A review by courtneyfalling
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

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

3.5

Well... it was definitely better than The Friend Zone (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/90f78ed5-d681-4e16-be7f-d4b650bff02d). I liked Sloane a lot as a strong-willed, creative, determined-against-all-odds MC. This book also explores grief and unexpected young widowhood pretty well, all things considered. I had mixed feelings a lot of the way through about Lola's presentation and stereotype (misogyny!), but I think this ultimately ends in a good place without simplifying how either Lola or Jason experienced it. There's one random crappy homophobic conversation for like, no reason? Which I think stuck with me because it highlights a lot of my vague issues with sexuality, sex, and gender in these books. To a lesser extent than The Friend Zone but still to a noticeable extent, Jimenez simply cannot figure out how to really write fairly balanced, feminist cishet relationships in the way I think she thinks she is. 
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