Happily Never After by @lynnpainterbooks is an absolutely hilarious and incredibly entertaining rom com. One of the only authors who can make me actually laugh out loud with her characters’ witty banter.

Max has a side gig as a wedding objector for hire. When he breaks up Sophie’s wedding, they end up joining forces as a wedding objector team. Sparks fly along with some hilarious wedding shenanigans. One of my favorite parts of the book though was the side characters- Sophie’s elderly roommates Rose and Larry. Please give Rose and Larry their own book, ok Lynn? Pretty please!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I can always count on Lynn Painter for snappy, forthright dialogue and interesting concepts. In this case, having an objector at the wedding when one of the party is a cheater. It makes it feel more like it is not the non-cheater's fault, as though they are an innocent victim rather than an accuser. I did find it a little unbelievable that the non-cheater would just go through with the marriage otherwise. But there is a lot of pressure around weddings.

Our main couple here, are a bride Sophie, who was a non-cheater and Max, the objector, since her potential groom was cheating. There are other dynamics since Sophie works at the same company as the cheater. Sophie just plain doesn't believe in one true love. Max believes but hasn't found her.

Together they end up fake dating. Sophie has a way to prove to her boss she has a personal life beyond work. Max can hold off the dates and pressure from his family to settle down. They end up doing objections together, since they are proponents of objections. Sophie and Max also find they have other hobbies and interests in common.

You can guess how this will end up as they just become more and more real in their fake dating. I enjoyed this enough to finish it in one day!

The premise of this book sounded super fun and intriguing but ultimately I was left underwhelmed.

I was hoping for more of a Wedding Crashers vibe, but it ended up being pretty meh.

Thank you Berkley & NetGalley for the advance review copy! All opinions are my own.

Lynn writes such happy, funny books that run on banter and snappy dialogue and HAPPILY NEVER AFTER was no exception. Max and Sophie had delightful repartee and made me laugh consistently. Anyone looking for a feel-good romance, this is your book!

it's been a while since I have finished reading a book and wanted to immediately read it again because I loved it so much.

This book was so good! My perfect romantic comedy. I absolutely LOVED the banter, it was top-tier banter. The use of last name *squeals* ahh it is one of my favourite tropes.

This was sort of a friends-to-lovers/workplace romance. Sophie & Max became friends after he stood up an objected to her wedding (saving her from a HUGE mistake). After that they became friends and teamed up to be the objectors at other weddings, all while vowing never to fall in love.

The spicy was so well done and the tension made my heart beat fast. It was one of those books that distracts you all day at work, just thinking about when you can read more of it.

Full 5 stars from me! Thank you so much to Berkley Romance & Netgalley for this arc.

Sophie finds out her fiancé is cheating on her. To get out of the relationship she hires a professional wedding objector, a person who “objects” during the wedding ceremony. The wedding objector is Max and after he objected at Sophie’s wedding, they become friends and join forces to save other people from marrying the wrong person. But the more time they spend together the closer they get.

This was such an entertaining and sweet read! I loved both Sophie and Max and their banter, and I thought being a “objector” was unique. There were some fun side characters, especially Sophie’s geriatric roommates, and it had the perfect amount of steam. I loved every minute of it!

Sophie is hours away from saying “I do” when she finds out her fiance has cheated… again. She wants to call the wedding off, but is nervous because her fiance’s father is her dad’s boss and she’s worried about her dad’s job. Sophie’s best friend tells her she has things handled and not to worry, as she has found The Objector. Who is The Objector? Well, he’s the person who says he has an issue with two people getting married at that point of their ceremony.

This was a super cute book! It’s light and easy to read while giving you enough details that will have you guessing what’s going to happen next without totally giving it away. Both Sophie and Max believe marriage is a waste of time and have no desire to ever get married. However, once Sophie and Max realize they might have a thing going on between them, their chemistry is great together. Sophie’s roommates, Larry and Rose, were a great addition to the story, especially at the end! This is my first Lynn Painter book, and I’m looking forward to checking out her other books.

Shout out to fellow Cubs fan Max!

A big thank you to Berkley Romance and the author for letting me review this advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You are looking for an easy read, light on the spicy, and with fun characters.

Thank you to @berkelypub @prhaudio @letstalkbookspromo for the #gifted copy.

Lynn Painter has quickly become an auto buy author of mine. I listened on audio and enjoyed the narration. The author just has a way of making me laugh out loud and this is why I look forward to reading every one of her books. Sophie and Max’s story was no different and I just love the idea of a a job as a wedding objector. Sign me up!!

Lynn Painter is an auto-buy author for me, if she writes it, I’ll read it. But sadly this book was a swing and a miss for me. The blurb is really interesting, it’s like a fun take on wedding crashers.

When I pick up a Lynn Painter book, I can always count on fun banter; the characters are always so quirky and funny. I think where this book lost me was the pacing. Things had to move quickly because this book is on the shorter side. I just didn’t feel a connection to the characters and shockingly I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two love interests.

Sophie and Max meet the night of her would-be wedding night...except her best friend hired Max to be an objector during the ceremony so Sophie doesn't make the terrible mistake of marrying a cheating, lying, partner. They cross paths a few months later when Max reaches out to get Sophie's help at an objection and she's hooked. They have a lucrative side-hustle objecting at weddings to keep them from happening. It is a hilarious premise with a lot of steamy scenes between the two main characters who've decided that they're never going to be in relationships again. A quick, lighthearted romance with a lot of humor.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

“Speak now or forever hold your peace” a moment in every wedding where you can hear a pin drop, but Max is used to seizing these moments. Max is a professional “wedding objector” who steps in to interrupt weddings for people who have no way out and can prove their significant other has wronged them.

