I enjoyed the premise of this book, and the world building. A simple enough spin on D&D types with some "modern" elements thrown in. Those did seem a little heavy handed at times, but I understood where we were going with it. It took a minute to get to the actual story and I did lose interest a couple times. But it was a cute and easy read once things started moving! The ending is... something. I think you'll either love it or hate it, but you should give it a chance either way if cozy fantasies are your thing!

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review:
I DNFed this book at around 25%, but I really think it’s an issue of marketing rather than anything else- this novel is a contemporary romance pasted onto a lightly fantasy setting, which isn’t explained beyond “magic”. I think reaching the right audience, it will be a hit, but as a fantasy, I just couldn’t do it.

I primarily struggled with the tone and vibe of the book. I think the goal was a Shrek-like setting, blending the medieval and modern, with magic and swords but also tabloids and message boards, but none of it is well explained or fleshed out. The writing is heavy with modern slang and millennial style social-media jargon, and magic is used to create things like movies and coffee shops with pumpkin spice lattes. This has the intended effect of giving the story a lighthearted, jokey, not too serious vibe, but definitely doesn’t fit with the time period of the story.

Overall, I could see this filling a niche, but it needs to be marketed to the romance readers, not the fantasy crowd.

This book wasn't for me. I DNF-ed it at 25%. However I can see how others would find it fun to read. I don't think it's listed as a YA book but definitely has that vibe. If you liked Shrek 2, you will love this book. It's about a group of Heroes that saved a kingdom (or land, I'm not exactly sure) and now ten years later, they're going to reunited for a wedding. You follow each hero from a first person POV in a chapter, which I personally live in books. Seeing things for all the different angles fills in lots of gaps for me usually. There's 2 different couples that are "will they/won't they" couples possibly getting back together. A neat thing, that was also very confusing, was how the author brought modern things into a much different past time. There's Uber, texting, FaceTime, even soap operas. All brought in with an older time spin to it, so very much Shrek like. But none of it is really explained how it works beyond just "magic?" so it's a little odd.

One of my favorite books is The Magicians. In it a group of people go to a magical land and save the whole place. I thought that's what this book would be like also, but it really wasn't. It's definitely geared more towards some romance and that's not quite my thing. I will say the best part of this book was every time I tried to read it, I'd fall asleep within ten minutes. I have a hard time sleeping and this was great for the week I read it 😂 Honestly I may end up buying a physical copy just for that little perk.

If second chance romance with some magic and odd modern things in a mostly medieval setting are your thing, this is absolutely a book for you. It's got some humor and it's a little slow paced, overall the writing is good. The conversations are witty. There's not a ton of detail about the setting, which isn't a bad thing. I hope others enjoy this book, it seems like it could be a cute series.

This Will Be…slow. The description immediately interested me and truly, so did the first 20% of the book. It opened with the group embarking on their last day of a quest. Then, the story picked up 10 years later with 1 major twist to the group dynamic. Then, the plot was lost to paragraph after paragraph of repetitive dialogue and the characters thinking about their feelings.
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I don’t see any meaningful similarities between This Will Be Fun The Princess Bride, People We Meet on Vacation, Shrek, Legends & Lattes, or Bridgerton - all of which have been referenced in marketing materials for this book. I didn’t notice any grammatical errors or issues with sentence structures, but I did highlight a few paragraphs from Clare’s chapters because they felt like a choppy stream of inner thoughts. The land in which they live, Mythria, is pretty well-explained and easy to sink into as a reader. There was a modern convenience for EVERYTHING- a chain of beverage shops on every corner, “shadow plays” to create TV shows everyone could watch, “conjuration alerts” for video chats to talk to a therapist - and that actually started to take away from the fantasy of the story.
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From 20% on in the book, the characters spend a lot of time thinking about their feelings (mostly to themsevles) and doing very little questing. The pacing was consistent, but unfortunately just felt very slow. The story is told through 3 POVs and out of those, I realized that Beatrice’s chapters contained the most humor and genuinely relatable material. Her first chapter is 2nd in the story and it sucked me in. I liked the ending. I think that the authors do have a creative mind when it comes to the plot and situations the characters found themselves in.
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I loved how this book began and the premise of it. If the plot had been developed more so than the inner thoughts of the characters, I think I would have had a lot more fun. Perhaps a very niche group of people will love this book. If you love really cozy fantasies, lots of dialogue, and modern slang, you’ll like this book. I don’t, however, think that this book will appeal to a multitude of readers.
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Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, Harper CollinsPublishers, and E.B. Asher for this digital readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

