Such a fun read. I adored the two leads and the supporting cast was full of interesting, thoughtfully written women that I enjoyed getting to know as well. This book read like a tv show, I could picture everything so vividly. And I would pay so much money to see that live finale...

All in all, an amazingly fun read, and such a good twist on the 'Bachelor'-esque books that are quite popular!

Thanks to St. Martins Press, Wednesday Books, & NetGalley for the arc! I will be pushing this into the hands of all my friends as soon as possible.

OMG I loved this!!!!!!!!! I am a sucker for a good romance, a sucker for a good reality TV setting and a SUCKER for a diverse MC (bi rep let's go!!). I really loved Maya and Skye and I was invested in their story. I think it was a well executed romance and I would totally recommend it, Cannot wait for a general public release of this one!!

I loved this book so much. I knew I was going to have a good time from the description itself, and I was right! The whole setup of the plot was so fun and exciting. I loved how it became more about love than revenge by the end, and seeing this progression and development was entertaining. It was also satisfying to see Jordy get what he deserved in the end. Maya and Skye are one of my favorite sapphic relationships now and I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends!

What worked for me with this book was the reality show terminology (coming from a filmmaker background, I loved every second of the fake production and theatrics) and I am so glad I do not have to watch The Bachelor, I got my "trash tv" fix with this book!

Jordy is such a garbage human being and I am so happy the love story took a turn with Maya falling for one of the other reality contestants, talk about a twist! All the girls came from different ethnic backgrounds which was really neat and I found myself reading in my head to their different accents and enjoying the drama unfolding in front and behind the camera.

Overall, a great short read you can enjoy with some wine or popcorn. Sophie Gonzales does a great job providing bisexual representation and really creating characters with real, deep-seated issues and I found myself rooting for all the ladies on the Second Chance Romance show.

Huge thank you to Sophie Gonzales, NetGalley and of course St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Maya and Jordy parted ways several years ago- and not amicably. So when Maya is asked to appear on a dating show with all Jordy’s other exes for a second chance with him, she immediately says yes for an opportunity to correct the lies Jordy has spread about their breakup. However, she forgets to factor in that she will have to spend time with Skye, the person Jordy cheated on her with. Seems like Maya might find love on the show after all..

This was such a fun read! I have been loving the bachelor style romances lately and this one was no exception. This was a super cute story and I loved seeing Jordy get what he deserved.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. romance book set on a reality dating show, this is my second time reading one and omg I found a new favorite type of book. This book have a low spice level which I find perfect and it’s full of drama. . This was my first novel by Sophie Gonzales, and I enjoyed every second of it.

Ever read one of those books that just… “gets” you? This book did that for me. A YA book with almost zero spice about a girl who enters a second chances reality dating show to get revenge on her cheating ex-boyfriend, and ends up falling for the girl he cheated on her with.

While some sections of the story seemed… unnecessary, I absolutely enjoyed it. The narrators alternate between the girls, but it’s pretty easy to follow. Character development left a little to be desired, but the author’s musings on love and loss were astounding.
She says, “My job right now is to look after my heart, because it feels eviscerated. Shredded into a million miniscule shards, light enough to be caught up in the wind and carried away. I hope it does get carried away. I don't want it anymore.”
This visceral description of heartache and loss… I think is relatable to any one of us who has loved someone who is no longer present in our lives.
This is more of a response than a review, but I give it 4⭐️s and recommend. Many thanks to Net Galley, author Sophie Gonzalez, and Wednesday Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am super picky when it comes to romcom-esque books, but this one checked all the boxes! It was wonderfully funny with just the right amount of drama and romance. I had never read a book by Sophie Gonzales before this, but now I want to pick up every book that she's written. I enjoyed it SO MUCH, could not put it down for more than an hour. Also, absolutely LOVE the title and have been singing Tay Swift nonstop now.

Pick this one up if you get the chance. It's so, so worth it.

I went into this book by Sophie Gonzalez thinking it was a traditional revenge romance where the main character would meet a man so much better than her ex.

Instead this book offered a fun twist on that trope with was even more delightful by my not seeing it coming. If you can, go into this book of a reality show romance blind.

Fun book with some light satire.

I had a blast reading Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzalez. Was I channeling my inner Taylor Swift while reading this book? You bet!

The reality show setting made for some interesting situations and it was fun to peek "behind the scenes" to see what might actually be taking place during the filming of a dating show.

