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Happy Ending
From USA TODAY bestselling author Chloe Liese, a clever and heartwarming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Annabel Monaghan about two best friends who must fake a relationship for their exes.
Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.
Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie…
Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it a happy ending.
Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.
Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie…
Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it a happy ending.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2026
742 people are currently reading
53262 people want to read
About the author
Chloe Liese
20 books10.4k followersChloe is a USA Today bestselling author who writes romantic fiction reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. When not dreaming up her next novel, you'll find her reading, trying new recipes, savoring nature, and soaking up time with her big, beautiful family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 852 reviews
April 26, 2026
I LOVED THIS AUDIOBOOK 🥹🥹🥹🥹
April 18, 2026
this was so so sweet. i adore chloe liese, she literally never misses
April 19, 2026
happy ending felt like such a soft place to land. thea and alex’s dynamic is built on patience, care, and the kind of emotional awareness you don’t always see done this well in romance. i really appreciated how much space the story gives to thea’s internal struggles and the way alex meets her where she is instead of trying to “fix” her. there’s a softness to him that balances thea’s hesitation, and it makes their connection feel safe instead of overwhelming. lines like “you don’t have to be easy to be worth loving” WHAT A MAN! their relationship feels intentional in a way that’s quiet but really powerful.
because the best thing a man can do is be patient when I’m spiraling, having a moment, or just need some assurance. let me present to you Alex Bruscato. famous chef, single girl dad, great hair, even better physique. i felt like a female bird watching him. Thea and Alex become best friends who help each other heal after divorce. and what i love about their friendship is that we GET the friendship and the relationship. that’s friends to lovers done right in my book. he teaches her to cook. she reads to him. they are meant for each other in a cosmic kinda way. their friendship is an extremely sensational topic for me
what stood out most to me was how grounded everything felt. the emotions, the pacing, the hesitations. nothing was rushed, which made the payoff feel earned. there’s a lot of tenderness here, especially in the smaller moments, and those ended up hitting harder than any big dramatic scene. the bar scene, the bike scene, the dating apps scene, the “platonic cuddling” (no one was fooled) overall, this was comforting, thoughtful, and full of heart.
because the best thing a man can do is be patient when I’m spiraling, having a moment, or just need some assurance. let me present to you Alex Bruscato. famous chef, single girl dad, great hair, even better physique. i felt like a female bird watching him. Thea and Alex become best friends who help each other heal after divorce. and what i love about their friendship is that we GET the friendship and the relationship. that’s friends to lovers done right in my book. he teaches her to cook. she reads to him. they are meant for each other in a cosmic kinda way. their friendship is an extremely sensational topic for me
what stood out most to me was how grounded everything felt. the emotions, the pacing, the hesitations. nothing was rushed, which made the payoff feel earned. there’s a lot of tenderness here, especially in the smaller moments, and those ended up hitting harder than any big dramatic scene. the bar scene, the bike scene, the dating apps scene, the “platonic cuddling” (no one was fooled) overall, this was comforting, thoughtful, and full of heart.
April 25, 2026
I've lost count of how many Chloe Liese books I've devoured, and honestly, I've fallen head over heels in love with every single one—writing gushing, love-letter-style five-star reviews has become my tradition. But this book? It transcends everything. It deserves a 10-star review (yes, I said it!), because in my opinion, it's the absolute best thing she's ever created, featuring inhumanly adorable main characters who inspired me to design Thea and Alex T-shirt models that I'd proudly wear every single day without shame.
I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. As an Aries woman, I'm notoriously impatient when it comes to slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romances—I want the passion NOW! But somehow, I kept falling deeper and deeper in love with each chapter. The story takes us on a perfect journey between past and present, masterfully weaving together the tale of two broken hearts healing, forming a genuine friendship built on trust and understanding, and sharing quirky conversations that made me laugh so hard my sides hurt. And those cuddle scenes? They were even steamier than any explicit love-making scenes, in my opinion—the emotional intimacy was off the charts!
The storyline of forming friendship and falling in love while switching couples has been executed before—Colleen Hoover explored it in All Your Perfects (which started with catching cheating partners) and Emily Henry touched on it in Funny Story—but I absolutely loved Happy Endings' approach to this sensitive, triangle-vibed storyline so much more! The perfect twist? There was never actually a love triangle in this story, which made it even better!
Meet Thea: quirky, easygoing, kind-hearted bookstore owner who recently divorced after a decades-long marriage to someone she literally grew up with. She's now sharing custody of their beloved dog Argos and trying to rebuild her life. Then there's Alex: a smoking-hot chef who also recently divorced from Jen, and they're sharing custody of their precious little daughter Mia. These two form an unconventional friendship that lasts two years after discovering their exes started dating each other. In a moment of petty revenge (we've all been there!), they lie and claim they were old friends—even first flames—to save face.
What they don't count on is that their lie could transform into truth as they spend increasingly intimate time together. They're determined never to cross that delicate line between friendship and romance, but when their exes summon them to spend a holiday weekend at a beach house for a "special gathering," reality hits hard. This might mean their exes are moving forward—possibly creating a blended family—which feels a little scary, especially when Thea's ex Ethan proves himself to be a total douche, and Alex's ex Jen seems nervous and awkward at their encounters.
One thing is crystal clear: Thea has been falling for Alex for a long time. But will she risk their precious friendship, especially when things are about to get even more complicated with their ex-partners involved? Should she wait forever for "better circumstances," or is waiting just going to cost her more than friendship because of her fears? And what if—just what if—Alex feels exactly the same way about her?
