Exes and O’s Trevor Metcalfe is my new book boyfriend, he was just wonderful! Romance bookstagrammer Tara Chen is determined to make the second chance trope her reality as she goes through all of her exes to try and rekindle their youthful romances with the help of her roommate Trevor—only the more she needs up with her exes, the more she sees the only one who really knows her is Trevor. Tara wasn’t my favorite heroine—I wanted to love her but she felt very naive and she really let the romances she reads dictate her life. I did however love the balance of her and Trevor together. Trevor has been through his own heartbreaks in life and watching them open up to each other was just lovely and so endearing. I also love a roommate romance so this was just a great trope for me, and it just felt really genuine and sweet. Plus the banter is just so spot on and good! I did like Tara’s growth as she tackled the idea of being a “crazy ex-girlfriend.” She is so strong and unapologetically herself, it was great and so satisfying watching her find that. The romance was so well done and overall it’s a fun read starring a brave romance Bookstagrammer and a wonderful roommate romance!

3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! I loved it!

Star Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: January 10, 2023

I loved Amy Lea's debut novel, and Exes and O's was one of my most anticipated 2023 books. I'm happy to say it did not disappoint! It was so fun to go through Tara's exes and discover why things didn't work with them, all the while watching how her past experiences led her to her future.

I identified with Tara's character so much. The frustration with dating, with failed relationships, and men just sometimes being so good at being disappointing...this book definitely speaks to the broken hearted and the discouraged.

And man...Trevor. He can put out my fire anytime. 😂 His character had the perfect amount of gravity to bring Tara's head out of the clouds. I love that he gave her more brevity and she brought a lightness to his life. His character, despite his philandering ways, was so cautious with who he let into his life...and it was sweet to see Tara slowly become a part of his heart.

My biggest complaint about the book is I feel like the ending wrapped up really fast and was rushed. There was so much focus on Angie's birthday party, and then it was just whooshed by. That, and the miscommunication at the end of the book were pretty frustrating. I also hated the way Crystal was portrayed in this book compared to the first one. She was really condescending towards Tara.

Overall, this was a really good follow-up to Exes and O's. I still liked Set on You more if I'm being honest, BUT I liked these characters in Exes and O's much better (especially the way the Set on You MCs were portrayed in this story).

Despite a very slow-burn friends-to-lovers tale, Exes and O's is full of compelling language that draws me in and makes this read difficult to put down between reading sessions. There's a precious Set on You post-HEA check-in on Crystal and Scott, which is always fun to see. Now, I'm not sure if this book has eclipsed Set on You in terms of my interest, but it's a fun romance read nonetheless. Plus, I swear, Trevor is like the KING of the grand gesture --- compared to any other book boyfriend, and that's high praise.

SO CUTE!

Timeline was a little off (did we not celebrate any holidays besides Valentine’s Day??) but overall this was adorable and also like an ode to romance book lovers all over.

Wow, I just loved this book so much. I mean, I'm always down for a rom com, but this one was perfection. I haven't read Set On You but was really looking forward to this one.

What I loved:
- Friends to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn
- I found Amy's writing to be very engaging and it definitely agreed with me. Exes and O's is easy to read!
- I loved Tara. I loved her willingness to be so fully herself, embracing flaws and all.
- The relationship between Tara and Trevor felt SO real. I also enjoyed all the failed dates from Tara's list!
- As a bookstagrammer, I loved all of Tara's illusions to bookstagram, Booktok, and just love of books in general. It made her even more fun, relatable and likable!

All in all, this was such a fun read!! If you're looking for a rom com that will leave you smiling, be sure to check this one out.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Amy Lea and Berkley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I really liked this one. It was seriously so cute.

I liked the slow burn, friends to lovers part of the relationship. It was well done and well written. The relationship was believable and I definitely connected with the characters.

I loved Tara and how she was so unapologetically herself. She was quirky and cute without being annoying. Also, I totally loved the fact that she was a bookstagrammer. I related to her in so many ways.

The grumpy, tattooed book boyfriends are always my favorite, so I definitely enjoyed Trevor. Seeing how sweet he was just made me like him more.

I do kind of wish this had been dual POV. I would have loved to have gotten Trevor's point of view and how he was slowly falling for Tara.

