I have always loved Sophie's books and this is no exception, this would be a perfect beach read, or snowy day! I read this in one sitting!

Wow, this was such a great read.  What an awesome storyline.  This book grabs you at page one and doesn't let you go.   I really like her writing style.  This is an author I will definitely continue to follow.  I highly recommend this book.  You won't be disappointed.

I enjoyed this book! What a fun and enjoyable read. Gemma had me laughing through the book. I enjoyed watching her journey and as she wrestled with tough decisions

Sophie Ranald has some great reviews but unfortunately I don't connect with her writing style. Certainly could be enjoyable depending on the style you enjoy reading, but just wasn't for me.

I loved this book! It has a message about loving yourself and not needing the approval of others. Definitely chick lit at its finest. I can't wait to read something else by Sophie Ranald.

What a funny and cute story! I really liked the writing and the humor of this book. I'll have to look for more of her books into the future.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Another wonderful laugh out loud rom com that I highly recommend,  this is one every girl has to read, when everything goes wrong and you just need to have something finally go right.  Definitely one of the best I've read in a while.

This was not for me.

Gemma is trying to find herself. She has a new job and is an aspiring YouTuber. Most of the plot is described in the blurb, which turned reading the book into something like watching a YouTube tutorial video. The important information is hidden among all the waffling and ads so that I want to fast forward to the information and skip the rest.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for the e-Arc in exchange for my honest review.

At first I thought that we had two different books thrown together with the same characters, but quickly realized how it all worked.

We have Gemma (I love that name BTW), recently ditched by her BF for his girl best friend, running her social media account (she’s a blogger). 

She decides she needs to start over and signs up to occupy a room. She meets her roommate Amy and the owners of the home, Hannah and Richard. Gemma’s career of course takes off, she meets another social media star that she is romantically interested in and things take off from there. 

Now onto the second half and why I thought the story lines flipped flopped drastically, but can see how it all works now. Gemma is forced into a situation where she chooses to use her voice and platform (Yay Gemma), as we all should, to do good! She gets involved with the fight against domestic violence after a personal encounter. 

What was done extremely well was the representation of how complicated and dynamic relationships are. How the fight against domestic violence won’t always have a happy ending, especially when the victim goes against our wishes. 

I appreciated the realness of it although I felt like it developed rather quickly towards the end. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

This book totally filled that feel-good, light-hearted category! It was funny, relatable, and romantic. I read it in just a few days, I did not want the story to end.

Social media & YouTube isn’t always what you think & the behind-the-scenes stuff was a reminder for all those YouTube wannabes out there. Dump your boyfriend and boom! You’ll become a YouTube sensation,
Some very humorous parts in this enjoyable book, it did feel at times that the author was working a bit too hard, but on the whole I enjoyed reading this book.

this book was super fun and funny!! i enjoyed reading this with a glass of wine at night and just cracking up while my husband was slpeeing next to me. cute!

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one.  It's funny, romantic and thoughtful.I liked the two Sophie Ranald books I was given to review so much that I bought the other two in the series.

I read another book (No, We Can't Be Friends) from this author previously and was not impressed.  I honestly wouldn't have read this one had I not already had it on my NetGalley list.  One of my big issues with this is the same as the previous book - the cover and title lead you to think the book is something totally different than it is.  From the cover, I thought I'd be reading a story about finding love again after a hard breakup, but most of the story focused on Gemma's (somewhat unintentional) rise to "stardom" as a youtube vlogger.  While most of the books I read have characters younger than me (38 may not be old, but it darn sure is in the rom-com world), this storyline was very much geared toward someone younger (or at least more tuned into the blogging/vlogging world than me).  I kept reading, waiting for something to happen or for the story to get interesting, and it just never did.  

This is probably more fairly a 2.5 for me since I usually reserve 1s and 2s for books I truly hated, and my feelings weren't that strong either way for this one.  However, it wasn't nearly as enjoyable for me as others that I've rated 3 stars, so I had to round down.  In some ways, I thought the writing was a little better on this one than the one I previously read, but the more I thought about it, I think the story in the other one was better done, even if it wasn't the story I expected to read.  

