I love Sophie Gonzalez’s other books and I was super excited to receive this one as an ARC, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I appreciated the girl power theme and casually queer components of the story, and the book wasn’t cringingly bad, but it was totally forgettable and not particularly enjoyable to read. I just did not understand the main characters at all. I never felt like I got to know them at all and they had zero chemistry with each other. We keep being told they have all these strong feelings for each other, but we never actually see that for ourselves. Ironically, the character whose personality we got to learn about the most was Jordy. The writing was also competent but not special, and the plot far fetched. I did not feel invested in what happened or eager to keep reading. Super bummer because I’ve so enjoyed all the other books of hers that I’ve read.

A glimpse behind the curtains of a reality tv show where exes get a second chance at love. Grab the popcorn, and a tissue - Never Ever Getting Back Together will keep you just as entertained like hours and hours of your romance reality tv show of choice while simultaneously rooting for love. Cute, quick read.

I love the premise of 2 contestants on a reality dating show fall for each other and they band together to take the man down. However, I did think it was weird that this book premise is YA and not adult. Why does does this crappy 18/19 year old guy have so many exes? That is the real question. I enjoyed the friendship, the hijinx, the secondary characters but found the main characters one dimensional. Maya’s only personality trait is that she hates Jordy (I mean I get it, I do to), but I needed something more than that.

This book came at the perfect time for me, after bingeing bachelor-esque shows and always being disappointed in the endings. This was perfectly cheesy, healthy romantic tension, and fun group dynamics. I would recommend for anyone looking for an easy, cheesy, sapphic romcom!

I absolutely adored this book, I found myself picking it up whenever I had excess time because I wanted to get through it so badly. The characters were just so endearing and it was such an engaging story that is so easy to immerse yourself into. I think that the reality TV show format is just super engaging and it really allows the reader to get into the story with an idea of how this all already works. I do wish we got to see just a little bit more about the production process itself, but it was a short book that was super fast paced, so its kind of excusable.

Skye and Maya's relationship was super cute, though it's super intimacy focused and kind of built out of mutual resentment, I also wished they were more fleshed out characters, but it was cute, and that ending was just adorable. I am a sucker for the specific trope used in the ending.

One other thing that was really weird was the fact that this is YA??? Like.... why? Why are we sending 18-20 year olds on a dating show, also they literally act like adults with adult experiences, there was no reason for this to be marketed at YA< and it kind of takes away from some of the nuance and the flavor that could've come from them being adults.

But also this book is just super fun, and super easy to invest yourself into. The villain and the twists are just so engaging, and one can get super fired up about it.

First off I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to receive and ARC of this book. All opinions shared in this review are solely my own.

Uplifting and a lesson well learned by the end of the book. Big Brother meets the Bachelor. A young group of women take back their power after being pitted against each other in a challenge to win back their undeserving ex-boyfriend.

I appreciated how Maya was written honestly with clear strengths and faults. At times her stubbornness was cringe worthy, but true to character for someone who was just trying to get revenge on the person who cheated on her. Author did a great job of making readers consider both perspectives in a major conflict towards the end.

Notable tropes/themes: Enemies to lovers, shared room, Bi rep

* I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.


Really cute LGBTQ YA romance book. I really enjoyed the characters, and I know it will be edited a little more before publication but there are a couple things I would have changed. Given the whole romance/drama reality tv show aspect, I would have expected everyone to be between 23-25 years old so having to keep reminding myself that they’re 18-19 kept throwing me off. Also, I like the idea that they’re in a made up country, which is called Chalonne, (that I believe is in Europe) but I wish that the author just said they spoke French or German or an already existing language because I had no idea what they were saying in “Chalonian”.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: gaslighting, cheating (past relationship)

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f YA
-dating reality show
-roommance
-forced proximity
-rivals to friends to lovers
-this is just a hookup
-bi rep
-revenge

This book was just fun. The premise was so smart and just created great tension throughout. A dating show, except the dates are all the lead's exes. Add in some cheating, a complete douche of a lead, and this book just kept me sucked in.

Maya was justifiably pissed and decided to join the show for revenge and honestly I can't blame her. She wore her heart on her sleeve, was vulnerable and lacked a filter that had me cackling. Of course she's roomed with the girl she least wanted to see - Skye. Skye was entirely allergic to feelings, trying to protect her heart. But what can you do when you fall for your roommate.

