This Will Be Fun

This Will Be

by E.B. Asher

The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation in this cozy quest romantasy about a group of friends who once defended their magical land together but haven’t spoken since, reuniting to attend a royal wedding, and ending up on a new adventure to save the realm—and hopefully themselves.

Ten years ago, they saved the realm. It ruined their lives.

Everyone in Mythria knows the story of how best friends Beatrice and Elowen, handsome ex-bandit Clare, and valiant leader Galwell the Great defended the land from darkness. It’s a tale beloved by all—except the former heroes. They haven’t spoken in a decade, devastated by what their quest cost them.

But when they receive an invitation to the queen of Mythria’s wedding, it’s a summons they can’t refuse . . . and a reunion for the ages, with Clare secretly not over his long-ago fling with Beatrice, Beatrice fighting the guilt she feels over how everything ended, Elowen unprepared for the return of her former flame (the cunning Vandra), and all of them lost without Galwell’s presence. And if reuniting with old friends and lovers wasn’t perilous enough, dark forces from their past have returned, plotting a domination that only Mythria’s one-time defenders can stop. Maybe.

Dusting off old weapons and old instincts, they face undead nemeses, crystal caves, enchanted swords, coffee shops, games of magical Truth or Dare, and, hardest of all, their past—rife with wounds never healed and romances never forgotten.

This time around, will their story end in happily ever after?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Fiction, Adult, Cozy, Audiobook

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2024

About the author

E. B. Asher is the author of USA Today bestseller This Will Be Fun and the pen name for Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegemund-Broka. Bridget is the author of several novels, including That Summer Feeling and Anywhere You Go. She lives in Los Angeles with her two cats. Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka are the authors of novels including The Roughest Draft and Reese’s Book Club pick Heiress Takes All. Married, they live in Los Angeles, where they continue to take daily inspiration from their own love story.

Reviews

[Maeghan 🦋 HIATUS on & off · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoiler alert : this wasn’t fun

[Andi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here me out: do you ever hear people in a feudal society talk about magazines? Stag parties? Hook ups. Other language that would be thrown around in a modern world? You haven't, right? But it's in here and it bothered me - a lot. It bothered me to the point where it took me out of the book.

I read the acknowledgement and realized that THREE different people worked on this. That's quite a lot, and usually - to me - when three or more people work on a screenplay, by my standards, it was a mess and one that went through a ton of re-writes.

This book was more of a focus on 'friends' than the actual 'quest'. Hell, it was a book all about Beatrice and Clare hooking up again, when will they hook up again, and how can the world survive if Beatrice and Clare don't hook up again.

The summary of the book is enough, because that's exactly what happens. The ending of the book - in my opinion - made no sense and in-evaluated the entire story.

I feel like four people got their ideas from watching Shrek attempted to write a book but forgot the most important part - the plot.

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so, well, fun. Really silly!! I am reading reviews on here like "this was stupid, why did they have Fantasy Texting" and I am diagnosing these reviewers with a bad case of being Too Serious Geese. This reminded me of early Adventure Zone in a fun way. These characters would and should shop at Fantasy Costco. The magical abilities were fun! The romances were tropey! The anachronistic magicks made me smile!

A balm for my nerves in these trying times!!

[•Mrs Pizza• · Rating 1 out of 5]

This feels like three people (yes this is the work of 3 authors) who have never read a fantasy book decided to write a fantasy book.
Let’s pick some nits, shall we

I feel like including two separate romance story lines with two separate couples was not the right move here. I didn’t particularly care enough about either couple. Each couple could have easily gotten their own book and maybe it would have made me care about someone’s relationship 🤷‍♀️

Everyone hated each other and then didn’t. It felt dumb

None of the magic cellphones or tv stuff was explained at all. It’s a tapestry you text on? Is it big, small, does it have buttons?

The climax was stupid and we suddenly got a new convenient special thing that saved the day. It was about as satisfying as if the whole thing had just been a dream sequence or some other dumb thing.

They went to Vegas and rode in a limo 😑

The ending was really so weird and felt like the credits started rolling mid sentence.

I want to be mad but I was really just bored.

[Selah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Will Be Fun book review by E.B Asher

"The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation"

A group of ex-friends who once saved the realm a decade ago are invited to their Queen's wedding. Despite 10 years of unspoken words and tension, the group is tasked with one last adventure to save the realm again. Will they succeed or will their broken friendship get in the way?

