E-ARC Provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review:

DNF at 35%: Although I liked certain things about this book (Tessa writing romance for instance.), I wasn’t compelled to keep reading, and that was due to the pacing. And as a disabled person, though the portrayal of her disabled brother, Miles, is better than some of the non-OV portrayals I read, I didn’t need to read about her being embarrassed by him without admitting to it. Or him being judged by the public.

16-year-old Tessa tells her story in first person. She and her family have recently moved to California. A big part of the story is her relationship with her 19-year-old brother with cerebral palsy. Her friend, Caroline, also play a big role in the book. She loves writing and aspires to be a romance author. What I most appreciated is Bryant’s ability to incorporate several issues confronting young people sich as race, disabilities, and mental health.

Very predictable. In fact, the book cites what could be considered the source material, Pretty in Pink. There's a love triangle, a close friend dispensing advice and the "right" ending. I particularly liked the baking and wished we had more of that, ditto the fanfic/romantic fiction that Tessa supposedly writes (when she writes). I also think that more of her interactions with her Art of the Novel class could have been helpful.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Love the way this book simultaneously developed a story of romance while also being a book focused on the writing process, imposter syndrome, vulnerability, and self-love. This nuanced teen romance was pleasantly complex and shed light on friendships and high school drama.

I used to read and review a LOT of Young Adult but hadn't picked up any in a while. I enjoyed this one a lot. Tessa is a high school junior and aspiring writer, romance novels that so far, only her best friend has ever read.. Her family moves to a new town, and she's the new girl at a prestigious arts conservatory. Once she's at the new school, the words stop. Her long-distance best friend comes up with a plan to get the words flowing again using every romance novel trope with the hot boy whose wealthy parents are founders of the school. He already has a girlfriend, but minor detail can't get in the way of true love, now can it!?

In the meantime, Tessa has struck up a friendship with her neighbor "Hawaiian Shirt" Sam. Sam has been called into service to drive Tessa to school. He's in a new program at the school, culinary arts, and he is a master of baked goods. Sam's the kind of dorky boy next door, but man can he bake! He is definitely not the stuff that romantic heroes are made of, or is he?

Adding to the complications, Tessa's mom is white and her dad is black. At school, she blends in. It's a diverse crowd, much more so than at her old school. However, as accepting as her friends might be at school, they don't understand the complications her brown skin can add to interactions with authority figures in the community and store clerks. Also, her brother has disabilities and takes up a lot of her family's time and attention. Tessa sometimes has to struggle to be seen by her parents and not forgotten in the struggle of keeping her impulsive brother safe.

All in all a fun read, thought-provoking, too. My only critique is that I thought it ended a bit abruptly. I would have liked a little more of a resolution. The resolution was implied but I would have liked a little more detail.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read a digital advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This book was a cute accurate portrayal of a teen girl who is trying to figure this life thing out while also living in her own mind. It was beautifully written. Even if YA is not your go to, this book would bring you great enjoyment. Definitely pick this one up and add it to your 2021 reads!

A very cute and very realistic portrayal of a teen girl who lives inside her head and is testing the waters with getting into the real world. I related to Tessa a lot (she's a writer, I'm a writer, aaahh) and loved that she was pictured as this character who knew (in theory) how to make things happen on the page but not in her life. That's something I could definitely relate to at her age, and I love that that aspect is brought to the forefront here! :) Also, I love Sam. A highly recommended read!

This book is honestly the perfect YA romance to me! Tessa is such a sweet, relatable protagonist and her anxieties reminded me so much of myself as an anxious teen. The love interest is such a sweetheart (who BAKES!), and the friendships are just as compelling. On top of being a great love story, this book deftly addresses more serious topics, such as Tessa's experiences growing up biracial, facing microaggressions, having a brother with disabilities, dealing with anxiety. There was just so much to love here, wrapped up in a charming, romantic package. Already can't wait for Bryant's next book!

This book was as joyful, adorable and sweet as I was hoping it would be.

Tessa has recently started attending Chrysalis Art Academy, but her insecurities have her questioning whether she really belongs there. She’s been a writer her whole life, but once she finds out her words will be critiqued by her classmates, the words stop coming. So, she and her best friend come up with the “perfect” plan to help her live her own love story to motivate her to start writing again.