An enjoyable story of a quest to save the queendom in a magical land. There are so many Princess Bride vibes; humor, action, tears, and, of course, revelations and resolutions. The magic is not overdone and aids the progression of the story. It truly was fun! Thank you for the arc for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for the eARC.

No, actually, this was not fun. DNF when my urge to smack the characters upside the head did not diminish after several chapters.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review. The word “rom-tasy” (romance + fantasy) is an apt description of this novel. The story focused on the four main characters and their relationships with each other as they journeyed together on a quest. Note to readers: there are sexual relationships between two women, and a man and woman that are described. The descriptions in these sections are not graphic, but may be unappealing to some readers. There are elements of magic in a fairytale setting that are fun to read and imagine, with several moment that were giggle-out-loud funny. I enjoyed the character development and the plot resolution, and found this to be an entertaining and engaging story.

well, first, thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. I struggled to read it and found it underwhelming at best. Although, I think this is more that I prefer fantasy with more in depth world building and stronger characters, the cozy/low stakes fantasy is just not my vibe. I think the premise of this book was really interesting and held a lot of potential, but as I read I just kept wanting more from it. I struggled with the dialogue, so much of it felt forced and uneasy. And the banter fell a little flat for me, it never gave me that witty, we've been friends for so long feeling. The plot started 50% of the way into the book, the first half was just them...reorienting themselves. It was very predictable, but I wanted more foreshadowing, more lead up, more something from the book that just wasn't there. So much telling, not enough showing. I wanted more descriptions that were less dramatically, poetical alliterations and more substance. There were glimmers of really interesting world building that just were dropped or not expanded or explored. Most of the book just left me wanting more from it.
I am grateful to have the chance to read the book, and I do think this will fit nicely in the growing genre of cozy fantasy. I just didn't find the fun in the book and found it tedious at times.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice Rating: 🌶️.5 / 5

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher (a pen name for 3 authors) is a fun, character-driven, quest fantasy novel that echoes comedy and fantasy found in The Princess Bride as well as the kind of rekindled relationships found in People We Meet on Vacation.

What do heroes become once the bad guys are defeated and the quest is over? Ten years after the Four defeated the most evil man in the land, the three remaining from the group are still struggling to find their place in the world. Clare takes his role of "hero" extra seriously, always showing up in public as a hero to hide the discontent he feels underneath. Elowen has taken the loss of her brother who died ten years ago hard and has completely isolated herself from society. Beatrice got married to secure her status in society, but now that she's divorced, she is also trying to figure out where her place is now. The queen is about to get married and requests that the remaining three of the Four return to the Queendom for her wedding. The journey to get there reunites Elowen, Clare, and Beatrice, who haven't seen each other in the ten years since they finished their quest. However, the queen has an unexpected quest for the group when they arrive at the Queendom, and it might take more than they are willing to give.

This Will Be Fun is such a sweet and lighthearted novel. It is definitely more character-driven with a lot less focus on the plot and world-building and more focus on the characters' relationships with themselves and with each other. This did make the book a little slow, but if you go into it knowing that the plot is not the focus, you'll fully enjoy these multi-dimensional characters.

I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation as well as the way each character had to figure out who they were before they could truly give themselves to their significant other. The ending was perfect for each of the characters and their relationships--giving them a true hero's farewell.

If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with great character development, banter, quests, self-discovery, and a bit of spice, This Will Be Fun is for you.

The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation in this cozy quest romantasy about a group of friends who once defended their magical land together but haven’t spoken since, reuniting to attend a royal wedding, and ending up on a new adventure to save the realm—and hopefully themselves.

