2.75 stars

Honestly most was just sort of boring. It has a lot of characters, but the focus is really on if two certain ones should get together or not. Rather than merging an older time period with modern elements, it just felt disjointed and the worse of both worlds. While I like the idea of this book, and some of the friendships, it was largely a miss for me.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netfalley for an advanced copy to form opinions from.

This ended up being not for me at all . I picked it up and put it down so many times. I ended up dnfing it at 20%.

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher is a cozy quest romantasy following four past heroes who are reunited after 10 years of not speaking. While the journey they face during this book is much lighter than the feat they conquered in the past, each member of the group is struggling with the grief and trauma of losing their friend in their own way.

Throughout the book the reader is blind as to why the heroes are no longer friends and why many of the characters have anger/resentment towards each other. The reader is also blind to exactly what happened 10 years ago that lead to their friend's death. The character's personalities shine very clear through Asher's writing and the banter and dialogue that bounce between them is very entertaining!

I personally made it 45% of the way into this book and decided to DNF. I know many readers who would enjoy the low stakes quest of this book coupled with the mystery as the reader of not knowing why the past friends have fallen out. Personally for me, I struggle with a low stakes plot and combining that with both the intense level of miscommunication that seems to be going on between the characters and being 'in the dark' as the reader, I felt myself getting frustrated and not wanting to pick the book back up again.

Overall, if a reader enjoys a whimsical world with very light magic, a low stakes quest, and a character-driven story, this is likely a great book for them!

Do you like soap operas? How about medieval times with knights and ladies? If you said yes to both those things…This Will Be Fun….for you!

Told in the viewpoints of friends who had previously quested together but had a major falling out, This Will Be Fun takes them on a new quest, where maybe they’ll save their relationships along with their realm?

I really enjoyed this book and have already recommended it! The characters were funny and in multiple ways relatable (I definitely relate to the antisocialness of Elowen but the need to drink wine of Beatrice…) I loved how they make modern things like elevators seem feasible in a Renaissance type setting. There was a great balance of ridiculousness and seriousness. I would read a sequel, were there to be one.

The only downside, which makes it more of a 3.75 than a 4, is that I don’t think the straight relationship and gay relationship were given the same treatment. One was open door while the other was not, and I found that to be disappointing as I had really loved the diversity and inclusiveness prior to this realization!

But that’s just a minor complaint, all in all it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it for fans of Assistant to the Villain.

Thank you to NetGalley and the published for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had a hard time getting into this book and only made to 25%. It was a little hard to follow because the main story had already happened. I loved how quirky it was.

If you're really picky about modern elements in mideval times then this will bother you.

This was fun though. I appreciate that there was a lot of drama and tea in the unravelling of what happened before they all split. The angst there was everything I wanted it to be and more. Especially the Elowen and Vandra storyline, it was excellent. I've read a few of these "we used to fight together and the best of us died" tropes in both serious and unserious lights, and this was good. I think I prefer the unserious versions to be honest.

The character work was good, and I enjoyed the quippy time in their travels. The ending was ok, but I was mostly there for the vibes by that point.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for an e-copy.

This Will Be Fun is exactly what the title describes, a heart-warming adventure filled reunion of an adventuring party. The world was very much a slightly more modern fantasy space with coffee shops & conjurations of soap operas but also a villainous order who seeks to control and dominate the world. We follow Elowen, Beatrice & Clare as they reunite as the only three left of the fabled Four who saved the realm ten years ago. They lost their leader in Galwell and the years have not been kind to them as there is a constant feeling of guilt about his death.

I particularly enjoyed the more mature characters, especially how they reflected on the way they acted on their original quest and how a lot of their interpersonal dynamics were impacted by their youth. So many of the issues that they had with each other once they got back together and actually talked about it did they seem so immature. The quest itself was a little lackluster but that was to be expected as the characters were the real meat and potatoes of the story. I also really liked the others we met outside the original group of Vandra, Thessia, and Hugh.

This was definitely fun. I think it lost its way a bit at times but overall it was still a good time. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

THIS WILL BE FUN by E. B. Asher has a fascinating premise - part romantasy, part adventure, part comedy - and it tries so hard to make it all work. While there are a number of really bright spots, it ultimately lacks cohesion and doesn’t quite live up to its potential.

Things that worked for me:
- I loved the friendship element between the characters and thought this was the strongest part of the book.
- The lighthearted moments and comedic banter kept me entertained.
- The characters were engaging and diverse.

What fell a bit short:
- The world building needed more attention. Some modern references seemed inconsistent with the setting.
- The romantic element was confusing; sometimes comedic, sometimes not.

The author shows significant potential and I’m interested to read her future work. Overall, this was an entertaining read on a gloomy day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

A wholesome fantasy with an emphasis on friendship.

