Lynn Painter knows how to write cute romances! This was a fun little “fake relationship” friendship between Sophie and the objector at her wedding, Max. His side job was to break off weddings and the book starts off with Max objecting to Sophie and Stuart’s wedding and this starts a bonded friendship between the two.

I really enjoyed this one, Sophie and Max were absolutely adorable together and their dynamic reminded me so much of my husband and i together with the banter and namecalling in a funny endearing way. They were magnetic, they both found benefits of a fake friendship/relationship, but i didn’t really see a lot of that come to play except for one or two scenes/moments.

I’m a somewhat new reader to Lynn Painter so I am really enjoying the books I’ve read of hers so far.

What a cute read! I love the concept of the story. There were definitely cheesy moments, but that just made me giggle. The banter and chemistry between the main characters was really nice. Great read overall!

I am a huge fan of this author's books and this one was so much fun to read. I loved Sophie and Max--they both were well developed characters with their own flaws, fears, painful relationship pasts, but they also had sizzling chemistry and banter that made me smile and laugh out loud. The novel is told in dual points of view which I enjoy because I get to experience the fictional world from both main characters.

The characters are my favorite part of this novel. Sophie is intelligent, loyal, planned impulsive (she is very organized and one step ahead of most of her co-workers), and guarded with her feelings. Max is also intelligent, loyal, and has a huge heart, I loved how they interacted and became braver together as their friendship grew. This novel takes rom com to deeper emotional levels because these characters have experienced hurtful past relationships that both are still struggling to heal/move on when they meet.

DNF @ 18%, so no rating. (Except on Netgalley, where I can't leave a review without one.)

I really wanted to love this book. Between the cover and the blurb, I thought it was a shoo-in. But...what happed after the first few chapters? They were so entertaining, and then the main character became insufferable. There was too much hate for men and too much complicity from the main male character in this, which made the things I liked about him take a nosedive. For the sake of the readers who finish this book, I hope she becomes less cynical. For me, it was too hard to believe she might.

The narrators were fantastic, and I would love to hear more from them. But even they couldn't save this one.

ARC from Netgalley and PRH Audio.

Review: ”I love you”, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?

That line from Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift kept popping into my head the whole time I was reading the second half of HAPPILY NEVER AFTER, and I think it fits the main character Sophie so well.

I loved Sophie and Max as characters, and their romance was absolutely adorable! The banter was very fun! I smiled so much while reading. Lynn Painter writes absolutely wonderful adult romance novels! A total feel good read, that I definitely would recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Lynn Painter has another good one! Really enjoy the concept of this and love Sophie and Max. There is of course the slight misunderstanding or not revealing of the whole truth but that is easily gotten over. I enjoyed their chemistry!

Thank you for the free book @berkleyromance and for the free audiobook @prhaudio !! #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleyIG #BerkleyBookstagram

What if you found out that your fiance has cheated on you (again) but calling off the wedding will have some serious consequences? For our female lead, Sophie, she’s just going to go through with the wedding and file a divorce later.

Buuut her bestfriend had a better idea: hire someone to object at her wedding ceremony! And then enter our male lead and one of the most unique romcom meetcutes ever 😂

Two anti - love and anti - relationship people form an alliance to help those who are getting cheated on from going through their weddings!

To my friends who are currently dating, this is a book you need to read if you want a reminder that situationships will never work! Trust me, I know 🙃

This one delivers the usual witty banters and creative plot that Lynn Painter books always have! However, this is spicier than her usual stuff. So closed door romance girlies, be aware of that. There is still a plot in it though so the spice didn’t really bother me. The older grumpy roommates were such fun characters!

I was also very fortunate to have the audiobook because it was very easy to follow and I was able to keep listening to the book even when I was driving or doing chores!

Overall, even if it wasn’t my favorite of hers, I still very much enjoyed and binged this so I would still definitely recommend!!

💭 What will you be reading this weekend?

#lynnpainter #happilyneverafter #romancebookstagram #romancebooks #newbookreleases #bookreview #goodreads #marchbookreleases #friendswithbenefits #fakedating

🌟: 4.75
I can always count on Lynn Painter's books for a good time.

This one probably has one of my favorite premises of her books. I loved the idea of someone who gets hired to object at a person's wedding (essentially a professional wedding crasher). Combine that with the initial objector, Max, teaming up with a bride whose wedding he crashed to crash more weddings and I am sold. Honestly, I would have loved to see them object at more weddings, because the idea was just that fun.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the witty back and forth dialogue between the main characters. While Sophie's vehement and constant disdain for anything involving love got frustrating (I can understand her position, and the fact that it was necessary for her to be so opposed to add tension and allow for her to develop, but I still wanted to give her a good shake so she could come to her senses), the snappy conversations kept propelling the plot forward, helping me absolutely fly through the book

The snappy conversations kept propelling the plot forward, helping me absolutely fly through the book, despite the fact that Sophie's vehement and constant disdain for anything involving love got frustrating. Even though I can understand her position, and the fact that it was necessary for her to be so opposed to add tension and allow for her to develop, but I still wanted to give her a good shake so she could come to her senses. Sophie and Max's chemistry was so good, however, that even when I was frustrated, I was completely hooked on the story waiting for these two fools to realize how far they fell for each other.

