This Will Be Fun follows four heroes who thought they were done with their questing days. After the biggest quest of all the land, to save the then princess, the plan goes awry and costs them more than they expected. Now, a decade later, our heroes are all invited to the wedding of a lifetime, the now queen’s. With bad blood between them, the heroes can’t refuse the invitation but they also don’t have to go quietly. When trouble strikes again, will the heroes be able to band together like good old times or will the infighting be the death of them?

This book was a breeze to get through. The language is fairly simple and easy to comprehend. I enjoyed the story although it was very predictable. I guessed most of the plot points prior to reaching them. It didn’t dampen the story for me however, because this book was a very “brain off” kind of book. The world building was slightly lackluster, mostly because it appeared the authors were attempting to recreate real world places but giving them magical elements. My biggest rub with the book was the magic system. It lacked structure completely and was changed continuously to further the plot. The choices of magic were a bit silly also. Outside of that, this book was fun and I think it would be a great entry level book for adults looking to start in the fantasy genre if they are not looking to critically review a book. Overall I give this 3/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with an advance reader copy!

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon for the ARC. I really liked the concept behind the book, but I did not like any of the characters.

I had high hopes for another cozy fantasy after finding a few recently that I loved, but unfortunately This Will Be Fun didn't live up to my expectations.

3 former adventurers are brought back together for a friend's wedding and find themselves once again the only hope of the realm. However, the events that tore them apart are still fresh in their minds and the past decade has wreaked havoc on their relationships.

This ultimately lacked the heart and plot development of other cozy fantasy books. The new quest for these 3 friends felt very contrived and easily dealt with. Plus, the character development was superficial and I never felt close to them as a reader.

Ten years ago “The Four” saved the realm but not without great loss. Now on the eve of their decade anniversary they are summoned to save the realm once more. Can they all put aside their differences and feelings to save Mythria? Or will the realm fall into darkness at the hands of The Order?

I had high hopes for this book. I always love a good cozy fantasy, especially this time of year. However, this book fell a bit flat. I don’t know if it was having three different authors (which I didn’t realize until after I finished) or the concept wasn’t as well thought out as I’d hoped. But either way I was left disappointed.

I felt that a lot of the story was centered around whether Clare and Beatrice would get back together. The angst was hitting hard and boiling over to the point of annoying. Meanwhile, I felt that Elowen complained a lot and just saw the worst in people despite having magic that made her aware of their feelings. Her feud with Beatrice seemed over exaggerated as well.

Overall, this book was okay and reminded me more of Ella Enchanted than The Princess Bride. If you’re looking for a cozy romance with not as much substance then give this book a read.

Yes, he was going to nurse the living sh*t out of her.

Ever seen the movie Shrek? Well, this book reminds me so much of that movie. The humor, the magical elements, and the 'let's make crap happen' without a real plan. There is magical elements like coffee shops, soap operas and their version of taxis in here. But magical. Which made this book fun and just enjoyable to read.

This is a type of cozy fantasy was made we want to finish the book and see what happens at the end. It was funny and there were so many times I was cackling at the characters talking to one another and their humor.

I really did love how this was a story of after the hero's saved the kingdom. What happened to them, who did they become and what are they wrestling with. You see them wrestling with a lot of guilt of the past, working through those emotions and healing from them.

But there are something that I wish were a little different.

1. Pacing: we spend 50% of them traveling a bit to Queendom. But in the meantime, we spend a lot of time in a lot of dialogue, whether it be internal or external dialogue in pity parties, grievances and these long dialogues of who they use to be as heroes. When the 50% mark hit, the story picked up a little more and there was a little more traction in the plot.

2. Magic system: the magic or the fantasy element of the story was sort of felt like it was thrown in the story. There wasn't much development in understanding the magic and when it happened. It just 'happened' with no true understanding why it happened.

3. The ending: the ending was a curse ball and unexpected? You sort of went, how did that happen? It came out of no where and it felt like it really didn't fit the story even though it helped with the HEA. It was sudden and no build up to that plot.