I had high hopes for this one and while there were a lot of things I liked, it wasn't a slam dunk for me

Although I’ve never read People We Meet on Vacation, I LOVE The Princess Bride and that comparison is spot on.
The fun, campy, romantic adventure that we all know and love in The Princess Bride is the exact vibe we get in This Will Be Fun.
It made me laugh out loud while also feeling their heartbreak and healing throughout the story.
If you’re going into this book hoping for intricate world building in this fantasy you’ll be left disappointed. There’s very minimal world building and what world building there isn’t executed well.
But honestly, it’s not SUPPOSED to be that type of story. It’s campy and if you like that vibe, you’ll love this.
I did enjoy this book but it didn’t really keep my attention. I think there were just too many similarities to the real world and maybe just a bit too cheesy in that regard, that I was taken out of the story and unable to really immerse myself in the story.
I thought the writing was great and loved the second chance romances. As advertised it really was fun!
Ultimately, I just felt like it was lacking.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this one! I liked the premise of flipping a typical fantasy storyline - four heroes saving the realm - and instead following them ten years later, when they’re more legend than anything else. The characters were fun and sweet, and I liked all of their little quirks and their relationship drama.

The world building was interesting. A lot of the details were pulled from real life, including a knock-off Starbucks with seasonal pumpkin drinks, Uber with carriages, and message tapestries for texting and social media. I’d call it cozy fantasy - it felt fairly low stakes. Even though the entire realm was at risk, the focus was definitely more on rebuilding friendships and romantic relationships.

All in all, this was a really fun cozy fantasy with characters I felt very attached to!

This Will be Fun asks and answers the question of what happens a decade after an epic quest between four friends once the book ends. It is a goofy mix of contemporary and fantasy, some of which makes no sense, but most of it ends up being fun.

As promised, "This Will Be Fun" was very fun. I had a great time. I love a cozy, somewhat low-stakes fantasy for fall time, and this had all of the fun and whimsey I was looking for.

I also really love the trope or thought experiment of what happens to the heroes of the story after the battle is won, and I loved getting to know Beatrice, Elowen, and Clare through this lens. While they all had their unique struggles, I thought they were all so endearing in their own ways and I couldn't help falling in love with them.

I also loved the goofiness of the fairy tale world that had many of the trappings of modern life (Starbucks, fandom message boards, cosplay conventions) in a fantasy world skin. While the plot wasn't all that deep, it didn't need to be and wasn't trying to be. I loved learning about the world and the characters all the same.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book starts off slow but it you continue on you’ll get a cute cozy Romantasy with adventure and friendship. It was cute to read for the fall season

This will be fun, I enjoyed it and had fun reading it. What happens when best friends who haven't seen each other for years are reunited, tells their stories. It was fun, reading about reconnecting, learning to be together, discovering when their lives depend on it, if they have the same instinct as when they were young, and finding out how it all turns out. When I got to the end, I was surprised and no, I didn't know. When you read the book, you will know what that means.
I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley.

A group of adventurers are reunited ten years after they first saved the kingdom when all are feeling lost in different ways. Full of found family, friendships, second chances, queer love and tons of action and adventure. This cozy fantasy action story was full of heart, had a great cast of queer characters and was excellently narrated by a full cast. Highly recommended if you're looking for a fun debut that's funny, light-hearted and full of a surprising amount of depth. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

There are a lot of fun elements in this book, and I especially appreciate the emphasis on friendship to make this romantasy more cozy. That said, it felt like all the different elements didn't come together cohesively for my tastes.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay. It feels like it took me forever to read it though and I place some blame on the first 50% of the book on that. I found the first half of the book to be very boring and then it started to pick up some speed. I did feel like it wasn't until 75% of it that I was actually having fun with the book though. The quest the main characters go on is interesting I just hate how long it takes for it to actually happen.

In the description it relates this to the Princess Bride but to me the only thing that it similar is that it's in a medieval setting. If the description is something that sounds intriguing to you then give it a chance.

2.5 stars rounded down

“It’s funny how old roads can lead to new destinations”

It’s been 10 years since four friends quest to rescue the kidnapped princess and free the Queendom from an evil sorcerer. They lost a brother, who was the best of them, and have been secluded and in mourning ever since. Now they have reluctantly reconvened for the queen’s wedding, but her fiancée has been abducted so they agree to another rescue mission. At 30 years old, they are not feeling quite up to speed, but rediscover their strengths and learn to accept and love who they are now.

You can expect -
Cozy Fantasy
Reluctant Questing
Cheeky Banter
Second Chance Romance
Accepting Oneself
Found Family
Magical Queendom
Queernormative
30yo MCs

This was a fun, cozy, magical journey. I loved that this was a fantasy world but had funny tongue-in-cheek real world references. They have a few types of magic and have developed things similar to our modern conveniences - telekinetic video calls and soap operas, carriage ride-shares, celebrity gossip magazines. I also loved how the tropes were tailored, like “questmates with benefits.” It reminded me of My Lady Jane, or Legends and Lattes with the humor of Shrek. A fun time all around.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing an eARC for my honest opinion.