constantine2020 's review for:

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

2.5

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Rating: ⭐⭐ ½

Genre: Contemporary Romance + Young Adult

This is the third book in the Anna and the French Kiss series. It follows the story of Isla Martin, a shy girl with an unending crush on her classmate Josh Wasserstein. The two get close to each other, and eventually, their bond turns into a romantic one. The two will face lots of challenges regarding their personalities. While Isla keeps fighting her shyness, Josh must tune his rebellious nature. 

I went into this book expecting it to be underwhelming, which it was. While I slightly liked it more than the second book in the series, it doesn’t mean that this has a set of its own problems. For example, Isla is a frustrating character. The hesitant nature of her personality gets repetitive and annoying. 

Josh and the other secondary characters had a very limited scope when it came to characterization and growth. I understand that the author wanted to keep this book formulaic, lighthearted, and free of any kind of complexity, but its ending felt so abrupt and not in a good way. 

After finishing this series, it is obvious that the author’s writing doesn’t work for me. I think reading the first book was enough. The good thing is that I finished this series and can unhaul the books. Perhaps someone else will enjoy them more than I did.