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adifferentreadingview's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this ending!k felt like this Story was so amazing. So happy to see Filipino American stories being told. It’s amazing to read stories you can relate to and remind you of your own family!!
booklover1974's review against another edition
4.0
The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo
I won this novel from the publisher through Goodreads and I'm very grateful for that! This is a lovely story about sisterhood.
Mari, Jane and Pearl are sisters and have recently taken over the family business, Rings & Roses from their parents. It's a wedding planning business and they have all three been taught by their mom the handiwork of being able to plan the perfect wedding.
They have different roles in the company but Pearl, the youngest of the sisters, is not happy with hers. She wants to do lore, take on more responsibility but is she up for the task?
The sisters are stubborn and how do you resolve business matters with those you love the most? To not let the business side destroy the personal bonds?
Something I really liked was that while this is a cute story, the author didn't shy away from topics like abuse and mental health. It gives the novel depth and credibility.
I saw that a new book by the author is coming out later this year and I'm putting it on my TBR.
I won this novel from the publisher through Goodreads and I'm very grateful for that! This is a lovely story about sisterhood.
Mari, Jane and Pearl are sisters and have recently taken over the family business, Rings & Roses from their parents. It's a wedding planning business and they have all three been taught by their mom the handiwork of being able to plan the perfect wedding.
They have different roles in the company but Pearl, the youngest of the sisters, is not happy with hers. She wants to do lore, take on more responsibility but is she up for the task?
The sisters are stubborn and how do you resolve business matters with those you love the most? To not let the business side destroy the personal bonds?
Something I really liked was that while this is a cute story, the author didn't shy away from topics like abuse and mental health. It gives the novel depth and credibility.
I saw that a new book by the author is coming out later this year and I'm putting it on my TBR.
sarah5elise's review against another edition
3.0
This book was great for a beach/airplane read and I mostly enjoyed it. I thought it was weird that it only alternated between the POV of two of the three sisters. Also, whoever edited the book missed many typos. For example, in a few scenes between two of the three sisters, the third sister is described as doing an action even though she isn't there!
mverett's review against another edition
3.0
This book fell short of what I hoped it could be. Many of the loose ends were thrown together at the end and I found it hard to root for anyone. Also, call me petty, but the wedding detail descriptions felt cliche and painfully out of date for a book written in 2019.
sreckard's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an okay read. It revolved around the sister bond of the two main characters in the classic "older protective sister that thinks her younger one is not ready for responsibilities vs the younger sister who is tired of not being taken seriously" troupe. If I had a sister, I may have related to this book better. Overall, I liked the book, but it was just hard for me to connect.
timitra's review against another edition
4.0
The Key To Happily Ever After was a sweet and tension story about three sisters navigating running the family business while juggling their personal and professional relationships. I enjoyed it and the dynamic between the sisters. I loved that it featured a culture that I know next to nothing about. I also loved the way the author infused Filipino words throughout. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author and stories featuring Filipino characters.
Copy provided by author
Copy provided by author
_christinacreads's review against another edition
4.0
The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo is the first Women’s Fiction novel that I have ever read. We follow three Filipino American sisters who are pretty much going through it, struggling with their relationship to each other, desperately trying to keep their family wedding planning business afloat, as well as figuring out if happily ever after is in store for them.
Marisol, the eldest sister, was the very typical responsible, reliable Type A ate. I related so much to her. Pearl, the youngest, the bunso, and most vibrant, outspoken, and gregarious of the bunch – reminds me so much of my youngest sibling who tends to dive headfirst into things and always has the biggest dreams. And the middle sister and mediator, Jane, who unfortunately like many middle siblings, is kind of forgotten in the prose amidst the chaos that is her other two siblings.
Marisol and Pearl are such well-rounded, complex characters and their journey in finding love and understanding each other was so beautiful. All three sisters struggle for agency and individuality in a business that they inherited that has lumped all three of them together.
While there’s a lot of drama and sibling fighting, this book still seems to manage to maintain its lightheartedness all throughout. There is a happily ever after, which typically isn’t guaranteed in women’s fic but the book does cross the border into romantic comedy.
There’s so much beauty here in how Marcelo celebrates sisterhood and Filipino culture. If you enjoy a fresh take on the “always the bridesmaid, never a bride” trope that’s quite common in romance novels, while reading about three phenomenal Filipino sisters who are trying to navigate a complex sisterhood while balancing a business, this book is for you.
Marisol, the eldest sister, was the very typical responsible, reliable Type A ate. I related so much to her. Pearl, the youngest, the bunso, and most vibrant, outspoken, and gregarious of the bunch – reminds me so much of my youngest sibling who tends to dive headfirst into things and always has the biggest dreams. And the middle sister and mediator, Jane, who unfortunately like many middle siblings, is kind of forgotten in the prose amidst the chaos that is her other two siblings.
Marisol and Pearl are such well-rounded, complex characters and their journey in finding love and understanding each other was so beautiful. All three sisters struggle for agency and individuality in a business that they inherited that has lumped all three of them together.
While there’s a lot of drama and sibling fighting, this book still seems to manage to maintain its lightheartedness all throughout. There is a happily ever after, which typically isn’t guaranteed in women’s fic but the book does cross the border into romantic comedy.
There’s so much beauty here in how Marcelo celebrates sisterhood and Filipino culture. If you enjoy a fresh take on the “always the bridesmaid, never a bride” trope that’s quite common in romance novels, while reading about three phenomenal Filipino sisters who are trying to navigate a complex sisterhood while balancing a business, this book is for you.
thindbooks's review against another edition
4.0
*This book was given to me by the publisher to do an honest review.* This book was a really good and had an amazing story. The theme for this book was coming of age and family relationship. I really loved how the author wrote the story about three sisters who try to keep their relationship strong and their business in a good place. I kind of hated and loved the slow romance but it fit perfectly for this book. I liked the small details that were in this book and I love how the sisters own a wedding planner shop. The plot structure was strong but I wish Jane’s POV was also it the story along side the other sisters. Other than that the book was really good and I’m crossing my fingers for a second book!
kyliegalloway's review against another edition
5.0
Charming story and quick read. Loved the three sisters storylines and how intertwined, yet individual they were.
teaandtropes's review against another edition
3.0
This is a good 3.5 stars. Its not revelational or anything but you're really rooting for everyone from the start. I resonate with all of the sisters. It really has a sweet ending but my main complaint is that you don't get deeper into the relationships where they're falling in love (you do get a lot of family relationship dynamic though). I would definitely suggest for a lighthearted fun read.