🏰 Medieval Fantasy
🥰 Romance Subplot
🗺️ Beautiful World Building

This book was a trip! It started out really strong with all the amazing world building, but towards the middle it really slowed down for me and I had to push myself to finish it. The ending was beautiful and I loved it, but just be aware - there is definitely a lull in the middle of this book! The characters are great and I loved the multiple POVs.

I LOVED how the authors added in modern day ideas but made this medieval-esque ex: Wagons For You which is Uber. It was such a cute touch and really added to the atmosphere!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an ARC of this book!
This comes out Sep 10, 2024 so pre-order this one if it sounds good to you!

3.25 stars. I kind of psyched myself out for the book by looking into the authors’ pseudonym right after the first chapter and discovered they’re authors I’ve been really hit or miss with, so that probably affected my overall rating, to be honest. That being said, this was rather fun (as advertised lol), but also a decent exploration of how grief affects people differently. I loved Beatrice and Clare’s second chance romance, but I thought Elowyn’s second chance was Vandra was a bit underdeveloped. The final resolution of the plot was extremely satisfying as well, and tied all the major hanging plot threads up nicely. I wish Clare’s eagle, Wiglaf, made a few more appearances!

ARC Review: The potential for a cute, fantastical romcom. The setting was so fun and reminded me of Ella Enchanted (2004) with the medieval time era but modern details like tv = shadow play and their version of phones, etc. Unfortunately, I felt like a chunk of book was missing. I understand the time jump from the prologue to the start of the story is intentional for us to learn what conflict happened as we read, but there was a lot of context jammed in throughout that didn’t spoil “what happened” but did leave me confused, in turn taking away from what was happening presently. I felt almost left out like “ya had to be there!” but no one was.

This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher is an absolute delight of a cozy fantasy romance. Saving the kingdom of Mythria from a notorious villain undoubtedly ruined the lives of all adventurers involved. In their young 20s, Galwell the Great led his sister Elowen and her best friend Beatrice to save the world from a great darkness. Along the way, they teamed up with the ex-bandit Clare and were waylaid by the villainous Vandra, but even in their darkest moments, no one imagined Galwell would sacrifice his life to save the world. In the intervening years, Elowen has alone lived in a secluded part of a nightmare forest, Beatrice has lived a boring life as a noble wife before her recent divorce, and Clare has taken up the public mantle of hero to save everyone else from doing the job. They haven’t seen each other in a decade, but when the Queen invites them all to her wedding, they cannot say no. Can the two couples reconcile the things that separated them in the first place? Is it even possible for them to still save the world—especially without the leader that made them so great? Can one really quest through a kingdom without the aid of caffeinated sweet treats? All this and more will be answered in E. B. Asher’s gloriously funny book.
I was delighted by so many world-building details in this book. When I tell you the fantasy world feels very Shrek, I mean that as a complement. The faux Starbucks and magic-cast soap operas are so fun. The magic system is straightforward and adds to each character’s arc. I also am a sucker for a second chance romance so when you give me not one, but two I am sold.
Elowen and Vandra hooked up in between fights during the party’s first quest. Now that Vandra is a reformed assassin in the employ of the Queen, there is nothing stopping them (other than Elowen’s insecurity and belief she should be alone forever). It is a really well done sapphic enemies-to-lovers relationship where the former villain is a ball of sunshine and the former hero is such a grump. I love them so much.
Next up we have Beatrice and Clare who got together the night before Clare joined their adventuring party. Instead of confronting this reality, the two bickered across the realm and broke up after Galwell’s funeral before they ever had a chance to really be together. I love them all, but Clare is such an adorably sincere himbo and he could never do anything to make me hate him. Sure, he is a bit of a rake with a tendency to overcompensate to make others feel better, but I simply adore him. He brings out the best in Beatrice who, quite frankly, is a powerhouse. She is stubborn because she has to be and she is so deliciously complicated. Her repairing her romantic relationship with Clare and platonic relationship with Elowen brought her sense of purpose back. That is not a character arch we see a lot from thirty-year-old women in fantasy books. Give me more, please.
In case I have been coy, I highly recommend This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher set to release September 10, 2024.

