Soy muy fan de el reality Married at First Sight así que la premisa de este libro me encantó. Lo disfruté, me gustó que hayamos leído los dos puntos de vista. Es una lectura entretenida, y que recomendaría para cualquiera que lea romance. Por momentos se me hizo un poco largo y por eso no fue mi preferida pero desde ya voy a leer más de la autora. Gracias a NetGalley y a la editorial por el ARC.

I love characters that come with baggage,it makes them more relatable. This book reminds of several reality shows like married at first sight, which is a guilty pleasure of mine.

This is a story about second chances and being forced to confront and reconnect with people from the past. The author doesn't shy away from dealing with the hurt between our main characters and handles it beautifully.

I highly recommend this book to those who love second chances in love.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was such an easy read and I flew through it. The characters are funny and the banter between the two main love interests is so sweet.

Fue una buena lectura, entretenida y llevable, ideal para desconectar y leer en una sentada. Volvería a leer a la autora

ingrid pierce is a voice to watch. this book is one of my favorites of 2024 and I cannot wait to see what comes next!

If you’re into second chance romances, “Not You Again” by Ingrid Pierce is definitely for you. The stars of the novel are Kit and Andie, who have dated before and ended their relationship on terrible terms seven years ago. So, what happens when they sign up for a reality TV show and unexpectedly have to get married?

Watching them navigate their relationship, dealing with real-life problems while on a reality TV show, was intriguing. It was also heartwarming to witness their rekindled love for one another. I liked that this novel included both perspectives. Reality TV show fans should check this one out for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of this novel.

I had no expectations going into this book but was pleasantly surprised! Andie and Kit are adorable, and watching them chase their dreams while navigating their faux relationship was a hoot. I love the tropes of the surprise of Kit being Andie's husband and their eventual fall into love. Adorable story!

A sweet, swoony second chance romance set amongst a Married At First Sight premise. I thought Kit was a great male lead, and enjoyed the romance.

I didn’t love the reality TV bit as much as I expected (it was super frustrating which I think was the point) and their emotional journey wasn’t the tidiest but I still enjoyed it!

This was a most delightful read and had some truly laugh out loud moments and a sizzling chemistry to rival any of the more serious romances I have read However this book had an intriguing element of showcasing how much people can grow and develop into themselves and in so doing reexamine what it means to have a second chance at love. What starts off as odd competition s aimed at garnering ratings, allows Kit and Andie to deal with the aspects of themselves that once kept them apart. This was a great contemporary romance that offers more than just a quick escape of a read.

Thank you Alcove Books and NetGalley for the eARC that I read.

Quick Summary: A second chance to get it right

My Review: Not You Again by Ingrid Pierce is a women's fiction novel scheduled for release in July 2024.

About the Book: College sweethearts, Andie Dresser and Kit Watson, reunite in the oddest way after spending a decade apart. Amidst heavy professional and familial pressures, the two try to navigate the situation they now find themselves in. Cameras are rolling and it's anyone's guess as to what will become of this brokenhearted couple.

About the Characters and Conflict: Andie and Kit were so interesting as individuals and as a couple. They each lived their lives and made choices largely based on what they experienced in their upbringings. I loved the contrasts and the similarities that were presented. The mother angle was particularly noteworthy, as well.

The points of conflict presented in this story were pretty darn realistic. (I wish I could say more and really get into it, but if I go on, I will give too much away.)

My Favorite Scenes (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

- You?!

- Can We Talk About It?

- The Thigh Master

- The Wager

- Putting It All Out There/Being All In

- What Do You Really Mean?

- Dress You Up in My Love

*** The scene that stole my heart concerned Kit's mom and Andie. When they had that heart to heart talk, I teared up so quickly. I wanted to hug them both.

My Final Say: This contemporary novel was a pleasant surprise. I quite liked it. While it wasn't an explosive story, it did prove to be a story with heart. It told of real feelings and experiences, it showed the tough lessons that come with loving someone, and it revealed a path toward true reconciliation in self and in relationships.

Rating: 4.45/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Status/Level: 💖
Triggers: Death of a parent, Cancer

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to an ALC in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own and have been submitted voluntarily.

We have Kit and Andie who dated in college but broke up.

They later in life match in a show where they fall in love again.

But we also see the reason why they broke up in the first place.

These are real characters with real baggage.

Andie is a wedding dress designer who sees her mom go from one guy to the next.

But she needs money for her business and decides to sign up for a reality tv show for the money.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

“we’re in this together. you jump, i jump.”

angst always hits the hardest when there's a rich backstory, and i stand by that. this book was quick, engaging, and ultimately satisfying—a solid debut novel by pierce. is there room for improvement, especially in the writing flow and sequence of events? probably. but as a first novel but as a first novel, it's understandable that we'd spot some flaws. writing is a skill that develops over time, and for pierce's debut, it’s a solid effort that still packs a punch.

the premise alone was enough to hook me—a romance set in a reality show with exes who went through a gut-wrenching breakup? i mean, come on, the stakes were already high, and that’s what made the storyline gripping. the banter between the characters was solid, occasionally crossing the line, but in a way that made it even more enjoyable. yes, some of the humor felt a bit cringe, but i found the balance between the lighter moments and the emotional depth well done for the most part.

the dual pov approach worked fine i think, but i wish the male perspective had been fleshed out better. it was a little too similar to the female pov, which made it hard to distinguish between the two at times. a few more distinct characteristics or voice changes could’ve really elevated it.

