I was really excited to read this. But it did not work for me. I felt like the subplot of the heroine's brother was more than I was interested in reading.

The title alone might lead you to believe that the story will be all about romance, and it is...partially. I love that the author dives deep into *all* forms of relationships, especially with family and friends. Also refreshing was the empathetic description of a character on the autism spectrum: they’re not labeled as “brave,” but neither are they pitied. Reading this debut took me back to my teen years, in a good way.

A cute coming of age story that I would have loved to read in high school when I was pining after the cute popular guy instead of my nerdy BFF (who is now a total hottie and I missed out). I really enjoyed all the diversity and inclusion in this book, and felt like I learned a few important things through Miles and Tessa’s reaction to the people who interacted with him.

The blurb had me sold when it compared this book to Jane the Virgin, and To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Although, I thought Jane the Virgin was an odd comparison for a YA book with no sex :) Tessa does love to write, and that is where I think the likeness resides.

For worried parents who think this book sounds like something their child would like but aren't ready to hand an oversexed book to them, you are fine. This one is pretty tame. There are many responsible discussions around sex, conversations our kids should have with friends, but nothing that would make them blush if you were sitting in the same room while they read.

At heart, this is a book about a girl who needs to love herself before she can give her heart to anyone else. A recent enrollee of the prestigious Chrysalis Academy, Tessa thinks she is living someone else's life. Someone will soon discover she is a writer hack and not worthy of taking a spot for a worthier writer.

She makes a group of misfit friends. She has a devious plan to live a real-life rom-com to get her creative juices going, and someone finds herself in the middle of a complicated relationship. The adorkable boy next door is one of the few people she feels she can talk to anymore. A real relationship with her parents doesn't leave us wanting to wash the sweet taste out our mouths and a brother who keeps her and us focused on the lighter side of life.

I loved Happily Ever Afters. A diverse cast of characters, a realistic and self-loving rom-com that does leave you reeling with all the feels just like Jane the Virgin and To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

A must-read for romance aficionados.

I loved this book. I do not read much YA but this book has me looking forward to reading more YA romance. I really loved Tessa and her story. I very much appreciated that her brother was written as a person with disabilities because representation matters. If I had to use one word to describe this read it would be sweet. Great debut work!

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Oh wow, this book blew me away. I loved main character Tessa’s voice in this, the disability representation with her brother Miles, love interests Sam and Nico, and of course her wonderful best friends! I’m so excited to hear that there will be a sequel!

Sixteen-year-old Tessa is the author of many a fan-faction and aspiring romance novelist. She moves into Long Beach from Roseville, CA and meets her new neighbor and classmate, Sam, who smooths over a harmless prank committed by her brother, Miles, who has disabilities. Her biggest fear is having to share her work with her peers at her new creative arts school, not only that, but she has a big case of writer's block that she cannot overcome. However, her best friend, Caroline, has the perfect solution to get her (writer's) grove back: working on her own real-life romance. Nico is a "founder's" son of the prestigious art school with whom Tessa is smitten and is eerily similar to the heart-throb in her story.
This is a super cute YA rom-com filled with BIPOC representation, a love triangle, and a very anxious, VERY flawed main character. The "popular kids" (aka founders' kids) are borderline problematic (is it wrong to call fictional teenagers a-holes?) and follows the mean popular girl trope with Poppy who...is actually dating Nico....Tessa begins losing herself as she begins hanging out with them in order to fulfill her plot to get closer to Nico. This was probably the hardest/most frustrating aspect to witness as a reader as Tessa continues to self-sabotage, distance herself from family and friends, and kind of becomes a crappy person, but necessary for her character growth (lots of face-palm, smh moments). Very much Jane the Virgin meets Pretty in Pink.

After moving six hours away, Tessa is starting at a creative arts high school. She is a romance writer, but she has writer’s block after finding out she actually has to share her writing. Tessa sets out to find her own happily ever after in order to start writing again.

I really, really wanted to love this, but Tessa kind of got on my nerves. I think at 34 I may be outgrowing YA books - like I get it, you’re a teenager, but why do you let a boy jerk you around?!? I appreciate reading about Tessa’s experiences with her hair and having a black father + white mother. I think the shining star of this book was Tessa’s relationship with her older brother Miles. Miles has disabilities, and I felt like Tessa’s relationship with Miles felt “real”.

Unfortunately this highly anticipated read just didn’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. There were just some personal things that really didn’t sit well with me.

Things that didn’t work: as a disabled person I typically have a lot of issues with stories where an able-bodied/neurotypical narrator has a disabled sibling. While this one was more respectful than others, I still felt the frustrations around her brother rubbed me the wrong way. I understand that it can be difficult to have a disabled sibling in a world that is not designed for them because of ableism, but I often find no matter how the author tries that it still falls into the “burden sibling” trope. Another thing that bothered me was the Harry Potter stuff. I think saying “JKR did bad things but I still love HP” as a cis person is a bad take and there should not be room for it in YA without any further dissection than that. That’s my personal take as a non-cis person. Also, while narrators don’t have to be likable and i think teen narrators need to be given grace, I just really didn’t like the way this narrator treated some of the other girl characters and it really took me out of the story. Additionally, something about the pacing and plot just didn’t flow well for me or really propel me forward.

I can definitely see this working for others and I’m super bummed that it disappointed me but it just has to many things in the story that personally bother me too much to enjoy it more than on a basic level. I’m looking forward to picking up other books by this author in the future thought and hopefully enjoying them more.

Summary: Jane the Virgin meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this charming debut romantic comedy filled with Black Girl Magic. Perfect for fans of Mary H. K. Choi and Nicola Yoon, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances.

Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing—in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.

When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just...gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.

