This book reads like poetry as evidenced by the music lyrics that Maggie creates which are indicative of the emotions swirling through her body. She speaks in color and taste and as a reader, it made myself feel that deeply. Sentences required thought and were identifiable such as in a relationship, there is a kite and a rock. Although Maggie went through it all in terms of her heartbreak with Garrett and Summer with Valeria, they refused to go through life as someone they were not. There is no compromise in terms of love and what the unifying factors should be. A strong woman will not out herself down. Just like jumping in the lake at camp with Asher, Maggie went all in. I appreciated the turn of events when she started focusing on what is versus what if. She no longer let the past dictate the present. That is why when she and Asher came together regardless of the 35 year old pact, that they were stronger and ready to be together forever. They knew they are soulmates. However, that is why Maggie stood her ground in terms of wanting Willa. At first, she thought the timing wasn't right. But at the end,they both realized that when you want something, you will give it your all. It is like stars falling through the night and fairy dust.

Somehow Greenberg does a great job of making me both laugh out loud and openly weep with her new novel.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg

I went into this book blind. I loved the author's first book, Bad Luck Bridesmaid, and all I knew before starting this one was the genre: women's/relationship fiction. So, it may look like a romance novel, but it's good to know going in that it is not! 👌

This premise is fun: Maggie has made a marriage pact with two men from her past. First, with her teenage boyfriend and then with her long-time best friend. They promise that if neither of them are married on her 35th birthday they will find each other and get married. Well, both men show up! (Sort of 😉)

This book is women's/relationship fiction. So, it does not have to follow romance rules and I knew not to expect popular romance formulas, but I honestly felt like this was just too painful even with my expectations adjusted.

So much infidelity--both physical and very, very much emotional. It is almost impossible for me to root for any cheating MC. Chanting, "it's not a romance, it's not a romance, it's not a romance" actually didn't help! 😅 I still despised our heroine for loving Garrett for 12 years while also dating men, and he's dating other women, and they aren't even hiding it from each other that they'd rather be together. AND THEY COULD JUST BE TOGETHER. There were no valid reasons not to be together!!! And huuuuge lines are crossed. The wedding shower chapters were an absolutely awful reading experience for me.

Having said all that, if you don't feel this way about emotional and physical infidelity, then you might he able to accept these messy, but possibly realistic characters much more than I did. And you'll likely root for Maggie much more than I did.

Right person, wrong time is not typically a favorite trope for me, but it went worse than usual. I was not sure we had the right person in either scenario. Obviously Asher is the winner, but by the time we meet him, I have lost faith in Maggie's judgment.

Even while reminding myself that I knew it wasn't a romance novel, I was still so disappointed that the author chose to make Asher SO perfect. The "bat signal" on her 35th birthday?!?! I mean, why didn't you just write them a romance novel?!?! And then give them a truly happy ending? I was left unbearably disappointed with the ending.

Pretty big theme of one person wanting a child and the other one not wanting children. I suppose some readers will see themselves or their relationships reflected in this angst.

Reasons to read it:
• If you love messy characters and messy relationships.
• The music and song lyrics sections were my favorite part. I felt like you could really feel the author's love of music. There were specific songs and musicians mentioned and even some super subtle *only Swifties will catch it* ones, too!
• This book included really lovely lyrics that the main character wrote throughout the story. I was super impressed by these!
• Flashbacks to teen years with Asher is amazing!
• Some celebrity romance vibes! Asher was the sexiest man Alive?!
• I love it when the main character has a wonderful best friend. Summer is a fantastic side character!
• Awful men *do* get their comeuppance in the end 👏
• It reads fast with short chapters that jump around between age 14 and 39 (but mostly right around age 35).
• If you'd like a nontraditional, open ended HEA.

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this one, out in October.

So many things going through my head after finishing this one.

I will start by saying I could relate to this so much. Being in my late thirties and not having a husband or children yet, it can be very hard to navigate life sometimes. Like you aren’t doing it right. And thats why i felt so connected to the main character, Maggie.

The whole book itself was a whirlwind. I found it to be too long and drawn out for most things. The back and forth with all her ages, the past and present, got to be a little confusing at times and i would have liked it better if it stayed in order.