Maybe because the lead is a fellow bookstagrammer, this one hit! It's also genuinely hilarious and I was laughing so hard! I worried at first, because the book seemed front-loaded with Tara's effervescent narration and I doubted she'd be able to keep it going.

But this girl is suspiciously likable, a bubble of charm, comedic timing, and relatable couch-culture ambitions. And that meet-ugly between Tara and her roommate, Trevor, had me dying! They have immediate chemistry, and it only gets better.

Admittedly, some of the things Tara does are pretty cringe. I don't necessarily agree with how the book justifies the choices she's previously made (the book calls her behavior loving big or generously yet, as actually described, it sounded self-centered, uncommunicative, and dismissive). I like that she does wake up to the hard reality of where she's gone wrong in the past and how that strengthens her resolve to be a better partner in the future.

this review may be slightly incoherent, as I’m writing it through a haze of joyful tears after weeping through the last chapter of the book. I feel like I’ve had happiness pumped into me like helium. The only thing I did between finishing Exes and O’s and starting this review was add Amy Lea’s other book, Set On You, to my TBR (and hope fervently that she has a long, healthy writing career).

So look, I don’t know the official name for this trope, but it’s my favorite, and I think of it as the “When Harry Met Sally” trope. The two leads meet and have neutral-to-platonic feelings towards each other, or at least appear to. No interest in dating or banging. They get to know each other, and all their glorious, complex, human faults are on display. There is much quality banter (a major highlight of Exes and O’s). And it all builds up to that beautiful moment where, in the immortal words of Harry, “you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone [and] you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” And that moment always makes me cry, no matter how many times I watch “When Harry Met Sally,” no matter how many books I read that end with one lead delivering their equivalent of “I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich.” Amy Lea writes this beloved trope of mine to perfection. My advice to romance readers: jump on this the SECOND it becomes available.

I feel like this book was written for bookstagrammers, and I loved it!! 🫶🏼🥹

Romance-novel connoisseur Tara Chen has had her heartbroken ten times by ten different men--all of whom dumped her because of her "stage-five clinger" tendencies. So Tara decides to revisit her exes in hopes of securing her very own trope-worthy second-chance romance.

Boston firefighter Trevor Metcalfe will be the first to rush into a burning building but the last to rush into a relationship. Love just isn't his thing. When his new roommate Tara enlists him to help her reconnect with her exes, he reluctantly agrees. But Tara's journey is leading him to discover his own new chapter.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
🌏Shared universe with “Set on You” - we get to see some of the same characters from Set on You - including GMA FLO! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

💕Throughout the book we get to see how both main characters' pasts shaped the way they both perceive love and relationships - loved this element of the story.

🗣So many great references - tswift, the office, the bachelor

📚Tara being a bookstagrammer! I found her character relatable and she had me giggling at her quirkyness and banter with Trevor (also some secondhand embarrassment😂).

📌Chapter 34 - this chapter reminded me SO much of my husband, I even had to msg Amy @amyleabooks because it was so heartwarming 🥹

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞:
Some miscommunication between the two, but it didn’t take over the whole plot thankfully and I was still heavily invested in Tara and Trevor.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫:
✔️Opposites attract X forced proximity
✔ Lots and lots of references to bookstagram and romance tropes
✔️Grumpy, firefighter, tattooed MC
✔ He falls first
✔ The “ex” files

4.5 stars!!

I really really enjoyed this one- BUT talk about a slowwww burn. If that’s what you’re into, this will be perfect for you. I appreciated that their relationship felt real. No instant love. Friends to lovers is my favorite and this one had that AND roommate/forced proximity. I do feel that this book would have been PERFECT as a dual POV, but, I digress. This will be the perfect Valentine’s Day book.

Did I mention the main female character is bookish AND a bookstagrammer? I really felt connected to her weird and quirky personality and the main male character was total SWOON. Again would have loved to read his POV!

thank you to netgalley and berkley publishing group for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts :)

THIS BOOK Y'ALL!!!! i'm serious when i say this is now an all time favorite read of mine for sure!!!! amy lea sat down and wrote the book to end all other books. tara, a romance book obsessed, "crazy ex-girlfriend," makes messes everywhere, moves in with trevor, her polar opposite and from their obviously romance ensues. this was the slow burn of my dreams where you really see their relationship develop from their first, ahem, mortifying meet cute to best friends to lovers.

tara and trevor very much give gigi and alex from he's just not that into you but like 10000% better! trevor is the new loml and i so desperately wish i could order my own from build a boyfriend!! tara, my sweet, loving, baby girl i would lay my life down for you!

this was a fun, funky, fresh, swoony romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet in the air with excitement <3 definitely can't wait to see what's in store for powerhouse amy lea!!!

