Book Review: Happily Ever After by Elizabeth Maxwell

Pages: 336

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: March 18, 2014

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "In this witty, sexy tale, an erotic novelist meets the fictional hero of her most recent book in real life, and must decide whether she wants to get him back between the pages—or between her sheets.At forty-six, Sadie Fuller’s life isn’t exactly romantic. A divorced, overweight, somewhat sexually frustrated mother of an eleven-year-old, she lives in the suburbs, shops the big box stores, makes small talk with her small-minded neighbors, and generally leads a quiet life. But while her daughter is at school, or when Sadie is up late at night, she writes erotic fiction under the name KT Briggs.  Then, during a routine shopping trip, Sadie runs into someone familiar…too familiar, in fact. She encounters an incredibly handsome man exactlylike the one in her imagination—and her latest novel. Is Aidan Hathaway really one of her characters? And if so, what is he doing in Target? As Sadie tries to negotiate this strange new world, her eyes begin to open to romantic possibilities in places she never dreamed of looking... places where Happily Ever After might not be so far-fetched after all."

Sadie Fuller is a divorcée that spends most of her time cooped up in her office writing her latest romance novel under the name of K.T. Briggs. She has a young daughter, a reliable maid, and an ex-husband who left her for another man.  She isn't dating anyone, unless you count her regular "appointment" with Jason on Fridays, which is more of a sort of agreement a.k.a. booty call.  So, her life is pretty bland, that is, until she's in Target and comes across a man who seems to be straight out of her novel.  He's suffering from amnesia, so she agrees to help him, but as he gains part of his memory back, she finds out his name is Aidan Hathaway, which is the same name as man in her novel! Things start to get strange when she realizes characters from her novel are entering her life, one by one.  Elizabeth Maxwell's debut, Happily Ever After, is pure escapist fun that combines a variety of genres, including romance and fantasy.

Sadie is the type of heroine any one can relate to in Happily Ever After.  She's sort of in a rut, has put on some extra pounds, tis a dedicated mother, and is simply trying to get through the day while also secretly writing her latest romance novel.  I wanted Sadie to have her "happily ever after" so badly, because she definitely deserves it. This novel is a nice reminder that love can be right under your nose and everyone is capable of having their happy ending.  

Aidan Hathaway is the typical male from a romance novel. He's nice to look at, extremely charismatic, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.  Sadie definitely had to help him piece together why exactly he ended up in Target confused and they come to find that he's looking for his love interest, Lily, who is also a character from her book.  The characters in Happily Ever After were seriously fun. I mean who hasn't dreamed of their favorite book boyfriend (Mr. Darcy, I'm looking at you) coming to life?  It reminded me a bit of the movie Enchanted.

If you are looking for an outside-of-the-box read that combines elements from a few genres, then pick up Elizabeth Maxwell's Happily Ever After.  With that said, it would be perfect for an indulgent afternoon poolside with your favorite cocktail.