The Truth about Happily Ever After

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 5, 2018

Review

College-aged Alyssa is returning to her summer job as a Cinderella princess for the second season at a fictional amusement park, which replicates Disney's franchise, in anticipation of rekindling last summer's romance with Jake. As the predictable story line goes, her unrealistic expectations of her relationship with Jake leads to a breakup that forces her to confront her interactions with friends, her life goals and the possibility of a real relationship with good guy Miller. The character growth that Alyssa eventually experiences is slow in developing due to the first half of the novel building the perceptions of the fairy princess and the stereotypical sorority sister persona with detailed minutiae. The second half provides a more in-depth treatment of Alyssa's step and missteps of her friendship-turn-romance with Miller. Although there is some underage drinking, there is nothing sexually graphic about this light, predictable romance.

Overall Book Score: fair