Happily Never After by Lynn Painter is witty, fun loving, and steamy romantic comedy that is more than just a story; taking the reader on a hilarious ride. Suppose you need to call your wedding off, but you can’t do it for any number of reasons. You can call in the objector, and he will interrupt things at just the right moment and save the day. Sophie Steinbeck found herself in this situation, and she’s eternally grateful for the objector who said “I object” at just the right time enabling her to call off the wedding. Sophie has a chance to later meet her savior, Max, and loves that he only takes on cheaters. Sophie decides she would like to help others in the same situation, so she teams up with Max for potential future wedding objections.

The two agree that love and marriage are a waste of time and as they go from wedding to wedding objecting, it becomes harder to deny their growing feelings. Sophie and Max might have been “love skeptics” but their chemistry was undeniable. I enjoyed their openness, especially with regard to their physical attraction, their playful teasing and banter, flirty texts, and fake dating. Sophie has the best roommates, Rose and Larry, and they added an additional depth to this enjoyable and humorous story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

What I loved:
✨Creative rom-com plot: I love the whole premise! Max successfully saves Sophie from marrying her cheating fiancee by objecting at the wedding when the minister asks if anyone knows why Sophie and her groom shouldn't marry. Afterward, Max proposes to Sophie to work together as "Objectors" at weddings. All this leads to a fun friendship and fake dating, one of my favorite romance tropes.
✨Hilarious: the wedding antics, the witty banter, the side characters: Larry & Rose, Sophie’s senior citizen roommates!
✨Narration: Helen Laser and Sean Patrick Hopkins embody Sophie and Max as they build their friendship, create hot chemistry with their fake dating, and have a refreshing take on open communication. They feel like a real couple.

Lynn Painter is a must-read author for me, and this book did not disappoint! It was a cute and easy read, with a unique plot and likable main characters. I really enjoyed the scenes where Sophie and Max went together to object weddings, and I love how they first met when he saved her during her own wedding. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t my favorite compared to some of Painter’s other novels. I’m looking forward to reading whatever she puts out next!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Lynn Painter for an ARC of this book!**

Speak now or forever hold your peace...

We all know those words, and many a movie has the long lost love coming out of the woodwork at the last moment to declare their undying love for the bride or groom to be BEFORE they tie the knot with the 'wrong' person.

But what if you could HIRE a certain someone to deliver that protestation...and save someone from marrying a no-good, cheating scoundrel?

It turns out you can...and these folks are known as professional "Objectors." The concept sounds a bit crazy to Sophie Steinbeck...until she has one such Objector shows up at her OWN wedding to stop her from marrying her co-worker and fiance Stuart, whose father ALSO just so happens to be Sophie's father's boss. (Ah, the tangled web of nepotism.) Although Sophie is crushed to learn about Stuart's philandering ways, she is fascinated by Max's Objector job, and after tossing back a couple of tequila shots in the bridal suite, the two have some laughs and commiserate about how love isn't real, etc. etc. The more Sophie learns about the 'job' the more she thinks it might be for her...but is there something about Max's twinkling eyes that is the TRUE reason she's invested?

Their qualms aside, Sophie decides to take the plunge with Max...at least, in business...and the two set out to Break Up Some Weddings. But the more time they spend together, the more they notice their deep attraction to one another...and it starts to become difficult to ignore the connection. With two friends that have sworn off love, though, a kiss here or there couldn't hurt, right? They also add an extra layer to the situationship (of sorts) by playing into the facade by posting photos that look couple-y on Instagram and allowing their parents to get excited about the possibility of the future grandbabies (one that isn't even SUPPOSED to come to fruition, mind you!) But as their physical entanglements continue, the question of whether feelings really ARE involved comes to the forefront when the wedding Sophie is asked to object at next is the wedding of the Max's ex...the one who broke his heart and made him swear off love in the FIRST place...and Max finds himself desperate to stop Sophie from intervening. Does this reluctance PROVE he still have feelings for his ex? Or have Max and Sophie haphazardly stumbled into the relationship they were so DETERMINED to avoid after all?

Lynn Painter is one of those authors I've seen mentioned over and over by trusted book friends and reviewers, and I'd heard that her books were witty and fun, with snarky banter and spice, and of COURSE I wanted to give one a try. I also loved the idea of the professional wedding objector being a new 'career' for our female lead (especially because traditionally it seems like MEN are the ones swooping in to break up unions before they even get started) and thought it would be entertaining to see the trajectory of this venture play out, with Sophie using different tactics and maybe having lots of fun stories to tell along the way....all with a side of very-predictable-but-very-fun romance of her own with Max to help complete the tale.

