I'm being generous and giving this one a forward-leaning 3.5 stars.
It's a little hard to separate what I feel about the writing and story from the message on this one.
The story and the way it's told is very run-of-the-mill. I've probably read variations on this plot 100 times over and Lewis' writing is good but nothing particularly noteworthy.
However, and a very big however here, I deeply enjoyed the overall message of being true to yourself and being open to what 'the universe' sends your way. It's a great message to put out there and it's not pushed or forced on the story, it happens so organically that it doesn't feel like the author is trying to hit you over the head with it. It contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this book.
I didn't really feel Page at the beginning, but she grows as she interacts with the interesting secondary characters that Lewis introduces. Excuse the horrible pun here, but Page was a boring blank page in the beginning and it was interesting to see the strokes revealed as she put herself out there.
Overall, I don't think I'd go out of my way to recommend Happily Whatever After unless it was someone I felt could benefit from the message. Otherwise, it's just another middle entry into the crowded chick-lit/women's fiction sphere.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a chance to read and review this book.

**I received a complimentary copy of this advanced reader's copy ebook from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a romantic comedy (more of a comedy and a story about a woman finding herself than romance!) that had likable characters and some LOL moments.

Page's life isn't going quite as she planned. After losing her job and getting dumped by her boyfriend, she leaves NYC and heads to live with her brother in DC, showing up "jobless, penniless, single" and quickly approaching her midi-thirties.

Page is determined to no longer depend on men for her happiness; she dreams of her "happily ever after." But, while she desperately tries to work toward that life, she comes to find that sometimes second chances really do exist, but you have to work for them and be willing to take a chance on something.

Page was a really strong main character. Although she didn't always make the best choices, you had to really appreciate her determination and commitment to both her family and to her new friendships. The side characters were all interesting in their own way. You'll have to read to find out if Page gets her happily ever after!

“Some of us bloom after the rain.” Happily Whatever After by Stewart Lewis

3.5 stars! This was a surprise for me. Didn’t expect much from the book as it’s the first time I think I’ve picked up a book from this author but it was nice! I liked it.

Page just broke up with her longtime boyfriend, jobless and broke and staying at her brother’s place in D.C. to whether the storm in her life. She hangs out in a dog park, even though she doesn’t have a dog. She just likes dogs. So where does she go from here?

It’s a good light read this book. Page is kind and a little quirky and comes to some realizations about what she thought she knew of herself and what happens when you open yourself up to other people. And the people she meets are such interesting, colorful characters! The dogs too, to some degree. I kept reading it because I was curious what will happen to Page. And it was a nice ending too. Would’ve wanted a more defined ending but I can live with it.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the arc of this book. Thanks too @netgalley

I devoured this book. I adore Page! I was rooting for her and BR! I felt like I stepped in her shoes and were along for all her adventures. Being close with my brother I related to Page and Brady and their bond. I will need an update to that ending!

Transport yourself to Washington, D.C. where after a job loss and breakup, Page moves back in with her brother Brady and begins to rebuild her life. Follow along as she finds friends in the unlikely setting of a dog park sans dog and struggles like we all do to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Page digs into the work of building a life filled with supportive people and this feels so real, with developed characters I would love to see more. This book gets deeper than I originally expected and left me in tears several times. This isn’t the typical girl meets guy, does something embarrassing and he ends up rescuing her, for that I say thank you to author Stewart Lewis. It’s refreshing to read about a woman figuring it out for herself and building a life instead of frantically searching for a husband. I stayed up way past my bedtime, to finish it in a day, because I had to know how Page’s story would end! I rate this book 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶!

On paper this looked like something I would enjoy, however it turned out that it wasn't suited to me. I am probably now on the wrong side of thirty, even if people think I'm not there was a few parts of this that made me feel it. i got confused on which charactor we were followiing and had to reread the beginning to find that we were followng a women not a man.
Personally it is not for me, I did not endure to the character or the writing.

Happily Whatever After by Stewart Lewis was a fun, quick, and breezy read that was a nice change from the reality we’re currently living in. I loved Paige and all of the supporting characters (plus the inclusion of dogs). It was lighthearted yet realistic and I will look forward to reading more of Lewis’ work. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

For me, this is definitely a junk food read. There were cute things about it, but I had to shove reality aside when I found myself getting annoyed that the main character was more concerned with getting a boyfriend than a steady job. Regardless, I know readers will enjoy it and relate to some parts, so I am ordering it for the library.

What a delightful contemporary adventure through the eyes of Page, a post-30 woman with no job and no boyfriend, who leaves New York behind and moves into her brother's house in Washington, DC for a fresh start. I thoroughly enjoyed reading of her angst and joy, finding herself a spot of happiness at a nearby dog park where she meets interesting characters and their heartwarming canines. This is a book I could read again just for details and nuances I'm sure I'd uncover.

