Never Ever Getting Back Together is a fun twist on the dating show trope but with some queer representation!

I like to go into books blind sometimes where I don’t read the “jacket copy” beforehand so I didn’t know the plot beforehand. I almost out this book down in the first few chapters because I hated the guy ( the “bachelor” lead on the show) and I just couldn’t get behind him at all. Lo and behold though - he isn’t the romantic lead THANK GOODNESS - and once I realized this, I was much more on board.

This was a super fun, new adult romance that I definitely recommend!

The premise of this was cute (and I loved perfect on paper) boy meets exes on reality TV for a second chance? Here for it! Romance blossoming between two of the exes he brought on the show? One heck of a meet cute. And I love a good YA rom com!

I was hoping for more of a one to watch/the selection type plot, but what we got was more real housewives and the bachelor. Waaaaaayyy too much drama. The sparks weren't really there between the heroines either.

This was a quick read, had promise of being a cute YA story with a magical palatial setting it wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Jordy cheated on Maya with Skye. In Skye’s defense, she didn’t know that Jordy was in a relationship.

When Jordy’s sister marries royalty, Jordy is thrown into the limelight and gets his own reality series where the contestants are his exes. He invites Maya and Skye onto the show by telling them that it would mean the world to him if they went on the show.

Although the premise of the book is initially captivating, the plot quickly devolved into Maya becoming super desperate with getting revenge on Jordy. It gets kind of ridiculous and all-consuming. Skye and Maya‘s Romance goes from 0 to 100 which leaves little room for the usual build up.

In short, the idea is a good one, but the execution isn’t entirely there. Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Gonzales took a teen comedy, reality TV tropes, shoved it into a blender, poured it into a glass and garnished it with satire to write Never Ever Getting Back Together. Well, maybe the satire is my interpretation of things, but I didn't think I'd crack up this much while reading a teen/YA book. I appreciate how the girls in the reality show bonded gradually, instead of banding together with just sudden girl power plot twist. The way things developed between Maya and Skye is also believable. This book has teenagers drinking in a country where the drinking age is 18, among other things that would make conservative parents clutch their pearls, but honestly nothing worse than what's on HBO, content-wise. (I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.)

Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Gonzales, and her team for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4 Stars

"When their now famous ex-boyfriend asks them to participate in a teen reality show, two eighteen year old girls—one bent on revenge, the other open to rekindling romance—get tangled up in an unexpected twist when they fall for each other instead.

It’s been two years since Maya's ex-boyfriend cheated on her, and she still can’t escape him: his sister married the crown prince of a minor European country and he captured hearts as her charming younger brother. If only the world knew the real Jordy - the manipulative liar who broke Maya’s heart. When Maya receives an invitation to be a contestant on a new reality show in which the now-famous Jordy will re-date his ex-girlfriends in an effort to find “the one that got away,” she isn’t interested…that is, until she realizes she can use this opportunity to exact her revenge. If she can make it to the finale, she can reject and expose Jordy while publicly breaking his heart. As far as Maya’s concerned, it’s just what a guy like Jordy deserves.

But when she gets to the set, she’s confronted with the one person she hasn’t accounted for: Skye, the beautiful, charismatic girl Jordy cheated on her with. As they navigate the competition, Skye and Maya discover that their real happily ever after is nothing they could have ever scripted."

Wow ok, first of all, worth mentioning I finished this book in only 3 days since I just couldn't put it down!! Right from the first chapter, it just draws you in, hook, line & sinker!
The book has its funny moments, its exciting moments, its "Yes!! Take.Him.Down!!!" moments, and most importantly its romantic moments.
I really liked all the other contestants and any scene with all of them bonding was really fun! Jordy was a serious a-hole so any scene either planning or executing his exposure was really exciting (and in some cases nerve-wracking) to read.

When it comes to our girls - I couldn't help but immediately connect and feel for Maya right from that amazing first chapter. With Skye it took me a while longer, but when I finally did it was so, so worth it, because by the end of the book that girl fell HARD and I absolutely loved to see it! By the end of it she was probably my favorite character <3
All the scenes relating to their romance, starting with their first kiss and onwards were brilliantly executed!! And I must say, I'm not used to two romantic leads having this much open communication and it was such a lovely surprise, because I have no words to express how much I loved all their heart-to-hearts and the way Maya has been slowly helping Skye open up. I can only hope more books will start taking this route, giving their romantic leads battles to face together, outside of their relationship, rather than inner problems resulting from the same old lack of communication problem.

