Absolutely loved the beginning of this book! It was my first Sophie Gonzales and it won’t be my last.

I have received an audio arc of this book, and will be putting my full review there.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Never Ever Getting Back Together was not at all what I expected! If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you know that it's rare for me to read a book description before diving in-- I rely fully on reputation and the cover. So with that in mind, I had no idea that this was about reality TV. I loved the almost-The-Bachelor-but-not setting, and the "behind the scenes" takes seemed very similar to what I've read about that show. I didn't really understand the made-up country or royalty angle. It didn't feel like another country--it felt like they took the US and just called it something else. The only "cultural" bit was a few food descriptions. It didn't really add anything to the plot and just added some unnecessary explanation.

I'll be honest, at about 50% I was ready to DNF. Lots of things about the show didn't make sense to me, all the main characters sucked or didn't know how to have an adult conversation, and I wasn't rooting for anyone to get the guy. However, the romantic "twist" came at just the right time and redeemed it. Once Skye and Maya teamed up, I loved it. I was hoping we'd get through without the gratuitous third-act breakup, but unfortunately it was included. It wasn't too drawn out, though.

The other thing I didn't understand was how young these people were. I was thrown off in the first chapter by the drink being bought for Rosie's 20th birthday. Did all those characters have fakes? Did the presumably 21+ man care that he was hitting on someone underage?

The age issue continued to throw me off throughout the whole show. Who has that many exes by 18? Who cares this much about the person they dated at 16?? If my boyfriend from 16 asked me to go on a second chance dating show I'd laugh in his face (he's happily married though...my boyfriend from 18 would do something like that, but doesn't have enough exes. And I'd also laugh in his face.). It was just really bizarre that all this was happening BEFORE Maya went to college, and that she was worrying about college coming up. I struggled to place the age of the audience this book was aiming for.

Overall a good story--I loved the reality TV angle and the twist, but I fixated on a few quirks and they prevented me from loving it. I think fresh-out-of-college would have been a better age for Maya!

I'm a big Sophie Gonzales fan. So when I had the opportunity to read the E-ARC of this from Netgalley I jumped at the opportunity. The premise for this one is interesting, a reality show where exes compete bachelor style to see if they have a second chance at love with their ex. Maya one of our protagonists is still not over the humiliation faced after finding out her bf cheated on her and then broke up with her and told everyone that she went crazy because he moved. She goes on this show to get revenge, but winds up finding love with the lady who her bf cheated on her with two years ago. I enjoyed this but it didn't hook me the same as some of Sophie Gonzales' other books did. Maybe cause these protagonists are slightly older though at times it felt like they were younger due to the revenge plot line and the reality show antics. If you like revenge stories, reality dating, older YA, pretentious men who get their just desserts and unexpected love between two enemies who really had no reason to be enemies then definitely give this book a read.

4.25 stars, rounded down
When describing this book, my initial thoughts are this: picture The Selection with better writing, (generally) better characters, and a wlw relationship at its core. That is Never Ever Getting Back Together. It is unbelievably cheesy at times and always so much fun; I could read a million books just like this one and never get bored. Maya and Skye are great protagonists -- their voices are distinct and they're both so smart but get clouded by their assumptions and pasts. They are flawed, which makes their development that much more interesting to read about. And Jordie is a certified asshole, so getting to watch them plot his downfall was exceptionally entertaining.
I do think that the ending is underwhelming. The epilogue is great (I wholeheartedly believe that every rom-com should have a happily-ever-after epilogue to wrap it up), but there were bits in the concluding chapters that just were not what I really wanted from the story. But that's okay! It definitely could be an example of something just not clicking with me.
I also think that a lot of the side characters were underdeveloped, but in a 300-page rom-com, I kind of expected that. They were still fun to read about and had distinct personalities, but they didn't stick out to me as much as the pro- and antagonists did.

TWs: Toxic relationship, gaslighting, infidelity, abandonment, misogyny, biphobia, bullying, car accident (mentioned)

This was spunky and fun and hilarious and everything I want out of a LGBTQIA+ romance. I absolutely loved the reality TV aspects and it strangely made the story seem even more real. The characters were vivid and stood out to me and while some of the antics were a bit cringey, I didn't even care because it was so entertaining! The dialogue and banter were top tier, which is something that I value a lot in my contemporary reads, Not to mention, this cover!! I think this book will appeal to lovers of I Kissed Shara Wheeler, Red, White, and Royal Blue and She Gets the Girl.

I absolutely devoured this book in a single day! It was so much fun and I loved Maya and Skye! I think their relationship developed in a really natural way and I loved seeing them get closer. Sophie Gonzales has knocked it out of the park again! Jordy was delightfully awful and I loved every second of hating him.

I will say I wish the other girls were a bit more developed. I really struggled with remembering who was who in the beginning and even in the middle I had to think, okay, which one is this? They were just fairly one note. This girl is obsessed with royalty, this girl is obsessed with her social media, ect. There's also a plot point I couldn't get over revolving around one girl not knowing how to swim at a lake but being in the pool in several scenes. (I kept waiting for her to say oh no, it was a bit for the show and that never happened.)

I have my copy of this preordered and I cannot wait to add it to the shelf with my other Sophie Gonzales books. If you're looking for something fun, look no further and get those preorders in!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First off, I requested this solely based off the cover (LOL). It looked fun and cute, something that would draw attention to me if I were to see it stocked at the bookstore. When I was approved for this copy, I then read the synopsis and I was stunned to find it had a similar storyline to the show The Bachelor. If you know me IRL, I hate this show and its partner show, the bachelorette. It's not something I would spend my time watching and if I knew this was related to the book - sorry I would not have picked it up.