Overall: I loved Thalex as the perfect couple! I enjoyed this book so immensely that it's become one of my favorite romances of 2026. It absolutely deserves 10 stars, and I wholeheartedly, enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who loves slow-burn romance, found family dynamics, second chances at love, and characters who feel like your best friends.
A very huge, heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this amazing romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. As an Aries woman, I'm notoriously impatient when it comes to slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romances—I want the passion NOW! But somehow, I kept falling deeper and deeper in love with each chapter. The story takes us on a perfect journey between past and present, masterfully weaving together the tale of two broken hearts healing, forming a genuine friendship built on trust and understanding, and sharing quirky conversations that made me laugh so hard my sides hurt. And those cuddle scenes? They were even steamier than any explicit love-making scenes, in my opinion—the emotional intimacy was off the charts!
The storyline of forming friendship and falling in love while switching couples has been executed before—Colleen Hoover explored it in All Your Perfects (which started with catching cheating partners) and Emily Henry touched on it in Funny Story—but I absolutely loved Happy Endings' approach to this sensitive, triangle-vibed storyline so much more! The perfect twist? There was never actually a love triangle in this story, which made it even better!
Meet Thea: quirky, easygoing, kind-hearted bookstore owner who recently divorced after a decades-long marriage to someone she literally grew up with. She's now sharing custody of their beloved dog Argos and trying to rebuild her life. Then there's Alex: a smoking-hot chef who also recently divorced from Jen, and they're sharing custody of their precious little daughter Mia. These two form an unconventional friendship that lasts two years after discovering their exes started dating each other. In a moment of petty revenge (we've all been there!), they lie and claim they were old friends—even first flames—to save face.
What they don't count on is that their lie could transform into truth as they spend increasingly intimate time together. They're determined never to cross that delicate line between friendship and romance, but when their exes summon them to spend a holiday weekend at a beach house for a "special gathering," reality hits hard. This might mean their exes are moving forward—possibly creating a blended family—which feels a little scary, especially when Thea's ex Ethan proves himself to be a total douche, and Alex's ex Jen seems nervous and awkward at their encounters.
One thing is crystal clear: Thea has been falling for Alex for a long time. But will she risk their precious friendship, especially when things are about to get even more complicated with their ex-partners involved? Should she wait forever for "better circumstances," or is waiting just going to cost her more than friendship because of her fears? And what if—just what if—Alex feels exactly the same way about her?
Overall: I loved Thalex as the perfect couple! I enjoyed this book so immensely that it's become one of my favorite romances of 2026. It absolutely deserves 10 stars, and I wholeheartedly, enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who loves slow-burn romance, found family dynamics, second chances at love, and characters who feel like your best friends.
A very huge, heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this amazing romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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April 26, 2026HAPPY ENDING is finally here, a story poured from my heart, my book about sad endings & new beginnings, my love letter to the courage it takes to hope after heartbreak & what a beautiful gift it is, when we do. I hope, like Thea & Alex, that you fall in love-that you find this happy ending was worth the wait <3.
HAPPY ENDING is out now, wherever books are sold!!
Get your signed copy (US only)
Read now (US)
Read now (UK/Commonwealth)
HAPPY ENDING is out now, wherever books are sold!!
Get your signed copy (US only)
Read now (US)
Read now (UK/Commonwealth)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 stars
Chole Liese’s Happy Ending is a slow burn friends-to-lovers romance. Alex and Thea’s meeting was original and I enjoyed the dual timelines of this book. Their friendship was my favorite part and I loved how much they cared for Alex’s daughter. I do wish we had more time with them together as a couple, but overall this was a good one!
Chole Liese’s Happy Ending is a slow burn friends-to-lovers romance. Alex and Thea’s meeting was original and I enjoyed the dual timelines of this book. Their friendship was my favorite part and I loved how much they cared for Alex’s daughter. I do wish we had more time with them together as a couple, but overall this was a good one!
upcoming-release
May 2, 2026another reason for me to keep living
April 21, 2026
3.75/5
audiobook narrators who do weird voices for children really bother me..
chloe liese is one of my all time favorite romance authors and that does not change just because this one wasn't a five star. the bergman brothers series has cemented her in my god tier author list and i will stop at nothing to get everyone to read those books. this story really intrigued me because two people dating because their exes got together is so messy, plus the pretend friendship these two had going on was so fun to navigate.
both thea and alex are great characters but unfortunately i did not feel connected or emotionally invested in either of them, specifically to alex. each moment between this couple made sense and watching their friendship grow stronger and stronger was amazing, i am simply not a friends to lovers girl so the development is lost on me. we also spent so much time going back to the first year they were friends and i thought the story could have been better if it was structured differently. each time we went back, instead of dealing with the vacation, i wished we just started the story at the beginning and followed these characters for two years. the switching really got to me and i wish it didn't. i also think that i didn't love the narrator of this audiobook, personal preference, and if i had read the whole story on my kindle or physically i may have liked it more.
even though this wasn't a total win, i still adore miss chloe and i think this book will be a hit with friends to lovers fans and anyone looking for a bookish main character. alex is a chef so add him to the rising number of mmc's who cook, its an epidemic at this point. also justice for mr. fleischer, the book got significantly less funny when he wasn’t present, i love a grumpy old neighbor!! the writing in this book is very romantic and i wish thea, and her blended family, nothing but the best... <3
*thank you gallery and netgalley for the copy!*
audiobook narrators who do weird voices for children really bother me..
