Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book sounded good on paper. In practice, not so much. The two main POVs were far too similar. None of the characters felt real. I could not remember who was who. The book wasn't descriptive. Everything was hard to picture and even harder to sell the relationship (between Maya & Skye).

The pace was slow. The writing was dull. Most importantly, the plot meant nothing since I couldn't connect to the characters. Drama between girls never interests me. Overall, I wanted to enjoy the book but it just wasn't a compelling read.

*I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I was getting a "The Charm Offensive" vibe from this. Sadly, it wasn't like that at all. The book was very catty. My biggest problems were not knowing who was who, what they looked like, or why they did the things they did. It's not fun to read a book about a reality show if you can't root for anyone.

There was no atmosphere or character development. It was extremely slow. It would have worked so much better if the characters were older. I didn't see any chemistry between the characters. I do like the cover. This is my second attempt at a Sophie Gonzales book. Don't know if reading "If This Gets Out" would be a good idea. But, all-in-all the book just wasn't well done or attention-grabbing.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press!

Wow this is one of the fastest reads I’ve done in awhile, I read this book in one day! This book was like cotton candy, so sweet and irresistible. I would describe the plot as Do Revenge from Netflix, but the two girls fall for each other instead. I loved this book. From the start I was hooked. Both main characters are strong, interesting and engaging. The romance was definitely a slow burn, but paired with the enemies to lovers trope it was perfect! Their romance was so cute and believable, and I loved the ending. I was a bit upset about the third act breakup (I hate them) but other than that it was great! I’m also a sucker for reality tv settings, and this one was perfectly written. Isaac was a fantastic side character! Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, sapphic revenge filled romp.

Thank you to Wednesday books for sending me an e-ARC to read an review. This was my first Sophie Gonzalez book and I really enjoyed it. It had a bachelor type of vibe which I liked except for the fact that Jordy was actually insufferable. he was manipulative, a liar, and truly thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. The book started a bit slow for me thinking that it was going to be a bunch of catty girls competing for the attentions of some sub par guy, but it picked up and shifted gears quick. The friendships were really fun and I liked how all the girls eventually wanted to band together. I loved the concept too of Maya and Skye hating each other because of misinformation and eventually teaming up to take down Jordy and maybe fall for each other along the way. I thought the character development between the girls was really well done and while Jordy didn't change at all, everyone else did and really came into their own. This was fun and I loved that the characters were a little bit older. I thought this book was cute and I really like Maya and Skye as the main characters.

I found this book to be fairly predictable and not a particularly enjoyable read. Many of the characters were unlikable. I’m not a huge fan of the enemies to lovers trope which this book is.

<b>Boyfriends cannot be stolen.</b> If this is a statement you agree with, you may not like this book. The main conflict in the book is that Jordy Miller is a cheater, and the girl he cheated on, Maya, believes that the girl he cheated <i>with</i>, Skye, stole her boyfriend from her. It is my firm belief that the man is always the one at fault in these situations, so I did not sympathize with Maya’s hatred of Skye.

Additionally, there is a LOT of lack of communication in this book, which is generally annoying to me. So many fights, big and small, could’ve been avoided if the characters would either speak to each other about them or wait to react until they had the chance to talk about what happened. I understand this is a YA book and I was maybe expecting an adult level of maturity from the characters, so perhaps I am the issue here.

I did like the story overall. I generally enjoy a <i>Bachelor</i> type knockoff novel, and this was no exception. I do think it was ultimately worth reading, but there are certainly better books of this type.

<b>Playlist</b>
Better than Revenge by Taylor Swift
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift (duh)
Closer by Tegan and Sara
Slumber Party by Ashnikko feat. Princess Nokia

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is an entertaining story that took a fun twist to the reality dating game drama.

A group of girls are all called on to compete on a reality dating show for a man that is an ex. Some truly want a second chance with the man, while others are looking for fame and one wants revenge on the man that she feels wronged her. Put them all in one house and things are bound to go awry. And I was here for that drama.

From the beginning I was intrigued with the concept because shhhhhhh.....I kinda like reality dating shows. ;) But what I wasn't aware of since I went in blind was the age group of these characters. These characters were all still teens (20 and under) and I just couldn't connect with the fact that Jordy (the male main character) had so many exes at this age. Just didn't seem realistic. But this is fiction....let's get into the story and enjoy it.

After suspending my belief, I was able to dive in and enjoy the story for what it was. Reality dating shows are always so out of reality and full of drama so this concept worked. I enjoyed the whole group of girls in the house, but Maya, Skye and Perrie definitely stood out from the beginning. Told from Skye and Maya's POV, we get to understand how Jordy pitted the girls against one another from the beginning and what an a$$ he truly was. I couldn't have detested a character more.

I liked how Sophie Gonzales got right into the story and didn't leave any questions as to the 'whys' of the characters. The plot based on the reality show concept was fun and I had to laugh at some of the producers antics to get just the right shot to air on tv. I think those parts are what made me laugh the most because I could totally see this happening. But what I liked seeing was the growth of Maya and how her relationships changed with the other girls in the house and how Skye and Maya began to realize they had been manipulated by Jordy. Have I said how much I dislike Jordy?

Overall, this is going to be a story for the people that like reality dating shows. Add a little unexpected sapphic romance between our main characters and you're going to fall for the whole journey. The YA factor drew me out a bit, but I still liked the story, the characters and the way the story unfolded. I do wish that Maya's plan played out how she had wished, but the way it came out was better for each character and what they all were looking for coming on the show.

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

Published: November 29, 2022
Wednesday Books
Pages: 373
Genre: Romantic Comedy
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Sophie Gonzales writes young adult queer contemporary fiction with memorable characters, biting wit, and endless heart. When she isn’t writing, Sophie can be found ice skating, performing in musical theatre, and practicing the piano. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she works as a psychologist.

“… maybe people who leave you don’t always stay lost to you forever.”

Maya is on the precipice of change when she gets an unexpected phone call. And that call leads to a bizarre offer. Skye has been living a solitary life, traveling the world alone. When she gets an unexpected invitation, she accepts. What’s the worst thing that could happen?

This was a cute story. I did have to keep reminding myself that it was a YA romcom, though. How certain things were handled or the thought process involved was very young and naive. But appropriate for the age group, and the level of maturity does strengthen as the plot thickens.

I enjoyed the characters; the leading group of six were all different and had a sparkle about them. Maya and Skye are our main characters, and they were an excellent balance. Perrie was a beautifully written side character, and I loved her from the start. Francesca was bold and spoke her mind. Lauren was a peacemaker. Kim was a romantic. They all played well off of each other and the circumstances they faced together.

The concept for this story was interesting, kind of like the Bachelor but for young adults. There were some twists along the way, but I found the pacing well done.

I enjoyed the alternating narrators and the way the story progressed. It felt authentic. Overall this was a charming romance that people will love. Memorable characters, crazy moments, and learning to follow your heart!

I would love to see Perrie get her own spin-off book, though. She was my favorite from the beginning.

This YA rom-com had a great set-up, but never really came together for me. The premise: a D-list celebrity stars in a reality TV dating show to see if he can reconnect with any of his exes. The problem: this just doesn't work in a YA novel, and I think a lot of the issues I had with the book would have gone away if Gonzales had aged up all the characters. It was completely unbelievable with 18-year-olds, so I had no buy-in. Two of the contestants start out hating each other and end up falling in love. Super sweet concept, not nearly enough character development. I had no idea why these two women fell in love, other than that they were both hot. The ex-boyfriend is absolutely awful, over and over again, and the other characters weren't fleshed out nearly enough. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for a digital review copy.

Fun! I’ve been super interested in following the “queer fiction set within the very cishet world of most reality dating shows” subgenre that’s been emerging within the last few years (“The Charm Offensive” and “Patricia Wants to Cuddle” also spring to mind), so I was excited to dive into this one.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t my favorite entry into this growing genre. I found the rules of the dating show, as well as the world-building of the fictional country in which it was filmed, to be underdeveloped. I think there was some serious Genovia/ “Princess Diaries” meets “Bachelor” potential here, but I didn’t feel enmeshed enough in the world to appreciate it. I also wish we’d gotten a bit more time with side characters like Gwendolyn, Isaac, and the other contestants.