I hate being hard on books/authors because I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into writing a book and getting it to publication.  There are plenty of great reviews for this book (and others from this author), but it seems this particular author is just not for me.

Gemma Grey is a vlogger with a basic following. Her boyfriend dumps her and she uploads an emotional video on her channel. Overnight, she turns into a YouTube star influencer. Her journey into the famous influencer world and how she manages to maintain her sanity is what the book is all about.
I feel that the author took on more than she could chew, making the book drag. There are too many issues crammed inside. On one hand, issues like domestic violence are addressed - and it's totally commendable - while on the other hand, Gemma's personal love life is described in detail. Too much information in too less time.
At the end, I couldn't say that I knew more about Gemma than I did at the beginning. All in all, an okay read.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Some of the things I really liked about this book were the characters, the YouTube and social media behind-the-scenes stuff. It served as a reminder that what we see on screen is not always reality. I also liked that Gemma ends up using her "rise to fame" for good. While she still keeps true to herself, she also talks about important issues that matter to her.

Now, her love-life was a bit more convoluted. There's her ex, there's the YouTuber, and there's the coffee shop guy. I haven't seen someone jump from one relationship to the next so fast since my high school days. Maybe that's because I probably would do it differently but this book is not about me. Ha! 

It did last longer than I thought it would. Every time I thought it was coming to an end, something else would happen. lol Overall, it was a fun story though.

A really fantastic read. Gemma is such an engaging and likeable character, I was instantly drawn to her and her journey of self discovery. I appreciated the fact Gemma was a vlogger on YouTube, it was a modern take and as a young reader it was really engaging for me. This is a feel-good book that will have you laughing out loud whilst also touching on some serious issues with care. A fantastic read from Sophie Ranald and definitely not the last I will read from her!

Out with the Ex, In with the New by Sophie Ranald
Source: NetGalley and Bookouture
Rating: 3/5 stars

Gemma has three goals in life: 1) to marry her long-time boyfriend, Jack; 2) to land a job as a serious journalist and; 3) to become YouTube famous.  

Gemma has spent a year pounding the pavement looking for a job.  She has what it takes to be a fine journalist, but no one seems to want to take a chance on her.  Through what feels like a thousand interviews, Gemma has kept her attitude positive and hopeful, leaned on Jack for support, and continues to ever so slowly grow her YouTube following with make-up tutorials and interactions with her followers.  Gemma knows, if she keeps plugging along and doing her best, all her goals are totally achievable.  

Gemma gets a job . . . .

With a spring in her step and load of enthusiasm, Gemma rushes off to meet Jack to share her wonderful news.  Not only has she gotten a job, but she’s gotten a job with an up and coming site that has loads of room of growth and advancement; she has to start at the bottom, but that’s OK, because Gemma finally has a job!  Unfortunately, on the same night she shares her wonderful news with Jack, Gemma also finds herself without a boyfriend.  Jack doesn’t just dump Gemma, he crushes her heart and obliterates one of her goals, all so he can go gallivanting around the world with his best friend . . . . who happens to be a woman ☹  In a fit of despair, Gemma unloads all her pain and sorrow in a video she impulsively loads to her YouTube channel.  As it happens, her brutal honesty not only gets the attention of her regular followers, but a host of newbies.  Who knew heartbreak could help make one famous?

As the days and weeks trudge along, Gemma settles into her new job (not quite as posh as she originally thought!), her new living arrangement (far creepier than she suspected!) and begins to see real growth in her quest for fame. Gemma’s new life goals is to show Jack exactly what he gave up and, in an effort, to achieve that goal, Gemma finds herself tied up with a hot new boyfriend who is one part of a YouTube sensation.  Her attachment to Charlie seems tremendously fine at first with invites to the swankiest parties, mentions of her attachment to Charlie on all the social media platforms, people recognizing her on the street, and a new agent helping her grow her own channel and following.  The days and nights spin out of control in a haze of dates, late nights, new videos for her channel, her increasingly boring job, and her increasingly troublesome home environment.  Though Gemma tries to project an air of footloose and fancy-free (take that, Jack!), her original followers notice a stark change in Gemma and it’s not one they are at all happy about.  