Thoughts
What a sweet mix of comedy and adventure in this cozy romance novel! You get a lick of steamy scenes after the super long drought of a slow burn from both couples.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. It took me a slow bit to finish however, I'm so glad I did it!! I love a hea and you truly will get one at the end. I was not expecting the wide range of personality that the characters have. Nor can I choose which one is my favorite.

You've got Elowen the moody closed off friend; Beatrice the one stuck in the past; Clare the overly optimistic friend that wants the gang back together; and lastly Vandra the hot lesbo assassins that looks like they can kill you but is really a cinnamon roll!! All so different but fit together so well.

I for sure got Shrek mixed with the Scooby Doo gang vibes from this story. Which I love so much!! Give me a fantasy with a good bit of humor and a splash of adventure that doesn't end in a heartbreak. I might have to add this to my recs list for anyone that needs recommendations for what to read next. It's just a fun book to read with a nice escape from the real world.

Small Mention
Wagons-For-You (Fantasy version of Uber Ride Share)
This had me cackling for no reason. I love the small drops of modernity that the author added into the story. It was a fun twist that I rarely see in fantasy books.

Quotes
~ “He wanted her to be the living proof that he was worth loving.”
~ “If he could prove himself to Beatrice, the woman who’d once known him best, he might finally feel like the hero the rest of the realm deemed him.”
~ “Elowen found herself not just moved by all she learned but deeply invested in Vandra’s hope for a better life.”

Song that summaries the book
I’m a Believer by Smash Mouth
[Verse]
I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams

[Chorus]
And then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
And not a trace of doubt in my mind
I'm in love, I'm a believer
I couldn't leave her if I tried

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins publishing for allowing me to give an honest review in exchange for this arc!!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
pre-read:
PRAY THAT THIS BOOK IS GOOD PLEASEEEE
pre-review:
the description of the plot seems really cute so far so I'm hoping this pulls through.

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I loved every single main character, it definitely had that cozy found family fantasy vibe 🥰😍

The queer rep was wonderful, and I really enjoyed the audiobook. There were a few slower moments here and there, but nothing that pulled me out of the story. Overall, a really enjoyable listen!

4.5 ⭐️

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Will Be Fun by E B Asher
Fantasy romance. Romantasy.
A destined hero has his day. Now what?
Ten years ago, they saved the realm. It ruined their lives. They went their separate ways. Now they must all attend a royal wedding. Mandatory appearance. None are ready. Clare still longs for Beatrice. She feels guilty for how their story ended. Elowen doesn’t know how to face Vandra. Galwell was their glue and he’s not at the wedding. Everyone knows them. Everyone calls them hero. When dark forces return to Mythria, will they again fight to save the kingdom or is their time past? If they battle again, will they get a better ending this time?
Read their second adventure, this book, and find out

I put off reading this book for some reason. Maybe the cover. Maybe the first page didn’t grab me as usual. Maybe it was just a mood the day I tried. So it sat, unread, as a NetGalley book, which is stressful for me, especially after release date.
Then I heard more and more how good it was. Hmmm. Ok, more interested now. I still delayed another week and then tried again.
And I really enjoyed it. Humor, yearning, honor, and righteousness.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley

[Sarah (berriesandbooks) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Petition to change the title to “This will be Boring.”

This book was so stupid, which is harsh but I stand by my opinion.

I don’t mind mixing fantasy and the modern world, but it was overdone and half-baked in this book. There were equivalents to coffee shops, Uber rideshares, TV shows, therapy, football, and an actual baseball cap, but not a single GPS to be found. Amazon delivery and phones but you can’t find the villain hideouts without questing? The pieces of the modern world were just thrown in for fun (there’s a whole comic-con scene) but conveniently no modern developments were used to make the quest more smooth. There was no attempt to mesh the fantastical and modern elements, so everything clashed and distracted from the book's plot.

Which, in all fairness, there’s not really a plot. Supposedly they are on a heroic quest to save the kingdom, but that is a generous way to describe it. The author just wanted a backdrop for her characters, looking at you Beatrice and Clare, to be horny and pining. If the characters had had development of any sort, and conflict I could root for, the lack of a plot wouldn’t have bothered, me since I’m a character-over-plot reader. But, truly, I could not have cared less about the four MCs. Their interpersonal relationships weren’t explored because the author was too busy being “quirky” and reminding you that Beatrice and Clare wanted to bang! It was frustrating to get half-thought-out plot points with holes interspersed with a ludicrous amount of awful pining.

