Life... Finds A Way. Ok, so I blatantly ripped a line from a very famous franchise that has literally nothing at all to do with this book, but it completely fits. This is a fun, quirky story about how life's seemingly random encounters can turn out to work out quite well indeed, and it does a phenomenal job of making the ride just dramatic enough to twist the heartstrings while ultimately staying true to itself. If you're looking for a more laid back, "oh, this is happening now, ok" level of escapism in these trying times, this is the book you're going to want to pick up. Very much recommended.

An easy, quick, enjoyable read. Happily Whatever After is a romantic comedy following main character Page as she looks for new beginnings in Washington DC, after moving from New York with no job, no boyfriend and no dog, to live with her brother. 

The story flowed nicely and kept me interested, but I didn’t really warm to Page and found her to be annoying and judgemental. 

I was expecting to either laugh or cry, or both, but I did neither, so I give this book 2 stars as was hoping to feel more emotionally connected to the characters.

A cute book with a slightly darker edge. I enjoyed reading this a lot and really managed to get sucked into the world and what was going on. it was easy to relate to the main character and there were some good escapist moments which I enjoyed a lot.

Are there many of us out there who haven't, at last once in their lifetime, wondered what it would be like to start all over again? Just pack up, move towns and make a fresh start somewhere else, hopefully in a job you love. Wouldn't that be amazing? Well imagine all of that, wrapped up in a lot of emotion, a healthy dose of good humour, some romance and a whole park full of dogs and you have yourselves Happily Whatever After, the charming romantic story of new beginnings from the pen of Stewart Lewis.

Now if you are a keen follower of this blog, you will know that I don't often stray from the dark and twisted path of crime fiction and when, or indeed if, I do, it has to be with good reason. I would say that this book is very good reason. What i found within the pages was a book that made me laugh, smile and completely engage in the life of Page and her mismatched circle of friends and family as she navigates the streets, and dog park of Washington. Newly single and out of a job, she hightails it away from New York to find solace in the company of her brother, Brady who is creating his own future in the shape of a very success bar and restaurant. 

Page is the kind of person I can identify with. She's well educated and has her interests - in this case art and dogs - but is kind of drifting through life, not able to find her true vocation or the passion that will allow her to achieve her full potential. I think many of us have been there, settling for a job to gain an income but knowing it's not what you really want to do. Slightly depressed and definitely looking for a ligeline, she seeks solace in a local dog park, hoping that not too many people ask her where her imaginary dog is. They do ... but that's no bad thing as this set her on a journey into friendship, self discovery and maybe, if she is lucky, a touch of that missing romance too.

I really liked the characters that the author has created both in Page and in those that she meets. From her down to earth brother, his well to do girlfriend and through to the people from the dog park, especially Barkley and Preston who seem like chalk and cheese but make a brilliant couple and two very good and kind friends to Page. Then there is Kevin, a man whose awkward outer appearance speaks nothing of his hidden talents. And, of course there is Banana Republic aka Mark. I think we definitely all need one of those in our lives but sadly I'm not sure I'm going to find one down my local canal, no matter how many dog walkers I pass. Add in a bunch of varied and vibrant people to begin to form Page's new network of friends and dates, and you have a brilliant group whose various lives and foibles kept me glued to the story

But it's not all about comedy moments, misunderstandings, missed opportunities and dodgy dates though. There are some real moments of emotion and sadness that permeate the story as Page's brother, Brady, fights his own battle this time with illness. The author has created some very tender and thoughtful scenes between the pair, as well as moments of real honesty between Page and her mother who had sometimes struggled to communicate. So whilst perhaps overly convenient in the way in which everything just falls into place for Page (and yes, I admit it, I am jealous of a fictional character as I'm still trying to get my own act together after  xxx years) it still has that air of authenticity and left me pleased that Page found her happy ending.

And there are dogs. Lots and lots of lovely, made, sometimes bonking, always beautiful dogs. They're not without their tear jerking moments too, don't get me wrong, but every single canine personality is captured on the page and just adds to the joy of the story overall. I loved it, and wouldn't hesitate to read more by the author.

