Lynn Painter's newest rom-com is an outstanding and original read in the genre. When Max objects at Sophie's wedding and saves her from her nuptials, she finds this stranger was hired by her maid of honor. She also discovers that Max objects at weddings as a side hustle and he calls her nearly a year later to assist in this venture. The two become partners as wedding objectors, but their fear of love and broken hearts leads to a physical and selfish relationship. Painter keeps the wedding objecting and keeps it central to the plot and the comedy which adds an element that not all rom-coms do. The humor permeates the DNA of this book and was just a lot of fun. Both Max and Sophie's voices are clear and distinct and I had a great time reading this one.

This was a fun read- there was substantial chemistry and great banter between Max & Sophie. Every time they were together, I enjoyed their shenanigans and I loved how they had a blast spending time with one another even doing mundane things. I was also a big fan of Larry and the fact that Sophie had sassy elderly roommates- something a bit different. It did bother me that all the weddings that they objected to felt like they had the same dilemma, so I would have appreciated some variety there.

This was a fun, delightful romance. Nothing too seriously, but great chemistry between the main characters.

The premise of this book is SO original, and I hoped that the story would live up to the hype I created in my head. And, oh boy, did it!

Sophie and Max meet when Max objects to her marriage. Not quite the meet-cute you'd imagine for your protagonists! It turns out that Max was hired to object to the marriage in order to help Sophie escape a life spent with her cheating groom.

Sophie, fascinated by Max's side job, strikes up a friendship with him, and the two go wedding to wedding objecting to vows. It's a weird way to fall in love, but they make it work!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Okay so this was absolutely adorable as always and made me feel lonely in the best way! The banter in this was so good and it was a concept like I’ve never read before which is impressive in a romance book. I do feel like some things were a bit rushed and the TS references are becoming overwhelming every for me but an enjoyable story with cute side characters and Lynn painters signature charm ;)

I really enjoyed this book. It was predictable but funny. I enjoyed the characters. Perfect romantic comedy.

Lynn Painter does it again! I had a lot of fun reading this one. I liked the dual POVs and the whole "objector" plot line. Read this book if you like:
•Good banter
•A swoony love interest
•He falls first
•A fun plot
•Awesome secondary characters

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

Sophie meets Max when her best friend hires him to publicly object at her wedding. The two strike up a friendship that turns into more as they become a team of objectors who save friends and family members from unwanted marriages.

This feels like a wacky Hallmark movie. Sophie and Max are full of banter and sexual attraction with some madcap adventures thrown into the mix. If you like romantic comedies, this one is for you.

I can always count on Painter to write romances that are both outrageously funny and heartwarming. Happily Never After focuses on a professional wedding objector and a woman who utilizes his services to get out of marrying her horrible fiancé. The two love interests strike up a friendship and decide to work together on saving others from marriages they do not want to enter. Featuring the fake dating and friends-to-lovers tropes, I can see Happily Never After being a hit once it is published!

This one follows a wedding objector and a cheated on bride, as their friendship blossoms over the ordeal at her wedding, leading her to becoming his partner in objecting at weddings. The banter was downright hysterical and the love they begin to feel along the way for each other felt real. I love Lynn Painter and I would recommend this friends-to-lovers read to anyone.

I liked this book way more than I thought I would after reading more about the premise. I’ve liked the author’s work previously, but I’m never one for super contrived, dramatic setups in romance novels. That being said, this book exceeded all of my expectations. The characters were so incredibly likable and had great chemistry. Even the “objector” storyline was interesting and relatable. Sure it was dramatic, but all of the objector scenes had a lot of humor in it that kept me engaged. I really loved this one. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

This was an adorable rom-com!
Two cynics who become unlikely friends. Sophie and Max end up working together to save people from their wedding day. The more they work together the more the sparks between them fly.
This was my first book by Lynn Painter but I know that I’ll be seeking out her backlist now because her writing has everything I look for in a rom-com:
~Charming and relatable characters (including fun side characters)
~Lots of Witty banter
~Great chemistry with some spice
Definitely recommend this engaging read.

i think this would work better as a movie. it's a quick, easy read. lynn painter is very good at low stakes relationships who like to have fun and spend a lot of time together.

i'm not MAD at it, but i do continue to find myself disenchanted by lynn painter's works. i want to like them so bad, but i find so many of them fairly shallow. if you only want to read about the relationship moments, then her books are for you! but i find myself wanting more introspection lately, and painter is not the author for that. and that's okay!

thank you lynn painter, berkeley publishing group, and netgalley for my arc <3

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Super cute book. Sophie is about to get married to a douche and Max the Objector is hired to disrupt the wedding. They end up becoming friends and more as Sophie heals from the break up.

I absolutely loved Sophie and I want to hang with her. Max was also fantastic. Highly recommend this fun rom com.

What a perfect romcom - that starts off in the most bizarre way. With our leading man objecting at the wedding of our leading lady to another man! The hilarity ensues from there and I couldn’t have been more drawn into Sophie and Max’s story.

