This was a highly entertaining book but I wish the blurb hasn’t given away so much. I love the script flip though.

Because I’m a sucker for trashy reality TV (Especially The Bachelor) I’m giving this book 2.5 stars (rounding to a 3)

I thought the concept was pretty cool and it definitely felt like I was watching an episode of The Bachelor however, each and every character was extremely insufferable.

I was really hoping I’d come love Maya and Skye but truthfully, I hated both of them so much. They were just so awful to each other and their “love” story kind of came out of left field and didn’t feel real at all. Not to mention how awful Jordy was. I almost couldn’t even continue he annoyed me so much.

That aside, I did genuinely enjoy the reality TV aspect and thought it was very entertaining. I just could have done without all the manipulative and awful characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

“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.” -Never Ever Getting Back Together, Sophie Gonzales

“Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Sophie Gonzales boasts a Taylor Swift-esque title but urges readers to stay for its decadent blend of fluttery, lighthearted romance, quick-witted banter, and brilliantly crafted comedic diction. While well-versed reality television viewers are familiar with the typical tropes of vapid and self-absorbed displays of its more grandiose characters, Gonzales portrays a stark contrast to this normality. The author does a wonderful job of turning these preconceived notions on their head and instead supplying readers with lovable, well-fleshed out depictions of realistic people. This novel successfully combines the addictive binge-ability of reality TV with a surprisingly sapphic plotline that will make even the most cynical of skeptics swoon.
Within this captivating snapshot into the real lives of a plethora of mediocre main-man, Jordy’s ‘ones that got away’, readers follow dual perspectives of his two most memorable exes. Greatly misunderstood protagonist, Maya, faces her worst nightmare when she is paired with Jordy’s “other woman”, Skye, whom he cheated on her with during their relationship. Maya and Skye are bound to begrudgingly combat their mutual loathing for each other in the forced proximity of their shared hotel room but discover their unlikely similarities along the way.
Maya, Skye, and the multitude of Jordy’s former lovers begin to uncover unprecedented cracks in his manipulation-driven stories realizing that he is not quite the charming dreamboat that he was previously portrayed as. I loved witnessing the women diverting expectations by banding together in the ultimate feminist takedown agenda instead of giving into catty stereotypes of tearing each other down instead. This novel revealed a refreshing take on female friendships and the importance of platonic love + mutual support, especially within the capsule of abusive and toxic relationships.
At times I did feel as if the storyline took a bit of a predictable approach, as I accurately guessed where the story was going from the get-go. I think this could have been partially due to the sheer amount of foreshadowing that Gonzales employed which thankfully did have ample follow-through. I will say I absolutely adored the progression and pacing of Maya and Skye’s relationship as opposed to their respective rekindlings with Jordy. I loved that they seamlessly transitioned from hateful roommates butting heads, to unlikely friends, and then to something a bit more. I found it very realistic that they faced struggles within their relationship such as abandonment issues, their fair share of gay panic towards each other, and trouble defining what their relationship was within their unique experience during the show. Their unwavering love and admiration for one another really drove the story forward and perfectly juxtaposed the harsh tones of fragile masculinity’s #1 posterchild, Jordy.
For me this came at the perfect time, as I have been craving something fluffy and fun similar to the reality shows I’ve found myself overly invested in as of late. This book really delivered all that and more, with a heaping side of girl power, timely verbiage that will make its target audience laugh out loud, and a women-loving-women story that veers from the sole focus being homophobia/coming out plotlines. I would really recommend this book to any reader who loves low-stake entertainment and sappy sapphic relationships between lovable characters!

I’m not a big reality dating show person, but honestly if one like this existed, I’d watch the hell out of it. This was a really fun and sweet book. I liked that we got both Maya and Skye’s POVs, but Maya took a little while to grow on me. She was a brat and a half in the beginning. Which, I’ll cut her some slack with the situation she was in, but still. Jordy was an absolute MONSTER and I loved it. He was written so well and so infuriatingly. I felt like I was saying “THAT BASTARD” every time he spoke! You can’t help but root for his destruction literally the second you meet him. As far as the romance goes, it did feel a little abrupt, but I thought Skye and Maya were very sweet together. There was just A LOT of miscommunication in this book that it got a little frustrating. The ending was a little lackluster for me, I would have liked to have seen Jordy really get what’s coming to him instead of just hearing about it. But there were a lot of funny moments that I think fans of reality TV will really enjoy. Overall, this was an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy of this book

This was a fun, light, enjoyable read. I love the "game show" type setting, and this book provided extra details about what it might be like to be on a reality show that I found really interesting. I liked how the characters all had different personalities, and I enjoyed that it was kind of a smaller group so that way we could really get to know who was who. Some "game show" type books introduce so many people, and it's hard to know what's going on. I also genuinely thought there were parts that were funny, and I found myself giggling on multiple occasions.