I’d recommend skipping this one unless you are looking for something silly to fill your time. Even then, there are better options.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of fun elements in this book, and I especially appreciate the emphasis on friendship to make this romantasy more cozy. That said, it felt like all the different elements didn't come together cohesively for my tastes. I think the book summary is very accurate to WHAT the book is about, so if it appeals to you, it's worth giving a try to see if the HOW (it's tone and execution) works better for you than me

[Rachel Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Will Be Too Long

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
A cozy romantasy that spotlights two second chance romances. World building flounders a bit.

Thoughts
Dang. Gonna have to file this one under "not for me." The world is tongue-in-cheek modern: there are cell phones, video calls, web boards, streaming TV, Uber, and fandom conventions, all painted over with the thinnest veneer of magic explanation. (Other reviewers liken it to Shrek.) And while I don't mind a playful nod, it mostly made me wonder why there weren't magical analogs for other modern things. In a world with internet, why is everyone still fighting with swords? Why are they still riding horses and camping in a forest instead of using a magical flying "not airplane?" Why can't they track down the villain after ten years? Shouldn't they also have magical satellite imaging or CC TV by now? Am I overthinking this? Of course I am! But I prefer world building in a fantasy story to hold a certain amount of consistency, and no amount of coy winking at the camera about fantasy Amazon deliveries is going to make me stop wondering why the queen didn't kit out our heroes with a fantasy GPS tracker they could stick on the bad guy. I'm well aware I'm the curmudgeon here, and I am sorry. But the flippant approach to the world sure did make it feel like the part about the world ending doesn't matter that much. Fight scenes feel perfunctory compared to the time and energy spent on lovemaking scenes. One of the biggest wins happens off screen and is summarized in a single sentence later. And perhaps that's the point. Sure the world may end tomorrow, but what about the relationships? What about the people? What about the LOVE? We've got two second chance pairings here, with plenty of history, drama and a quick hit of spice. They're all likable characters, so your enjoyment will hang entirely on how you feel about second chance romance. Unfortunately, I am ambivalent, so it's another miss. But if you love firey anger that melts into firey passion, or pages upon pages of sexy yearning, there's plenty in here for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this book certainly did not live up to its title! I admit, though, that it follows loosely, vaguely "The Princess Bride," and those parts were interesting to figure out. (I loved the movie!). I have to say that adding a modern twist to this sort of novel was intriguing and kept me on my toes. For instance, having an ancient type of Uber or Lyft, using a tapestry as a cell phone, and various other technological/magical instances of modern meets magic.

Now comes the complaining part - If you don't mind that over 50% of the book is the three main characters bemoaning about how they hate themselves or angsting about their love lives or lack thereof, then jump right in. Even when a couple of them do finally get together for some nookie, they are still miserable. And that "quest" that the Queen asks them to go on seemed to be just haphazardly thrown in to keep us reading. Although, in the end, the fighting and the magic bits were quite interesting.

I would have given up on this very frustrating and, dare I say, sometimes boring novel if it wasn't for a hint I got in another reviewer's spoiler.

It is interesting to note that E.B. Asher is really three different author's, and it does show.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Avon/HarperCollins, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks to all.

[Caleigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wrote this review, lost it all as I was about to publish, but this book made me so mad that I'm willing to type the whole thing out again, so here we go.

This whole thing read like a 13 year old's creative writing project that by some terrible mistake was published and marketed for adults. Because holy crap. The characters have all the emotional complexity and depth of wet tissue paper. The "plot" was so paper thin you couldn't even see it at times. The "villains" were the most cartoonishly evil, black-and-white enemies imaginable who had absolutely zero on-page motive outside of "power" and "being evil". The wolrdbuilding was painfully nonexistent.

Let's start with the characters. I found 2/3 of the POV characters absolutely, unforgivably insufferable. Clare Grandhart, you were great, but Beatrice and Elowen? Look I'm all for complex and unlikable characters (my fav read this year was The Secret History for god's sake), but the issue is that the authors DESPERATELY want you to like these characters. They want you to like them SOOOOOOO BAD. It bleeds through in every writing decision they make. But to make characters likable, you have to give the audience something to actually like. Instead, Beatrice and Elowen remained the most shallow, self-centred, anti-social characters I've ever had the misfortune of reading, all while the writers beg me to be obsessed with them AND their relationships. I'm sorry, it is just not happening for me.

