I enjoyed the premise of this book. The fact that his job was actually an objector for weddings was a unique take on how to end a wedding when you feel like you have no other way out. But, I didn't feel that the characters were completely solid. It was an easy read so I didn't think this took away from the book too much.

Lynn Painter will never cease to amaze me. Everything she writes is hilarious and quirky and so real. Her characters feel like best friends, and this book was no different. I loved, loved, loved Sophie and Max and their BANTER. They had me giggling nonstop. I will never not recommend a Lynn book!!!

3.5 ⭐️

"Happily Never After" had some really fun and sweet moments, but there were also a few things that just didn’t land for me.

The ‘fake dating’ was really more like ‘friends-who-haven’t-realized-their-feelings-for-each-other let people assume they’re in a relationship’, which could be really fun in the right circumstances, but I just couldn’t get behind either of their motives. Sophie wanted a promotion at work, and her boss didn’t want to give it to her because she was too focused on work. This could have been a great set up for Sophie to realize that she really DOES need to make sure she’s taking some time off, but this never comes up again once she gets into a relationship with Max. It’s maybe implied that Sophie has stopped sending work related emails after hours and on weekends, but it’s never actually addressed. Max, on the other hand, just wants his parents to stop worrying about him settling down and get on with their retirement. While sweet, I think both of their characters and individual plots would have been a lot more meaningful if they could’ve been resolved without NEEDING to find a partner. Max easily could’ve shown his parents he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and if he happened to find someone he wanted to spend his life with, great!

I liked Sophie and Max, and I loved their fun competitive dynamic, but I started to dislike just how anti-love they were as I got further into the book. This is, after all, a romance novel, and by the end I really wasn’t convinced these people were ready to be in a relationship with each other.

Overall, "Happily Never After" had some cute moments, but the plot just wasn’t my favourite.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

“Good morning,” I said loudly, still smiling, then added in a voice so low only he could hear, “you piece of s$!t.” 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

“Sex was sex, and sleep was sleep—the two didn’t need to intersect.” Agreed!!!!

“The truth is that who gives a flying f@&k if you’ve been hurt in the past? Who cares if you’ve been cheated on? You have to 𝙜𝙚𝙩 hurt to get to the good stuff, don’t you see?”

“I want to be with you because you’re my goddamn favorite person.”

This was my 1st book by Lynn Painter and I really enjoyed it. I did end up wanting a little more…POW out of the ending but I still loved it overall. Now listen to me gush about this one…

I loved the drama of these POS exes, loved seeing Max and Soph winning! I loved how unabashedly Maxxie and Sophie flirted and conveyed exactly what they wanted in certain aspects but at the same time it was like there was a boulder between them. I also loved how at ease the characters were when they were in each other’s company. The level of passion accompanied by deep level of respect in a particular laundry area was framed so perfectly. I loved the banter and text messages between Sophie and Max too.

I’ve never heard of “second sleep” until reading this book but I need more of it ASAP.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 "𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁", 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂!

Lynn Painter delivers another heartfelt, hilarious romance! Painter can seriously do no wrong in my eyes. Her plots are always so unique, and I think wedding objecting is her best meet-cute yet!

The banter in this one was SO good! I did the entire book on audio, thanks to an ALC. And the two narrators (Helen Laser and Sean Patrick Hopkins) brought so much humor and emotion to the characters. I think picking up a physical copy would make a terrific comfort re-read.

This romcom would mostly fall under friends to lovers IMO, but it had bits of so many other tropes, which made it such a well-rounded romance. It was steamy, but not super spicy. I would have loved a little more since Sophie and Max’s chemistry was so 🔥🔥! 😉

The only thing I didn’t like about this one was Sophie’s job and workplace. Ugghhh I wanted more for Sophie and hated that she had to be the one to rise above and prove herself.

The wedding dramas throughout the book were so funny and had me giggling each time there were shenanigans. Such a sweet and funny book!

Unfortunately, this one just didn't work for my. It was my first time reading this author, and I'd certainly still be open to reading more of her work in the future.

I found Sophie abrasive and annoying. The conflict with Max's ex was poorly executed. Overall it was just a struggle to get through.

I feel a little conflicted about this one. I have loved Painter's YA books (and recommend them to teens and adults alike) and loved the premise of this one and the meet-cute at the beginning when Max is hired to save Sophie from her wedding and they go on a "I hate love" late night rant, but I did also have some issues with the lack of direction from there sometimes and the fact that Sophie had to "prove" at work that she was over her ex, who she worked with, to get a promotion? Ugh. Still mostly an enjoyable book. Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion.

