Diving into "Not You Again" by Ingrid Pierce was like stumbling upon a hidden gem in the vast realm of romance novels – an absolute exhilarating discoverya mong romance books! If second chance romances are your jam, then buckle up, because this book takes you on an unforgettable rollercoaster of emotions that you won't want to miss.

Let me tell you about Kit and Andie – the main characters. They're not your typical flawless protagonists; they come with their own baggage, flaws, and real-world problems. That's what made them feel so relatable to me. Their imperfections made them more authentic, and I found myself really rooting for them throughout the story.

The whole plot revolves around a reality show that throws people into unexpected marriages. Now, imagine the twist – Kit and Andie are exes. And not just any exes, but ones with a history full of heartbreak and unresolved issues. Andie had her heart shattered when Kit couldn't reciprocate her "I love you" back in college. It led to him disappearing from her life for days. Andie's been nursing that hurt ever since, while Kit regrets his past actions and wants a shot at winning her back.

As they navigate an eight-week marriage on the reality show, you get to see both sides of the story, past and present. The character growth is so realistic; you witness Kit and Andie evolving as they confront their past and deal with the challenges of the present.

What really sold me on this book is the chemistry between Kit and Andie. It's electric and makes their journey genuinely captivating. Ingrid Pierce did an incredible job of weaving in every emotion and unresolved feeling, making Kit and Andie endearing characters that you can't help but get attached to.

The writing style is fantastic – the story is filled with witty charm and emotional depth. I easily fell in love with the storyline, thanks to the well-crafted characters and the unique premise.

“Not You Again" is not just your run-of-the-mill romance – it's a heart-pounding rollercoaster of emotions that I devoured with pure excitement! Ingrid Pierce's storytelling is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you're a sucker for second chance romances with characters that are flawlessly imperfect and utterly lovable, trust me, this book is an absolute must-read!

A heartwarming, adorable romance featuring the second chance romance trope and a cinnamon roll MMC.

Andie is a wedding dress designer, but she needs money to be able to fund a fashion week to showcase her designs. Kit wants to make his mum happy with looking to settle down. The solution: signing up to a reality TV show where both of them would be married at first sight, and spend eight weeks together. If they decide to divorce at the end, then they'd receive a $100k damages cheque.

The problem is, Andie and Kit have been paired together - they used to date back in college and it ended badly - can they make this marriage work and give their love a second chance?

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
If you've ever watched Married at First Sight, then this is exactly that but in book form - the cameras following everyone around, the interviews and the group activities. We see the behind the scenes of this reality TV show, with the producers, the lack of privacy and cameras on you everywhere you go.

It was heartwarming to see Andie and Kit open themselves up to each other again after 10 years of being apart, giving their love a second chance. Kit is an absolute cinnamon roll with his love language being acts of service toward Andie. We also see the truths and hardships in relationships - how everyone has their own battles to fight and flaws.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this copy. This review is voluntary.

This was such a cute, heartwarming and fun read, perfect for a cozy night!
Pros:
- Cute love story with depth and layers
- Fake/Arranged marriage-ish ("MY WIFE")
- Enemies to lovers & second chance romance done well!
- Deeper backstories - no bad action was done without reason
- Crazy & hilarious concept- married at first sight vibes
- A cinnamon roll softie MMC + acts of service
- A tough and hardworking FMC
- The cutest ending (made it go up a star (from 4-5 stars))
- A realistic love story that will have you swooning
- She needed his help with undoing her buttons (I LOVE these type of scenes)
- Kitt was the biggest green flag - he watched romance movies with his mom growing up
- Great communication constantly between the couple

Cons:
- Took a while to pick up
- Was a solid 4 stars up until 80%

Fave Quotes:
"Ready to take the leap?"
"Promise to catch me?"
"Always."
"She doesn't hand out her joy to just anyone. I like being the one to earn it."
"I'm done pretending I don't have feelings for you when every time you look at me, I'm yours."
"I didn't know how to accept love so selfless, so I let you think I didn't need it."

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc, all thoughts are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about Kit and Andie who are matched on a reality show that marries people at first sight. However, there's a catch - they are both exes who have a lot of emotional baggage. Andie hates Kit because he broke her heart and made her give up on love, while Kit regrets losing Andie and wishes to win her back. As they navigate their eight-week marriage on the show, the story alternates between their perspectives, shedding light on what happened between them in the past and what is happening in the present. The book portrays both Kit and Andie as flawed but lovable characters, making the reader sympathize with them even as they make mistakes.

