"When Maya and Skye are invited to star on the reality dating show Second-Chance Romance, they’re whisked away to a beautiful mansion—along with four more of Jordy’s exes— to compete for his affections while the whole world watches. Skye wonders if she and Jordy can recapture the spark she knows they had, but Maya has other plans: exposing Jordy and getting revenge. As they navigate the competition, Skye and Maya discover that their real happily ever after is nothing they could have scripted."

I absolutely devoured this while home with the flu. Like...I read it in five hours. And I'm not typically a romance person but this one had me hooked from the beginning.

The "revenge, romance, and reality tv" arc was what made this book stand out. It's not an overdone enemies to lovers trope that we all love but can predict from the first page. Skye and Maya are complex characters. They have their own traumas and histories that they need to work through. The ups and downs and twists and turns between Skye, Maya, Jordy, and the other ex-girlfriends kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more.

I only hope that Gonzales gives us more in the future. A sequel about Skye and Maya post-reality show? Count me in!

Never Ever Getting Back Together | Sophie Gonzales
Rivals to lovers in a European Royal version of “The Bachelor”

Jordie is a grade-A tool with a string of ex-girlfriends. His sister married into royalty, giving Jordy the opportunity to scrape together a D-grade celebrity status and inflate his ego enough to raise a hot air balloon. Maya and Skye are both offered the chance to win him back [cue eyeroll] through a Bachelor-style competition full of date recreations and sporting challenges. Ironing out the details of Jordy’s lies and deception, the girls band together to make it to the finale and serve him a cold dish of revenge. Tensions dissolve and sparks fly as the story unfolds, but is it possible to truly get EVERYTHING you want?

10/10 premise; I love when karma comes around to cut the arrogant back down to size. It’s true that people don’t generally get away with bad behavior forever! While the sparks flew freely between competitors, I wasn’t getting a strong sense of chemistry between the girls. Other than statements about being drawn to each other or reactions to ballgowns and bikinis, I was looking for a deeper connection. I loved the emotional elements about Maya choosing the right path and the struggle to change course, and though less familiar with reading f/f relationships, seeing the banter and pining unfold from enemies to lovers was brilliant.

Never Ever Getting Back Together would play out well on-screen. I would love to see the fumbles at a royal tea [total Princess Diaries vibes for me], stranded on a rockface and shock-desire in stunning ballgowns. This book was a great bubble-gum read for me: sweet and spicy, medium pace, something to chew on when I’ve got some time to kill. Watching Jordy get served definitely warrants a re-read the next time I’m in the mood for some girl-power energy!

3.5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the ARC for review!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited to receive an early copy of this book. The premise and description sounded like The Bachelor, which I watch every season. As soon as I started reading the book, my interest kept falling the more I tried to read. The entire book felt SOO repetitive. I felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over up until the 80% mark. While I loved the initial idea of female empowerment, I think the characters fell flat for me. The age of all the characters did not help. How do you expect 18-year-olds to be able to form these deep connections with others? I wish the author had gone with mid-twenties or early thirties. I overall had very little emotion when it came to the end of the book other than being glad I had finished it.

While it was not initially a book I would recommend to others, I would say that everyone should read it to get their own opinions. I have seen a lot of others rave and love the story.

Reality show rivals to lovers sapphic romance--we are here for it! And this isn't your average second chance romance because men are trash.
But seriously, this book had heart and humor in all the right places, making a gripping and fabulous romcom that is an insta-buy for anyone rooting for real romance.
Special thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book--though all opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this brilliant novel in exchange for an honest review.

Maya was blindsided years ago when Jordy broke up with her after cheating on her and painting her as a villain. A role that very much belongs to Jordy. So when she’s contacted for a reality show where he will date all of his exes again she sees the perfect opportunity not to get him back but to get even.

Only one hiccup, she arrives to find that her roommate is Skye. The very same Skye who Jordy allegedly cheated on her with. The meeting goes as you would expect, not well.

