Emotional, heartfelt, and lyrical in its portrayal of a second chance romance, this book swept me up and had me so invested in the characters! I kept flipping pages to see how they'd overcome their obstacles to get their happily ever after. Jessica Joyce does it again!

OH MY GOD?

Is there enough time for me to even begin talking about my love for this book!!!


I started this second chance romance between Eli and Georgia and thought okay second chance sure why not, not my favorite but I’ll read anything Jessica writes!

PHEW WHAT A BOOK!!

The first half I was liking it nothing crazy, I love the friendships Georgia has especially with her group Adam who is currently needing help planning his wedding and Eli who is coming back into town to help!

Adam believes his wedding is cursed and thing after thing goes wrong when Georgia must travel out of town to help her bestfriends wedding go off without anymore issues until Eli volunteers to tag along!

The second chance relationship you see is in snippets of the past struggles Eli and Georgia had specifically with him not showing up for her due to his work life which is why he feels guilty for not being there for Adam and wants to make up by helping plan the wedding!!


So forced proximity ??? YES PLS!


Now the second half is where it’ll sneak up on you because when you see Eli showing up for Georgia throughout the chaotic wedding week and her working on her communication skills and letting him show up for her, oh it’s a treat baby!


The ending? I sobbed on ft with my friends with how romantic it was. The love, the pining, the romance I just ATE IT UP!!



An absolute gem in this book is how friendship relationships are described. Georgia has this fear of being forgotten in her friend’s lives as everyone moves on in their next stage of life and I fear I resonated TOOOO close to that. I loved how they reinforced their presence in her life and validated her feelings that they would be there no matter what changes were to come.


It’s a book about relationships and up keeping those relationships through various life stages and I found it so beautiful I can’t wait for everyone to read it!!


Thank you Berkley romance for sending me an ARC!!

It’s been a while since a romance hit me so hard in the feels that I sobbed happy tears. But Jessica Joyce’s upcoming book, The Ex Vows, caused a waterworks, and I loved every minute of it.

Georgia and Adam were childhood best friends, and when Eli moved to town, the group became a close-knit trio, as much family as friends. That closeness remained as they went to college. Then Georgia and Eli fell in love, moved in together, and slowly but surely, their relationship disintegrated, as much for what they didn’t say as what they did.

Now, Georgia and Eli haven’t seen each other in 5 years. She’s back home in the Bay Area, while he is in NYC. But with Adam getting married, and their both being his “best people,” it’s coming time for them to see each other again. They’re both determined not to fully reveal how far apart they’ve drifted; instead they plan to present a united front for Adam’s sake.

As disaster after disaster occurs in the week before the wedding—the venue burns down, they can’t find someone to make them a cake, their DJ fell through—Georgia and Eli band together to solve all of the crises. At the same time, they both realize how intense their feelings still are for one another, despite both dealing with their own crises and issues. Can they have a second chance, or will the same things doom them again?

I seriously loved this book, with its friends-to-lovers plot as well as chosen family. It’s emotional, seriously steamy, funny, and absolutely beautiful, and I love Joyce’s treatment of anxiety and fear. I could totally see this as a movie!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy! The book will publish 7/16.

Meh this was average. Nothing special. It had some solid points but nothing to run home to mama about.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy.

This book is a read in one sitting kind of book. Read it by the pool. Just read it.

The two of them are estranged since their breakup 5 years ago and are thrown together to help fix this disaster of a wedding for their mutual best friend. Neither of them does a great job not being silently thirsty as all hell despite it because their love for each other wasn’t the problem.

The banter. The tension. Chef’s kiss.

Also this book gave a tiny bit of Veronica Mars x Logan Echolls vibes (grown up Logan not disaster teenager Logan). Met as kids, bit of a break, man is nothing short of in love with her the whole time with good banter.

None of this is a surprise because it’s in the blurb but the wedding is a complete disaster and it was straight up the most joyful wedding I’ve read about it a long time. Most books would have had them save the day but this wedding was next level because of the “curse” and eventually everyone just leaned into the chaos of the day and it was better for it.

An absolutely gorgeous exploration of friendship, love, and second chances. Jessica Joyce's writing is so beautiful I could read it forever.

For an author with only 2 novels under her belt so far, Jessica Joyce is a master of contemporary romances. I’m so impressed by her writing, her poeticism, her ability to craft palpable chemistry between characters—romantically and platonically. The relationships in this book feel so real. This book made me laugh and cry and text my best friends that I love them. I would highly recommend to any romance or women’s fiction reader!

