This was not really anything like what I was expecting….

I’m rating it 3-stars. I had a hard time deciding, but it could land between 3 and 3.5, depending on the part of the book. The first half was tough to get through, but the second half went a bit quicker, the main character, Bella, grew up a bit and started making more mature decisions that her 30 year old self should have been doing all along, and then it felt more worthy of a 3.5 rating.

The concept of this storyline was rather interesting in the blurb, but I found myself getting quite angry and annoyed at Bella pretty much the whole way through, with how she behaved like a teenager and how she treated everyone around her like total garbage. There is a character in here that Bella was upset with, and I have a friend of the same name that I found myself suddenly upset with in reality because the book made me feel immature feelings towards him (I took on Bella’s immaturity in those many pages) … sorry to my real life “friend” Mark who had the brunt of book hangover emotions! It’s not good to behave like a teenager because of a book getting you upset.

While we do see Bella finally grow up, realize what she’s doing, take on some responsibility for her actions, apologize for hurting people, stop being selfish and hurtful online, and even move on in her career, personal life and relationships, she still has a very long ways to go. I’m happy with how it all ended, though.

And finally, the audio to ebook, which I was reading both at the same time, differed greatly - the audio must have the original British version while the ebook was edited to be North American and audio a final edited draft. Big changes! I have read many British books and been there many times so understand the terms, but trying to read along with the audio and it’s so different made me lose my place a lot. The narrator, Josie Charles, did a great job! She’s a new to me voice, and while I wasn’t loving the material, she made it easier to get through.

I received an advance review and advance listen copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin), and Macmillan Audio, and this is my honest opinion and feedback.

This was a cute, book-themed romance novel. The heroine goes through a wild journey to find her prince charming after dreaming of her fairy tale ending since childhood. When she decides to take a new stance on romance, she finds herself writing about her crazy romantic ventures.

This story was funny and entertaining. I enjoyed seeing this character change throughout this book. She had so much emotional and mental growth from the beginning of the book to the end. I am happy that she finally gets her happily ever after.

I’m not even sure what to say about this book - it was so different than anything I’ve read before!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
(Note on the spice - it’s not super detailed but the FMC definitely has a lot of sex in the book)

I had a hard time on a rating for this one, since I went back and forth between not liking it, and loving it.
I adored the audiobook - the narrator gave it the perfect touch. I went between that and the ebook, and I think had I just read it without listening, I may not have liked it as much.

Bella is not the most likeable character for most of the book. She’s selfish and whiny, but also hilarious and quirky. Her love life is a bit pathetic - she sleeps with the first guy to call her pretty. She’s possibly a little in love with her best friend? She definitely adores her a ton, and is super jealous of her fiancé. Bella is also quite the brat when her parents announce they’re getting a divorce.

HOWEVER - throughout the book, with a little help, she does learn about herself and evolve/mature (thankfully). If she hadn’t, I don’t think I could give this story about a 2-star rating.

Read if you enjoy:
⭐️ Romcom
⭐️ Heroine who loves fairytales
⭐️ Best friend’s brother
⭐️ Single POV/first person
⭐️ Short chapters

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Wanted to like this book, as I love anything fairytale-ish. The romance and MC didn’t seem to click for me. The premise was awesome, but the execution wasn’t quite there for my liking.

I received an advanced listening copy of Not That Kind of Ever After by Luci Adams through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and, here it is.
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☆☆☆ ½ - rounded down to 3 stars
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This was such a cute read! Although the tropes are pretty common, I loved the plot within this romcom, it's super unique and it made me laugh out loud in a lot of spots.
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Bella is an aspiring novelist in her late twenties who seems kind of stuck in her current life and everyone around her is moving forward without her. Bella is a hopeless romantic, she loves fairytales and is on the hunt for her Prince Charming. While using dating apps, and puts herself out there at parties and bars but continues to fall short. Her best friend's twin brother tells her that she should turn her hook-ups into stories, she does, and hilarity/drama ensues. 
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I didn't find Bella a likable main character but I do appreciate her eventual growth. I liked a lot of the secondary characters, they were quirky and I enjoyed their interactions.
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This is Luci Adams' debut novel and I will look out for more of her books in the future!
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Thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and author Luci Adams for this ALC to honestly review. Not That Kind of Ever After will be available on March 13th!

What a fun treat! I love the perspective of being a journalist and the concept of sexism and double standards

I wasn't sure what to make of this one. I believe it's supposed to be a romance, but it's more of Bella finding herself and her journey to do so.

I found humor, especially in the dialogue. I liked some of the scenes with friends and such. I didn't love any of the main characters. Bella is just a mess, somewhat immature and she doesn't treat people very well, even those she calls friends. She is insensitive. She treats her so called best friend horribly and wonders why she doesn't hear from her.

The dating and writing about it sounded good in theory, but the way she went about it just wasn't for me.

Marty showed promise at times, but other times he was also insensitive. These characters are late twenties and people I know in that age group are more mature.

I enjoy that they showed the character flaws, but felt they were shown so much that they overshadowed the good stuff. I enjoyed the interactions with Marty and her bestie more than the dates and would have liked more of her relationship with Marty.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for both an ALC and ARC of this is exchange for my honest review.

Typically, I love books that have to do with authors, publishing, bookstores and libraries. As a book professional myself, they make me feel right at home. So, it seemed an obvious choice to read "Not That Kind of Ever After."

