of the best parts of this book though is th Spotify playlist that goes along with it. Each chapter has a song that corresponds to it. Listening to those songs while reading definitely upped the experience.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I was not a fan of The Friend Zone for several reasons and I honestly wasn't sure if I would read The Happy Ever After Playlist. I had an opportunity to read an extended preview on @netgalley and the beginning banter was snappy and engaging, so when I got an email saying I had an eARC of the book I figured, why not?⁣
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Sloan is the reason I read this book - that seems silly to say because she was the main female character, but after the unexpected horror that was her story line in The Friend Zone, I was curious to see how her story unfolded. I appreciated the way the author wrote about death and grief and how it didn't just go away for Sloan once she and Jason started dating. Like The Friend Zone, the author's note in the back gave some insight as to why she wrote certain things into the story, so I would recommend reading that as well. ⁣
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The dialogue and chemistry between Sloan and Jason was good, and while the "big" conflict between them was a little drawn out for me and I predicted a couple turns the book took, overall I enjoyed it - I give it three and a half stars!

This was a fabulous follow-up to Jimenez's debut! Just like with The Friend Zone, I was hooked immediately and gobbled it up in one sitting. I love the premise and the meet cute was exceptionally cute. Not to mention a down-to-earth rockstar, an adorable dog, and flirty texting! It was funny, emotional, and so great to see Sloan get her HEA. Loved it. Can't wait for more.

I started with a 50-page preview of the book and was so excited to get the entire novel. I was disappointed that the rest of the book wasn't as good as the first 50 pages. The plot devolved into melodrama. I really enjoyed the beginning when the main relationship was new and the male and female protagonists were bantering. Once they got together, things just got much too dramatic for my taste.

I don't think words can describe how much I loved this book. Sloan and Jason are literally perfect - there romance was so swoonworthy and I really didn't want it to end. I haven't cared about characters this much in a long time. Kudos to Abby Jimenez for making me feel like I knew these two people and their sorrows, joys, insecurities, etc. After I finished I couldn't decide if I wanted to read it again or download The Friend Zone. I promptly downloaded The Friend Zone which I also enjoyed. However, I couldn't get these two off my mind. Perfect for all romance lovers!

I really loved "The Friend Zone" so I was excited to get an early e-copy to read! In this one you have Sloan trying to move on after the loss of her fiance! Finding love again after a loss like that is tough! Sloan meets Jason, an up and coming musician, when she comes across his "lost" dog in a pretty odd situation! They have such a chemistry and connection, but then you also see the challenges they face with the new found fame of Jason!! You will be rooting for them!! Abby writes so well, she had me feeling all the emotions in this one, laughing and crying! I highly recommend you add this one to your list! Especially if you read and enjoyed "The Friend Zone"! Can't wait to read more by Abby!! Thank you to the publisher, netgalley and Abby Jimenez for letting me read early!

Couldn't imagine anything topping The Friend Zone, but The Happy Ever Playlist did!

Ugly crying and wrenched heart later, I didn't want The HEA Playlist to ever end!

Other readers have given synopses. Just go read it!

I can't wait to read ANYTHING ELSE Abby may write! Thank you Abby, for sharing these real stories and people with us.

I received an copy of this book through the publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest review.

“You can’t control the bad things that happen to you. All you can do is decide how much of you you’re going to let them take.”

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez is a beautifully written masterpiece about love, loss, perseverance, and ultimately about finding yourself.

Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloane is still fighting her battle with grief. Her world is flipped upside down when a mischievous puppy, Tucker, comes tumbling into her life—literally. Sloane takes the pup home and with her new companion by her side, Sloane finally starts to feel like her old self again.

That all changes when Tucker’s owner, Jason, reaches out to get his dog back. Jason is a super hot musician on the rise to stardom and will stop at nothing to get his dog back...but Sloane won’t let Tucker go without a fight. The two banter back and forth between texts and long phone calls, and soon their rivalry sparks an electric connection that neither can deny. But will Jason’s rising fame come between them? And can Sloane risk her putting her newly mended heart out there again?

THIS BOOK YOU GUYS. This. Book. Only Jimenez can make me bawl my eyes out one second and have me doubled over with laughter the next. And sometimes, I did both in the same sentence. The characters she brings to life in this novel captured my heart from the very first page. I truly experienced their grief, their heartache, their laughter, their hope, and their love. Grief is such a relatable topic that leaves its mark on every single human. It was so inspiring to watch the main character, Sloane, navigate through the deep waters of grief and make radical changes to her life. This story mended my heart in more ways than one. I loved that Jimenez was able to touch on some deeper subjects but still maintain levity throughout the story. I would highly recommend this story to anyone and everyone.

A huge thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Jimenez brings us another sometimes tearjerker romance that starts with a dog jumping into Sloan’s car. When Tucker’s owner won’t call back, she resolves to keep the dog. That’s when Jason, who was camping in Australia, calls back and it leads to a budding romance to take place over calls and texts. There’s some big hurdles that Sloan and Jason will have to get through before they can find a HEA, especially over who Jason really is. For fans who don’t like their rom-coms too light.

I loved this book. The characters were so enjoyable, the story was well-developed and I found myself empathizing with these characters (especially Sloan). Funny, emotional, and worth the read.

This book hooked me right away. I had read The Friend Zone but didn’t realize it was some of the same characters. You can definitely read this as a stand-alone book. The characters were well developed and relatable and the story was great. I wanted to keep reading to find out the happily ever after. There was romance but nothing too steamy, mostly a sweet story. I highly recommend this book and love the author. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

This author’s first book, The Friend Zone, absolutely wrecked me. Given the range of emotions I went through with that book, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. In reality, this book was full of joy and fun and made my heart happy. There was angst but it was an angst that felt real and made you want to keep reading to see how they worked through it. I just loved everything about this book. I finished it last night and may go right back and reread it.

I read this one shortly after reading The Friend Zone, and I am SO glad we got to see Sloan find happiness again after the devastating events of the first book. The plot of this one felt original for a romance, the banter and chemistry was great, and the characters so authentic. Looking forward to more from Abby Jimenez!

no sophomore slump for Abby Jimenez! This book follows one of the characters from her first book and It did not disappoint.

I enjoyed the beginning of this book so much, but unfortunately by the end I was not the biggest fan. When Sloan and Jason were flirting over the phone it was so cute and so much fun. Abby Jimenez is fabulous at witty and fun banter. However, once they were together and having to face the reality of their situation it was not as fun.

I hated the Lola plot line (she literally gropes Jason and we are supposed to forgive her because she has trauma?). I do like how it was wrapped up between all the characters, but I hated reading it.

I did enjoy seeing Sloan become a person again after such a traumatic event. Seeing her chose to be happy was very powerful.

Overall, I am glad I read this and am slowly beginning to think that Abby Jimenez's books are not for me. This is a good book, but I felt that certain elements did not naturally fit in the story and it features some plot choices that I was not a fan of.

I'm convinced that Abby Jimenez can do no wrong. When books and music are so well integrated it makes my reading experience thrive even more. The character development was spot on and the story was just...so good.

This book was simply a delight! The perfect second book by Jimenez. I cannot wait for additional titles by her. She is an auto-buy for me and the library!