I only had a few small complaints, and I think they reflect on my personal opinions and not on the story itself. I personally felt like I didn't really connect to Skye or Maya, and there were definitely times where I forgot who's P.O.V I was reading, or times where I felt they were just being dramatic. In the end I really enjoyed the growth both characters had, but there were times in the middle that I found them annoying. There were also times in the story where I was a little confused about the exact setup of the show, and I felt that the rules could've been better explained so that I wasn't wondering what was going on. These were small things though that didn't take away from the story.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun, quick romantic comedy.

This book was one of the funniest books I have ever read. Following Maya and then Skye’s journey of revenge on their shitty Fuckboy ex Jordy was so satisfying especially since it was all done on a reality dating show where they had to pretend to be still in love with the guy on national television.
The witty dialogue, hilarious inner thoughts, and wonderful friendship building was perfect but Sophie went even further to create one of the most satisfying “why don’t we just date each other?” cheater tropes I have ever seen.
Because we all have thought, “why fight over a cheater when y’all could just date each other?”
Well, at least I have.
If you want to read all the spilt tea, laugh your ass off, and watch two bi girls fall in love, read this book.
Even if you don’t, just read it. It’s so good.

I couldn't get enough of this queer New Adult rom com!! Such a fun premise: a Bacherlor type reality show that sees Jordy, an obscure royal seeing if he can rekindle romance with a cast of his exes. If you can suspend belief on the plausibility of a show like this ever happening, it worked for me because the main protagonists were the women, in particular Skye and Maya who end up roommates on the show and reluctant partners trying to expose Jordy for the jerk they know him to be.

Great on audio narrated by Natalie Naudus and Barrie Kreinik (two of my fav narrators). This book gave me lots of I kissed Shara Wheeler vibes, had great bisexual rep and was able to tow the line between sweet enemies to lovers romance and entertaining over the top reality show revenge drama. Highly recommended! Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book is really cute and I think it’ll be perfect for younger audiences, and for people who like low stakes rom coms and reality shows.

It’s well written and even though a few of the chapters felt unnecessary — I could’ve done without an entire chapter about royalty training — I think those details will be really enjoyable for readers who love bachelor-style reality shows.

I loved the bi representation and that the contestants didn’t lean into the petty and vicious backstabbing we see among women on these types shows, but I think it couldn’t used some more character development. The book is almost 400 pages but I never felt like I knew much about Maya or Skye — other than their mutual hatred for one another and then Jordy — and it was hard telling them apart for most of the book.

Regardless, that wasn’t a total deal breaker and I’d still recommend this anyone looking for a light and fun story to get lost in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of "Never Ever Getting Back Together" in exchange for an honest review. Fun concept and I would encourage others to pick it up. It wasn't as much my cup of tea as I thought it was going to be. I felt myself not being consumed by the characters and plot in ways that I would have expected to. I didn't feel myself buying into the characters and felt like they could have been more developed. Ultimately a fun read.

Two years ago, Maya’s ex-boyfriend, Jordy, cheated on her, leaving her heartbroken and wishing the world could see him for who he is, instead of the charming brother of the girl who married the crown prince of a minor European country.

Skye has always guarded her heart, ever since her mom left. But Jordy was the first person she came close to letting in. Until he moved away and never spoke to her again.

Then both girls receive a call to be on a reality TV show, starring Jordy. Each of them, along with several other ex-girlfriends, will have the chance to rekindle their relationship with him.

Maya goes for revenge and to set the record straight on TV.
Skye goes to show Jordy the spark between them was real, and they can get it back.

But Jordy ends up a side character in this enemies-to-lovers story. *insert smirk*.

Once again, Sophie killed it. This story about two girls falling for each other when they’re supposed to be falling for someone else is so fun! I hated Jordy so much, and Maya and Skye were opposites in the most perfect ways. I was rooting for them the whole time! This book was funny and cute, and I can’t wait to read whatever Sophie puts out next.

I've yet to read a Sophie Gonzalez book that I haven't loved, and she delivered yet again. The premise was impeccable: Taylor Swift reference in the title, reality show centered around second chance romance, strong dash of revenge, and two rivals falling for each other instead? Sign me up.

Two years ago, Jordy Miller cheated on Maya. Now that his sister's marrying royalty, he's suddenly in the public eye and looking like a saint. So when the reality show Second Chance Romance asks her to be on, she says yes - in order to get revenge. And she ends up roping Skye, her one-time rival, in on the plan. But the plan never included falling in love... and not with Jordy.

This had the lighthearted fun drama that I was hoping for with a healthy dose of humor. There's all the chaos and messiness you expect from a reality dating show plus lots of tongue-in-cheek references to the way it's all manufactured. I adored the wry sense of humor and genuinely laughed out loud multiple times.

I also appreciate that Sophie Gonzalez explicitly writes bisexual characters! And furthermore, that their identities aren't the main conflict of the book. Reading coming out stories is important, but sometimes you just want some queer representation where the characters get to be queer and it's not a problem - both forms of representation are equally important.

This is YA, so bear that in mind - you're not going to get tons of spice and the characters are going to be a bit silly sometimes. They're 18. And this is taking place in a fictional country with a fictional royal family (that made me think of Genovia). But it's got heart, brought a big smile to my face, and felt utterly satisfying.

Recommended listening: We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (of course) paired with Vigilante Shit... and an honorable mention to Cell Block Tango. He had it coming, y'all.

A lot of drama, a lot of chaos, very bachelor-esque…but with a twist. I received this as an advanced readers copy in return for my opinion from NetGalley.

I personally didn’t love that the characters were so young — so if you don’t like books with teens as the main characters, this one isn’t for you. It follows a guy and mainly 2 of his ex-girlfriends….who in taking down revenge, end up falling in love with each other. Honestly a twist I didn’t see coming!

The writing style was good, story line semi-original? Not my cup of tea, but again, that’s just me.

Because forgiveness is a nice thing to do...right? I loved the set-up and delivery on this one. The characters blew me away.

Bisexual baddies teaming up to destroy their slimy ex on reality tv? Did I die and go to heaven?

This book was truly delightful. It’s been awhile since I started a book and was immediately pulled into the complex characters, the unique plot, and the diabolical machination that were happening. It is a dream come true to find a book that you truly don’t want to set down because you are so engrossed in the story. This book did that for me.

Not only is this book incredibly entertaining but it also carries a lot of weight with it. There’s a lot of he said/she said that goes on and it explores how damaging gaslighting can be for people who are manipulated by others and how easily it is for people to twist a narrative to suit themselves and publicly ostracize others. At times my heart ached for Maya and Skye but not a lot could keep my gals from achieving their goals of domination.

As I stated before this book has excellent and dynamic characters. Each girl in the house has her own unique personality and motivators and I loved that they didn’t fall into complete caricatures or appear flat. Each of them were interesting and played off of each other well. Naturally I was rooting for Skye and Maya to pull off their revenge scheme, but everyone had an important role to play in this story.

I truly enjoyed this story. It made me laugh, it made me gasp, and it made me glad I’m not trying to date any of my exes 😅 (you couldn’t pay me to do that ever again). This book was a perfectly heart warming queer story that was able to hit a lot of emotional notes. This is a perfect closed door romance.

The fact that I finished this in less than 24 hours should tell you a lot. This was such a trip and honestly so much fun! It’s not perfect and it’s definitely predictable but I had a blast reading it. Truly couldn’t put it down

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so fun, fast-paced, and engaging that it was so hard for me to slow down and take the notes I usually do when reading a review copy. This is exactly the type of book I’m looking for when I want a YA rom com.

The set up: Maya and Skye are eighteen year-old rival contestants on the new dating show “Second Chance Romance” where they are competing to win back their ex, Jordy, but are they there for the right reasons?!! (*insert studio gasping sound here*)

Skye may be there to actually rekindle the love between her and Jordy, but Maya is there for revenge, and hopes to expose him for the kind of person he is while on the show. With the forced proximity between our two main girls, hijinks ensue, past timelines are compared, and maybe some sparks fly along the way? (wink wink nudge nudge)

I absolutely adored this book and had an absolute blast while reading it. The reality TV bits were delightfully cringy, and the romance was one I could fully believe in and was rooting for by midway through the book.

As with all of her other books that I have read (Only Mostly Devastated, Perfect on Paper, and If This Gets Out), Sophie Gonzales wrote another absolutely wonderful YA queer romance. I look forward to rereading this at some point in the future.

This was so adorable!!

The bachelor take on YA was a bit silly but it worked and I was giggling half the book. Two girls falling in love while taking down their ex all on reality tv. I live for it.

Some parts were a bit too cheesy/young for me but It seemed age appropriate and was adorable.

I with the angst built a bit longer between them but I thought it was cute and I recommend!!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s publishing for the e-arc!

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzalez 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Drama. Pettiness. Revenge. Heartbreak. Sapphic romance. Women bonding over shitty men. I mean, what more can you ask for? Never Ever Getting Back Together has such a fun and unique concept that I absolutely devoured. When a group of women are invited into a reality show to potentially rekindle a relationship with their common ex-boyfriend, almost-royalty, Jordy Miller, there are mixed feelings and emotions. However, they will all eventually want the same thing: revenge. Jordy is your typical, self absorbed asshole ex we all know too well. Maya is bitter and hurt. Skye is reserved and cautious. When they join forces to get their vengeance, something unexpected blooms.

“I thought it was easy to choose not to fall for someone. But it’s not. It’s not something you can control. You don’t jump. You get pushed….You fall. Head over heels, right?”

This romance was so sweet and unexpected. You get to watch as Maya and Skye set out to burn their asshole ex but end up falling in love unexpectedly.

⚠️Possible spoilers ahead⚠️

The beginning of the novel, I was not too keen on the relationship and tension building between Skye and Maya. It did not feel authentic or romantic at all. As a bisexual woman myself, I tend to be very critical of bisexual characters, simply due to my own experiences. It felt like Maya and Skye were sexually attracted to each other but not romantically attracted, if that makes sense. But as the plot continued, it blossomed and definitely proved me wrong. As the reader, you feel just like the MCs did. Their attraction and affection for each other grew slowly & suddenly. It was not intentional. It was not planned. But it happened. & I loved it. My initial concerns were quickly evaporated & replaced with giddiness. Such a sweet story. Round of applause for Gonzalez!

Story: 3.5 ⭐️
Steam: 2 🔥 closed door/YA

I was VERY excited for the premise of this book. I read the description and felt like I NEEDED to read it. I was a disappointed at first but I’m glad I stuck it out to the end! Overall, it’s worth a read if you like YA romance!

Pros:
- I loved the concept, it’s so unique and I thought it was very creative.
- There were a ton of funny bits that made me laugh
- Really cute bonding scenes
- I love getting some bi rep 🙌🏻
- Kept my attention majority of the time

Cons-
- It’s YA (more below)
- Petty teenage drama
- Some of the romantic aspect between our leads felt rushed and like it wasn’t the main focus of the book


About it being YA…

I was a disappointed at the beginning when I realized this was YA and not adult. I guess this is my fault for not checking the genre but when the blurb states ““Wickedly funny [and] searingly sexy.”―Kelly Quindlen, author of She Drives Me Crazy” I expect the book to be, well… searingly sexy 😂 which it was not and my issue wasn’t the lack of smut (though that would have been fun) but with the characters ages making the storyline less believable. Our female leads are about 18 while Jordy (the male lead of the TV show) is only 20. Doing the math we see that Maya and Jordy dated when they were 16/18. I think that if these characters would have been 10 years older, this story would have been way more realistic and the stakes would have felt higher. Why would anyone wanna see 18-21 year olds dating their high school exes?

To absolutely no one's surprise i adored this book! This book has literally everything you could ever want. There is a bachelor style premise, female friends, girls standing up for other girls, a saphic romance, enemies to lovers! I literally couldn't ask for a single other thing. I adored this and I know everyone else who reads it too!
Bonus points for Taylor Swift references!