Disappointed and frustrated by the absence of a man in her life, Tara decides to make a project of revisiting all of the men who have dumped her in hopes of rekindling something lasting. And, she posts her progress publicly on her romance-themed Instagram account. This book is pretty well-written and has decent, entertaining dialog. That’s what saved it. Tara seemed so emotionally immature and needy that I almost didn’t finish the book. I guess that was part of the story line since she did grow up some as the story developed. Anyhow, good writing but stars deducted because I spent a lot of the book shaking my head, thinking, “Are you kidding me?”

This book was like if the movies 'What's Your Number?' (underrated, starring Anna Faris & Chris Evans) and 'He's Just Not That Into You' had a baby.

What to expect:
- Single POV
- SLOW BURN
- roommate romance / forced proximity
- cute spicy scenes (around 2, not very explicit but happens on page)
- playboy turned dedicated BF

Exes and O's follows Crystal's (from Set On You) sister Tara Li Chen, a nurse and romance book blogger who goes on a quest of hunting down her exes in an attempt to find a second chance at love. She moves in with her soon-to-be brother-in-law's co-worker, Trevor, a sexual fireman and playboy who has lots of commitment issues.

First of all, this is a SLOW BURN. But it's worth it.

Much like in Set On You, Amy Lea focuses on Tara's character development alongside the windy road of Tara and Trevor's romance. Tara might not be for everyone, honestly. There are times when her character did things that might be considered desperate and over-the-top. BUT this story is about WHY those character traits don't mean that you are what many may dub as 'too much'. About why being vulnerable and wearing your heart on your sleeve is brave and shows other that they too can open themselves up and accept more than what they believe they deserve. How you can find someone who accepts you for who you are and doesn't need you to be a lesser version of yourself. Don't dull your light. And I thought that was a beautiful message. I couldn't help but love Tara even with all of her quirks.

I know that there is a market for this book, which is why I will still recommend it, but I am not that market. I didn't feel any chemistry between Tara and Trevor and the "journey" she goes on to date all of her exes felt super forced. I realize I am in the minority with this review. Maybe I just wasn't in the right head-space for this book. I did enjoy Amy Lea's writing style, though.

**4.5 STARS**

I did not read Amy Lea’s other book Set On You but I did have my eye on it. When I saw this on NetGalley I thought it sounded cute so I requested it. Here’s what I thought:

+ This is book is an ode to romance novels and tropes! I thought it was so cute because Tara is a nurse/booktoker or book influencer and her outlook on romance is based on romance tropes. Her roommate Trevor is a hot firefighter, sometimes grumpy, not a big talker and someone not into relationships. I thought it was fun to see them as roommates, to friends to something way more than friends.

+ The romance is such a slow burn but the pay off in the end was worth it! It’s got a great intimate scene, and the sweet ending. I thought it had enough of everything! The build-up from roommates to friends was so nice too see and fun, and the intimate moments had enough sizzle. Tara and Trevor are now one of my favorite couples. I mean she got Trevor into reading!

+ Tara is a fun character! She’s kind of a dreamer and has her head in the clouds when it comes to romance – you can blame that on her books. I can totally relate though. She’s a bit rash in her decisions about guys and awkward too but I thought it was kinda cool how no matter how many rejections she was getting she kept marching on for the search for love. Trevor was perfect as her counterpart because he was not as outspoken as Tara, definitely more level-headed, but someone who was going to take care of her as a friend and something more. I really loved that about them.

+ I laughed out loud a lot with this one – it’s fun!

~ Although I do love Tara, there were some times I wanted to shake her out of her romance tropes thinking. I am not someone who goes back to Exes. They are Exes for a reason so I was already against her plan to find her true love in her list of ex’s. But it made things entertaining for sure!

~ I kind of wish I read Set On You because Crystal Chen, Tara’s sister is in this book and I don’t know her love story with Seth. So maybe read that book first? I did get confused at how quick Trevor and Tara knew one another before being roommates but it’s because they met on Set On You.

