Synopsis: Ten years ago, four friends set out on a quest and saved their realm, but one of them did not survive. Now, the remaining three have been estranged for a decade and will be together for the first time at a wedding. And if a group of heroes reunites, they’re probably going to have to go on a quest.

Thoughts: Was this…Shrek for adults? Minus the ogres? That’s definitely the best way I can describe the overall vibe of this book. There was adventure, romance, some spice, and a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor with nods to modern day culture. The characters were fun and well developed, and they had lots of good banter. I enjoyed all the silly modern day references like their Uber wagon service. Overall, just a good time read for anyone who likes a cozy fantasy vibe.

Read this if you like:
🗡️ cozy romantasy
🗡️ quests
🗡️ found family
🗡️ comedy
🗡️ modern references
🗡️ second chance romance

There were parts of this story that I really enjoyed, and while it was a bit slower than my typical taste I think the characters were interesting. Some storylines seemed to meet a resolution, or an apparent resolution that then circled back, a little too early which made it hard to stay focused after the fact. I did struggle at times with the juxtaposition of modern elements being woven in. Some were definitely a fun addition but some pulled me out of the story. I did appreciate the multiple POVs which I think lent to the dynamics characters, getting to see the same conflict from each persons eyes was a great example of how differently we all fight battles.

<i>I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review. </i>

Really, truly torn on this one. I was very excited to read it from the premise alone— I think the fantasy romcom is a very fun idea, especially the idea of a group of adventurers parting ways acrimoniously and having to meet ten years later at a wedding (that’s the kind of D&D flavor I always find very fun.) However, there’s a reason this book took me a full two weeks to read: the first half is just not very interesting. Sometimes a road trip book is incredibly fun, and sometimes it’s incredibly tedious. This unfortunately falls into the latter category. I also found myself a little annoyed at the shoehorning of modern technology into a fantasy story— a way for characters to have “phones” is all well and good, but the TV shows, the heart-healer/therapist, the carriage Uber… I found it exhausting.

Once this book hits about 60%, I really started to enjoy myself (around the same time the characters do, matter of fact) and I read almost the entire latter half in one day. I have terribly mixed feelings on the ending— at first I hated it because it felt like it was undoing one of my favorite things about the book and removing stakes, but then I ended up being very moved! Definitely a complicated mixed-bag of a book for me, which was a bummer, but I also think there’s an audience out there for this book if the world-building works better on them.

This book is a cozy adventure romantasy following a group of friends 10 years after a realm saving quest. After a decade of not speaking due to the events of the quest, they are reunited and must work through any previous miscommunications and betrayals.

I really enjoyed this book! At its heart it’s just a really entertaining and fun quest story. There were multiple moments I was laughing out loud. It also had really sweet found family vibes and I really loved all of the characters (although my favorite was definitely Clare). I was actually surprised with how good the (second chance) romance was as well. One of the couples specifically was just so cute and the deep secret yearning they had was tugging at my heart the entire book. However I really wish we had more of the magic aspect because the magic system was SO interesting but we didn’t get much of it. I also think the small twist at the end took away from the story a bit. I do recommend for sure.
Huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to give an honest review in exchange for this ARC.

3.5 ⭐️
3 heroes saved the kingdom, now it’s 10 years later and they’re all have existential crises. They reluctantly come together for a new quest and have to get over their hatred and depression.
Very interesting idea, that just fell a little flat for me.
Some very funny moments. I loved the parody of real life in a fantasy form. Wagons For Hire as a fantasy uber was hilarious.

I was very excited for this book because Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation?!?! Hello! Just two of my faves! But it fell flat for me and I honestly had to DNF halfway through. Again, just was not invested, and I didn't quite enjoy the humor.

This book is a cozy romantasy with very likable characters.
The magic system is interesting but I was expecting a little more.
This book is for the vibes and is pretty fun,

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This Will Be Fun is extremely fun! I love fantasy books that approach the genre in a new way (like a recent fav Long Live Evil) and I think this book has the potential to find a real following with romcom and fantasy lovers. The adventure style gave me Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Princess Bride, and The Chronicles of Narnia vibes. This story had so much comedy and heart.

What I liked the most was the setup of the story. 3 heroes save the world. 10 years later they aren’t friends and none of them are where they want to be in life. They’re forced to come back together to rescue their Queen’s betrothed, and along the way they save the world again. Like hello?? An absolute recipe for a fun quest romp.