Nevertheless, I do think Maya and Skye's relationship deserved more building as they were getting close, before anything romantic actually happened. When the first romantic inclinations started to show, it felt sudden and without enough buildup. I would've expected them to be closer and have more meaningful scenes beforehand, maybe even a few heart-to-hearts like the ones I loved so much. I really enjoyed the romance once it happened, I can only imagine how much more I would've enjoyed it had the proper tension between them been built ahead of time for an even bigger climax when they finally collided.
I also would've wanted a few more chapters right at the end of the book - to actually see (rather than hear) how their lives actually are after the show, their relationship, meeting each other's family, etc.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book! If you're a fan of sapphic romance, well-deserved revenge, and reality TV - I definitely recommend checking it out!! :)

The dates and actual show aspects were glossed over in favor of relationships that were a bit lackluster. I didn’t care for either Maya or Skye, finding them annoying. Though they pushed through the different challenges and weeks at a very fast pace, the in between bits felt incredibly slow, and somewhat repetitive. Jordy was increasingly mean and shallow, but so was Maya. She was too focused on her goal of revenge and didn’t execute that plan well at all.

I often confused the other girls on the show and didn’t connect well with the two narrators, who I also confused. It’s noted at the beginning of each chapter whose point of view it is, but I couldn’t tell sometimes. Maya, watching Skye, with no references to either of their names for pages, she did this. Wait, who am I reading again?

The premise was fun and I expected quite a bit from Gonzales, having loved her previous books so much! But the characters just weren’t it for me, nor was the show structure. I suppose I was expecting something more like the Charm Offensive, but with bisexual women instead. More wit and more developed main characters. If the rest of the show had been glossed over but the characters felt fuller, I would have been more happy.

2.5 stars rounded up.

thank you so much to netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!


to be perfectly honest, I'm a little disappointed. a lot disappointed. the premise of this book was fantastic and i LOVED if this gets out. I'm super excited to read her other books and when i saw she had a new one coming out, i was thrilled. but this book felt so flat. the writing was flat, the plot was flat, the scenes felt...fake? i don't know, it just didn't have any depth. it felt way too much like reality tv, i guess. all of the characters felt like cartoony caricatures of the roles they were playing in the story, and none of the relationships were believable. that was what i liked so much about if this gets out, each band member was unique and felt like their own person. but this book's characters felt way too 2-D. so i just couldn't finish it. if a book doesn't have characters i can get behind, then i don't think it's a book worth reading.

A very entertaining read !
I was afraid, upon requestion the book, the a love triangle would happen, but it did not. Skye comes around quickly and out two main characters give us a sweet romance to follox through. The character evolution is great and the setting is a fun one ! I really enjoyed this book.

I love this book. The author did such a great job, setting up a storyline and executing it and I cannot wait to read what is next from this author. The characters were so great to read, and I love getting to know them.

I’m sure some readers will love this book. I just don’t think rom-com’s are for me. I prefer dark romance. The writing is good, just not for me.

I gotta start this review saying that, In my humble opinion, the man doesn't suffer enough.

This book was delightful! When I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it: a guy cheats on two girls who end up falling in love with each other? This concept had been my dream for years, and it served. The reality TV show setting made it super funny and dynamic to read, and it got even better when Skye and Maya were forced to be roommates since the beginning, when they still hated each other. The forced proximity plus the revenge plan was the best. The only thing I didn't like very much was that Skye and Maya hated each other for too long, and I wanted them to be on the same team (and start falling in love) earlier. I still LOVED them separately, and when the miscommunication was cleared up, I loved their relationship. Cutest girlfriends ever!

As I say at the beginning of this review, Jordy doesn't suffer enough. He deserved way worse than what he got. I can't say more because obviously this was an ARC, and I am VERY satisfied with how things ended for everyone, but I guess I'm a very petty person who hates manipulative cheaters very much and doesn't want them to find happiness ever again in their lives LOL.

I really really recommend this book, even for those of you who don't read YA on a daily basis! I don't read contemporary YA since probably 2017, but this was too good and doesn't feel too much like a YA. In fact, I forgot they were 18 and not 24 or 25 all the time.

