Book Review: Zora Books Her Happily Ever After by Taj McCoy
Title: Zora Books Her Happy Ever After
Author: Taj McCoy
Publication date: April 25th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
“Doesn’t miss a romantic beat . . . McCoy expertly crafts a well-balanced love triangle between empathetic and passionate characters—and delivers plenty of comic relief in the form of Zora’s lovable matchmaking grandmother.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
A heart-pounding, curvy romance about an indie bookstore owner who finds herself in a love triangle when she meets the author she’s had a crush on for years…and his best friend.
Zora has committed every inch of her life to establishing her thriving DC bookstore, making it into a pillar of the community, and she just hasn’t had time for romance. But when a mystery author she’s been crushing on for years agrees to have an event at her store, she starts to rethink her priorities. Lawrence is every bit as charming as she imagined, even if his understanding of his own books seems just a bit shallow. When he asks her out after his reading, she’s almost elated enough to forget about the grumpy guy who sat next to her making snide comments all evening. Apparently the grouch is Lawrence’s best friend, Reid, but she can’t imagine what kind of friendship that must be. They couldn’t be more different.
But as she starts seeing Lawrence, and spending more and more time with Reid, Zora finds first impressions can be deceiving. Reid is smart and thoughtful—he’s also interested. After years of avoiding dating, she suddenly has two handsome men competing for her affection. But even as she struggles to choose between them, she can’t shake the feeling that they’re both hiding something—a mystery she’s determined to solve before she can find her HEA.
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What a fun heartfelt story centered on a fabulous heroine living her dreams. We meet Zora as she’s busy chasing her dreams by building up her events and clientele for the bookstore she bought a few years ago. Between managing a store, building up a network of local authors, and creating a sense of community Zora has her hands full. Bonus: her favorite author just agreed to a signing at her store!
For those of who read on the regular, having an author crush is bound to happen. Zora was no exception. Not only is Lawrence handsome and charming in person, he invites Zora out after the event. I loved this particular scene in the book as a fan of many authors, the giddiness and exuberance that is shown and described is *chefs kiss*. This scene also made me figure out the plot twist, which admittedly, was slightly disappointing.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Zora and her family. Her grandmother Marion is a delight and her best friend Emma really rounded out this eclectic group. The witty banter and constant poking from Emma and Granny really endeared me to them. Sometimes even the best heroines need a little push. Of course the romantic triangle is not to be trifled with. Lawrence, the sweet and charming author, and his grumpy yet endearing best friend Reid both vie for Zora’s affections. The “friendly” competition definitely had the spice and woo-ing factor. Both men were equally yummy to read about it, and their characters shined in different ways.
All in all I loved the cast and story as it unfolded. Chasing your dreams and lifting others up along the way is such an inspiring story to tell. I adored the idea of Zora focusing on community growth and supporting the student authors while also chasing her own dreams. What a testament to the way a community can support everyone’s dreams. Highly recommend this happily ever after romance!
Oakland-born law grad, Taj McCoy, is committed to writing stories championing Black and biracial women of color, plus-sized protagonists, Black love, Black joy, and characters with a strong sense of sisterhood and familial bonds.
Taj started writing as a small child, enjoying the success of her first publications in elementary school. Since then, her dream has always been to become a professional writer. As a law student, she attempted her first novels and joined the Twitter writing community. Though Taj has spent more than ten years working in higher education administration, she continued to pursue her goal and ultimately finished her first novel in 2018, securing her agent in 2019.
When she’s not writing, Taj may be on Twitter boosting other marginalized writers, trying to zen out in yoga, sharing recipes on her website, binge-watching her favorite reality tv, or cooking private supper club meals for close friends. Catch her producing and co-hosting the Fat Like Me Podcast, which celebrates body diversity in publishing and entertainment, or watch her join forces with several writer friends on Sundays for the Better Than Brunch video podcast. When time permits, she serves as the #DVdebut Program Manager for Diverse Voices, Inc. and as a mentor for 2020 Pitch Wars.
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