Sophie finds out right before her wedding that her fiancé cheated on her yet again, so she gets in touch with Max to interrupt the wedding, and that’s where their story begins…

Pick this one up if you’re looking for:
🤭Fake dating
💘MC doesn’t believe in love
🗣️Witty banter
👫Friends with benefits
🌶️Little bit of spice

For me, HAPPILY NEVER AFTER started off strong in the beginning but lost a little momentum in the middle/end. Overall enjoyed it, but wish there was more tension/more to the plot in the middle and end.

This was a super cute romcom that had me grinning from ear to ear. The story just flowed and I loved the characters and how freaking adorable they were! I’m not one for fake dating but this one sort of had a twist to it so it worked for me. Also, the supporting characters were a hoot.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter was such a pleasant surprise for me. It was a book that I read with a smile plastered to my face for a good portion of the book. The main source of my plastered smile was the fun banter and the quirky side characters (Larry for the win!).  These two elements are some of my favorites to find in books, so having both in one was an extra treat. 

The premise was a fresh one in that it was anti-romantics partnering up to object to weddings to save one of the spouses to be.  Although I’ve never been to a wedding where they even asked for objections, let alone seen an objection, it was fun to see it played out on the page.  The evolution of the objector and objectresses friendship was also a delight to read.  I recommend this one for a pleasurable light read!

I realized that this is my first ever Lynn Painter. I was happy to learn that she has an equally amazing backlist. I’m hoping to tackle some of the other highly recommended reads from her backlist this spring when I need a good, fun rom-com,

This was such a fun, easy romance to read. I am always down for fake dating!

Sophie meets Max when he is an "objector" at her wedding. He has an interesting side gig where he objects at weddings to stop weddings when people don't know how to get out of them. They end up meeting a time or two and become friends. Sophie decides she wants in on the objecting. They start hanging out and it helps her as far as her job goes, and Max's parents think that he's found someone. So they run with that.

Not surprising, they catch feelings. But Sophie doesn't believe in love. Can Max make her fall?

The audio was so cute and I loved the narration.

Such a fun read!

Many thanks to PRH Audio for an ALC, and NetGalley and Berkley Pub for an ARC all in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book!! I love the characters and the way Painter creates a situation that is both funny and emotional. The banter and chemistry between Sophie and Max are top notch. Also, if you are looking for the funniest first line, look no farther.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Happily Never After by Lynn Painter. I enjoyed this book so much!

I found this book to be a breath of fresh air. I have been in such a reading slump this year, and I enjoyed this one so much. It was fun and engaging, and I really enjoyed the characters. I identified with so many elements of their character, and I thought the book was cleverly written. I give this book two thumbs way way up!

Happily Never After is a fun idea - he’s an “Objector”, someone who is paid to object at a wedding by the bride or groom for various reasons (usually infidelity on the other’s part). She’s a bride whose friend arranged for his services for her, as her fiance is a scumbag but she can’t just dump him because her dad works for his. They share a few drinks the night of the canceled wedding, and reconnect months later.
She doesn’t believe in love or marriage, he falls first, and she has absolutely hysterical roommates (Larry is in his 70s and possibly one of the best side characters ever).
Lynn Painter’s banter is next level, I always love the way her main characters talk to each other. The dialogue is snappy, the plot is perfectly paced, and the characters are funny and wonderfully flawed. Such a fun read!

Thank you @berkleyromance & @prhaudio for my complimentary copy. My thoughts are my own.

This was such a fun and engaging read! Romance is not my go-to genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one! With an original storyline, well-developed (and lovable) characters, a quirky cast of friends, witty banter, and a touch of spice, this amusing story also has depth!

Sophie first encounters Max on her wedding day when he stands and objects to her nuptials! Soon, they develop a friendship as they are both hired to object at other questionable weddings. But when they are asked to object at the wedding of the woman who broke Max’s heart, Max must decide if he can be a participant to his ex-fiancée getting hurt, and Sophie is forced to examine her true feelings for Max.

I equally enjoyed both the print and audio versions of this book. The story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of Sophie and Max. Audio narrators Helen Laser and Sean Patrick Hopkins do an excellent job bringing the characters to life!

Read (or listen to) this if you enjoy:
*friends to lovers
*hilarious situations
*quirky roommates
*love cynics
*soul-searching moments
*a touch of spice

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

Another sweet rom-com from Lynn Painter.

I thought the premise for this book was cute, if a little farfetched. I don't think I have been to a wedding that asked for objections in a very long time, so for there to be this many of them that Max was able to make it as pocket money seemed a bit out there. But honestly that wasn't even the most unbelievable thing about this book. That would go to Sophie buying a completely original '69 Camaro with less than 8000 miles on it from an old lady who had been holding onto it for decades after her husband died. To quote Indiana Jones, "it belongs in a museum!" Or at least on the auction block.

Other than that, it was a sweet story with plenty of banter and a lot of feeling. Max and Sophie were soft for each other right from the get go, if a little goofy and quirky, but not necessarily in a bad way. If there was one thing that I would have wanted to see more of it would have to be the resolution of the book. It felt very rushed and the reader did not get as big of a payoff as I would have liked. But otherwise, it was a very enjoyable book, and if you like Painter's other books, you'll enjoy this one.

Netflix and Amazon - Here is your next hit Rom Com!

Without a doubt this is one of most original romances I have read and the comedy is off the charts. Told with warmth, empathy, and the most amazing nuance for storytelling through dialogue Painter will amaze and astonish you with the power of this book. I literally laughed so hard out loud by the unexpected humor when I started this that My Guy needed to hear what was so funny. And then he was laughing along as we enacted the first meeting between Sophie and Max, we were giggling like teens on a first date as we red through scenes together! He wants to be an Objector! Now, that is a book not to be missed.

This review is my own opinion of an ARC from Netgalley and Berkley