Ever After, Missouri is in dire need of some magic. Fairy godmothers Petunia, Jonquil, and Bluebonnet realize that love is the source of all magic in the universe, and what better way to bring some love back into the town than a wedding. Yeah, it may be a fake wedding, but it'll bring some business back to town. They recuit their godchildren, Lucky Fujiki and Ransom Payne, to help with their mission. However, their chances for success seem somewhat slim, as Lucky and Ransom tried their chance at love before, with disasterous results. Plus, Lucky has a bit of an unlucky streak (or a lot, but who's counting), so she's afraid to let herself get close to Ransom again, for fear of hurting him, his reputation, and his business even more than she already has. Can the power of love truly save the couple and the town? Only the fairy tale will tell.
This book truly was delightful. There were certain events that were borderline ridiculous (especially with Lucky's curse, I started to roll my eyes a bit), but the author really leaned into the antics, and the book didn't try to take itself too seriously. I'm usually not one to root for second chance romances, but Lucky and Ransom truly had my heart. They both made mistakes in college, and have learned to grow and move on from them, or have tried to since their reputations seem to follow them everywhere. But I thought a really important turning point for Lucky was when she stood up for Ransom against those reporters, and said what ever reader was secretly thinking - that sure, they messed up in the past, but people change and shouldn't be [solely] judged for their past actions. I really enjoyed the chapters from the godmothers perspective, as they sisterly banter was relatable and enjoyable, and they truly wanted what was best for their town and their godchildren (even their informal ones). Once I grew accustomed to Lucky's streak of god awful luck, I started realize there was so much more to her storyline - here's someone who brings out the worst in everything, sometimes on purpose but most times accidentally, and through it all she feels like removing herself from other people's lives, even those she cares so deeply about, is truly the only solution. But she doesn't take into account what they want - they choose to embrace Lucky for all that she is, flaws and all. And I think that's just plain wonderful. I also found something the godmothers said to Ransom quite interesting - he was wondering if he and Lucky were going to get their happily ever after, and what they told him was that sure, if they have fairy godmothers it's practically a given, but the path to get there is all up to them. The book isn't perfect, and there was a character reveal towards the end I found personally unnecessary, but overall I found the story bingeable, the characters likeable, and the world unforgettable.
I'm primarily a reader of young adult fiction, but whenever an adult book (whether from BookishFirst, other contests, personal purchase, etc.) comes in the mail, my mom will want to read it so we can discuss. I can gladly say she was a fan of this book as well (though occasionally she said it was "driving her crazy" and "she would have liked to see [something different plot-wise but spoilers]"). I'm glad I decided to pick up Fairy Godmothers, Inc. as I needed something fun to light up my life this holiday season. I can't wait for the next book, Men are Frogs, where we follow Phillip - I truly do hope he finds his true love in Ever After.
This book truly was delightful. There were certain events that were borderline ridiculous (especially with Lucky's curse, I started to roll my eyes a bit), but the author really leaned into the antics, and the book didn't try to take itself too seriously. I'm usually not one to root for second chance romances, but Lucky and Ransom truly had my heart. They both made mistakes in college, and have learned to grow and move on from them, or have tried to since their reputations seem to follow them everywhere. But I thought a really important turning point for Lucky was when she stood up for Ransom against those reporters, and said what ever reader was secretly thinking - that sure, they messed up in the past, but people change and shouldn't be [solely] judged for their past actions. I really enjoyed the chapters from the godmothers perspective, as they sisterly banter was relatable and enjoyable, and they truly wanted what was best for their town and their godchildren (even their informal ones). Once I grew accustomed to Lucky's streak of god awful luck, I started realize there was so much more to her storyline - here's someone who brings out the worst in everything, sometimes on purpose but most times accidentally, and through it all she feels like removing herself from other people's lives, even those she cares so deeply about, is truly the only solution. But she doesn't take into account what they want - they choose to embrace Lucky for all that she is, flaws and all. And I think that's just plain wonderful. I also found something the godmothers said to Ransom quite interesting - he was wondering if he and Lucky were going to get their happily ever after, and what they told him was that sure, if they have fairy godmothers it's practically a given, but the path to get there is all up to them. The book isn't perfect, and there was a character reveal towards the end I found personally unnecessary, but overall I found the story bingeable, the characters likeable, and the world unforgettable.
I'm primarily a reader of young adult fiction, but whenever an adult book (whether from BookishFirst, other contests, personal purchase, etc.) comes in the mail, my mom will want to read it so we can discuss. I can gladly say she was a fan of this book as well (though occasionally she said it was "driving her crazy" and "she would have liked to see [something different plot-wise but spoilers]"). I'm glad I decided to pick up Fairy Godmothers, Inc. as I needed something fun to light up my life this holiday season. I can't wait for the next book, Men are Frogs, where we follow Phillip - I truly do hope he finds his true love in Ever After.