To her new followers and “friends” Gemma seems to have it all.  What those new followers and friends don’t know and/or see is the turmoil constantly bubbling under the façade of chic, on the rise woman living her best life.  Gemma is tired all the time, her work, such as it is, is suffering, and her original followers are put out with her vapid new videos and tutorials.  What’s more, Charlie is sort of an ass and her landlords are the kind of trouble no one wants to be a part of.  After a series of serious and rather awful events, Gemma finally pulls her head out of her ass and finally begins making decisions that not only better align with her own true attitude and moral compass, but truly allow her to become YouTube famous for all the right reasons. 

The Bottom Line:  I struggled with this book, in large part, because I struggled with Gemma as a character.  The first two-thirds of the book I found myself wondering if Gemma were actually too stupid to live!  She comes across as a flighty, immature girl whose only mission in life is to have everyone know and adore her.  Really?  In this day and age, that’s all you’ve got?  While it seems, I should have DNF’d the book at this stage, I hung on and was richly rewarded for my efforts and stubbornness.  As things in Gemma’s life become quite serious – for example, the situation her landlords find themselves in – Gemma rises to the occasion and sheds the self-centered and selfish façade to reveal a real and even admirable human being.  Gemma finally begins to understand that she has real talent as a writer, real compassion for others, and when she lets those qualities shine, she becomes a person everyone really does want to know and, dare I say it, emulate.  I don’t think I would bill this read as “a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy” (as it has been!) but as a more serious read that deals, in large part, with the sad state of our society as a whole.  Gemma has to come to terms with the fact that YouTube famous isn’t real life and real life is often hard, messy, painful, and demanding, but it is also the part of people that other people respond to, pay attention to, and generally like.  Gemma shows tremendous growth throughout this read and I was left feeling a bit more hopeful about the real Gemma’s out there in the world.  There is a life beyond the superficial and sometimes, that life is quite spectacular.

After living with her mother and commuting to her job in London, Gemma has just landed a job as a junior writer at Clickfrenzy.  Now, she’s hoping she can move in with her boyfriend, Jack.  But when she tells him about her new job, he then tells her that he has quit his job,  He has decided to travel the world with his friend, Olivia, with whom he grew up.  There goes their relationship even though Jack promises he will return to Gemma.

Since Gemma’s job is in London and two hours away from where she lives with her Mum, Gemma rents a room in a nice house owned by Richard and Hannah.

As Gemma has always done a lot of vlogging and has a large following, her new job is centered around that.  After posting a video of her breakup with Jack, she gains instant fame and even more followers.  This blossoms and she is soon "rubbing elbows” with wealthy and famous YouTubers.  Charlie and Gus are famous twin brothers on YouTube and soon, Gemma and Charlie start a relationship of sorts.

Soon, Gemma gets involved in helping charity organizations, as well as a friend closer to home.  But, can she find someone steady to have in her life?

Well, this book seemed so juvenile to me.  I would think that a young woman in her mid-20s would have a better handle on a bit of maturity, but Gemma surely does not.  Perhaps since the age of vlogging has missed me, that must be why I cannot believe so much time is wasted on it.  Rather cutesy at times, but also rather silly.  Hope other readers enjoy this story. 

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved this book! I found Gemma highly relatable and wildly funny. It was enjoyable to read about her making her way through a breakup, new job, and rise to YouTube fame all while finding herself! I also liked how the book touched upon domestic violence without shaming the survivors or those who choose to go back to their abusers. It's such a rough topic to discuss but I think this book handled it very well. The relationships Gemma forges throughout the book with her roommates, co-workers, and fellow vloggers felt so familiar and relatable. I enjoyed this a lot!