Overall, this is cute and a quick read. Need a palette cleanser, this is it. But if you like faced paced fantasy books, this is not the book for you.

This Will Be Fun is a bit like Shrek meets Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, which may be one of the weirder mashups of comp titles that my brain has ever conjured. Like Shrek, there's a lot of modernity baked into the world building, including soap operas, famous coffee chains, therapy calls, corporate sponsorships, and a city that is literally just Las Vegas. In fact, the medieval European fantasy setting is more set dressing than anything else. These characters speak and act like they've been plucked straight out of the 21st century. All that's missing is some Smash Mouth.

And like Frieren, these characters are dealing with life after a legacy-defining quest has come to an end, and the inherent melancholy that comes with feeling like your best years are behind you. There's also some added layers of survivor's guilt and self-loathing baked into these characters to round everything out.

I like this combination in theory. But something about the execution failed to live up to its potential, in my opinion. I think ultimately the authors tried to do too much with too few pages, and that led to both plot and relationship developments feeling very rushed. The third act especially suffers from this. I kept waiting for some conflict to complicate things for our heroes, but there just...wasn't one. I know this is a rom-com and not an epic fantasy, but I don't think the conclusion had to feel quite so lackluster just to keep things light and fun.

I can see from my fellow reviewers that the modern elements didn't always land, so this book may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it for the most part. I wish the authors had gone a bit deeper, but if you're looking for a light, casual read between epic doorstoppers, this was pretty fun.

When a group of four friends go on a quest to save their realm, the leader of the group, Galwell perishes but the remaining three receive great renown for their accomplishment. However, they do not know how to cope with the loss. Clare, a handsome rogue turned hero embraces the fame and is determined to live up to Galwell's greatness; Beatrice, a gifted women, tries to move on and live a normal life but is full of guilt from the day they lost Galwell; and Elowen, Galwells' sister, hides away from her old life and shuts out everyone. When the kingdom needs heroes again, they call on these three to reunite, but they must work their past, hurt feeling and hidden secrets.

This Will Be Fun surprised me in so many ways. It was compared to Princess Bride, which I can see in many ways, but I also found that the humor and whimsy felt close Robin Hood Men in Tights. The author(s) intertwined modernity with the past - coffee shops, ride sharing, television - and did it in a way that felt believable and lighthearted. The multiple POVs from these characters was the perfect writing choice in order to know what was going on in the head of each of them as they took on this new quest.

My only complaint about this book is that I wish I new why they were so necessary for this quest. There was not a lot of explanation about their abilities in fighting, strength, etc. They explained Beatice and Elowen's magic, but beyond that, we did not know why they had to be the ones on the original quest. There was an opportunity to explain that maybe Beatice was a badass fighter or that Elowen was sneaky or something to make us understand their role as part of the Four.

Overall, this book is in line to be one of my tops reads of the year!

Thanks so much to the publisher, the authors, and NetGalley for providing me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is due to come out October 29th.

4.5 stars rounded up! This was such a good time! I laughed and I cried and honestly, I can't recommend this enough.

This novel is about the legendary four heroes who saved the realm of Mythria 10 years ago. Galwell, his younger sister Elowen, her best friend Beatrice, and the handsome ex-bandit Clare teamed up to save the realm. They were ultimately successful but didn't come out of it unscathed. We meet our trio 10 years later, still devastated by grief and no longer speaking to each other. They have all tried to process their grief in different ways but all three of them are still struggling (though none of them want to admit it). But when the queen summons them for her royal wedding, they must reunite for the first time since their disastrous falling out.

This book is the perfect blend of fantasy quest and romantic comedy. I've been seeing a lot of comparisons to Shrek, The Princess Bride, and Legends & Lattes. I think these are excellent comparisons and if you enjoy any of those, you'll like this. Though please be aware, this book focuses heavily on grief. I do think it is well done and is balanced well with the lightness of a fantasy romp. There are three authors that worked together on this book but I felt like the story was so cohesive that it was impossible to tell where one author started and the others ended.

