I'll start by saying that I've never read a romance book from a man's perspective before.

This was a lot of fun.

Joel Sinclair and Amy Caddick are both headed to the Maldives for a week of sunsets, Sin Cities, blue waters, and relaxation. But they're not together. They used to be, but now they're not. However, they are on the same holiday, and the two exes are not having it. At all.

I really liked the alternating POVs here between Joel and Amy. Seeing their present, and the events in the past that led to their divorce through their eyes was interesting, and made me care more about the two of them as characters. At the beginning they both seem unlikeable, but as I got deeper into the story, I began to understand who they were, and appreciated their growth more.

What I loved best in this story was the ending, which I won't spoil here, but I will say that it's very satisfying for any reader who loves a bit of romance but is also grounded in reality.

I highly recommend this for summer reading, as a beach read, as a comfort book, or just as a book to read in between heavier stuff.

I give this 4 stars.

Thank you for the digital copy, NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Amazon Publishing UK!

You Again? By Nick Spalding
Published: August 17, 2021
Lake Union Publishing
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Nick Spalding is the bestselling author of fifteen novels, two novellas, and two memoirs. Nick worked in media and marketing for most of his life before turning his energy to his genre-spanning humorous writing. He lives in the south of England with his wife.

“I bet reef sharks don’t have to worry about this kind of stuff.”

Joel is excited to be going on vacation with his girlfriend, Cara, to an island in the Maldives. As they are waiting to print their luggage tags, Joel catches a glimpse of his ex-wife and a man. Mild panic takes over, but they wouldn’t be going to the same vacation destination- right? Joel and Amy come face to face as they are boarding their plane to the Maldives for the first time in two years. Now they have the next eleven hours sitting on the same flight, in the same row, to marinate in what went wrong between them. Anger, frustration, and witty humor are about to arrive for an all-inclusive vacation.

I applied for this arc on Netgalley because there were sharks on the cover. I had never read Nick Spalding before, and the blurb sounded interesting, so I applied for it and was approved.

I am so glad. I enjoyed this book so much. There were several scenes that had me literally laughing out loud. Spalding did such a brilliant job writing from two perspectives, and he infused so much humor throughout, I could not put the book down.

The characters are so charming. I appreciate it when an author creates characters that are very human. Their flaws, insecurities, and internal dialogue reflect the thoughts and feelings we actually have.

Joel was such a fun character. A tad neurotic, insecure, and infallibly funny- he captivated your heart from the first page. Amy was so fierce, bold, and passionate. She was also stubborn, angry, and outspoken. Ray was such a voice of reason in a span of chaos. Cara appeared to be doting and highly compassionate, but she had issues of her own.

The resort was stunning; the descriptions of the island were so vibrant and lifelike it was easy to visualize paradise. You almost feel the warm, salty breeze on your face.

There is so much wit, sass, humor, and shenanigans in this novel. But it is so much deeper than a romantic comedy. There is so much heart packed within this story. The realization of the complexity of relationships is so defined.

Everything about this story is a win. I strongly recommend giving this book a read. You will laugh, scoff, get angry, and swoon. This novel is charming, funny, and a breath of fresh air. Original and emotional, the complications are so relevant. This story is so refreshing and an absolute must-read!

I found myself laughing (as well as cringing) along with Amy, Ray, Joel and Cara. Their escapades on a tropical getaway keep you entertained. Although I suspected a pertinent aspect to the story, not relayed until much later, I totally enjoyed reading this book and will definitely recommend it.
Thank you Nick Spalding, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

Fun yet insightful story that deals with the animosity that once-married Joel and Amy have for each other. They find themselves heading for the same vacation destination in Maldives that they visited before, but this time, each one is with someone else. Both of them do things to sabotage the other’s trip but eventually find out that they really aren’t the enemies they thought they were. More humorous than heavy, I found myself rooting for both of them!

Ex’s on the same vacation sounds like a nightmare, and in a way, for Amy & Joel both, this was definitely the case.
Things I enjoyed included the hijinks they both got up to. These had me laughing quite a bit.
I really enjoyed Ray’s character.
Things I didn’t enjoy included the other characters. Each of them came off a little petty and it made it hard to like. By the time any of them showed any redemption, it was a little too late for me.
I did enjoy the story, and I really didn’t see the twist coming.

What a fun and surprising read. I enjoyed the setting and I am sure this is the closest I will ever get to a resort in the Maldives. So that was fun. I think the biggest surprise was how much I laughed out loud.( sometimes uncontrollably. The situations Joel and Amy found themselves in were hilarious. My favorite character was Joel with his self deprecating humor. Now, I must say I was expecting a typical rom-com and this wasn’t that. But there was plenty of comedy and a happy ending, The ending seemed a bit abrupt but I was happy with how everything turned out. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

You Again? tells the story of a divorced couple still very bitter two years after the split who end up going to the same vacation spot with their new partners. You think this will be a book about recaptured love and it is after a fashion, just not at all predictable. The book is humorous as the two exes keep trying to escape seeing one another or become intent on revenge. It’s also quite revealing and somewhat angsty as the plot advances toward an unexpected conclusion. This new to me British author does a fine job keeping readers engaged and entertained. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

This book was not my favorite. Having read and enjoyed enemies-to-lovers and even lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, I was very disappointed by this book. To be completely fair, I did not finish it. That being said, I read 60% of the book and just didn’t enjoy it at all. Joel and Amy were both so petty but in a vicious way that didn’t make their “pranks” funny. I didn’t like any of the characters either.

A funny story about an ex couple who happens to be in Malvides the same time with their new partners . After two years of their divorce they meet again . They both hate each other and at the end we discover the real reason for their divorce . They see they both been wrong and realise that they will start again as friends .
I received this book from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.