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.

The writing was good and immediately drew me into the story. I was invested in what happened and the quirky characters in the manor were fun.
I think part of the issue is I didn’t quite know what kind of a book it was. Mostly mystery, some romance, but very mild on the romance. While the first half was engaging, I was losing steam near the middle. There was a lot of waffling about decisions that felt repetitive. Some of the big reveals and turns were wrapped up a little too neatly.
I wanted the main character to take on some more agency. I wanted the side characters to have a little more dimension. Otherwise, it was an entertaining story.

Jane Lovering is known for her heartfelt witty storytelling and this book is no exception!! The main character is a strong, relatable character that brings both humour and vulnerability to the story. Happily Ever After feels grounded, rather than sweeping grand gestures like other romance novels and the novel feels layered, balancing both humour with deep emotional moments which provides a very satisfying read. Overall, it is a charming, witty, and emotionally engaging romance that undermines some of the usual genre tropes. This book is totally worth picking up if you enjoy love stories that have a touch of realism and a lot of personality.

“Real life doesn’t have a narrative”

Andi has always had her nose in a book since she was a little girl. Her parents work in showbiz and are often on the road with their tv show. Andi has lived a bit of a neglected childhood and often found an escape, and the answers to life’s little problems, in the characters and stories in the books she reads… that is until she takes a new job cataloging the library at Templewood Hall, working for Lady Tanith.

Templewood Hall is a Downton Abbey type old stately home which has lacked a bit of TLC over the years. Lady Tanith has tasked Andi with not only tidying up the library but finding the lost set of diaries of Lady Tanith’s now deceased lover.

Since the death of her lover, Lady Tanith has found herself very much stuck in the past unable to move on. This has consequences for the other characters in and around Templewood Hall, including Lady Tanith’s son, Hugo, who Andi strikes up a friendship.

Can Andi find the lost diaries and help Templewood Hall find its magic again?

(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own)

Publication date: 17 February 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books

Hmm... did I expect too much from this book?

Andi Glover, a bookworm raised by unconventional parents valued imagination over academics. When Andi lands a live-in job at the eccentric Lady Dawe's estate, Templewood Hall, she feels like she's stepped into a gothic novel. But reality soon surpasses fiction as Andi encounters a series of unsettling events: bumps in the night, whispers of a missing heir and a house steeped in secrets. Andi must navigate a world of mystery and danger, all while questioning whether a happily ever after is truly possible in this eerie and captivating setting.

Honestly, I picked up "Happily Ever After" expecting a cozy mystery with a dash of romance. I mean the title alone screams 'happily ever after,' right? The idea of blending reality with the fantastical elements of Andi's novels was promising. However, the plot felt predictable and the characters were a bit one-dimensional. Andi, despite being a bookworm seemed surprisingly naive and easily swayed. While the setting had potential, it wasn't fully accomplished. I did miss a touch more romance too.

Overall, I found the story to be underwhelming and lacking the charm and intrigue I was hoping for.

This quirky novel blends gothic mystery and self-discovery rather than traditional romance. Andi, a book lover with no formal experience, takes a job cataloging a collection for the wealthy and aloof Lady Dawe. Growing up with parents who traveled constantly for their TV show, Andi found solace in books but struggled to build a life of her own. Upon arriving at the eerie estate, she meets Lady Dawe’s handsome son Hugo, a rude housekeeper, a deaf gardener, and a cat named The Master.

Andi soon realizes she was really hired to locate secret diaries revealing a long-ago affair between Lady Dawe and her late father-in-law. Gothic elements—mysterious noises, flickering lights, and literary chapter titles like Rebecca—add intrigue. Though Andi is interested in Hugo, the novel focuses more on her personal journey. A subplot about Hugo’s struggles feels somewhat distracting but is handled well. While Andi doesn’t fully find love or her life’s passion, the story is humorous and engaging, with a fitting conclusion that leaves room for new possibilities.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an unbiased review. I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 here.


