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A review by lowkeymarie
Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales
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