chloe liese is one of my all time favorite romance authors and that does not change just because this one wasn't a five star. the bergman brothers series has cemented her in my god tier author list and i will stop at nothing to get everyone to read those books. this story really intrigued me because two people dating because their exes got together is so messy, plus the pretend friendship these two had going on was so fun to navigate.
both thea and alex are great characters but unfortunately i did not feel connected or emotionally invested in either of them, specifically to alex. each moment between this couple made sense and watching their friendship grow stronger and stronger was amazing, i am simply not a friends to lovers girl so the development is lost on me. we also spent so much time going back to the first year they were friends and i thought the story could have been better if it was structured differently. each time we went back, instead of dealing with the vacation, i wished we just started the story at the beginning and followed these characters for two years. the switching really got to me and i wish it didn't. i also think that i didn't love the narrator of this audiobook, personal preference, and if i had read the whole story on my kindle or physically i may have liked it more.
even though this wasn't a total win, i still adore miss chloe and i think this book will be a hit with friends to lovers fans and anyone looking for a bookish main character. alex is a chef so add him to the rising number of mmc's who cook, its an epidemic at this point. also justice for mr. fleischer, the book got significantly less funny when he wasn’t present, i love a grumpy old neighbor!! the writing in this book is very romantic and i wish thea, and her blended family, nothing but the best... <3
*thank you gallery and netgalley for the copy!*
April 25, 2026
Rating: 2.5⭐️
This book honestly had all the elements to be a fun romantic comedy. The problem was that I just couldn’t get into it. I don’t know if it was the writing style or switching timelines, but it just ended up falling flat for me and just being fine. It was a good reset after a heavy fantasy read though.
This book honestly had all the elements to be a fun romantic comedy. The problem was that I just couldn’t get into it. I don’t know if it was the writing style or switching timelines, but it just ended up falling flat for me and just being fine. It was a good reset after a heavy fantasy read though.
November 24, 2025
Happy ending is a dual timeline book about two divorced people who get close because their ex-partners started dating. There's a little bit of fake dating if you squint, but it's not a big part of the story. Thea works in a bookstore and is very anxious™ and Alex is a very good chef, that means I spent the entire book hungry(I'm serious). Alex has a daughter with his ex-wife and I love how she was a big part of the story. Sometimes in this type of book the kid is just there but here I feel like Chloe did the right thing here, especially with the FMC’s past.
I LOVED the friendships, Thea has two best friends and even though Alex is the one that develops into a romance, her other friendship is just as important and crucial to the plot. It's refreshing.
I only have one critique: the ending. Happy ending is a VERY slow burn, which isn't a bad thing, but it happened too fast and it had a little conflict that was completely unnecessary. If the fight was important to the author she should've left a little more time to work with that, having a conflict at 96% is not it. But that's just a small part of the book, I still enjoyed the other 90% of it.
Thank you Edelweiss and Gallery Books for the ARC.
I LOVED the friendships, Thea has two best friends and even though Alex is the one that develops into a romance, her other friendship is just as important and crucial to the plot. It's refreshing.
I only have one critique: the ending. Happy ending is a VERY slow burn, which isn't a bad thing, but it happened too fast and it had a little conflict that was completely unnecessary. If the fight was important to the author she should've left a little more time to work with that, having a conflict at 96% is not it. But that's just a small part of the book, I still enjoyed the other 90% of it.
Thank you Edelweiss and Gallery Books for the ARC.
April 23, 2026
Finally, a romance novel that hit all the spots. I’ve read so many recently that didn’t have a believable pairing or a good foundation. But this one was so sweet! Sometimes when the book plays on the trope friends-to-lovers, there’s something missing, the stakes feel low and drawn out. But this time around, it felt natural and the slow burn delivered.
The big obstacles to overcome were instead present by their exes being present in their lives and I loved how Alex stepped up for everyone in his life.
While I adored this book and how heartfelt and comforting it was, there’s some small things I wish could’ve been different:
• There’s a lot of switching between flashbacks and present, and this isn’t really my favorite. Given that it takes a while for them to get together, all the flashbacks just made it feel a bit too drawn out, even though I appreciated seeing their relationship develop.
• Thea is totally incapable of cooking food for herself and doesn’t even try. I think it’s supposed to be endearing reading how she sustains herself on gas station hot dogs and peanut butter until Alex takes pity on her and starts feeding her. But to me, it read like weaponized incompetence. She’s a grown woman working in a bookstore, I think she is capable of reading a recipe?
But other than that, perfection. I will definitely try other books from this author in the future.
The big obstacles to overcome were instead present by their exes being present in their lives and I loved how Alex stepped up for everyone in his life.
While I adored this book and how heartfelt and comforting it was, there’s some small things I wish could’ve been different:
• There’s a lot of switching between flashbacks and present, and this isn’t really my favorite. Given that it takes a while for them to get together, all the flashbacks just made it feel a bit too drawn out, even though I appreciated seeing their relationship develop.
• Thea is totally incapable of cooking food for herself and doesn’t even try. I think it’s supposed to be endearing reading how she sustains herself on gas station hot dogs and peanut butter until Alex takes pity on her and starts feeding her. But to me, it read like weaponized incompetence. She’s a grown woman working in a bookstore, I think she is capable of reading a recipe?
But other than that, perfection. I will definitely try other books from this author in the future.