I loved how thees two came together to reach a common goal and really looked at living in the past, or living for yourself and your dreams.

Honestly I just need more books where exes fall for each other. If you're a fan of reality dating shows, of turning anything sapphic or just looking for a fun read I couldn't recommend this one more.

Steam: 1

This book was not what I was expecting it to be and I mean that in the best way possible!! I loved every page of this book!! The jokes and friendships were everything! The two female MCs have dated the same guy (who is a huge jerk!) and are asked to be apart of a reality show to give a second chance at love. The MCs are bisexual and end up obviously not being into their ex! I would definitely recommend this book to those who love a good romcom! I laughed throughout so many times!

Never Ever Getting Back Together was hilariously and charmingly petty, and it had me constantly laughing due to Maya and Skye's wit. With it's relatable characters, engaging story, and incredible humor, Never Ever Getting Back Together is the most entertaining thing I've read all year.

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

3.5 stars!

This was a cute book! I really enjoyed the writing style and it was a quick read. The biggest thing I struggled with was the relationship between the two main characters. At one point I thought I had skipped an entire chapter because I thought I must have missed some details about their budding romance - there was a lot that seemed very abrupt.

Overall enjoyable!

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really loved this book!! It was such an original idea, minimal spice, but still a great romance. It definitely gave me Do Revenge vibes (but with a much more wholesome ending.) Plus enemies to lovers! Four out of five stars!

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales is young adult romance book about Maya and Skye, two girls who dated the same guy around the same time. Maya is convinced Jordy cheated on her while Skye is convinced that Jordy broke up with Maya and Maya just wouldn’t let it go. When a new reality show starts that puts one man with all his exes to see if there is still a spark, Maya and Skye are forced to be around each other and the more they get to know each other, the more sparks begin to fly, just not with the person they are supposed to be with.

I was super excited about this premise. I love The Bachelor. It’s one of my guilty pleasure shows so this seemed to take that concept and add an extra dimension to it. However, it turned out to be a book more about revenge than I would have liked. I wanted there to be more components about the show aspect or for some more development between the love interests. I see that this is marketed as young adult and I went in thinking it was going to be adult or new adult so it’s possible my expectations were just a little high. I think this will probably work for people who go in with the right mindset.

CONTENT WARNING: infidelity, gaslighting

I loved the idea of getting public revenge against a douchecanoe ex on a reality show and showing the whole world who he is. I loved it even more when it also involved two of the contestants going from enemies to lovers and having a queer romance with each other instead of falling back in love with their ex. So it’s safe to say that this was one of my most anticipated reads from my list of ARCs.

Pretty sure most of us have come across at least one guy who comes across as sweet and genuine, the whole package, but winds up being a lying, manipulative jerk. The name “Jordy” should have been a dead giveaway, but I digress. Let me tell you—this guy was absolute trash. Like, throw the whole man out. He was completely irredeemable. I hated him intensely right from the start, and not just because we get to see Maya’s version of the story first. He’s simply awful.

After reading both Maya and Skye’s perspectives, I could easily see how both of them thought they were right, and how the two of them were ripe for confrontation from the start. And of course, throw in hurt feelings and anger that results from that and you get some pretty strong miscommunication. Which doesn’t help to resolve the conflict. It’s pretty clear that Maya is being set up to play the villain in the show, no matter how she is in real life, but I liked how instead of the girls getting catty and backstabbing, the characters generally behaved in a friendly and cooperative manner.

I especially loved seeing Maya and Skye resolving their conflict and not only becoming friendly, but acting on their attraction to each other. However, they also have to navigate the fact that they’re both on a show where they have to pretend to be attracted to their ex, and compete against each other, along with Maya’s desire to get revenge on Jordy and publicly humiliate him.

Both of the main characters wound up showing a lot of growth, and I loved reading this book. It was a fun and fluffy read for the most part, and although it touch on some heavier topics, like parental abandonment and the issues that go along with that, as well as the fear of homophobia, and trust issues that go along with cheating and gaslighting, it was a great and enjoyable read. I’m definitely going to be reading more books by this author!

A few years ago Maya was dating Jordy, he moved to another country, they did long distance and he cheated on her. Skye was the girl he meet in Canada and cheated on Maya with, but she never had any idea it happened. In present day Jordy is gathering all his exes to date him in a second chance reality show. Jordy has set Skye and Maya to hate each other, and lied in order to cover for his wrong doings. Maya enters the show with one objective to win and expose him. Skye enters the show with the best intensions and to see thing through with Jordy. What neither of them, or Jordy expects is for them to quickly sort things out between them, team up to get back at Jordy, but also maybe find love in each other.