The authors were obsessed with telling rather than showing and BOY did they tell. Every single thought, decision, word out of the characters' mouths were over-explained ad-nauseam by the authors because they were just terrified the reader might interpret things slightly differently from the exact way the authors wanted them to. They had absolutely no trust in their readers. I'm sorry, but I just think if your reader is mature enough to handle on-page sex scenes, they don't need their hand held through every line of the story. Jesus christ, give your characters some space to breathe. The "development" felt so forced because of the amount of telling that was happening. Not to mention the fact that 10 years worth of interpersonal drama was supposedly settled in about 8-9 days time on-page.

But perhaps more egregious than the characters was the world itself. The authors admit in the authors' note that none of them have any experience with the fantasy genre which is ABUNDANTLY clear from the second you start reading the book. Let me put it to you this way: when you're playing D&D and someone pitches "fantasy Costco," it's funny for like five minutes, then it gets really old. But these authors just keep. going. This book had fantasy Starbucks, zoom calls, tumblr fandom, texting, UBER????? SOAP OPERAS????!!!!! FANTASY THERAPY????!?!!!!

It was so incredibly clear that the authors did not want to be writing a fantasy book. They wanted to be writing in a modern setting but with the ability to use "magic" to handwave away any plot device that would otherwise be difficult to get around. The worldbuilding, naming conventions, unexplainable and inconsistent magic system, plot structure, everything felt like an absolute mockery. The whole thing felt so disrespectful of the fantasy genre as a whole in a lot of ways.

I think the worst thing though was the ending. In one fell swoop, the authors made all of their characters' growth and development utterly meaningless. It was so cheap it made me angry. This brings me back to my theory that this was actually a 13 year old's school project, because it was a 13 year old's depiction of what a "good" ending is. Nothing bad can ever happen and nobody can ever be hurt or even melancholy and sacrifices are sad so should never be permanent :((((( man WHAT????? It was meaningless. It was immature. And it was just not necessary. It was a happy ending without that choice, but here we are.

I think the most upsetting part of this book is that it had the potential to be SO. SO. GOOD. The premise is so enticing and made me so excited. I want to hand the concept to an author who actually writes fantasy and ask them to do it again... but better.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think my problems with this book can be best summarized through a specific example: the messaging tapestry. Early on, there are two important scenes where Elowen has to communicate through a "messaging tapestry," which is, presumably, supposed to fulfill the function of a computer or phone. Except, it is barely described. We don't know what it looks like, how big it is, how it functions. Is it floppy and woven like a real tapestry? If so, how do you send messages on it? Do you type them or write them or think thoughts in its direction? I couldn't picture how this world worked, and it was frustrating me. However, suddenly, a quarter of the way through the book, the messaging tapestry disappears and is never mentioned again, since it is no longer relevant to the plot.

The world, the story, and its stakes all seemed, to me, to lack cohesion. If we exist in a lighthearted, cozy world, why did the villain just kill an entire village of people? Once you introduce this type of violence, why do we then immediately return to wacky Fantasy Vegas antics? The book could have still had a satisfying narrative arc if the characters needed to process their grief to move forward, but, instead, this pivotal character is brought back to life, seemingly fine with it, and everyone can instead continue to employ their questionable coping mechanisms. It did not help that the writing was, at points, incomprehensible. "Beatrice, who'd done exactly what he wished he could not have predicted." Excuse me??? What on earth are you talking about?

I can see how someone would enjoy this book if they loved the characters since their interactions are at the heart of the story. I loved Vandra and ended up liking Clare. However, if you strongly dislike at least one of the protagonists, it can result in a pretty insufferable reading experience. They all have pretty self-serving motives, which isn't helped by the tendency to "tell" rather than "show." What do you MEAN Beatrice is selfless? You can't just tell me that, a third of the chapters are from her perspective and she is obsessed with herself!

I'm mad because the premise sounded interesting, Vandra deserved better, and the ending made everything feel pointless.