If you are looking for a fun, thoughtful, romantic bit of escapism for the summer, this is the book for you. Definitely recommended.

funny and cute book. Loved Page and how she finds her happy ever after. Will look up other books from the author

Paige, our main character, has had her life turned upside down. I think this romcom is just what we need in a time like this. It’s realistic, modern, shows we all go through low points, and most importantly shows we can rebuild ourselves as long as we just believe. 

If you’re looking for a story that you can truly relate to but still comes out with that happy ending look no further. I’m a new reader to this author and I’ll definitely be looking for them in the future. I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this advance copy and it was nice to not have a completely disney HEA but something a bit more down to earth.

Thank you Stewart Lewis, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-reader ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

This story follows Page, a thirty-something woman, who recently moved to D.C. after a break up. She is awaiting her life to start, lacks confidence, and is seemingly lost in life. Page begins to spend her time in the dog park, sans-dog, and the connections she make will shape her life forever.

Happily Whatever After is more realistic and modern rom-com, than the average romance novel. Page's confusion with her life direction is often relatable, and charming to watch. We can all relate to the feeling of meeting someone new, deep dive searching them online, and trying to improve our meet-cute chances of bumping into them. Not to mention giving them cute names in our head, depending on where or how we met, anyone else have people in their phone labelled "Tinder Kyle" or "Coffee Shop Blake"?

At times I definitely wanted to shake Page, through the... pages. I wanted to will her take more control of her life, rather than relying on happenstance. The second half of the book really picks up, and things really start to change for Page. Stick around, and see if Page can lead the life she desires.

Available July 28, 2020.

Star Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reading Span: 2 Days, a fun & easy read! I couldn't stop!
Recommended Beverage Pairing: A dry red wine, preferably a Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon

As always, a copy of this book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.   

So, here's the thing. I liked and disliked a lot of things about Happily Whatever After. This made the reviewing process of it all the more difficult. Because, I was pretty much right on the line of adding it to my DNF pile multiple times. And every so often, Stewart Lewis' prose made me go, 'Okay. Just keep reading. The writing is good. Maybe you'll connect with the story soon.'

Call me an optimist. 

But, I didn't. I think that, for me, the biggest turning point in my opinion of the novel lay within the fact that I didn't quite like the main character. I didn't connect with her in the least. In-fact, I found myself actively scoffing at her from the very start to the very end. It really worked against Happily Whatever After, while simultaneously acknowledging the fact that Lewis knows how to portray characters in stories in a way that makes them unlikable.

Although there were some bright spots, and tropes that I enjoy were explored, the novel fell short for my personal preference.

Know this: I never found myself actively hating Happily Whatever After. In-fact, I firmly stick with the fact that Stewart Lewis' writing is fantastic, compelling and, honestly, a lot of people will really enjoy the story. The bad news is that I was not one of them and Happily Whatever After was simply not my cup of tea.

Happily Whatever After by Stewart Lewis
Source: NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
Rating: 4½/5 stars

Sometimes in life, the worst things that happen to you are just the gateway to the good things that are waiting on you.  Page was pretty sure her life in New York was just what she wanted, a long-term boyfriend, a job in a gallery she loved, and contentment.  And then, it all fell apart in a single week.  Her boss called her boring and her boyfriend dumped her.  With no job, no boyfriend, and no home, Page has no choice but to seek refuge with her brother. 

Washington DC is Page’s new home and while she loves spending time with her wildly successful brother, she has no idea how she is going to become equally successful in her own life.  With no prospects for a job, let alone a career, Page begins to spend a portion of her days at the local dog park.  It doesn’t take long for the regulars to figure out, Page is the only one in attendance with no dog, which, of course causes get speculation.  Within a matter of just a few visits, Page has nicknames for all the owners a new friend in the form of a young, attractive man who is attached to a wealthy, older dog owner.  Page immediately becomes friends with both men and suddenly her world in DC has opened significantly.  