₊˚ andrea dresser ⊹♡.

one thing that really worked for me was the chemistry between the main characters. it’s what drives the book. the fmc, andrea, is painted in a way that some readers might end up blaming her for the breakup, which seems to be the angle the writing pushes. not sure if that was intentional or not.

i love it when characters grow, and in 'not you again,' you can see genuine development. these are flawed individuals, and that’s what makes them relatable. by the time they find their way back to each other, it feels earned, like they’ve truly grown into the version of themselves that deserves another shot at love.

“i see everything in her gaze—our past, our present, our future … if we’re brave enough to reach for it.”

her pain was palpable. the hurt she carried was completely valid, especially considering not just the breakup with kit but also her parental issues. her trust issues made total sense and added another layer to her character arc.

₊˚ christopher watson ⊹♡.

honestly, though, one thing that bugged me was the whole 'other partners during the separation' trope. i get it—it’s been a decade, so it makes sense, but where’s the ‘pathetically in love and pining’ energy? it felt like a missed opportunity. plus, kit’s mr. know-it-all attitude? UGH. it was infuriating. like, why act so wise and mature if you're going to run when things get tough? save me from the trope of the fmc chasing after the mmc.

also, the chemistry, while initially great, did feel a little too lust-driven at times, which took away from the emotional connection for me.

“she doesn’t hand out her joy to just anyone. i like being the one to earn it.”

miscommunication as a plot device usually is very dear to me despite the popular hatred. i actually think it makes a story feel more grounded. miscommunication is present in real life relationships too, and it added to the tension in a way that felt authentic. the 'what ifs' are what life is all about, and sometimes, in fiction, they get resolved in the most satisfying ways.

big thanks to ingrid pierce, alcove press, and netgalley for the arc.

°•*⁀➷・❥・ “𝓘’𝓶 𝓭𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓮, 𝓘’𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼.”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

☆☆☆☆.75 stars

𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭:

If I have to describe this book in one word, MINDBLOWING😍🤌🏻 I never read reality tv show tropes in books because I'm not fond of reality tv shows in real life, but this might have made me add all the books in that trope to my tbr 🤭🗑 The storyline was gripping from the very start, the angst, the chemistry & the banters between the MCs were *chef's kiss*💋

✨️Meet the characters✨️

💌 Andrea Dresser~ aka Andie by everyone, determined, a famous tiktok wedding dress designer, who gets selected to participate in the upcoming Atlanta's Fashion week, realises that she doesn't have the financial sources to design the dresses for the week. In a whim, she decided to participate in the Reality TV Show "First Look at Forever" where you marry a complete stranger and spend time with them for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, they can decide whether they will stay together or divorce and get the $100,000 as the prize. But everything goes under water, when she meets her supposed to be husband in the altar.

💌 Christopher Watson~ aka Kit, is an architecture and is forced to participate in a TV show by his dying mother as it's her last wish to see him married. He is surprised to see he is marrying none other than the ANDIE, the only love of his life, whom he left years ago without an explanation. But this time, he plans on not letting her go no matter what.

When these two people come together, everything is at stake, especially Andie's already broken heart, which she has barely tried to mend throughout the years❤️‍🩹

🌶chps warning: 22, 30, 31, 32, 33, 48

Trigger warning: breast cancer

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
💍Second Chance
💍Marriage of Convenience
💍Reality TV show
💍Dual POVs
💍Lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers
💍Wedding Dress designer× Architecture

Thankyou to the Author, Alcovepress and Netgalley for this amazing ARC!!🥰🫶🏻💓

Opposites attract in this FUNNY, a little bit spicy Rom-Com! Exes that come together again unexpectedly on a tv show that that has them marrying each-other to win a HUGE 100K prize! LOVED it!

This book was cute. I liked it. It was funny. He’s an engineer and she’s a dressmaker. They’re on this reality game show and they’re also college exes.

Absolutely adored Andie and Kit. Ingrid has a true knack for storytelling and she will be an auto-buy author for me from now on

I absolutely adored this second chance romance. I loved the chemistry between Andie and kit. I loved the reality TV theme also. This was so good I binge read it!! I couldn't get away from it. 5 star read!!

I was really excited to read this one! I haven't watched a lot of reality TV shows but I have watched Married At First Sight so I was familiar with the style of show described here. I also lived in Atlanta where the show is set so that was fun too!

I had fun reading about Andie's wedding dress business and Kit and Andie did have a compelling connection. I struggled a bit with the level of angst and lack of good communication here. I also thought the spice read inconsistently. There is one very detailed scene and then the rest are fade to black. I felt like it wouldn't appeal to the people who prefer open door or the the people who like fade to black.

If you really enjoy the show Married At First Sight or really are into reality tv romances this one may be for you. I think reality TV romances have been a bit of a trend this summer so if you have been eating them up this is one to add to your tbr!

Andie Dresser is a wedding gown designer in need of money for her business. So she signs up for a reality tv show where couples marry sight unseen. If they decide to divorce at the end, then they get paid $100,000.

Kit Watson is an architect who has taken a job in Atlanta to be close to his sick mom. All his mom wants is for him to find a wife and be settled. She tells him if he goes on the reality tv show, she'll let him pay for help to take care of her. And since Kit will do whatever it takes to take care pf his mom, he agrees.

When Andie walks down the aisle, she is shocked to see Kit standing at the end. He left her ten years ago with no explanation and broke her heart.

Now the two have to be on camera constantly together without killing each other. Except that the feelings they had for each other begin to resurface. So they have to decide if they can put aside their differences to make things work or choose divorce in the end.

This book was so fantastic and I loved every minute of it! Andie and Kit are such a great couple, and I also adored the two other couples who are also on the show. I HIGHLY recommend this one!! It just came out so make sure you get your copy!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Alcove for my ARC!