A review by mackenzierm
The Happily Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny lighthearted
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST is the second book in The Friend Zone trilogy, but my third experience with Abby Jimenez's writing. To date, it may just be my favourite.

Sloan lost her fiancé two years ago, but still can't seem to get her life back on track. When a dog flies inside her car and practically begs her to take him home, her life changes. Tucker's (the dog) owner, Jason, never reaches back to Sloan for weeks as he is on tour in Australia as a musician. When he finally reaches out he wants his dog back but Sloan is not willing to give up Tucker without a fight. As flirty texts turn into long phone calls, a connection is definitely brewing between Sloan and Jason.

I adored that the chapter formatting of this book had a chapter title with the name of a song. Each song builds with the tone and vibe of the novel, further encapsulating you within the reading experience. A very unique touch to a novel!

Sloan's character is authentic and well-defined, navigating her grief after an unexpected loss. Abby was able to skillfully tie a realistic and tangible situation and cultivate ir into a beautiful and lighthearted story. Sloan has substance and I loved getting to know her better after her being introduced in The Friend Zone.

Sloan and Jason are ADORABLE. I loved their characterization, the dynamic between them, the shared banter (I'm a sucker for delightful banter), and their chemistry. They quite literally stole a piece of my heart from the get go.

I think what really tied me into THE HAPPY EVER PLAYLIST was the feature of Kristen and Josh from The Friend Zone being so present and intertwined within this story. It was like joining up with old friends and was so lovely to see how thoroughly they supported Sloan throughout. 

This is a wild roller coaster of a read with lots of emotions but the ending ended up being SO worth it. I didn't love everything that happened within this novel but the overall experience was well worth the read and warranted every star I gave it (to me). There were parts that I was upset with both characters actions but ultimately, it's just such a sweet and swoon worthy read.