Reviews with content warning for Car accident - The Happy Ever After Playlist

POINTS DOCKED OFF FOR THE THIRD ACT BREAKUP!!!! JASON YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID.

Besides that though I love, love, LOVED this novel. The chemistry between Jason and Sloan right off the bat was incredible. They were so damn funny together and when they finally met up I about damn near cried. I did not expect the book to take the very emotional turn it does in the latter half. I did not like Lola throughout the whole novel and then ended up wanting to BURN THE WORLD DOWN FOR HER. She was a product of the situation she was put in and I don't blame her at all for what she did/said.

Anyways, I'm endlessly glad that my friend bought this for me to read!!!

Content Warnings

ariana_m's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous 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? Yes

4.25

4.25 stars. This was a great book to end the year with. I can't believe that this is my last read of 2023! It was so fast paced and covered a serious topic but still had a lighthearted essence. I loved Sloan and Jason. They had me smiling for 80% of the book. They were so cute! I loved how patient Jason was with her. I also loved all of the side characters as well. The dog tucker was adorable. I wish I could go through the book and give him a treat lol. This covered grief really well and the authors note at the end made this story even more heartwarming. I will say the conflicts in this book annoyed me. It was miscommunication and I hate that trope but I still loved the book overall.

Content Warnings

sarahflanders's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review against another edition

Go to review page

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."

Content Warnings

qgg's review against another edition

Go to review page

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Sloan has been grieving the sudden death of her fiancé from a motorcycle accident for 2 years. Her life has shrunk down to memory marking the events of their life together and scraping by until the next memorable date. Then a dog jumps in her sunroof and decides she is his. Sloan tries to contact Tucker’s previous owner until his voicemail fills up. When he resurfaces, she tells him she’s keeping the dog…and that’s how a text and calling relationship turns into a whirlwind couple of weeks before he goes on music tour.

This book tugs at the heartstrings for sure. I love Sloans friendship with Kristen. I adore Ernie and Zane in Jason’s life. Jason and his family are pretty darn perfect. Sloan is not an easy character for me to love.

She doesn’t make great choices when she’s sad. Her network of support is minuscule. Adding a therapist would be a great start. Making some serious online artist friends would be a good idea. Having more than a single female friend is essential to breathing (and my friend group is small!) One friend and so distant from her family seems terribly unrealistic to me, so I have to downgrade the review.

Content Warnings

aleroness's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.5

One of the best romances I've read all year! Well-written and the plot kept me guessing until the end. At almost no point could I discern where the story could or should go next - there was no easy out any I appreciated that! Likeable characters with believable arcs that made me want their stories to continue even as it ended.

Content Warnings

atamano's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional 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

2.75

Content Warnings

More...