Happily Ever After by Jane Lovering

                                                      

Ebook:  269 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Fiction, Humorous Fiction, 

Publisher:  Boldwood Books 17th February 2025

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentences: 'Are you sure this is right? Only this is Lady Dawe's place and she is bonkers'

Review Quote: ‘A unique, well-written story that is uplifting, emotional, and humorous—well worth reading.’ Reader Review. 

My Opinion:  

I have read several of this author's books in the past, but it was a long time ago 2011/2012. Somehow I have missed out on her more recent publications until now. 

'Happily Ever After' has a dreamy heroine, Andromeda who believes that real life is like the books she read during her unconventional upbringing. While cataloguing the vast neglected library in an old and crumbling mansion, she soon learns that real life is somewhat less predictable.

The setting and the characters are all well developed with the story having twists and turns to hold the readers interest. Clever touch is each chapter having a literary reference as a title heading. If you enjoy contemporary fiction with a touch of romance and humour this is a very readable example of the genre. 

With thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Jane Lovering for the opportunity to read and review. 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Andi Glover loves nothing more than a good book.

Any book in fact because when you’re raised by unconventional parents who think school’s for squares, alongside a deeply conventional sister who escapes home as soon as she can, fiction is eminently preferable to reality.

The only problem is that fiction isn’t the best way to learn about the real world. When Andi starts her new live-in job at Templewood Hall for the eccentric Lady Dawe and her enigmatic son Hugo, it’s tempting to think she’s fallen into the pages of one of her favourite gothic novels.

But the plot twists at Templewood Hall are stranger than fiction and it’s not long before Andi questions if she’s living in a romance novel or a whodunnit. Bumps in the night, a missing heir, ghostly apparitions and secrets that have been kept for generations - the mysteries mount up. Then there's the inscrutable gardener who seems to appear when needed - is Andi right to hope for a happily-ever-after end to her story?

Author Profile:         

                                           

                                            Photo and Profile Courtesy of Amazon

WINNER - CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023 with A COTTAGE FULL OF SECRETS (Boldwood Books) ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2012 with PLEASE DON'T STOP THE MUSIC (Choc Lit publishing), RoNA ROSE (NOVELLA OF THE YEAR) 2018 with CHRISTMAS AT THE LITTLE VILLAGE SCHOOL AND FANTASY ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2019 with LIVING IN THE PAST

Jane was, presumably, born, although everyone concerned denies all knowledge. However there is evidence that her early years were spent in Devon (she can still talk like a pirate under the right conditions) and of her subsequent removal to Yorkshire under a sack and sedation.

She now lives in North Yorkshire, where she writes women's fiction novels with funny bits and labours under the tragic misapprehension that men are queueing up for her. She owns possibly the world's worst dog, a Patterdale Terrier who answers to - well, who knows, since she rarely comes back; she is also the owner of five practically grown-up children, and she has to spend considerable amounts of time in a darkened room as a result (of the dog, not the kids).

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Jane Lovering - Facebook Profile.   Twitter Profile   Amazon Book Page