I just loved the premise of this story. The setting was beautifully imagined, with all the elements that created a depth of atmosphere helping to make me believe in the chance of ghostly encounters and finding a place in life with only the experience of books and non-conforming parents to guide the way.
Andi is socially inept but determined to step outside of her restrictive cocoon and experience all that life can offer. Sadly, taking a job cataloguing a library was not the best option for someone wanting to spread their wings and discover more about the life available if only she could take a chance.
Jane Lovering creates amazing, flawed characters, and I think Andi may have shot into my list of favourites. She desired to break out from the shadows but did not have the skills required. This led to a mishmash of events that included misidentifying a ghost and assumptions about the gardener's sexual proclivity. All told with Jane’s trademark humour and keen grip on the story.
Once again, the setting is a character in its own right, and exploring the grounds of Templewood Hall and the adjoining village was fun. Even though the elements were revealed slowly, this ensured that the pace of the story remained controlled but never restricted.
The search for some missing diaries takes the lead, along with the quirks of both Lady Dawe and her son, Hugo. Eccentricity is a word that could have been coined in their honour.
Despite the slightly alarming manner in which the family interact and the strange housekeeper who seems to set her own rules, the household runs well, and there is good reason to believe that there is a chance of Andi living happily ever after. Did I mention the gardener?
Definitely a contender for one of my books of the year.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed this story.

We meet Andi who is offered the job to work for Lady Tanith, where she will be tasked with cataloguing an enormous collection of books.

But, apart from that she’s asked to find something hidden in the library. Andi has viewed her thoughts on relationships through books that she’s read.

Therefore when she meets Hugo, who is Lady Tanith’s son, she thinks that now she’ll live happily ever after.

But, real life isn’t what’s read in books, so what she’s thinking doesn’t happen in the same way.

I loved the twists and how the chapters were named.

I recommend this book.

“Life wasn’t like the books. Books assumed that people would be rational, that they would behave in accordance with the narrative. Books didn’t allow for the messiness of human nature and life had an inbuilt hatred for narrative causality.” A heartwarming, funny and emotional story. The quirkyness of the main character, Andi, and all the people surrounding her makes for a great reading. Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC copy. This is my honest review.

This was a decent read, but it didn’t really stand out for me. I liked Jane Lovering’s descriptive writing—she really knows how to set a scene and create atmosphere, which made certain moments feel really vivid. But overall, the story itself just felt kind of... fine. The characters were well-developed, but I never felt fully invested in them, and the plot didn’t do much to keep me hooked. It's for sure at least partially due to the fact that this just isn't one of my favorite genres.

It wasn’t a bad book by any means, just not one that really stuck with me. If you’re into cozy, slow-burn romances with strong descriptions, you might enjoy it more than I did!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Andi Glover has spent her life traveling with her parents and living out of a van, something the family has learned to monetize and gain fame for on television. She aches for something different, so she takes up a job at Templewood Hall for Lady Tanith cataloguing her massive home library. Andi, upon meeting Lady Tanith's son Hugo, is fully convinced the pair will fall in love and engaged in six months time, since that is how life works in the books she read growing up.

In addition to the library organization, Lady Tanith wants Andi to locate the personal diaries of her late father in law, who also happened to be the love of her life prior to their marital relation. These diaries may or may not contain details that Lady Tanith wants to keep secret from her sons, but also she plans to publish the diaries. The diary hunt must be kept a secret, which Andi finds conflicting as she becomes friends with Hugo. Luckily, she befriends the gardener Jay, who is excellent at keeping her secrets. As Andi continues her hunt for the diaries and makes small strides with the library catalogue, she uncovers strange family secrets and comes to a few revelations of her own.

