This book makes my soul so happy!!

Lynn Painter is one of my auto-buy authors who I adore with my entire heart. I knew the moment I started this book that I was going to love it. From the unique wedding objection premise to the girl who truly doesn't believe in love, there wasn't a detail I didn't like. Like, Sophie's roommates, all the cats, and all the heated kisses.

If you've ever enjoyed a story by Lynn Painter, then get excited to pick this up!! It's full of her signature charm and will make you giggle and kick your legs like nobodies business.

One of my favorite books of 2023, for sure <3

I loved the witty banter between these two characters. They were a very modern "when Harry Met Sally". This book brought ALL of the heat when it came to their chemistry but I appreciated the way it took a step back to evaluate the true emotions and fears we all face when putting ourselves out there for love.
I would have liked to know a bit more about her relationship with her roommates in the beginning, at first it was unclear how that transpired. I also would have expected a bit more conflict at her workplace surrounding the promotion- that was wrapped up a little too neatly and easily.
All in all it was an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to my romance reading patrons.

This book was perfectly fun! The banter was great, the angst was strong. I loved the premise and both main characters. Lynn Painter never fails to write a superb romcom.

Sophie discovers just before her wedding that her fiancé has cheated on her once again. She immediately wants to call off the wedding. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”During the anti-wedding party that night, Sophie learns about Max the Objector’s profession. The two of them, who are both cynical about love, start working together. They go from wedding to wedding, and Sophie has more fun than she has had in a long time. She enjoys saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses at every nerve-racking ceremony.

As Sophie and Max spend more time together, they realize that their physical chemistry is undeniable. However, they both agree that they don't have feelings for each other because they believe that love does not exist.

The storyline is engaging with retable characters, a unique story, interesting side-turns, and characters, beautifully written romance, witty banter, chemistry tension done right, and delightfully funny, I enjoyed seeing both Sophie and Max's perspectives on their situations. The character growth was wonderful to see throughout the book, seeing their feelings and minds change, and how they try to understand one another. It is heartwarming to witness the process of two individuals transforming from strangers to friends and eventually developing romantic feelings for one another.

Content: Open Door-cursed words.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Romance for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Sophie is saved from "The Objector" at her wedding after finding out her fiance cheated on her. Eventually, she and Max become partners objecting at weddings because Sophie knows what the other person is going through, but as they spend more time together, the soon realize there is a chemistry there that cannot be denied.

Another fun, feels-filled read from Lynn Painter, a name I am quickly learning to seek out and adore!!! Her books are so funny, too! I always have at least one huge guffaw while reading and I generally have to wipe away some tears, too. A perfect combo. 💜📚

Lynn Painter continues her streak of writing rom coms that make me laugh and swoon with Happily Never After. Her writing is so much fun! The concept of Sophie the bride hiring professional wedding objector Max to prevent her from having to get married and help save face was interesting and entertaining. I loved how the experience ended up creating a business relationship and then friendship between Sophie and Max. The friendship between them gave me Hallie and Jack vibes (The Love Wager) and I was so into that. Their adventures in stopping weddings were hilarious. I loved how it led to kind of portraying themselves the type of "friends" people are sure are more than friends. Their chemistry was off the charts, and I knew it was only a matter of time before their close friendship turned into more. They were kind of idiots when it came to love and relationships, but it only made me love them more. So, yeah. I loved this book. I can't wait for Painter's next book. It can't get into my greedy hands fast enough.

