A review by pagesofnay
So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Reading the synopsis, I knew this was going to be a book that I would enjoy. However, I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. This story is marketed as ‘Carry On meets Arthurian legends’ and let me tell you, I love both of those. As much as I love enemies to lovers, friends to lovers holds a special place in my heart. There were misunderstandings, but it wasn’t to the point where it infuriated me (I normally hate miscommunication and misunderstandings, unless it feels somewhat natural).

This character group was chaotic from the beginning. I loved it. Arek, the Chosen One, who is oblivious, very lovable, and responds to tense situations with humor. He is kind and would do anything for his friends. Matt, Arek’s best friend and mage. Lila, the rogue, loves to steal things and is very clever. Rion, the knight, incredibly witty and stoic. Bethany, the bard, clears up the messes everyone made. Sionna, the general and warrior, funny and sometimes stoic. This is not only a love story between Arek and Matt, it is also one of finding a family within a group of friends.

After ending the Vile One’s reign, Arek must take the crown. Being king was not something Arek had in mind, but in order to save the kingdom, he would. However, Arek must now find someone to soul bond with or fade away. Arek begins to plan ways to woo his friends and Matt assists him. These plans were incredibly hilarious and went wrong in every way. The way all these plans ended, it would seem like the universe wanted him with Matt, but they were both so obviously oblivious. I would consider this a very slow burn, but done very well. Normally slow burns feel unnecessarily drawn out, but this felt almost natural.

Overall this book was a fun and easy read. It was fast-paced and had lovely, enjoyable characters. Starting the book with the ending of the quest to end the Vile One’s reign was interesting and I think it worked very well. It left me wondering “So, what happens now?” and did not disappoint. This book is worth reading. Lila and Matt were definitely my favorite characters.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the digital ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings