Isla and the Happily Ever After

Finally. FINALLY, I've finished this book after so many months of waiting. I finally had a chance to read Isla and the Happily Ever After. The first book out of the series, Anna and the French Kiss is probably my all time favorite YA contemporary novel, and I did enjoy the sequel, Lola and the Boy Next Door. Reading Isla and the Happily Ever After was a bittersweet moment for me-- I didn't want the series to end, but it has to end at some point right?

  

Isla and the Happily Ever After, by Stephanie Perkins, is of course, the last book in the Anna and the French Kiss series. This third book revolves around another character Isla, a regular student at the American School in Paris who had an appearance in Anna, who's long-time crush, Josh, turns into something more. 

Cons

• I didn't like how Isla treated her best friend. Especially towards the end.
• There wasn't much going in the book other than drama. 
• I find that Isla was slightly annoying. I can't really explain why I thought she was annoying without spoiling some key points of the book, but after reading some other reviews, maybe her underdeveloped character developed is to blame.
•  Not only did I find the main character to be quite bothersome, but I also find her love interest, Josh, just the same. Of course I can't specify, but Josh does this extremely irrational thing to Isla about his artsy "project" graphic novel thing (Josh is the cool art kid).
• I think Josh and his family is too stereotypical, meaning, I'm pretty sure I've seen the same character and situation in other romance movies and novels. You can argue that the whole series is a whole cliche, but I find that Josh and his family situation to be the most in-your-face cliche for me. 
• As a person who has not been to New York before and is eager to travel to the city one day, I wish the New York was utilized more somehow.

Pros

• There are some nice lovey dovey moments that made me swoon.
• The setting (New York, Barcelona, Paris) were great locations to have some of the chapters in.
• There are some funny scenes that made me laugh out loud (which is hard for me to do). Especially the rabbits part...
• I like there was some diversity in the characters (like Kurt for example) 
• The previous characters and their scenes (^_^)

Pretty much, I had high expectations for Isla and the Happily Ever After, but unfortunately this book didn't meet my expectations. This book is a somewhat-good read if you're feeling for some romance. But Anna and the French Kiss will always be my favorite in this series and in the whole YA contemporary genre. I am hopeful that Stephanie Perkins will shine with her next horror novel.

3 out of 5 stars