Over the next weeks, Page opens herself up to all sorts of new people, possibilities, and events.  She is wowed by some of the people she meets, impressed by others, and baffled by more than a few.  Throughout these experiences and events, Page begins to formulate an idea in the back of her mind, what would it be like to open and own her own gallery?  Among her new friends, Page has met people who can help pave the way for her dreams, but it will take a load of hard work and effort.  

As Page goes about aimlessly living her new life, she begins to notice changes in her brother and his life.  His patterns seem to be disrupted, she’s certain he’s having an affair, and he just doesn’t seem his usual cheerful, happy go lucky self.  Though he swears all is well, Page isn’t certain, but until he comes clean there’s nothing she can do but live her life and worry.  Living her life is exactly what she does and along the way, Page discovers exactly what her path is all while helping her new friends and family alike.  The path isn’t smooth, but it does lead Page to exactly where she was always meant to be. 

The Bottom Line: This is yet another read whose Goodreads star rating baffles me.  I found this book to be a full range of goodness from cover to cover.  Though Page initially comes across as flighty and somewhat ditzy, she eventually comes around to the person she truly is, a kind, generous, caring person with a dream that takes all she is to come true.  Ultimately, Page’s story is about how hard it is to be an adult.  Life doesn’t always go as we plan and when we find ourselves adrift, we have to find a new plan and a new path.  Page does that, but not without learning a great many valuable lessons about herself, life, and love.  In all, I found this to be a quite good read and well worth the time and effort.

Happily Whatever After was my first Stewart Lewis experience, and what a refreshing one it was! Full of charm, humor, and - like life - a decent dose of unfortunate fear and pain. The characters in this novel are light and charming without feeling false. Makes for a great weekend read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

After being dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her job in the same week in New York, Page moves in with her brother Brady in Washington DC. There she meets a bunch of dog owners at the dog park who quickly become her friends. She starts having new dreams and learns just how unpredictable second chances can be.

So many things happened in such a short amount of time in this book. That said, I found that the pacing was a little off. A lot of time was spent getting to certain parts of the story, but when they happened they felt quite rushed. The majority of the story focused on Page talking to different people at the dog park.

I really loved Page’s relationship with her brother Brady. It really reminded me of my relationship with my brother. However, I didn’t feel that same connection with the other characters, and I wanted there to be more interaction with the main love interest, Mark.

Overall, I think there were too many characters and too much going on for me to feel connected with the story.

After being in a reading slump, this book was just what I needed. It has a mixture of funny, witty banter, puppy love, and hard life lessons. I finished this book fairly quickly and loved every bit of it!

Page, a thirty- something year old female lives in NYC with her long term boyfriend and wonderful job at an Art Gallery. Until in the same week her boyfriend calls it quits and she gets fired. After her older brother offers her a room in his DC apartment, Page uproots her life and sets out to start a new journey. This book is about finding yourself, not judging a "book by its cover" and second chances.

I really enjoyed Page's witty banter with herself and the character she meets. I caught myself laughing out loud several times. Also, the relationship between Page and her brother was so endearing and made me think of my relationships with my own brothers.
I do feel that some of the circumstances were a bit unrealistic and the ending was almost too perfect. But, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a great read.
Thank you NetGalley and Stewart Lewis for my advance readers copy.

Really enjoyed this book. Steady paced, great characters, I was absorbed throughout. Will be reading more Lewis books in the future!

Reading through the wildly colorful characters, including some furry friends, a dog park, and a fresh start in DC of “Happily Whatever After” left me feeling a little less alone in the world. Although the story is a bit whimsical, the challenges our 30-something Page faces are very real. The balance between fairy tale and the reality that we all might need to reset our lives, made me read through the book in two sittings. (The first doesn’t count as I read a page, then took a nap, in the typical way I do.) I believe that everyone who reads this book should step out the door with a new found confidence that there are 7.6 billion people in the world and a lot of them will be your friend if given the chance, but you need to put the effort in yourself. If you’re looking for a pick me up ice cream you keep in the freezer feel good book with some dry humor then this is the book for you. Thanks for a good read S.L.