Can Lynn Painter ever do any wrong!? The answer is no.
Happily Never After is a wonderful low-stakes romantic comedy filled with laughter, love, and spice. The premise is incredibly original, the pacing is phenomenal, and the characters have depth and are extremely lovable. I was entertained every step of the way and never wanted this story to end.

Lynn Painter perfected a short and sweet romance novel. It was the perfect length, and had so much humor and love in it. I binged it in 24 hours because I simply could not put it down!

When Sophie discovers that her fiancé has cheated on her (once again) right before the wedding she wants to call the whole thing off. Unfortunately, her future father in law happens to be her dads ruthless boss. If she is the one to back out of the wedding it could have bad consequences for her dad. Enter Max, a professional objector. You hire him and during the ceremony he will stand up and say "I object!" effectively ending the ceremony. Sophie thinks this is a great idea and wants in on the action. Soon the two work together going from wedding to wedding not holding the peace. Sophie more fun then she can ever remember and if a physical attraction starts to form between Max and herself then what's the harm. It's not like these 2 cynics will develop real feelings for each other, right?

Lynn Painter is one of my favorite authors and Happily Never After is no exception. Such a cute romance!

"I object!"

It's Sophie Steinbeck's wedding day and she is hoping for an interruption. Sophie knows her fiancee is nothing but a cheating bastard, so she hires an Objector! At the right time, her objector will show up and she won't need to marry Stuart.

Matt has a side gig. He becomes the objector at weddings. You guessed right when the wedding officer is asking if someone objects to the union, he is the one who jumps and says he objects. Doing this has helped people in need just like Sophie.

After the failed wedding, Matt and Sophie share a moment and a few months later, they meet again.

Matt asks Sophie to join him as an objector and save people from mistakes. What starts as a friendship soon makes them realize they are attracted to each other, but how will it work when they have both sworn off love?

This was a fun lovers-to-friends romance! The banter between these two was what did it for me. It was so easy to fall in love with these characters.

I'm looking forward to Lynn Painter's next book.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first Lynn Painter book that I've read and I have fallen in love with her writing! Happily Never After is SUCH a cute rom-com. Even though it's slightly predictable at times, it's well written enough to get away with it. Falling in love while ending other people's love stories is such a unique trope, and now I'll forever look for another book like this one.

I was really disappointed reading this. I did not like the plot nor the characters. Pick me FMC, nepo baby MMC, not at all relatable, Human Resources would NEVER.. I think the premise was very good but the execution was done poorly.

4 ⭐️ 2 🌶

This was pretty cute as all of Lynn’s books tend to be. The storyline was pretty fun and I would also like to be a wedding objector one day.. sounds cool as hell. They had chemistry, some tension and overall it was a very enjoyable, fast read.

The audiobook was amazing!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

Lynn Painter does it again!

Of course, let me preface this by saying the only other book of her’s that I’ve read is one of her YA romances, The Do-Over, which was honestly adorable! I’m still over here thinking about the DONC!

Lynn’s writing style and humor come off the page so effortlessly, I couldn’t help but get sucked in. Practically every other page, I found myself laughing out loud at something one character or another said. It is truly a pleasure to read Lynn’s books!

The premise of this romance was so unique. Think wedding crashers, but instead, our two main characters go around objecting to strangers’ weddings! GASP! Alas, it’s not what you think - it isn’t random. Sophie and Max are typically approached by one half of the not-so-happy couple for one reason or another, but the long and short of it is that they feel as if they have no other option. And let me just say, karma is a great thing! 😈

What starts out as more of a business arrangement, quickly morphs into a lil bit of a fake dating, I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine, situation. But friends, when the tables turn and the tension breaks, boy oh boy do we get some spice! I’ll just leave it there. 🥵

I cannot wait to read more from this author! For those who have read more of her backlog, which should I pick up next?

Thank you Berkley Romance (@berkleyromance #berkleypartner) for the free book!

“Happily Never After,” the latest romcom by Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author, follows the story of a woman who strikes up a friendship with the man who crashed her wedding.

When Sophie Steinbeck’s fiance cheats on her again, she knows she can’t go through with their wedding — so her best friend hires someone to disrupt it. That “someone” is Max, the guy whose side job is yelling “I object!” at weddings. A couple of months later, Max reaches out to Sophie and asks if she wants to join him in his objecting duties. Hesitant but excited, she agrees to help him out. The two become partners in crime as they save one doomed marriage at a time.