First of all, Tessa being a mixed girl who is afraid to let anybody read her writing hits a little too close to home for me. Lets just say, I felt very seen. I don’t know if I’ve ever related to a character as much as I have Tessa Johnson. Her parents were just like mine, her anxiety was like mine, and her passion for writing was just like mine.

Of course the main couple is adorable and yes it was predictable (it’s a romcom folks) but I was still rooting so hard for them the whole time I was reading.

I really don’t know what else to say about this delightful book other than that it lived up to all my expectations and that you should definitely preorder it.

CW // there were A LOT of Harry Potter references throughout this book

Thanks to NetGalley and Balzer + Bray for this ARC!

Some real Fangirl energy to this one, combining an anxious MC with concerns about sharing her writing and an unconventional love interest. I really enjoyed the way the book balanced lots of different aspects - alongside Tess's mental health struggles and her writing, there was her interactions with her mother, her relationship with and concern regarding her brother, discussion of racism and microaggressions, and her friendship with Caroline, not to mention the romantic elements of the story - giving each plenty of room on the page, and making it all seem quite real and fleshed out. I especially appreciated Sam as a character and the way Tess's relationship with Miles was shown, and found the writing flowed really well.

Like in Fangirl, I did think that skipping over excerpts from the MC's writing might have been a better choice (I hold this rule for essentially everything I read: if a character is talked up as a wildly talented writer, I end up judging the writing included pretty hard). I also did find myself wishing that the text would have included more about Tess taking Caroline's friendship advice to heart more generally - Lenore, for example, seemed like a great character, but practically everything she did revolved around getting Tess ready for a party, hanging out with Tess's brother, having opinions about Tess's relationships...

Certainly recommend not only to Fangirl readers, but those who like YA contemporaries in general.

"Writing is what I do, and who even am I anymore if I don't write?"

Tessa Johnson is a writer. She's been writing since she was very young, creating fanfiction, and starting her own novels. Not just any novels, though, romances starring girls with Afros and dark skin. Girls that don't get the leading lady role in the romances she reads. She writes predominately for herself, her best friend--Caroline--being her only reader. And she's fine with that! Except, after a big move to Long Beach, Tessa's mom submits Tessa's writing to a prestigious creative arts high school, and Tessa is accepted into their creative writing program.

Her first day of school arrives, and she goes to her first workshop and... the words aren't there. They have disappeared. Gone. Like that. Nothing, zilch, nada. No matter what Tessa tries, she can't write.

Caroline has a suggestion, though: what Tessa needs to get the words back is some real-life experience in the romance department. Tessa quickly sets her sights on another writer in her program, and she and Caroline come up with a step-by-step plan to get the guy and place Tessa as the leading lady in her own real-life romance novel. But is Nico really the other half of Tessa's OTP? Especially as she continues to grow closer to Sam, the baker boy from across the street? Will Tessa find her words and her Happily Ever After?

Ironically, as this is a book about a girl with anxiety, I started this book with quite a bit of anxiety myself. Ever since I heard about it, I was full of excited anticipation. This has been the book I've been looking forward to the most, and was ecstatic when I got approved for it on NetGalley. So there was that little bit of fear of "What if I don't love it?" that one sometimes gets when you finally get your hands on a book you're really excited about. In just a few short chapters, however, those fears were washed away and I was thoroughly and completely in love: with Tessa, with Sam, with Lenore and Theodore, with Miles, with Caroline, with Tessa's parents... They all felt so real and wonderful, like I could reach through the pages and touch them, laugh with them, hug them. (But, let me be real: what I really wanted to do was reach in and snatch up as many of Sam's desserts as possible. I can't even pick which one I'd want the most because they are all so. Stinking. GOOD!) You know a book is good when the character's joy is your joy, and the character's pain is your pain, and Bryant KILLS IT in writing emotion as well as plot.

Bryant is a tremendously talented writer, and her debut is phenomenal, emotional, and breathtakingly beautiful. "Happily Ever Afters" is perfect for every reader, aspiring writer, teenager, adult, and... Yeah, it's perfect for everyone.