I really enjoyed this read and was very easy to finish. The setting well flushed out, and characters were relatable. The story flowed well and was not unnecessarily convoluted. I would definitely recommend this book to friends, although I did find the ending a bit too saccharin. Thank you again to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this and share my unbiased thoughts. I’ll be looking forward to the next book from the author.

DNFd at 40%.

The writing is juvenile and the plot in the first 40% is stuck on an endless looking of “woe me,” “pity me,” and “I have a crush I can’t get rid of.” The characters are so self-loathing and annoying repeating the same qualms about themselves and their companions. The premise of the book is interesting, however, the execution lacking. The magical abilities seem intriguing, but they’re really only used to feed into the character’s self-loathing.

This is a cozy fantast that tries to give Princess Bride vibes, but doesn't quite make it to that beloved status. It is very cheesy, which at times it great, but at other times is just a little too much.

The book is an interesting dive into trauma and how it affects different people. Elowen, Clare, and Beatrice have all experienced a great trauma in their quest to save the realm. It has affected them all differently and none of them have healed from it.

I am a little annoyed that the blurb has spoiled stuff that happens more than halfway through the books. The blurb I had read spoke of them having to go on another quest to save the realm which does not come up until more than 40% through the book. So I got a little bored on the way while waiting for that to happen.

In my opinion, the pacing was also a little off. I wanted something a little bit faster paced. And the revealing of what happened in the past was just spread out too much. I also hated the ending with Beatrice's last memory recall. I feel it ruined the whole point of the book being about healing from past trauma.

There are some fun elements to the book. I loved the fantasy versions of video chatting, Starbucks, Uber, and soap operas. Pulling these things into a fun fantasy world definitely made me smile and I enjoyed reading such creativity.

I'm a mood reader and I think part of my issue with the book was I was not in the mood for a cozy fantasy when I picked it up. I do think other people will enjoy it more than I have, with it's fun (if sometimes over the top) banter and modern conveniences turned into fantastical things.

The premise of this book was so fun and interesting! A book that finally focuses on the heroes after the quest is done? It’s so unique and captured my interest instantly. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their back stories. The world building was also very different than I’ve seen before but was confusing as there was a mix of modern and old that didn’t quite work. I loved the enemies to lovers and pining. Overall, this was a cozy read with a unique and fun voice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

This book book makes a huge promise with the comparison of “People We Meet on Vacation” meets “The Princess Bride,” and with that unfortunately sets impossibly standards for itself. The stakes seemed inconsistent - at times world-ending and village slaughtering and then the next beat the villains pause their evil plan for a casino night and the heroes engage in Scooby Doo style shenanigans. While I do love a shenanigan, and would expect as much from a book compared to The Princess Bride, the juxtaposition of the two within a span of just a few pages seemed to diminish both. Rather than steadily building the stakes from cozy shenanigans to more impactful and serious threats, it seemed like this book couldn’t make up its mind about what it wanted to be.

I was willing to look past that and consider this a solid 3.75-4 star read, as the banter was fun and I did like the characters’ group and individual journeys, however I hated the ending. To me, it completely diminished the characters’ growth and personal journeys with grief, and honestly seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere.

I picked this novel up for the title and the beautiful cover, looking forward to the promise of sword/sorcercy/MRP characters reunited 10 years after saving their world. It's a world full of quirky parallels to our own — magic lantern shows = junky tv, what happens in the Vermillion Vale stays in Vermillion Vale, and so on — which straddle the annoy/amuse line for me. On the annoy end, one wonders why set this throughly modern story in a fantasy land. On the amuse end, the authors (there are three) have an eye for absurdity and snappy dialogue.

Romantasy fans will appreciate the deep dive into the characters' anxieties and insecurities as the characters are thrown back together (second-chance slow-burn romances all around!) and must work their way through the traumas and survivor's guilt that has left each in various degrees of misery since the day they defeated the Big Bad.

The book was not really to my taste, even as a lightweight appetizer. Turns out I prefer more show less tell when it comes to the characters' feelings, and weighing in at 400+ pages, there are a lot of feels to work through.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinions.

This was such a cozy, medieval romantic, and the characters were very likable. The plot was very deep and I absolutely loved every single page of this book I sped through.