At the same time, Sophie’s boss tells her she needs to have a better work-life balance to get a promotion, and Max’s parents want him to settle down and be “taken care of” so they can retire to Florida. The two decide to tell everyone they’re “just friends,” but they post cute staged pictures of themselves together on social media to convince their loved ones there could be something more.

He’s a cynic, and she doesn’t believe in love anymore, so neither of them is interested in being in a relationship. Throughout the story, however, they consider if they should act on their undeniable chemistry.

“Happily Never After” has been marketed as “The Wedding Crashers” meets “No Strings Attached,” but these movies aren’t exactly where Painter got the inspiration for the book.

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Painter shared that she heard the words “if anyone knows of any reason these two should not be married” on TV and got an idea for a book.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’d be funny if somebody did that for money,’ ” Painter said. “And I put it in my notes app and forgot about it for like a year.” When it was time to work on her next book, her agent hated her proposal, so she pulled out her notes app, and there the story was.

“Happily Never After” has the perfect blend of romance and comedy, most notably in the banter between Sophie and Max. There are also hilarious side characters like Larry and Rose, Sophie’s elderly roommates, who sense Sophie and Max’s attraction to each other before the pair can. Painter admitted that she doesn’t intentionally think about balancing romance and comedy in her books.

“I’m a very unserious person,” Painter said. “I also grew up watching all of the ’80s and ’90s romcoms. I’m just a rom-com junkie, so I feel like that’s sort of just etched into my DNA. The whole ‘cringey, awkward things happening’ thing. Well, they fall in love! But I don’t plan on that, and I can’t be serious, so that’s just how it works out.”

Painter also writes contemporary young adult romances in addition to her adult romances. One of the most memorable parts of her YA books are the official soundtracks she includes for the characters.

“I feel like those big feelings you get from what you’re reading (are) the same as you get (when listening to) music,” Painter said. “It’s funny because when I started out, I wasn’t that kind of reader. And now it’s so a part of writing YA, even if the playlist has nothing to do with the book.”

Even though she doesn’t create playlists for her adult romcoms, Painter said that the song she imagines for Sophie and Max is “Speak Now” by Taylor Swift.

With her upcoming book, Painter wants readers to have a joyful reading experience. “I’m the type of person who is a big comfort watcher,” Painter said. “I’ve got ‘Friends’ and ‘Gilmore Girls’ that I watch a billion times over and over again. … I would love to write things that give people that warm (escape) into a book where nothing terrible is going to happen. I guess I just would love to put something out there that makes people smile and gives them joy.”

“Happily Never After” is one of those books that will undoubtedly make you smile — you can’t help but root for the main characters to get together. With such a unique premise told from a dual point of view and plenty of wedding antics, you won’t want to put this sincere and witty romcom down.

Lynn Painter’s “Happily Never After” will be released on Mar. 12, 2024.

Daily Arts Writer Ava Seaman can be reached at avasea@umich.edu

(Read this Jan. 2024...totally thought I'd sent in my review then!)

Listen. I know, I know. I give all of Lynn's books high ratings. But it's truly because they ARE. SO. GOOD.
The chemistry between the love interests was off the charts. I really enjoyed the dual POV because we got to see how the two resisted (aka pined after) each other. Their banter was entertaining, the love between them was beautiful, and all I could think was I wished the book was EVEN LONGER! Give me another 400 pages and maybe I'll be good!

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter is a surprisingly charming & entertaining romance that wooed a suspicious reader going into it, also known as me! This is giving early 2000’s romcom vibes a la Kate Hudson & Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in the best way possible.

The premise for this book almost sounds like the premise is too ridiculous, but the author does a fantastic job of taking the plot by the ridiculous & infusing it with enough logic, charming endearment & humor to be an utterly fantastic read.

Happily Never After is great for fans of…
🖤 Friends to Lovers
🖤 Slowburn
🖤 Witty Banter

I love a fast paced romcom with quick banter that woos me to rapidly turn pages & this did that. I love the chemistry & connection between these leads. They had me grinning like an absolute fool as I read this. This may be my biggest surprise of the year & I loved it so much.

If you are looking to swoon & smile your way to a steamy & spectacular romance that reminds you of the quintessential early 2000’s romcom, I highly recommend checking out Happily Never After!

Msssuve thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

TThis was cute and sweet. if you love cozy romances it's a must! I loved every minute of it. A total must read!