This was such a fun read! You have a dating reality TV show, revenge on an ex-boyfriend and an unexpected romance. I fell in love with both Maya and Skye and was routing for them throughout the book. It was the perfect opposite attract love story with Maya being sarcastic and extraverted and Skye quiet and sweet. Read this book if you enjoy drama, reality tv and sweet queer romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love a revenge/romance combo! Plus, this one is wonderfully gay. I also enjoyed the exploration of the different women participating in the bachelor-style televised contest and their various reasons for doing so—I hadn't thought too much about why people would do such a crazy thing, and it was full of good theories.

I loved the premise of this book. The characters were engaging, and enjoyable. The romance was cute. I loved the build up from enemies to allies/friends to lovers. I really enjoyed this. I will be recommending it to all of my friends.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest feedback.

While I found this entertaining to read—the premise was exciting, the pace was quick, and it definitely made me laugh—there were quite a few elements of the book that didn't work for me, unfortunately.

Overall, the characters felt flat, with each of their only defining characteristics being their relationship with their ex, Jordy. Specifically, our two main characters' whole personalities were based on their hatred of Jordy. It really made it difficult to root for them at all. While this is addressed later in the story, it was too little too late for me.

I also needed clarification on the characters' ages. The book's entire premise (dating reality show with exes as contestants) felt like it would work better with adults, even just characters in their late twenties. Having the characters at such a young age (late teens/early twenties?) felt both unrealistic and limiting.

My biggest complaint was the lack of chemistry between our love interests. I didn't buy it, and it seemed to be dropped into the story suddenly at the halfway point in the book. I wanted more build up, more hints throughout the beginning of the story, but we were too focused on the revenge plotline.

While I was disappointed in this read, I've enjoyed Sophie Gonzales' past work and love the creativity of her concepts, so I'll give her next piece a try.

Oh my gosh - this book was so much fun!

I started reading this on a whim and quickly devoured it within a few days. The romance was adorable and there were so many moments where I genuinely laughed out loud. This book was an utter delight!

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a face paced story that would be perfect for getting out of a reading slump. It's very "The Bachelor" while also having a unique twist on the trope. It feels original and takes a set up we've all seen before & turns it into something different. I loved seeing the behind the scene bits of filming & all the details about filming a TV show.

I loved both main characters and really enjoyed the dual POV throughout. Both main characters had distinct voices and having them both narrate gave the story a more rounded feel. The romance between Skye and Maya was also super cute!! They had "opposites attract" vibes, especially towards the beginning.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a beautiful YA contemporary book that belongs on your TBR! It has romance, feminism, and reality TV... What more could you need?

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales is a hilariously charming mix of romance meets reality show.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a welcomed twist on romances centering around reality dating shows. A fan of Gonzales's writing, I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed. I enjoyed the story, especially the humor. (I completely agree with Maya's assessment of wine.) Although the characters do not show much depth, Maya and Skye are relatable and their romance is endearing. I would recommend this to fans of YA romances that feature enemies-to-lovers. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

I’m DNFing this one at 41%. It’s not bad, it’s just not for me. The writing is great (absolutely loved Sophie’s previous book If This Gets Out) and so are the characters, and I think this certainly deserves an audience. I just wish the characters were a little older. The fact that they’re 18 and being exploited on a reality TV dating competition is all kinds of inappropriate, and early on in the book one of the MCs (Maya) hates the other MC (Skye) because her boyfriend (Jordy) cheated with her. I really really do not like when women hold the person who their ex cheated with responsible. Girlfriend, focus on who wronged you (the cheating boyfriend) and move on. The other woman was as much as victim as she was.
Anyway, what I read was technically well written and compelling but was a bad fit for me personally. I might consider coming back to this again some other time.

The following review was posted on my blog today, Sunday, November 27th, 2 days before publication. It will be shared on Twitter and Instagram between today and the day of publication, and has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.




“I love you, too, by the way.”
“I thought you didn’t do love.”
“There’s a lot of things I thought I didn’t do.”

Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQIA+
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Gaslighting, toxic relationships, and cheating are a big thing here. Also, definitely some biphobia and all-round douchebag-ery.

“Never Ever Getting Back Together” follows Maya and Skye as they participate in a new reality TV show called Second Chance Romance, where they’re both competing for their ex-boyfriend’s, Jordy’s, heart. But here’s the thing, back in the day, Jordy cheated on Maya with Skye—and then spread fake rumors about Maya, and how he had actually broken up with her but she turned into a low-key stalker. That’s why Maya’s on the TV show, not for Jordy’s heart, but for revenge, while Skye does seem to have some noble intentions… Until sparks start flying between two characters, and none of those is the dumbass Jordy.

