So much for “happily ever after.”

Romance novels are generally thought of as happy — so it’s ironic that during the holidays, the genre got into an online war. It all started when an organization called Romance Writers of America (RWA) suspended former board member Courtney Milan, a best-selling novelist.

The reason?

Milan, who is of Chinese-American descent, had Tweeted concerns about a “f - - king racist mess” in the industry, sparking fellow romance novelists Kathryn Lynn Davis and Suzan Tisdale to file formal complaints with the RWA.

Instead of engaging with her comments, the organization punished her for violating its code of ethics with her “negativity,” according to the Wrap.

RWA’s suspension of Milan sparked an outcry on social media, from authors of all stripes.

The hashtag #IStandWithCourney trended, showing support for Milan. NPR critic and author Linda Holmes tweeted, “Welp, if Romancelandia is going to split in two, I’m going to be on the Courtney Milan side,” garnering over 1,000 likes.

Sci-fi author John Scalzi made fun of RWA’s approach of dropping this news on Twitter before the holidays and closing up shop rather than dealing with the fallout.

“So, RWA (apparently rather dubiously) suspended a popular former board member with a large social media presence and then . . . took two days off to let that member and her supporters craft the media narrative it will then have to respond to when it gets back?” he tweeted, along with a shrug emoji.

Priscilla Oliveras, a Latinx author in the genre, told The Post, “I and a number of other members of color resigned from the RWA Board this morning in protest of Courtney’s suspension and our lack of trust in RWA’s leadership.”

Author Alyssa Day also announced her resignation from the organization. “I resigned from RWA,” she tweeted on Christmas Eve. “Allowing racists to weaponize RWA’s Code of Ethics against someone calling out that racism goes against everything a code of ethics stands for, and this result is appallingly and profoundly wrongheaded. I’m done.”

Many authors mocked RWA for thinking they could get away with dropping this news during Christmas and having nobody notice.

Best-selling romance novelist Alisha Rai tweeted, “I’m sure RWA thought delivering this news right before the holidays would blunt its reach and it’s like SURPRISE BITCHES WE CAN BE MAD AND WRAP.”

Bree Bridges, another best-selling author in the genre, also laughed at the idea that dropping this news right before the holidays would bury it. “Thoughts and prayers to everyone who thought Romancelandia couldn’t walk and chew gum,” she posted. “Or in this case celebrate various holidays while flipping tables.”

Amid online pressure from the writing community, RWA is now eating crow. The board emailed Milan appearing to rescind their decision.

The email from RWA’s executive deputy director Carol Ritter, which Milan shared on Twitter, read, “Dear Courtney, at a meeting today that identified a gap between policy and progress, RWA’s Board of Directors rescinded its vote accepting the findings of the Ethics Committee report and its consequent penalties against Courtney Milan pending a legal opinion. RWA reiterates its support for diversity, inclusivity and equity and its commitment to provide an open environment for all members.”

But the damage has been done. RWA already got a storm of negative press, several writers resigned from the organization — and as Milan pointed out, the message is not an apology.

Writer Hillary Monahan summed up the debacle: “Chinese American author critiques white woman’s portrayal of Chinese Americans, white woman calls her a neo-nazi for it, RWA backs white woman and censures author, -BACKLASH-, RWA rescinds censure, everyone eats a giant holiday meal, RWA roils in own vomit. Missing anything?”

RWA did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.