Nevertheless, while I personally wouldn’t be able to wrap my mind around watching teenagers date on TV in the real world, I enjoyed the YA romance between Skye and Maya. Plenty of good stuff about not feeling pressured to follow a certain path into early adulthood/overcoming the fear of being left behind that I think will really speak to the target audience.

A charming and snappy little story that I think will have broad appeal, especially among fans of reality television.

While I enjoy a good old fashioned modern revenge story, I was a little baffled by the decision to make the participants be teens and not in their early 20s/college-aged. The effect would've been the same--teenage heartbreak--without having them all be fresh out of high school. I also struggled to distinguish between the voices of Skye and Maya in their POVs, which made it a bit of a confusing read. The ending also fell apart a bit for me. I understand there need to be a last act dramatic misunderstanding, but the characters felt possessive in a way that didn't quite make sense for how short of a relationship there was.

You ever want to see that one reality show where the guy meets the 30 women and they all do stupid things to get him??? Yeah well this isn’t that exactly but what if two contestants decided that the guy wasn’t the one but they were it for each other?
I just adored this switch on the story and I loved it so much. These woman are amazing and their story just drew me in and I couldn’t put it down.
Please read this book ASAP.

This book was a drama filled read. I found it too predictable, and could not stand the main character of Maya. I think many of the characters were meant to be insufferable, but it did bring down the reading experience for me. I like the aspect of reality TV that was intertwined with this book. Overall, it was a quick read.

After a few not so great ARC reads recently, this was SO refreshing. I’ve read all of Sophie’s books and she does not disappoint.

The premise of this is great, all the ex-girlfriends are brought together for a reality show for a second chance romance with Jordy (even his name infuriates me, he is the worst, stupid Jordy with his stupid name.)

Now try not to think too much into the logistics of the show, because if you do and you’re an avid watcher of dating reality shows, you’re going to be like this is a little weird and some of it doesn’t make sense, but the reality show is really just a tool to bring our characters together and let them all shine in their own way.

I LOVE the ex-girlfriends getting together and supporting each other. JORDY DOES NOT DESERVE THESE QUEENS.

Sometimes you want to shake Maya because of how much she’s let this total asshole live rent free in her brain for years and her obsession with revenge keeps her from seeing what’s right in front of her.

But her and Skye are the CUTEST, I love how the ending turned out and the direction the author took. I’m not sure this book needed the switching POV chapters, but it was fine.

Overall, love love loved this one, the writing is great, the dialogue is funny, another win for Sophie Gonzales, I read this book in one day. I highly recommend this one!

This book is out November 29! 📚

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was liking this book, but not really loving it due to frustration until about 35% of the way through, when certain misunderstandings were cleared up.once both the protagonists were on the same page, though, this book went nice and quick for me. But before that, I wanted to shake certain characters who couldn’t see the obvious walking red flags printed all over Jordy. Calling girls “chicks”? I mean… yuck. Excellent creative choice on the part of the author because that alone made me immediately dislike him.

The romance was cute and believable, and the inside look into how those reality dating shows may be shot was fascinating. All in all, this was a fun, original sapphic romance that I would love to revisit.

This was a good book. It took me a while to get through because it became a bit predictable. This book reminded me of the show "The Bachelor" or, really, any reality dating show (not in a bad way). The twist being that they go on a dating show to date their ex. It was a nice enemies-to-lovers book. I kind of wish there were more turns or more excitement, but it was a nice light read. I would recommend it. Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Gonzales and St. Martins publishing for the ARC of this book.