I loved the inclusion of old-timey versions of modern things (their version of Uber is called Wagons-For-You). I did see the ending coming a mile away and I found myself frustrated with the characters at times but overall, I think this is a great read. It's hilarious and heartwarming with some great romance and one of the best confessions of love I have ever read. Definitely pick this up when it comes out, I think it will make for a fantastic addition to your fall tbr!

"This Will Be Fun" is a mix of adventure and cozy fantasy, with complex characters that you can't help but root for and occasionally, laugh at. If you enjoy fantasy, D&D, and found family, this is the book for you.

I was really drawn to the premise of this book. The idea of former heroes, once beloved and now fractured by the aftermath of their quest, being forced back together for a royal wedding—and perhaps one last mission—had so much potential! The pacing was a bit off, with slow introductions that made it hard to care about the plot in the beginning. However, once things picked up, I started to appreciate the light romance, the fun banter, and the character growth, which kept me reading.

I liked how each character developed as they grappled with their past and present, and I thought the subtle romance that ran through the book was really lovely. There were some intriguing levels of tension created by Clare's ongoing obsession with Beatrice and Elowen's unresolved feelings for her ex-lover, Vandra, but I wish more time had been spent developing these relationships. I thought the novel relied a little too much on dialogue. It would have been easier to relate to the characters more deeply if there had been more introspection and more emotional depth.

Although I enjoyed the setting, I thought the world-building was a little basic. Though I didn't feel totally immersed in it, Mythria had potential, and the fantasy aspects may have been expanded on. It felt as though the tone was a little erratic at times because of the combination of magical caverns, charmed swords, with other elements (such coffee shops and magical games).

Despite its flaws, I did enjoy the book. The cozy, light fantasy atmosphere, mixed well with themes of friendship, loyalty, and second chances, made it an entertaining read. It had a lot of potential that wasn’t fully realized, but it was still a pleasant read.

I have only just begun dipping my toe into fantasy. I've never been into the "romantasy" genre that's so popular right now and so I've been concerned I will pick up the wrong book. This was pitched as part "Princess-Bride" which told me it was going to be funny and full of adventures. I really enjoyed it! I loved the modern hints at things, like soap operas, message boards, and gossip magazines. The clever names were perfect and I loved that it connected fantasy and modern times. I had one hope for the end and that was to bring back Galwell, and I was not disappointed. The title doesn't lie and these authors make a great team.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so completely in love with this book until the ending. I’m still giving it just shy of five stars because the cozy ridiculous sweet book had me truly loving reading it. So much was ridiculous (in a good way) as the author(s) explore what happens to a group of heroes when their quest is done and the real world settles in, complete with its own fantasy version of soap operas, Starbucks and weekly therapy sessions. I won’t leave any spoilers here beyond the trope used to end the story is a huge pet peeve of mine. Others should love it and not have any problems but I just personally wanted something less… leaving it there before I ruin it for anyone. I will still highly recommend this one for anyone needing a cozy ridiculous absurd fun read.

Ten years ago, Clare, Beatrice, Elowen, and Galwell saved Mythria from foul magic and power summoned by the Fraternal Order, but the cost was high. The realm’s beloved hero Galwell the Great was slain, and the three remaining warriors of the Four didn’t cope well. Now the trio has been reunited on their way to attend the Queen’s wedding, but when they arrive, they discover the groom has been kidnapped. Do these washed up champions have it in them to save the realm once more?

This Will Be Fun is a highly entertaining questing adventure filled with laughs, hard truths, and magic. There is so much to enjoy… a fun fantasy realm with a noble quest, tarnished heroes who are given a second chance, two second-chance romances. I loved watching Beatrice, Clare, and Elowen learn to forgive themselves and grow to love again. The entire story is a journey of reflection and forgiveness for each of the three. They must look inward and examine why they’ve made the choices that led to their separation and isolation from one another. They need to forgive their own choices while understanding and forgiving each other.