This book is a cross between a Gothic mystery and a quirky self-actualization romcom. Our heroine Andi grew up traveling the world on a bus and raising herself with classic literature, and is pretty resentful about it. With no real world life experience or qualifications, she is forced to accept a job at the mysterious Templewood Hall where everyone has a secret, ostensibly cataloguing books for the absolutely bonkers Lady Tanith, while actually hunting for Tanith’s dearly departed father-in-law slash lover’s hidden diaries.

Andi could very easily have been an annoying character - fish out of water, jumping to some pretty ridiculous assumptions and making some pretty dumb decisions, but Lovering makes these character flaws make sense. Of course she has ridiculous flights of fancy - she is trying to impose a narrative structure on her life because that’s all she knows. More importantly, she is aware that she is doing this, and actively tries (and succeeds!) to grow as a person throughout the book. While I did not agree with all of Andi’s thought processes, I enjoyed her character arc immensely.

While I figured out some of the secrets early (Hugo and Jasper’s secrets, specifically), the big mystery of the diaries and what was in them completely subverted my expectations, which is pretty much the theme of the book, and I was pleasantly surprised with how that wrapped up. The romance was definitely a subplot but I enjoyed it nonetheless, although it did take time for the hero (no spoilers!) to grow on me. Their romantic meet cute was just a little too crass for me to fully enjoy - it was cute, but not my style of humor at all.

If I had to nitpick, Andi’s perseveration on Hugo’s secret/struggle was a bit much and seemed more insensitive than it needed to be. We got it, his <spoiler> crossdressing is a turnoff </spoiler>. But do you need to point that out three times a chapter? To be honest, a lot of Andi’s internal monologue is repetitive and I found myself skimming in some places, only because I had read it all before

Things I loved: How Lovering managed to make every character, even the ones you think you should hate, sympathetic in their own right. I also loved how zany the story was - she managed to subvert most of my expectations in a way that felt natural for the story, and not like an unearned “gotcha!”. I also really really loved Mrs Compton. I also loved how Jay’s deafness was just part of who he was, not an inspirational character arc

Things I didn’t: Like I mentioned above, Andi’s internal monologue was a little too repetitive to me. The story also started off slow, and it took me until like 35% in to really engage with the characters.

Perfect for fans of: Hot gardeners, sprawling estates, haunted houses, soap operas, vintage dresses, cats with main character energy, dramatic family secrets, and classic literature

Summary: A light and pleasantly surprising read, perfect for fans of classic literature who will appreciate the many references throughout (including the chapter titles). Less predictable than expected, with interesting character development. A perfect read for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

What I really appreciated about this book was the way it kept surprising me. Something seems to be going in one direction, and a fairly predictable direction at that, and then Lovering pulls the rug out from under you - and she does this consistently throughout Happily Ever After.

This was true from the very first line, spoken by a taxi driver: “‘Are you sure this is right? Only this is Lady Dawe’s place, and she’s bonkers.’” Ugh, I thought - casual use of terms like “bonkers” - maybe this isn’t for me. And then immediately it’s like our narrator, Andi, has read my mind: “The taxi driver… was clearly not au fait with current medical terms and disability discrimination.”

It still took me a few chapters to really fall into the rhythm of Andi’s POV. At first I struggled a bit with some of the vocabulary - this didn’t feel like the type of novel where words like “roseate” and “obsequious” were really necessary - but I quickly came to realise that this is all part of Andi’s character. She was raised by books, and the way she thinks, speaks, and even the way she sees the world, is affected accordingly.

As the story unfolds, the surprises keep coming. I thought I had worked out who a particular character really was - then when Andi came to the same conclusion, I suddenly realised this was now too obvious and must be a red herring. Secrets are revealed and characters react to things in ways I never expected, but that somehow feel believable once they’ve happened.

There’s also some diversity amongst the characters - I don’t want to give away any of the specifics, but there’s a real thread of acceptance running through Happily Ever After, with a message that we are all different, have different preferences and different ways of doing things, and that’s OK. There are also some interesting, if brief, explorations of trauma and grief.