As a diehard Bachelor fan (it’s a guilty pleasure!), this was SUCH a fun and lighthearted read. Skye and Maya agree to go on a dating show to see if they want to rekindle a flame with their ex-boyfriend, Jordy (whose sister is a princess, casual). What starts off as hostile dislike for each other because of a narrative that Jordy is spinning, transforms into sweet friendship and then something more. I loved the banter between the woman on the show, the realistic take on how UN-real reality TV is, and the antics that the girls got up to. I especially loved the casual bisexual representation, how it was a part of the girl’s identities without their sexuality being a major plot point, or any big “coming out moment”. My only critique is that I wish the ending was a little more flushed out, with Maya’s feelings about being left behind again explored and her changing thoughts about going to college. I wanted to see where life takes Maya and Skye, together!

love triangle where the girls ditch the boy and end up together instead? sign me up

i really liked the concept of this this novel but there were definitely times where i thought i was going to DNF this book because it really got on my nerves. firstly, the main characters. beyond the common factor of disliking their mutual ex-boyfriend, the two girls had no personality and absolutely no depth to them. and because of this, the romance wasn't super believable to me? idk they're competing on a reality tv show to win the heart of their ex for a second chance romance so you'd think we actually get to know the girls a little bit but not really.

i think overall the writing in this book didn't really capture what it intended to. in the beginning there was like one scene where they talk about how beautiful the island is that they're filming on and all that but it was not super descriptive or atmospheric throughout the book. to me it didn't feel well developed enough with the writing.

i saw someone else talk about how it would be much more realistic for this to be a new adult novel and i completely agree. it makes no sense for a bunch of 18 year olds to be on a dating reality tv show. and how does this YA age guy have 6 ex's who were serious enough to invite back for a second chance romance?? anyway

"When their now famous ex-boyfriend asks them to participate in a teen reality show, two eighteen year old girls—one bent on revenge, the other open to rekindling romance—get tangled up in an unexpected twist when they fall for each other instead in Never Ever Getting Back Together by nationally and internationally-bestselling and Indie Next Pick author Sophie Gonzales." - Goodreads

Our two MCs Maya and Skye - fantastic! They work beautifully together. Even as enemies the quips and snarkiness between them was great!

I'm jealous of how Skye just follows her own plan and is currently traveling the world solo. I actually see a lot of myself in Skye with her needing to plan everything out and being happy by herself.

This was a perfect opposites attract with Maya who doesn't always think things through and moves forward full force.
The two of them together had a very nice balance.

Ngl before Maya and Skye started working together, I was hopelessly rooting for Maya and Perrie to hook up. The comraderie between those two 🤌
Can I date Perrie? She was my favorite supporting character and her vibes are just perfect!

All of the girls worked themselves into my heart though, even Kim, and I was thoroughly impressed that happened considering how annoyed I was at the drama among everyone. I understand the drama needed to happen but I just wanted everyone to be friends lol

Saving the worst for last, Jordy, our "love interest". What👏 a 👏 jerk! So many stereotypical a-holes wrapped up in one self centered narcissistic privileged white boy 🤮 Sophie thank you for doing a fantastic job of making sure I never felt bad for this guy. It was a pleasure watching the girls scheme against him.

This fun read is expected to release Nov. 29, 2022. I was excited to see @rainbowcratebookbox is having NEGBT in their beautiful bisexual themed December box! It means I'll be getting a physical copy of my own 🥰

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an egalley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of "Never Getting Back Together" by Sophie Gonzales.

When Jordy calls Maya she has no intentions of agreeing to be on a reality show with him to see if they still had a connection, especially after he cheated on her when they were together. Skye has the same intentions, without the knowledge of being cheated on. But both girls end up in Chalonne on a reality show to try and re-date their ex-boyfriend.

I will say the first third of this book really had me turned off. I was really not clicking with either Maya or Skye and the typical angry reality TV personalities that Gonzales wrote in the first few chapters. However, once the ice had been broken and the two realized what had actually happened and began clicking together I was into the story.

The story is a bit expected and repetitive with some expected ups and downs. My favourite character is Skye's dad who gets all of three lines of dialogue in the entire story but was the part that made me laugh out loud. Overall the book was fun and great for a distracting read and gave the reader the expected revenge while still feeling good about it in the end. I enjoyed it but wasn't blown away by it.

3 stars.