This Will Be Fun is shared from the alternating third person POVs of Beatrice, Elowen, and Clare so the reader is privy to the thoughts and feelings of each main character. The story starts with a look at how each hero has spent the past decade, consumed by their person demons of guilt, shame, and loneliness. Elowen retreated to her trees living in isolation and staying away from experiencing others’ feelings. She feels betrayed by Bea and life. Bea married a nobleman to compensate for growing up poor, and she didn’t take the queen’s retirement package because of guilt. She spends every night reliving Galwell’s death in perfect detail because she feels she doesn’t deserve forgiveness. Clare took on the public mantel of Hero because he enjoys it, but more to save the others from having to. He overplays it purposely to keep attention on himself and away from the others. But here’s the thing - none of them take the time to understand the actions of the others. Each assumes horrible things because that is easier than facing the truth.

As the story continues, the three are forced to spend time together and each slowly learns more about the others and themselves. But it’s not a straightforward journey, and each backslides into lashing out rather than opening up and forgiving. And then they realize that they must protect the realm again, regardless of where they’ve been and what’s ahead. Eventually, they learn to laugh together. They become a team that has fought their demons and come out stronger on the other side. It took ten years of misery to finally learn what it means to care and love another. To clear the air of old hurts.

I do have two slight misgivings that occur near the end of the book and have to do with Beatrice learning something new about her powers. While the attempt puts a neat bow on the package, I felt it was unnecessary. Other than that, I absolutely adored This Will Be Fun. I highly recommend the story for fans of adventure stories, humor, and light fantasy.

A-

This Will Be Fun is a second chance romance (x2) fantasy...or perhaps romantasy? I also heard this described as a "rom-quest" story, and that definitely fits. It largely uses a fantasy worldbuilding framework with modern features. Like a carriage on demand service (uber), and the same coffee shop in every village (Starbucks). It's humorous in this way, but the story itself trends more dramatic. It's a story of four best friends, national heroes after a dangerous quest, then torn apart after a traumatic event. All now lead lonely, separate lives for the last ten years. Reluctantly reunited, they must revisit their shared pasts and learn to get along again, in order to live through a new quest. There is a lot of past misunderstandings and assumptions driving drama, and there is a lot of drama. I wanted to shake a few characters out of their self pity. Once folks start honestly talking, the story picks up. Vandra in particular (not one of the original four) is consistently a good time. I did enjoy how the characters worked through their past issues and came out better for it. I particularly enjoyed the very end, which I only saw coming just prior. Overall, a whimsical fantasy with heavy emotional depth.

ARC received from Avon via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I got about half way through this and then just kind of got bored. The pacing just felt a little slow. I have been in the mood for faster books lately

THIS WILL BE FUN is a quasi-medieval romantic comedy in which the lauded heroes of Mythria forcefully reunite after a decade apart. Trauma and miscommunication separated the original four--now the remaining three--after the end of their quest. Elowen lives alone and faraway in the trees. Beatrice married and recently divorced an average Lord. And rogueish Clare roams the realm reveling in and profitting from his fame. To each their own method to forget the past. When they receive an invitation to the Queen's wedding, some require more persuading than others. But they all go on their way and eventually wind up on a quest to face the past...and of course to save the realm once again!

My favorite aspect of THIS WILL BE FUN was the translation of modern comforts into a medieval-ish setting. Some might find the anachronisms jarring, but it adds to the overall air of whimsy this tale exudes. Mythria has its own version of Starbucks, video calling, texting, and even ride sharing (carriage for hire, if you will). I also appreciated that the dialogue format pokes fun at the formal way medieval characters speak in romanticized, theatrical productions. It's an entertaining juxtaposition of the new and the old.

Unfortunately, though, that's where my entertainment stopped. The beginning grabbed my attention, which starts ten years in the past and then fast forwards to the present. Each character is pretty miserable and, of course, I wondered why. However, by the 50% mark I found I completely lost interest. Most of the book bounces between the three characters' points of view. And each one is more of the same pining over the past or pining over each other. They stay in their heads and feelings so much that, frankly, I got annoyed. There's this thing called talking to each other and it takes them forever to get to that point.