It was definitely a book I couldn't stop reading and I really enjoyed seeing the character growth over the span of the book.

Is it possible to fall in love with a stranger who isn't really a stranger after all??

Andie & Kit both sign up for a dating show where you marry a perfect stranger. Only as she's walking down the aisle to him does she realize who it is. She's already loved him but he left her broken.

I love love and this book got me all in my feelings reading how both Andie & Kit had major walls, fears and so much love. I can't imagine doing what they did for the show but I sure enjoyed reading about it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book doesn’t shy away from how messy and hard marriage can be, even without the pressures of being on camera for a reality TV show. How some days hurt because even when two people love each other deeply they can still make mistake after mistake — and yet, Not You Again bravely shows that even after hitting a breaking point it’s possible to come out on the other side stronger than ever before. It takes some hard lessons, a lot of work from both characters, and a big leap of faith, but Andie and Kit choose each other, rebuilding their love one stitch, and one brick, at a time.

When I saw what this book was about, I knew I had to have it. I watched Married at First Sight and I fell in love with all the couples, I still follow one of the first ones to this day. I get invested in a good love story, especailly one that looks like it is doomed from the start.
Andie and Kit had dated in college, until one night she tells him she loves him and he can't say it back. The next thing she knows, he leaves her and doesn't speak to her for days. She is broken and so is he. When she signs up for a show just to win some prize money, she never in a million years expects to see Kit at the end of the aisle waiting for her. Kit signed up just to placate his mother, but when he sees Andie, he knows fate has other ideas for them and this could be his second chance.
Andie never forgot Kit and the hurt he caused, Kit never forgot Andie and the hole that is left in his heart. He will do everything to prove to her that he is the perfect man now and hopefully convince her that she can trust him and give him another chance.
These two had so many issues to work through and I loved every second that Kit spent pining over Andie. Andie wasn't ready to trust him, but she does know that she has never been happier than when she is with Kit. Maybe fate has given them a second chance and the would be fools to waste it.
Thank you to Alcove Press, Ingrid Pierce and Netgalley for an early copy.

“Not You Again” is a second chance romance book by Ingrid Pierce. I think this book was enjoyable as it’s not only a second chance romance but it also delves into the complications of relationships - not only between a couple, but other relationships (and responsibilities) people have in their lives. Both of the main characters have their flaws, but that made them seem more real. I did wish that there had been a bit more about their past (such as in separate chapters) to help explain things through the book opposed to it being explained the way it was. I think the plot device of the reality show was a good one - and I liked that both main characters had very interesting jobs (though since I’m a sucker for architecture, wish there’d been more detail about that other than an expensive pencil!). Overall, I think if you enjoy second chance romances mixed with a reality TV theme, this book may surprise you.

This was such a quick read! It really made me feel as if I was watching a tv show! Im always a sucker for the forced proximity and the fake dating trope so I really enjoyed this one! Loved the banter in this book it made me not want to put it down. I also loved that the book was dual pov! I truly enjoyed the characters in this book and loved Andie and Kits chemistry! Overall this book was a great romance books and I finished it in one sitting (a long flight)!

In this captivating blend of Married at First Sight and The Ex Talk, Ingrid Pierce invites readers into the dazzling world of wedding gown designer Andie Dresser and architect Kit Watson. A tale of second chances, heartstrings are gently tugged as the characters navigate the twists of a reality show romance.

What Draws You In:
Andie's struggle as a wedding gown designer and Kit's return to Atlanta for his mother's health crisis set the stage for a unique romance. The premise of a reality show marriage with a lucrative prize brings a thrilling edge, ensuring readers are hooked from the start.

Heartfelt Moments:
The tension between Andie and Kit, intensified by their shared past and unexpected reunion, is beautifully portrayed. The backdrop of reality show antics and heartfelt family moments adds depth, creating a narrative that's both entertaining and emotionally resonant.

Reality Show Glamour:
The inclusion of reality show elements, from quirky challenges to shared on-screen moments, adds a layer of glamour and fun. It becomes a vibrant tapestry against which the characters rediscover their connection.

Final Verdict:
Not You Again offers a delightful escape into the world of reality show romance. The chemistry between Andie and Kit, paired with the backdrop of their individual struggles, crafts a story that is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying. A solid recommendation for those seeking a second-chance love story with a touch of reality show flair. 💖🎥

I love a good story about the one that got away. Eager for financial backing, wedding dress designer Andie signs up for a reality marriage television show because IF after eight weeks, they divorce, she walks away with the money she needs to front her own business. Architect Kit has his own agenda for participating in the competition--his terminally ill mother wants to see him settled before she passes. When the producers pair Andie and Kit together, they don't realize Andie and Kit have a history. Their forced proximity, along with the games, challenges, and dates, rekindles old feelings.

The writing is solid and the characters interesting. Pierce makes a correlation between the construction of a dress and a building that shows the compatibility of the characters, and is a great commentary on the artistic process. The script of "talking head" interviews from the "A First Look at Forever" franchise interspersed between chapters is another vehicle to move the story--and relationship--forward.

I received a free advance readers review copy of #NotYouAgain via #NetGalley, courtesy of Alcove Press.

I had no preconceived notions about this book, which is probably why I was drawn to this book and liked it as much as I did. Author Ingrid Pierce writes with such fun, witty language that had me hooked from the very first page. I was quite literally desperate to keep reading and learn what would happen next, and as I discovered, "Not You Again" was anything by predictable. Told in dual points of view, this book seamlessly blends enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance with a "Married at First Sight"-inspired fanfic. And it, oddly worked. Completely. Totally. Wholeheartedly. "Not You Again" was so fun and cute, and it was so easy to get sucked into the story. I really dug this one.

I enjoyed this book.

It was fun, I laughed a lot. Kit and Andie were perfect for each other and the chemistry between the two of them was great.

The writer knew how to give the story the perfect rhythm, which is why I never got bored. The format of the reality show that she gave was very entertaining for me and the way he did the interviews, the dates, and the fights, I feel like it was genuine, it was like real fights between couples.

I also liked that he took the time to create a past worthy of that fight and that misunderstanding.

A romantic story perfect for any time.

A book to enjoy those romance stories that we like so much

This book is going to be one of those books that I cannot get out of my head. It checks all the boxes: fake dating/marriage, second chance romance, all set on a reality tv show (think married at first sight). Andie is a wedding dress designer who owns her own bosses and is encouraged to go on the reality tv show in order to win the $100k that is offered to couples who divorce at the end. What she didn’t expect was to see her ex boyfriend Kit who broke her heart at the end of the altar. Kit sees Andie and realizes it’s his second chance at his only love.

This book was so insanely cute and had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. The banter was amazing and it will be an instant reread for me every year. Highly recommend.

A simple plot that was deeply centered around the characters own growth. The plot feels done before but the feelings experienced by the characters give it more depth. Over all it was too much of the general miscommunication trope for me to fully love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Books for providing a DRC of this title.

In Not You Again, two former college sweethearts who split acrimoniously are reunited in a Married-at-First-Sight-type TV show, where they find out that the stranger they’re marrying on national television is not such a stranger after all…

This one is going to be a hit with readers who love their second chance romance with a healthy dose of angst and pining 😅. These two are definitely put through the wringer before they make their way back together. Though I don’t know if the emotional resolution at the end totally stuck the landing for my personal taste, I would definitely recommend this one to patrons looking for an emotional second-chance contemporary romance. 3 stars/5.

I enjoyed this second chance romance meets reality TV novel. I do think Andie was a bit much at times, the stubbornness was tiring. However, she did feel like a real person with flaws and things she's working through, so kudos to the author for that.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. It was like watching a reality show but better because I loved Andie and Kit. Romance with a touch of 🌶️.

This a story of serendipity as Andie and Kit come back together in a very unconventional situation. A reader certainly can understand and feel for Andie after she stated her love for Kit and he walked away. Already feeling abandoned and alone, given her childhood, she put up a hard exterior determined not to let anyone through. She would rather work herself to the bone in building a successful couture wedding dress business than let anyone help her. It is only when she meets Kit again and begins to let her guard down dies she realize how important it is to rely on the person who loves you and truly wants to look out for your well-being. That is why Kit massages her hands every night and orders food for her. He hires help for the Atlanta Fashion Show to enable her dreams of success and expansion to occur. As Kit's mom wisely said, the two of them were choosing each other. That is why even one year later and fully in love, that would they had together far exceeded what they could have had individually. It is always about the choice.

I loved this book and the concept of the book. Truly reminded me of Love Is Blind / married at first sight. i loved the way Kit and Andie grew together throughout the story and finally found their way back to each other