USA TODAY BESTSELLERThere are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer… I would tell you what they are, but then I’d have to kill you.But I can tell you that Fiona’s husband—the always irrepressible and often cantankerous Greg Archer—is desperately in love with his wife. He aches for her when they are apart, and is insatiable when they are together. Yet as the years pass, Greg has begun … pass, Greg has begun to suspect that Fiona is a ninja. A ninja mom. A ninja wife. A ninja friend. After fourteen years of marriage, Greg is trying not to panic. Because Fiona’s talent for blending in is starting to resemble fading away.
However, when unexpected events mean Fiona must take center stage to keep her family safe, her response stuns everyone—Greg most of all. It seems like Greg’s wish has come true.
Except… not.
When all is said and done, can Greg handle this new version of his wife? Will his irrepressible cantankerousness push her away? Or can the couple find a way forward without either being forced to step back into the shadows?
This is a full length, 100k word novel, and is the 5th book in the Knitting in the City Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone except book #1.5
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Never underestimate a ninja woman ! Married for many years and still Greg hasn’t learned that lesson. No worries he does in this book. Fiona is a wonder woman plus, she’s been doing it all nearly alone for far too long. Time to change things up. Hold on folks it will be a bumpy ride, but promised to end in a happy place.
I love Greg and Fiona and to see Fiona in her element was incredibly amazing. It was also good to remember that Greg was bad ass too, because I tend to forget he was a highly trained ex-marine (this happens when you have a half-robot amazing real life superhero wife).
I think what I liked more was the fact that a lot of other supporting characters had bigger roles this time around. Marie finally became to have more personality, we get more of Dan, and we have Quinn and Alex operational too, which was amazing! And the kids? I cannot wait to see more of them and of Professor “Matty” Simmons, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him…
Really 3.5 stars. I love the Knitting in the City Series, but this was my least favorite of those books. There was too much discord between Fiona and her husband Greg Archer. Although I appreciated other characters/friends from the other books coming together, the turn of events that led this ex-CIA mom and her husband who wants to do so much good in the world through his work, but doesn’t value the good he could be doing for his family by taking a different job proved frustrating to me. Also, there was a scene where Fiona divulged information to her husband in a greeting card aisle and then it seemed like the next day, Greg was surprised at hearing the information as if it were for the first time. So, although this story sheds light on Fiona and Greg’s marriage, parenting style, and work/value that they bring to the marriage, it was not lighthearted. It did introduce a new character, Matt the neighbor, whose story continues in Book 6, which I enjoyed more. I still wouldn’t skip this book, but I prefer happier lighter stories.
Wonderful addition to Penny’s Reid’s Knitting in the City series. One learns more about Fiona and Greg and their marriage. Very relatable if you’ve been in a long term marriage. However Ms. Reid goes about telling their story in a fun, unique way.
The writing and everything was fine with this book, I just hated Fiona and Greg. I loved the prequel, I loved the preceding books in this series. I loved the glimpses of them in other stories, but for their own book…I hated them. Greg made me so angry that it was a struggle to finish this book. I started it at Christmas. It’s been over a month and I’ve struggled. I hate how he treats Fiona and doesn’t believe in her abilities and undermines her choices. Maybe I have a personal stake in this one bringing up feelings and irrational anger at a fictional character. I don’t know.
I wasn’t sure if I’d read this one because I’m not really a fan of reading romances about married couples since I am single, never been married. It’s just hard for me to feel sorry for them when I want what they have. However I feel like the author did a good job in grabbing my interest and making me feel for these characters anyway. Now one reason I went ahead was also because Will Watt was one of the narrators and I love his voice. Although he really didn’t have that many chapters. I also feel like maybe I need to go ahead and listen or read the prequel to this one as well. But once again there were some of the best lines in this book. For instance, Greg would always tell his kids to end arguments by saying: “That sounds like something Hitler would say.” Another funny line was “Angry oral sex.” lol. But Greg, who was away for his work all the time, also had this rule that they couldn’t let their kids do things that were just for girls for the girl or just for boys for the boy. So their son couldn’t play soccer unless his sister wanted to, and she didn’t get to take dance unless her brother did. So he didn’t want things to be sexist for the kids, but then he was totally sexist about not letting Fiona do things that she was much more qualified than he was to do! So in the end, I liked this one enough to bump it up to a 4.5, but towards the end we did get a little of the stuff that is the reason I don’t like to read about married couples.