And for what it’s worth, she literally thanks multiple Taylor Swift songs in the acknowledgments. If you’re like me, that’s a selling point.

I believe in Jessica Joyce’s supremacy. The drama, the angst, the pining, the constant will they or won’t they; all of that is balanced with a lot of focus on character development and swoon worthy romance. I would definitely be recommending this to all the romance lovers.

I finished The Ex Vows at nearly 1am and I'm a mess writing this review. I don't even know where to begin.

I've never particularly cared about second chance romances but The Ex Vows has absolutely changed my mind on them. I loved seeing Georgia and Eli rediscovering themselves and each other. Their self growth was phenomenal and their journey in this book was so emotional. There was so much pain and angst and pining. I ate it all up.

I really appreciated that The Ex Vows dealt with the pain that is navigating friendships after college and marriage and feeling like your friends are all too caught up in their daily lives and slowly drifting away. It is so hard to ask people to make more space and time for you without feeling like you're being needy and demanding so I related to Georgia very much on this aspect. Anxiety representation is also always appreciated.

Overall, this book was so incredibly emotional and had me feeling things I haven't felt in a long time. You think you're ready for this book but you're not. I suggest having some tissues on standby.

PS. The Ex Vows is so Paper Rings by Taylor Swift coded.

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce is a book so absolutely delightful that I was singing Taylor Swift’s Paper Rings and thinking joyfully about Eli and Georgia for the duration of the 8 hour plane ride that I read this book at the start of. Honestly, it was so good that I was even in a chipper mood standing in a 1.5 hour customs line after. Eli is that swoonworthy, and the weaving of past and present relationships is masterful here. I loved You With a View so much but if it’s even possible I love this EVEN MORE because it’s just so beautifully written and the relationship has me rooting so hard for these two and swooning so hard when they decide to see if they can just keep it casual, knowing that they are both down bad. It’s FANTASTIC.


Thank you to Netgalley, Berkeley Romance, and Jessica Joyce for this eARC. This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

ah ok…. it took me a second to come up with my final thoughts on this one. want to start off with saying, you with a view is probably one of my fav romances ever. i will forever read any and everything jessica joyce writes. she writes such tender and heartfelt love stories filled with swoon-worthy moments. here are some of the aspects i loved about this book:
- jessica joyce so effortlessly portrayed what it means to feel homesick from the one person who has your entire heart
- the beauty of second chance romances is their shared knowledge of one another. the rekindling was so palpable.
- i related deeply with the feelings of abandonment, fear of being alone, and anxiety.

i guess with this book i liked it, but didn’t love it. i found myself enjoying georgia + eli’s interactions and affection for one another. there isn’t a doubt that they were made for each other, but i just felt a little bored…. i just unfortunately wasn’t interested in all the other aspects of the book. i was just grasping for something more in this book and i just didn’t fully get it.

i will still recommend this book bc i know a lot of people are gonna love it!

“The Ex Vows" by Jessica Joyce is a captivating journey through the complexities of love, heartbreak, and second chances. From the very first page, Joyce weaves a narrative that pulls you in and doesn't let go until the very end.
The story follows FMC Sarah as she navigates the aftermath of a devastating breakup with her longtime partner, Mark. However, just as she begins to rebuild her life, fate intervenes, throwing her back into Mark's path.
Joyce's writing effortlessly captures the raw emotions of heartache and hope. The characters are perfectly fleshed out, each with their own flaws that make them feel incredibly real. Sarah's journey is relatable, her struggles and triumphs resonating with anyone who has ever experienced the pain of a broken heart.
"The Ex Vows" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys heartfelt romance novels with a dose of reality. Jessica Joyce has crafted a story that lingers long after the final page, leaving readers with a renewed sense of hope and the belief that love truly does conquer all. Highly recommended.

📣 a romantic & yes, angsty, second chance romance where the leads are MEANT TO BE

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 Let’s build off of the title with autofill. The Ex vows to…

Whew, the emotional impact of a freaking second chance romance written by Jessica Joyce. After reading You, With a View & thinking immediately of the emotional depths Joyce would be capable of when writing second chance, I was scared to take this one on.

It is, in fact, why I chose to read The Ex Vows now. Because I didn’t want the impending angst hanging over my Kindle any longer 🤣.

This book is amazing, though, & even though the first chapter Unalived me with dagger-like second-chance-vibes precision, it was so good the whole way through.

One thing that really helped is that I felt absolutely assured that Eli & Georgia were meant to be & Eli was truly different (not that he was the whole problem before, mind you!) & determined to face things in a new way.