First off, if you’ve been here for a while, you know I’m a big Taylor Swift fan (aka a swiftie)—so it should be no surprise if I tell you that the main reason I was called to click on this book was because of its title, and its title alone. Now, on to the actual review.

This is the first book by Sophia Gonzalez that I have ever read but she has been a long-standing member of my TBR list—and I’ll definitely be grabbing those other books real soon.

I don’t even know how to begin to explain “Never Ever Getting Back Together”. I really like books that are set in a reality TV setting, even though I’m not a big reality TV watcher myself, and this story was honestly all I’ve been wishing to read in one of those for a long time. But if there is one thing I would’ve changed about this book was making it more PG18, rather than PG13. Just for the sake of the plot, which has the characters being in their late teens and early twenties, it just felt weird that this was a YA book.

Disregarding that, I really enjoyed the story and, above all, Sophie Gonzales’s writing. Her writing style is descriptive without being overwhelming, and it has a lot of organic, long conversations. I love when I can really see when the characters fell in love, not just some insta-love trope. (Also, it helped that I absolutely loved Maya).

Maybe its because I’m impartial to the enemies-to-lovers trope, but I just a really enjoyed this read. I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for some sapphic, reality-TV-inspired novel.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: November 29, 2022

“Me and Maya, we’re a good example of how first impressions don’t always set the tone for the rest of it.”

Sophie Gonzalez has really hit her stride with NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER. I laughed and I even teared up a bit! Set on a Bachelor type show featuring the teenage brother of the Princess of Chalonne as he reacquaints himself with his exes to see if one of them is "the one," this YA romance blends two of the best tropes: royalty & reality television as forced proximity.

Our main characters are Skye and Maya, two amazing and quintessentially chaotic bisexual young women who unfortunately have the shared experience of dating the same dude bro, Jordy Miller. However, this shared ex brings our two heroines together on the reality show. They share a room and go from true enemies with a heated clash to tentative friends to eventual lovers.

Gonzalez is excellent at depicting big emotions. and Maya, Skye, and Jordy have them, as do the other girls. I liked how she balanced threading in the show and the other girls while truly putting Skye & Maya in settings where they could be alone and bond. The revenge plot was well done as a driver of plot and I loved how it played out in the end.

I can't wait to see what Gonzalez writes next--she is quickly becoming my favorite writer of bisexual YA!

“You were just factually telling us some factual things that factually happened.”

Two girls - one out for revenge and one open to rekindling a romance - agree to go on a reality dating show called Second Chances for their ex-boyfriend. Pitted as enemies, the girls form a friendship that turns into more.

I really wanted to like this. The premise is so fun and unique, especially after reading several books that involve reality dating shows that all seem to flow the same way. But the story never really gets going and I never had a chance to get emotionally invested.

What I loved about this book was the plot and that is has some really funny moments. A reality dating show where the suitor, Jordy, is newly famous and invites his exes on for a second chance. The show itself is over-the-top, trying to show how lovely Jordy is. Buy when Maya and Skye are forced to share a room, their initial dislike turns into something more that they never expected. As they are young, their banter is fun and there were a few moments when I found myself laughing out loud.

My issues with this book are that the story never feels fully fleshed out and I couldn’t get past the feeling that they were too young for a show like this. The potential this had was so great but the execution was not. It feels like things just happen and nothing feels cohesive. I didn’t feel any chemistry between Maya and Skye. It felt like they were enemies to almost friends to a couple without any tension or build up. It just feels like it happens almost out of nowhere. I didn’t feel excited about their blooming romance and the chemistry just wasn’t there for me.

It also felt weird to me that they’re 18 and 20 on a dating show. I get that they’re adults but they felt incredibly immature at times. There’s also a strange moment when the producer basically asks them to do something with more sex appeal for the show, and honestly, it just felt a little gross. I’m in no way a prude, but here they just felt too young. It doesn’t come off funny, it feels inappropriate when directed at 18-year-old girls.

As much as I loved the premise, I really wish the story was more fleshed out and detailed. The lack of cohesion feels off and there wasn’t enough chemistry between Maya and Skye to keep me interested.

This book was so good! I need more from this author! Skye is such a great character!
Yes! I think it’s awesome that Maya and Skye end up together instead of the guy!