But as Tessa checks off each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about—including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. She’s well on her wasy to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all?

Review:
Jane the Virgin + Black Girl Magic = Happily Ever Afters
While Tessa has never been the hero of her own story, that begins to change as she is confronted with more and more issues that deal not only with her racial identity, but the burgeoning love triangle that emerges at her new, prestigious school for gifted minds.
Things I Absolutely Loved:
Tessa is a writer
Tessa has anxiety (a major plus for me, because this rep is lacking in YA)
Love Triangles are my favorite trope!
Things I needed more of :
TESSA'S WRITING!

Final thoughts:
I loved this book because pieces of it reminded me of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl (Cath is also a writer riddled with anxiety) but the true gem of this piece is the wondrous Black Girl Magic element that historically has been sorely lacking from the contemporary romance genre. Tessa does have to survive many instances of racial violence, but she also just gets to be a girl, dealing with mental health and falling in love. That is true magic and I want to see more of it!

A very cute YA romance in which Tessa, a romance writer, loses her mojo on the very first day of class at a select school for the arts. At the suggestion of her best friend, Tessa tries to jump start her writing by initiating a romance with the campus heart-throb who already has a girlfriend but flirts with Tessa. And of course there is Sam, her loyal and smitten neighbor who whips up a baked good for every occasion but is not boyfriend material (or so she thinks).
Like Felix Ever After, the book is set in an artsy school where it appears (on the outside) that the students are freer to express their true selves than they would be at a "regular" high school. We know, though, that this is not true, and Tessa is not the only one struggling to find her place at the aptly named Chrysalis Academy.
The book includes instances of racism, friends growing apart when one moves away, imposter syndrome, a family member with disabilities, and very many Harry Potter references.
It was an enjoyable read.
Thank you Netgalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.

Yep! Yep! Spread the word. It’s as cute as it’s cover (better).

Wish this existed when I was younger (oh my sister would’ve LOVED this), but so happy it’s here now. Lots of fantastic, authentic inner thinking which is so clutch in these types of books. Dynamics of family, friends, race, fitting in, finding your ‘thing’, failing... all the things.

Extra bump for previous SPED teacher yay, my peeps, you’re a great writer and woohoo for bringing disability into our MG/YA books !! The field has needed this author for so many reasons.

Finally, this is the first romantic interest I’ve found sincerely delightful and adorable in a long time. What a treat.

Thanks to the author for taking the jump to write this!! and for the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Can’t wait to share with my teacher friends and students, they deserve a book like this.

Happily Ever Afters is the perfect feel-good rom com set in a realistic world. Tessa, a 16 year old black girl feels like the only way she will see herself in the romances she loves, is to write them herself. She does this well enough to get into an awesome arts conservatory high school as a transfer. However, as she gets this awesome chance, her inspiration has left her. This puts Tessa, and a wonderful set of characters on a chase to get her groove back. I adored this book and it’s realistic, yet still hopeful outlook of the young black girl’s experience. Elise Bryant is sure to be a must read from now on. :)

A wonderful PG, fun read for students. I am always looking for books that students will enjoy reading in between the books they have to read for class. This is definitely something I can see many students picking up and flying through. I also love that it’s a diverse romance. Many of my students will be able to see themselves in the main character.

happily ever afters by Elise Bryant
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This book was an incredible coming of age story for young adults. This story focused on what it’s like to be a teen in a new town and new school.
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Tessa goes through the roller coasters of teenage life throughout the story. However, Tessa has a little bit different school situation than the average teen.
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This book not only gives you a cute, heart-warming romance , it teaches you so much more:
-people with disabilities don’t need special treatment, they just need to be treated like people, period.
-Be friends with people who are willing to stand up against racism.
-balancing friendships and relationships is hard, but it’s worth finding the equilibrium.
-distance friendship are hard, but worth it for those who truly matter.
-Even if someone doesn’t fit your definition of “cool”, let them be them, you’ll end up liking them better for who they are.
-You need to know that people might not always be there, but you will always have yourself.
-For the lucky individuals that have mothers in their lives, she is there for you. Use her.
-The discussion of going to therapy needs to be normalized.
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As a teacher, I cannot see reading this for curriculum or with a group of students. But I most definitely can see recommending this story to young adults in need of some inspiration, positivity, and examples of dealing with adolescence.
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Thank you to Net Galley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Elise Bryant for the copy of this story.

What a fun and enjoyable teem rom/com! Elise Bryant takes on a journey as Tessa tries to cure her writer's block with a real life romance. This book does get messy, but that is also very reflective of the lives of real teenagers. I also loved the conversation this book brings up about racial issues. Very timely and well done.

This book was a breath of fresh air! The author tackled so many topics that are relatable to both teenagers and adults. I loved watching our main character’s journey to her own happily ever after. I recommend this for all teens and their parents!

A book with a Black main character that doesn't shy away from Black issues but doesn't center on them because it's too busy being a really cute romance. I want this as a netflix movie so bad!! I feel like the end was a little rushed and maybe preachy, but it's all so swoonworthy and underlyingly woke.

This was so cute. It has everything I want in a YA book. A variety of personalities, high school setting, cute slow burn romance... just adorable! I loved everything about this!

I immediately gravitated to the cover of this book. It was such a cute story and easy read. This young adult novel is a contemporary romance is about a girl, Tessa, who can't relate to the girls in the romance novels that she enjoys reading about. She wants to have a love story of her own. Without realizing it, she becomes someone she really isn't. In the end, she appreciates who she really is and her uniqueness that sets her apart from others. When I received this ARC digital copy, I started reading it immediately. This was such a fun read and various parts of the book made me laugh. This book makes it Tessa's turn to shine!