This was a fun read! I loved both main characters and their chemistry, and the premise of the book was fresh and interesting. I liked that this book had depth but didn’t get to be too depressing.
In this book, Sophie is about to get married when she learns her fiancé has been cheating on her. Max arrives to save the day as a wedding objector, and the wedding is called off. Sophie, who didn’t believe in love to begin with, is intrigued and asks Max to let her help next time. Soon they become objectors together. However, neither can deny their sizzling chemistry. Max and Sophie have to decide if they want to try for a relationship, stay as just friends, or stop talking altogether.
I loved Sophie and Max’s chemistry together. Their witty banter and how they seemed to get one another and just clicked right away made them so fun to watch together. I love how Max tried to hold back and respect Sophie’s feelings and how she was willing to rethink things for him. I also really liked Sophie’s relationship with her roommates but wish I could have seen more of that. It felt more like I was told how special their relationship was rather than shown.
Which leads me to my only real objection to this book: all of the characters outside of Sophie and Max felt pretty one dimensional. We barely get to see any of the other characters, and what we do see is pretty sparse. We get a taste of Max’s relationship with his parents but their personalities seem to boil down to wanting their son to be in a serious relationship. Where’s her parents? We’re told they’re not that close but she was willing to get married so her dad wouldn’t potentially lose his job? Where’s her best friend? I get she lives far away but they never talk? Does Max have any friends?
Overall, this was a fun read. Would recommend to anyone looking for a contemporary romance with some spice.

Lynn Painter is the QUEEN of witty dialogue and banter! Happily Never After had me fully invested from page one and excited for the progression of the plot as well as the romance, which is a rare experience for me when reading contemporary romance these days.

Sophie is about to go through with an unwanted wedding that she cannot call off without their being repercussions for her family, so her friend hires Max, an objector-for-hire, who saves the day by calling out her fiancé in the middle of the wedding so none of the blame falls on Sophie. Max and Sophie have an immediate rapport, and on a whim, Sophie helps Max "object" for some more weddings.

The premise is so fun and dramatic. Watching Sophie and Max work together to "object" at weddings and just having fun which each other was so entertaining. I felt a connection between Sophie and Max from their first interaction; They are both cynical about love and closed off from relationships, so they don't even consider their palpable chemistry to be romantic at first. A major highlight of their relationship was how upfront and honest they were with their feelings, so there was barely any miscommunication.

This is my favorite of Lynn Painter's works and a new standout rom-com for me. I was able to read this in one sitting and really fall in love with these characters because they felt so authentic to me. I don't usually love the "friends to lovers" trope, but Lynn Painter always puts such a fun spin on it, and this book is no different. I would recommend to any lovers of romantic comedies, outrageous "meet cutes," and topnotch banter!

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advanced Copy.

I hadn't read any of Lynn Painter's books before reading this one so I wasn't sure what to expect going into Happily Never After. But what I found was that I really enjoyed this book. The whole concept was really unique and sweet. It's been a while since I've read a romcom and I loved it. The relationship between Max and Sophie felt natural and didn't feel forced at all. Overall a great read!

Charlie, from Emily Henry’s Book Lovers, you have been replaced. Sorry, not sorry, but I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Max. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this fun, witty, somewhat spicy rom-com featuring what might be my new favorite fictional couple, Max and Sophie.

I love that what Painter does best is create a friendship between her two OCs before putting them in a relationship. These two were no different! I really enjoyed how quickly they slipped into being best friends. I also loved the roomates!

I've read a few of Lynn's YA romances and loved them, so I was excited to get this ARC for an adult romance. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. This book is a romcom, it was very light-hearted for the most part but still had some deeper moments. The whole "objecting" plot was silly but wasnt the main focus which I was happy about because honestly how many people in such a small area really need their weddings objected to? Both characters were very lovable and I think the story was paced well. This was very bingable, I had a hard time putting it down.

Looking for an amazing read with fantastic banter, great characters, and is romantically on fire? HAPPILY NEVER AFTER ticks all the boxes and more! It stars a very pretty lady, Sophie Steinbeck, who is about to marry her cheating fiancé and she is not happy. Then, a strange man stands up at her wedding and objects! Yes, he's saved the day!

Max, a handsome hunk, works as a wedding objector. He had his heart broken, so love is out of the question. This job is perfect for him. Max contacts Sophie months later, asking if she would help him out as an objectress for a friend. Together they set out saving the day at other weddings. Neither of them believes in love. They are friends and nothing more. But, boy are they having fun together! There is fake dating, some lip locks, weekend sprees, and more. However, something is sprouting between them and it's catching steam the more time they spend together. Things heat up when they work at Max's ex's wedding. Will Max and Sophie realize how deep their feelings run?

HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is funny, fast-moving, and delightfully delicious! I devoured this book so fast! Ms. Painter does as excellent job deftly handling a plot that seems plausible. The character buildup is excellent and the story line flows beautifully. The relationship between Max and Sophie slowly builds and it's clear they are meant for each other. I loved their friendship and their realizations as romance sneaks stealthily in. What will they do about it? Definitely put this highly entertaining book on your to-be-read list!

Thanks to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happily Never After opens with an introduction to Sophie on her wedding day and desperate to have an out without her calling it beforehand (long story). The solution? Her best friend hires a professional objector, Max, to show up day of and object of course. Sophie and Max cross paths again, and the cynics decide to team up on the professional objector side hustle - finding a kindred spirit and friendship unexpectedly…

Happily Never After feels like it was written ready to be adapted into a true classic romcom (I know I’d definitely watch this, and it would be perfect with some Taylor Swift songs on the soundtrack 😊). It hits the perfect rhythm and feels for a heartwarming romcom that had you rooting for the MCs. As always her with her books, it delivered banter, some great epistolary elements, humor and heart.

I loved both Sophie and Max - they were so cute together. I loved seeing their slow build from acquaintances to ‘partners’ to more. It was great watching them form this great bond, and become the each others person. The sense of humor and banter they share is very much in line with that of myself and my partner, which made me love it more.

A side note, but a necessary one, I loved Larry and Rose. They may have been side characters but they were so fun.

Lynn Painter is romcom gold in my opinion - after reading one book from her she became an auto-buy author for me and honestly can do no wrong. Romance or YA - if Ms. Painter writes it, I need a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an early copy! All thoughts and opinions shared are my own and freely offered.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter is a delightful romantic comedy that cleverly navigates the unpredictable terrain of love and relationships. The story follows Sophie Steinbeck, who, on the brink of her wedding, decides to call it off after discovering her fiancé's infidelity. The story weaves a humorous and heartwarming tale as the two love cynics explore the complexities of their newfound partnership. This is a charming and witty story that delves into the universal themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery. The characters are endearing, and the chemistry between Sophie and Max keeps you engaged throughout. If you're a fan of romantic comedies with a fresh and unique premise, this book is a must read.

Whew! This book was scorching hot. Sophie and Max are two undeniably attractive, successful, super hot powerhouses. They also happen to have an undeniable attraction to each other. It's not long before these two let the draw pull them together physically in a quasi-fake dating scenario that is professionally beneficial for both of them. But all non-dates are genuine and they are both are pretty good at communicating with each other what's going on between them. Sophie is very direct and up front. She calls it like it is. The only problem is, she refuses to call it L-O-V-E because what she thought was love wasn't really love at all and she got burned. Her "screw it all, I'm just going to be me" attitude is perfect: it attracts the perfect person for her. Enter Max - also burned by someone he saw forever with - but without the revenge/make her life suck attitude Sophie has. He's unreal (let's be honest, they both are) - attractive, intelligent, emotionally mature (if skittish), wealthy, and so capable he's taking the reigns of his families commercial construction company. This book is a page turning, sparks flying, fast burn rom-com. It's a little fluffy but I enjoyed the ride. Lynn Painter gives us what we want - an escape, a love story, and some very hot scenes.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

Lynn Painter is one of my must read authors. I have enjoyed all her books. Fake relationships is one of my favorite tropes. This is a very unique and fun fake friendship steamy story. I loved it.

I laughed out loud so many times and truly adored the banter in this book! Absolutely loved this funny, sexy and heartwarming story!

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

Lynn Painter can do no wrong in my opinion. Happily Never After is another adorable romcom with a plot that is begging to be adapted into a movie. When Sophie finds out her fiancé cheated on her again, she needs a way out of her wedding without getting her dad fired (long story). Enter Max the Objector. Max runs a side business where he objects at weddings to get the bride or groom out of the marriage. Sophie and Max bond over their cynical view of love and decide to become objectors together. However, they soon find themselves fake dating and falling in love.

I just love Lynn Painter’s banter. It reads like a film script and I can hear it in my head. Her characters are always lovable and hilarious and swoonworthy. Max and Sophie were no different and I rooted for them immediately. I am already impatiently awaiting Lynn’s next book!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.