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A review by _onemorechapter_
The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? No
3.75
“It’s a gift to know someone when you’re in love with them, and a curse when you’re”
💭Another solid romance from Jessica Joyce! I was a big fan of You with a View, and while The Ex Vows was enjoyable, it didn’t quite reach the same level of impact for me as YWAV did. The book dives into the whole Second Chance Romance trope, which, if done right, can be pretty awesome. And Jessica Joyce does a decent job with it!
This book isn’t just about rekindling a past romance; it’s a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and personal growth. I was completely invested in Eli and Georgia’s quest to save their best friend wedding, and their little adventures were charmingly cute, keeping me hooked throughout. The way they rediscovered each other while navigating these escapades was both touching and engaging.
I found myself laughing, swooning, and genuinely feeling happy as I read. The growth and development of the characters are so well done that it's impossible not to adore them. The friend group dynamics and the realistic changes that come with life’s transitions, like after college and marriage, added a layer of authenticity that many can relate to.
Georgia’s character, in particular, struck a chord with me. Her journey from being a people pleaser who hides her true feelings made her incredibly relatable and endearing. Eli, with his swoon-worthy charm, was the perfect love interest—handsome and utterly captivating. I was rooting for him every step of the way. This book is a perfect blend of romance, self-discovery, and delightful adventures, and it’s definitely one that left a lasting impression on me.
This book really hit home with how people can drift apart as they grow older. Watching the characters deal with these changes and the deeper message of the story really resonated with me. It’s not just about finding love; it’s also about handling shifts in friendships and the different directions we all end up going. It can be tough to accept, but the way the book portrayed it felt super relatable.
Overall, while the story was enjoyable and had its cute moments, it didn’t blow me away completely. It was a fun read, but I felt like there was a little more potential that wasn’t fully realized.
Tropes included-
➺Friends To Lovers
➺Second Chance Romance
➺Forced Proximity
➺Witty Banter
➺Anxiety Representation
➺Found Family
➺Single POV
𝐏.𝐒 I’m a big fan of books that showcase strong friendships, whether they’re between males and females or among women!
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐.75
🔸𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 4.35 (9241)
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Contemporary Romance
🔸𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒚: 🔥🔥🔥
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Yes
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“For past me, who didn’t give up, and for future me, who will look back on all of this and be so proud.”
“Sometimes I swear adulthood is staring at your phone and wondering which of your friends has enough time to deal with your latest emotional meltdown, then realizing none of them do.”
“Time is a miracle. It shows you what you had, and sometimes it brings it back to you. Different. Better.”
“When I say I’m still in love with you,” he says quietly, “I mean today and yesterday and this entire week. I mean at Nick and Miriam’s wedding and I mean for the past five years.” If possible, he gets even quieter, but now he’s closer so I get every word. “When I say I’m still in love with you, I mean the first time I saw you and right now. I mean every second in between.”
“Fuck, the way I’ve wanted you,” he breathes against my mouth. “I don’t know how anyone can look at me and not see it.”
“It’s a privilege to have someone trust you enough to show you those pieces of themselves, the most vulnerable and tender, the least polished. It’s a show of trust to let you see them first thing in the morning, in the middle of a panic attack, right after they’ve cried. To give you a shaky smile after a messy fight. To come back to you again and again with their heart in their hands.”
“Each brick was a time he’d fucked up or I had, a time when either one of us could’ve said what was on our mind and said nothing instead. It was endless tiny transgressions that didn’t ruin us at the moment but added to the wall we built. On this night in December five years ago, I saw how tall it is. How unclimbable.”
“And I think about how utterly heartbreaking it is that we’re using the same connection that allowed us to conduct a wordless conversation across the room to know each other in such a clinical way now. Like strangers who’ve seen each other naked in every way that counts, in all the ways that wreck you.”
💭Another solid romance from Jessica Joyce! I was a big fan of You with a View, and while The Ex Vows was enjoyable, it didn’t quite reach the same level of impact for me as YWAV did. The book dives into the whole Second Chance Romance trope, which, if done right, can be pretty awesome. And Jessica Joyce does a decent job with it!
This book isn’t just about rekindling a past romance; it’s a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and personal growth. I was completely invested in Eli and Georgia’s quest to save their best friend wedding, and their little adventures were charmingly cute, keeping me hooked throughout. The way they rediscovered each other while navigating these escapades was both touching and engaging.
I found myself laughing, swooning, and genuinely feeling happy as I read. The growth and development of the characters are so well done that it's impossible not to adore them. The friend group dynamics and the realistic changes that come with life’s transitions, like after college and marriage, added a layer of authenticity that many can relate to.
Georgia’s character, in particular, struck a chord with me. Her journey from being a people pleaser who hides her true feelings made her incredibly relatable and endearing. Eli, with his swoon-worthy charm, was the perfect love interest—handsome and utterly captivating. I was rooting for him every step of the way. This book is a perfect blend of romance, self-discovery, and delightful adventures, and it’s definitely one that left a lasting impression on me.
This book really hit home with how people can drift apart as they grow older. Watching the characters deal with these changes and the deeper message of the story really resonated with me. It’s not just about finding love; it’s also about handling shifts in friendships and the different directions we all end up going. It can be tough to accept, but the way the book portrayed it felt super relatable.
Overall, while the story was enjoyable and had its cute moments, it didn’t blow me away completely. It was a fun read, but I felt like there was a little more potential that wasn’t fully realized.
Tropes included-
➺Friends To Lovers
➺Second Chance Romance
➺Forced Proximity
➺Witty Banter
➺Anxiety Representation
➺Found Family
➺Single POV
𝐏.𝐒 I’m a big fan of books that showcase strong friendships, whether they’re between males and females or among women!
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐.75
🔸𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 4.35 (9241)
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Contemporary Romance
🔸𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒚: 🔥🔥🔥
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Yes
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“For past me, who didn’t give up, and for future me, who will look back on all of this and be so proud.”
“Sometimes I swear adulthood is staring at your phone and wondering which of your friends has enough time to deal with your latest emotional meltdown, then realizing none of them do.”
“Time is a miracle. It shows you what you had, and sometimes it brings it back to you. Different. Better.”
“When I say I’m still in love with you,” he says quietly, “I mean today and yesterday and this entire week. I mean at Nick and Miriam’s wedding and I mean for the past five years.” If possible, he gets even quieter, but now he’s closer so I get every word. “When I say I’m still in love with you, I mean the first time I saw you and right now. I mean every second in between.”
“Fuck, the way I’ve wanted you,” he breathes against my mouth. “I don’t know how anyone can look at me and not see it.”
“It’s a privilege to have someone trust you enough to show you those pieces of themselves, the most vulnerable and tender, the least polished. It’s a show of trust to let you see them first thing in the morning, in the middle of a panic attack, right after they’ve cried. To give you a shaky smile after a messy fight. To come back to you again and again with their heart in their hands.”
“Each brick was a time he’d fucked up or I had, a time when either one of us could’ve said what was on our mind and said nothing instead. It was endless tiny transgressions that didn’t ruin us at the moment but added to the wall we built. On this night in December five years ago, I saw how tall it is. How unclimbable.”
“And I think about how utterly heartbreaking it is that we’re using the same connection that allowed us to conduct a wordless conversation across the room to know each other in such a clinical way now. Like strangers who’ve seen each other naked in every way that counts, in all the ways that wreck you.”