The obvious love & passion between the leads sung through my Kindle & honestly, is gorgeously written. Not to mention that friendship is such a poignant & emotionally powerful part of the overall story too. I got tears in my freaking eyes.

This book is stunning & I’m glad I went on the journey. Although I remain frightened of second chance romance 🤣.

5 ⭐️. Out 07/16.

CWs: panic attack on page; workaholic tendencies & anxiety; Georgia’s mother left their family.

[ID: Jess wears a navy polka dotted dress & holds the ebook next to some pink roses.]

“you deserve to let yourself feel whatever you need to. You can be messy. A disaster, if you need to. The people who love you will accept every single piece of it, I promise you.”

Oh man I loved this book. It made me cry a little. Such a beautiful story involving friendship and second chances, and the importance of being willing to change.

I had to laugh at the curse and everything that entailed with it, but the friendships was the most beautiful thing in this story.

Jessica Joyce's follow up doesn't disappoint! What a fabulous follow up to You, With A View. Jessica is a force in the genre and here to stay. I want her to write her version of every trope!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Georgina is the best friend you want, she is always ready to help out and bring a list to get the job done! She might be in the middle of reevaluating her own direction in life but will drop everything to save her bestie, Adam’s, seemingly cursed nuptials from total ruin. She even has to file away her long list of hurt and grievances with her ex, Eli to pull this feat off. Georgina might be all of us in our youth having to balance an ex in a group friend situation. The Ex-Vows is a beautifully written and heartfelt book about heartbreak and hope for second chances.

Review is posted on Goodreads and the final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

Wow. Wow wow wow. I just finished The Ex Vows and it was perfection. Truly, this is a gorgeous book for everyone, unless you really hate second chance romances. Eli and Georgia are soulmates, and watching them come back to each other was simply a delight. The writing is perfection -- funny and heart-wrenching and thought-provoking and spicy. Read this book. Give it to your friends. Give Jessica Joyce all the contracts.

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)

- second chance romance
- forced proximity
- adversaries to lovers
- one bed

So, I just finished “The Ex Vows” by Jessica Joyce, and WOW—the emotions I'm feeling after reading the ending! Let's just say I'm still a little teary-eyed.

This book was fantastic, one that I genuinely enjoyed reading. The relationship between Georgia and Eli? Absolutely adorable. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of the second-chance romance trope, but this one was spot on! I could practically feel their chemistry and heartache leaping off the pages, and I didn't want to put it down.

Most romance books I find somewhat unrealistic at times, but “The Ex Vows” felt rather authentic. The whole “wedding curse” subplot was a hoot. I couldn't help but laugh at every little thing that kept going wrong. The fact that Georgia and Eli had to team up to save the day made it all the more enjoyable.

I personally loved Georgia's character and experiencing the story through her point of view. Her emotions and feelings were raw and real, something I can almost relate to thanks to a previous relationship where we got back together for a bit. It didn’t turn out as well as Georgia and Eli’s relationship, but it was still relatable!

Overall, "The Ex Vows" is a charming, funny, and heartfelt read that I wholeheartedly recommend. If you're a fan of romance with a dash of humor and a pinch of realism, you'll adore this book as much as I did.

Thank you NetGally for the ARC!

I did not expect this at all. The emotion that went into this was impeccable. I saw so much of myself in the FMC. Being able to know what was going through her head, the doubts, the concerns, it is what made the story for me. I think looking from the outside it can seem she is just being difficult but knowing why and her reservations makes it so understandable. I truly didn’t even know i was crying until it was too late lol. I truly appreciated the patience and willingness of the MMC and how he was able to really just do a self evaluation of himself. I feel that was such a fundamental piece to get them where they were. The found family with years of friendship intertwined was so sweet. I could go on and on about the things I loved about this story. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a heartfelt second chance romance with such raw and passionate feelings!!

What a fantastic book. It has everything. Friends to lovers, second chance romance, witty banter, found family, lovable characters, forced proximity, one bed at the inn, a beautiful Napa Valley winery setting, and it is also absolutely hilarious.

Georgia and Eli broke up five years ago and have remained “friends” due to their mutual friend group. Now as best man and best woman, they’re forced the team up and save their best friend’s wedding from crashing and burning.

I loved her other book (You, With a View) and jumped on the opportunity to read this book. I’m so glad I did, and I’d recommend this book to all romance and rom com lovers out there!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Jessica Joyce and Berkley Publishing group for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!