Anyway, thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[starryeyedjen · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I say that I was beyond excited for this book, believe me because The Princess Bride is one of my top five favorite movies, and I have a whole shelf in my library dedicated to the movie and the book, including a board game, bobble heads, Funkos, wine bottles from the special screening at Alamo Drafthouse, etc. I am a HUGE fan, so when I saw the comps for this book, I knew I had to check it out.

So it is with the greatest of regret that I tell you I just could not get into this story. I only read about 30% of it before setting it aside, and I just never felt compelled to pick it back up again. Instead, I chose to re-read some other favorites for comfort because every book I picked up after this one was also not a winner. I wish I could say it was just me, but I'm fairly certain, at least in this book's case, that I'm not alone.

First off, there was such an undercurrent of sadness throughout, with the remaining hero and heroines not feeling triumphant at all in the wake of losing their fearless leader and having to face their queen as the ten year reunion of their victory loomed large. For a book that is supposed to be "fun", none of us were having any.

Secondly, the anachronisms drove me nuts. I can get behind magic making a medieval-type setting more favorable, but not when it leads to magic tapestries that act like texting devices. And don't even get me started on the Starbucks-like "brew" shops on every corner, the "shadow play" dramas that were beamed into homes via magic, or the ride-sharing service for carriages to and fro. I don't want modern inventions and conveniences in my cozy fantasy by way of magic.

Also, I did not realize until I cracked the book open and saw the copyright that E.B. Asher is actually three people. Yes, this lent individuality to each of the three main characters, but I think it might have been to the detriment of the story because it didn't feel cohesive. Well, except for how depressed each of them seemed.

I can admit I was a little charmed by Clare, the erstwhile hero and rogue who was loosely based on Westley. His commentary was humorous and his banter with Beatrice was a nice balance to her pithy retorts. But his character alone could not save this book for me...

[Sara (sarawithoutanH) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started with a lot of promise but the second half lost me. I kept forgetting I was reading it which is never a good sign. I loved the humor and the setting but the plot was just so..... nothing.

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[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really drawn to the premise of this book. The idea of former heroes, once beloved and now fractured by the aftermath of their quest, being forced back together for a royal wedding—and perhaps one last mission—had so much potential! The pacing was a bit off, with slow introductions that made it hard to care about the plot in the beginning. However, once things picked up, I started to appreciate the light romance, the fun banter, and the character growth, which kept me reading.

I liked how each character developed as they grappled with their past and present, and I thought the subtle romance that ran through the book was really lovely. There were some intriguing levels of tension created by Clare's ongoing obsession with Beatrice and Elowen's unresolved feelings for her ex-lover, Vandra, but I wish more time had been spent developing these relationships. I thought the novel relied a little too much on dialogue. It would have been easier to relate to the characters more deeply if there had been more introspection and more emotional depth.

Although I enjoyed the setting, I thought the world-building was a little basic. Though I didn't feel totally immersed in it, Mythria had potential, and the fantasy aspects may have been expanded on. It felt as though the tone was a little erratic at times because of the combination of magical caverns, charmed swords, with other elements (such coffee shops and magical games).

Despite its flaws, I did enjoy the book. The cozy, light fantasy atmosphere, mixed well with themes of friendship, loyalty, and second chances, made it an entertaining read. It had a lot of potential that wasn’t fully realized, but it was still a pleasant read.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel very misled by the comps saying this is, “The Princess Bride meets People We Meet on Vacation…for readers of Legends and Lattes and lovers of Shrek.” I do not think it means what you think it means.

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[Katyana · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 40%

I wanted to like this. I really did. But it just didn't work at all for me. TBH, I wanted to quit at the 25% mark, but I kept moving forward, desperately wanting to know what happened 10 years ago that broke this group apart. We know one of the team died, but they keep alluding to big blowout fights and betrayals, and how they can never forgive each other. But it's the goddamn 40% mark and all we're getting is that same generic statement on repeat. Never mind any actual plot in the current timeline - thus far, there doesn't seem to be one - we don't have any forward movement or information on shit that is 10 years old.

Maybe that wouldn't be so bad if I didn't hate the characters, but I really really do. Of the surviving members of the Four, we have:

Clare - the manwhore with the weirdly female name. He is in bed with a different woman every night, but we're supposed to believe he's still pining for Beatrice. As if that isn't enough, Clare is also basically a fantasy version of a celebrity influencer - endorsing products for money and eating up every speck of attention. He implies he's doing this because with their leader dead, the realm needs a hero so he's stepping up to be that for them. But let's be frank, even he doesn't believe that. This dude loves the adulation, and why wouldn't he, when it makes it so easy to have a different woman in bed every night?