Both of the romances in this story were second chance and that isn’t usually a trope I like, but here it soooo worked! I was just yelling “kiss, Kiss, KISS” a lot of the time. Haha

I listened to the audiobook and all three narrators did SUCH an amazing job!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc, the publisher for the arc, and Libro.fm for the alc.

Thank you Avon Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I am not a huge fantasy reader because I often can’t keep up with all the world building. But I love romantasy and cozy fantasy! So when I learned about this book I was so excited. Plus, I love the author trio (!!!) who worked on it together. I thought it was fun and light hearted with some deeper meaning. Definitely a fun, cozy book to read if you’re not a huge fantasy reader (it’s a feudal society with modern elements) and romance reader.

Synopsis:

“TEN YEARS AGO, THEY SAVED THE REALM. IT RUINED THEIR LIVES.

Everyone in Mythria knows the story of how best friends Beatrice and Elowen, handsome ex-bandit Clare, and valiant leader Galwell the Great defended the realm from darkness. It’s a tale beloved by all—except the heroes. They haven’t spoken in a decade, devastated by what their quest cost them.

But when they all receive an invitation to the queen of Mythria’s wedding, it’s a summons they can’t refuse . . . and a reunion for the ages—with Clare secretly not over his long-ago fling with Beatrice, Beatrice fighting the guilt she feels over how everything ended, Elowen unprepared for the return of her ex-love (the cunning Vandra), and all of them lost without Galwell. And if reuniting with former friends and lovers wasn’t perilous enough, dark forces from their past have also returned.

Dusting off old weapons and old instincts, Beatrice, Clare, and Elowen will face undead nemeses, crystal caves, enchanted swords, coffee shops, games of magical Truth or Dare, and, hardest of all, their past—rife with wounds never healed and romances never forgotten.

This time around, will their story end in happily ever after?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Cozy Fantasy Vibes—I am not a huge fantasy reader, but what I will always read and make time for? Romantasy. When one of the co-authors of this book pitched it to us (on the podcast), I NEEDED to read it. I loved that it was cozy and digestible, plus very very unique.

The Multiple POVs—I find fantasy to be tough to read but I love when there are multiple POVs in order to see all angles of the world.

The Concept—The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation! YES!

What Didn’t Work:

The Pacing—I loved the beginning but felt Act II dragged a little bit, making it harder for me to pick it up!

The Execution of the Concept—I just didn’t feel like it matched with the comped titles…

Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: N/A Overall Rating: 3.75/5

Content Warnings:

death, grief

This cozy romantasy offers two second chance romances with likable characters, but the world-building falls short. While the modern elements like cell phones and streaming are mixed with magic, the lack of consistency in the fantasy world left me questioning why some things remained outdated, like fighting with swords. The pacing felt off, with slow plot development early on, and while the romance and character growth were enjoyable, the story lacked emotional depth and introspection. Despite its flaws, the lighthearted tone, themes of friendship and second chances, and fun banter made it an overall pleasant read, though not particularly memorable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this e-book.

This Will Be Fun had so much potential to be the next fun, cozy read. It has a great group of characters but the world and their motivates are barely fleshed out. There was also a weird mix of technology but also horseback riding/carriage vibes. It's jarring to read about needing a carriage ride to the city but being able to order one ala carriage Uber. It often took me out of the story. The magic system is interesting and I wanted to know more about saving the kingdom. But ultimately we got more regarding the friendships than the quest. For someone who is more invested in relationships than story lines, this might be a top choice for them! But unfortunately, it was not for me.

This was a very interesting premise where it follows these characters after they have faced the bad guy and won however they end up losing the main hero of the group. This shows what it means to have a huge win and be seen as a hero even if you really don't feel like you have won anything. Each character has their own unique voice that comes through during their chapters. It's kooky and funny but also very heartwarming. These characters really felt like they lept off the page for me. Made me laugh out loud a couple times and tear up once. Highly recommend.

I received a free copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.

I DNF'd this one at 25%

This one wasn't what I had expected I thought it would be a fun fantasy romance adventure type story that would be fun. Instead we get two second chance romances that feel about the same. One half of the couple was more rogue-ish and now has changed and wants to get back together while the other half does not want to get back together.

