Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This was a beautiful conclusion of the Anna and the French Kisses series. I felt Isla's pain when she read Josh's graphic biography and I felt her joy. The best part is that they fell in love early because after that comes obstacles that makes or breaks relationships, and they went through a tough time, but in the end, Everyone was with whom they were meant to be with. Anna and St. Clair's engagement was the icing on the cake and the cameo from Cricket and Lola. When I finished the book, I teared up because I just went through this adventure with these characters over these three books, and I was super happy that I found a book series so touching. (Btw, I started reading the series when I was living abroad in Ecuador).
2.5. Hmm. Well...I liked this better than Anna and the French Kiss but definitely not as much as Lola and the Boy Next Door. The beginning of this book flew by pretty enjoyably for me (although it was admittedly way too instalove-y. I know this is primarily a romance book but it was TOO focused on the romance for my tastes, to be honest. But still. I was getting a nice YA contemporary fix which is totally what I wanted.) Things took a nose dive when Isla and Josh were apart from each other and she literally just cried constantly because it'd been five days since she'd seen her boyfriend of a month. I'm not kidding. I wanted to punch her. Then she got even more irritating by just straight up fabricating drama within their relationship and getting upset when her actions had natural consequences. Oh my god, I just couldn't handle it...it was like watching a train wreck. The character growth was completely tell, not show--there was actually a passage near the end of the book where Isla rattled off all her faults and how she had become a better person and I was just like... 'where? when? when did this happen?' because I didn't see the change happen at any point. I don't know. Stephanie Perkins is an author I really want to like because she's lovely in person and her writing has a fantastic effortless flow to it but two out of the three books in this series were driven by mind-bogglingly frustrating conflict and I just can't quite get myself to enjoy that. I also think she has problems fleshing out side characters which is pretty disappointing because they usually have great potential.
Didn't like this as much as Anna, but it was okay. It was nice to find out what happened to Josh.
Haven't read Lola yet because my public library ebook wasn't ready as fast as this one.
Slight spoiler-----
Haven't read Lola yet because my public library ebook wasn't ready as fast as this one.
Slight spoiler-----
Spoiler
It was really hard for me to sympathize with Isla when her relationship with Josh became long distance. I understood her insecurities because I have felt them myself being in a LDR but at the same time, I know that there are things that a good couple will need to overcome and I felt that her ...immaturity in her relationship showed super strongly when she broke up with him. Yet another thing that I didn't feel sympathy for her over- her breaking up with him. It made me angry :(
2022 review: 3.5 stars. Josh did not get the story he deserved. Isla is so bland as a main character. Her entire existence is built on Josh and I cannot stand that. She has no personality other than ‘loving Josh’. He is one of my favorite leads of this series and I love the depth he was given as a character, but he’s the only one with a personality outside a relationship in this book.
I did love seeing the rest of the characters from the previous books. I love when authors write in cameos.
2019 review:
3.5 stars.
I wanted to love this book so much. I absolutely adored the first two but this one was not as strong. I’m only giving it 3.5 stars because I love Josh so much but otherwise it’d be a 2.5-star kind of book.
One reason I liked the other two books was because the main female characters had a life before they met their matches.
Anna loves film before she met St. Clair. Lola loved quirky fashion. But Isla didn’t have anything. She was in love with a boy that she thought never noticed her, only to start dating him, falling in love, getting heartbroken when they break up, to getting back together again. It was like her whole story revolves around Josh. When they broke up, it felt like her world ended. She even said things like “how will I go on without him?” And I was like, “girl, you’ve been dating for a month; I’m sure you’ll be just fine!” It really irked me how dependent on him her life/identity/story was. I don’t like stories where the girl is so reliant on the guy. Be your own person! Sheesh. (I will say that I loved the chemistry between Isla and Josh when they were getting to know each other; I just wish we could have seen their love progress over a longer, more realistic time period).
With that said, I loveeeee Josh. He’s my favorite male character of these novels by far. I thought it’d be Cricket, but no, it’s Josh ❤️ he was the only one who had actual depth between him and Isla. He might even be the character with the most depth of all the novels in this series.
