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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
A genuinely funny and fast paced rom-com that gave me The Bachelor meets John Tucker Must Die vibes— if in the midst of plotting revenge on their cheating ex (on a dating reality show no less), the former rivals turned co-conspirators inadvertently fall for each other instead.
I started reading this on Christmas Eve and before I knew it I was two thirds of the way through and fully invested in Maya, Skye and their revenge-fuelled shenanigans against Jordy (their cheating, gaslighting and self obsessed ex.)
It’s told entirely through the POVs of Maya (who dated Jordy before his sister married a prince and made him famous) and Skye, the girl that Jordy cheated on Maya with (before promptly gaslighting Maya and making everyone believe she was a jealous ex.) And I genuinely loved how their rivalry turned relationship plays out, with each girl initially distrustful of the other but able to actually sit down, talk things out and realise they’d both been manipulated.
The conflict resolution does happen fairly quickly but I thoroughly enjoyed it—and it meant that we could truly get stuck right in to all the drama and scheming (And much like Taylor Swift herself, the drama certainly loves Maya—especially when it involves Jello shots.)
The romance aspect was beautifully written and felt really organic to the development of Maya and Skye’s budding friendship/ relationship. We don’t delve too deep into either of their backstories but I did enjoy the glimpses we do get, lifting the veil on their guarded hearts and career motivations.
Our antagonist (and main villain), Jordy is quite possibly one of the best love to hate characters; he’s a self centred, slut shaming snob who tries to play off his beliefs as well meaning advice meant to empower, but really only showcases how misogynistic and out of touch he is with the women —and the world around him.
I loved how everything wrapped up, with one of the most therapeutic and satisfying endings I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. I do however wish the epilogue was a little longer as I wanted to see more of life after the show ended.
Overall, this was a fun and entertainingly sassy story full of loveable, snarky characters and sweet revenge plots I rooted to succeed! If you love books involving romance, revenge (of the karmic variety) or reality TV drama then I definitely recommend adding this to your TBR!
Also, a massive thank you to Anna and Team BKMRK for sending me the finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Body shaming
Minor: Sexual content and Abandonment
sdupont's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Never Ever Getting Back Together is a fun YA book that takes place on the set of a dating reality tv show. This book is the cross between John Tucker Must Die and The Bachelor. I really enjoyed reading this book especially because I felt the behind the scenes producer manipulation and involvement seemed very realistic. I like Maya, Skye, and the rest of the girls on the show. I think this would be great to adapt into a limited series. I definitely would recommend reading!
*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Infidelity
Moderate: Misogyny and Abandonment
Minor: Biphobia and Bullying
caseythereader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thanks to Wednesday Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER is for those of us who watch The Bachelor and think, "I wish these women would date each other instead of this loser guy." It's the greatest premise.
- I loved watching Maya and Skye fight the reality show trope of women catfighting over a man. The two of them are a great pair and the relationship felt organic, even in the over-the-top setting.
- I do wish this book would have been a full-on adult romance novel rather than somewhere in the YA/new adult space. I kept forgetting they were supposed to be college aged and it muddled things a bit. Regardless, it was still great fun.
- NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER is for those of us who watch The Bachelor and think, "I wish these women would date each other instead of this loser guy." It's the greatest premise.
- I loved watching Maya and Skye fight the reality show trope of women catfighting over a man. The two of them are a great pair and the relationship felt organic, even in the over-the-top setting.
- I do wish this book would have been a full-on adult romance novel rather than somewhere in the YA/new adult space. I kept forgetting they were supposed to be college aged and it muddled things a bit. Regardless, it was still great fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Cursing
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual content, and Car accident
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's been two years since Jordy cheated on Maya, and yet she still can't seem to escape him. Since his sister is marrying royalty, he's been all over the news. And yet no one seems to know how awful he truly is. On the other side, Jordy is the only person Skye has seriously dated, but since they broke up, she doesn't understand why they keep calling.
When Second-Chance Romance enters the scene, both Skye and Maya are invited to compete to win Jordy back. Skye is skeptical Jordy can win her back, but Maya has other plans: expose Jordy for who he really is. But what they both don't plan on is falling for each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of this to review! I'm honestly not really a fan of reality shows, but reading about fictional ones can be really fun. If you love the drama of reality TV, I'm sure you will devour this book in one sitting because it definitely delivers on the reality drama.
The pros: I really enjoyed the characters in this. Gonzales does a good job of making them fully fleshed out, even though there's quite a large cast on the show. They all have uniquer personalities, and when they're all together, there is great chemistry between them. For a reality TV based romance, I think this is super important. Maya and Skye also have great chemistry, and the way their romance develops works well for the setting of the story.