This brings so many of my favourite things, drama, reality tv, girl power, and royalty. Honestly a reality dating show where 2 female contestants find love with each other and leave the guy in the dust is a dream concept.

Sophie Gonzales’ Never Ever Getting Back Together is a fun romance novel, filled with a love triangle, revenge of the ex, bi-rep and pop culture references galore. Have you ever thought - hey, those two girls/guys in the love triangle should just cut their losses and date each other instead? Well, this is the plot for you!

Our two MCs Skye and Maya dated a world class scumbag, who unbeknownst to them - dated each other at the same time. What they do know is that they weren’t treated very well by him, yet he still has that magnetic pull. Maya is full of vengeance and wants to either forget he ever existed or give him the worst time of his life. She gets the chance to do the latter when she gets a call inviting her to go on a Reality TV show featuring Jordy as the bachelor and having him date his exes so that one of them can get a second chance.

Honestly, I thought this book was really cute! I loved how Skye and Maya were forced to bunk together, and as readers we got to see them slowly develop feelings for someone on the show… that being someone other than Jordy! It’s a cheesy rom-com, perfect to read while sitting on the couch on a cold winter day with a tea or a glass of wine.

If I had to provide some criticism, it’d be that I wish there was a bit more distinction between Skye and Maya’s voices in the first half. I also felt that some of their choices went way over the top for rationality, but in a way that fits into the genre. I thought it was a great read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Sophie Gonzales and St Martin’s Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I loved this book! The idea of a reality show like the bachelor but with ex’s ! That’s begging for drama and although it could have easily been done and been the book version of Jerry Springer I’m glad the author didn’t take it that route. This story was cute, funny, witty and so original! Things do truly work out in the end when you’re not out for yourself !

Reviews Posted: October 12, 2022
Storygraph
Goodreads

This book was so cute, like this romance swept me off my feet. The plot and character development were so well-balanced, and that definitely surprised me.

The two main characters, Maya and Skye, were great, and I loved their chemistry together. I like that we got a look into their pasts, but I think it would have been even better if there were more. Knowing more about how each character functioned on their own but also together would have really made this book shine. The romance caught my attention right away, and their banter was everything I wanted.

I thought the concept of the dating show was great, and it allowed the reader to get a good idea about the side characters. The author perfectly captured every sleazy, lying, and narcissistic man I have ever met. For a good amount of this book, I was just mad because that is how angry the male lead was.

I think the biggest problem I had with this book was that it was YA. It just felt that with the character's age and the challenges they were facing, it would have lent itself better to new adult/adult. Like they all left their homes to go on a dating show in a different country, and our main characters were dealing with the future coming. I just feel that there was a missed opportunity. I don’t think it was a bad YA book, the placement just felt weird to me. It is definitely one of the books that can go either way.

Overall I had a really fun time reading this book, and the ending was so cute I couldn’t stop smiling.

Thanks NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this eARC, the opinions are my own. I absolutely adored this book! Sophie Gonzales is one of my favorite authors and I have loved all of her books! Maya is asked to join a reality show where she competes to win the opportunity to date her ex again, the only problem is he cheated on her and she never wants to see him again. But when it’s pointed out to her that she could use it to get revenge she decides to go. Skye is another contestant on the show, who is the one Maya’s ex cheated on her with. Can these two keep it together to take their ex down? What if something develops between them? The book is fully of the witty characters one would expect from a Sophie Gonzales book! Both protagonists are strong, determined, and fierce! Through the reality disasters and you got one hell of a book! I love the revenge plot at the way Skye and Maya work together! They both bring different this to the table! And while I had some frustrations with some of the other girls at first they all grew on me throughout the story! But oh man Jordy, the ex, yeah he’s a real piece of work! At first I thought maybe there would have been some growth but he just kept getting worse! I can’t recommend this book enough! If you like reality contests, revenge stories, enemies to loves, or any of Sophie’s other books you’ll love this one! Can’t wait to read it again!

OH MY WOW!!!!!!!! This book was everything I wanted and more! There's been a lot of reality tv books coming out, and I have been devouring them ALL, and this one is at the top of my favs list! Very cute enemies to friends to lovers, and also loved the bisexual rep! Loved it!