Happily Never After
Their name? The objectors.
Their job? To break off weddings as hired.
Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other.
When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”
During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.
The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.
And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.
Their job? To break off weddings as hired.
Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other.
When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”
During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.
The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.
And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.
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Community Reviews
Told in alternate POV, this story begins at the altar where weddings are crashed and hearts are bashed. This book is like a rom-com gone wrong, with a dash of cynicism and a sprinkle of romantic confusion thrown in for good measure.
Sophie Steinbeck finds out her fiancé is a cheating scoundrel just before the big day—classic. But instead of confronting him herself, she hires a professional wedding objector to do the dirty work for her - mostly because not only does she work with her fiance, but her soon-to-be father-in-law (Man, that's a lot of hyphens!) is also her boss. Sophie's stuck. Enter Max the Objector, the epitome of love, cynicism, and emotional baggage who is hired to break up the wedding. Nothing says "I'm done with you" quite like having a stranger crash your wedding and ruin your special day.
Sophie decides she wants in on the anti-wedding action because apparently, breaking up weddings is her new raison d'être. And thus begins their adventure of crashing ceremonies as the Objector and the Objectress - a weirdly strange superhero duo - and wrecking hearts, all in the name of love...or lack thereof.
As Sophie and Max spend more time together, they realize they have chemistry. Cue the obligatory hook-up sessions and denial about catching feelings, because who needs love when you can have commitment-phobia? Of course, just when things couldn't get any messier, Sophie is hired to crash a wedding where Max's ex is the bride-to-be. Awkward! As Max grapples with his past and Sophie realizes she might actually have feelings for her partner in crime, you can practically hear the melodramatic music swelling in the background.
So, if you're in the mood for a rom-com with a twist of bitterness and a hefty serving of denial, this might just be your cup of tea. Just don't expect a fairy-tale ending—after all, this is happily never after we're talking about. Three stars for the chaos, the confusion, and the complicated romantic mishaps.
Sophie Steinbeck finds out her fiancé is a cheating scoundrel just before the big day—classic. But instead of confronting him herself, she hires a professional wedding objector to do the dirty work for her - mostly because not only does she work with her fiance, but her soon-to-be father-in-law (Man, that's a lot of hyphens!) is also her boss. Sophie's stuck. Enter Max the Objector, the epitome of love, cynicism, and emotional baggage who is hired to break up the wedding. Nothing says "I'm done with you" quite like having a stranger crash your wedding and ruin your special day.
Sophie decides she wants in on the anti-wedding action because apparently, breaking up weddings is her new raison d'être. And thus begins their adventure of crashing ceremonies as the Objector and the Objectress - a weirdly strange superhero duo - and wrecking hearts, all in the name of love...or lack thereof.
As Sophie and Max spend more time together, they realize they have chemistry. Cue the obligatory hook-up sessions and denial about catching feelings, because who needs love when you can have commitment-phobia? Of course, just when things couldn't get any messier, Sophie is hired to crash a wedding where Max's ex is the bride-to-be. Awkward! As Max grapples with his past and Sophie realizes she might actually have feelings for her partner in crime, you can practically hear the melodramatic music swelling in the background.
So, if you're in the mood for a rom-com with a twist of bitterness and a hefty serving of denial, this might just be your cup of tea. Just don't expect a fairy-tale ending—after all, this is happily never after we're talking about. Three stars for the chaos, the confusion, and the complicated romantic mishaps.
This story needed to be written by another author. The characters are indistinguishable from Hallmark characters and, because of the medium, makes reading this book feel like walking in waist-deep mud. The plot, for the most part, could have been savaged. Quite unfortunate.
I have no words. This was a great rom-com!! I wish it wish it was a little longer, but Lynn Painter can do no wrong in my eyes. The sexy banter mixed with hilarous situations, I couldn’t put the book down.
I just finished reading Happily Never After, and I’m absolutely smitten! This rom-com is everything I needed—funny, charming, and oh-so-relatable. The story follows Sophie, whose wedding plans take a wild turn when she discovers her fiancé is a cheat. Enter Max, the swoon-worthy wedding crasher who helps her navigate the chaos, and sparks fly!
The witty banter and delightful characters had me laughing out loud, and I could totally see this as a movie! If you’re looking for a perfect blend of humor and heart, this book is a must-read. Trust me, you’ll want to dive in and experience the magic for yourself!
The witty banter and delightful characters had me laughing out loud, and I could totally see this as a movie! If you’re looking for a perfect blend of humor and heart, this book is a must-read. Trust me, you’ll want to dive in and experience the magic for yourself!
It was a cute & funny read. The banger between Sophie and Max made reading this fun! Despite knowing how it’s going to end, the plot of these 2 breaking up weddings was unique.
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