Beatrice - the alcoholic shrew who is getting divorced as the book opens in the present time (the prologue is 10 years ago, the eve before their big final battle to save the realm). This woman seems to be an asshole as a constant state of being. It is rooted in self-loathing - she blames herself for their leader dying, and her magic allows her to relive memories, so she's been torturing herself living through it over and over for a decade, nitpicking things she could have done differently that would have kept him alive. She has utterly fucked herself up, and made her gift into a curse. I'm sympathetic, but also, she's fucking exhausting. If her hatred was only self-directed, that would be one thing, but this bitch shits on everyone around her constantly.

Elowen - the black hole of depression. The dead leader was her big brother, and his death destroyed her. She completely withdrew from the world. I mean that literally: she lives in a treehouse in a cursed forest that people die trying to get to. I have a lot of sympathy for her - not only did she lose the brother she adored, but he was then put on this impossible pillar of awesomeness, and she was relegated to the role of the hero's little sister (never mind that she was ALSO one of the four heroes who risked her life fighting in this quest to save the realm), never quite good enough to live up to the impossibly perfect bar he set in stone in the eyes of the realm with his death. She also lost her friends in whatever drama happened that we still don't know about, and so she was utterly, painfully, alone. So yeah, I have sympathy, but man she is exhausting.

Especially when, because we still don't know what the fight was about, they all just seem ridiculously overdramatic at this point. I mean, build a fucking bridge and get over it already, people!

I see some reviewers weren't thrilled with the modern elements - they seem to have TV shows and cell phones, though they don't call them that, which makes it confusing. I'll be honest, I don't care about that. I'm fine with setting up a fantasy world however you want, and being a little modern with it like A Knight's Tale-ish is fine, as long as I understand. That's the part I had trouble with. For example, Elowen mentions being on her "tapestry communicator" and watching a TV show. Later, she seems to be ... posting on a forum about her favorite TV show with it, and sending messages? WTF is it? A tapestry? But can you give me a little setup or structure here? When you call it a tapestry communicator, I'm thinking fucking wall hanging and trying to visualize it, and then she's texting on it and it was deeply confusing. If you're making up stuff in your fantasy, cool, I can roll with it. But give me some info. Don't just have a character bust out their Flibbet Gaszh and expect me to know what it is. And if you name it a word I know - like, say, tapestry - then have it be something in the actual realm of tapestries, thanks so much. When they're traveling on their horse and she pulls out her tapestry communicator to send a text, my brain stalled, because at that point, again, I thought it was a damn wall hanging that got TV reception or something.

So anyway, I decided I don't care what happened 10 years ago anymore, these people all suck.

EDIT to add: lots of people are talking about what a unique idea this is, a story about a group of heroes decades after they fought the big evil. You must have missed The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst. Check that out for a similar idea, done much much much better.

[inês · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to introduce this review by stating that I read this entire book during a transatlantic flight. It was either this or staring into nothingness because my screen was not working. This means that I took absolutely no breaks, which could have led to my fatigue over this story.

My favourite part of the story was its setting. The worldbuilding was fun and very reminiscent of Ella Enchanted (movie) with modernity being interwoven with your typical European medieval-inspired world. The characters were also fun and got themselves into hilarious situations, so it was not only easy to connect and relate to them, but it was also very entertaining.

The main problem of this book is how heavy it is on the romance plotlines. I was not aware that this would be mostly focusing on these two couples, which is definitely on me. While we had what I would consider to be high stakes (end of the world and the likes), there was no match in the urgency of these characters to solve these problems and it was definitely on the backseat throughout this quest that was mainly about mending relationships (platonic and amorous).

I did like how the book got resolved though and the ending definitely brought it up for me, but the journey until that moment was definitely underwhelming for me, personally.

[Stoker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one's for the fuck ups, the has-beens, the impostors, the heartbroken, and the cowards. This book starts out a little slow, a little raw, and it was tough for me to get through the beginning, but once the threads of these washed-up heroes start tangling together again, the story takes OFF. It's very much a character- and relationship-driven plot, but it does these things extremely well and the world is still vibrant. I found a little bit of myself in all the characters, and the gradual build towards them reconciling and figuring their own shit out was so cathartic.  In the end, the book lives up to the cozy fantasy genre and to its title--I had a lot of fun reading it.


