Reviews with content warning for Cursing - The Happy Ever After Playlist

My summary: Sloan is still grieving two years after a motorcycle accident that killed her fiancé, Brandon. When a dog, Tucker, jumps into her car, she tries to reach Jason, the owner on his tags, and after two weeks of no luck decides that maybe Brandon sent her Tucker on the anniversary of his accident. Jason, who had been on a two week backpacking trip with no cell service, is both devastated and relieved to get Sloan’s messages that she has Tucker. Still at work in Australia for two more weeks, they start talking and texting about Tucker and it turns into more. When Jason finally returns to Los Angeles and reunites with Tucker and meets Sloan, they fall hard and fast for each other. But Jason is also Jaxon Waters, rising to blockbuster stardom as a singer, and life on the road touring may break them.

My thoughts: Sloan’s story in The Friend Zone was absolutely crushing. So seeing her get a happy ever after with a famous rock star was a fun ride. Although there was a point where I was pretty sure Abby Jimenez shoved my heart through a meat grinder, I really enjoyed the rest of the story. This book made me feel all the feels and I enjoyed it a lot more than The Friend Zone and I’m looking forward to the next one.

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sarahflanders's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Title: The Happy Ever After Playlist
Author: Abby Jimenez
Series: The Friend Zone #2
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: April 14, 2020

T H R E E • W O R D S

Entertaining • Enchanting • Heartwearming

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Artist Sloan Monroe just can't seem to get her life on track. But one trouble-making pup who randomly jumps into her car with a "take me home" look in his eyes is about to change everything. With Tucker by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker's owner reaches out. He's a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.

Well, Sloan's not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can't deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There's no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

💭 T H O U G H T S

My heart ached for Sloan in The Friend Zone, so I was excited to learn I'd be getting to read her story in The Happy Ever After Playlist. With such a personal connection to this book, I was anticipating another deeply emotional reading experience. Unfortunately, this one didn't have the same emotional punch, which left me slightly disappointed.

The beginning was so good! I absolutely adored the meet-cute (despite being on the dramatic side); the banter between Sloan and Jason was top notch; and getting to know Jason was delightful. And of course, there is Tucker (and I'm not even a dog person)! Yet everything I loved so much through the first third, slowly faded. For instance, Tucker played such a big part role, yet he kind of got left by the wayside as it went on. Their story somehow got bogged down through the middle, making in longer than necessary. Additionally, the fun, light hearted banter, which made their connection so believable, slowly dissipated.

A few other positives. I couldn't help me be entertained by Kristen's entertaining cameos. She was hilarious and I am so glad Sloan had her in her court. Everyone needs a Kristen in their lives. I also adored Sloan's relationship with her MIL. It was all heart-warming.

One last thing, while I typically like when author's include notes on their inspiration, in this case, I have issues with the concept of 'making people better' or 'fixing people' in the face of life-alternating death. It's a reminder of western society's inability to sit with grief and uncomfortableness, even though I know the importance of continuing to live. Grief is a lifelong journey and there is no getting over it, rather moving forward with it.

For me, 2023 has certainly been the year of Abby Jimenez (this was my fourth), and while The Happy Ever After Playlist is my least favourite, I still love how she writes banters and creates realistic romance with depth. I will continue to read everything she writes, and I'm looking forward to continuing with Life's Too Short, while I await her upcoming 2024 release.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Abby Jimenez devotees
• readers who like dogs
• fans of the second chance romance trope

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Sometimes the hardest place to live is the one in-between. And sometimes in-between is all you'll ever get."

"This was just a season, and there's beauty in all seasons."

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cady_sass's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Will Abby Jimenez ever write a book that doesn’t make me cry like a baby? All signs point to no!

Side note: you do not have to read the friend zone in order to enjoy this, it reads fine as a stand alone. HOWEVER the love and appreciation for Sloane is amplified x100000 if you do.
Side note 2: it really, really bothers me that they chose to name him “Jackson Waters” when there’s already a band by that name, it did mess me up at the beginning but I cannot detract a star for it.

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kenrosecar's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I don’t know what it is about this book-maybe I just haven’t read a cheesy love story in a while-but I couldn’t put it down! I loved the storyline of the dog bringing them together and tying them together throughout the story. I feel like I also have a new perspective about the crazy lives of celebrities. It was a little bit of an emotional roller coaster there at the end. My heart felt the depth of the love they had for each other when they were together and the heart-wrenching heartbreak they experienced when they were apart. Shamelessly, tears were cried at the end. One of my favorite reads!

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annahamburger's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Another poignant story! This one balances the light the and heavy that comes with life. A hopeful story that unfolds about our FMC finding love after loss.

In this book we get to see Sloan's character be fleshed out as well as meet Jason. Kristen continues to be a central character and I was happy to see her and peak into her life after her "happily ever after". Josh unfortunately sort of faded to a side character, I was hoping to get to know him better from the outside since their book really focused on Kristen.

I enjoyed Sloan and Jason's character development and complicated and nuanced reactions to real relationship barriers (not everyone is a rockstar but jobs have been known to transfer people or require travel).

This book got emotional reactions out of me such as- smiling, laughing, and crying.

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rebeccap's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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midnightbelles's review against another edition

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emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I started this book with pretty low expectations but I was hooked from the first chapter. The story revolves around Sloan who’s fiancé died two years ago and Jason who is a famous musician. Jason’s lost dog jumps into the roof of her car and she spends two weeks trying to contact Jason to pick him up with no luck. Once she and Jason do get in contact they quickly begin to fall for each other.

I do agree that this is a fairytale romance (as in, this would never happen in real life), but I enjoyed it despite that. I liked seeing the growth Sloan had, their cheesy moments together, and I also really loved Kristen and Josh’s relationship with Sloan. The book is really fast paced in my opinion He bought an engagement ring after only knowing her for a month
and I felt like some of their relationship issues we’re stupid if I’m being honest (They definitely could’ve been solved quicker if they just stopped and thought things through). But overall this was a really cute and quick read and I would definitely read it again.

P.s. LISTEN TO THE SONGS WHILE YOU READ!!! It literally adds so much to the story and some of the songs fit so well. It makes the reading experience so much better :)

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