Thanks to Berkeley, Lynn Painter, and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first Lynn Painter book and it was just a blast. This is just two hot, smart, witty people who deadass cannot keep their hands off of each other. This didn’t reinvent the wheel or anything but it was perfectly fun. The way she describes KISSES had my heart fluttering?! 3.5 to 4ish stars and now I know when you’re in a slump, Lynn Painter is the gal to help.

Sophie meets Max after he’s hired as “an objector” for her wedding. Hurt by her cheating fiancé and interested in helping other people have an easy out before marriage, Sophie joins in on Max’s escapades. However, as these two friends go from wedding to wedding objecting, it becomes harder to deny their budding feelings… but they must stay in the friend zone to protect their bruised hearts.

This book reminded me of two of my favorite movies: No String Attached and Friends with Benefits. Sophie and Max were love cynics but the chemistry was undeniable, and they knew that. I loved their openness, especially with regard to their physical attraction, and all of the playful teasing and flirty texts. I can always count off Lynn Painter for making me laugh out loud, and the writing itself was a perfect winter escape. I listed to the first half on audio and the two narrators made the story easy to follow and feel like the book was right on film.

Read if you like:
-Friends with benefits
-Wedding shenanigans
-He falls first
-“Fake dating”
-Short chapters
-Open door

Sophie gets "introduced" to the objector, well when he objects to her marriage to her cheating fiancée. Now, Sophie wants in. Slowly she begins to build a relationship with Max, and finds out all the reasons why one would take a job like this. Now, as the two of them start to go to different weddings together, they realize that maybe there is something building between the two of them...something that Sophie wouldn't object to.

Not my favourite of Lynn’s books (The Love Wager still holds that spot) but this was a cute romcom, and had some delightful banter in it. not a lot of conflict or angst, which I do like in romance books from time to time, but a good read for some escapism.

I was only familiar with Lynn Paintier’s YA books, so it was fun to read a more adult title from her. I enjoyed the premise of the book and the characters but didn’t feel like there was a whole lot of conflict.

This was my first Lynn Painter book I’ve read, but I’ve heard nothing but the best about her books. I also met her a few months ago and she was the nicest person!

This book was a super quick read for me, once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. The way she set up her characters from chapter 1 and built them chapter by chapter made them feel like actual people.

Lynn Painter writes the best witty dialog! I was laughing out loud at the snarkiness between these two main characters. This was a sweet, empowering, steamy contemporary romance that definitely puts a new spin on the "met-at-a-wedding" trope. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to any contemporary romance reader.

I thought that it was a cute rom-com fic, and their banter was SO CUTE!! I did think that it was a nice read for some good escapism, and it checked all of the boxes for me.

Sophie Steinbeck needs to stop her wedding so her best friend hires the Objector, Max, a man who breaks up her wedding to reveal Stuart's cheating and cancel the wedding. So when Max reaches out months later asking for her to help with an objection, and soon enough they are partners in crime, breaking up weddings in precarious situations. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all. And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.

I enjoyed this book so much! It's a quick and easy read that will keep you turning the page. Max and Sophie's chemistry is so undeniable. I couldn't get enough. You see some fake dating/ friends to lovers romance tropes at play. I loved that you saw not just their romantic relationship blossom but a genuine friendship as well. I loved that both of them were willing to experiment with taking control of their romantic needs without it being judged or being seen as selfish. Max was a swoon-worthy and charming male hero and I really related to Sophie rationalizing her feelings and protecting herself from further hurt. Was this a revolutionary romance? No. Did I see the end coming? Yes, but it was still so good!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 3/12!

Lynn Painter writes the most compulsively readable books and this was no exception! I loved the whole premise, I loved the friends to lovers trope, and I loved the tension between these two! This book was so fun and so easy to read, I gobbled it up!

Thank you to Berkley Romance, Lynn Painter, and NetGalley for a free copy of this book. I adored it. It is quirky, fun, FUNNY, sweet, and steamy. I cannot wait for everyone to meet Max and Sophie. #berkleypartner

Max has an unusual side gig - he helps brides and grooms get out of their weddings when there are too many complications to call it off. Max meets Sophie when he stands up and objects during her wedding ceremony - to her cheating groom. A few months later, Max has an objection gig that needs the female touch, and he reaches out to Sophie for help. Thus begins their objecting partnership, taking them from country-and-western-themed to black-tie weddings. They are perfect for the job because both are jaded about love. Along the way, they form a close friendship and realize that pretending they are more than friends could help them both. But when has fake dating ever been that simple?

The Love Wager was one of my favorite reads of 2023, and Mr. Wrong Number was a 2022 favorite, so I was incredibly excited for this one. It does everything you want a Lynn Painter book to do - you laugh (a lot), swoon (a lot), smile (a lot), and feel all the feels along the way. It is a smidge spicier than her other adult novels, which fits well with the storyline. The characters are goofy, wacky, fun, and charming. There was a great sense of found family. It is a perfect balance of heart and humor. I just really adored it.

Even if you’ve read some of Lynn Painter’s previous books, I don’t think you’ll have any idea what to expect from Happily Never After. The book begins with our main character, Sophie about to get married to her fiance who has been cheating but Max ends up objecting at her wedding.

Since the objection was orchestrated by Sophie’s best friend, Max goes up to Sophie’s room for payment and the three of them end up some time together which includes Max and Sophie exchanging numbers. While it doesn’t seem like anything at the time, Max ends up enlisting Sophie to help him object to a different wedding.

From there, the two quickly form a friendship but are both shy to call it anything but. It’s clear in the way they act that they’re incredibly attracted to each other. Of course, they end up spending more and more time together even if they aren’t objecting to a wedding together. It’s honestly a true win for friends-to-lovers.

Things come to a head as they always do and we end up learning more about Sophie and Max’s feelings on relationships and why they act the way they do. Honestly, I really enjoyed how the third-act conflict played out in this one as it was frankly refreshing. If you’ve read it, you’ll know what I mean as that usually doesn’t happen.

Regardless, Happily Never After felt like a huge rom-com which feels like it’s in short supply these days. This book was such a fun time and seems like the ideal read ahead of the next wedding you’re attending.

Max is a wedding objector, hired by brides, grooms, best friends, etc. to help stop weddings before they're past the point of no return. He's just the person Sophie needs to get out of her wedding with her fiancee, Stuart, a serial cheater and the son of her boss. After Max saves the day, he and Sophie find they have more in common than they expected. Soon enough the two are working together to save people from their impending nuptials. In the course of their duties, they become fast friends.

Spurred on by people talking about their relationship, they devise a plan: convince their family and coworkers that they are involved so they can move forward in their careers. So what if their chemistry is off the charts? So what if they have become the best part of each others' day? Love doesn't exist, right?

Lynn Painter scores again with this adorable and spicy rom-com. The writing is witty, light-hearted, steamy, and doesn't fall into the same, tired traps of a romance book. Max is the kind of guy anyone would fall for but Sophie is never a damsel; she has it together. Their personalities jump off the page. I loved the way their relationship developed over time; none of that instant love business. The banter is fun with an expert level of tongue in cheek and sarcasm.

If you're a fan of Emily Henry, Emma Lord, or Abby Jimenez, you'll probably love this book. If you've never read any of Lynn Painter's books, this is a great one to start your new obsession!

Lynn Painter's latest romantic comedy, "Happily Never After," takes readers on a delightful journey filled with love, laughter, and unexpected twists. Super fun! I had never read Lynn Painter before but this one makes me want to check her others out.

loved!!! I recently discovered lynn Painter and I'm slowly reading all her books. I absolutely loved Mr. Wrong Number and enjoyed this one just as much!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
- Strangers to lovers to friends
- A hint of fake dating
- Witty banter
- Off the charts chemistry

At this point I know I’ll just love anything that Lynn Painter writes. I devoured this in a single day because it was THAT GOOD. The chapters are short which kept me super interested and I had to see what was going to happen next.

Does anyone do wit and banter better than Lynn Painter? Cause oh wow this book was full of it and it had me laughing out loud. Sophie and Max were perfect for each other - the chemistry was off the charts and going from strangers to friends to eventually more made for the perfect rom com.

I absolutely loved this book!! Laughed out loud!!! The witty dialogue is just the best!! I loved this couple...... I mean "co-workers" LOL! Just a great rom-com!

Thank you for the ARC.

This book was so cute. A warm, fun, romantic hug. The characters were well written, the lines were funny and quick witted and I loved it all. I found myself smiling while reading. Reminded me of the movie 10 things I hate about you, but for all the right reasons!
I love Lynn Painters books!

Ok this was actually so cute??! Sophie and Max are ITTTT as far as I'm concerned.

I loved everything about the evolution of their relationship--he breaks up her wedding, they get drunk together, and several months later he texts her asking for help in objecting for another wedding. It's honestly the perfect friends-to-lovers formula and I genuinely believe they become best friends. The laughter they share, the banter, the CHEMISTRY good god--these two are soulmates even though it takes them a hot minute to realize what exactly they mean to one another--but you know they're meant to be.

I absolutely loved this book, and I will definitely be reading more Lynn Painter in the future! Can't recommend this enough if you're looking for a romcom with great banter, chemistry, and hilarious sweetness,

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the free book! #BerkleyPartner

This was a cute one and a very easy quick read. I enjoyed it because it was simple, fun, the characters were great, and the story was fun too!

Sophie is about to get married to a grade-a asshole but her dad works for HIS dad’s company and so she doesn’t want to call it off and rock the boat for her dad. But when her best friend hears about Max’s services they know it’s exactly what they need. He’s an objector — you pay him to come to your wedding and he objects so you don’t have to go through with it. It’s a fun plot but it gets a little lost towards the end of the book. Sophie, who doesn’t believe in love, decides she also wants in on this side gig and they start to object together. Then, you know how it goes in a romance.

I read some other reviews saying that it lacked substance but I didn’t mind that because it still kept my attention. I am always down for a fun and fluffy rom-com and this was great if you’re also looking for that. It did have some spice and it was what it was, I mean it was good but I skipped some of it. Towards the end, it feels like it wraps up too quickly but also too slowly if that makes any sense. I could have done with the last few chapters (save for the very last). I don’t always love when there are chapters at the end when they are already together. I’d prefer to have a small epilogue instead of chapters of them being together.

This book also had short chapters which I love! In my opinion, this was a fun one, it was written well and I enjoyed it!