Lots of banter, but not the fun type. No actually talking things through. It just didn't work for me. There wasn't a lot of world building instead a lot of modern conveniences with a magical reason. The big adventure happened 10 years ago, which seemed like a long time before they finally try and get back together. I did like the idea of the story set behind the big adventure, but the reality in this case just wasn't as interesting. I also had expected there to be more plot and adventure, but so far it's just about the romances and a wedding and celebration they all want/ get convinced to show up for.

I absolutely adored this book!! This was such a fun adventure full of wonderful characters in a world of possibility, and I loved every second. I even DM'd the authors to let them know I can't wait for the second book.

This is a romantasy that has two second chance romances. I was excited for this book, because the premise sounded unique and yet still had a lot of the romance elements that I love.

The execution fell a bit flat for me. I needed more world building for it to feel like a true fantasy meets romance. I also felt like the characters didn’t quite have enough depth. I just couldn’t get immersed in this one!

(3.25 ⭐️)

Loved the D&D vibes and the age old question of what happens to an adventuring party after they’ve saved the world. I enjoyed the characters and relationships for the most part, though the back and forth of each couple before they finally got together was a bit frustrating and gave me whiplash at times. The ending was wild but also if you think of it as D&D, why the fuck not lol. Overall though, I did have a good time with this one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-Arc ❤️

such a fun fantasy book that is perfect for this time of year!

thank you author eb Asher & netgalley for the arc!

Everyone in Mythria knows the story of how best friends Beatrice and Elowen, handsome ex-bandit Clare, and valiant leader Galwell the Great defended the realm from darkness. The heroes haven't talked in ten years, devastated by the results of their quest. Invited to the queen of Mythria’s wedding, they must reunite. Clare isn't over his long-ago fling with Beatrice, and Beatrice fighting the guilt over how everything ended. Elowen is unprepared for her ex, and all of them are lost without Galwell. The past has also returned, so the three former friends must go on another quest. This time around, will their story end in a happily ever after?

We find out that saving the realm led to Galwell's death. He was the leader and engaged to the princess of Mythria because it was the right thing to do. Beatrice and Clare had their fling right before the final battle, and Clare had another on the day of the funeral. He went on in that vein for ten years, while Beatrice married someone she didn't love. The two always had feelings for each other, and covered it with arguments. Elowen in that period was flirting with the rogue hired to slow them down, and in the decade since Galwell's death isolated herself from the rest of the world. None of them are in a good place but are essentially ordered to attend the Queen's wedding. It's a journey to get to the capital, and one more quest awaits when they get there.

I enjoyed the little touches of magic to mirror our world: tapestry magic to show episodes of long-running programs that are like soap operas, frothy nut milk drinks, magazines, and gossip columns, conjuring a connection to the mind healer, and carriages for hire like a medieval Uber. At the same time, there's magic, whether grand enough for quests, or small enough to essentially be makeup and costuming. Most books deal with the lead-up to a quest, but here we see the fallout when it goes sideways. The heroes deal with trauma and grief in their own ways, Galwell in the background as the friend whose memory they can't live up to. The songs, poems, festivals, and impersonators are a trigger themselves, though meeting the Clare impersonators felt like Elvis impersonators from our world. Each person deals with what it means to be a hero and to live in a world where that means something.

Along with the magic and eventual quest, we have two second-chance romance stories here. Beatrice and Clare still have their connection, as do Elowen and Vanda. Along with the usual romance novel beats, we have an adventure to bring them all together and force them to confront the past, their grief, and the misconception each person has about themselves. It's long past time for them to grow into who they should have been, and it really was a fun ride (for the reader!) to go on.

‘This will be fun’ was not not that fun…. I DNF’d at 48%. I just couldn’t get into the premise and felt too YA for me. I’m still giving it a 3 star because I think this could be fun for other readers who are looking for something different. I will say that I’ve never read something like this before and that’s a positive ?

The reader jumps into a storybook realm of hero’s and bad guys. It follows the journey of 4 friends who save their realm and become hero’s. It then jumps forward 10 years and their life’s look much differently following the death of their leader.

Thank you #Netgalley and E.B. Asher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This…book…was FABULOUS
Definitely a fantasy of the year for me. I loved the dynamics, the friendships, and oh my goodness the storyline! I was hooked by the very first chapter and was so excited to read it everyday. So thankful I was able to finish it in the woods, in honor of the quests that were taken. The pain the characters felt I could feel through the page. The magic had such a unique touch to it and how it was portrayed left me feeling like I could just step into the book. Definitely give this one a try!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy to review.