I absolutely adored this novel I read it in one day. It was refreshing and made me cackle. It definitely made me rethink every single reality show I have ever watched. Viewers are so quick to label someone as a villain when in reality they were told to say those lines or act a certain way. This novel is funny and I enjoyed every single character by the end aside from Jordy for obvious reasons. This gives me John Tucker must die vibes in the best way possible. I would absolutely recommend this to everyone.

A reality show starring ex-girlfriends of an adjacent royal -- and two of those exes fall for one another? SIGN ME UP!

I will admit in the beginning I was slightly nervous: there was just so much girl-on-girl hate. But I should have known better than to doubt Sophie. No sooner had those worries crept up than it became clear the girls were joining forces to take down a scumbag -- and that's something I can get behind 100%. I would up racing through this one and absolutely loved it!

This book was just so fun. At first, I was a little skeptical about the premise. I felt like the characters were a little too young to be on a dating show, but I was quickly proven wrong. I think the game show aspect really worked for the mechanics of the romance. I loved Maya and Skye’s character development and I loved watching their relationship unfurl. Also, can we please appreciate all of the Taylor Swift references??? That is always a sure fire way to get me to read a book. After this and If This Gets Out, I can’t wait to read more from Gonzales.

Thank you to @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for my e-arc of NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER by @sgonzalesauthor ! This book published last Tuesday, Nov 29 so you can grab your copy now!

If you enjoy shows like Love Is Blind or the bachelor, then you will enjoy this book! It’s basically a reality tv show about revenge 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 (side note: I have never watched these hawks, but my buddy read chat group likened this book to those type of shows!)

This book was so much fun to read! It’s the type of book that tho the premise/plot line is a little unbelievable, you keep reading because of that fact and to just dive into the drama of something else. I’m not saying this is a bad thing/ we all need those kinds of distractions! Isn’t that why we watch shows like Love Is Blind and The Bachelor?!

I really liked Maya, and then I really like Skye (once both girls sorted out their issues with each other, and realized Jordy is to blame). Even tho there were other girls in the show, we get these two perspectives, and see the most character growth from them. I loved how they played Jordy at his own game 👏🏻

Speaking of, Jordy is just plain awful and totally deserved everything he got by the end of the book. Who has that many ex girlfriends and willingly goes in a reality tv show with all (or most) of his exes, with the sole purpose of stringing them along to make them all believe they are “the one that got away” It makes for great televisions drama, but I really hope this doesn’t actually happen in real life! (Tho I’m sure it does).

Overall, this is still a fun book that I will recommend for some light, fun reading, maybe as a palate cleanser type book ☺️ if you have read any of the author’s other books, I think you will like this one!

Bachelor + Revenge = Never Getting Back Together!
This book follows Maya is invited to go on a reality show with her ex-boyfriend and his ex-girlfriends. Talk about complicated. At first, Maya wants nothing to do with the reality show until she comes up with the idea of Revenge. However, when Maya becomes roommates with Skye, the girl Jordy cheated on her with, things get tricky.

Firstly, I want to thank Net galley and Wednesday books for early access to this book for an honest review. I was excited to read this book; after all, I am a HUGE Sophie Gonzales fan, but this book didn't do it for me. Usually, I fall in love with the characters and the plotline, but this one fell short. I'm not saying that this novel didn't have good qualities at all.

My number one issue is that all the ex-girlfriends faded into the background. It may be because the main focus was on Maya and Skye's relationship, or there were too many side characters. Each week the girls go through elimination; such intense moments should make the book exciting, right? But, no. Instead of being on the edge of my seat, I felt withdrawn; we already knew who would win; we just had to get there.

As for the romance in the book, I wished there was more to it. I felt it went from enemy to lovers; to we are in love immediately. Although I LOVED their banter, there could be more. I wanted more scenes of them hanging out or even plotting together. I'm curious if I'm the only one who felt this way, but they had no chemistry. In the end, I was frustrated with how the romance in this novel was written. I know that Sophie Gonzales can write some fantastic romances, but this one wasn't it.

