Isla and the Happily Ever After

Published: 8/14/14
339 pages
Genre: Young Adult

4.5 Stars

I’ve been waiting to read Isla and the Happily Ever After for what feels like forever!  For understandable reasons the book was delayed, but finally 3 years later I got to read it and wasn’t disappointed.  In typical Stephanie Perkins fashion the story has a lyrical feel to the writing.  With the perfect flow and pacing to the story.  She also did an amazing job in describing the settings and surroundings, it was like she painted a picture of everything but with words. 

I liked Isla, she was a nice, sweet and a great friend to someone that to others might not be easy to be friends with.  The one thing she didn’t have was confidence in herself, at first that didn’t bother me, but when she started letting it control her life, I started to get irritated.

Josh, swoon!!!  I loved him, he was kind of a bad boy but not.  Josh was a rule breaker, passionate, spontaneous and an artist.  He lived his life as a rule breaker as a way to kill time till he could fully pursue his passion for art. 

Josh and Isla were the perfect pairing.  He brought out her adventurous side and she brought out a more responsible side to him.  They balanced each other.

I really enjoyed Isla and the Happily Ever After.  The first half of the book left me smiling, swooning and wishing that I was in Paris with my crush.  But the second half to me felt a little slower and maybe that’s because of events that happen that I wasn’t happy with.  Events that I’m not going to say because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But I understand why they had to happen, it helped Isla and Josh grow up some.

Overall, I am very happy with how one of my favorite series ended.  I will miss Anna, Etienne, Lola, Cricket, Isla and Josh, they will all be memorable characters to me.

 

Book Synopsis:

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

 

 

 

The complete series: