Book 1), You Say It First (Happily Inc

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The romance and people who inhabit the small town of Happily inc and fun and quirky and friends. What struck me more than anything, reading this book, were Susan Mallery’s wonderful descriptions. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to directly quote the novel so decided not to do so, but trust me her language in describing the people who are friends and family just fit so well. I love the 3 brothers each of whom are artists who can’t imagine doing anything else. I felt for the towns people who create the magic that is ‘Wedding In A Box’ and who each got excited and creative when confronted by the couple who wanted something way outside the boat box. Which in turn led to the creation of ‘Wedding Outside of the Box’. The changes and growth that most of the people went through appealed to me, as did the descriptions of the artists creative process. Through the course of this story I could follow the jumps each person made which in turn led to their growth.

This was not a deep story, it is just a story of a small town whose main industry is being a site for destination weddings. There are no larger than life millionaires, or large scale developments or world beaters. There are average people with hang ups and left-over emotional problems who love and help and grow. I was more than satisfied with this story and this place.

Funny, tender and romantic just ended too soon. I would have loved my wedding planned by Pailias. I can’t wait for the next book and I keep saying Susan Mallery’s books can’t get any better but they do.

This is a wonderful introduction to Mallery's new series. We see a lot of the town, interesting characters that I cannot wait to learn more about, and there are just enough little mysteries to keep readers coming back for the next installment in Happily Inc. Nick and Pallas are a wonderful couple and it's interesting to see how they each grow throughout the story. Fans of Fools Gold should enjoy this new little town.

I've been anxiously awaiting for this Susan Mallery series as a follow-up to Fool's Gold (which I loved). This first book had all of the same warmth, character depth and development and humor that I've grown to love from Mallery's books. I love how she introduces the characters and builds out a town with fun places and quirky characteristics. With all the chaoticness going on in the world, this book was a welcome escape.

I stayed up way too late finishing this as I couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the 2nd book to come out!!

RATING: 3/5 STARS

This is my first Susan Mallery book and I have to say that it won’t be last. I was intimidated by the sheer number of books she has written in the past. And I didn’t know what type of writing style she has but now that I have finished You Say it First, I know that her writing is an easy to dive into type of style that makes readers enjoy the story more.

Pallas Saunders, our heroine, has lived well, an interesting life. Left behind a themed wedding company, she runs the highly praised, Weddings in a Box. She works hard, trying to please everyone from the bride to the groom and most importantly, her less than supportive mother. In You Say it First, you can see the troubling relationship she has with her mother. Her mother runs by rules. Rules that determine if Pallas is standing on the good side or bad side of affection from her mother.It was frustrating to read the injustice Pallas suffered when her mother critiqued her and insulted her. I knew that I would not satisfied until Pallas stood up for herself.

Nick Mitchell, our hero, is a passionate one who loves his art and loves his wood. Wink. I’m joking. I actually mean wood like from trees. He’s a carpenter and finds his happiness through carving and creating fine pieces of work using wood as his main source of material. He likes to keep everyone at distance, claiming too much passion is not a good thing. It will consume him, destroy him, and ruin him in the end. So, definitely, love is not an option.

When Nick and Pallas meet, the chemistry is palpable. I really liked how flirtatious they were when they first met. Pallas asks for him to take off his shirt without warning and to body paint him so he could look like a greek warrior, carrying one of the greek goddesses aka the bride to her wedding. It was hilarious and I knew the story was off to a great start.

The only thing I didn’t like about this story was that it seemed generic. It was very cut from the same cloth as a lot of books and nothing was much different so it kind of got boring midway through.

MY RECOMMENDATION:

Pick it up if you’re a Susan Mallery fan!

Step aside Fool's Gold - here comes Happily Inc!!
This is a brand new sweet romance series that's a bit of a Fool's Gold spin-off.
We already met Nick's family in FG and now he and his two artist brothers moved to Happily Inc to get away from their dad.
Nick is waiting for a call from Dubai - he's in the running to build a huge piece for a hotel lobby over there. That would take him away from home for two years.
But for now he's here. And he's working as an underpaid carpenter for Pallas.
She recently inherited the wedding company where she worked while going to college for a degree in finance.
Because that's what she's supposed to do with her life: work for the family bank in town.
But for now - or at least until the end of wedding season - she's working hard to keep WEDDINGS IN A BOX alive.
And if watching the sexy carpenter working shirtless is the price she has to pay for that - all the better.
Nick is equally attracted, but he doesn't do love. His parents taught him that.

What will happen with Pallas & Nick?? Will there be HEA in Happily Inc??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
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Eeeeep .... a new Susan Mallery series! I LOVED Fool's Gold. And this is looking just as good.
We already know the 3 brothers and Pallas introduces us to all her besties - there's LOTS of room for lots of interesting books in this new town - I love it!!!!!

This was such a sweet romance. Exactly what you've been used to from Susan. Plus it has lots of weddings! So romantic and funny and adorable!

Of course it's not all insta-happy-endy. We have some serious 'afraid-to-love' problems to overcome - but of course we'll get there in the end! ☺

The perfect book to read while lounging on your couch with a glass of wine and some snacks.

Oh and I should also mention, if you thought Fool's Gold was crazy with their resident elephant! Happily Inc has zebras, water buffalo, a GIRAFFE ... and so much more!!! ☺☺☺ (We find out more about all that in book #2!)

I enjoyed every second of this book! Can't wait to read the second one!

►► YOU SAY IT FIRST was such an adorable and funny and romantic love story! Run to your nearest the store for your own Nick - this one is MINE! ☺

You Say It First introduces Susan Mallery's new series set in the charming town of Happily, Inc, California. Happily, Inc is a wedding destination town founded on a fairytale about mail-order brides finding true love. Dreams come true for couples married in Happily, Inc and they live happily ever after.

Nick Mitchell is a world fameous sculpter waiting for a commission in Dubai. Nick and two of his brothers (also artists) originally lived in Fools Gold. After a family secret reveal cataclysmicly changes the Mitchell twins reality, they packed up, left Fools Gold, and relocated to Happily, Inc. Unlike the very successful Mitchell brothers, Pallas is a struggling wedding planner trying to keep her recently inherited wedding business afloat.

You Say It First begins when Nick arrives at Weddings In A Box for an interview with Pallas. The first thing Pallas says to Nick is, "...I really need you to take off your shirt". Quirky from the first line, this book grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down.

Susan Mallery has an amazing talent to build upon extended storylines with recurring characters living in places we love to dream about. Nick and his brothers provided continuity of the Fools Gold storyline as well as the link between Fools Gold and Happily, Inc. Nick and Pallas' story was a perfect introduction to Happily, Inc; a new cast of characters, and a desert town where brides and grooms experience the wedding of their dreams and live happily ever after.

Although she often reintroduces characters from previous stories, You Say It First includes a couple of surprises for Susan Mallery fans. I loved this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fun, quirky stories.

I sometimes get distracted by unusual names.

Pallas owns a beautiful wedding venue that she dresses to accommodate a variety of themes. She is also the wedding planner of the group and works with her friends to provide a multitude of services for the happy couple on their special day.

Nick finds himself with some extra time on his hands and decides to take a job restoring some of the props at a Pallas's business. Little does he know how many times he will be drafted into service by the proprietress.

This town inspires happiness. It is more than just a wedding town. It is a place where magical things happen to everyday people. Sometimes all you need is an idea and good friends to help.

First of the Happily Inc series, it includes some characters from the Fools Gold series, which was fun. If you liked the quirky characters in Fools Gold, you'll love the characters who people this new (or is it a continuation?) series.

In this story, sculptor Nick Mitchell has changed from blowing glass to wood carving and other media to express himself. He's expecting a big commission that will take him to Dubai for two years. While he waits for word to head east, he takes a job as a part-time carpenter at Weddings in a Box, a struggling venue that Pallas Saunders has inherited from its previous owner. If only her mother wouldn't keep insisting that she stop playing around and work at the bank founded by Pallas' grandfather.

But Pallas's heart isn't into banking. She loves helping brides have the wedding they want. When Nick suggests she think outside the box and take on some challenging requests, Pallas isn't sure she can, but with the help of her friends, who also serve the venue in a variety of ways, she does just that and experiences the passion she's been seeking. Her other passion for Nick, however, doesn't proceed so smoothly, particularly when he acts on his decision to avoid any permanence or commitment--even after the job he was expecting doesn't happen. The Dubai job goes to someone else.

Although heartbroken, Pallas comes to a decision she never expected when the couple whose father is dying decides to go ahead with the special wedding that was planned and then put on hold, maybe permanently. She confronts her mother and tells herself that if she'll also tell Nick how she feels about him and what it means, maybe her heart will heal--eventually. It's a risk she has to take, with no guarantee of the outcome.

But what happens at that wedding turns everything upside down, including her relationship with her mother. Even more surprising is what Nick creates for yet another couple and how it represents a future for himself as well as Pallas.

If you are looking for an incredible old school romance, you don't have to look any further. You Say It First will give you everything you are looking for. True to her style, Susan Mallery brings to life the story of two people who are not looking for love. People chased by their demons and not believing in HEA. It is a sweet romantic story with some heartbreak, healthy dose of laughter and a sprinkle of hotness to sweeten the deal ;)

I fell in love with Nick and Pallas from the very start. Their first meeting is definitely comical but in a way it also shows features of their characters. They are both caring and will probably do everything in their power to help when they can. Even if they don't exactly know the person they are helping. Unfortunately, both of them have been thought that love and passion have a price. That you have to earn the affection of another person and that passion can be destructive. And even though, that's a somewhat empty way of life they've learned to live it and not expect anything different. Until they collide with each other and the chemistry and feelings between them can't be denied.Learning to trust each other is not easy and their path is not without obstacles but in the end their feelings win the battle :)

There are a lot of things I loved about this book but one on the top of my list are actually the similarities to the Fool's Gold series. I so loved it that it was great to have the reference to it. In a way Grandpa Frank, Pallas' grandfather, reminds me of Mayor Marsha :D I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series and read what will happen with the other characters :) Mathias and Carol are definitely an intriguing couple but I can't wait for Silver's story to come out. I think that one is going to be amazing. And let's not talk about Ronan :D

So, my recommendation is not to waste any time and pick up your copy asap. I can guarantee you won't regret it :)

This review was originally posted at Living In Our Own Story Book Blog. I received an ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Welcome to Happily Inc. where Susan Mallory will bring you into the lives and hearts of the wedding capital of the world. Nick and Pallas story was sweet, romantic, humorous and sexy. I couldn’t ask for a more complete read with You Say It First.

I adored both Nick and Pallas. Nick was kind, considerate, talented and so supportive of a woman that he just met. Pallas has her moments that she didn’t shine but that just made her more down-to-earth and endearing. You couldn’t help but feel sorry for her at times, cheer her on at times and just wish that she would finally tell her mother off at times. But, she was the perfect fit for Nick and you knew it from the start. She inspired him and he knew the right things to say to get her inspired (even when she didn’t see it). When he finally gets her to see the bigger picture and what she can do with Weddings in a Box, he sees his own aspirations come crashing down and he backs off.

They both have trouble with the word love … Pallas feels like she has to earn it and Nick thinks passion consumes so he won’t put his heart at stake. Neither of them had the childhood that encouraged love or showed just how wonderful being loved could be. But, ultimately, they find out that love doesn’t have to consume or be earned … it’s unconditional and just is. With the help of family and friends and an alien world, Nick and Pallas find their way through the muddied waters to each other and find that love can be the be-all and end-all.

Susan Mallory is the ultimate Romance writer and knows just how to get you to invest your heart in her stories. I loved every aspect of You Say It First. All the characters had their own quirks but, combined, they formed a beautiful circle of friends. I loved the banter between friends. I loved the support they all showed each other. I loved how they knew just what to say and when to say it. Nick and Pallas ended up being a team, brought Weddings in a Box out of the box and learned just how wonderful and beautiful being in love could be.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.

A wonderful start to a new series by Susan Mallery, one of my favorite authors. There were links to Fool's Gold, another favorite series from Mallery, with three of the Mitchell brothers making Happily, Inc. their new home. It was fun to learn how the small town was named and got its start and how Pallas' family had a stake in the town from the beginning.

