Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Caped Publishing
Pub Date: January 19, 2016
Rating: 5 Stars
Our thoughts...
I will be the first to admit that I am in love with Penny Reid. At the very least I am in love with her writing and characters (seeing as I have only ever talked to the woman for a few minutes). With that being said, know that my love is not a blind love but one nurtured consistently by her stories. I had no idea who Penny Reid was until I met her at a book signing last year where her personality sold me on her books and I have not looked back since. This woman and her characters are smart, hilarious, and full of charm.
Let me start by saying if you have not read Ninja at First Sight, please do. It is not mandatory by any means (the same goes for the other books in the series) but it gives a peek at when Fiona and Greg first meet and is a great quick read. Happily Ever Ninja (HEN) takes place quite some time later with occasional flashbacks to their courtship via Greg. I loved hearing Greg’s perspective in HEN. He is a riot! Greg is stubborn, determined, sarcastic, witty, loyal, you name it. He also has his flaws and we see him work through those in earnest throughout HEN, particularly towards the end.
Fiona…where do I start with Fiona? Oh my goodness, I had no idea she was so badass. We see it coming out in Ninja at First Sight and tiny glimpses in other books but SHEESH! This woman really is a ninja. We first encounter Fiona (in HEN) struggling to maintain a stable home life while Greg is constantly working away from home. She’s juggling two young children along with work and health maintenance (she’s a cancer survivor). Fiona experiences what I think a lot of mothers can relate to and portrays mothers in a very real way. I know the feelings she experiences when she’s stressed and/or frustrated. I know what it feels like to behave irrationally when you know you shouldn’t but can’t stop. This story may hit some of you a little too close to home. I know it did for me and I am so thankful to have a book that I can relate to at this stage in my life. I’m all for escapism but it’s nice to feel like I’m not alone. I may not have Fiona’s unique skill set but I am a ninja in my own right. We all are and I think that is important for everyone reading this to grasp. Your life may feel ordinary or too consistent but know that you have something amazing to offer, something unique to you, that makes you a badass, too.
Happily Ever Ninja deals with very true-to-life situations regarding marriage and parenting. Things get real, people, and it’s wonderful and gut-wrenching all at the same time. BUT, don’t think that is all this book is about. I had no idea, NO IDEA, that there was going to be suspense. Real, action-packed, hold-your-breath suspense, folks. I think romantic suspense is my favorite genre and let me tell you this was a very pleasant surprise. Not only is it chock full of action but it’s intellectual action. Penny Reid never dumbs things down and this is no exception. Foreign policies, corrupt governments, illegal activities, and more are all tied in to this adventure. The characters are brilliant but believable and strong in so many different ways. Each person involved in this story has unique contributions and they really couldn’t do anything without each other. Again, everyone is a ninja.
Penny Reid has given us another wonderfully witty story full of great dialogue, a great plot, intelligent and likable characters, and just a whole lot of awesomeness. My only complaint is that there were typos more regularly than I prefer but in all honesty I just couldn’t care much about them because I was holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next. Penny Reid is like a life preserver in a sea of sameness and this book is no exception to that; you do not want to miss out on this story. Now, go be a ninja and kick some butt.
Happily Ever Ninja on Goodreads
Ninja at First Sight on Amazon (currently free)
Let me start by saying if you have not read Ninja at First Sight, please do. It is not mandatory by any means (the same goes for the other books in the series) but it gives a peek at when Fiona and Greg first meet and is a great quick read. Happily Ever Ninja (HEN) takes place quite some time later with occasional flashbacks to their courtship via Greg. I loved hearing Greg’s perspective in HEN. He is a riot! Greg is stubborn, determined, sarcastic, witty, loyal, you name it. He also has his flaws and we see him work through those in earnest throughout HEN, particularly towards the end.
Fiona…where do I start with Fiona? Oh my goodness, I had no idea she was so badass. We see it coming out in Ninja at First Sight and tiny glimpses in other books but SHEESH! This woman really is a ninja. We first encounter Fiona (in HEN) struggling to maintain a stable home life while Greg is constantly working away from home. She’s juggling two young children along with work and health maintenance (she’s a cancer survivor). Fiona experiences what I think a lot of mothers can relate to and portrays mothers in a very real way. I know the feelings she experiences when she’s stressed and/or frustrated. I know what it feels like to behave irrationally when you know you shouldn’t but can’t stop. This story may hit some of you a little too close to home. I know it did for me and I am so thankful to have a book that I can relate to at this stage in my life. I’m all for escapism but it’s nice to feel like I’m not alone. I may not have Fiona’s unique skill set but I am a ninja in my own right. We all are and I think that is important for everyone reading this to grasp. Your life may feel ordinary or too consistent but know that you have something amazing to offer, something unique to you, that makes you a badass, too.
Happily Ever Ninja deals with very true-to-life situations regarding marriage and parenting. Things get real, people, and it’s wonderful and gut-wrenching all at the same time. BUT, don’t think that is all this book is about. I had no idea, NO IDEA, that there was going to be suspense. Real, action-packed, hold-your-breath suspense, folks. I think romantic suspense is my favorite genre and let me tell you this was a very pleasant surprise. Not only is it chock full of action but it’s intellectual action. Penny Reid never dumbs things down and this is no exception. Foreign policies, corrupt governments, illegal activities, and more are all tied in to this adventure. The characters are brilliant but believable and strong in so many different ways. Each person involved in this story has unique contributions and they really couldn’t do anything without each other. Again, everyone is a ninja.
Penny Reid has given us another wonderfully witty story full of great dialogue, a great plot, intelligent and likable characters, and just a whole lot of awesomeness. My only complaint is that there were typos more regularly than I prefer but in all honesty I just couldn’t care much about them because I was holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next. Penny Reid is like a life preserver in a sea of sameness and this book is no exception to that; you do not want to miss out on this story. Now, go be a ninja and kick some butt.
Happily Ever Ninja on Goodreads
Ninja at First Sight on Amazon (currently free)
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