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thatswhatshanread'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? It's complicated
4.5
WOW, another great novel from Jessica Joyce!! I utterly ADORED her first novel, and while this one didn’t quite measure up to her debut for me, I still loved it. Her writing style is so natural and fun but full of honesty and meaning. It’s such a perfect fit for the contemporary romance genre and I hope she knows that. The dialogue, the characters, the humor, the plot—fantastic and original.
Eli and Georgia are the starring exes of this story, brought back together five years after their breakup for the wedding of their longtime mutual best friend. Georgia’s been back in the Bay Area for a while; Eli’s still in NYC where things fell apart after their many years of friendship and then love. They’re each big players in their respective jobs, but one of their jobs was part of the reason they drifted apart. They obviously still love each other, but neither wants to acknowledge it when there is so much pain there, too. Enter their duties of being Adam’s Best Man and Best Woman, back home where they all met. They must work together to make a wedding happen that seems cursed to fail.
Even all the things that go wrong for the wedding feel realistic because I myself could see all of those things happening to me or one of my friends. I love Georgia’s, Eli’s, and Adam’s reactions to each new problem, earnest and funny. But I also love the hard moments in between, the way Eli tries to hold himself together despite his constant anxiety, and the way he finally lets Georgia in like he never did before. How Georgia starts to work through saying the scary things out loud, the moment she’s feeling them. They each have their own faults, but ultimately bring out the best in each other, too.
I related to both Georgia and Eli’s insecurities and especially how each manifested within them. But I was happy to see how they grew from them as well, and how they knew what each other needed. I think I would’ve liked a little more of Eli’s side of things and maybe more in-depth scenes of years past in their relationship, but that’s okay.
Second chance romance is everything to me, not to mention friends to lovers to exes to lovers once again. It represents the idea that people can and do change, that love and trust can be rebuilt, that happiness can be renewed. And Jessica Joyce writes it so effectively here, a tender ode to “what’s meant to be, will be”.
Eli and Georgia are the starring exes of this story, brought back together five years after their breakup for the wedding of their longtime mutual best friend. Georgia’s been back in the Bay Area for a while; Eli’s still in NYC where things fell apart after their many years of friendship and then love. They’re each big players in their respective jobs, but one of their jobs was part of the reason they drifted apart. They obviously still love each other, but neither wants to acknowledge it when there is so much pain there, too. Enter their duties of being Adam’s Best Man and Best Woman, back home where they all met. They must work together to make a wedding happen that seems cursed to fail.
Even all the things that go wrong for the wedding feel realistic because I myself could see all of those things happening to me or one of my friends. I love Georgia’s, Eli’s, and Adam’s reactions to each new problem, earnest and funny. But I also love the hard moments in between, the way Eli tries to hold himself together despite his constant anxiety, and the way he finally lets Georgia in like he never did before. How Georgia starts to work through saying the scary things out loud, the moment she’s feeling them. They each have their own faults, but ultimately bring out the best in each other, too.
I related to both Georgia and Eli’s insecurities and especially how each manifested within them. But I was happy to see how they grew from them as well, and how they knew what each other needed. I think I would’ve liked a little more of Eli’s side of things and maybe more in-depth scenes of years past in their relationship, but that’s okay.
Second chance romance is everything to me, not to mention friends to lovers to exes to lovers once again. It represents the idea that people can and do change, that love and trust can be rebuilt, that happiness can be renewed. And Jessica Joyce writes it so effectively here, a tender ode to “what’s meant to be, will be”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Vomit, Medical content, and Death of parent
bookishmillennial's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This is a second-chance romance about Georgia and Eli, who must come together to plan their mutual best friend Adam's wedding after their all-inclusive wedding venue is no longer a choice. They haven't spoken for years since their messy breakup, but both are set on ensuring Adam and his fiance have the wedding of their dreams no matter what. Tropes: forced proximity, one bed
Spoilers below because I have a lot to say hehehehehe.
The reason Georgia and Eli first broke up was incredibly relatable. Let me project for a second here, because Jessica Joyce wrote a story that will speak to the millions of people-pleasers, perfectionists, and incredibly independent millennials out there, trying their best to keep it together. Hello, I am one of them. Eli and Georgia reminded me a lot of my current partnership, and it's something I last saw in Chloe Liese's Ever After Always with Freya and Aiden, who I forever hold dear in my heart.