When I started reading this book, I realized something: this is the closest representation I've ever gotten. She's biracial, loves writing, but is secretive about it, social interactions can be draining to her... It was so beautiful to see and I began in this book with a warm feeling!

This book is filled with romance tropes I secretly kinda love. It also deals with peer pressure and trying to fit in at a new school.
Sam was just too sweet. This donut baking boy DESERVE ALL THE LOVE! Another character that stole my heart was Lenore. I could clearly picture her in my head and I would love to read more about her. Maybe a Lenore or Sam standalone??? *grins*
This book also touches on microaggressions, which was very well written. It's a subtle form of racism that some people may not notice, but definitely happens.

"I felt less scared knowing I was going to a new place, that I would be starting over at Chrysalis, where people wouldn't know the difference and notice or, even worse, comment."

The quote above made me chuckle. This summer I chopped of a big chunk of hair. The reason why I did it during the summer holiday was because for the exact reason as Tessa's.

Tessa's brother is disabled and I can't review the book on the disability rep.

Now on to the critique.
I thought it was weird that the main character went after a guy who was taken. Even if they were on and off again, they were definitely on in the book and that's just weird.
It was definitely not a ship I could root for.

I would recommend 'Happily Ever Afters'. It is a lighthearted read with a realistic ending.

Thank you Netgalley/HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a warm, comfortable hug. That's honestly the perfect way to describe it. You get out of it exactly what you expect... possibly, this is the why I was wanting a little more. It was VERY predictable. I guessed pretty much every step of the way throughout the entire book. Tessa as a character is incredibly flawed (which usually I love) but I wasn't particularly obsessed with how she doesn't care about going after someone else's boyfriend. I also didn't love how she treated the ultimate best character in the entire book, *clearly Sam* - honestly Sam, the GBF (guy best friend) character makes this entire book for me.

I DID love however Tessa's growth as a writer. She has a brother with disabilities, in which the author *nails* what it its like to be the sibling, so so well. I love the relationship she has with her parents, so loving and real. The internal monologue of a half Black, half white teen, going back and forth between a group of privileged white kids & a very diverse, empathetic group was fascinating. The setting, being in a performing arts high school (in which we have creative writers and bakers instead of the stereotypical actor) was SO FUN!!!

From the beginning of Happily Ever Afters, Tessa and her family captivated me. A passionate writer, Tessa loves Meet Cutes and swooning. At the same time, the fear of sharing her work and concerns about the 'legitimacy' of her writing, haunt her. In order to get her inspiration back, she decides to find her own happily ever after. The characters are my favorite part of Happily Ever Afters. Detailed and quirky, you can feel the dreams beating in their caged fears and their vulnerabilities on the page.

I figured I would love Tessa, but what I didn't realize is how much I'd love the other characters. A central piece of Tessa's family is her disabled brother with athetoid cerebral palsy. At time, she feels like she cannot be 'a burden' because she realizes how much extra care her brother needs. The way her friends treat her brother, as well as her feelings regarding other's opinions of him, is a topic explored throughout the book. Her family, presented with the new move, is trying to do the best they can. Even if they make mistakes, you can tell there's so much love and caring infused in the pages.

I liked that this novel was not only a cute, entertaining read, but it also tackled some deeper worldly issues. I thought this book was so cute and I couldn't put it down.

To say that I loved this book is an understatement! Elise delivers a heartwarming, beautiful story about a young Black girl finding her voice and falling in love at the same time. You will fall in love with these characters immediately and want more of them once you finish. As a Black woman this is the type of story I’ve always dreamed of reading. If you loved to All The Boys I Loved Before and Jane The Virgin, you will love this!

Tessa is 16, and transferring to a new arts high school for creative writing. When she gets there she starts to fall for Nico, a cute classmate that looks like a character in one of her romance novel drafts. When Tessa gets writer's block and can't make any new progress on her stories, her best friend Caroline cooks up a rom-com worthy plan so Tess can get her "happily ever after" and renew her writing inspiration.

This book is a lovely book for teens about staying true to yourself and growing into the person that you want to be, and not what others may want you to be. The friend characters (Sam in particular) are all wonderfully three dimensional. Positive role models abound!