As for the EX, I was disappointed in how his storyline went, and I was left with more questions. I felt like Jordy had more personality than most of the girls. Yes, I didn't like Jordy, but I wish we understood why he became who he is. There is also the massive issue of the fact that I wish there were some successful revenge against him that we, the readers, could experience. But nope, none.

At the end of the day, did we like this book? Well no. But I'm still a HUGE Sophie Gonzales fan, and I will still read anything that she publishes.

This was a really fun book. It should have been a book that loved because I love the Bachelor franchise and the messiness of it so much and I love this concept… But I can’t help but think that this would have worked way better if the characters were maybe 10 years older. I get he was a player and everything, but most of these past relationships were long term ones. How many of those can a 18/19 year old really have? I also have no idea what Maya decided to do in the epilogue. Other than that, I really enjoyed the writing style just like I did in If This Gets Out. The characters were well fleshed out and their POVs read as different, fully formed humans. I loved the chaos and Bachelor vibes. I am 100% Here For The Drama.

I am such a FAN of these Bachelor-esque type books. Please continue to grow this trope because it is filled to the brim with juicy drama. And I mean Maya and Skye were absolutely incredible, you couldn't help but root for them from the first time they appeared on page. Sophie Gonzales does it again and fully knocks it out of the park!!

The latest book by Sophie Gonzalez takes place in the world of reality television. Although, these days in literature, reality shows are a popular topic this book puts a different spin on the genre. The reality show here revolves around a guy choosing from among a handful of his exes to see which one he would like to get back together with. It seems like a show that could never really happen in life until you look at some of the reality shows that have actually been produced, and you realize that truly anything goes in reality television.

The book isn't really about Jordy, the guy at the center of the reality show, however. He is basically a lying, cheating scum. It's about the girls participating in the competition particularly, Maya, who enters the competition determined to win so that she can show him for what he really is, and Skye, the girl whom he cheated on her with. They end up falling for each other. Their romance is sweet, but there is not enough of it. Nothing really even happens between them until about halfway through the book. Plus, their characters are also not differentiated from each other enough to keep them straight even with chapters with alternating views.

There are good things about this book. The unique reality show plot is interesting. The female empowerment aspects of the plot are affecting including the eventual bonds formed between the contestants and the bringing down of a male character who clearly deserves it. However, if you are looking for a book with a lot of romance, you won't really find that here. You might want to try one of Gonzales's other books instead.

Happy Pub Day Sophie Gonzales and Never Ever Getting Back Together!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the premise of this book where a reality TV show chooses someone to invite all his exes on the show in the hopes for a second chance at love. I personally could never go on a show like this, but Maya’s decision to go on to show the world who Jordy really is was brilliant. Of course Maya didn’t expect to fall for the girl Jordy cheated her on with, Skye.

I’ve always been a fan of Sophie Gonzales’ books so was really excited to read this one. I loved the story and thought there was great character development with all of the contestants. Jordy on the other hand was awful, but that made the romance between Maya and Skye that much better. There was a slow build to the girl’s getting together, but I thought it worked well in this story.

My only issue was that these kids were in their teens so how could Jordy already have so many exes. I also felt the book didn’t read as YA because of the reality show premise. I think it would have been better as an adult book, but overall I really enjoyed it.

I read along while listening to the audiobook, and I enjoyed both narrators. Natalie Naudus always does a great job, and I enjoyed Barrie Kreinik as Skye. The only issue I had was that they sounded older than the 18-year-old characters should.

The strength of this novel lies in the banter. If you want cute, witty, and funny conversations, then you’ll have a blast with this. My only real gripe is the age. Having teenage girls on a dating show with a fellow teenager with a low key prolific dating history? Slightly weird.

Fluffy, sweet, and funny. This was a fun ride.

This one was a DNF for me. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for a YA, but the concept sounded good in the blurb and just didn't jive once I started reading. Maybe another time, maybe not.

It makes me sad to admit this but this one just didn't work for me. I had a hard time with Maya being so stuck on getting back at Jordy that I almost didn't root for her. I also felt like there weren't enough consequences for Jordy and I wanted more from the ending. Not my favorite Sophie Gonzales. Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for a gifted copy.