But what I got was something that relied very little on the premise...and a lot more on the two (somewhat annoying) MCs obsession with each others' bodies, their supposed 'done with love' attitude that was hardly present, LOTS of random profanity on every page...and a subpar plot that left me sighing, rolling my eyes, and ready for the wedding to be OVER.

None of these issues were present for the first few chapters: I actually LIKED the beginning, the set up with Max purposely crashing the wedding, even the liquor-fueled hangout between Sophie and Max at the start and hoped that this initial meetup (I don't think in this case I can call it a meetcute!) would over time blossom into something deep, interesting, and REAL. But when these characters met up for a second time, and Max couldn't stop talking about Sophie's red lips mentally OVER and OVER...red FLAGS started popping up for me...and never really let up from then on.

For one thing, it was hard for ANY of these characters (except maybe Sophie's parents?) to go a full page without dropping f bombs and other profanities, usually randomly, during whatever they were discussing. I'm far from a stickler when it comes to profanity (unless my son is around!) but ALL of these people used this type of language the way others casually drop the word 'like' in every sentence, and it just got to be distracting. Perhaps the worst abusers of this (surprisingly enough) were Sophie's elderly roommates, Larry and Rose, who also were not really charming to me in any fashion. Larry seemed pretty hung up (read: obsessed) with how much Max looked like a certain famous movie star, and there was hardly enough about Rose to even make her memorable to me a week after finishing this one...so that says enough right there.

I also ran into another issue that sometimes pops up for me when I'm reading a romance book that ALWAYS takes me out of the experience: Max's chapters didn't sound like they were written by a guy, and felt SO much like Sophie's that I occasionally forgot who was talking. This is always hard for me, because so many authors (two of my faves, Emily Henry and Sarah Hogle come to mind) have such a defined set of characters, I never have this issue, and I'm not sure what the secret sauce is....all I know is that it was missing here. I also felt like we got far too involved with both sets of parents in ways that didn't really benefit the plot, and getting to see more into Sophie and Max's SOULS would have been far more interesting. I feel like things stayed surface level with these two for SO long that it was hard to see anything meaningful develop (other than some forced drama at the end to allow Max to be the rescuer) and I didn't find that enough to endear me to the relationship.

And by the way, let's just call it like it is: this is a friends with benefits situation. I find it funny that these two, as blunt and as 'done with love' as they both claim to be, didn't just have that conversation from the beginning and CALL it out. And OF COURSE that situation will get complicated: it ALWAYS does. Even outside the confines of fiction, when two people who are WILDLY attracted to each other decide to participate in that kind of interaction, things will continue to become more complicated UNLESS the two agree to be only hook up buds until they decide to no longer be hook up buds (and we all know THAT wasn't going to happen!) There was really only one direction this was going to go, and although I'm okay with a predictable romance, it still is more fun or emotionally charged if it isn't a COMPLETELY foregone conclusion...and this one had foregone conclusion written all over it.

The last thing that made this one so difficult for me to truly enjoy was the nature of the situation-ship itself...and the lusty, doe eyed way these two interacted from start to finish. I've already mentioned Max's obsession with Sophie's red lips (which was more than a bit OTT) but with her fascination with his rock hard abs etc., Sophie was hardly better. I'm okay with a certain level of this in a romance novel: played the right way it CAN be spicy and fun. But for me, it was so overdone, the open doors were WAY too open for my liking, and all of the chatter about their Instagram posting had me rolling my eyes too, not to mention hearing all about their nights out drinking, etc. When I was done with this one? Let's just say I felt every BIT of my 37 years!

There's a reason I am somewhat choosy when it comes to romance books, and it has more to do with me as a reader than some of the fantastic authors in the genre: much like I was before I met my husband, I'm ALWAYS looking for the perfect match. But as much as I hate to be the Outlier when it comes to this Painter read?

I think it's safe to say you can put me down as an "Objector."

3 stars

This book was full of so much heart! 2 people struggling with the same fear of love not being real and getting their hearts broken again find each other! So funny as well!!

I loved this one! Lynn Painter brings us two fun characters who “object” at weddings to give the bride or groom a “Get Out of Jail Free Pass!” Sophie has sworn off of love and thinks she can put Max in the “friends only” box. However, these two have way too much chemistry and fun to stay in the friend zone! Fun banter and a cute storyline…this is a spicy and fun romance!

Sophie Steinbeck is on the verge of getting married when she finds out her one time cheating fiancé has oops, done it again. But ending things outright is complicated-their lives intertwined in more ways than one.

Then Sophie hears about a service where you can hire a professional objector to show up at your wedding and call out your shady significant other for you. This is how Sophie comes to meet Max, said part time objector, and a man who just so happens to be equally put off by love.

Over post, would be nuptial bonding, the pair come to a mutual understanding. So when Max offers Sophie to be his co-objector in crime, who is she, no pun intended, to object? But the more the two work to break others up, the more they find themselves drawn to one another. Can these two cynics take their sour outlook on love and turn their objections into declarations?