April 19, 2026
i couldnt be more in love with thalex if i tried
April 23, 2026
I almost died finishing this book. Why it was filled with unnecessary conversation, events, people and what not.
I tried a contemporary romance after such a long time to feel better but the mistake I did is to pick this one, which did not only wasted my time but now ruined my mood too.
I didn't get the plot, the MC's, nothing.
Thea and Alex both are divorced and their ex's are together, to make them jealous they lie about being old friends and each other's first love.
Throughout the book it was the conversation between them 2 years back and both of them 2 years now, which in my pov was utterly useless.
I personally won't even recommend this book to my worst enemy. Anyway that's it I don't have anything else to say on this one.
I tried a contemporary romance after such a long time to feel better but the mistake I did is to pick this one, which did not only wasted my time but now ruined my mood too.
I didn't get the plot, the MC's, nothing.
Thea and Alex both are divorced and their ex's are together, to make them jealous they lie about being old friends and each other's first love.
Throughout the book it was the conversation between them 2 years back and both of them 2 years now, which in my pov was utterly useless.
I personally won't even recommend this book to my worst enemy. Anyway that's it I don't have anything else to say on this one.
April 15, 2026
Friends to lovers, slooooow burn perfection. Chloe makes us work for the HEA in this one but I didn't even care that the MCs don't get together until past the 90% mark. The lead up and emotional investment that Alex and Thea put into their accidental friendship was everything. Brought together thanks to their exes, divorced Alex and Thea meet when they both show up at Thea's ex-husband's house, her to get her dog, him to get his daughter.
I really loved Thea, how she was working on fighting for what she wanted both in life and love and single dad, chef, Alex, who was learning how to maintain a balance with work and being the best dad he could be. I'm so used to the author writing characters who have significant disabilities of some sort, I was a little surprised that we don't learn or that it's only really hinted at that Thea might have undiagnosed ADHD until very late in the book.
That aside, I liked how this story was told through flashbacks to when Alex and Thea first meet and the early years of their friendship and then the present, where Thea is working up the courage to risk losing her friendship with Alex to confess her love for him and take a chance on an even deeper love. Alex and Thea created an enviable little found family and I loved how much Thea loved books, Alex's daughter Mia and that she co-managed an indie bookstore in Portland, while Alex was a successful Italian chef.
Highly recommended for fans of People we meet on vacation by Emily Henry or Just our luck by Denise Williams. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was more about the friendship and being there for one another during tough times than about their physical relationship but it just felt like a big hug of a book and I enjoyed it immensely!
I really loved Thea, how she was working on fighting for what she wanted both in life and love and single dad, chef, Alex, who was learning how to maintain a balance with work and being the best dad he could be. I'm so used to the author writing characters who have significant disabilities of some sort, I was a little surprised that we don't learn or that it's only really hinted at that Thea might have undiagnosed ADHD until very late in the book.
That aside, I liked how this story was told through flashbacks to when Alex and Thea first meet and the early years of their friendship and then the present, where Thea is working up the courage to risk losing her friendship with Alex to confess her love for him and take a chance on an even deeper love. Alex and Thea created an enviable little found family and I loved how much Thea loved books, Alex's daughter Mia and that she co-managed an indie bookstore in Portland, while Alex was a successful Italian chef.
Highly recommended for fans of People we meet on vacation by Emily Henry or Just our luck by Denise Williams. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was more about the friendship and being there for one another during tough times than about their physical relationship but it just felt like a big hug of a book and I enjoyed it immensely!
April 17, 2026
best execution of friends to lovers trope in a long time!🥰🥰🥰
What a heartwarming story, swoony hero, relatable heroine, and genuine love between the couple!
What a heartwarming story, swoony hero, relatable heroine, and genuine love between the couple!
November 18, 2025
Chloe Liese… how dare you write such a beautiful story about grieving a relationship and learning to pick yourself back up again???
I am genuinely in awe of this book, not just the writing (and yes, I love her unapologetic use of big words), but the way she presents the story. Watching Thea and Alex navigate their messy, painful breakups, and then seeing their exes get together, was heartbreaking.
But seeing these two find each other, become friends, lean on one another, learn from each other, and eventually grow into something more… it’s just gorgeous. Their friendship is so pure and genuine. The chemistry and tension are absolutely there, but it’s the foundation of friendship, the care, the gentleness, the emotional safety — that makes their love story shine.
One of my favorite things about this book is how the female characters are written. We’re conditioned to villainize Jen — she’s dating Thea’s ex-husband, after all, but Chloe Liese refuses to make her a caricature. She humanizes her, gives her depth, gives her a past and motivations. No one is flattened into “the other woman.” Everyone gets to be a person.
This book is also such a powerful reminder that being in your 30s isn’t “too late.” Both Thea and Alex are divorced, both are at low points in their lives, and yet they still find something beautiful, healing, and hopeful. I love stories that show life doesn’t end at 30, that you can start over at any age, whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, or beyond.
And as a book lover… this book absolutely hit me in the heart. It’s a love letter to stories, to comfort reads, to the magic of bookstores. Thea genuinely made me want to quit my job and go work in an indie bookshop in a small town.
Thank you, Gallery Books, for the eARC!
I am genuinely in awe of this book, not just the writing (and yes, I love her unapologetic use of big words), but the way she presents the story. Watching Thea and Alex navigate their messy, painful breakups, and then seeing their exes get together, was heartbreaking.
