So This is Ever After

So This Is Ever After has a quirky premise of exploring what happens after the troupe of found family with possible love interests saves the day and kills the big bad villain. This story starts in the middle of the action which is intentional as the title indicates. It didn’t stop me from thoroughly checking that I hadn’t skipped a book. While normally I am immobilized from starting in the middle of a story having that be the intent was oddly freeing from my normal reading habits. There are enough references to the events in the past that we don’t feel off-kilter as readers and can launch into these strong relationships in the group while exploring who they are (for the first time).
The campy modern language signals that this is a book not taking itself too seriously and allows us to have fun with the preposterous circumstances these peasants, turned heroes, and now King/advisors face. Arek put on the crown and there is no undoing that unless he wants to die. Add in the fact that he must find a mate before his eighteenth birthday or he will fade into nonexistence. The obvious choice is his childhood best friend, Matt, but a desire not to trap him into an irreversible relationship and miscommunication has him turning to his other friends to try and woo them.
The wooing of both male and female characters leads to comical misadventures while also strengthening Arek’s ability to lead a kingdom. While many parts of the book are lighthearted and fun the ending will have you feeling all the feels and not quite sure when these irreverent characters snuck into your heart.

SO THIS IS EVER AFTER is a delightful fantasy rom-com that takes place after the big battle. Arek and his assembled group of friends have fulfilled the prophecy set before them and defeated the evil king who usurped the throne at the very beginning of the book. What follows are the things that come after. Not having a better solution, Arek declares himself king while they search for the rightful heir to the throne. However, that soon turns into a conundrum as the throne is sealed with magic, and there is no rightful heir.

To make matters more complicated, he must marry by his eighteenth birthday - in three months, and the only person he has a crush on seems to view him as only a friend. As Arek begins to run the kingdom and work on his love life, things begin to take a turn into metaphorical uncharted territories.

What I loved: This was such an entertaining and delightful read with plenty of smiles to be found. Arek and his friends were really endearing, with ultimate successes as the peasants have taken over the kingdom and set out to do things better. This book imagines the what comes after the big quest - what happens with the evil king gone? It was clever and highly enjoyable. The magic and the need for a marriage (bonding ceremony) adds to the intrigue, time pressure, and creates some unique conditions for a romance. This is a friends-turned-more trope that is done beautifully.

There are some intriguing themes around politics, kindness, and romance, and the focus on friendships, the aftermath of something so big, and comedy made this a really fun book that was easy to devour. The LGBTQ+ rep is also great throughout the story, and I appreciated the past and present romances that form. The mix of comedy amongst what could have been an angsty read (considering all the trials that led them to the present and those they face now) made this a light-hearted and giggle-worthy read - just a really fun book.

Final verdict: With a delightful mix of comedy, romance, and magic, SO THIS IS EVER AFTER is a charming and entertaining YA fantasy rom-com that is highly devourable. I definitely recommend checking out this fantastic and unique read!