(Also I cannot explain exactly how Clare is a sexy Chilchuck Dungeon Meshi, but he is and it works so well for him... I want to put his brain in a jar)

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

An essential part of the fun fantasy romp is likeable characters, which, unfortunately, This Will Be Fun did not have. Speaking of fun, absolutely nothing in this book was fun. The weirdly submissive women, the boundary-crossing of their romantic partners, the incoherent plot— and I DESPISED the ending. What a way to ruin everything the book was originally about.

[Spiri Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

chosen ones but make it cozy fantasy ending

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was fun!

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one! Feel like this is the right level of cozy for me. Liked the modern tone mixed with the Medieval setting (a la Knights Tale or Ella Enchanted)

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished the book and....I still don't really know if I liked it.

This book is like a Medieval Times rom-com. Like a Ren Faire Vegas. It is like an early 2000s romcom with just the thinnest veneer of fantasy. It feels like it is trying to pull a Shrek move with its fantasy Uber, soap operas, tabloids, casinos, conventions and cosplayers, and therapists, but I think it just went too far for what most people can stand.

I think the movie vibes extended to the plot and pacing. It felt like there was little transition between the different like emotional events and so I didn't feel like there was that good a payoff when people got together. As well, I wasn't a big fan of the ending. Too much of the worldbuilding was undone and all the stakes were removed from the plot since 50 pages earlier everyone had already "fixed" their problems and were just doing great. Like in a Kdrama where the last episode of the show is just like the Happy Ever After for all the characters, felt a bit weird to read that.

Anyways this earns a 🤷‍♀️ from me

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

Three of the heroes acted like whiny teenagers for a lot of the build up. They get overly dramatic and overwhelmed by their emotions and then also get really horny. Vandra was the most sensible one, and thus my favorite. Regardless, the underlying story of what's going on was interesting enough. The ending should have had some consequences that could have at least been hinted at, if there's going to be another book. If it was supposed to be just a way to tack on a happy ending, it could have been better, especially since it kind of undermines any growth the characters had in coming to terms with the past. As for the humor, it's done with the use of cliché phrases and some corny puns. And, it also does the thing where they make up a unique exclamation that people use too much, so that it feels like another world.

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was silly-goofy, and that was perhaps what I enjoyed most about it! Think, the “Ella Enchanted” movie where you have traditional fairy tale elements mixed with anachronistic modern-day things like coffee shops and soap operas.

I wish the story had had a little more to it, however. It was definitely more of a character and relationship-driven narrative than a plot-driven one. And that’s fine, some books are like that and work well, but I feel like the pacing and development in this book were too messy to form a solid character journey for any of our heroes. Not to say I didn’t like the characters, though, because I did!

Thank you to Avon for a finished copy of this book!

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up because the narration on the audiobook made up for a pretty mid storyline, and I appreciate fantasy main characters in their 30s. There can be heros older than Violet Sorrengail and younger than Gandalf. Anyway, I just wish there was a little more conflict and a little less coziness. It's a thin line between heartwarming and nauseating.

[Madi Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cosy fantasy was just what I needed. Perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and Shrek. If you love Shreks use of pop culture and tech but in a parody magical way you’ll love this.

This is truly one of the funniest book I’ve read but still deals with serious topics like grief. I loved each of these characters and how they worked as a team. The romances!!! They had me giggling and twirling my hair!
This was a book that loved to be silly and wasn’t scared to be goofy. The happy ending was so satisfying and felt well earned

Sorry but if you don’t enjoy this book…I don’t trust you. What do you mean you’re complaining that there’s modern tech but made in a medieval fantasy way? ITS INSPIRED BY SHREK! HAVE YOU WATCHED SHREK? ITS IN THE SUMMARY! Shoo with that non whimsical energy! Be gone! You aren’t fun!

Our characters? My favorite adult children!
Elowen: Grumpy hermit lesbian who loves trashy TV and lives in a cursed forest.
Vandra: A retired lesbian assassin with a sunshine personality.
Beatrice: A newly divorced woman who is a lover of bath time.
Clare: A himbo with a pet eagle who loves a good paid sponsorship.