But seeing these two find each other, become friends, lean on one another, learn from each other, and eventually grow into something more… it’s just gorgeous. Their friendship is so pure and genuine. The chemistry and tension are absolutely there, but it’s the foundation of friendship, the care, the gentleness, the emotional safety — that makes their love story shine.
One of my favorite things about this book is how the female characters are written. We’re conditioned to villainize Jen — she’s dating Thea’s ex-husband, after all, but Chloe Liese refuses to make her a caricature. She humanizes her, gives her depth, gives her a past and motivations. No one is flattened into “the other woman.” Everyone gets to be a person.
This book is also such a powerful reminder that being in your 30s isn’t “too late.” Both Thea and Alex are divorced, both are at low points in their lives, and yet they still find something beautiful, healing, and hopeful. I love stories that show life doesn’t end at 30, that you can start over at any age, whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, or beyond.
And as a book lover… this book absolutely hit me in the heart. It’s a love letter to stories, to comfort reads, to the magic of bookstores. Thea genuinely made me want to quit my job and go work in an indie bookshop in a small town.
Thank you, Gallery Books, for the eARC!
March 29, 2026
3.5 stars
It sort of breaks my heart to not have obsessively loved this book, but here we are.
I liked Thea and Alex. They're both hurting and find an easy kinship in each other. Their friendship was so supporting and loving, it was easy to see how they fell. And I would easily read another 100 pages of just Lauren because she was awesome.
Plot wise, it's the slowest. The past and present chapters read similarly enough that I couldn't keep track of the when. I appreciate the showing of their relationship instead of telling; however, it all felt so repetitive. And even though the epilogue was satisfying, I wanted more of them actually together as a couple instead of what we got.
Overall, I'll absolutely read anything Chloe puts out, no matter what.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
It sort of breaks my heart to not have obsessively loved this book, but here we are.
I liked Thea and Alex. They're both hurting and find an easy kinship in each other. Their friendship was so supporting and loving, it was easy to see how they fell. And I would easily read another 100 pages of just Lauren because she was awesome.
Plot wise, it's the slowest. The past and present chapters read similarly enough that I couldn't keep track of the when. I appreciate the showing of their relationship instead of telling; however, it all felt so repetitive. And even though the epilogue was satisfying, I wanted more of them actually together as a couple instead of what we got.
Overall, I'll absolutely read anything Chloe puts out, no matter what.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
March 3, 2026
I reallllyyyyyyy enjoyed this.
Thea and Alex formed a fast friendship after finding out their respective ex-spouses were together before the ink barely dried on their divorce decrees. An accidental misunderstand leads them to believe that they are longtime friends and former loves. Their relationship blossoms as a steadfast friendship over the years as they navigate co-parenting (Thea’s dog and Alex’s daughter), grieve their former relationships, and try to repair their lives.
My absolute favorite aspect of this book was the care for Alex’s daughter. All parties put her and her wellbeing first even when it could lead to personal heartbreak. Everyone’s common goal was to the be the best people for the little person that they chose to raise. It was refreshing to see that portrayed so simply, as if there was no other way to go about it.
I loved the dual time line setting and enjoyed the perspective of how this relationship came to be. That being said, this is the slowest burn I’ve read in quite some time. Totally worth it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery for the advanced copy.
Thea and Alex formed a fast friendship after finding out their respective ex-spouses were together before the ink barely dried on their divorce decrees. An accidental misunderstand leads them to believe that they are longtime friends and former loves. Their relationship blossoms as a steadfast friendship over the years as they navigate co-parenting (Thea’s dog and Alex’s daughter), grieve their former relationships, and try to repair their lives.
My absolute favorite aspect of this book was the care for Alex’s daughter. All parties put her and her wellbeing first even when it could lead to personal heartbreak. Everyone’s common goal was to the be the best people for the little person that they chose to raise. It was refreshing to see that portrayed so simply, as if there was no other way to go about it.
I loved the dual time line setting and enjoyed the perspective of how this relationship came to be. That being said, this is the slowest burn I’ve read in quite some time. Totally worth it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery for the advanced copy.
March 16, 2026
3.75-4 stars (leaning towards 4!)
Thank you Gallery Books & NetGalley for the ARC!
Happy Ending by Chloe Liese is an endearing & fun read. It follows Thea & Alex, two divorcees who become best friends when their ex's start dating. Written in a dual timeline, we see Alex & Thea's friendship grow, as well as their feelings for each other.
I really adored both Thea & Alex's characters! They're both charming, kind, & genuine characters that you can't help but enjoy reading about. Thea's struggles with her childhood, feeling like she's enough, & feeling like her dreams are so far out of reach were relatable, and something I think a lot of people will resonate with! Alex's struggles & growth with his work life balance, his desire to be the best father to his daughter, & his vulnerability was lovely to see!!! I just really enjoyed these two!!!
Thea & Alex's relationship is beautiful & sweet. Two people who found each other at a time of need, connected over petty revenge, & built a lovely connection off of it. They understand & see each other in ways no one else does, they love each other for all that they are, & support each other no matter what. I loved seeing the romantic feelings develop in both the past & present timelines! All the longing, tension, chemistry & banter!!! I was basically BEGGING these two to kiss!!! I adored their relationship & loved how much they loved each other!!!
If you love friends to lovers & are looking for a sweet, fun, and easy read: this one is for you!!!
Thank you Gallery Books & NetGalley for the ARC!
Happy Ending by Chloe Liese is an endearing & fun read. It follows Thea & Alex, two divorcees who become best friends when their ex's start dating. Written in a dual timeline, we see Alex & Thea's friendship grow, as well as their feelings for each other.