Pallas is the owner of Weddings in a Box that she inherited from a family friend. Happily, Inc. is known for its destination weddings and she and her friends work together to make their individual businesses cohesive and complementary of the others. It makes for easier planning when Pallas and the others work together to make the weddings as unique as each bride wants it. Enter Nick, a world renowned artist, who applies to be a part time handyman for Pallas, and all she can ask is why? He gets very involved in the weddings and becomes indispensable with his ideas and artist's take on things or does he?

There are family and the dynamics that go with them, friends, business associates, brides, animals, parties, get-togethers, business meetings and planning, laughter, tears, anger, heartache, sadness, disagreements, happiness, loving and love. There are some burn up the sheet moments too. The story flows nicely and has a few different stories going on that tie together seamlessly. The characters have many dimensions to them and Grandpa Frank is a hoot. There is nice closure with a happily-ever-after in the offing and enough loose ends to bring us back to Happily, Inc. over and over again. I can't wait to read book two in the series, Second Chance Girl: A Modern Fairy Tale Romance.

Mallery once again does what she does best - creates a small town with memorable characters who become our friends and is a place we wouldn't mind living and working in. Lots of love, advice and spotlights on businesses makes it a place we want to return to and bring our own family and friends along too.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*thank you to the author and publisher for providing an arc**

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Welcome to Happy Inc. where your dream wedding is waiting to happen. And the persons who will help with that dream is Pallas.

Pallas has inherited Weddings In A Box from Gerald the pervious owner and trying everything to make the business stay afloat and keep Gerald's business alive. But some days it feels like she can barely keep her head above water and when she needs a stand in to help carry a bride in, she will pick the first person she sees.

Nick is looking for something to keep him busy while he waits to hear about a commission in Dubai that will last two years. When he sees an ad for a part-time carpenter he decides to go check it out. But when he ends up at Weddings In A Box he finds himself helping carry a bride into her wedding.

When Pallas can finally breathe from the wedding she decides there is no way that Nick will want to work for her now. And when she finds out he is a famous artist she definitely knows she can't afford him or hire him as the part-time carpenter. But Nick shocks her when he says he will do it and he doesn't care about the pay, he has seen the panels that she wants fixed up and he knows he needs to work on them.

As Nick spends more time at Weddings In A Box not only does he start to enjoy the weddings but he begins a relationship with Pallas with both of them knowing he is leaving for Dubai soon. But Pallas begins to have feelings for Nick and doesn't want to say goodbye to him when he leaves. And while dealing with Nick's impending departure, Pallas is also struggling with her love for Weddings In A Box and making her mother proud.

Will she give up Weddings In A Box and join the bank to make her mother happy? And will she let Nick go without telling him how she feels?

Join the gang at Happy Inc and meet the town who makes dream weddings possible.

Weddings in a Box is the business that Pallas Saunders owns in Happily Inc. She was given the
business when the previous owner died, now she wants to expand it and watch it grow. Her
mom has other ideas. Libby wants Pallas to work in the family bank and would love nothing more
than to see Weddings in a Box fail, or would she? Pallas has many issues with her domineering
mother, she has always felt she has to earn love and everything all children get unconditionaly.
Although she needs to talk with her mother about these issues she just can't seem to do it.
She runs instead of facing them head on. Will she ever be able to stop running?

Nick Mitchell, comes from a family of artists. Watching is famous dad his entire life showed
him that deep passion only consumes and ruins. Nick vows to never let that happen to him
either professionally or personally. While waiting to hear from Dubai on a commission for a job
Nick takes a laid back carpentry job with Weddings in a Box. He is quickly swept up in the
business, the people and the beautiful owner of the business. She is someone he would love
to spend time with and it would be perfect since he would be going to Dubai shortly. No
chance of it becoming serious or too passionate. Or will it?

Happily Inc is the new town for Susan Mallery's new series. I loved how everyone works together
so easily to get things done. There is no drama. There was a bit of tension, but easily resolved.
It was a very easy read that leaves you feeling, well, happy. You like the people, the place
and there is always a couple or two that will learn and grow with her books.

I loved the animals and the crazy weddings that will happen here in this town. Some are over
the top and so wonderful. It will be interesting to see where this new town takes into the future.

Happily Inc. series is a spin off of Susan Mallery's Fools Gold series of which I am a HUGE fan. I don't know where Susan gets her ideas for stories but she definitely has a knack for spinning a wonderful romance. So in You Say It First it is the youngest three of five Mitchell brothers have moved to Happily Inc. after a drastic falling out with their very talented, volatile and selfish artistic father who is a world renown sculptor, Ceallach Mitchell. Each of these brother's received the artistic gene from their father along with the volatile side at times, but devastating news of an affair and learning that one brother that they thought was a twin really turns out to be a half brother born a little after the youngest but brought in and raised as a set of twins has rocked their worlds and not in a good way.
Each brother; Nick, our hero today, Matthias and Ronan have moved to Happily Inc. looking for a fresh start and to be out of the eyesight of their famous father as they try to right their worlds. Nick is just here temporally while he waits to hear about a 2-year commission he expects to get in Dubai and is looking for some short time work to help fill the time because when he gets the commission he wants to be able to leave without having a job to finish. So he answers an add for a carpenter and ends up in a Roman Wedding, getting a fake tan, skimpy toga and carrying the bride on a palanquin. After he about to walk out and call it a day when he spots some beautiful moving panels that need some TLC and he wants the job.
Pallas Saunders is the new owner of Weddings in a Box, where she can give you a themed wedding be it Roman, Medieval, Southern Bell or Western. She is about to have a Roman Wedding and is short one Roman soldier when in walks a hunky man for a carpenter job interview. Her lucky day she somehow scheduled a job interview on a wedding day. She needed a man and one walks in and doesn't mind helping her out plus she got to help with the fake tan for about 30 seconds and touch his back.
Pallas comes from the founding family you could say of Happily Inc. it was her grandfather Frank who made up the story about a stagecoach of mail-order brides breaking down and being claimed by local miners before they could reach their intended grooms. to save the town of Happily Inc. and his bank from dyeing and disappearing into history. So now Happily Inc. is considered a destination Wedding place after some celebrities fell in love with the story spun by Frank. Pallas was all slotted to get her accounting degree and go into the family business of banking when she got some bad grades her first year of university and lost her mothers approval again and the money to pay for college. So she moved home and started at the local college and working at Weddings in a Box. Just as she was about to finally earn her mothers love and having finished school and start working at the family bank, her dear friend, mentor and boss died and left her Weddings in a Box. She is barely keeping things together and dealing with her mothers constant dissatisfaction in her and her life when Nick Mitchell walks in and helps her see that she should be doing things outside of the box instead of in the box.......like zebras at a wedding, an under the sea wedding, an out of this world wedding. She takes it and runs and loves helping make the wedding couples dream comes true.
Now both Pallas and Nick have been influenced by their childhoods. Pallas has never felt loved by her mother and is getting tired of trying to earn her love because every time she thinks she almost has it in her grasp it drifts away like smoke up a chimney, but she still hopes there is someone out there for her if she can just find him and earn his love, because she has learned Love Must Be Earned. Nick has seen what love can do, make you blind, selfish, destructive and he had learned how passion can consume from watching his parents marriage. There is no way or how he will ever let that happen to him, he'll walk or run away first.
Susan Mallery has done a fantastic job transitioning from Fools Gold to Happily Inc. with several stories and character mentions. I love the Weddings in a Box that turns into Weddings Out of the Box. The town of Happily Inc. sounds like a wonderful place to live and I can't wait to get the residents and visitors as each story unfolds and I find my happy place in Happily Inc.
You'll definitely enjoy reading this story.

This is the first installment in a new series, Happily Inc, by one of my favorite authors, Susan Mallery. The story is of a Pallas, a twenty something old girl that grew up in Happily, Inc. She disappoints her mother by not using her college finance degree to go into the family banking business. Pallas puts herself through college by working for Weddings in a Box, a local wedding planning business. She has a great mentor in the owner Gerald, who ends up dying and willing the business to her. Pallas loves the business and throughout the story learns that she can respectfully alter the concept Gerald built and change it to Weddings Outside the Box. Read this delightful story and you will understand. Of course, there is also a love interest for Pallas as well. Nick Mitchell, a gifted sculptor, moves into town and takes a job posted by Pallas to restore some wood carvings while he is waiting to here about a commission overseas. I do believe the romance takes a backseat to the story of Pallas and the wedding business and developing the relationships and characters that we will see in future stories.
Having read and loved ALL of her Fool's Gold series, I was excited to learn about this new little town built on a fair tale about marriage and living happily ever after. Understandably, as this book is the first in the series, it is sometimes a little slow because it is providing the background and some details of the little town and introduces several characters that I am sure we will see in this series in the future.
I am an avid fan of audio books, but this book is much better if you read it, rather than listen to it, I did not think the audio version did it justice.

