how to save a life . . . from a bad wedding

Sophie stood at the altar of the church, knowing she did not want to marry Stuart. He’d been cheating on her, and he lied, and she was done. But she couldn’t call the wedding off herself. There would be repercussions for her family. There would be embarrassment. She needed help. She needed Max.

It was Sophie’s best friend who had found him, the guy who comes to weddings and objects when the pastor asks. He makes the bad behavior public and then leaves. The wedding is canceled, the bride or groom who hired him is off the hook, and better yet, they are free of a bad relationship that could have gone on and on.

After Sophie’s wedding was called off, Max had gone to her hotel room to collect his fee (merely a technicality—he donates most of it), and he ended up having pizza and shots with Sophie and her friend. She was clearly relieved not to be marrying Stuart, and they had a great time hanging out together.

So a couple of weeks later, when Max has another wedding to object to, he thinks of Sophie. For this one, she would be perfect as The Objector, if he can just convince her that she can do it. For her part, Sophie is reluctant to stand up in front of a wedding and call out objections. But when she gets the whole story from Max about what the bride has done to his friend, she is all in. Even if it means going to a wedding in cowboy boots and putting the angry bride in a headlock.

From there, Sophie is all in. And the extra money doesn’t hurt either, since she took Stuart’s apartment out of spite even though she can’t really afford it. She has a couple of roommates to help her make rent, but she’d rather live by herself. And when her boss sees a picture of her with Max, sees that Sophie is moving on from her heartbreak, her boss considers her for a big promotion, and Sophie leans even more into her friendship with Max.

For Max, he’s enjoying spending time with Sophie. And when his parents see pictures of them together, they start thinking that maybe they’ll be able to retire and leave him in good hands. He’s ready for his father to retire, so he can take over the family contracting business. But there is also a chemistry between Sophie and himself that is getting more and more difficult to deny. Sophie is a strong believer in love being a myth. But when Max finds himself having to face the heartbreak of his past, The Objectors may have to admit that true love is possible, even probable, and that they can no longer object to what they themselves are feeling.

Happily Never After is the latest rom com from Lynn Painter, and it’s an instant classic. These characters sparkle, both smart and funny and bringing lots of conflict to the story. The idea of objecting at weddings is a lot of fun. And the writing is so smooth that it feels effortless to read. Every page of this book is a joy, and I think all rom com fans should dive in as soon as they can.

Clearly, I loved Happily Never After. I could have spent another 200 pages with these characters and not noticed anything but being entertained the entire time. Painter writes like a dream, and I want more. I also adore this story. It reminds me of everything I love about those perfect 1980s and 1990s films while still being modern and stylish. This is the best rom com I’ve read in quite some time, and I am already waiting for her next book to come out.

Egalleys for Happily Never After were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.