The Truth About Happily Ever After by Karole Cozzo - ADVISABLE

Cozzo, Karole.  The Truth About Happily Ever After.  309 pages.  Swoon Reads (Feiwel and Friends), 2017.  $17.99.  Violence: G. Sexual Content: PG-13 (make-outs and sex off of the page).  Language: PG:13 (114 swears, no f’s), under-age drinking. 

Alyssa is a princess—well at least at the Enchanted Enterprises theme park during her summer break from college.  And she has her very own prince charming, Jake.  They met last summer while working at the park and Alyssa can’t wait for them to reunite this summer.  She makes dinner and he shows up a couple of hours late.  He also acts funny around the new girl Harper.  Alyssa takes terrible advice from her park fairy godmother and buys enchanted lingerie to bring back the magic.  After an awkward month and a half, Jake dumps her.  Alyssa is devastated.  Where is her happily ever after?  She finally realizes with the help of friends and a boy named Miller that living in reality is better than any fairytale.  And Miller might not be prince charming, but he’s pretty darn charming and he can cook a steak. 

Alyssa’s character development is the main plotline.  She has to break free from the fairytales and the sorority stereotypes and become herself.  The reader can tell early in the book that her boyfriend Jake likes Harper, but she is too oblivious to see it.  Miller is a great character that shows Alyssa what true friendship is.  He talks to her when she gets too thin and encourages her to be more than what other people see her as.   While the plot is predictable, Alyssa’s bright personality carries her through to the happy ending. 

HS-ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.