Scan barcode
beaky's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I did not expect to love this book anywhere near as much as I did. It was wonderful!! so so funny and also so heartfelt. I loved Maya and Skye and all the girlies and omg Isaac is the best! the pacing is fab and the dual pov was done really well in my opinion. If you love sapphic romance, many a female mc and the take down of terrible men you've got to read this book ! (also fabulous bi rep so yay!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Cursing and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Biphobia, Car accident, and Emotional abuse
piperrhoads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Gaslighting, and Car accident
Minor: Biphobia
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
CW: cheating, explicit language, gaslighting, parent abandonment (mentioned), drowning, sexism, car accident (mentioned off-page), slut-shaming
I would like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books, a division of St. Martin’s Press, for providing me a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Maya ends up taking the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to humiliate her ex-boyfriend, Jordy Miller, on national TV by winning his new reality show, Second Chance Romance. However, she doesn’t take into account the fact that Skye, the girl Jordy cheated and left her for, would end up on the show. Even having to share bunk beds together, Maya and Skye realize they can work together to expose Jordy for who he is.
After reading the first chapter, I knew I was going to love this book. And rightfully so. Never Ever Getting Back Together has been getting a lot of talk in the bookish community and I was excited to have been given an e-ARC to review before it releases at the end of the year.
The whole concept of Second Chance Romance and how it's written in the book is definitely a unique component to the plot. I could not stop laughing at the production team’s attempts to get Maya to join the show. While it occasionally spurs out to say and do cheesy things, you get to see first-hand what it means to be on reality TV.
I also loved Maya and Skye’s relationship. Personally, it was great to see their banter throughout the book and their transition from enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. It also features a dual POV between Maya and Skye, which definitely helps the plot and can allow you to get inside their heads.
So if you want to read a book that takes forced proximity to a whole nother level or want to find a book that you can easily somewhat tie a Taylor Swift into, you will definitely want to read Never Ever Getting Back Together.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books, a division of St. Martin’s Press, for providing me a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Maya ends up taking the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to humiliate her ex-boyfriend, Jordy Miller, on national TV by winning his new reality show, Second Chance Romance. However, she doesn’t take into account the fact that Skye, the girl Jordy cheated and left her for, would end up on the show. Even having to share bunk beds together, Maya and Skye realize they can work together to expose Jordy for who he is.
After reading the first chapter, I knew I was going to love this book. And rightfully so. Never Ever Getting Back Together has been getting a lot of talk in the bookish community and I was excited to have been given an e-ARC to review before it releases at the end of the year.
The whole concept of Second Chance Romance and how it's written in the book is definitely a unique component to the plot. I could not stop laughing at the production team’s attempts to get Maya to join the show. While it occasionally spurs out to say and do cheesy things, you get to see first-hand what it means to be on reality TV.
I also loved Maya and Skye’s relationship. Personally, it was great to see their banter throughout the book and their transition from enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. It also features a dual POV between Maya and Skye, which definitely helps the plot and can allow you to get inside their heads.
So if you want to read a book that takes forced proximity to a whole nother level or want to find a book that you can easily somewhat tie a Taylor Swift into, you will definitely want to read Never Ever Getting Back Together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Sexism
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Car accident and Abandonment
whosfernn's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
fast-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
4.25
I've been looking forward to this book since it came out, so glad I finally got the chance to read it! Cute, great bisexual representation, with a whole heap of the forced proximity and enemies to lovers tropes. One of my favourite reads of 2023 so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Cursing
Moderate: Misogyny and Emotional abuse
Minor: Homophobia and Biphobia
lackyducks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
A fun read with a lot of emotional depth despite its positive outlook.
The story centers around two first person perspectives, that of Maya and Skye. From the get go, the narrative is good at painting Jordy as the antagonist by giving the reader a perspective the girls don't have - what he's saying to them versus the other.
The humour of the book is spot on, playing well on the media industry. It's a story that feels very apt in the current climate. The reality television clichés are plentiful, yet provide a good basis for the story to take place.
The characters all felt surprisingly well fleshed out. Even side characters we meet less often have backgrounds and inner motivation that isn't obvious at first. They feel like a well developed group, instead of just people made to fill spaces. The story is good at making antagonists of them, yet resolving it with new perspectives and sides to situations.
The story is also an optimistic showing of girls sticking together and looking out for each other. Alongside the main romance you have lots of friendship throughout the cast of girls, as they bond during the show. This comes together brilliantly at the end, and had me smiling wide.
The story is also multi-layered. Underneath the story of revenge and the dating show, you have learning to open up and trust again, trying to figure out your future and what you want to do with it. Just like a TV show, there's a lot more happening behind the scenes than first appears.
And, the book is cleverly structured where things start to fall apart for Jordy once the girls begin sharing perspectives.
The story centers around two first person perspectives, that of Maya and Skye. From the get go, the narrative is good at painting Jordy as the antagonist by giving the reader a perspective the girls don't have - what he's saying to them versus the other.