I also enjoyed seeing Anna and St. Clair with Lola and Cricket again. I missed them! I wish they were in this story more...but if that would mean I’d get less of Josh, then I’ll have to pass and go with more Josh :)
I did love seeing the rest of the characters from the previous books. I love when authors write in cameos.
2019 review:
3.5 stars.
I wanted to love this book so much. I absolutely adored the first two but this one was not as strong. I’m only giving it 3.5 stars because I love Josh so much but otherwise it’d be a 2.5-star kind of book.
One reason I liked the other two books was because the main female characters had a life before they met their matches.
Anna loves film before she met St. Clair. Lola loved quirky fashion. But Isla didn’t have anything. She was in love with a boy that she thought never noticed her, only to start dating him, falling in love, getting heartbroken when they break up, to getting back together again. It was like her whole story revolves around Josh. When they broke up, it felt like her world ended. She even said things like “how will I go on without him?” And I was like, “girl, you’ve been dating for a month; I’m sure you’ll be just fine!” It really irked me how dependent on him her life/identity/story was. I don’t like stories where the girl is so reliant on the guy. Be your own person! Sheesh. (I will say that I loved the chemistry between Isla and Josh when they were getting to know each other; I just wish we could have seen their love progress over a longer, more realistic time period).
With that said, I loveeeee Josh. He’s my favorite male character of these novels by far. I thought it’d be Cricket, but no, it’s Josh ❤️ he was the only one who had actual depth between him and Isla. He might even be the character with the most depth of all the novels in this series.
I also enjoyed seeing Anna and St. Clair with Lola and Cricket again. I missed them! I wish they were in this story more...but if that would mean I’d get less of Josh, then I’ll have to pass and go with more Josh :)
I think I would have enjoyed this as a read more than I did as an audio book. It was nice to "see" some old friends from earlier books and I liked these new people too.
I am not a contemporary reader. I mean not usually. I love the very fictional fiction, you know supernatural, paranormal, fantasy. The very obviously not real type of stuff. However, I adore this trilogy. All 3 books got 5 stars from me, no question, no hesitation. Stephanie Perkins is a beautiful writer and her characters are rich and detailed. They feel like real people. They feel like real people you actually know in real life. Therefore, it is easy to connect with her characters.
I know a lot of readers are over instalove. I feel like Josh & Isla probably skirt on the edges of instalove here. However, it is done in a very sweet way and it actually reminded me much of how the beginning of my husband and I's relationship started and we were around the same age too. I know how Isla felt and that probably contributed to me loving this story even more. It was a perfect ending to the trilogy. Although I do want more! ;)
I know a lot of readers are over instalove. I feel like Josh & Isla probably skirt on the edges of instalove here. However, it is done in a very sweet way and it actually reminded me much of how the beginning of my husband and I's relationship started and we were around the same age too. I know how Isla felt and that probably contributed to me loving this story even more. It was a perfect ending to the trilogy. Although I do want more! ;)
I enjoy reading books about two people falling in love. It’s always nice to see two characters finding the way to each other but what happens after the last page? After the last kiss? How does Happily Ever After looks like?
That’s what the third book in the Anna and the French Kiss trilogy is about. How does a relationship works after two people are in love, how do they deal with their problems as individuals and as a couple, how to work things out on your own and with the person you love, to be able to grow stronger after going through bad and good things together.
Because of this subjets and reasons, I feel like Isla and the Happily Ever After is a more intimate and mature book. Stephanie Perkins choose to challenge her characters not to get together but to remain together. To grow and change together, to inspire each other to be better.
Isla is a beautiful character. I felt more connected to her than to Anna or Lola, mainly because they were very sure of themselves and knew exactly what they wanted to do with theirs lives. In the third book we find a leading lady who is a “white canvas”. Isla is not sure what she wants to study or where she wants to go to University, she feels like everybody around her has goals and she’s the only one whose future looks uncertain. I like that. It’s relatable to people of all ages because most of us don’t have everything figure out.
What Isla is very sure about is her love for her family, friends and Josh. Which eventually it’s what helps her work through her insecurities and grow more sure of herself. She still has things to figure out but she learns it’s OK to not do it all at once. To take risks and just jump to the unknown.
Josh was a wonderful surprise. We have seen him as a secondary character in Anna and the French Kiss but here we get to know so much about him. Not only from Isla’s point of view but from his through his art and illustations, not only about his senior year but from before too. Back when he was with Rashmi, his friendship with Ètienne and how Anna changed the dynamics of his group of friends.
The things Josh is very sure about is how he future looks like, what he wants to do, where to study and who he wants to have around in his life. Remember when Lola asked Ètienne how far was he planning his future and he answered “Far.” I get it now, why Ètienne and Josh are best friends, despite their different personalities and ways to work through things, they both have very clear sights of theirs respectives future. Josh has always been planning far into life but is not until Isla that he learns how to enjoy the present. To appreciate the now he is living, instead of wishing to be somewhere else.
As a couple Isla and Josh truly complement each other. It’s kismet! It really is and loved to see them working through the obstacles of their happily ever after.
Of course Anna, Ètienne, Meredith, Lola and Cricket’s cameo can’t go without mention. I believe the phrase used in the book was “the circus is in town” and it sure felt like it. It was a fun, full of color re-encounter with this very strong, beautiful and loved characters. And we also get to see how their happily ever afters look like!
I feel like the characters in this book, all of them, started to grew out from their teen-like attitudes and were treated more like adults. They are still in that young adult stage of life but there is definitely a more mature view of life, family, friends and love in this book. Which is why it makes Isla and the Happily Ever After my favorite Stephanie Perkins book.
That’s what the third book in the Anna and the French Kiss trilogy is about. How does a relationship works after two people are in love, how do they deal with their problems as individuals and as a couple, how to work things out on your own and with the person you love, to be able to grow stronger after going through bad and good things together.
Because of this subjets and reasons, I feel like Isla and the Happily Ever After is a more intimate and mature book. Stephanie Perkins choose to challenge her characters not to get together but to remain together. To grow and change together, to inspire each other to be better.
Isla is a beautiful character. I felt more connected to her than to Anna or Lola, mainly because they were very sure of themselves and knew exactly what they wanted to do with theirs lives. In the third book we find a leading lady who is a “white canvas”. Isla is not sure what she wants to study or where she wants to go to University, she feels like everybody around her has goals and she’s the only one whose future looks uncertain. I like that. It’s relatable to people of all ages because most of us don’t have everything figure out.
What Isla is very sure about is her love for her family, friends and Josh. Which eventually it’s what helps her work through her insecurities and grow more sure of herself. She still has things to figure out but she learns it’s OK to not do it all at once. To take risks and just jump to the unknown.
Josh was a wonderful surprise. We have seen him as a secondary character in Anna and the French Kiss but here we get to know so much about him. Not only from Isla’s point of view but from his through his art and illustations, not only about his senior year but from before too. Back when he was with Rashmi, his friendship with Ètienne and how Anna changed the dynamics of his group of friends.
The things Josh is very sure about is how he future looks like, what he wants to do, where to study and who he wants to have around in his life. Remember when Lola asked Ètienne how far was he planning his future and he answered “Far.” I get it now, why Ètienne and Josh are best friends, despite their different personalities and ways to work through things, they both have very clear sights of theirs respectives future. Josh has always been planning far into life but is not until Isla that he learns how to enjoy the present. To appreciate the now he is living, instead of wishing to be somewhere else.
As a couple Isla and Josh truly complement each other. It’s kismet! It really is and loved to see them working through the obstacles of their happily ever after.
Of course Anna, Ètienne, Meredith, Lola and Cricket’s cameo can’t go without mention. I believe the phrase used in the book was “the circus is in town” and it sure felt like it. It was a fun, full of color re-encounter with this very strong, beautiful and loved characters. And we also get to see how their happily ever afters look like!
I feel like the characters in this book, all of them, started to grew out from their teen-like attitudes and were treated more like adults. They are still in that young adult stage of life but there is definitely a more mature view of life, family, friends and love in this book. Which is why it makes Isla and the Happily Ever After my favorite Stephanie Perkins book.
I felt more of a connection to Isla than to the other two girls. The romance was cute and more realistic which I definitely appreciated. Sometimes you don't need every detail to why someone falls in love, sometimes it just happens.