However, I don't think this works super well pitched as YA. It was hard for me to figure out exactly what the ages of the characters were, and setting it as teenagers in a reality show doesn't sit super well with me. Personally, the story would have worked better as an adult romance, with the characters aged up to their early or mid-twenties, think more Bachelor aged. It didn't make a whole ton of sense in a teenager context, so I'm not exactly sure why it's being pitched for a YA audience.
Despite that, there are a lot of people who will have a lot of fun with this premise, especially since Sophie Gonzales has made a name for herself in YA. While I don't think this is her best work, fans of romance will definitely be entertained.
When Second-Chance Romance enters the scene, both Skye and Maya are invited to compete to win Jordy back. Skye is skeptical Jordy can win her back, but Maya has other plans: expose Jordy for who he really is. But what they both don't plan on is falling for each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of this to review! I'm honestly not really a fan of reality shows, but reading about fictional ones can be really fun. If you love the drama of reality TV, I'm sure you will devour this book in one sitting because it definitely delivers on the reality drama.
The pros: I really enjoyed the characters in this. Gonzales does a good job of making them fully fleshed out, even though there's quite a large cast on the show. They all have uniquer personalities, and when they're all together, there is great chemistry between them. For a reality TV based romance, I think this is super important. Maya and Skye also have great chemistry, and the way their romance develops works well for the setting of the story.
However, I don't think this works super well pitched as YA. It was hard for me to figure out exactly what the ages of the characters were, and setting it as teenagers in a reality show doesn't sit super well with me. Personally, the story would have worked better as an adult romance, with the characters aged up to their early or mid-twenties, think more Bachelor aged. It didn't make a whole ton of sense in a teenager context, so I'm not exactly sure why it's being pitched for a YA audience.
Despite that, there are a lot of people who will have a lot of fun with this premise, especially since Sophie Gonzales has made a name for herself in YA. While I don't think this is her best work, fans of romance will definitely be entertained.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, and Misogyny
Minor: Biphobia, Bullying, and Car accident
lowkeymarie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a review copy! Overall rating: 4/5
A YA romance where two girls are recruited to compete on a reality dating show called Second Chance Romance starring their ex-boyfriend. One of them is there to potentially pick up things where they left off, the other is there to get public revenge on him for cheating. But along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other instead...
This is the first book I've read by Gonzales and YA romance isn't a genre I usually spend much time in, so I didn't really have any expectations going in, other than the synopsis sounded like the kind of bisexual chaos that I crave at all times. And I was pleased to discover it definitely lives up to those chaotic bi vibes! (On a personal note, my inner child was absolutely overjoyed to read a story about two bisexual girls who are both completely confident and comfortable in their sexuality!)
My only real nitpick is one that I occasionally encounter in other YA, which is that I ended up wishing that the characters were just...adults. In this case, that might be more of a personal gripe than a legitimate criticism, but there it is. I'm also getting a tiny bit tired of the reality show trend in romcoms if I'm being honest and I think that aspect of the story could have used a bit more tweaking, but it's handled well enough.
Our two main characters, Maya and Skye, are both fantastic and have electric chemistry. I loved watching their dynamic evolve from enemies to allies to friends to friends-who-make-out-sometimes to lovers. I would have liked a little more depth to their backgrounds, but you get enough for them to be well-rounded characters whose motivations make sense, as well as some very satisfying character growth. There's plenty of snappy dialogue between these two and the rest of the girls competing, and there was a real sense of camaraderie and even protectiveness between the "competitors" that was wonderful to see.
A YA romance where two girls are recruited to compete on a reality dating show called Second Chance Romance starring their ex-boyfriend. One of them is there to potentially pick up things where they left off, the other is there to get public revenge on him for cheating. But along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other instead...
This is the first book I've read by Gonzales and YA romance isn't a genre I usually spend much time in, so I didn't really have any expectations going in, other than the synopsis sounded like the kind of bisexual chaos that I crave at all times. And I was pleased to discover it definitely lives up to those chaotic bi vibes! (On a personal note, my inner child was absolutely overjoyed to read a story about two bisexual girls who are both completely confident and comfortable in their sexuality!)
My only real nitpick is one that I occasionally encounter in other YA, which is that I ended up wishing that the characters were just...adults. In this case, that might be more of a personal gripe than a legitimate criticism, but there it is. I'm also getting a tiny bit tired of the reality show trend in romcoms if I'm being honest and I think that aspect of the story could have used a bit more tweaking, but it's handled well enough.
Our two main characters, Maya and Skye, are both fantastic and have electric chemistry. I loved watching their dynamic evolve from enemies to allies to friends to friends-who-make-out-sometimes to lovers. I would have liked a little more depth to their backgrounds, but you get enough for them to be well-rounded characters whose motivations make sense, as well as some very satisfying character growth. There's plenty of snappy dialogue between these two and the rest of the girls competing, and there was a real sense of camaraderie and even protectiveness between the "competitors" that was wonderful to see.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Abandonment
melissasmith's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Car accident
katiehasanxiety's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment and Biphobia
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