Absence might make the heart grow fonder but it creates an awful lot of problems when one person is left most of the year to care for and be there for the children every day. She might not admit it but Fiona is struggling. What she fell for when she met Greg is what is keeping him away now, and the sadness and emptiness she feels most of the year is wearing her down. So when Greg out of the blue shows up things get a little out of hand and they argue, with Greg having to leave before anything is resolved. Reluctantly Fiona admits to herself that he might need her understanding and support and she sends him a lengthy email. That goes unanswered. Anger and frustration sets in . And then panic when a phone call changes everything, yet nothing . Action and adrenaline fueled, with love, romance, good times and bad , describe their story perfectly. Marriage is hard, even if your rarely u derailed the same roof and they definitely need to have a good long hard look at where they are and where they want to be. Because Fiona is Greg’s a d Greg is Fiona’s and they belong together. I loved the time jumps from his point of view, another aspect of them and their journey. Another favorite in the series, and there are definitely more than a few, like all of them are favorites!
A fabulously entertaining book; full of action, laugh out loud moments, wonderful characters and a reflection on how love is a constant work in progress.
This book was just wow. The way this relationship was depicted and how these characters grew and changed was a beautiful and emotional ride. I have really enjoyed all of these books. I definitely recommend this series and this author.
These two are my favorite married couple ever! I think out of the whole series, this is my favorite book. Fabulous writing as usual. I was so excited about this book, I read in all in one shot!
I love Greg, so much. Sure, I wanted to smack him upside the head a couple of times but I loved how he loved Fiona. He’s got the best one liners in this book, I giggled a lot. I loved the notes, messages and texts from real people in the beginning of each chapter. I saved some for my husband to read because I was like look, this is us! I don’t know about anyone else, but I was so humming the Mission Impossible theme song in the middle of the book. Fiona is seriously a supermom badass ninja. I’d like to say she’s very forgiving. She was all this is what’s up towards the end though.
This pretty much summed up a relationship to me. “A relationship is made up of many burdens, and the two people within the relationship have different strengths and weaknesses, abilities and talents. Burdens are weightless, worlds change, and love endures when both people are contributing their maximum.” Boom. Penny Reid drops the mic.
4.5 Stars
This book was SO different than what I was expecting! It was a suspense novel under the guise of a rom com. I knew that Fiona was practically a real ninja with her background in gymnastics, martial arts and past job in the CIA, but I had no idea that all of this was going to be well used in the book!
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I will say this: Fiona has to save her husband, physically and emotionally. All while balancing her own emotions and doubts as a wife and mother. I’ve never read a book where the couple already has an established marriage and romance and the story deals with, not falling in love again or reactivating a burnt out sex life (neither of those things are issues for Greg and Fiona), but issues of trust, loyalty, communication, being there for one another, trying to understand and empathize with your partner. It was really great.
You should definitely read the prequel novella of how they fell in love before reading this book. It’s only about 150-175 pages. Penny Reid recommends it in the introduction and you should definitely take heed! There’s a lot of appearances of beloved characters from the previous books, and I personally feel like you should read them all first. Technically you don’t have to to get what’s happening with Fiona and Greg, but Ms. Reid’s books are so interwoven and the characters are all best friends, it just makes more sense to read them all. Plus they’re AWESOME! Get to it!
There are a couple a love scenes, not graphic, and in the first half of the book. Fiona and Greg often talk about their sex life, but again it’s not super graphic. There is a small amount of cursing, the F word is used the most, but it’s not a ton.