Tropes: roommates to lovers, close proximity, grumpy guy/sunshine girl, slow burn

Why you should read it:
*Tara and Trevor’s love story is fun, slow, hot, and romantic
*this story made me laugh and I love how Tara is such a book lover

Why you might not want to read it:
*not into romance

My Thoughts:

I love this story! It gave me all the feelings I want in a rom-com and yes it actually made me laugh. Tara and Trevor will be added to my favorite couples. How could I not fall in love with a book lover like Tara and a fire-fighter with a big heart like Trevor? I look forward to reading more from this author!

This one was really sweet! Definitely a good recommendation for fans of Tessa Bailey's Hook Line and Sinker. Slow burns aren't my favorite, but this one was so sweet it was nice.

”Now, it’s known that heroines are held to a much higher standard than heroes. But why do we let our heroines fall for scum for the sake of the hero’s character arc? I’m all for a redemption story, but if I wouldn’t choose this guy to date my best friend, I just can’t root for him. Thoughts?”

This was a super cute romance! I liked the narrative that Tara was a crazy ex girlfriend with unrealistic expectations about love. At times I just wanted to shake her but I really enjoyed the character growth, it made it worth it.

Plus the bookish content creator rep we got here was so fun!

Overall, I had a good time reading this ☺️.

3.75/5 ⭐️

Let me tell y'all...this is one addictive, steamy sweet, romcom that you won't want to miss.
⠀
🖤 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 + 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀
Romance book connoisseur Tara Chen has been through her fair share of heartbreak and dreams of finding her own happily ever after. She enlists the help of new roommate Trevor, and decides to revisit her exes in the hope of a second chance romance of her own.
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The more time they spend together, the more Tara realizes Trevor seems to be the only one who appreciates her authentic, dramatic self. To claim their happily ever after, can Tara and Trevor read between the lines of their growing connection?
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𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 💭
▪️I loved all the swoony moments and witty banter. I'm a sucker for a friends to lovers trope.
▪️Tara is a super likable and relatable character. It was easy to connect with Tara and cheer her on throughout her journey. Bonus: she's a book blogger and Bookstagrammer!
▪️The perfect amount of romance, humor, and spice make this a genuinely heartwarming read.
▪️ Trevor. 🔥❤️
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Overall, I loved this book. It was just what I needed and left me feeling like I'd been wrapped up in a big, warm hug. I highly recommend grabbing (or pre-ordering) this one!
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Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

4.5 Stars!
Exes and O's was a great read. I knew the writing would be good having loved Amy Lea's debut, Set on You and it was. I loved the premise of the book with its What's Your Number? movie vibes. I have a feeling many readers are going to identify Tara and with being labeled the "crazy ex-girlfriend" or "clingy". I hate to admit it, but my younger self did. Tara was a fun character. She was a romance and romance book loving optimist. I loved how Tara was rightfully offended but also took a look back at her younger self and relationships to see why that might have been. I enjoyed her ex-boyfriend journey with Trevor helping her along the way. 

Trevor himself is kind of mysterious. We only get Tara's POV in this book, so we have to go on his actions and what Tara knows of him. That worked well in this book. I loved how he supported Tara in her quest and how he was with his friends and family. The only thing I didn't love about Trevor (and this book) was his womanizing ways at the beginning. I'm not judging him for them, but I wasn't a fan of how it was portrayed at the beginning on page. I didn't need the visuals knowing he was going to be the main love interest. Luckily, that was only a small snapshot of time.

Tara and Trevor were highly entertaining together. She would think to do one thing and he would be there telling her what she should do instead and why. It was almost like he was coaching her, and it made for some great moments between them. The way their friendship blossomed and then turned into a romance made me happy. Tara and Trevor were so perfect together. 

Overall, this book was a big hit with me. I was 100% invested in Tara and Trevor. I couldn't wait for them to get their HEA. Once they did, I got a little tease at the end of the book for Lea's next one for Mel. I cannot wait for it to be released!

Thank you Penguin Random House International for my e-ARC.

Tara is a social media influencer. Her heart broken ten times by ten different men and now she was determined to find her the one. She make a list of her ex boyfriend and give them another chance after hearing her grandmother’s second chance love story.

Trevor is a firefighter and roommate with Tara and he was the one who’s helping her to reconnect with her exes. He was right, not all men are like in the movie. Because those mens are fiction.