Sophie Gonzales is definitely an auto buy author for me. Only Mostly Devastated was a top read for me a couple of years ago and I really enjoyed Perfect on Paper as well, so I could not wait to read this one too.
I want to first say that although I love reality tv, I usually don't love reality tv books, so I am a tough audience. The cheesiness that works on tv for me just doesn't usually translate and seems extra cheesy on paper. However, I think I liked think book as much as I could like a reality tv book, because I love Sophie! She just writes really well.

The book started with a bang, and I was hooked immediately. That is how you write a first paragraph! Sophie is able to write YA books in a way that makes them more approachable to me, as an adult who likes YA but can sometimes feel like they are too young for me (hers are always just right). I love love love Perrie and Isaac the most! They were just really well developed, enjoyable, and loyal characters. I enjoyed Skye as well at the moment I think we were supposed to like her. There were many times when I could not put this book down, but then I think it just dragged a little for me probably around 60-70% in? Though it quickly picked back up again. The one downside for me is that I was conflicted over my feeling about Maya. I connected to her at first (also bi, also went to UConn, and also had a recent big betrayal situation) and had high hopes for her character to handle herself well while getting the redemption arc she deserved, I felt like she went a little too hard too fast with both Skye and Jordy. Though I rooted for her the whole way and by the end felt a little more resolved about her (which is a testament to the writing), I think I just had some mixed feelings in the first half of the book. Overall I enjoyed this book, though not at much as her previous two I read, but would recommend to others who like her stuff, ya, lgbtqia lit, and/or enjoy reality tv dating plot lines!

I wanted to thank NetGalley for this very early arc of Never Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales. I was excited for this arc because it was a romcom about a guy dating a bunch of his exes. I thought that this would make an intriguing plot. I really liked the characters Maya and Sky, but overall, I was underwhelmed by the book. It was a light and fluffy read, but I felt it was slow at times.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC e-book!   
   
I have to admit when I received this ARC, I may have screamed a little bit. Like anyone, I love a good reality tv show but when it’s a book AND you make it queer? Sign me up. From page 1, the reader is submerged into a beautifully written romantic comedy drama with characters that are explosive, real, and relatable. Gonzales’ meticulous writing style creates beautifully crafted characters and a light-hearted, humorous plot line that instantly makes the reader invested in this book.   
   
I love a convincing buildup for a romance and Gonzales delivered just that. It never feels rushed or forced. The reader can witness both the MCs, Maya and Skye, perspectives which aids to truly understanding their emotions and actions. Can we also point out the Tay Swift inspired title??

This was great. I had certain expectations after reading the blurb and while I can't claim they have all been met, this was still a very great romance. The characters had solid character development and the chemistry was so good.

That you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review reflecting my own opinions.

Book premise was awesome about finding closure for your exs and past regrets on a tv show… it also included finding love and being true to yourself. Most of the characters were decently developed and the supporting characters might be more impressive to me the the main characters. Personally, the PowerPoint slide got me hooked at the start. If you like multi pov stories with a happy ending this book is for you.

Solid 3/5 from me given I was not a fan of the ending on this one at all. And some of the characters needed more development at time of this review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Sophie Gonzales for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication!

Maya is freshly graduated from high school and getting ready to (begrudgingly) start college in the fall, when she gets a call. This is no ordinary call, but the call from a producer of a new reality show - Second Chance Romance. The catch is that she doesn't want any sort of romance with her lying, cheating, accent-faking ex-boyfriend Jordy. But... that doesn't mean she says no. Instead, she decided to win him back but JUST to break his heart on TV and hurt him the way he hurt her.

Unfortunately, this plan goes off the rails almost instantly when she is forced to share a room with one of his other exes.... the one who happens to be the gorgeous girl he cheated on her with, Skye. What could possibly go wrong?

Oh boy, did things go wrong (and so right too!)
I would say this is my first dip into more of a sapphic romance, while still being YA. Also, my first YA romance in awhile. Regardless, I think this was a well-written story. From the first chapter, I couldn't wait to find out what happens between the girls (couldn't care less about Jordy, besides him getting a taste of his own medicine.)