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

⭐️.5/5 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow this book disappointed me. I was so excited about the concept of this book, an LGBT twist on the bachelor, but unfortunately, this book let me down.

The first 60 to 70 percent was incredibly slow. I just felt like nothing happened and it was really dragging. It took forever for the relationship to develop between the two main characters, and when it finally did, it felt super sudden and unrealistic.

One positive about this book was that it was pretty funny at times, which was the reason this book is a 1.5 and not just a 1 star.

This book just didn’t hook me like I thought it would, and sadly I just don’t think it’s worth the read.

#sophiegonazles #neverevergettingbacktogether #stmartinspress #netgalley #bookreview #bookstagram #books #booksta #bibliophile #currentreads #ilovebooks #fiction #bookish #bookcommunity #booklove #bookblog #bookworm #booknerd #book #2022reads #reads #2022books #reading #bookreview #bookrec

This is a rom-com lovers dream come true!!! I really loved how Sophie Gonzales put a twist on the very popular dating show we all know well. I especially enjoyed how the other contestants were made to realize what a bad person Jordy was and that they deserved way better. In the end everyone got what they deserved and Maya and Skye can be amazing together!

Fav Quote: "They don't call it gently cascading for someone. you don't gracefully descend for someone. You fall. Head over heels, right? And either someone catches you, or they don't, and you don't have any control over how badly bruised you are at the bottom of it."
3.5/5

** Thank you to NetGalley and to Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I don't genuinely go into a tropey-looking romcom expecting it to be the best book I read that year. It's just not the type. But even though this book wasn't the best-best-best book on my reading list this year, it's pretty high up there! I had a lot of fun reading this one.

Pros
Scumbag Ex: This is the type of book that needs a real scumbag ex, and Sophie Gonzales definitely provided that. Jordy's a liar and a misogynist, and he nonchalantly proves himself time and again. The big red flags are glaring, but it was the little things that got me in the spirit--the constantly referring to women he supposedly cared about as "chicks, for one. They were definitely never, ever getting back together--like, ever.

Tropey: When tropes work, they really do! This book is set up like a second-chance romance (obviously, the whole "reality show" at play is spun around that concept), but with an ex like Jordy, there's no way that's going to happen. Instead, we get a handful of other well-spun tropes playing out behind the scenes of the reality show, and I really, really enjoyed that. Gonzales embraces tropes beautifully.

Talk It Out: One thing I hate is when the primary source of drama in a book stems on a misunderstanding--particularly, a misunderstanding that could easily have been avoided (or sorted after the fact) by people just, you know, communicating. Though some of the initial tension here stems from misunderstanding, these characters do talk it out, and that flips the whole narrative. And I loved that.


Cons
Wrong Audience: The worst part about this book is that it's been written for entirely the wrong audience. Sure, these characters are technically of legal age, so the plot works. But who actually would watch a reality dating show about a bunch of eighteen-year-olds that isn't about the fact that they're, you know, eighteen? Maya's concerns about her suitability for college life could easily have been transferred to a concern about heading right into med school or some other form of graduate study. If these characters had been aged up four or five years, it would have made much, much more sense--and the writing otherwise wouldn't have needed to change. There were certainly enough shots done and curses uttered for these characters to feel pretty comfortable in their adulthood. Sophie Gonzales might have an active market already in YA, but this book wasn't the right fit.

Immediate Relevant Details: This is perhaps a nitpicky issue I have, but it always makes the writing feel a little less-than-polished to me when details that are relevant to a scene are shared with readers immediately before that scene. Once or twice, when it's unavoidable, sure. But to have little things that happened in Maya and Jordy's relationship shared right before they're dragged up again in the show might make sense on reality TV but makes less sense in flashbacks behind the scenes.

Chalonne: This faux-European country, a mixture of France and Germany as far as I could tell, is a fun setting. A romcom is always more fun in fake Europe. But maybe the setting should have been left at the setting, no language necessary. The characters here don't speak this faux language, after all. And as someone who has more-than-casually studied linguistics, the mechanics of this fake language, the few times the language was thrown into the mix, were grating, to say the least. Others might not mind or notice, but it hurt me so much that I couldn't not mention it.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10

Those who enjoyed the reality-show mechanics of Kathryn Foxfield's Come Out, Come Out Whatever You Are will enjoy this behind-the-scenes dive into the world of "reality" as well. Those who enjoyed Elise Bryant's Happily Ever Afters will appreciate this fun, tropey read.