Page is a thirty something who moves in with her brother when she needs to start over after losing her job and her boyfriend. Replace brother with sister and I could have been in Page's shoes. The main character was witty and I really enjoyed the clever chapter titles.

After a really tough day, this book gave me exactly what I needed. A perfect cocktail of funny, feel good, puppy love, and life lessons. I literally read this book in a single sitting

Page is a thirty-something female in NYC who was just dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her job in the same week. After her older brother in DC offers to let her move in, Page uproots and begins a new life. This is a story about second chances, chasing your wildest dreams, and meeting life’s closest friends in the most unlikely of places

This book was the purest form of literary escape. I felt that Stewart Lewis did an excellent job developing Page’s character to the point where I would catch myself thinking of her as a close friend. Without spoiling too much, I feel that the ending was too perfect (and on the smidge of unrealistic). But the thing I find myself asking is: who looks to a fiction novel for reality? Thank you for creative and heartwarming piece of literary escape.

Happily Whatever After is supposed to be a dark comedy, but I wish it would have had little more of that dark humor. The MC was sarcastic, but I wanted more. This is my first book by Stewart Lewis and I do think the writing is easy to follow, but I'm just not a fan of the plot. 

Page just moved to DC from NYC after losing not only her job, but also her boyfriend. She moves in with her brother and tries her hardest to go through these new hurdles. Page is most definitely a dog person and spends most days at the dog park watching other people with their four-legged companions. We follow Page through her everyday life of meeting new friends, love interest and the job market. 

"Some of us blossom after the rain."

Page's story is about starting over, meeting new people and having confidence in one's own abilities. I loved the message the book sent and being a dog person myself, I enjoyed the attention all the fur babies got. 

Page's relationship with her older brother Brady was beautiful, but her relationships with other people needed a little. I kept on hoping something exciting would happen, but at 56% it was pretty clear that this wasn't the kind of book for me. A lot of the chapters are just about Page going to the dog park and talking to random people she meets. I wanted more interactions with her and Marc because I really didn't feel the love connection at all. 

Overall I guess I was just hoping for less fillers and more interactions with everyone.

I received a free advanced copy from the author/ publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I'm going to start with the things I've struggled with when reading this book (even though I throughly enjoyed it, hence the 4 stars): I generally find it a bit strange when men write from a woman's point of view and I do believe that very few do it correctly. I think that at points in this book I could see a male perspective in Page's views, but overall it didn't impact my reading experience negatively. (What kind of grown woman who shares an apartment with her brother wears his dress shirts? And why does the main character kind of condone another character stalking his ex for a while?).  

The other thing I struggled with is the lack of time references, at points it felt like the story was going really fast and I think that's because the absence of time references made me think that everything was happening over the span of days instead of probably weeks or months. For this reason some elements of the story (i.e. Nadine's "new" breasts and her possible pregnancy) felt a bit strange and elements the story could do without. 

The only other thing I struggled with was referring to certain books as "trashy", I know that it's the character saying it and it doesn't necessarily represent the author's beliefs, but I'm not really a fan of shaming books or readers. 

Now onto the things I enjoyed about this book: everything else! I loved how funny and witty the main character is, I loved the array of unique secondary characters we get to meet, I loved the story arc and the moral of the story of never giving up and that even when our life seem full of only negative things we can always start over, no matter out age. Even though there's a whole 10 years difference between me and the main character, I did feel a connection to her struggles of finding her place in the world and dealing with societal expectations of where we should be at certain points in our life.

Lighthearted but grounded in reality, I found this to be an excellent beach read! The pacing was just right. While Page may not be perfect, she became a friend in my head. This book has been a great escape for me as I have been adjusting to changes in my living situation as well and just trying to make the most of it. I have already recommended it to a few of my (sometimes snarky) girlfriends.

This book started off with a whole lot of promise, and lost momentum somewhere in the middle. While some characters and their interactions with Page are unbelievable, I really appreciated the relationship she had with her brother. Some of the plot doesn't make sense, and leaves me asking questions. But for a quick, beach read. I would say it was pretty good.