A review by justmevictoria
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

2.75

Everything's bigger in Texas, including the farmers… 

 

After moving from Chicago to Texas with her baby, Evie is working hard at her fresh start. She's got her son Sonny, she lives above the thrift store she works at, and she's allowed to sell her upcycled designs in said store. Men are not on the cards anytime soon. Except for the swoony and all-too-big farmer Luke who is always stopping by the thrift store. Luke has been intrigued by Evie from the moment she arrived in town, but he wants forever and she's only willing to consider something temporary. 

 

I've LOVED what I've read from Tessa Bailey so far, so I had high expectations that his would be just as good, if not a little too short. And while it was definitely too short, it didn't really hit the mark… 

 

Evie and Luke have some good chemistry, but they definitely would have benefited from more character development, both individually and as a couple. Tessa has shown that she's great at giving characters lots of depth and development, and allowing her relationships to grow and evolve throughout the story, but unfortunately the novella format just hindered her usual character writing. I can see the potential in this story and characters if they had been given the full-length novel treatment. 

 

I do love a good single parent romance though, and Tessa ticked the box with Evie - she's in a new town trying to make a life for herself and Sonny, and she's determined to do it without being distracted by a man, but naturally finds that that distraction is more beneficial than she let herself believe. Although Luke was very insta-love with Evie, he had those sweet and swoony vibes as he formed a connection with Evie through his care for Sonny. 

 

If you're looking for a quick romance read in the lead-up to Christmas, this is one to keep on your radar. It's not overly Christmasy given the short length, and it's not the greatest example of Tessa's work, but it's a fun read nonetheless to add a little festive fun to the Christmas period.