Out November 29th!

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: None - contemporary YA

Thanks to Wednesday Books for my ARC! Opinions are my own.

I've read many books from Sophie Gonzales in the past, and I've loved them all, and Never Ever Getting Back Together was no different. To me, this book was like the recent Netflix movie Do Revenge set to the backdrop of a reality dating show. It follows our two main characters, Maya and Skye, as they compete on a new reality show to re-date their publicly beloved ex-boyfriend Jordy Miller, who has wronged them both, along with many other girls, as they soon discover. Despite a rough start, Maya and Skye end up teaming up to take Jordy down and make everyone see what kind of person he really is. As Skye and Maya's scheme progresses, so does their friendship, eventually blossoming into something more.
I personally am I sucker for a good rivals to lovers, as well as a forced proximity situation, so I loved Maya and Skye together, and also as individual characters. Post her breakup with Jordy, Maya was painted as the "crazy ex" in Jordy's story, and made to look like a villain on the show. She's also recently been struggling with the ever approaching promise of college, and how she really feels about it.
Skye on the other hand, has been traveling through Europe on her own, and has all her next steps planned out. She's had family issues in the past and has trouble trusting many people because she doesn't want to get hurt, Together, Maya and Skye make an unexpected couple, and I loved them for it.
"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."
Another thing I loved about the book was the humor. There were a lot of moments with great comedic timing, as well as the general ridiculousness of the reality TV setting at times. Finally, the side characters made this book shine, and added plenty of humor. The other girls on the show ended up being really supportive of each other, once they saw past Jordy's facade, and I loved to see them all bond.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Maya's been holding a grudge against her ex-boyfriend, Jordy, for years. So when she gets a call from a production company asking her to be on a reality TV show about second-chance romance starring her ex, initially, she says no. But then she realizes she can probably show the world what he really is, and accepts.

But she doesn't take into consideration her competition - some of Jordy's other exes, including Skye, the one she believes KNEW Jordy was still with her when she began dating him.

Sequestered in a castle far away from home, Maya and Skye are forced to be roommates. Things are not always what they seem, though, and revenge is sweet . . . or is it?

A very cute story and fun plot. I enjoyed the interaction between all the characters, though some of the secondary characters could have been a little more three-dimensional. A fun read all around!

When Maya is asked to spend seven weeks filming a reality love show with her ex-boyfriend, she wants nothing to do with it… until she cooks up a plan for revenge on him and the woman he cheated with, Skye. Join maya and Skye as they just might find love after all.

Overall good storyline, showcasing a smarmy boyfriend who shows a lot of classic emotional abuse and gaslighting behaviors. I liked the characters, but I wasn’t a fan of how the book was written. I also couldn’t get over the idea that 6 18 year old women were on a reality show of this kind.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ugh. I thought I was going to LOVE this based on the premise, but the more I think about it, it just really didn’t work for me. My biggest gripe for this book is that it should have been an adult novel. On what planet does a dating show comprised of 17-18 year-olds make sense? Just so implausible to me, and really took me out of the story. I also thought the royalty angle was wholly unnecessary. The two main characters had very few personality traits except for their dislike of Jordy, and I thought that it made it really hard to root for either of them. My Bachelor Nation-loving heart was obsessed with the plot, and I have really enjoyed Gonzales’ other work, so I thought this was a sure-fire win for me, but I just had a really hard time with it. Huge bummer, but I hope others love it more than I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a review copy! Overall rating: 4/5

A YA romance where two girls are recruited to compete on a reality dating show called Second Chance Romance starring their ex-boyfriend. One of them is there to potentially pick up things where they left off, the other is there to get public revenge on him for cheating. But along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other instead...

This is the first book I've read by Gonzales and YA romance isn't a genre I usually spend much time in, so I didn't really have any expectations going in, other than the synopsis sounded like the kind of bisexual chaos that I crave at all times. And I was pleased to discover it definitely lives up to those chaotic bi vibes! (On a personal note, my inner child was absolutely overjoyed to read a story about two bisexual girls who are both completely confident and comfortable in their sexuality!)