Oh Penny Reid, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! You write books that are funny (actually hilarious at times), sexy and smart. At a time in my reading when I’m struggling to find something that makes feel more than just “meh”, “fine” or “good”, you continue to give me interesting and unique material to read. Thank goodness.
What I found so great about this book was the winning combination of contemporary romance and the addition of a pretty heavy suspense plot. Even with the suspense element, there was so much of this story that completely accessible to me as a mother and a spouse and I truly appreciated that.
As I began this book, I was in the tub, a place where I’m supposed to get some peace and quiet. Ha! Right?!! It’s as if I have magnets in my body, where I move, everyone in my house moves. Reading about Fiona’s struggles with being the numero uno parent all the time due to Greg’s traveling and the arguments they have that every couple has was comforting in a way. During my time reading in the tub, I listened to one of my girls try to convince my husband that she needed to bring home a frog from class during Spring Break and how kids can even keep them after they are done with them at school and can we keep one? Mind you, I have TWINS, so we are looking at hosting 2 more animals in my home. At the same time, the door to the bathroom might as well have been a revolving door because, you know, everyone needs to talk to MOM when she’s in the tub.
So, at one point, as I read and listened to the everyday hub bub of my family, this book felt that much more authentic to me. Because at the heart of this book is a very REAL issue that couples have to deal with- you have to be present mentally and physically in the relationship. Even with a relationship like Greg and Fiona’s, which has always been solid, it can only hold together so long before it starts to get cracks. Fiona begins to feel taken for granted by Greg, that she will always be there to clean up the messes he makes, to take care of all kinds of things when he is gone. And he is gone more than he is home.
She doesn’t want to feel that way but she’s had enough of single parenting and it seems that something needs to change in their family. Greg and Fiona love each other very deeply and we get little flashbacks of their relationship throughout the book, so there is a solid foundation. But what is the breaking point of a marriage?
In the midst of all of this, we get the whole Knitting gang and they are kind of Avenger like in that they all seem to have valuable skills that can be applied to the situation that Greg and Fiona have found themselves in and of course, hilarity ensues many times. At the time, I had not read books 1-3 so, I was not 100% familiar with the origin stories BUT I have since rectified that and I have read book 1 and am slowly catch up. It’s interesting, though, to go back to her first book and see the slight differences in her writing and storytelling.
Take one part contemporary romance, one part romantic suspense, add a healthy dose of Penny Reid magic and you have Happily Ever Ninja.
Favorite Quotes:
I guess I’m what’s called a Holitarian. I’m an equal opportunity holiday celebrator, especially if the holiday or special occasion involves cocktails and presents.
I’m not the Lorax of Catholics. I don’t speak for the trees of the faithful. That’s why we have the Pope.
The world might be ending. As such I’m here to rescue you and worship your body.
I don’t cause turmoil. I cause only happiness rainbows and shoeboxes of delight wherever I go.
‘Is this what you ladies do during knit night?’ Greg frowned at the room, as though he were disappointed in us. ‘You corrupt my wife with your drinking, gossiping, and double entrendre?’
‘My heart keeps discovering new ways to love you,’ he whispered, like it was a secret. A magnificent, beautiful, perfect secret.
My Review:
Penny Reid has mad skills – that is really all I need to express. But I will expand as it is expected of me for the sake of reviewing. Her humor is smart and several flights above merely clever. Her wit is sharp and her vast ability to bestow each of her highly intelligent characters with such unique quirks and profound outlooks on life is highly impressive. I adore her writing, and while the banter and dialogues were stellar, the inner musings and insights could meander into the somewhat painful tedium of circular logic, although I assume that was often the intent.
I am relatively new to the Knitting in the City series but had no problem following the story-line and am highly interested in stepping backward and reading the previous installments, as well as any future works she ever plans to publish. Happily Ever Ninja went beyond the adventure in marriage premise I was expecting and traversed into actual adventure with abductions, explosions, rescues, drama, espionage, ransom, terrorists, corrupt governments, psychopaths, spy rings, and a highly skilled knitting circle. I want to know these people but doubt I could keep up with them – either mentally or physically, although I can knit a mean scarf.