A stately home, an eccentric family, a scene-stealing cat and a gorgeous romance - this could be my perfect book! I think Jane Lovering is one of the best romantic novelists around. Her books are always written with intelligence and humour and her characters behave and speak in a real, relateable way and are just the sort of people you’d like to spend time with down the pub. The bookish theme of this story and all the literary references made it even more special. It was an utter delight to read.

A delightful blend of romance, humor, and intrigue, this book is a true gem for those who love a good story – especially when it feels like one you’d find between the pages of a beloved novel.

Andi Glover is a character you can’t help but root for. Raised by unconventional parents and surrounded by the safety of fictional worlds, Andi’s journey to discover her own "happily-ever-after" feels both relatable and charming. Her move to Templewood Hall, a quirky estate with a rich history and even richer secrets, sets the stage for an unforgettable adventure. As Andi begins to uncover the mysteries of the hall, we’re pulled into a story that feels like a mixture of gothic romance and thrilling whodunnit. From ghostly apparitions to hidden heirs, the plot twists are deliciously unpredictable, and you’ll find yourself turning the pages, eager to see what happens next.

Lovering’s writing is witty and full of heart, with a strong sense of atmosphere that brings Templewood Hall to life. The characters, particularly the enigmatic Hugo and the charming gardener, add depth and intrigue to the story. Their interactions with Andi are rich with humor, warmth, and just the right amount of tension, keeping the narrative both engaging and enjoyable. There’s an effortless charm in the dialogue, and the relationships are carefully developed, giving the story emotional weight without ever feeling too heavy.

In short, Jane Lovering has delivered a beautifully written, captivating read that will make you smile, laugh, and perhaps even shed a tear. It’s a must-read for anyone in need of a little hope, a little laughter, and a reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected twists lead to the most wonderful endings. Highly recommended!

Happily Ever After follows Andi Glover, a book lover who has had a somewhat unconventional upbringing. With nomadic parents, and no formal education, Andi has found herself as an adult struggling to gain meaningful employment. When she sees an advert for someone to catalogue the library in an old manor house, that doesn't require any qualifications and offers pay, room and board - she jumps at the opportunity.

Upon arrival, Andi quickly learns that things at Templewood hall are not as they seen. She meets the eccentric lady of the house and her mysterious son and quickly learns her new role won't be as easy as she had imagined.

The book is a cozy mystery with a mix of some romantic elements. There are lots of twists and turns and is a nice enjoyable read.

For me, I found aspects to be slightly predictable, however this didn't stop me for enjoying the book for what it is. My main issue with the story is our protagonist Andi's obsession with relating everything to the books she's read, which i found to be very child like and made it a struggle for me to get on side with her. The only other thing I would say is that the pacing is quite slow for most of the book, but then picks up towards the end.

I rated this book 2.5 stars, it was a fine read, but not obsessed with it.

Jane Lovering’s Happily Ever After has an intriguing premise, blending gothic mystery with romantic comedy. Unfortunately, its execution is marred by a protagonist so deeply lost in her own fantasy world that it’s difficult to take her seriously.

Andi Glover, raised in an unconventional household, prefers fiction over reality—a relatable trait at first. However, her complete inability to distinguish between the two becomes frustrating. She stumbles into Templewood Hall, convinced she’s living out a novel, but instead of using any common sense, she barrels ahead. I mean, which girl goes to a manor, hired to sort out the library, and is convinced that she will marry the heir and become the new Mrs of the house?

The novel does have its strengths—the atmosphere at Templewood Hall is intriguing, and the mystery elements are engaging enough to keep the reader going.

For readers who enjoy lighthearted, whimsical stories with eccentric characters, this might still be a fun read. But if you prefer a protagonist with even a shred of self-awareness, Happily Ever After may leave you more frustrated than entertained.

With the anticipation of reading a romance that could have taken place in a Gothic novel setting, I was a little disappointed with the overall result of Happily Ever After. Andi is like most females who love books; she's looking for an adventure and love. She takes a live-in job as a library curator at Templewood Hall. The Lady of the manor and her son are the eccentric type, and their family has secrets, as any good gothic novel would include. But for me, there was a lack of chemistry and not too much of a mystery to really hook me into the story. And of course, this was not the romance it led me to believe.

There were many times the story lagged as well as just confused me. Too many themes were attempted, and it just fell flat for me. I really did not like the main characters, even though they had a bit of quirkiness to them. Without the chemistry a good romance needs, I definitely would not call this a romance to live up to its title of Happily Ever After.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Tw - homophobia

I liked the idea of this book; a modern version of a gothic novel that makes fun of the common tropes just like northanger abbey did. I do think the cover and title are a little bit misleading into thinking it’s a romance novel when it isn’t. There was no need for the various types of homophobia in the novel.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this arc.

