Happily Ever Afters

by Elise Bryant
Happily Ever Afters cover
Good Books rating 3.75
Young Adult (YA)
Buy online
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 6516
  • Added: 2025-11-18
  • Updated: 2025-11-18
  • ISBN: 9780062982841
  • Publisher: Balzer & Bray
  • Published: 2021-12-07
  • Reviews: 4

Tessa Johnson, a budding writer, struggles with feeling like the protagonist in her own life, especially since she rarely sees herself reflected in the romance novels she adores. When she's accepted into a prestigious creative writing program, she hopes to finally shine. However, her inspiration vanishes, and her best friend Caroline suggests she find inspiration in a real-life love story. Tessa's journey takes unexpected turns as she navigates her feelings for two different boys and learns the importance of staying true to herself. With a blend of humor and heart, 'Happily Ever Afters' explores themes of identity, love, and the power of self-expression. The novel's vibrant characters and relatable struggles make it a captivating read for fans of contemporary young adult fiction.

Reviews
Common Sense Media · Barbara Saunders · 2025-11-18
great 4.00

The book offers an inside look at a sensitive, artistic teen coping with high school life, exploring themes of romance and personal growth. The reviewer found it to be a lighthearted novel perfect for unwinding after a long day.

Barbara Saunders loved 'Happily Ever Afters' for its lighthearted and engaging narrative. She appreciated the book's exploration of a sensitive, artistic teen navigating high school life, which adds depth to the story. The themes of romance and personal growth are woven seamlessly into the plot, making it a perfect read to unwind after a long day. The reviewer found the book to be a delightful and inspiring read, highlighting its ability to provide a much-needed escape and emotional uplift.

Quick quotes

    I loved Happily Ever Afters in many ways and it was the lighthearted novel that I was excited to read after a long day at work.

    I love the themes of romance

    The careful exploration of racism and prejudices people can portray can be thought-provoking.

pluggedin.com · Unknown · 2025-11-18
thought-provoking 3.50

Happily Ever Afters is a young adult romance novel that explores themes of identity, family, and self-discovery. The protagonist, Tessa, struggles with writer's block and turns to a series of romantic escapades to find inspiration, only to realize that her actions are causing more harm than good.

Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant is a heartfelt and engaging young adult novel that delves into the complexities of growing up. The story follows Tessa Johnson, a gifted writer who enrolls in a prestigious art school but quickly finds herself paralyzed by writer's block. Desperate to find inspiration, Tessa concocts a plan to create a romantic situation for herself, hoping it will spark her creativity. However, her scheme quickly spirals out of control, leading to a web of lies and misunderstandings. As Tessa navigates her relationships with her best friend Caroline, the charming Nico, and the kind-hearted Sam, she begins to realize that her actions are not only hindering her writing but also straining her relationships with those she cares about. The novel beautifully portrays the struggles of self-discovery and the importance of authenticity. Tessa's journey is relatable and thought-provoking, as she learns to embrace her true self and the complexities of her family dynamics, including her brother Miles, who has special needs. The book also touches on themes of racism and prejudice, offering a nuanced exploration of these issues. While the novel contains some language and sexual content that may not be suitable for all readers, it ultimately delivers a powerful message about the importance of being true to oneself and the value of genuine connections.

Quick quotes

    Tessa starts working to stir up her inner muse with some real-life story. Hey, a romance might do. And the good-looking Nico looks similar to one of Tessa’s romantic heroes. So, he’ll do, too.

    There are some lovely moments in Tessa’s family as they work together as a family unit, including the reality of both the joy and hard times that happen because of Miles’s disabilities.

    The careful exploration of racism and prejudices people can portray can be thought-provoking.

lifeofafemalebibliophile.com · Unknown · 2025-11-18
great 4.00

Happily Ever Afters is a charming romance novel that also focuses on self-discovery and friendships. The protagonist, Tessa, struggles with writer's block and finding her artistic voice, but the story is ultimately heartfelt and enjoyable.

Happily Ever Afters is a novel that I've had my eye on since I first heard about it. The story follows Tessa, a budding writer who loves to create stories. She obtains an amazing opportunity to be in a prestigious art school only to experience a bad case of writer's block. On top of this, she struggles to deal with living in a new town away from her best friend Caroline, adjusting to a new school, a love interest, and trying to find her artistic voice. I felt that as a writer could relate to Tessa’s experience on many levels. I’ve faced many bouts of writer’s block and struggled to find the right words to craft stories. Writing makes her feel alive but she’s also afraid to share her work with others for fear of rejection. I myself have definitely experienced the imposter syndrome where I thought my work was just not good enough and I learned that by making mistakes/critiques (like Tessa does) that it will only make me a stronger writer in the long end. I appreciated that even though this is a cute and swoonworthy romance novel the focus is equally on Tessa’s self-discovery as well too. There are the beginnings of a love triangle but at a certain point, it becomes clear who the final choice will be. I still enjoyed navigating through Tessa’s thoughts and her romantic views of love which could be very over the top at times. She’s been influenced by the romance novels she’s loved and wants to experience a genuine happily ever after a moment just for once. I loved Happily Ever Afters in many ways and it was the lighthearted novel that I was excited to read after a long day at work. I love the themes of romance, self-discovery, and friendships that developed over the course of the novel. A recommended read for those who enjoy stories that are sweet, funny, and heartfelt.

Quick quotes

    I felt that as a writer could relate to Tessa’s experience on many levels. I’ve faced many bouts of writer’s block and struggled to find the right words to craft stories.

    I appreciated that even though this is a cute and swoonworthy romance novel the focus is equally on Tessa’s self-discovery as well too.

    I loved Happily Ever Afters in many ways and it was the lighthearted novel that I was excited to read after a long day at work.

floweringpages.com · Unknown · 2024-01-24
intriguing 3.50

Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant is a young adult contemporary romance that explores the journey of Tessa Johnson, a romance writer struggling with imposter syndrome and writer's block. The story highlights the pressures and insecurities faced by writers, as well as the societal undervaluation of writing as an art form. The novel offers a unique setting in an artistic conservatory school, though it could have benefited from more depth in its exploration of the creative process.

Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant is a heartfelt exploration of the pressures and insecurities faced by young writers. The protagonist, Tessa Johnson, is a romance writer who enrolls in a prestigious art school's creative writing program but struggles with imposter syndrome and writer's block. The novel delves into the societal undervaluation of writing as an art form, contrasting it with other artistic disciplines like dance, music, and visual arts. The setting of the artistic conservatory school, Chrysalis, is intriguing and offers a unique backdrop for the story. However, the novel could have benefited from a deeper exploration of the creative process and how the school's classes help students grow as artists. Tessa's journey is relatable for anyone who has ever felt inadequate or uncertain about their talents, and the novel's themes of self-doubt and the pursuit of happiness are universally resonant.

Quick quotes

    And that’s how,” I finish. “I had the makings of a happily ever after without not one but two guys. But because I couldn’t figure out which of those endings I wanted, I’m left with none.

    I’m not a published author, but I like to think of myself as a writer. I’ve been writing short stories since elementary school and have recently written longer stories and even manuscripts now.

    She wasn’t “just a writer,” she was a writer — -nothing to be ashamed of.

Appears in Lists