I really adored both Thea & Alex's characters! They're both charming, kind, & genuine characters that you can't help but enjoy reading about. Thea's struggles with her childhood, feeling like she's enough, & feeling like her dreams are so far out of reach were relatable, and something I think a lot of people will resonate with! Alex's struggles & growth with his work life balance, his desire to be the best father to his daughter, & his vulnerability was lovely to see!!! I just really enjoyed these two!!!
Thea & Alex's relationship is beautiful & sweet. Two people who found each other at a time of need, connected over petty revenge, & built a lovely connection off of it. They understand & see each other in ways no one else does, they love each other for all that they are, & support each other no matter what. I loved seeing the romantic feelings develop in both the past & present timelines! All the longing, tension, chemistry & banter!!! I was basically BEGGING these two to kiss!!! I adored their relationship & loved how much they loved each other!!!
If you love friends to lovers & are looking for a sweet, fun, and easy read: this one is for you!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved this. Full stop.
Chloe Liese truly knows how to write a rom-com, and this book is such a perfect example of why her stories work so well.
Thea and Alex have almost nothing in common except divorce, complicated feelings about their hometown, and a shared love of food and yet their connection makes complete sense. What starts as a spite-fueled lie to irritate their exes slowly grows into a genuine, deeply comforting friendship. And wow, did I adore watching that friendship unfold.
The fake backstory, the found family vibes, the dog custody drama, the co-parenting rep, the forced proximity beach vacation… every rom-com trope was here, and every single one worked. The chemistry felt natural, the emotional beats landed, and the humor was spot on.
I also really appreciated the dual timelines. They added depth without ever feeling confusing I was never lost, just more invested in how these two went from a lie to something real.
Warm, funny, heartfelt, and incredibly satisfying. If you’re looking for a rom-com that delivers on both the comedy and the romance, Chloe Liese absolutely nailed it!!!
Thank you NetGalley & Gallery Books for the ARC!
Chloe Liese truly knows how to write a rom-com, and this book is such a perfect example of why her stories work so well.
Thea and Alex have almost nothing in common except divorce, complicated feelings about their hometown, and a shared love of food and yet their connection makes complete sense. What starts as a spite-fueled lie to irritate their exes slowly grows into a genuine, deeply comforting friendship. And wow, did I adore watching that friendship unfold.
The fake backstory, the found family vibes, the dog custody drama, the co-parenting rep, the forced proximity beach vacation… every rom-com trope was here, and every single one worked. The chemistry felt natural, the emotional beats landed, and the humor was spot on.
I also really appreciated the dual timelines. They added depth without ever feeling confusing I was never lost, just more invested in how these two went from a lie to something real.
Warm, funny, heartfelt, and incredibly satisfying. If you’re looking for a rom-com that delivers on both the comedy and the romance, Chloe Liese absolutely nailed it!!!
Thank you NetGalley & Gallery Books for the ARC!
April 20, 2026
I was really excited for this one based off the premise and all the positive reviews I’ve seen but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me 😭 I did really love all the characters (Mia, Thea, Alex, Jen, Argos, Lauren) but there were way too many issues that I had with the book
1. Why was this SO LONG !! This is a 100% character driven book which is fine but if it’s character driven and there’s 0 plot it should not be almost 400 pages
2. Thea and Alex make 0 sense and aren’t realistic at all. From the day they meet there is obvious attraction and tension and sure it makes sense to not jump into a relationship 2 weeks post divorce but they wait 2 years to actually start a relationship? Why? And they basically do everything except kiss what kind of male/female friends say “I love you” constantly and constantly compliment each other and have “cuddle talk?” Thea was all concerned that if they became “more” she would lose him but they were basically in a relationship the entire book and what on earth does she think is going to happen when Alex finds someone else? No romantic partner will ever be ok with their man going and having cuddle time with another girl
3. Why is Jen even with Ethan? I feel like Ethan was made to be this horrid character to make Alex look better but I don’t get why Jen was even with him if he sucks that bad. And she obviously didn’t give a shit about him because they break the wedding off and she doesn’t care?? You were just about to marry this man and end it and you’re just fine?? Huh?? And then she says she knows he sucks so she doesn’t care ? But you were going to marry him and make him your child’s step father?? What ??
4. Thea cries every 5 pages and it got annoying
5. Not related to the story itself but the editor of this book must have been on vacation because the amount of grammatical errors was crazy and really took me out of the story it was like every 50 pages or so which is not the author’s fault at all that’s 100% on the editor
6. I mentioned the book is long. It’s like 370 pages and they don’t officially get together until page 330 and then we have to have a 3rd act breakup at page 350 which is conveniently resolved by page 360 so we can throw in a super rushed and horrifically cringey spice scene at the end and then an epilogue. This book dragged on and on and on and then when we finally have something going on it’s super rushed and told within the last 50 pages. Again, this is 100% an editing issue.