I particularly enjoyed the begrudging way in which Andi comes around to “The Master”, a chunky Siamese cat whose breath stinks of sardines. The way in which Andi’s relationship with the cat develops mirrors the way she comes to realise that things aren’t always what they seem, and that life doesn’t always unfold the way you expect.

Andi (Andromeda) has had an unconventional upbringing. A childhood with no fixed abode filled with reading all the classics but with little or no schooling and no friendships to tie her. In order to get herself a life and the beginning of a career, Andi takes a job cataloguing books in the library belonging to Lady Dawes. The problem is the mansion is crumbling, the housekeeper sinister, there is a stinky cat that rules the roost, several ghosts or presences that go bump in the night, Lady Dawes is unpleasant and secretive and to top it off the son and heir is gorgeous but seemingly uninterested in his new houseguest. Nothing like the romantic and fright free visions that Andi had been holding. As the story goes on seen through Andi’s literary rose tinted glasses we find misunderstood heroes, tortured heroines, secrets and lies that ensnare the inhabitants of the estate.

The narrative is highly descriptive setting the scenes and characters well adding to intrigue with more than a sprinkling of humour as Andi describes the crazy family who seem to have more than one foot in the past, rarely leaving the house. There are romantic moments between characters but the main themes of the book are in fact grief, obsession, guilt and loneliness. I found myself fully ensconced in the drama, keen to keep reading, always willing Andi and her strange new “housemates” to find their own happy ever afters.

This book was painfully slow for me. The description sounded interesting and I love anything to do with books but I just couldn’t quite get into the mystery while Andi was looking for romance.

Happily Ever After

Andi takes a job cataloguing books in a worn out, dusty house thinking she will live out a life straight from the books she has consumed since childhood. Think Pride and Prejudice meets Briderton but the reality is anything but.
Instead, her company is a smelly cat , an eccentric elderly lady not really residing within the realms of her reality, her son, a mystery in himself and some ghosts possibly?
Will she find the Mr D'Arcy to her Jane Eyre?

The author has a great talent for descriptive writing and paints very clear pictures of both setting and characters throughout.
I found myself relying quite a bit on the dictionary function while working through the novel as the author showcases their incredible vocabulary. I have no doubt that my own store of vocabulary has improved immensely from reading this book. I think the word choice and style of writing ties in with the upper class/regal/classic novel theme that's ever present throughout.
I think my favourite character has to be the aptly named "The Master " who provides moments of brilliance and levity throughout.

I struggled a bit with this book as it is quite slow paced and I didn't find myself connecting with or rooting for any of the characters. Very little happens in the early stages of the book. I did think it was slightly lacking in romance for a romance novel. I normally fly through cosy, light hearted romances. I have to admit that after getting halfway through, I had to mark it down as DNF for me. It just wasn't my kind of book and I was struggling to return to it each night. Would definitely not rule out this author in the future but this book just wasn't my personal taste.

“Happily Ever After” was a fun and lighthearted story about a girl who takes a job at an estate to input an extensive library. While juggling the secrets of the family she begins to find more hidden secrets than she can bear. Finding friendship and love after feeling alone all her life this story is hopeful and fun. I especially loved that each chapter was named after famous houses in literature.

Andi is a woman raised by books. Mostly by gothic romances, by the sound of it. She gets a job cataloguing the library at Templewood house, and sees everything through the prism of the books she's read.
But the house is spooky - there are phantom footsteps in the night and a ghost that walks around at night and a gardener who pops up at odd times. The people in the house are pretty strange too. There's a the love lorn, but scary, Lady Tanith and her handsome son Hugo, a disagreeable housekeeper, and a slightly whiffy siamese cat called The Master.
This book was a lot of fun - there were many odd twists and turns. Andi is extremely naive, which is understandable because of the way she grew up. Hugo and Jay are both lovely, too.
I really enjoyed the story. It does have a happy ending.