There is something to be said about how toxic, oppressive systems like patriarchy and capitalism inevitably crush us by forcing us into these molds that no one can fit in, even the people you think they are meant for (cishet white men and women). Eli's desperation for (a sense of) financial security for his future, and to "provide" for those he cares for was almost painful to witness. Seeing anyone try to "win" this rat race that dominant narratives tell us are the only path forward is devastating. He could not fathom a future where he was not "successful," so much so that it affected his most intimate relationships, including his relationship with Georgia. He stopped listening to what Georgia valued, what Georgia wanted, and he didn't even know what he wanted if you took money out of the equation.
Jessica Joyce weaved his anxiety in seamlessly, and I appreciated the mental health representation of a cis-het man, along with talk therapy. I recognize therapy is 1) not accessible to all 2) not always the answer, as many therapists still subscribe to harmful ideologies when it comes to larger systems of oppression, which leaves many folks feeling even less heard and understood. For Eli though, I loved his journey, and the scene of 54321 <3
I think a lot of cishet men in America can relate to that, internalizing this toxic messaging that men must "provide" for their loved ones and that their worth lies within how much financial security they can offer. Our worth is inherently tied to what we can do for others in American society, and it's so fucking bleak. Fuck that. My wish is for everyone to unlearn this harmful belief, because we all deserve to just be, and we are all deserving of unconditional love no matter what our occupation, annual salary, retirement fund, etc.
Georgia is a people pleaser who tries to not be a problem or "too much" for her close-knit group of friends especially. She places everyone's feelings and needs above hers, as she subscribes to the idea that she is too messy, too sensitive, "too much." I find it heartbreaking that we have so many FMCs like this, but I think this is telling of how we have raised past generations of femmes in American society. To be caretakers, to be hyper-vigilant of others' feelings and comfort, to be "good" girls. Georgia's accountability in her breakup with Eli the first time was due to her prioritizing his comfort and his goals first. She didn't want to add any more to his already overflowing plate, so she instead repressed her own needs and feelings.
When there is a lack of honesty and communication from both partners, you're bound to have simmering pain, fatigue, and a dreadful sense of loneliness, even though you are supposed to have a partner in one of the most alive cities in the world (New York). It's easier said than done - communicate! However, I think both Georgia and Eli were thoughtful in the way they acknowledged past pains, and moved forward intentionally to make their relationship work, rather than repeating past behaviors and habits.
The wedding planning elements of this in Napa were so goofy, yet tense?! I loved how much fun they had together in choosing the cake, finding a dj/band, and how this operated as a trust-building activity for them. Jessica Joyce, the woman that you are! Their banter was organic, played well off of each other, and added a layer of light-heartedness and levity that you needed when you had two melancholy characters like Eli and Georgia.
I loved the feelings of "everything is changing, you're getting married, I'm getting left behind and forgotten!" because that's real. No, not everything is about you, but damn, those feelings are REALLLLL! As you get older, you seemingly have less time with folks, people drift apart sometimes, and friendship dynamics change. It's okay to grieve that a bit, and to name it in the moment. It's certainly not an irrational fear; it happens all the damn time. I didn't think Georgia was intentionally and maliciously selfish in the ways she felt this and/or voiced it, but her friends are so much more gracious than I would be hahaha. However, you cannot plan when your emotional breakdowns will be, so I hold a lot of empathy for her there.
I will continue to read Jessica Joyce's work, because she just hits heartstrings that you forget are there, you know? She presents these characters who often struggle with their worth and make value-judgment statements about themselves, but who end up on their own journeys of finally believing in themselves, and more importantly, to show some freakin' grace towards themselves! SHEESH! This is exactly what I mean when I say art helps me understand and make sense of the world, because of tender, layered books like this with stunning displays of the complex human experience.
I highly recommend this, and I thank PRH Audio for the audiobook, which was a lovely experience.
This is a second-chance romance about Georgia and Eli, who must come together to plan their mutual best friend Adam's wedding after their all-inclusive wedding venue is no longer a choice. They haven't spoken for years since their messy breakup, but both are set on ensuring Adam and his fiance have the wedding of their dreams no matter what. Tropes: forced proximity, one bed
Spoilers below because I have a lot to say hehehehehe.
There is something to be said about how toxic, oppressive systems like patriarchy and capitalism inevitably crush us by forcing us into these molds that no one can fit in, even the people you think they are meant for (cishet white men and women). Eli's desperation for (a sense of) financial security for his future, and to "provide" for those he cares for was almost painful to witness. Seeing anyone try to "win" this rat race that dominant narratives tell us are the only path forward is devastating. He could not fathom a future where he was not "successful," so much so that it affected his most intimate relationships, including his relationship with Georgia. He stopped listening to what Georgia valued, what Georgia wanted, and he didn't even know what he wanted if you took money out of the equation.