I found this book hard to get into initially, but I did speed through it once my interest was piqued. I found that there was a lot of vocabulary used that I was not familiar with; having to frequently Google definitions negatively impacted my reading experience. I found Andi pretty unenjoyable as a FMC, and would have liked to read from another POV, such as Lady Tanith's since she was delusional. The Master was my favorite character, which tracks as I'm a cat lady myself. I was very upset when I thought he wouldn't get out of the house in time, IYKYK. Hugo and his father's shared interest was a nice twist, and I'm glad he got a happy ending after all. I would have loved an epilogue, following up with the characters at least one year later. Overall, the book was fine, but not something I would be interested in re-reading.

This book was a classical literature nerd's dream! I know I missed several of the references, but each chapter references a manor in classical literature. Andi is mix of beloved heroines, while being self aware of the flaws that differ from those heroines. She throws herself into manor life, with potential ghosts, an eccentric owner, and many secrets.
A very fun and refreshing read

A mixture of characters associated with the crumbling home leading you into this taleof Andi striving to find her way in life it certainly packs a punch with its characters but the supreme one for me is the cat!!
The book title may lead people to the wrong conclusion

I’m usually a fan of Jane Lovering’s books, but this one didn’t really hold my interest. I found it slow moving and a bit too gothic-inspired for my taste.

Unfortunately I DNF at 30%. I thought I was going to be reading a fun romcom - with the title 'Happily Ever After' you'd think so - along with the cute cover. But this read more as a gothic mystery, with a few subplots that took away from Andi's main story. I didn't connect with the characters, the FMC was too naive and the romance was lacking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF at 20%
I think this one just isn't for me. It's very quirky and I'm just not connecting to any of the characters enough to continue.

This was an interesting read for me — I don’t know fully how to classify it (other than New Fiction). It’s gothic but not, romance but not fully, both but neither?

I liked the realistic emotions and uncertainty with the main character, Andi, but at times I was wanting more connections intertwined between the characters.

Plot intro: Andi recently started working for a wealthy estate owner to catalogue a vast collection of books (enter a dream job for many readers!). Much like Andi, I too feel like books had have a huge impact on my life and have been a source of peace, happiness, and escapism during hard times. While I didn’t live the nomad, van-life like Andi did with her parents growing up, I related my childhood experience of moving a lot as a military kid to her feelings of loneliness when it came to the difficulty of making friendships.

I liked the side characters that were included — we are introduced to the landowner (Lady Dawe) and immediately I pictured a haughty, older woman who judges everything new. While she’s not particularly friendly, she does have a nephew living with her that sparked a little bit of romance vibe for Andi when he was introduced. Additional characters were: the gardener who Andi had a regretful (and funny) meeting with upon arrival, a stern cleaning lady, and a sophisticated cat (what’s an old estate without a cat right!?).

The estate itself was kind of like a character and is where I felt the tiny bit of gothic mystery vibes from. We discovered that Andi’s real task was uncovering lost diaries, and between that and the creepy lights flickering, the mansion had a bit of “haunted by its past” themes.

I expected the nephew we were introduced to early to have more of a romance plot tied directly to Andi, but instead the author did a side storyline for him. While it was well-written, I did feel that it split the main story too much and I was often wanting to go back to Andi.

I kept relating to Andi with her struggles of “what’s next” and trying to find her passions. I usually gravitate to stories that have more of “wrapped up perfectly” ending as they take me away from my own anxieties a bit. But the ending the author wrote here fit well for the story and I liked how it was complete yet unfinished in a realistic way (life really is never complete while we still live and still question what’s next).

Overall — I’d recommend this book but would make sure to not send to those looking for a strong romance side plot.