Overall it had its ups and downs for me but i didnt like the yes and no and then yes again with Asher at the end. It was too much. It was still a beautiful love story though with too many bumps in the road but i guess that’s the way it goes for some people.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. All the characters were very human and very relatable. The whole book flowed really well - I enjoyed how the book bounced back and forth from the present to the past. As Maggie is going through various stages of her life both the love interests are there for her in different ways. For a good portion of the book I couldn’t decide if I was Team Garrett or Team Asher. In the end I think she chose the right person. My only complaint with this book was how it ended - it just felt rushed and abrupt.

Our main character, Maggie, is a talented singer-song writer aspiring to make it big in show-biz and become a mother. At her 30th birthday party she ends up confessing her love to her 7 year long crush, Garrett. But not only does she admit she's in love with him, she also makes a promise that if both of them are still unmarried by her 35th birthday, she will show up on his doorstep to marry him. However, this isn't the first time Maggie has made a marriage pact. The first time was over a decade ago, to her first true love, Asher, who she hasn't seen since she was 17. By the time her 35th birthday rolls along, Maggie finds herself still single. Not only that, Garrett and Asher both show up. Things are a little complicated on all ends, though. With Maggie stuck in a bit of a love triangle, she tries to figure out if she is more in love with "the one who got away" or "her true soul mate"?

This story sucked me in from the start! With a shifting timeline between past and present, the making of Maggie's love for both characters is captured. Throughout the story I was unsure who I was rooting for because I was so in love with both Garrett and Asher! This story does also deal with some heavy topics such as sexual assault, fertility issues, death, grief, and mental illness. The only thing that I didn't love about the story, was I felt the ending got a little rushed. Oh, and the fact that I didn't want the story to end! Such a good contemporary romance read!

Romance with complex characters. I loved all the late 1990s and early 2000s music references. Sometimes it got a little confusing since there were multiple timelines.

I loved reading the story of Maggie and all of the real life struggles and trials that come with love. I loved that there wasn’t just one love story, but two. All of the past and present brought together to create a well rounded story that made you wonder who she would end up with. While reading, all I wanted was for Maggie to have everything she wanted in life. It was so easy to become intertwined in the characters and Maggie’s life.

This will be one of those books I wish I could read for the first time over and over again.

Thank you @alison.greenberg for this amazing book.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

The publish date is 10/03. Don’t miss out on this amazing story.

It’s rare that in a love triangle, a reader roots for all the parties, but that’s what happened in my case. Maggie is in love with two different people: Garrett who she has pined for for the last 12 years, and Asher her first love. The reader is introduced to Garrett first and while their relationship is far from perfect (I mean, Garrett is engaged to someone else!), it’s easy for the reader to feel their chemistry and want their love story to find a happy ending. Then we meet Asher, and we learn about their young love story. Asher is presented as such a good guy, it’s hard not to want them to have a happily ever after too. I became just as invested in Asher/Maggie as I was Garrett/Maggie.

This is where I think the author did a phenomenal job in forming the story. I couldn’t decide who I wanted Maggie to be with, and that’s what kept me devouring chapter after chapter. When her decision was made, part of me applauded it and part of me mourned the match that could have been, and I don’t think I’ve felt that way about any other love triangle story I’ve ever read. It’s that rarity in character formation that would have me recommend this book to anyone who would listen.

The ending was a bit rushed and a bit clumsy, especially after all the detail placed in the rest of the storytelling. It felt like it was a contrived twist to add drama where none was needed. At first I thought this would ruin the story for me, but the author fixes this mistake at the last moment. With that said, a few pages of messiness doesn’t take away from how great the rest of the story reads. If you are a fan of romance, you won’t go wrong picking up this book.

**A big thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. I truly appreciate the opportunity!**

I absolutely loved this book. It took me a few chapters to embrace the secondary characters, but Maggie had my heart from the very beginning. I love the honest, raw view of friendships and heartache.

There were some completely (and hilariously) unhinged moments that had me laughing until my sides hurt, and I ended the book in sad/happy/wistful tears. The plot, and ending, of Maggie's story is so similar to real life: unfinished, not the answer you wanted, and sometimes incredibly gut-wrenching.

The main character Maggie is reminiscent of Taylor Swift - her song lyrics and writing process are so sweet and meaningful. I want to read Maggie's story forever!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end - I highlighted many quotes I want to look back on often. This book will put you in your feels and empower you to choose yourself, and fight for yourself.

𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄, 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐄 by Alison Rose Greenberg
★★★★★ | 5 STARS - FULL REVIEW

Thank to NetGally and Miss. Alison for the ARC

This is my first NetGalley Arc! I am so pleased to have received the opportunity. I didn't expect much of this book and to be quite honest, I went blind. I didn't read the description, which is probably why I was so shocked reading the thing. I literally asked for the ARC because I thought it looked pretty sue me.

I thought I knew what I was getting into. Second chance romance after some big deal happened years ago and the couple was going to get together after 300 pages of stupidity. However, after passing a few chapters, I'm glad to say that was not the case that came with Maybe Once, Maybe Twice. Instead of a cliche, I got a heartfelt story of demonstrates the difficulty of love (and not only from the mc's perspective) and how life happens and how hard timing can be. It. Was. Breathtaking.

I haven't felt like this about a book since A Thousand Boy Kisses and Regretting You and TRUST when I mean that shit, cause those books are special to me in a way I can't explain. MOMT is officially part of that special place for me.

Maggie was flawed but in a way, you could relate to her. I found myself yelling at her decisions knowing I'd probably do the same. I'm also a person who wholeheartedly believes in the 'what if' of things and I've never seen myself in the third perspective more. Seriously, it was ANNOYING. Like, incredibly. But I learned something from this book which I hope will prevent me from always stopping and start doing. I'll never reach my own happiness otherwise.

I really liked Garrett - at first. It's a love-hate relationship for which I sort of blame him and Maggie. I feel like there were times when he was right, that it was lowkey Maggie's fault that they weren't together but he went so stupidly about it, it caused me to dislike him immensely. But, on the other hand, I totally get where he was coming from. I've loved someone who had no idea yet totally knew I liked/loved them and revelled in the fact. Small moments together yet nothing ever happened because I had to be the person to take the step. But like Garette (and a little of Maggie), I'm a cautious person. "What if" it was just a game to them, the heartbreak would be too much. Why not just revel in the perfection that is our relationship now, even if it hurts me? So, with that, Garett is not completely an angel in my book but not a demon either. I get him.

Summer is a BEAUTIFUL character, and I love her slightly more than Maggie. Her relationship with Viola, her maturing and character arc was something profound, I was crying for her the entire time. It was fucking sad but hey man, it's life. But it broke me. So. Much.

Asher Reyes is beautiful. Asher Reyes is perfection. Asher Reyes is amazing. Asher Reyes is phenomenal. Asher Reyes IS FUCKING FILIPINO and I folded. Please - stop playing. There's nothing else to say, in my eyes, he had no flaws.

All the other characters were super dope too, both Asher and Maggie's backstories were heartbreaking and beautifully told. I enjoyed the flashbacks, as a little confusing as they were. The songs all being at the end was my fav, I appreciate little things like that. My only criticism about this book despite the raving review is that the end is definitely rushed. I thought the book was ending and in a way, when I thought I was done, I wasn't happy about it but it made sense. Then there was another chapter and I suddenly felt like the book should have ended the last chapter and I loved it even more. Take what you will with that.

I recommend this book for fans of/or recs if you liked this book<
Colleen Hoover's "Regretting You" and "All Your Perfects" - for the alternating timelines
Christina Lauren's "Love & Other Words"- for the second chance romance
Lucy Score's "Things We Never Got Over" - for the tears
Jeanine Bennedict's "Midnight Kisses" - for the flawed characters and realism

Initially I was drawn to this one for the cover art, premise and author. I read another book by the author last year and really enjoyed it, the cover is eye catching and pretty, and the idea of a marriage pact and MCs being in their thirties appealed.

The author is definitely a skilled writer and writes in an engaging manner. I also really enjoy books that have that balance of Women’s Fiction and romance. Hers tend to have more of a WF tilt, that cover deeper topics or just life issues and make you think. I loved that the mains were slightly older than what I’m used to in romance reads - I want to see more romance featuring age brackets beyond 25 and under. It was refreshing to see someone in their 30s.

I can definitely think of several people who would appreciate and connect with this read. That being said, this particular book did not work for me. It definitely had elements I enjoyed and appreciated, but also had some pieces that just weren’t to my taste.

