A review by camillawashere
Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant
4.0
Huge thanks to Novel. For providing me with this ARC! Here is my review:
When I read the synopsis of Happily Ever Afters I was automatically sold because I love YA contemporary and the comparison to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before but with a Black girl main character convinced me I needed to look no further.
Happily Ever Afters follows the story of Tessa Johnson as she is settling into a new town with her family. She recently was admitted into a school for gifted teenagers called Chrysalis for her romantic writing. But Tessa soon finds that as she is expected to turn in assignments and share her stories with the class, what used to her naturally, suddenly is the last thing she wants to do. She hatches a plan with her best friend to get her “groove back” and maybe even find love in the process of doing so.
Honestly, I was so relieved to read a book where I could relate to the main character solely based on the description of her. I was easily able to connect with Tessa and her story. This book tackles many important topics relating to race, mental health, and family issues that I feel were extremely candid and written well. Readers will be easily able to relate to Tessa and the problems that she encounters. I feel like it reads as if you’re Tessa’s friend too, and are growing with her during the duration of the novel. This book is another strong testament to why representation matters, and I can’t wait to see the response it gets from the book community when it is officially released!
My favorite thing about Bryant’s writing in this is that I felt a strong connection to all of the characters and they were easy to fall into step with as the book progressed. The development of Caroline, Lenore, Theodore, Poppy, and Sam as side characters made the book all the more enjoyable for me. These are characters you will be able to relate to and root for!
Overall, I had a lovely time reading, but it does feel a little predictable at times. I think the overall message of the book is strong and important, but I also found myself wanting a little bit more closure when the novel came to a close. I know this is going to operate as a stand-alone, but the ending left potential for the story to continue and I’m not sure if that was the goal. Nico, a main romantic interest, did not feel quite as developed, making him hard to connect to and care about. Additionally, I found some of the references to fandoms a bit annoying, but it wasn’t anything completely off putting.
In all, this book was great! I think if you’re looking for a sweet, honest, contemporary read this is exactly what you should pick up. You will find yourself not only falling in love with the story but the characters, and wishing you could eat one of Sam’s delicious culinary creations. My hope for the future is that the book community will accept this book with open arms and support it wholeheartedly! I think this could really do well on screen too, as I could see the characters and scenes come to life in front of me.
When I read the synopsis of Happily Ever Afters I was automatically sold because I love YA contemporary and the comparison to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before but with a Black girl main character convinced me I needed to look no further.
Happily Ever Afters follows the story of Tessa Johnson as she is settling into a new town with her family. She recently was admitted into a school for gifted teenagers called Chrysalis for her romantic writing. But Tessa soon finds that as she is expected to turn in assignments and share her stories with the class, what used to her naturally, suddenly is the last thing she wants to do. She hatches a plan with her best friend to get her “groove back” and maybe even find love in the process of doing so.
Honestly, I was so relieved to read a book where I could relate to the main character solely based on the description of her. I was easily able to connect with Tessa and her story. This book tackles many important topics relating to race, mental health, and family issues that I feel were extremely candid and written well. Readers will be easily able to relate to Tessa and the problems that she encounters. I feel like it reads as if you’re Tessa’s friend too, and are growing with her during the duration of the novel. This book is another strong testament to why representation matters, and I can’t wait to see the response it gets from the book community when it is officially released!
My favorite thing about Bryant’s writing in this is that I felt a strong connection to all of the characters and they were easy to fall into step with as the book progressed. The development of Caroline, Lenore, Theodore, Poppy, and Sam as side characters made the book all the more enjoyable for me. These are characters you will be able to relate to and root for!
Overall, I had a lovely time reading, but it does feel a little predictable at times. I think the overall message of the book is strong and important, but I also found myself wanting a little bit more closure when the novel came to a close. I know this is going to operate as a stand-alone, but the ending left potential for the story to continue and I’m not sure if that was the goal. Nico, a main romantic interest, did not feel quite as developed, making him hard to connect to and care about. Additionally, I found some of the references to fandoms a bit annoying, but it wasn’t anything completely off putting.
In all, this book was great! I think if you’re looking for a sweet, honest, contemporary read this is exactly what you should pick up. You will find yourself not only falling in love with the story but the characters, and wishing you could eat one of Sam’s delicious culinary creations. My hope for the future is that the book community will accept this book with open arms and support it wholeheartedly! I think this could really do well on screen too, as I could see the characters and scenes come to life in front of me.