So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens
Summary: Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next. As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing. With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong…until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along. 

This book was a delight from start to finish! I loved the focus on what happens *after* the Big Bad is defeated – what does that mean for the found family of heroes that came together to do the defeating? Arek is a flawed, funny, big-hearted protagonist, easy to root for even as you are shouting, “Just tell Matt you love him already!” at the page. The writing is fast-paced and hilarious, bringing a modern sensibility to the setting in a way that feels both fresh and utterly natural. The way the characters bump up against each other makes the relationships feel so strong and authentic, and perhaps more impressively, they feel like real teenagers in addition to epic heroes – real teenagers who get horny and silly and make bad choices sometimes. All in all, this is a great book to disappear into when the real world is just too much. You’ll love hanging out with Arek and friends.

SO THIS IS EVER AFTER is out now.

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