For me, probably the biggest drawbacks were too of the issues covered (important and real, but just not ones I wanted to explore): infertility and cheating. The infertility discussion and some of how it was handled didn’t sit well for me personally. These are both tough topics, some don’t mind them, others do - definitely a matter of personal preference.

I guess the other main two bits that did not connect with me were the timeline jumping. While I appreciated the labels to clearly state where / when we were for chapters, I started to get frustrated with the jumps. And finally the main and her love interests, I didn’t really connect with our MC and couldn’t decide if I really liked / was rooting for her? Then her love interests, I just didn’t really like either of them enough. Though given another bit covered, I think that played a role in this for me.

Overall, I do think it is a book that will appeal, especially to fans of Women’s Fiction or looking for something with more heart and grit. The author is one who writes well and I would try again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Pub for the opportunity to read and review an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.

This novel was a 4.5 stars, and it was absolutely fantastic! I loved Alison Rose Greenberg's descriptions in this novel, and the way she made all of her characters fantastically nuanced and realistic. She beautifully captures the ways in which we change and find ourselves as we move through our lives.

This novel is a spin on the classic marriage pact: "If we're both single when we're 40, let's get married." Except, Maggie Vine makes the pact (13 years apart from each other) to marry two different men at age 35. Well, Maggie is 35 now and both men have showed up: Garrett, the scruffy blonde Maggie has spent the last 12 years pining after in a will-they/won't-they limbo, and Asher, Maggie's artistic, dark-haired high school summer camp ex-boyfriend turned A-list director.

This novel was very very close to being a 5 stars, the only things holding me back were a relatively slow beginning and one plot point that I didn't care for. However, once these portions were passed, I fell in love very quickly with the rest of the novel.

Normally, I cannot stand dual timeline POVs. However, Greenberg deftly jumps in and out of chapters spanning Maggie's life from age 14 to the present time. Each time jump felt purposeful, and it gave the reader different glimpses into Maggie's relationships and selfhood, allowing the reader to experience her maturation. I also had preconceived notions regarding the end of the novel based off of the first half of the novel, and Greenberg blew me completely out of the water with her ending - in the best way possible. I don't think I've ever read a romance whose ending satisfied me so completely, in terms of character growth, plot, and the romance itself. I also loved the characters, in addition to Maggie and her romantic partners, Summer (Maggie's best friend) and Raini (a young actress) were stand out side characters. This is all in addition to the brilliant banter and reflections that Greenberg already provides in her writing.

This novel is exactly why I am glad I started reading ARCs, it's allowed me to discover brilliant authors and novels whose work I may not have found otherwise. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely beautiful. This is special book and an unexpected journey through not one but two love stories. I truly devoured this novel in one day - it’s so much more than a spicy romance (though it is that too) - most of all it’s a story about growing up and looking back at how you got here. It tells the story about how you can wish you knew then what you know now, but life is all the more beautiful when you embrace what it’s taught you. The story authentically addresses so many important topics like loss, empowerment, friendship, parenthood, and divorce - painting a heartbreaking love story that has you guessing til the end (and somehow the ending is just right). I’m gushing because this book is really something special. And best of all it reads like a movie script in the best way, it’s so easy to see this story come to life. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review - this one is out in October!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I didn't like the first 10% of this book. I thought the jumping between past and present was confusing and I was a bit overwhelmed at first. HOWEVER, then I met Asher. When Asher and Maggie reunited, I instantly felt their chemistry and I was hooked. One thing about Asher and Maggie is that they basically started where they left off 18 years or so later. This kind of made the book lack the tension that I long for in romance books but the chemistry and their emotional connection was still off the charts.

Don't get me wrong, this book had a lot going on. That being said, I think in some ways that was a good thing. This book was the opposite of predictable, which I loved. At one point my jaw was on the floor because I wasn't expecting such a late third act breakup. And although the ending felt a little rushed to me, I still enjoyed thoroughly it.

I think my favorite thing about this book was the theme of time. That might sound weird but everything in Maggie's life was somewhat related to time. It was never the right time for her and Garret to happen, which I think was a blessing in disguise. Maggie had to focus on time to heal, time to grow (especially in her music career), time to love (herself, her relationships and her friends), and time to become a mother. Plus, the jumping back and forth between past and present also fit into theme and once I got used to it, every time jump felt very intentional.

Maggie was so unapologetically herself. She knew what she deserved and she was not going to let anything come in the way of her goals. Becoming a mother was her number one aspiration from the very first chapter and I loved that we were able to see her accomplish that in time.

This book was unexpected for me because I didn't connect with it immediately but I absolutely loved it. I also loved all the nostalgic moments and music references. If you love music, I highly encourage you to read this!

“So desperately I sing to thee of love, sure, but also rage, and hate, and pain, and fear of self. And I can’t keep these feelings on the shelf.” - Hook, by Blues Traveler

☝🏼 this song lyric (from a song that just so happens to be on this book’s playlist) is a perfect description for this book. Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a book about love, sure, but also rage, and hate, and pain, and fear of self. - And I loved ever agonizing minute of it.

It’s ‘right person, wrong time’ x2 - crossing over 2 decades with the intertwining stories of Maggie’s two great loves. There is Asher, her teenage boyfriend and first love. She hasn’t seen him since she was 17. Then there is Garret, her best friend, who she’s also been in love with for the last 12 years. She may have made marriage pacts with both of them. Asking them to show up on her 35th birthday. Well now she’s 35, and they both show up.

This book is slow burn with LOTS of angst, and all the feels. I honestly felt like my heart was getting shredded right along with Maggie’s as I read this. This book is so good. It sucks you in and in a blink of an eye you are so invested in Maggie. You want to know all the details that got her right here to this moment. You want desperately for things to go her way. And you long to be able to fast forward her story to the happy ending you know she deserves. But we only know what it means to be happy, because we also know what it means to be unhappy.

This might be may favorite book of 2023.

(I will post this review on my Instagram sometime in September, I will update with the exact date when I know when. Will also post on Amazon when the book comes out!)

Review to come ,
I will for now tell you what I was drawn to when selecting this book , the title, and the cover really got me.
Thank you net galley and publisher for allowing me to read this book. !

Maggie is turning 35 and hasn't had the career break she's been working for or gotten her dating life figured out. She's had two great loves one when she was a teenager and one she never got the timing right with both she made promise that if they weren't married at 35 they would find her on her birthday and be together. Of course both show up back in her life in different ways and offering different things to her and she has decide which is the path she wants to take. I really enjoyed this book loved seeing both relationships develop in flashbacks and seeing how she got to the point in her life she was in. I'm not sure I loved how it ended and wondered if maybe it should've gone another way but I was still ok with how it turned out. I would definitely recommend this one and would more from this author. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital arc giving this one 4 stars.

This was a good, emotional read. Usually when there’s two love interests involved, I root for one but I really enjoyed both Asher and Garrett. I almost wished she could’ve had both of them. I thought it was neat that the author wrote songs for the book as well.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I do try to read debut authors occasionally and was mostly rewarded by my decision to read this book. There is mention of the main character being Jewish, and I'd argue the essence of Maggie's personality is inherently Jewish. It's definitely not a focus. Maggie Vine is an aspiring singer - songwriter with talent, a New Yorker we meet on her 30th birthday. We don't actually find out when her birthday takes place, but I'm guessing early summer.

The format of the book takes us into the future and past, most of the plot taking place in her 35th year. Maggie is torn between two loves: Garrett, a best friend, Trader Joe's shopper, and a confidant who moonlights in rock music with an adult day job in finance. We learn about the unrequited love between the two. Well, they love each other, but the timing just never works out. Then there's Asher Reyes, Maggie's summer camp boyfriend she met at 15 and hadn't seen since she started college at 17, 18 years old. Asher is a famous director/ actor and is making Maggie's favorite book into a film. Maggie wants to write the original music for the movie.

The other major character is Maggie's best friend, Summer, who is her opposite personality wise. Their friendship reminded me of mine with my best friend, who tends to be pragmatic when I'm emotional.

This isn't really a love triangle so much, and the description may be somewhat misleading as well as the cover. It seems like a fluffy rom com, but Greenberg gives us an emotionally fulfilling tale of love, loss, and life goals. There should be a trigger warning for grief, loss, sexual assault and the aftermath. Don't overlook this book as another typical adult contemporary romance. There are some funny moments too that give levity for more serious moments. I couldn't relate to the main character wanting a baby, but that's just me. I really enjoyed the musical references made with some of my favorite artists, including Stevie Nicks, Fiona Apple. Please note to take care with the trigger warnings I mentioned.

4/5☆ out 10/3/23