The last few books of Lovering's I’ve read have been more fiction/women’s fiction with less romance than I’m used to. In this book there are a few possibilities for heroine Andi, that is if she is actually going to get a romance and not just live in her book induced fantasy dreams. But for the longest time, I didn’t know if Andi was going to pull her head out of her book-induced expectations or not.

I can see that with her #VanLife and #LivinginaCaravan upbringing, Andi has turned to books to be both her friends and her source of information given that her parents don’t believe in standard schooling. Andi arrives at Templewood with stars in her eyes and dreams of the son of the house falling for her, marrying her and then living her romance book dream best life. As Jay the gardener says during one of their conversations, life isn’t like that.

Still Andi’s head remains in her daydream clouds for a long, long time. That Lady Tanith’s son Hugo likes her is one point in Andi’s favor. That the Master likes her is probably several points in her favor as Lady Tanith seems to believe that the overweight Siamese cat, who usually smells of fish, is the reincarnation of the man Lady Tanith loved and lost but whom, even fifty years after his death, Lady Tanith still loves with feelings that border on obsession. As the taxi driver who drove Andi to Templewood said – bonkers.

Once most of the main plot points got laid out, the book sort of repetitiously circled around on itself, spun its wheels in the mud and didn’t go anywhere for a while. We read the story through Andi’s first person POV and there is a lot of telling here. So much telling. It’s also hard to tell exactly what the book is supposed to be – mystery, romance, gothic, women’s fiction. There’s a touch of all of that.

After a slow middle, the finale picks up its pace, guns it, and charges to the end. Andi finds her future albeit, yes, after a man suggests it and offers it to her. Other characters discover a new way forward as well and this part sort of charms me, too. Who knew the secrets a family can have? I certainly hope, though, that one person will remain in a better headspace. But I do love the cat. C+

Nice book. I did find the story a bit odd in places but quite amusing and though I didn’t like all the characters I still found the book enjoyable.

Happily Ever After by Jane Levering will be published February 17, 2025.

An interesting mystery story with gothic vibes, humor and a slow-burn romance. Andi travelled and lived on a bus most of her life, eager to live independently from her parents, especially after her sister moves away to boarding school. She finds comfort in the books she reads and believes that her life can work out like the characters in her romance novels. She takes a job at Templewood Hall as a live in curator of the library to catalogue books, where she meets the Lady of the house and her son, Hugo at the Manor. The place is nothing like she expected, creepy halls, strange sounds in the night, and family secrets.

It was a quick read! I enjoyed the mystery aspect and the characters a lot!

I received a copy from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Andi is stuck, she is lost in life, when asked to chose between joining her parents on another of their televised travel adventures on a bus or to join her perfect sister who has made a success of her life and has offered her a sofa in attend for baby sitting. Andy decides to go for the third option, as a great lover of books Andi found a job working at Templewood Hall, Indexing the library and putting it all on computer.

The house has seen better days, Lady Dawe seemed to have designs on Andi with her son Hugo, after all the books of her childhood Andi is sure that is why she is here but there is a mystery about Hugo who is set to inherit after his brother left the house under suspicious cirmcumstances.

With only a rather smelly cat for company Andy spends her days logging the books in the dusty library but when Lady Hawe comes up with another task to Andi one she doesnt want her son to know about. Andy is worried on the direction this job is heading and the deaf gardener being hot really doesnt help.

This was an interesting book, it wasnt one I was desperate to finish but I couldnt put it down, the characters are sometimes a bit farcical and Andi started off quite child like but in the end an enjoyable read. I would definitely ready more books by this author

This book didn't have a whole lot of romance like the cover and the title would suggest but it was a cute, light read with gothic vibes. The writing felt flat in some places but overall the book was fairly enjoyable.

Happily Ever After by Jane Levering is due to be published February 17, 2025. It is a light romance with gothic mystery touches. There are some heavier themes touched on, but not dealt with in any depth.

Andi, having had an unconventional childhood. turned to reading gothic mystery novels to learn about the world. She finds herself working for a cantankerous lady in an old manor where she is tasked with finding something that is at the center of a mystery. There are a number of other characters, but by far my favourite was the cat called The Master. A fun touch in this novel is also that each chapter is named after a classic novel.

The second half of the novel was less successful than the first. The premise was so good that I expected a bit more from the execution. However, the presence of the cat made up for a lot and I enjoyed myself overall.

If you're looking for a fun read that includes a loveable cat, this might be for you.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing this book via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

We meet Andi, who takes on a live in job cataloging books in a library in a family Manor house, which has definitely seen better days. Andi & her sister grew up in a very unconventional way, they travelled around & lived on a bus & although her sister eventually went to a boarding school, Andi didn't attend any educational setting and everything she has learned, has come through devouring books. On arriving at the Manor & meeting the Lady of the house & her son Hugo, Andi has this romantic dream that she may fall in love & live life like a Jane Austin character. However, as the days pass by & Andi is assigned a secret task by her eccentric employer Lady Dawe, we see her character develop and grow. This is definitely a book worth reading, it's quirky, it's witty, there's a few twists & turns and best of all, a cat with a determined personality. Thanks netgalley and publishers for allowing me an advanced copy.