Happily Never After is perfect, rom com escapism for fans of old school movies that have, in recent years, inexplicably fallen out of favor. Putting aside the ridiculous premise there would be THAT MANY weddings to call off, the scenario itself is unique and an ideal setup for fans of jaded romance that no diehard fan can object to.

“I love banter, but I hate witty banter.” Kevin from the Office. If you share his viewpoint, then you’ll want to skip this book because the banter between the two MC is epic! This book was so much fun it gave me a kind of Wedding Crashers vibe with a romance vibe and it was off the charts fun!
Sophie is trying to get out of marrying her cheating fiancé without her father, who works for her fiancés father losing his job after just days before the wedding she found irrefutable evidence of the affair on her fiancés phone. Her best friend brings in Max, who is a college friend of her cousin’s, who had helped out another friend by objecting that the couple should not be wed at their wedding and got her out of her wedding too. Max has become The Objector. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up! But somehow Lynn Painter manages to time and time again!
After Max saves Sophie from marrying Stuart, they hit it off and a few months later he asks her to help him out as an Objector at another wedding and they end up having so much fun and so much chemistry that they agree to continue offering this service. Neither of them believe in love and they go from wedding to wedding and as they spend more and more time together, they try the friends with benefits route but soon realize that maybe love really does exist after all.
This book started with an awesome first line and kept me engaged the entire time. I didn’t want it to end! I loved that Sophie has two geriatric roommates that are more cool than I could ever hope to be as well. They brought such a fun energy ti their scenes!
If you’re in the mood for a light and laugh out loud funny story with a fair amount of steam then pick this one up today!
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

OMG this book was HILARIOUS! When bride, Sophie finds out her fiance was cheating on her, and her wedding was broken up, she is raging and ends up determined to save others from her humiliation. She joins forces with "Objector" Max, and they object during weddings when there is infidelity happening in the relationship. Determined never to fall in love again, Sophie is adamant that she and Max be friends...with benefits...but only friends. But is that actually possible?

I loved this book! I laughed out loud so many times! Now to go read Lynn Painter's backlist books!

Lynn Painter has done it again! There's truly nobody who does witty banter like her. Within the last year or two, she has become one of my absolute favorite authors.

I read romance books quite frequently, and I loved that this one had a unique concept! Max and Sophie are wedding objectors -- when the attendees are asked if anyone has a reason for the couple to not get married, they say "I do!" It all started at Sophie's wedding, where Max was hired as an objector to expose Sophie's fiance, who was cheating on her. Together, they help expose toxic partners at wedding ceremonies, so that their partner doesn't have to take the heat for calling off the relationship.

HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is a hilariously sweet friends-to-lovers romance. I adored the friendship between Max and Sophie, and their banter made me laugh out loud many times. I was sad when this book ended because I wanted to spend more time with these characters.

Lynn Painter is SO good at what she does and I will never not be counting down the days until next next release!

I'm a huge fan of Lynn Painter's novels and I'm happy to report that I have found a new favorite from her with her latest, Happily Never After!

When we first meet the female main character, Sophie, she is about to walk down the aisle but has just learned that her fiance has cheated on her yet again. She wants to call it off but her dad works for her soon-to-be father-in-law and she’s worried he will pay the price if she does. Not all superheros wear capes though and Sophie’s hero arrives in the form of Max, who has been paid by her besties to come to the ceremony and object to the marriage. Max hangs around for the anti-wedding festivities and he and Sophie get to know each other. He explains what he does as a professional Objector and when Sophie expresses interest in trying it, he calls her up the next time he has a job. A fun partnership soon forms, but what happens when the objectors, neither of whom really believes in love after having been burned too many times, start to have feelings for one another?

I really just loved everything about this book! Both Sophie and Max are so loveable and I just loved the way their friendship grows from such an unlikely scenario. It was also just so fun watching them go out there saving people from marriages destined to fail, one ceremony at a time. That partners-in-crime vibe was such a great time, and I adored their chemistry. It was all too easy to root for them to become more than friends.

Nobody makes me laugh harder than Lynn Painter. Her banter is some of the best I’ve ever read and it’s usually why I pick up her books. Happily Never After has all of that and so much more because there’s some emotional depth as both Sophie and Max have to learn to move beyond what has burned them in the past and re-embrace the possibility of love if they’re going to have a future together.

Lynn Painter does banter like no one else! This was an original romantic comedy that represented everything I love about this genre while still feeling fresh with a story line that hasn't been overdone. Sophie and Max have a meet cute (?) that is unlike anything I've read and I loved it! It was quite funny and the perfect set up for the rest of the book.