I really liked getting inside the heads of the main characters with the dual pov and enjoyed how they each evolved over the course of the story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet romantic comedies, enemies to lovers and LGBTQIA2S books. I'm looking forward to reading more books by Sophie Gonzalez!

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I very rarely DNF a book. It gives me the hugest FOMO as if the best parts will lie in the next twenty pages. Unfortunately, I feel as if I spent the majority of this book saying "the next twenty pages and it will pick up". That did not end up happening as from start to finish I felt as if the storyline felt a bit flat to me. It was well written and has the potential, but was not for me.

This book was an absolute hit for me. A title that is a Taylor Swift reference? Hell yeah; sign me up. And the plot is honestly everything I’ve always wanted to read wrapped up in one book.

While I came to the book for the plot, I stayed because of the characters. The way the book is written with the dual povs, it helps to strengthen my understanding and love for Skye and Maya. These girls feel real and the side characters are extremely developed as well. It was great reading their relationship grow and develop with each other as well as their relationships with the other girls on the show.

The fact that this book comes out at the end of the year so I have to wait months to hold this in my hands is the saddest part of it.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Gonzales's books are a little like best friends. Even if this metaphor started off as a little joke, I don't think it is anymore. I mean, think about it:

- who has you choking on your own laughter and crying past midnight?
- who is always there for you when you need comfort?
- who has you nodding yes when they call people out on things?
- who brings you so much joy while also making you realize deeper, darker parts of yourself?
- who do you love with all of your heart?

Exactly! Best friends and Sophie Gonzales's books!

As she's one of my favourite authors, I had high expectations of NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER, but it didn't miss any of these. It's full of humour and heart and, well, chaos. I mean, what else could you expect from a concept like this?

I have so many lovely things to say about everything in this book. Except for Jordy, that is. The jokes and the romance and the friendships and the overall girlpower, though? I am obsessed!

NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER will inevitably become a new comfort read of mine, and Sophie Gonzales has yet again proven herself unstoppable in my eyes. I can't wait to hold this beautiful book!

Maya and Skye are competing against each other and four other girls for the chance to date Jordy. Again. With his recent rise to fame, he's decided to star on a new reality show that'll bring his exes back into his life-- after all, they all liked him before he was famous. The thing is, Maya hates Jordy, and she hates Skye, who Jordy cheated on her with, and Skye knew about it. Skye is wary of Maya, considering she's unhinged and obsessed with Jordy. But after the competition gets under way, they realize that maybe their opinions of each other are built on lies. Most of the girls on the show don't seem all that into Jordy, and the few who are seem to get sent home quick, which works in Maya's favor-- her plan is to be the last one standing, so she can humiliate him on live TV. But once Maya and Skye form a tentative alliance, the two grow closer. And suddenly, these two girls who've had a hard time moving on from Jordy-- because of their mistrust-- find that maybe the person they most dreaded meeting at this competition is the one they'll be most glad they did.

First of all, I adored this book. I loved absolutely everything about it. The girls (but especially Maya) seem drastically different when they're talking about or interacting with Jordy than they do when he isn't on their minds, which shows his toxicity right from the start. The absolute hatred between the girls-- the drama, the accusations, the name-calling-- all shows just how good Jordy is at playing them against each other, and how easy it can be to fall into that trap when the person laying it knows what they're doing. Both Maya and Skye grow a lot over the course of the book, but it seems that in Maya's case, it seems like a growth back to who she was before Jordy, which, as someone who had an ex a lot like him, was relatable and really nice to see. And once the girls all realize that maybe they don't have to hate each other, the solidarity among them is really beautiful.

I love any romance book set on a reality dating show, and the fact that this one pitted exes against each other and WAS SAPPHIC made it that much better. It was sweet, fun, and dramatic, and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. I absolutely flew through Never Ever Getting Back Together and know that I will definitely be rereading it-- probably soon.

"A girl enters a reality dating competition to get revenge on her cheating, royal-adjacent ex-boyfriend, and ends up falling for another girl on the show—in fact, the girl he cheated on her with." Let me tell you, this book most definitely lives up to its premise!

I absolutely adored the reality show setting -- this is only the second book I've read that utilizes it this well. Incredibly well written -- I loved the subtle comedy of it all and the incredibly relatable portrayal of the girls. It is quite clear that a lot of thought had gone into the creation of Chalonne, including the development of a language for it. The characters were brilliantly written -- Skye and Maya both distinct and likeable and the villain villainous in such an underhanded manner that you almost don't notice it. Maya and Skye as a couple simply have my whole heart. This book also has a few themes, most of them well fleshed out but kept to a subliminal level. One theme in particular felt like it had been left untied up at the end, but that is a very miniscule drawback. The ending surprised me for a bit but makes sense entirely within the context of the story.

Overall, a wonderful sapphic romance! Would most definitely recommend.

[I received an arc in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley for the copy!]

“When she smiles, I can’t help but smile with her. I didn’t realize it was so infectious.”

This book is absolutely beautiful. I don't know how many times I squealed and rolled over my bed while reading it. I haven't watched a lot of dating shows but I do have an idea of how The Bachelor works and this is similar to that. Instead of complete strangers the contestants are the guy's ex-girlfriends from before he became really famous. Without spoiling anything, I just want to say Jordy is absolute trash and all these women deserve better.

Maya and Skye are my loves!!! I loved their character development, and I really appreciate the dual POV in this book because we get to know them both better. I savored their every moment, and their internal monologues about each other are *chef's kiss* ten out of ten.

This book gave me drama, friendship, and "kilig" and there's nothing more I could ask for.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me in a good way. It’s an odd premise for YA, which made me skeptical. But I love “the bachelor” themed books. This one is a bachelor style dating show where the suitor dates his exes looking for the one that got away. The characters are 18-20 which helps and the tone is more new adult though they’re not in college yet. I thought the banter was witty and the pacing great. The MCs voices and personalities are different enough. The author handles the romance beats really skillfully. The only thing I wanted a little more from was the chemistry and the epilogue, but as it stands it’s entertaining and kept me turning the page throughout.

Short summary: Cheated on, dumped, and gaslit, Maya never wants to see Jordy again. Until she’s given a chance that might lead to revenge. But then she meets Skye, the girl he cheated with, and they’re forced to share a room..and well, you can guess the rest. Or can you?

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars
going into this book, i knew it followed a bachelor-style
reality tv show and was centered around the main characters revenge on her cheating ex-boyfriend. while i believe there is a difference between a cheater and a bad person, jordy, who is the forementioned “cheating ex-boyfriend” happens to defy the odds and be both.

but this story is not about him. it is about maya and skye, the two girls who were wronged by his deception and how their love developed over the course of the 7 weeks the show was filming their false pursuit of jordy in order to humiliate him to the public.

i think this book is especially good with pacing. i was intrigued from beginning to end and i don’t think any scenes were too long or shorter than they needed to be. also i found the character building to be well done. many novels i have read with such a vast group of central characters tends to clump traits together, however i feel by the end of the novel i could accurately describe each central person’s characteristics.

my critical opinions are focused mostly on the dual perspective. though i enjoyed reading from the perspectives of both maya and skye, i feel like certain chapters could have benefitted from reverse perspective or inserting short chapter that reflected on the other’s thoughts. specifically, i would have liked skye’s perspective on the rock wall and in her hotel room following the phone call. because i think skye is overall more emotional than maya considering the feelings she keeps pent up inside, her internal dialogue could have done a lot more to build the relationship by demonstrating the emotional roller coaster such a strong connection can bring. also i felt the chemistry between maya and skye was kind of lacking but i think that viewpoint is because i haven’t read ya romance in a while and adult romance focuses a lot on lusting and longing that maya and skye do have, but not to the same degree.

overall i enjoyed this book and i would like to read other books from this author.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a YA LGBTQIA2S novel about Maya, Skye, and their shared ex-boyfriend Jordy. I love to see the representation of historically marginalized people expanding into the YA genre. This was my first novel by Sophie Gonzales, and I enjoyed her light sense of humor and her style of writing.

There were points where I was smiling as I was reading the story, but I wouldn't say the humor was really "laugh out loud" funny for me. I would describe this story line more on the PG13 side of things, and I would have enjoyed some more romance, but the lack of romance did not detract from the plot and the character arcs explored.

I felt a bit mature reading this book (aka when did I get so old?) and I would associate that with the stage of life that I am in, in comparison to where the characters are in their young 20's. As a younger person, I am certain I would have loved this book, so I am happy to have had the opportunity to read it.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved how interesting this book was and how real the protagonist is.. I was not expecting this book to be the way that it was but it was a refreshing read.