The humour of the book is spot on, playing well on the media industry. It's a story that feels very apt in the current climate. The reality television clichés are plentiful, yet provide a good basis for the story to take place.
The characters all felt surprisingly well fleshed out. Even side characters we meet less often have backgrounds and inner motivation that isn't obvious at first. They feel like a well developed group, instead of just people made to fill spaces. The story is good at making antagonists of them, yet resolving it with new perspectives and sides to situations.
The story is also an optimistic showing of girls sticking together and looking out for each other. Alongside the main romance you have lots of friendship throughout the cast of girls, as they bond during the show. This comes together brilliantly at the end, and had me smiling wide.
The story is also multi-layered. Underneath the story of revenge and the dating show, you have learning to open up and trust again, trying to figure out your future and what you want to do with it. Just like a TV show, there's a lot more happening behind the scenes than first appears.
And, the book is cleverly structured where things start to fall apart for Jordy once the girls begin sharing perspectives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Biphobia and Body shaming
rickireadss's review against another edition
4.0
once i found out the premise of this story, i KNEW i had to read it. i love reality tv show settings in romance books, especially when there is queer rep. i do wish the characters were a little older - it just felt weird that some where barely 18. i also kinda felt as if the relationship between our two mcs needed a little more on-page development. like i just wanted them to have more time together for me to be like FULLY invested in their love, if that makes sense. overall, i had a great time - it was funny and i wanted to PUNCH the living daylights out of jordy.
⚠️: gaslighting, toxic relationship, infidelity, misogyny, alcohol, biphobia, car accident
⚠️: gaslighting, toxic relationship, infidelity, misogyny, alcohol, biphobia, car accident
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Moderate: Alcohol, Biphobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Car accident
pey333's review
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Car accident and Sexual content
nenaveenstra's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The romance in this book is quite slow, and not in the yearning-way: more in the, like, how-the-hell-are-these-two-falling-in-love kind of way, but it pays off. Maya and Skye go from haters to friends/co-conspirators to lovers and it's absolutely believable, given the ridiculous circumstances they've found themselves in. I was honestly rooting for them.
The main selling point for this book in my opinion, however, is the setting and the humour. This TV-concept is outrageous and this book is highly aware of that, making fun of reality TV and 'nice guys' along the way. I loved the girls in this book, I adored Isaac, and I loved to hate Jordy. I also highly appreciated the (un)intentional Taylor Swift-references (champagne problems, wildest dreams, maroon).
All in all this was exactly the kind of book I needed to get myself through a rough patch. Pick this up if you're in the mood for a funny story about queer girls and stupid boys, but not if you're looking for yearning and/or explicit scenes. The only sex you get in this book is a fade-to-black scene of Maya and Skye, as is appropriate for a YA romance.
The main selling point for this book in my opinion, however, is the setting and the humour. This TV-concept is outrageous and this book is highly aware of that, making fun of reality TV and 'nice guys' along the way. I loved the girls in this book, I adored Isaac, and I loved to hate Jordy. I also highly appreciated the (un)intentional Taylor Swift-references (champagne problems, wildest dreams, maroon).
All in all this was exactly the kind of book I needed to get myself through a rough patch. Pick this up if you're in the mood for a funny story about queer girls and stupid boys, but not if you're looking for yearning and/or explicit scenes. The only sex you get in this book is a fade-to-black scene of Maya and Skye, as is appropriate for a YA romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Car accident
hmatt's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a sweet, lighthearted, and super trope-y read. I love both narrators, and I have been wanting to give Sophie Gonzales another chance after not getting on with If this gets out (but loving Only mostly devastated).
I thought there were a few holes in the logic with some of the main characters' schemes, which started to bug me towards the end, but ultimately I'm happy with how things wrapped up. My main feedback-y comment would be that this felt like a "new adult" book, not YA. It seemed very forced that the characters were all so young, and I think it would have made more sense if they were all 2-3 years older (also, this would allow for fewer fade-to-black scenes). I totally get how this may not have been the author's choice, though.
I thought there were a few holes in the logic with some of the main characters' schemes, which started to bug me towards the end, but ultimately I'm happy with how things wrapped up. My main feedback-y comment would be that this felt like a "new adult" book, not YA. It seemed very forced that the characters were all so young, and I think it would have made more sense if they were all 2-3 years older (also, this would allow for fewer fade-to-black scenes). I totally get how this may not have been the author's choice, though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident
merlesstorys's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved the concept.
I loved the execution.
I love Maya and Skye.
Sophie Gonzales came up with a great concept, and I really want to see this reality show happen.
Also, big love on the hardcover design - the rose on the front underneath a gorgeous cover with a Taylor Swift reference as the title? Instant love.
I loved the execution.
I love Maya and Skye.
Sophie Gonzales came up with a great concept, and I really want to see this reality show happen.
Also, big love on the hardcover design - the rose on the front underneath a gorgeous cover with a Taylor Swift reference as the title? Instant love.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Bullying
Minor: Car accident