My only real nitpick is one that I occasionally encounter in other YA, which is that I ended up wishing that the characters were just...adults. In this case, that might be more of a personal gripe than a legitimate criticism, but there it is. I'm also getting a tiny bit tired of the reality show trend in romcoms if I'm being honest and I think that aspect of the story could have used a bit more tweaking, but it's handled well enough.

Our two main characters, Maya and Skye, are both fantastic and have electric chemistry. I loved watching their dynamic evolve from enemies to allies to friends to friends-who-make-out-sometimes to lovers. I would have liked a little more depth to their backgrounds, but you get enough for them to be well-rounded characters whose motivations make sense, as well as some very satisfying character growth. There's plenty of snappy dialogue between these two and the rest of the girls competing, and there was a real sense of camaraderie and even protectiveness between the "competitors" that was wonderful to see.

I think this was very ok. It was sort of boring and predictable though. I found myself feeling like I had to just trudge along

This was so fun! I loved the alternating POV s from Maya and Skye. They were both hilarious and there were many times where Maya's inner dialogue had me rolling. I really liked their relationship too, so cute. Best revenge on a self-centered prick? Falling in love with one of the other female contestants. Can't wait to put this on my library's shelves.

This book was kind of ridiculous, but in the very best way possible. The concept was definitely interesting; another chance at romance with the guy who broke your heart in a Bachelor-style dating show. Mix in a little romance between you and another one of your ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriends, and you've got me hooked. I thought it was so fun, the characters were all interesting and enthralling, and the pacing of the story was also very well done.

One thing that kept taking me out of the book, however, is the fact that all of the cheating happened two years ago and Maya was still so hung up on it that she was willing to go on national television to get her revenge. I know that cheating is bad and painful for the person involved, but after two years, I would think that she wouldn't still be so mad as to do something like that. It just seemed like things were being blown out of proportion.

I also felt like Skye and Maya's relationship was slightly underdeveloped. I think the book did a good job showing the sparks between them and getting them to the initial moment when they got together, but once they got together, it felt very underdeveloped.

I was also interested in who this book was for - it's marketed as YA and the romance and plot felt YA but there was a LOT of swearing. I didn't mind it and I don't think it was overused, but it felt like it was kind of going against the grain of the rest of the vibes of the book.

Never Ever Getting Back Together will sadly not be getting a rose tonight...

Why, you may ask? Let's break it down:

Pace and Plot
A brief synopsis is that Never Getting Back Together is a twist on the Bachelor/ Bachelorette type shows, where two contestants fall in love with each other instead of the Bachelor, who is also their ex-boyfriend.

I was very excited about the premise, but the execution was off. The two contestants spend as much time plotting against their ex, the Bachelor, as they do building their feelings for one another. For that reason, this had a good, albeit sometimes confusing, pace (i.e., sudden time jumps, quick changes in narrative, etcetera).

I also wish this book was Adult instead of YA, and that Jordy was a C-list celebrity instead of a literal Prince. Both of these small decisions would have been more plausible to the plot, where instead of a young Prince essentially speed-dating his exes, you could have a college-aged or older celebrity trying to become relevant again by putting himself on a dating show.

Quality of Writing
To put simply, I could not get past this elementary style of writing. I understand that this book is targeted towards teens/YA, but it's written as if it's intended for a much younger audience. I would compare the writing style to the early-2013-era Wattpad days.

Examples: one of the main characters, Skye, blasts show tunes to wake our other M/C, Maya, up in the morning. There's dress-up scenes where characters are trying on ball gowns and each dress is described in explicit detail. Relationships form just as fast as they fall apart. While I would never judge someone for liking this style of books, it's no longer fit to my personal tastes.

Points for the title, tho!! I love a good Taylor Swift reference.

Characters
Not a single one of these characters would be getting a rose from me. They all came across as one-dimensional and seemed to have no personality outside of their motives. I was really looking forward to some cute moments between our M/Cs, but instead felt stilted by reality show drama involving Jordy.

Nevertheless, the groundwork was there for some really cool characters, I just was wishing they could have been fleshed out more.

Would I Recommend?
In my personal opinion, I would not recommend this book, but I can understand why people like it! It simply wasn't for me, and if it sounds like it might suit your fancy at all, I wouldn't try deterring anyone from reading it.

My deepest thanks to NetGalley, Sophie Gonzales, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!