I was between a 1 and a 2 on this. I’m going with a 2 because even though I had all those issues as stated above I did enjoy the characters and the writing so I’ll still try some of this author’s other work this just sadly wasn’t for me
1. Why was this SO LONG !! This is a 100% character driven book which is fine but if it’s character driven and there’s 0 plot it should not be almost 400 pages
2. Thea and Alex make 0 sense and aren’t realistic at all. From the day they meet there is obvious attraction and tension and sure it makes sense to not jump into a relationship 2 weeks post divorce but they wait 2 years to actually start a relationship? Why? And they basically do everything except kiss what kind of male/female friends say “I love you” constantly and constantly compliment each other and have “cuddle talk?” Thea was all concerned that if they became “more” she would lose him but they were basically in a relationship the entire book and what on earth does she think is going to happen when Alex finds someone else? No romantic partner will ever be ok with their man going and having cuddle time with another girl
3. Why is Jen even with Ethan? I feel like Ethan was made to be this horrid character to make Alex look better but I don’t get why Jen was even with him if he sucks that bad. And she obviously didn’t give a shit about him because they break the wedding off and she doesn’t care?? You were just about to marry this man and end it and you’re just fine?? Huh?? And then she says she knows he sucks so she doesn’t care ? But you were going to marry him and make him your child’s step father?? What ??
4. Thea cries every 5 pages and it got annoying
5. Not related to the story itself but the editor of this book must have been on vacation because the amount of grammatical errors was crazy and really took me out of the story it was like every 50 pages or so which is not the author’s fault at all that’s 100% on the editor
6. I mentioned the book is long. It’s like 370 pages and they don’t officially get together until page 330 and then we have to have a 3rd act breakup at page 350 which is conveniently resolved by page 360 so we can throw in a super rushed and horrifically cringey spice scene at the end and then an epilogue. This book dragged on and on and on and then when we finally have something going on it’s super rushed and told within the last 50 pages. Again, this is 100% an editing issue.
I was between a 1 and a 2 on this. I’m going with a 2 because even though I had all those issues as stated above I did enjoy the characters and the writing so I’ll still try some of this author’s other work this just sadly wasn’t for me
April 29, 2026
4.25⭐️
Happy Ending had me fully invested in a fake relationship that was also a real friendship. Thea and Alex’s dynamic was effortlessly charming, with a dynamic that felt real, supportive and just messy enough to blur the lines. I loved how the romance wasn’t rushed, but slowly unraveled into something deeper that had plenty of humor and heart. I really liked the alternating past and present timelines. The flashbacks helped to add a lot of context to the complicated situations our characters found themselves in current day. This had the perfect blend of fun, light-hearted moments with meaningful growth and second chances at love. It was warm, witty and quietly swoony in a way that really stuck with me. Bonuses include an adorable dog and the fact that Thea works at a bookstore!
Happy Ending had me fully invested in a fake relationship that was also a real friendship. Thea and Alex’s dynamic was effortlessly charming, with a dynamic that felt real, supportive and just messy enough to blur the lines. I loved how the romance wasn’t rushed, but slowly unraveled into something deeper that had plenty of humor and heart. I really liked the alternating past and present timelines. The flashbacks helped to add a lot of context to the complicated situations our characters found themselves in current day. This had the perfect blend of fun, light-hearted moments with meaningful growth and second chances at love. It was warm, witty and quietly swoony in a way that really stuck with me. Bonuses include an adorable dog and the fact that Thea works at a bookstore!
May 3, 2026
rtc (4.25 ☆)
April 26, 2026
their friendship was everything!!! the trust, safety, and the quiet way they show up for each other
April 17, 2026
Happy ending by Chloe Liese
ARC from Libro FM
-the banter,the bickering, the comedy, the spontaneous fake dating to make their exes jealous is GOLDEN 💛
-I love Alex and Thea so much 😩 I love Chloe’s writing so much I feel like I’m in the book
-the piggyback 😩 Alex is so caring and Thea is hilarious
-this a perfect summer read
-love a one bed trope lol
-this was so cuteeee 🥹🫶🏾
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC from Libro FM
-the banter,the bickering, the comedy, the spontaneous fake dating to make their exes jealous is GOLDEN 💛
-I love Alex and Thea so much 😩 I love Chloe’s writing so much I feel like I’m in the book
-the piggyback 😩 Alex is so caring and Thea is hilarious
-this a perfect summer read
-love a one bed trope lol
-this was so cuteeee 🥹🫶🏾
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 19, 2026
4.5
What do you do when you bump into your ex-husband's new girlfriend's ex-husband on the doorstep of your old home? (Stay with me). You pretend he's your childhood best friend... and first love.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of friends-to-lovers but it works for this story. Both Alex and Thea are healing after their divorces. Thea is trying to find herself in a city she never wanted to live in, while Alex is learning to adapt to co-parenting his daughter with his ex-wife. Their friendships felt so natural considering the circumstances.
I loved the back-and-forth between past and present for most of the story, though towards the end I was just eager for Alex and Thea to finally admit their feelings. The conflict at the end felt slightly unnecessary, but it was short-lived enough that it didn't ruin the book for me.
My only real wish is that we'd gotten a few more chapters of them simply living life together as a couple.
If you enjoyed Funny Story by Emily Henry, you'll likely enjoy this as well!
Happy Ending is heartfelt, comforting and incredibly satisfying. Chloe Liese, you remain an auto buy author for me.
What do you do when you bump into your ex-husband's new girlfriend's ex-husband on the doorstep of your old home? (Stay with me). You pretend he's your childhood best friend... and first love.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of friends-to-lovers but it works for this story. Both Alex and Thea are healing after their divorces. Thea is trying to find herself in a city she never wanted to live in, while Alex is learning to adapt to co-parenting his daughter with his ex-wife. Their friendships felt so natural considering the circumstances.
I loved the back-and-forth between past and present for most of the story, though towards the end I was just eager for Alex and Thea to finally admit their feelings. The conflict at the end felt slightly unnecessary, but it was short-lived enough that it didn't ruin the book for me.