What a refreshingly realistic novel on what post 30 feels like. Page gives me all the feels- anxiety about career choices, lost in loveless relationships, parental issues and dealing with loss. Kudos to the author for giving us single gals hope of getting BR and wishing we were brave enough to go to the dog park.

I mean the book centered itself on dogs which was a promising start. In some instances, it was easy to relate to Page because she was comparing herself to those around her who seemed more successful in work and relationships which I find myself and my friends doing too often.
The beginning was a bit of a struggle, with the use a lot of acronyms unnecessarily and introducing so many odd characters left and right. Page’s character was frustrating because she always felt like she needs a man to solve her problems when she should have bigger concerns (like getting a job and steady income?). The story felt jagged like you finally thought you were making sense of the various characters and then it swerved. In the beginning it seemed repetitive in how miserable Page’s life was and how down on her luck she felt, then towards the end it would randomly skip ahead a couple weeks here and there throwing another curveball into the plot, almost moving too quickly. Overall it was a quick and pleasant story. I'd round it to 3.5 stars.

New York, Washington D.C and lots of dogs - What's not to love? Page's life takes a sudden dip when her boyfriend dumps her and she gets fired. A quick move to D.C to live with her brother and there begins her journey to put her life back together. Meeting the quirky collection of people at the dog park is the start she needs. I loved Page's journey throughout this from somewhat lacking in confidence to beginning to believe in herself. Likewise the way in which she faces and overcomes the obstacles on route with a positive attitude - too often the heroine wails and drowns in self-pity but not Page. Feeling down? Happily Whatever After will sort you out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5) Happily Whatever After by Stewart Lewis
*****
I received this book from net galley in exchange for a honest review. This book follows our main character Page who has recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend and has also been fired from her job. She moved to Washington DC to be with her brother and to start her life afresh and figure out where her true passion is. She starts to get her life back on track by meeting all of these wacky and wonderful characters through a dog park. This book was such a happy go lucky read, I really liked Page as a character and a lot of the feelings she had were very relatable - it was great to see her character develop through the book. Everything ends really neatly in this book, and the loose ends are tied up with a bow. If I’m honest the story was predictable, but that’s what makes this book so sweet! Definitely recommend as an easy pool read 😊
*****
#happilywhateverafter #stevenlewis #bookstagram #goodreads #threestars #bookreview #readinginbed #kindle #fiction #contemporary #arc #netgalley

Happily Whatever After was not what I was expecting. I thought this would be another cute rom-com but it turned out to be so much more. Page is hitting her mid thirties and has moved in with her brother after she was dumped and let go from her job in the same week. While trying to figure out what to do Page spends time at the local dog park where she makes some new friends and develops a crush on one of the dog owners. I really enjoyed Page's journey to find out who she is and what she wants in life. I also loved all the friends she made at the dog park and her relationship with her family. I do wish there was a little more romance because thats what I thought I was getting. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun and laugh out loud lighthearted story. Thank you to Netgalley for my early copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Happily Whatever After by Stewart Lewis

Fantastic Read

Warm and tender at times this fast paced read was just what I needed. Characters were well developed except for maybe the leading man. I would have liked to get to know him a bit more but overall I very much enjoyed this story. It is definitely worth picking up.

3.5/5 Stars

Thank you #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Happily Whatever After is an interesting story about navigating through life's unexpected hurdles and finding yourself along the way. When Page finds herself suddenly unemployed and single, she moves to a new city to be with her brother and rediscover who she is and what she wants. While the novel was intriguing, and the characters were different to those usually found in romantic comedies, I personally could not connect to Page and her story - her personality, odd choices, and overall narrative were not factors that I could relate to, As someone who lives in DC, what was exciting for me was reading about all the familiar places in the city! That was definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book. Overall, the story was interesting, and if you love dogs, this is definitely the book for you!

Hitting rock bottom after being dumped by her boyfriend and losing her job, she flees to a new city in hopes of starting over. The feelings of uncertainty she goes through is familiar to most twenty- and thirty- somethings go through. The writing was sharp and witty.

This was a good book. Fast paced and easy to get lost in. It was a nice book during this unprecedented time. Will definitely buy for my shelf.

Page is a 30 something who just got fired from her job and also ended a relationship within the same week. She left New York and moved to DC to live with her brother.

Honestly I made it 6.5 chapters before in and I have to try again some other time.

This book fees like it is all over the place. I’m not a fan of Page and her narration.

Thank you Lake Union and Netgalley for the ARC!

Happily Whatever After by Stewart Lewis started with a great concept but occasionally got bogged down by unnecessary details that took away from the progression of the plot. A tighter, more focused narrative would have kept me engaged the entire time I was reading. I did enjoy Page's journey throughout the book and I will never say no to lots of cute dogs!