Jessica Joyce weaved his anxiety in seamlessly, and I appreciated the mental health representation of a cis-het man, along with talk therapy. I recognize therapy is 1) not accessible to all 2) not always the answer, as many therapists still subscribe to harmful ideologies when it comes to larger systems of oppression, which leaves many folks feeling even less heard and understood. For Eli though, I loved his journey, and the scene of 54321 <3
I think a lot of cishet men in America can relate to that, internalizing this toxic messaging that men must "provide" for their loved ones and that their worth lies within how much financial security they can offer. Our worth is inherently tied to what we can do for others in American society, and it's so fucking bleak. Fuck that. My wish is for everyone to unlearn this harmful belief, because we all deserve to just be, and we are all deserving of unconditional love no matter what our occupation, annual salary, retirement fund, etc.
Georgia is a people pleaser who tries to not be a problem or "too much" for her close-knit group of friends especially. She places everyone's feelings and needs above hers, as she subscribes to the idea that she is too messy, too sensitive, "too much." I find it heartbreaking that we have so many FMCs like this, but I think this is telling of how we have raised past generations of femmes in American society. To be caretakers, to be hyper-vigilant of others' feelings and comfort, to be "good" girls. Georgia's accountability in her breakup with Eli the first time was due to her prioritizing his comfort and his goals first. She didn't want to add any more to his already overflowing plate, so she instead repressed her own needs and feelings.
When there is a lack of honesty and communication from both partners, you're bound to have simmering pain, fatigue, and a dreadful sense of loneliness, even though you are supposed to have a partner in one of the most alive cities in the world (New York). It's easier said than done - communicate! However, I think both Georgia and Eli were thoughtful in the way they acknowledged past pains, and moved forward intentionally to make their relationship work, rather than repeating past behaviors and habits.
The wedding planning elements of this in Napa were so goofy, yet tense?! I loved how much fun they had together in choosing the cake, finding a dj/band, and how this operated as a trust-building activity for them. Jessica Joyce, the woman that you are! Their banter was organic, played well off of each other, and added a layer of light-heartedness and levity that you needed when you had two melancholy characters like Eli and Georgia.
I loved the feelings of "everything is changing, you're getting married, I'm getting left behind and forgotten!" because that's real. No, not everything is about you, but damn, those feelings are REALLLLL! As you get older, you seemingly have less time with folks, people drift apart sometimes, and friendship dynamics change. It's okay to grieve that a bit, and to name it in the moment. It's certainly not an irrational fear; it happens all the damn time. I didn't think Georgia was intentionally and maliciously selfish in the ways she felt this and/or voiced it, but her friends are so much more gracious than I would be hahaha. However, you cannot plan when your emotional breakdowns will be, so I hold a lot of empathy for her there.
I will continue to read Jessica Joyce's work, because she just hits heartstrings that you forget are there, you know? She presents these characters who often struggle with their worth and make value-judgment statements about themselves, but who end up on their own journeys of finally believing in themselves, and more importantly, to show some freakin' grace towards themselves! SHEESH! This is exactly what I mean when I say art helps me understand and make sense of the world, because of tender, layered books like this with stunning displays of the complex human experience.
I highly recommend this, and I thank PRH Audio for the audiobook, which was a lovely experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, and Abandonment
whatbeccareadnext's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I am so in love with Jessica Joyce's writing. I absolutely adored 'You With a View' last year, so was beyond thrilled to get the opportunity to read and review this book. This story is absolutely perfect for fans of second-chance romance, he falls first and even friends-to-lovers.
I think, more than anything, Jessica has such a gift for writing very visceral characters. The characters have struggles and they feel so real. I can easily put myself in their shoes, and I can feel their joy, grief and everything in between.
I read so many romance novels, that sometimes I think I almost disassociate from the emotional parts of the book, the parts that are designed to make me laugh or cry. With this story I was sobbing, smiling, and kicking my feet - for me any book that can make me feel so strongly is worthy of 5 stars!
** I received an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. **
I think, more than anything, Jessica has such a gift for writing very visceral characters. The characters have struggles and they feel so real. I can easily put myself in their shoes, and I can feel their joy, grief and everything in between.
I read so many romance novels, that sometimes I think I almost disassociate from the emotional parts of the book, the parts that are designed to make me laugh or cry. With this story I was sobbing, smiling, and kicking my feet - for me any book that can make me feel so strongly is worthy of 5 stars!
** I received an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. **
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcohol
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