Reviews with content warning for Rape - Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

“Wanting something you can’t have is an all-consuming ache, and if you’re not careful, it can darken your insides.”

I absolutely loved every aspect of this book. From the different story lines, the tay swift references, the leading female characters personality & the decisions she made. The way this author writes/describes things is very Emily Henry-esque. This book ripped my heart out, shattered it, put it back together on repeat.

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okiecozyreader's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective slow-paced

3.5

Loved the idea of this book - Maggie made a promise to marry two different men when they turned 35 if they were still single. And they both came back into her life about the same, but there were so many complications.

I listened to the audio and I missed most of the chapter titles that told her age, so I got really confused where we were at in the timeline. I feel like I would (for this reason) recommend print over audio for this book.

This book is pretty spicy throughout 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️ maybe out of 5. It also used the g-damn phrase a lot, which I am not a fan of. It must be her favorite cuss word.

“My father’s absence was different, and the ache shaped me. I was strikingly aware of the gap between what my father gave me and what a daughter deserved. So, I let hope fill in the middle. Hope was my drug of choice. It dulled a painful, fatherless reality.” Ch 17

“Hope’s always the last friend to leave.” Ch 18, 19, 20, 56

“Thankfully, the outside breeze blew the lust out of my lungs…” ch 20

“It’s not the heartbreak that defines who we are, it’s how we react to it.” Ch 26

“You… will never be 35 alone…” Ch 26

“ I was alive with the ability to rise and grow out of my own trauma. I refused to be stuck in a moment when I had a lifetime ahead of me.” Ch 35

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theespressoedition's review against another edition

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3.0

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lololovesthings's review

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challenging emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad medium-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

4.0

4 stars!

I was enthralled with "Maybe Once, Maybe Twice" from start to finish. Alison Rose Greenberg's writing is incredible and evocative... she really made me feel every single emotion while reading this book. The characters go through so much here, and readers can feel the anguish, the pining, the rage, the connection, the heartbreak, the lust, the love, the nostalgia, the yearning deep within their bones... at least I could. Greenberg certainly broke my heart over and over and over again while reading this! I really liked Maggie Vine as the main character despite her baggage and drama. She is still trying to figure out her life and what she wants to do, even when she's 30 and 35. This felt so authentic and realistic to me. So many people my age have no freaking clue what they want to do... it's really an epidemic! I loved the musical element of this story. I loved her talent and her drive, her belief in herself even when she was panicky or nervous about an opportunity. One thing Maggie always is and won't apologize for is being herself through and through, the mess and the fantastic, the vulnerable and the strong, the good and the bad. I also adored Summer, Maggie's best friend since they were college roommates. I loved their friendship so, so much. My heart broke for Summer just as much as it broke for Maggie but for different reasons. In terms of love interests, I think I fell for both Garrett AND Asher a little bit, at different times, for different reasons, just like Maggie. The lightning-strike chemistry between Garrett and Maggie was much stronger than the deep, undying connection between her and Asher. My chief complaint is that the story seems to run out of steam in the last act. I am not sure about the ending... I think it will take me at least one more read to come to grips with it. I'm not *mad* about it, but I'm not *not* mad about it. It just felt a little contrived and thrown together at the last minute. I think a lot of readers will be thrown off by the rapid and frequent timeline changes... it did get to be a little bit grating after a while as I struggled to keep it all straight. Still, I loved this book quite a bit. I will definitely be buying it because it made me feel things few authors this year have made me feel. I also adored the voiceover narration by Katherine Littrell. She is such a fantastic voiceover artist!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alison Rose Greenberg, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

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renareadsbooks's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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