My only real wish is that we'd gotten a few more chapters of them simply living life together as a couple.
If you enjoyed Funny Story by Emily Henry, you'll likely enjoy this as well!
Happy Ending is heartfelt, comforting and incredibly satisfying. Chloe Liese, you remain an auto buy author for me.
October 30, 2025
3.5 stars. I may have a case of not knowing how to feel. I liked this, but at times I was just a little bothered. I think it is good enough to deserve the round up though.
I think the writing style was a real saving point for me.
This is written in a way that isn’t overly intense, or overly basic, if you can imagine that.
It is somewhere in between, with depth, but without being overwhelmingly depressing or heavy.
There is also a lot of dialogue, which a lot of the times are just seemingly random conversations and banter between the characters. I liked this!
It brought somewhat of a casual element into things, and made for good bonding and relationship building.
This is also set up with “then” and “now” chapters, which is a lovely way to get a lot of backstory in.
As for the characters, we have Alex and Thea- who became close after discovering that their former spouses were now dating each other.
I thought they made a good match, and I liked seeing the way that they grew together over time.
Thea is someone that readers are supposed to feel bad for.
and I do! I do feel bad for her.
She clearly came out of a marriage with someone that did not care about her enough, and someone that wasn’t making her happy. She deserved way better! (her ex was really crappy in a number of ways)
But, she maybe loses me just slightly when she starts talking about how he “stole motherhood” from her, by saying he wasn’t ready to have kids. (This is a very major plot point throughout the whole book)
I don’t want to say too much on it. I know it was difficult for her, especially given the current circumstances. I swear, I sympathize! but… I just think I could have done without that specific phrasing maybe.
I think it was supposed to make me more attached to her, but dare I say it almost did the opposite.
As for Alex, I think he was a fine character.
One thing I can appreciate, is the way that he accepted some fault for his previous marriage failing. He talks about how by the time he realized that he needed to give his wife more- it was already too late.
I think this is something a lot of people probably wouldn’t be willing to admit, so kudos to him for recognizing his individual part in where things went wrong- and being able to learn and grow from that.
Aside from that, I found him to be sort of a basic character. Not much else was too notable for me, but it was fine.
Random note:
- Did we need several mentions of flatulence?
- I like the side characters
- I have never read an Emily Henry book before, so, don’t take my word for it. But, this is sort of gave me a vibe that I expect those to have.
- I like this cover. Summer vibes for the win.
It is a good story overall.
I wish I had been able to connect with/like the main characters a bit more, but I did like the plot as a whole, and It kept me entertained.
Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books and author Chloe Liese, for providing me with the eARC of “Happy Ending”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: April 14, 2026
I think the writing style was a real saving point for me.
This is written in a way that isn’t overly intense, or overly basic, if you can imagine that.
It is somewhere in between, with depth, but without being overwhelmingly depressing or heavy.
There is also a lot of dialogue, which a lot of the times are just seemingly random conversations and banter between the characters. I liked this!
It brought somewhat of a casual element into things, and made for good bonding and relationship building.
This is also set up with “then” and “now” chapters, which is a lovely way to get a lot of backstory in.
As for the characters, we have Alex and Thea- who became close after discovering that their former spouses were now dating each other.
I thought they made a good match, and I liked seeing the way that they grew together over time.
Thea is someone that readers are supposed to feel bad for.
and I do! I do feel bad for her.
She clearly came out of a marriage with someone that did not care about her enough, and someone that wasn’t making her happy. She deserved way better! (her ex was really crappy in a number of ways)
But, she maybe loses me just slightly when she starts talking about how he “stole motherhood” from her, by saying he wasn’t ready to have kids. (This is a very major plot point throughout the whole book)
I don’t want to say too much on it. I know it was difficult for her, especially given the current circumstances. I swear, I sympathize! but… I just think I could have done without that specific phrasing maybe.
I think it was supposed to make me more attached to her, but dare I say it almost did the opposite.
As for Alex, I think he was a fine character.
One thing I can appreciate, is the way that he accepted some fault for his previous marriage failing. He talks about how by the time he realized that he needed to give his wife more- it was already too late.
I think this is something a lot of people probably wouldn’t be willing to admit, so kudos to him for recognizing his individual part in where things went wrong- and being able to learn and grow from that.
Aside from that, I found him to be sort of a basic character. Not much else was too notable for me, but it was fine.
Random note:
- Did we need several mentions of flatulence?
- I like the side characters
- I have never read an Emily Henry book before, so, don’t take my word for it. But, this is sort of gave me a vibe that I expect those to have.
- I like this cover. Summer vibes for the win.
It is a good story overall.
I wish I had been able to connect with/like the main characters a bit more, but I did like the plot as a whole, and It kept me entertained.
Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books and author Chloe Liese, for providing me with the eARC of “Happy Ending”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: April 14, 2026
April 22, 2026
Chloe Liese could never let me down. This was exactly what I expected, and I mean that in a really good way. The friends to lovers, the yearning, the connection between Thea and Alex was so amazing to read. Their chemistry pulled me in immediately and I was absolutely gone for how much care they showed each other. I could see myself rereading this a lot.
April 30, 2026
Beste friends to lovers die ik ooit gelezen heb. I AM OBSESSED! Nu al een van mijn favoriete boeken van dit jaar 🩷
Want to Read
January 28, 2025*still* holding out hope this is sapphic!!
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