4.5 stars

This novel is so much more than I expected!

Tessa, the main character, is flawed but SO likeable. She has just moved to Long Beach, CA, from Northern California, with her mom, dad, and brother, Miles. Miles "has disabilities," as Tessa says, and he is an incredibly well drawn character both on his own and as a part of the m.c.'s family. Having one sibling who accurately announces - everywhere - , "I'm disabled," I found this relationship extremely resonant and moving from start to finish. Along with the move come new neighbors, a new school, and new strains on past relationships. This is also a fantastic depiction of Long Beach and the local dessert scene. Warning: you will want baked goods so much while you read.

This novel seems like it's going to be the typical YA love triangle, but it has an extremely satisfying set of romantic love stories AND much more important kinds of love stories woven throughout. I'll keep that vague for fellow spoiler haters. There is just the right amount of "WHY IS SHE DOING THIS?!" and "YES, Tessa!" here, and the ancillary characters are involved in meaningful and appealing ways, too.

I also love the way Tessa interacts with her identities, reacts to/calls out/chooses not to call out certain people's nonsense, and provides insight into her experiences in a way that feels both authentic and not overblown.

What a tremendous debut. I can't wait to read more from Bryant and feel extra proud to be a fellow So Cal resident in this moment.

I adored this book! Tessa recently moved and is attending a school with a specialization in art. She is FINALLY going to her dream school, but she can't seem to find the words to write. After confiding in her friend, Caroline, who tells her that maybe Tessa needs to experience her own HappIly Ever After. Perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin and To All the Boys I've Loved Before!!

Here was another YA romance that I was looking forward to prior to reading, and boy, did this read deliver. I mean, I still can't stop smiling now that I reached the ending. The book follows Tessa, a diverse romance writer whose family just moved to Long Beach with her parents, older brother who has disabilities, and she. One day, just after the move, her brother Miles intends to prank their neighbor, but when she has to clean up the mess, she meets dorky, not fashion savvy Sam in a Hawaiian shirt, and it turns out they'll both be starting at the same art school, where he cooks! Which, side note, I want those lavender donuts he made her SO SO SO bad. My stomach is growling that I cannot, but moving on. So, it's clear he's the dream guy right, because he cooks, huh. Hm, or am I projecting a bit, oh well. It's such a fun and engaging YA that I enjoyed and really got sucked into. I also loved all the YA callouts to classic works from the genre, such as TATBILB, The Hate U Give, and calling Sarah Dessen a queen, yasss I love my bookish references! Then, there's the ridiculously handsome Nico in her writing class that is exactly how she pictured her latest manuscript's love interest. So, love triangle trope time, please! She starts school and with all the anxiety of being the new kid and not knowing anyone and not feeling like she's a good enough writer and deadlines for her novel writing class, it's a terrible time for writer's block, but of course that happens and leaves her feeling like a fraud. Best friend Caroline, back in Sacramento, wants to help and helps Tessa devises a plan to help her get her groove back by having her experience first love and get a boyfriend, so she can get back to writing. This book is shaping up to one super cute slow-burn romances, and I'm digging it. We definitely get a fun love triangle, as she gets closer to previously unavailable Nico, Sam gets a little makeover moment where she sees him in a whole new light. She and Sam just have such an effortless connection while Nico is more of a suave, smooth operator with a girlfriend who flirts with her, so obviously I'm team Sam, bad Hawaiian shirts and zip-off cargo shorts and all. After a few introductory chapters, the plot finally picks up and moves faster, where I just can't put this book down and have to find out what happens next. Like once I'm into this book, I'm so obsessed and just can't stop reading until I finish it because this reads quickly with captivating language that feels authentic for a teenaged first love tale. The real romance at the end is just so cute and dear sweet Sam is just so pure and precious, I mean that homemade ice cream, I swooned. Then, yes there's a HEA, because of course, but what I loved was that it was more than a romantic love, but also focuses on her own self-love and growth, her becoming the best writer she can be, and ahhhh, then she makes her own grand gesture which was just so adorable. But that end, gah I just wanted more!! The cover's cute and dreamy, and I love how the ending was more about her selflove and confidence, finding her ow voice, which it's just so good.