And They Lived Happily Ever After by Therese Beharrie was a cute book but also very deep since it 
addresses issues such as grief, anxiety, stalkers, and depression. The magical component to the storyline was original, but the dreams were hard to follow. They just popped up with no indication it was a dream, so it made it hard to tell if it was real or a dream. I felt the book started out slow but eventually speed up. Unfortunately, the ending is where everything starts happening and it was a very abrupt end.
After turning eighteen and leaving foster care, romance author Gaia Anders discovers she has magical writing abilities. She writes a scene and that night she becomes the female main character. In the morning if any characters deviate from her scenes, her work will update itself magically. She uses her dreams to cope with her years in foster care and her fears of being rejected. When Seth, her best friend, insists she attend his party, she meets his younger brother Jacob who she has an instant attraction. Seth was angry when he catches Jacob and Gaia kissing because he fears Jacob will come between their friendship. One night during her dreams, Jacob appears, and she is shocked because no one else has ever taken over her dreams before. Gaia’s dreams have become her safe place and having Jacob turn up there terrifies her.
After his mother died, Jacob Scott felt obligated to take over and save the family business and gave up his dreams of being a graphic designer. He is trying to keep his family together as she asked but it is becoming very hard. Jacob was enchanted with Gaia and her quirkiness. He has always had a crush on her and seeing her at Seth’s party rekindles his interest. When he realizes he has appeared in Gaia’s dreams, he is terrified and does not understand what is happening.
I enjoyed seeing Gaia realize she lives in her dream world to protect herself. Her character took a long time to grow but eventually she acknowledges her anxiety problems and seeks help. Jacob was such a sweet guy and very thoughtful. He did all he could to help Gaia and put a lot more effort into their relationship than Gaia did. I did not care for Seth’s character because he knew Gaia had anxiety problems but never encouraged her to get help. Also, he knew she had issues with rejection and people leaving her, but he still did not communicate with her for a month after finding her and Jacob kissing.
The storyline needed a little more work. It was very unorganized and there were so many subplots that it got very confusing to keep up with. I was disappointed with the abruptness at the end. Seth and Gaia finally makeup and Gaia discovers she has a sister, which throws Gaia into a panic attack. So not only was Gaia rejected by her cousins when she was a baby but also by the couple who adopted Gemma. The book ends right as Gemma and Gaia finally meet and start talking which leads us into the next book.
Book Info:
Publication: November 30, 2021 | Zebra Books |
One unexpected kiss . . .
Successful romance author Gaia Anders has a secret: anything she dreams at night is magically written into her bestselling novels. After a lonely childhood in foster care, her dream life is the only one she trusts. Gaia’s waking life just can’t compare—until she gets caught in one utterly surprising, crazy-passionate, real-life kiss . . .
One near-perfect guy . . .
Workaholic businessman Jacob Scott has had a crush on his brother’s best friend, Gaia, since forever—but he never expected to literally share her dreams. Living out their magical nighttime fantasies is explosive, but it’s their waking desire turning his single-minded ways upside down. It’s making him want a future he didn’t think was possible . . .
One dream that could come true . . .
But Gaia has secrets from her past she won’t reveal. And Jacob’s attempts to keep the peace in his own fractured family puts him up against her deepest fears. Soon, they’re facing hard truths about who they are and what they’re running from. And the only way to break this curse is realizing true love’s real-life power . . .