The overall point of the story is that they each need to face the past, live in the present, communicate, and forgive each other. But to have to read about it for 75% of the book gets repetitive. By the time the new quest came into play, I had a difficult time staying invested. The new quest itself is rather ridiculous, but given the lighthearted premise, I can't fault it too much.

In the end, perhaps I just am not cut out for a story that spends a lot of time in characters' head spaces. THIS WILL BE FUN is a character-driven story that's light on plot and heavy on internal monologues. While not my preferred cup of tea, some may appreciate these elements coupled with a generally light-hearted, whimsical setting.

Book Review
This Will be Fun by EB Asher

Collab between 3 authors EB Asher is:
Bridget Morrisey
Emily Wibberley
Austin Siegemund-Broka

Main Characters
Fab Four Heroes include- Galwell, Beatrice , Clare and Elowen
New upcoming heroes include- Hugh, Vandra

Themes and Tropes
✅ Fantasy
✅ Heroes vs Villains
✅ Magic
✅ Royalty (Thessia)
✅ Second chance romances including LGBTQIA + rep
✅ Multiple POV
✅ Quest/Adventure
✅ Found family
✅ Best friends- think fantasy version of Marvel avengers, banter and arguing and fierce loyalty and love
✅ YA/ New Adult vibes
✅ Comedy of errors missteps and miscommunication

Fun stuff
Think Shrek, Scooby doo, Princess Bride, Spaceballs vibes.
This book is full of corny humour, cheesy visuals, and pop culture references, making it highly entertaining and engaging
Hound and Hind offers drinks very similar to a famous brand we love
Wagons for You aka Uber
Shadow play/ Soap Opera everyone is obsessed with- Elowen and Vandra’s guilty pleasure
The Needle (pub) - where everyone knows your name
Vale felt like Vegas
Clare convention felt like comic con

On a serious note
The authors touched upon a few more complex themes including survivors guilt, depression, and imposter syndrome. Each of our MCs were battling internal emotional and mental health issues …. Ultimately they found their path to healing with each other

Overall
An easy reading cosy comedic romantasy adventure to fall into .

Thanks to the publisher and @netgalley for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

This Will Be Fun caught my eye because of the tag line "Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation", as I am a fan of both of those books. I feel as though the actual magical system in the book was very interesting and creative. However, it gets overshadowed by the author having to explain how this Medevil type world has been modernized. I feel that where this book really fell off for me was the characters themselves. All of them felt one deminsional. I would have liked to learned more about thier individual backstories. While the cozy setting and magic system drew me to this book, I found it difficult to get into the story.

While this book should’ve been cute, it was mostly just a waste of time. The modern aspects were jarring, the lack of banter made it boring, and the plot… well it just wasn’t plotting. On top of which I wouldn’t really even call this book romantasy, but just a straight up romance set in a fantasy world. There’s miscommunication tropes, and constant repeated discussion of the same three feelings, and no worldbuilding. Ultimately this book delivered on nothing of what I wanted, and everything of what I didn’t.

Review posted to Goodreads 9/3/24

A cozy romantasy that follows a group of friends, that have parted ways since their last quest ten years prior went awry, as they embark on a new journey to save the realm.

The book is in multiple POVs between the four main characters: Beatrice, Clare, Elowen, and Vandra. Two romance plots happen simultaneously, one of which is a sapphic romance. The writing has a modern twist which adds to the 'Princess Bride' appeal. It's comedic and a little ridiculous at times. Unfortunately, that's the extent of the "good" aspects of the book. Dialogue and character interactions are favored, with the plot and fantasy elements feeling like a second thought or backdrop to the main focus: the characters. There is meant to be a quest they embark on to save the realm, but we don't get to the "what" until almost the 50% mark, and at that point I was not feeling particularly attached to the outcome.

I think this book has a lot of potential. The writing style is unique and definitely feels cozy at times, but I wish the plot and conflict were thought out a little more.

Thanks for the ARC!