Sophie Gonzales’s Never Ever Getting Back Together features a fun premise: Maya and Skye are each vying—along with several other young women—to win back Jordy, their ex-boyfriend, on a reality show called Second-Chance Romance. It’s a Bachelor-type show that brings together a selection of Jordy’s exes with the supposition that the relationships that didn’t work before may work now. Because. Growth(?).

It seems a bit convoluted on the surface, and it’s even more complex deep down. Jordy is the brother of a newly crowned princess, which means he’s been in the public eye: a public eye that has also fallen on Maya. After their breakup, Jordy painted her as a dangerously clingy, at least partially unhinged person, bypassing the fact that he’d been cheating on her for months with his new girlfriend, Skye. Maya accepts the invitation to appear on the show with the hope that she can reveal the truth about their breakup to the world that has blamed her for years. Skye accepts because she believes Jordy that he misses her *and* appreciates his warning that Maya is ready to unleash her unjust rage on both of them.

So, when Maya and Skye arrive at the set of their show and realize that they’re rooming together . . . well, neither one is thrilled.

The story alternates between Maya and Skye’s points of view, and each has been given plenty of reasons by Jordy to dislike the other. Yet that dislike goes only so far.

I thoroughly enjoyed Never Ever Getting Back Together, which leans into the ridiculousness inherent in its reality show-foundation with its highly manufactured moments of drama (particularly since Jordy’s wealthy family made sure they had final editing rights). I didn’t completely buy the connection between Maya and Skye, and I thought that too many of these young women believed Jordy’s lies for just a bit too long. But overall, I liked the way Gonzales set up the evolution of each character’s arc and the way that the show, despite its artificiality, resulted in real self-reflection and growth.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange of an honest review!
Never Ever Getting Back Together is a young adult romance that is set on a dating show. This dating show is different than most as the exes are rekindling their relationships with the main love interest of the show. In this dual point of view novel, however, one contestant, Maya, is seeking public revenge because she was cheated on with another contestant, Skye. Skye and Maya later team up in their efforts to get back at their ex and in doing so, Sky and Maya end up falling in love.

I really enjoyed reading this novel and there were many aspects of this book that I enjoyed! The first aspect that I really enjoyed was the writing as it was very easy to get into and follow. I was captivated by the ease at which the writing hooked and held my attention throughout the novel. However, after around the 75 percent mark, I found the book to be a little bit juvenile, I don't really know whether it was the writing style or the characters, but I think that it was a mix of both. The second aspect that I enjoyed was the concept of the book! I really liked the idea of a dating show where two of the contestants fall for each other instead of the guy. I additionally enjoyed seeing a dating show where the exes attempt to rekindle their romantic relationship with a guy. However, the execution of this in a young adult setting was not the best only because I couldn't really connect with the characters. Furthermore, I don't think that the characters had enough life experience for this concept to be done well so that really took away from my enjoyment of the book as well as my reading experience. A third aspect that I thought was pretty enjoyable was the romance of the book. I really like seeing the relationship between Maya and Skye change and morph into the romantic relationship that it ended up being. Sure, this is very much a young adult romance and there are some cheesy lines that will make you cringe but it is a sweet romance. There is a third act conflict, in my opinion, could have been avoided and was a little easy to pick up on early in the book. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what this author publishes next!

This book was fun, sweet, and enjoyable. For anyone who is a fan of the Bachelor, this book is for you. There is something so satisfying about reading about revenge on a terrible ex boyfriend.

Maya dated a royal adjacent celebrity named Jordy. Jordy cheated on her and broke her heart when she was a teenager. Jordy calls Maya and asks her to come on a reality show where he will be redating all of his ex girlfriends to see which one he is meant to be with. Initially Maya does not want to go on the show, but decides to go just for the purpose of showing the world who Jordy really is.

This book has twists, turns, LGBTQ romance, and more. It was a pretty spice free romance novel. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a light and fun read.

this was everything I wanted it to be. It somehow made the bachelor interesting. The characters were great, the romance was great, the rep was great. 10/10