Sophie is about to tie the knot when she discovers that her fiancee has once again cheated on her. Unable to call the wedding off herself due to a few complications, her best friend hires an Objector to stop the wedding during the ceremony. The Objector, Max, hires himself out to individuals who need an "out" from their nuptials. As their paths cross, their lives become more and more intertwined and Sophie, an absolute cynic, soon joins him as an Objector.
I couldn't put down this book and read it in one sitting. Lynn Painter knows exactly how to write fresh rom-coms while making subtle references to romance tropes (there's a hand flex!). Happily Never After is full of everything you would hope for in a romance: a bit of laughter, tugs on your heart-strings and steamy intimate scenes. All in all, Happily Never After is a perfectly satisfying read.

“If anyone has a reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony—"

“I do.”

Lynn Painter’s Happily Never After hooks readers on the very first page as the protagonist’s wedding is crashed by the person she pays to stop it. The first chapters of this book are phenomenal as Sophie, the female lead, gets saved from her wedding, gets drunk in her hotel room, and commits the victimless crime of twinkie vandalism against a Volvo. The love interest and second protagonist, Max, is charmed by this and Sophie making him sound like a hero, so when there comes a wedding that he needs help objecting at, he immediately contacts her.

While the start of the story is strong and gripping, the rest of the book doesn’t quite have the same strength. For one thing, while Sophie goes on (and on) about how she doesn’t believe in love and how liberating it is to be selfish in her passion, readers don’t really get as great an insight into Max’s feelings and history. Max is a cynic about love, but why that is doesn’t come up until his ex is used as a plot device. Also, while this is a romance, the story seemed to focus a bit too much on the main characters. Instead of exploring each of the protagonists’ jobs and looking at their interactions with their friends, Happily Never After feels like one date after another. Readers might be interested in what happens when Sophie meets Max’s parents or what Asha, the person who hired Max to object at Sophie’s wedding, thinks of their relationship, but neither is explored in the story.

All in all, Happily Never After is worth it for the first chapters alone, and while the protagonists’ lives could have been explored outside their relationship, it was still a fun read.

Read this if you like:
•laughing out loud
•& want a cute rom com with a little spice
•friends to lovers
•fake dating
•the swooniest of men

Lynn Painter does it again! I read this in mere hours (on a work day joke the less). I could NOT put this down. I was laughing from page 1. The humor and the banter are top notch.

Thank Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Happily Never After" : A Rom-Com Rollercoaster of Love, Laughter, and Anti-Wedding Antics!

My rating: Highly deserved five stars

Lynn Painter's latest romantic comedy, "Happily Never After," takes readers on a delightful journey filled with love, laughter, and unexpected twists. The novel introduces us to Sophie Steinbeck, a bride-to-be faced with the ultimate dilemma: marrying a cheating fiancé to save her father's job or breaking free.

Enter Max, a charming professional objector who, with a touch of modern-day heroism, disrupts Sophie's wedding, saving her from a hapless fate. As the two love cynics navigate the aftermath, they embark on an unusual partnership as "objectors," saving other couples from the clutches of ill-fated marriages.

Painter's engaging rom-com boasts a fresh and original premise, offering compelling main characters, including Sophie and her lively roommates, Rose and Larry. The perfect blend of heart and steam, coupled with short, momentum-building chapters, creates an irresistible reading experience that keeps readers rooting for Sophie's shot at a happy ending.

The narrative unfolds as Sophie and Max, initially "just friends," find themselves entangled in a web of feelings that challenges their anti-love stance. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and readers will find themselves laughing at Sophie's antics and cheering for Max.

As the story unfolds, a wedding objection job throws a curveball, forcing Max and Sophie to confront their feelings and question their commitment to avoiding love. Painter skillfully weaves depth into the narrative without veering into overwhelming territory, ensuring a balance between humor and heartfelt moments.

While the chemistry between Sophie and Max shines, Painter introduces a fresh take on the rom-com genre, injecting depth without sacrificing the book's overall lighthearted tone. The witty banter, quick pace, and the unexpected acknowledgment of a real book club in the author's note make "Happily Never After" a must-read for romantics seeking a contemporary love story with a touch of spice.

Overall, this book is a fun, engaging read that captivates with its original premise, well-developed characters, and a perfect blend of romance and comedy. Highly recommended for those in search of a modern love story that defies expectations and delivers on the promise of a happily ever after.

This was a fun, fluffy romance for the colder months. I thought that the tension and buildup in the relationship between our two main characters was a bit lacklustre, and while their chemistry was palpable, the immediate establishment of their relationship left something to be desired. The concept of wedding crashing and the aspect of vigilante justice felt fresh and exciting, and I would have liked to have seen more of it throughout the book. What was supposed to be the book’s main point of contention did not feel substantial enough to count as a climax, so I was slightly disappointed by the last 75 pages or so.