This romcom has everything you need. Humor, drama, sneaking around, banter, tension. Plus, having it based around a reality show gave a different view of things, including the random excursions and antics involved. It was a very entertaining story. I definitely want to look into other books by Sophie Gonzalez now!

4.25/5 stars!

Another *stellar* Sophie Gonzales romcom! “Never Ever Getting Back Together” has one of the most unique romance plots I’ve ever read, and it’s ideal for fans of “The Charm Offensive” and “If This Gets Out.” Gonzales is especially skilled at creating believable, well-paced emotional arcs, and (as always!) she handles conflict between her teen characters with care––nothing feels unearned or rushed.

What really stands out in this book is Gonzales’ portrayal of Jordy, her lying, manipulative, and gaslighting villain. Many authors can write “the bad guy,” but Gonzales depicts the nuances of Jordy’s abuse with more subtlety and precision than I’ve ever seen in a YA romance. The way Jordy weaponizes social justice language to make himself look like the “good guy,” for instance, is rage-inducing and very relatable. It feels important to have characters like Jordy in YA lit––one of the most difficult parts of dealing with this kind of abuse is figuring out how to articulate the harm (both to yourself and to other people) especially when the abuser is well-liked and admired. My hope is that “Never Ever Getting Back Together” will help readers understand and identify behaviour like Jordy’s, while of course providing the utopian sense of justice that survivors seldom receive.

*Thank you to NetGalley for access to this electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

This book reminded me of The Bachelor franchise! It was a cute read but it made me realize how much I've outgrown YA books. I think for people who are still into YA books, this book will be a really great and fun read! I enjoyed how the main characters felt really relatable to me when I was that age so I can see a lot of 18-19 year old girls relating to them.

I also loved how the twist was two girls falling for each other because I feel like there's not many books about that.

I am a huge fan of Sophie Gonzales' books so I was very excited to get this ARC!

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a YA novel that enters around Maya, a recent high school graduate, who had a bad breakup with her ex-boyfriend Jordy. In the time since their break-up, Jordy has become a minor celebrity and is the star of a reality based TV show with Bachelor-esque style.

The producers of the show are bringing together a group of Jordy's ex-girlfriends for a second chance at romance and Maya gets asked to participate. She's outraged, understandably, especially based on the way their relationship ended--with Jordy cheating on her.

But perhaps this is Maya's best chance to exact her revenge on Jordy and expose him for the liar that he is. So she agrees to be a part of the reality show.

Only to find out she's rooming with her nemesis--Skye, the girl Jordy cheated on her with.

The story follows the typical Bachelor type reality show format, with brief intros of the other contestants and Jordy himself, as well as weekly challenges and date nights for the girls.

It was fun to read the behind the scenes aspects of a reality tv show and see the interactions between the contestants. It struck me as a bit odd that this was a reality dating show for 18-20 year olds--and it seemed odd how many girlfriends Jordy had had as a 20 year old. I think their ages threw me off a bit. Yes, they were all legally adults and the drinking age in the European location was younger than the US, but I think it would have worked better for me with college grads or slightly older characters.

Maya and Skye were the main characters and the story is told in their alternating POVs, which I liked. I do wish they each had a bit more character development and that we learned a bit more about them. I liked the idea of them being enemies to reluctant allies to lovers but the transition almost went too quickly.

Overall this was an entertaining read. I think I would have liked a bit more character development and the characters a bit aged up but overall this was a pleasant read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3 1/2 stars

This book was fantastic! Perfect for fans of the bachelor type reality shows (which I absolutely am). It was hilarious to see the "behind the scenes" of the contestants and how over produced and fake the show is. The two main characters frustrated me sometimes with the decisions they make, but by the end justice is served and everything is resolved. This was a unique take on the traditional "enemies to lovers" trope and it was an enjoyable, quick read.

Let me preface: I picked this book solely on the fact that the name reminded me of a Taylor Swift song... I never read the summary, so I initially thought that either Maya or Skye got back together with Jordy. However, I was shipping the two girls with the obvious chemistry. I loved this book - it was so cute and fluffy. I think that this was one of the best rom-com books that I have read so far.

I love this book! It was absolutely hilarious and I was never bored. I'm not sure if its because I'm just naturally drawn to Type A characters, but Maya was literally perfect to me, and her comebacks/one liners were so funny.

The plot of this book was a great idea and I loved it from the beginning. Sadly I wish it would have been used in a better way. The characters were honestly just not my cup of tea. Maya, the main character, is more focused on revenge than anything else. Skye struggle is kinda well pictured but JORDY omg! I HATED him, but also I guess that the reader is meant to hate him.
Overall the book was totally ok and a fun read for in between books. I just could not connect to the main characters and their behavior and their decision making.

3.25 stars
I was exciting going into this because I read The Charm Offensive and I loved that. I expected the romance to be more substantial. Maya and Skye were friends and then they were more. I wanted more of a buildup. I wanted sexual tension. I wanted them to have more sweet moments. We didn’t learn much about the contestants life. The characters didn’t feel 3 dimensional. It was hard to push through this book to finish it. I was annoyed by how focused Maya was on revenge. It’s not until the very end where she lets that go.

The humour, the twists, the teenage girls slowly falling in love, the REASLITIC REALITY TV ASPECTS??? It's safe to say this book had it all. Not to mention the Taylor Swift title reference which somehow managed to make it 10000x better.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the DCR of Never Ever Getting Back Together. I love a good twist on a reality television series as the main plot of romances I read. Sophie Gonzales did a fantastic job with this twist. We are introduced to Maya who is a spunky, fun recent high school graduate and to Skye a guarded, loving, free-spirit traveling on her gap year. They receives an opportunity that they just can't pass up, go on a reality dating show where they will compete with others for a second chance with their ex-boyfriend Jordy. Maya has a compelling motive for wanting a second chance and Sky has her reasons too. But, once they arrive will it be all that they hoped for or will they be thrown a curve ball? I do wish that the characters were a little older. I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the fact that many of the contestant on the reality show were under 20. I kept picturing the characters older while reading. If you want a fantastic book that just gives you queer representation, happy feels, and makes you laugh, I highly recommend this, also the title's ohmage to Taylor Swift doesn't hurt either.

thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press: Wednesday Books!

CW: gaslighting, manipulation (to protags)

This was my first Sophie Gonzales book, though it's been one i've been looking forward to for a while. I was very interested in the premise: two girls in a reality show competition, supposedly to get back with their cheating ex-- one joining to take him down, and then falling for the girl he cheated on her with? Gorgeous. My shallow sapphic heart wanted more.

And Jordy definitely paid off. Skeezy as all hell, he still knew the right things to say to play at the hearts of his exes-- yet blandly interesting enough that I could see why his stories might be brought. It's sort of funny to picture him as a young, male, dickish Pippa Middleton, for all that he was only eighteen and soared to apparently, boy-band fame.

I didn't mind the miscommunication, or the quicker-developing-- it's a YA romance, after all, and it was pretty explained why both were told to have little cause to like each other before-- but I did often forget how young the protagonists were. Often, it felt like they were college graduates (or that might have been my mind adjusting), but I liked the ways that their general youth came about: extremely dramatic planning, excitement about being able to legally drink, and being able to bond quickly with others.

I also really loved the twist at the end, and thought it really well done. I liked most of the other girls we met, and I wish that we could have a sequel, with new contestants-- and some that mention the fallout!

I really enjoyed this book! It hooked me from the first chapter and kept me glued to my seat to find out what happened next! It was funny and cute!

This book has the marking of the Bachelor, but instead of new random girls-the guy gets to bring back all of his exs to see if their was a missed opportunity and one that got away.

This book did not turn out how I expected it too, but is was an easy, quick read regardless.

I loved this book! I truly could not put it down. I have read a lot of books with a "bachelor-esque" show as the main premise, but I loved this new take on it. Between the layers added by all of the women being Jordy's exes, to the enemies to lovers plot line (with bi rep!!) I couldn't get enough. I can't wait to tell everyone I know to read this book when it comes out, and own a copy of my own!