I listened to this one on audio, which was an absolutely delightful experience. Both narrators captured their characters so well, and their narration style balanced each other out in a way I appreciated. Overall, I would highly recommend checking this one out on audio.

Is this my favorite book of Lynn Painter's? Not necessarily but it's pretty dang close (that place is still held by The Love Wager). If you enjoy fast-paced romances about two cynics who start as friends and become lovers, then you should check this one out!

Loved the whole idea of this! I didn't know if objecting at weddings is a thing but I can see where it would be necessary.

Loved their chemistry and banter and the fun antics they got up to. They were also successful in their professional life. 

Just loved everything about this! And for sure her roommates were the best! Everyone should have elderly roommates at some point in their life. And I love a lively Larry.

lynn’s books are always so much fun! This quick read is about two people who become friends bonding over being anti-relationships and objecting at weddings. A little bit of fake dating gets involved to work towards a promotion and get parents off their back. I had so much fun reading! Lynn Painter is an insta-buy for me. I am always laughing throughout her books! I adore her characters! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to the read in exchange for a review!

Firstly, Lynn Painter does banter like no one else! This was a cute romcom that a genuinely really enjoyed up until the last quarter or so. The premise of wedding objectors was fun and interesting, as aforementioned, I loved the banter, there were some hilarious moments, and unexpectedly great side characters. However as the story went on the MCs' issues with love/ relationships became a bit cyclical which led to the conflict bothering me. While it did feel like it lost a bit of steam at the end, it was still a super quick and fun read!

A bride with a cheating fiancé and a professional wedding objector strike up an unlikely alliance & find love in the process.⁣⁣
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This was so much fun. I LOVED it! Sophie is saved from going through with her wedding to her cheating fiancé when her friend hires Max, a professional objector to disrupt the vows. The two form an unlikely partnership, saving other brides or grooms from ill-fated marriages by objecting at their weddings. ⁣⁣
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The chemistry and banter between Sophie and Max was amazing and the entire storyline was just so entertaining. I loved watching these two fight their attraction and growing emotions for each other. Their kisses were everything! ⁣⁣
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Plus, this book had such great characters - I adored Sophie’s elderly roommates. In my opinion, Larry stole every scene he was in. Their dynamic was just so sweet. ⁣⁣
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If you’re looking for a short, fun romcom, I highly recommend 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫!

The Objectors! This is the best kind of reading after a long work day. Sophie and Stuart are solid characters who have a great time objecting at weddings. It is fun premise with a satisfying conclusion. I will recommend to those wanting something light but with substance. I look forward to the next book from Lynn Painter!

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. It’s witty and fun-loving, sexy, and steamy. I freaking love this book. It feels like one long foreplay session that is fun, quirky, and hot as hell. It has everything you want and is a perfect romcom!

What a wonderfully unique story! We follow Sophie and Max, two “objectors” who get paid to break up weddings (usually of people who are being cheated on) and end up finding their own unlikely love story. I loved the banter in this book SO MUCH!! I was obsessed with both of these characters and I loved watching their story unfold. This story was full of funny and tender moments, but also had its emotional ones as well. It was short and sweet and I really enjoyed the reading experience!

Lynn Painter is an author I'd wanted to read for a long time, and I am consistently amazed by how she reinvents the genre with each new book! This one is no exception - I can't wait for people to read it!

Another charming read by Lynn Painter. I have yet to be disppointed by Painter's writing style, character development, and banter and Happily Never After is no exception. The premise was fun and the characters were likable. I particularly enjoyed Sophie's relationship with her geriatric roommates.

Thanks to Net Galley for the electronic ARC.

I love the premise of this book, it’s so creative. Sophie and Max are the Objectors. Sophie discovered her fiancé was having an affair before their wedding, so to get her out of marrying him, a friend hired Max to object at the wedding when the officiant asks if anyone opposes the marriage. Max told everyone the groom was having an affair.

Max only objects at weddings where one partner is obviously in the wrong. Sophie joins him, certain situations are better handled by a woman. Both Max and Sophie are wary of relationships, but their chemistry is off the charts.

I enjoyed this book, the characters are great and the weddings are fun to read about. 5 stars.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this romance novel about two cynics falling in love. Oftentimes, the romance genre can feel too happy, but I like that these two main characters were pessimistic about love, considering that there are many breakups and divorces that happen in US society. It actually helped me feel hopeful about love and that it can still happen even if you don't believe. Lynn Painter always writes such believable characters and I even loved the side character of Larry! I also enjoyed the wedding tropes and the concept that there can be objectors operating as a job was fascinating! It made me want to look into how I can get paid doing something like that.

I wanted to love this one, but it had too much language for my personal taste and it took away from the book. The premise was also very silly and not very believable for me.

Happily Never After was my first Lynn Painter book and it was a fine read. The premise was unique-paid objectors to a wedding-what a brilliant idea. I liked how the main characters-Sophie and Max first meet. It was different than the typical and it was fun. Sophie and Max reconnect a few months later and that is when the adventure begins. Sophie and Max tag-team as objectors and some of the craziness that ensues is hilarious. Not only do they have a budding friendship but also the chemistry between them is scorching. Reading how these two deny their true feelings while they have the perfect friendship is entertaining. They had great banter and interactions. I enjoyed watching these two fall in love but not fall in love hehe. Overall this was a pleasant read with nice characters and storyline.