A bright and delightful story, with a few twists

Loved this book - it's one that i found difficult to put down once i begun.

Having read and adored Anna and the French Kiss, the first in this series, I had admittedly high hopes for this book. Isla and the Happily Ever After not only reached these expectations, but soared beyond them; whilst reading, I was reminded again and again why I so love Perkins' work, and why I find her to be one of the best contemporary YA authors to read.

The writing is strikingly familiar, enchantingly romantic and just really, really funny. There are clever links between the characters in this book and those that precede it in the series, which are really fulfilling to see as a reader. The backdrops of Manhattan and Paris added extra charm and excitement to the plot, and, like all of Perkins' work, share the similar quality of a brilliant plot build and strong, genuine characters.

There are so many reasons why I loved this book, but the main one for me was having such a real, relatable and somewhat unremarkable protagonist. Isla is introverted, modest and intelligent, whereas most book characters are outspoken, hilariously witty and quite popular. She perfectly describes her painfully secret crush on brooding artist, Josh, with each feeling and thought resoundingly precise. Her lack of a plan for a future after school and teenage uncertainty in life itself is something I found myself really drawn to– I share so many qualities with Isla, and reading from the point of view of a character I truly resonated with was so refreshing. That being said, I didn't always agree with the decisions she made (some were very spontaneous and ill-thought-out), but her choices certainly made sense given her character arc.

All in all, I strongly recommend this book – to everyone, really – but especially to anyone in search of an easy-to-read but incredibly smart novel with amazing, loveable characters and a beautiful story. A great one to buy for the lead-up to summer!