Andi take a position for Lady Dawe to catalogue her late husband's book collection. Her upbringing by her unconventional parents doesn't prepare her for life in the real world, with schooling heavily influenced by fictional stories leaving her unqualified for normal employment. She finds herself in a dilapidated, haunted mansion searching for some lost diaries overseen by the dour Lady Dawe, her son Hugo and a smelly cat called The Master.
You can almost smell the dust, and the cat, whilst reading Andi's exploits searching for the diaries. To add to the atmosphere there is a very grumpy housekeeper and an elusive gardener. Secrets are gradually revealed leaving Andi pondering on the best course of action. Overall a very strange story, but in a good way,and one that I did enjoy.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

This was a really delightful and charming read that explores healing, forgiveness and the journey to happiness with humour mixed in to give a light-hearted feel. I really enjoyed the writing and the atmosphere Jane created, the perfect cosy escapism.

This one was a difficult book to pick moods for because I would describe it as quirky.

Andi Glover comes to Templewood Hall to help Lady Tanith Dawe categorize her books and hopefully find her dead lover's diaries. Along the way she meets Hugo, Jay, Mrs. Compton, and the cat "The Master".

Positives:
Andi is a likeable character
A bit of mystery, romance, gothic feel, and some family trauma thrown in
The minor storylines add to the overall appeal of the novel
An easy read

Negatives:
The title didn't really match up with my expectations of the book.

An quick, quirky, enjoyable read

This was a really interesting book! I'll admit I was a bit skeptical when I was offered the ARC but i ended up getting quite sucked into it, and i will definitely be buying a copy! <3

Filled with humor, sincerity and even hope, I really enjoyed Andi's story. This was so sweet and endearing and totally captured my attention from start to finish.

The book did keep my attention, but I found Andi to a bit too naive, and a bit too slow for the story. The Master was by far my favourite character and how he interacts with Andi made me smile.

I am giving this 3 stars as I felt like something was lacking in the main character, but I think it could be a very enjoyable read for many people.

Happily Ever After is a delightful contemporary romance that delivers a perfect blend of humor, heart, and hope. The story follows Willow, a woman with a complicated past, as she navigates the ups and downs of life and love. One of the standout elements of this book is its relatable and well-drawn characters. Willow is a complex and endearing protagonist, and her interactions with other characters, especially the charming and enigmatic Tom, are both touching and entertaining. The book explores themes of healing, forgiveness, and the pursuit of happiness, all while maintaining a lighthearted and humorous tone. Lovering's storytelling is both heartfelt and hilarious, with moments that will make you laugh out loud and others that tug at your heartstrings. The setting, a picturesque English village, adds to the charm and provides a cozy backdrop for the unfolding romance. Overall, this is a feel-good read that leaves you with a warm and satisfied feeling. It's a perfect choice for anyone looking for a romantic escape with a side of laughter and a dash of emotional depth.

5⭐️

**Thank you to Boldwood Books, Inc. and NetGalley for the eARC**

Andi (Andromeda) Glover is embarking on a new job at Templewood that is not all it seems. She believes she is to catalog an extensive library, but the eccentric, odd Lady Tanith has other things she wants Andi to find. She encounters other eclectic characters such as the son, Hugo and the gardener, Jay. Wacky fun happens and even a small budding romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative voice of the main character, Andi. She frequently falls into the pattern of trying to fit real life into fictional tropes and it’s hilarious (and causes misunderstandings). What I also love as a fan of Austen and Pride and Prejudice is the way the setting of Templewood is so Austen-esque and almost has a personality of its own. There is wonderful character development and pacing through the story. I look forward to reading more of Lovering’s stories!

I really like this author's writing and always find myself smiling at her deft turns of phrase, and this book was no different in that regard. However, I wasn't as drawn in as I usually am: it seemed to take a really long time to get going, and I was on the verge of losing interest around the 35% mark. I couldn't really get a handle on Andi, possibly because her unusual family background was told rather than shown and hence her determination to see everything through literary plot devices seemed unbearably naive rather than whimsical and/or an authorial in-joke. It did get better though, even if it couldn't seem to decide whether it was a modern-day gothic mystery or a rom-com and hence didn't quite succeed at either: Andi's interactions with Jay were sharp and amusing, and I didn't see the twist in the diary search coming. Solid 3 stars.