• Reality Competition
• Rom-Com
• Dual POV

The story follows Skye and Maya, both of whom are exes of Jordy Miller. Jordy invites them and his other ex-girlfriends to a reality competition to regain his love. Maya isn’t interested in rekindling things with Jordy, she wants revenge because he cheated on her with Skye. Skye thinks Maya is just a jealous ex. As time goes on, Jordy’s real character comes out to shine and the two girls grow closer.

This book was so funny! I loved the ridiculousness of Jordy’s behavior. I think it’s a little ridiculous to think that people under the age of 21 have so many meaningful and adult-like relationships. I enjoyed the evolution of Skye and Maya’s relationship from enemies to more than friends. Both characters were well written and had full personality. This was such a comforting and humorous read for me.

<i>Thank you to Sophie Gonzales, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the digital ARC of Never Ever Getting Back Together through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.<i>

#NeverEverGettingBackTogether #SophieGonzales #StMartinsPress #WednesdayBooks #NetGalley #ARC #eARC

Sophia Gonzales has written a fun and well written romantic book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will recommend it to my friends.

What do you do when you finish Love is Blind and Bachelor in Paradise in the same week? You read a romcom that takes place while filming a reality dating show, that’s what.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a feisty YA rom com that’s great on audio! It would be a fun book to go in blind to, since the blurb really explains the entire plot of the novel.

Maya is invited to star on the reality dating show Second-Chance Romance. Her ex-boyfriend Jordy cheated on her two years ago - and then made everyone believe that she was the “crazy” one. He is now a minor celebrity after his sister married the prince of a small European country. Maya agrees to go on the dating show so she can embarrass him as badly as he did her two years ago. But when she gets there, she finds out she’s rooming with Skye - the very person that Jordy cheated on her with.

For me, after finishing two very dramatic reality dating shows, this novel was a bit tame. There was some drama, and Jordy is very villainous, so it was very bingeable. I overall enjoyed it, but it won’t be one of my favorites for the year.

Never Ever Getting Back Together follows Maya, who gets invited onto a second chance romance show with her celebrity ex who cheated on her and lied about it to make her look obsessive. Maya is determined to expose him on live TV, but that means being around Skye, the girl he cheated with. As Maya and Skye work out how their ex played them both, they team up to bring him down, and end up finding new love with each other!

I loved Sophie Gonzales’s previous book Perfect on Paper, but this one was a whole new level. The pacing had me flying through the pages desperate to see what came next! Maya and Skye made such a cute couple, and it was lovely to see how they balance each other out despite being very different people.

The book deals heavily with misogyny and girl-on-girl hate, and I love how it unpacks the harmful way reality shows — and society at large — often pit women against each other. The female characters don’t behave perfectly by any means, and even Maya and Skye engage in toxic behaviors, but the book makes it very clear that it’s a product of internalized sexism, and that was very refreshing to see.

The ending somehow manages to balance a message of not letting revenge consume you AND the evil ex getting his just deserts, and I was so here for it! I came away feeling extremely happy and satisfied.

thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy! I really enjoyed this one! I read this in October and haven't found a single minute to write this review until now, so :( sorry for the delay!!

if you're wondering whether this is the book for you, I only have one question. id you watch Netflix's Do Revenge and think to yourself, gosh, this was great, but if only it were gayer? then yes, this is the book for you!

Sophie Gonzales' characters are always deeply interesting people, and I would say that was Never Ever Getting Back Together's biggest strength. Maya and Skye, two bisexual girls who dated the same boy and end up falling for each other, are both intricately (and beautifully) written. Maya in particular was so fun to read because she is, like, super bitter, and I loved that she was allowed to be a little morally grey. because sometimes you have an ex that turns you just a little bit evil when you so much as hear their name!

I would say my only minor beef with this book is that it bordered on instalove - Maya and Skye fell for each other before they really truly knew each other, and while that added to the drama in the end (no spoilers), I almost wasn't convinced by it. but in the end, I was, in fact, convinced by it, and then my only beef was with Jordy, who absolutely deserves it. (if anyone has any evil f*ckboy exes they'd like me to punch, I have a lot of rage saved up from this book. just point me in his direction.)

I have a lot of thoughts on the ending, but at risk of spoiling it all in this short review, I'll have to keep them to myself. all in all, I thought this was a really fun romance that reminded me how much I support women's wrongs as much as their rights. it was a very quick read because it was so engaging, so I really recommend picking it up and giving it a try!