I began reading this book thinking that this would be a gothic romance. Instead it is a mix of comedy, mystery with gothic overtones, what seems to be a touch of the supernatural, a little romance, and much desperation on the heroine's part. I enjoyed it immensely.

Andi Glover arrives at Templewood Hall to take a job cataloging books. She was also hopeful of finding affordable lodgings nearby. Andy was living on hope at this point as she was desperate to live independent from her parents, who travelled much of the year in a van. She was almost out of money and out of gas. Due to the constant travelling, she also didn't have much in the way of academic credentials.

Nothing about the position was as she expected - the library, the house or the people. The building was dilapidated. The library was huge and dusty, with books - also dusty - stacked everywhere. It was dominated by a huge portrait of the love of Lady Dawe's life (not her husband).

To her surprise, the advertisement she had responded to wasn't sent by the lady of the house at all. Lady Dawe was not impressed by Andi, but Andi managed to get herself hired and Lady Dawe reluctantly agreed to allow her to live in the house. Lady Dawe particularly wanted her to find a set of journals written by the love of her life, the man in the portrait. The characters in this book are wonderful. My favorites were Andi, Hugo (Lady Dawe's son) and the cat named The Master.

I received an e-arc from the publisher Boldwood Books via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

This was an interesting read and I think if you go into this thinking it will be a sweet romance (as the cover suggests, you will be disappointed. This lies somewhere in the kind of mystery, kinds of gothic vibes with a romantic subplot. All of the characters are quirky, including the FMC, and if you embrace them they become loveable.

Things I loved: a book about books! Each chapter is named after a classic!
Things that didn't work for me: slowwwww pacing and a bit confusing for me as to what kind of book I was reading until I was about 40+% into it.

Overall, a solid book with a HEA, just as the title suggests. *I received a complimentary copy from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

There’s nothing I love more than a good book (just like our main character: Andi) and Happily Ever After delivers a delightful mix of mystery, humor, and slow-burn romance.

Andi Glover, a lifelong bookworm raised by unconventional parents, finds herself in what feels like the pages of a classic gothic novel when she takes a job at Templewood Hall. With eerie happenings, family secrets, and a missing heir, the story unfolds like a whodunnit with a touch of romance.

Jane Lovering’s writing is witty and engaging, and I adored the atmospheric setting of Templewood Hall. The slow-burn romance between Andi and the enigmatic gardener adds warmth to the novel, picking up pace toward the end in a satisfying way. While the mystery elements take center stage for much of the book, the blend of humor and heart makes it a pretty enjoyable read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!

I love this author and I don't think she could ever write a book I didn't like. I can definitely see how this may be a Marmite book, but thankfully, once again I loved it.

If you're looking for totally every day relatable characters, you're not going to find that here, in my opinion. The characters appear like "stock" characters from a Jane Austen style novel with the attractive, rich hero character and the lonely, desperate heroine, as well as the strange lady of the manor and the mysterious gardener. However, once I stopped trying to understand or believe in the characters and just enjoy that the author may be poking fun at the romance genre and ultimately it is a book and it doesn't have to BE believable, I leaned into it and I had a lot of fun reading it.

Jane Lovering's style of writing is just something you can't teach. Whatever she writes, and whichever characters she creates, she manages to turn it into a page turning and intriguing novel.

There were some discussion of, or nod towards, serious themes to the book including dysfunctional families, gender identity and sensory impairment, alongside the mysterious elements which raise a lot of questions, but ultimately this is a light hearted and easy read from a fantastically talented author. I really enjoyed it!

Great premise but the writing is lacking in so many ways that it made the book a struggle to finish.

Lovering’s signature wit and warmth shine through in Happily Ever After. The novel’s blend of humor, heart, and suspense is engaging from start to finish. Andi is a relatable and endearing protagonist, with her bookish nature serving as both a strength and a weakness. Her journey from fiction-obsessed dreamer to someone willing to confront the complexities of real life is as satisfying as it is entertaining.

The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, from the eccentric Lady Dawe to the enigmatic Hugo and the mysterious yet oddly dependable gardener. Each character adds depth to the story and keeps readers guessing about their true motives and roles in the unfolding drama!

At its core, Happily Ever After is about stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing the unpredictable messiness of life. Lovering cleverly contrasts the escapist allure of fiction with the challenges of reality, showing that while life may not always follow a tidy narrative arc, it’s still worth living—and loving.

The gothic elements—creaky halls, family secrets, ghostly sightings—are handled with just the right touch of drama and humor, ensuring the story remains engaging without becoming overly dark. And of course, the slow-burn romance adds a delightful layer to the story!

Gothic mystery with a tad bit of romance is how I would describe this book. Andi’s imagination and whimsy was fun to read and I liked her and Hugo together. I do wish though that they had a bit more chemistry written in though as they took some warming up to!