Perhaps what I enjoyed most about this book was Sophie's logical disbelief in true love. We've read countless stories where the FMC gets burned then swears off love, but Sophie's approach was so much less... emotional. It was an odd POV for a main character to have in a romcom, and I was really anxious to see how Lynn Painter would navigate it. She made me dis-believe in love so early on (and the MMC, too!) but she broke down the belief expertly and it really added to the story.

Sophie is independent, funny, and put herself first. I really enjoyed her as a FMC and she and Max had excellent chemistry!

Overall, this book is a great read if you're looking for something that will both chill your heart then warm it - - all while being expertly entertaining!

This was my first Lynn Painter and I was really excited to finally try her books! I was enjoying Happily Never After quite a bit, but somewhere around 40% my interest faded and unfortunately didn’t pick up again. I felt a bit bored at the plot toward the end, but the banter had its moments. 2.5 stars (2 for netgalley)

Happily Never After is another 5 star winner from Lynn Painter! I really enjoyed her previous novels but I think this one may just be my new favorite! If you like books that make you LOL, and/or books with wedding themes then grab this one! You won't regret it!

The chemistry was immaculate. The banter was hilarious. The steam was A+. It was fast paced. The was a friends to lovers/kinda fake dating combo was the perfect vibe. Also how the book starts with a wedding objection?! It was everything I didn’t know I needed. So, my only complaints are the third act break up…and the several times Sophie made me want to shake her. However, despite those things…I loved the book anyway.

If you love dual povs, great banter, amazing spicy scenes, friends to lovers/fake dating, and a fun plot line? This is for you!

Overall I thought this book was really fun! I loved the idea of the a professional wedding objector and felt like it was a really unique premise for a book! I thought Sophie and Max were a fun couple and really enjoyed the friendship they built that turned into a relationship.

5 Stars

Every single Lynn Painter book feels like falling in love with your best friend, and this book is LITERALLY FINDING YOUR BEST FRIEND AND FALLING IN LOVE.

Like all of Lynn’s previous romances, the banter is exceptional and I can’t help but smiling throughout the whole story. The premise of this book seems WILD, but it’s so unique that you can’t help but love it. Sophie has, through word of mouth, found someone to object at her nuptials to a cheating cheater, all so she can get out of the wedding unscathed and with fragile business relationships in tact. What she never expected was to befriend the man who objected for her and then want to join him in saving others from a similar fate BECAUSE TRUE LOVE DOESNT EXIST.

Max didn’t expect to be drawn in by Sophie or to do d himself having so much fun with her. LET ALONE CATCH SOME MAJOR FEELS BECAUSE HOLY CRAP THEIR CHEMISTRY IS OFF THE CHARTS. He doesn’t believe in true love, but what they feel for each other is undeniable, no matter how much they try to deny it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and it made my heart so happy. In my opinion, Lynn can’t write a bad romance and I absolutely loved every second of this story. And if you enjoy audio, the dual narrators were PERFECTION.

Thank you Berkley Romance for my gifted physical and digital copies 💕

Happily Never After
Lynn Painter

📖 On Sophie's wedding day, moments before saying "I do", she's saved by an objector. That is, a person who objects at weddings to stop good people from marrying not-so-good people. She and Max the Objector hit it off, and Max talks Sophie into becoming an objector herself. It's perfect really, as both are love cynics, convinced that real love just doesn't exist. The pair go from wedding to wedding, stopping folks from making the biggest mistake of their lives. But when something bubbles between them, they start to wonder if they've had it wrong all along.

💭 This is only my second Lynn Painter novel, and I was sad that her last one didn't really work for me. But this one? WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER. 🏆 This was a blast! Such a clever concept for a romcom. The humor was on point, with multiple laugh-out-loud moments. Sophie is SO quippy and fun, and she and Max have the best banter! The chemistry sizzles, the communication is open and honest, and I love the friends-first component. Definitely recommend!!

4.5 rounded to 5 ⭐

This was such a fun premise! Sophie is at the alter getting ready to marry her fiance who cheated on her repeatedly. She isn't able to call the wedding off because her future father-in-law is her dad's boss so she's in a lose/lose situation. That is until Max yells out I object at her wedding! Max is a professional objector, hired to stop weddings and Sophie is grateful he was there that day.

This was a fun story and premise. It was very light-hearted and a quick read. There was great banter and chemistry in the book and I loved Sophie's roommates.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

Lynn Painter has become an auto-buy author for me. I have to have everyone book in every format 🤣 ie- see the above photo with my @bookofthemonth physical copy! 😏

This book is so fun! I absolutely loved the premise and how Sophie and Max interact in this one. I love the whole “objectors” storyline it brings so much to this book, the banter between these two is perfect I’m still swooning.

This is definitely a favorite of mine and will be one of my comfort rereads.