Unfortunately, I found it to be a disappointing read. Bella Marbles's job played a very small role in the story, while her budding author career was the fuel for her sexcapades set to fairy tale themes, which she then wrote about to titillate her growing fanbase.

Bella wasn't very likable or relatable and seemed to make one selfishly immature and bad decision after the next. And I simply couldn't understand why the one decent single heterosexual man in her life wanted her, she was such a hot mess.

I appreciate the advance review copy, but can't recommend this book.

I do wholeheartedly believe if you go into it ignoring her age and focus on the heart of the story it will be an enjoyable read. I unfortunately couldn't separate it. I wanted to love this book so bad, the cover is adorable, the premise of the books sounded interesting and I liked the idea of it.I enioved listening to the narrator- I think she did an amazing job. I really liked Marty and I wish more of the book had been about him and Bella together rather than her constantly bashing him. I liked all of Bella's friends really. I was happy to see Bella's eventual growth and I adored the ending of the book. However, for about 90% of the book the FMC absolutely infuriated me. She was self-centered, whiny and extremely rude to pretty much everyone in her life. She really just made me want to scream and shake some sense into her. She was so unbelievably immature it was hard for me to overlook her age and focus on the heart of the story.
Honestly, if had I went into it thinking of it as more of a YA, coming of age, finding yourself kind of book I probably would have given it a higher rating. I could have somewhat understood the petty BS and her attitude. It also would have made the MC growth so much more fulfilling. Unfortunately, she was 29 and while I'm glad she found some clarity it just fell flat for me.

This was such a cute and unusual story. I really enjoyed this story and the audiobook pulled you in even more. the author out did themseleves

Overall this book was not for me.
The Positives:
-Hopeless romantics will connect with the protagonist
-Some of the dating exploits were funny
The struggles:
-I found the MC to be whiny and why me about a lot situations.
-The MC did not take much responsibility for her life, her actions, or what was happening. It read very mucb "why me" about a lot of things.
-Love does not and should not be the end all be all but it was sold as such.
-the characters were just not well developed or easy to connect with. Many seem shallow and self centered.
-The plot felt a little all over the place and the development of the MC being writer seemed like an added thought.

Nope, can't do it. Not gonna make myself. The start to this book is terrible and the female lead is atrocious. I have no interest in spending page after page of her banging guys she's not actually interested in just because they call her pretty and could be "the one". Stand up girl! Stand up!

This is a terrific light romance! Bella, fairytale lover, is done with dating apps. She wants something like her parents have…which in her mind is the happily ever after.

She is an aspiring writer and starts recording her abysmal dates on a site where she goes viral. I’m an attempt to continue her book, she decides to continue dating and recall all of her sexcipades and paint them all as fairy tale episodes.

Will her rise to fame for her novel distract her and make her miss out on her own happy ending?

Light, raunchy, and humorous, this book definitely has a place on the shelf.

This one was okay. I struggled through it at times. I kept going because I'm not a quitter, but at times, it was tough to continue listening. Sometime it was hilarious but most of the time it just didn't hold my attention. I think this one just wasn't for me. I thought the audiobook narrator did a pretty good job and was enjoyable to listen to. Thanks to Netgalley and the audiobook publisher for allowing me to listen and review this book.

There was some of the story that I liked and some of the story that I just cringed at. I did like the romance side, but not the cringey one night stands over and over again. And it was weird how the author just through in a new roommate and the others just disappeared. And what the heck was that encounter with them? That was just weird. I did think that Bella was whiny brat.

Unfortunately I had a harder time with this book and didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. Which is too bad b/c Rachel Lindsay is a kick a** girl. The beginning was good but as I kept reading my interest started to fade. It lacked the depth and lacked the romance for a romance book.

When I decided to read Not That Kind of Ever After I thought it was going to be a Rom Com Fairytale, however it was a little more on the R rated side of things. Bella the main character hooks up with anyone who will give her the time of day thinking it might be her prince charming. When her hookups don't work out, she decides to write about them and post them on B-Reader. As her fan base grows so does her crazy attempts at another fairy tale plot.

This was a rollercoaster as a reader, not because of the story which was quite predictable, but about how I felt.

From the beginning I was put off. Bella is selfish, self centered and shallow. Her main complain about her asshole date is not how shitty of a human he is but how hairy he is! She also has a weird thing about vagina names which I honestly don’t get and find childish. Lastly there’s one too many Harry Potter references which in 2023 we should be done with those.

I thought of DNFing early on but since I got this book for a review I wanted to give it a chance and ultimately I am glad I did. The premise is really cool and I loved Bella’s friends and ultimate love interest, I appreciate there was no unnecessary third act break ups and the character growth was what kept me going. Bella does realize how shitty of a person and a friend she’s being and she takes actual steps not only to apologize but to be better and I really appreciated that.

At the end I really enjoyed the book but I can see how many people would be put off by it and I can’t ignore how I felt about it at the beginning so it gets a 3⭐️ from me.

oooph. I should have stopped listening at the beginning. Very little actually happens in this book, the main character is whiny, she has all these self-imposed issues. It was a quick read, some parts were funny and made me laugh, but overall the book was kind of boring. 

Thank yo unetgalley for my advanced reader copy

I liked this book. It wasn't as feminist as I thought it would be, but it threw some punches at the patriarchy. I would say it rates about two flames on the romance flame rating meter.