After hearing how much his brothers love living in Happily Inc. Nick Mitchell is curious about the little town, so with some time on his hands before his next sculpting gig, he decides to check it out. Before long the romantic little town starts to win him over too, and he is really starting to see the appeal of it, when he meets a certain beautiful wedding planner. His life in Happily Inc. is temporary though, so starting something with her wouldn't be right... but sometimes love takes over and changes your plans.

Pallas Saunders comes from a world of high expectations and wealth, her mother often pointing out that her new career path doesn't measure up, but Pallas has stopped caring so much about making her mother happy. Running Weddings In A Box has been her saving grace, it has helped her to see that the plan her mother has had mapped out for her all these years is not a path she wants to follow. She loves helping people create their special days, but if things down start turning around, she may have to admit defeat, suck it up and take the position her mother has groomed her for all these years. And she doesn't really have it in her to do that...

You Say It First is a touching read full of emotion, toe curling romance, and a slough of endearing characters that are certain to charm their way into your heart! From the first page this one pulled me in and kept me captivated, and up well past my bedtime... and I have to admit it was well worth the loss of zzz's! It had everything a good romance novel should have; captivating story line, characters with undeniable chemistry, and lots of blush-worthy moments! Highly recommend this one, it's a heartwarming read guaranteed to make you fall in love!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

Love shouldn’t be conditional, but it often is. Pallas was taught from childhood, that love was only given, when earned. So, she spent a lifetime trying unsuccessfully to gain her mother’s love and approval. In her mother’s eyes, Pallas’s business, Wedding In A Box, was just another failure. And, to be honest, Pallas was toying with the idea of selling it. But, that was before Nick Mitchell showed up in her life. Nick encouraged and assisted Pallas to develop her creativity. Although Nick and Pallas became close, he made it clear that when he left, in a couple of months, their relationship would end. Pallas’s biggest challenge, she feared, would be, keeping her heart from being crushed.

Nick Mitchell loved creating beautiful sculptures. He would finger a piece of wood until his intuition told him what to create. If he listened, the wood in his hand would become, a prized piece of art. Nick’s artistic talent came from his father; his selfish, world renowned, famous father. And the last thing Nick wanted, was to become like him. His father put his artistic passion above everybody and everything else and Nick; unfortunately, felt himself becoming like his father. Nick decided the best thing for him to do was to guard against falling in love, at all costs. He just hoped that it wasn’t already too late for him.

I found You Say It First, to be a beautiful, uplifting, and well-told story. Thank you, Harlequin and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy! I loved it.

I have read many of Ms. Mallery's work previously and always look forward to new titles by her. Happly inc is her new series which is a takeoff from some of the characters from her previous fool's gold series. Nick has moved to Happly inc to be closer to his brothers after revelations of his family drama. He is currently waiting to hear from Dubai about a job they may be proposing to him for two years. As he is waiting he decided to apply for a carpentry job at a place called wedding in a box where he meets the owner Pallas. Pallas too has to deal with family issue a mother who is never happy with anything she does and dealing with her own demons of whether or not she wants to continue owning the wedding establishment. Pallas eventually hires Nick and eventually they start a romantic relationship though he has told their time together will be short due to his Dubai job pending. Theare are many cast of characters Pallas friends and Nick two other brothers who are still dealing with their family issues.I love when a book has secondary characters that you feel invested in and you get more than the main couple. I personally felt though Pallas job as the wedding consultant most was too detailed in the book about this and put me off a bit. Overall as said previously you cannot go wrong with Ms. Mallery books. Was giving an arc by negalley.