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Head-in-the-clouds romantic Madison and pragmatist Lanie are unlikely best friends who would do anything for each other. So when Madison’s life starts to fall apart after her boyfriend dumps her, Lanie agrees to join Madison for the test run of Disney’s newest resort.
Happily Ever Island is an immersive vacation destination where guests can not only visit the lands from their favorite movies but also become their favorite Disney character for a week. (Much like Jane Austen fans get to do in Shannon Hale’s Austenland…)
But once on the island, Lanie and Madison begin to drift apart. As Cinderella, Madison finds herself either missing out on or messing up all the enchanting moments she has dreamed about her whole life. She is also forever running into their annoyingly perfect vacation coordinator, Val.
Meanwhile, Lanie (playing the role of Merida) finds herself swept up in the magic. She even strikes up a secret romance with Prince Charming. But in a role-playing resort, there’s no telling if he’s real or just playing a part.
Happily Ever Island is a lighthearted, cheesy contemporary new adult book that boldly states princesses aren’t just for kids. It shows there are adults (like Madison) who are still holding onto the magic of Disney. It even goes so far as to preach that celebrating the things you love should never be seen as childish.
As a lifelong Disney fan, I’m still trying to figure out if this role-playing resort would be a dream come true or an introvert’s worst nightmare. (The book explores this idea too, as Lanie battles with chronic anxiety.)
The nostalgia the book offers specifically to readers who have grown up with the Disney cartoons or who still remember the magic of visiting a Disney theme park is the strength of the whole story, really. The stakes are low, and it’s not a super-engaging story, but Happily Every Island certainly captures a spark of that theme-park magic. As such, I would only recommend it to diehard Disney fans.
Rated: Moderate, for one variation of strong language, 7 uses of moderate language, 20 uses of mild language, and around 20 uses of the name of Deity. Sexual content includes a brief reference of a medical book discussing asexual reproduction. Characters (including a same-sex couple) kiss. A character jokes about not performing satanic rituals while her friend is away.
Click here to purchase your copy of Happily Ever Island on Amazon.
