Scan barcode
A review by chainingbooks
Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
3.5
This was a fun contemporary romance that had me chuckling and occasionally gasping at the audacity. Before this, I had not read any romances that had two options as the male love interest, and honestly I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. I came to find that I didn't mind the dynamics of her dating the two men and was invested in learning more about each of them.
My favorite aspect of this book was the characters themselves. They felt fully developed, pretty grounded, and felt like they acted their age (mid to late 30s). I found Zora's focus on building up others in her community to be something refreshing to read about, especially since she was a business owner that wasn't just putting "business" first. It was also enjoyable reading her interactions with her grandmother and her best friend as they helped her navigate her romantic life. Even though at times they felt pushy, they definitely felt more supportive and were funny at several moments.
I also appreciated the set up for the overall plot, especially since there wasn't a third-act breakup. Although I had figured out the major plot point pretty early on, it did lead to a logical reason why she was rocky with both love interests and why she ends up picking who she does.
However, what held me back from fully falling in love with this story was that it felt like one of the men was written in a way that made them TOO unlikable. After one of the major conflicts, I couldn't see a way for that love interest to be in good favor again. While it was fun to be mad at that particular character, it made it hard for me to even consider him an option for Zora. Granted, I believe I would have been MORE mad if she ended up picking him anyway haha.
While not my favorite romance, definitely one that I think is worth the read. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job.
My favorite aspect of this book was the characters themselves. They felt fully developed, pretty grounded, and felt like they acted their age (mid to late 30s). I found Zora's focus on building up others in her community to be something refreshing to read about, especially since she was a business owner that wasn't just putting "business" first. It was also enjoyable reading her interactions with her grandmother and her best friend as they helped her navigate her romantic life. Even though at times they felt pushy, they definitely felt more supportive and were funny at several moments.
I also appreciated the set up for the overall plot, especially since there wasn't a third-act breakup. Although I had figured out the major plot point pretty early on, it did lead to a logical reason why she was rocky with both love interests and why she ends up picking who she does.
However, what held me back from fully falling in love with this story was that it felt like one of the men was written in a way that made them TOO unlikable. After one of the major conflicts, I couldn't see a way for that love interest to be in good favor again. While it was fun to be mad at that particular character, it made it hard for me to even consider him an option for Zora. Granted, I believe I would have been MORE mad if she ended up picking him anyway haha.
While not my favorite romance, definitely one that I think is worth the read. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexism and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming and Cancer