I was first approved for the ebook version of this title but was then approved for the audiobook version - thankfully bc I was not into it at all. I quickly switched over to the audiobook version and started the title again. The storyline is v cringy but surprisingly engaging. It kept me on my toes despite my hatred for this type of story.

BUTTTTTTT,

THE TWIST IN THE MIDDLE,

Idk but I didnt see that coming !!!! - 60% in and from there on it was history. I was listening to it everywhere I went, when I got up, when I was doing laundry, when I was in the shower, driving to work and even on my runs! When I got to the twist, I was actually training for a 5k and I stopped dead in my tracks when the twist happened. I had to pause and take it in lol

anyways, great story - I would not have picked it up but that just shows me that I should always give a chance to a book even if I think it'll be LAME AF. LOL :)

This was so fun!!! The book was, of course, fabulous, new, and fresh. I've read a few of the 'reality show' style books over the last few years, but this was absolutely the best of them. I love how the girls all ended up coming together at the end and the drama was resolved quickly. Too often women are played against each other and I'm glad this book didn't go in that direction.

Thanks to NetGalley, author Sophie Gonzales, and St. Martin's Press-- Wednesday Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I read Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales earlier this year and loved it, so I was excited to read her newest installment! This was a very fun read that is perfect for fans of reality tv and dramatic relationships. This book was about a 3.5 for me that I rounded up because I do think that it was well-written and engaging. I liked the revenge plot and enemies-to-lovers trope, especially because it was two girls falling in love while on a dating competition show! As a fan of The Bachelor/ette, the "behind-the-scenes" aspects of the chapters were so fun to read, and there were many genuinely funny moments. I liked how it alternated perspectives between Maya and Skye, and I did enjoy both girls together. However, my biggest issue was the character of Jordy. I know that he was supposed to written as a horrible character, but it was over-the-top extreme to where I hated reading about him and how he was treating the girls. I wanted to skip over all of their interactions with him because it was so repetitive and not fun to read. I also didn't feel like we ever got a complete look/understanding of Skye and Maya outside of their respective relationships to him and to each other; vague things about their friends, family, and background are brought up sporadically throughout, but I felt like I couldn't picture them outside of the competition tv show. I felt like the writing to get them together was a bit too quick and contrived, and I don't know if I felt the romance/chemistry there completely. It felt like one minute they hated each other and the next they were in love, which is a big issue I have with lots of romance novels. Overall, this was a very fun read that I did enjoy; I think part of my hang-ups are that I'm not a huge romance novel fan, and I haven't been as much into YA books this year. I can see how a lot of people will enjoy this though, and I do commend Gonzales for writing such great YA novels with queer representation!

This started off really cute and then got completely predictable. And the ending was totally meh. I did enjoy it, however, and if you're listening to the audio, the readers are really very good.
Maya and Skye have been invited to star on a reality tv show called Second-Chance Romance. It's basically the Bachelor, but the "explorer" is their ex-boyfriend, Jordy Miller. The "explorer" has a few ex's on and decides among them if he's like to have a "2nd chance" with them. Again, basically, The Bachelor, but you'll have already known the potential dates. Maya wants revenge and Skye is thinking maybe she and Jordy could try again. It all heads exactly where you think it's going to. I'd be surprised if anyone else was surprised by the plot.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this e-arc.*

Two 18 year old girls get a second chance at love (or revenge) when they are invited onto a second chance romance show. Maya has been stewing the past two years after her ex Jordy cheated on her. He became a minor celebrity after his sister married a crown prince (of a fictional country). Skye fell in love with Jordy but one day he just stopped talking to her. While Maya wants to be on the show for revenge, Skye legitimately wants a second chance at love with Jordy. However, the two find each other.

I really struggled with this book because of the ages. I just had trouble buying that 18 year olds would be on a show like this. Or that a show would develop that would involve such young adults. I think even if they had been 21 or 22 I would have bought it more. Like just out of college instead of just out of high school....

The concept of this book was entertaining and was full of drama of a reality show, something I hadn’t seen before. It has forced proximity, bisexual/LBGTQ representation, cheating and enemies to lovers. This is a YA novel, so the romance fell a little short for me because of that.

I gave this book a 3/5 on goodreads and I received this as an arc from NetGalley for an exchange for an honest review.

The cover is cute with pastel colours that drew me to it. I enjoyed the idea of a evil and someone seeking revenge. The writing was easy to understand and well described. What fell short for me was the plot. Maya and Skye’s relationship needed more depth, and the overall book was way longer than it needed to be. The revenge for me was drawn out where Maya was making me angry at the end with being so hyper focused on revenge she ignores everything else.

This was an incredibly fun read with an interesting premise that had me hooked early on in the story. I loved that there was bisexual representation in this but I do wish their relationship together was built a bit more. I thought the tv show idea was really interesting and it really was a good call to get to see the “behind the scenes” aspect of dating shows that many of us love. Overall it was a fun read but I do wish the characters and their relationships were fleshed out a bit more.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I feel the need to clarify. This is my fourth book of hers that I've read. I loved Perfect on Paper, and Only Mostly Devastated. I REALLY FUCKING LOVED If This Gets Out. I was BEYOND stoked to get this book
This is a YA book with LGBTQIA+ rep obviously strongly influenced by pop culture (think the great Hilary Duff/Aaron Carter/ Lindsay Lohan love triangle). The hook of 2 girls in a reality show love triangles deciding to ditch the boy and get with each other had me leaning in.

And that's when I fell off the wagon.


This book would have been so much better as New Adult, ala The Ex-Talk or The Charm Offensive which did The Bachelor-esque romance MUCH better.
The idea of a dating show with barely legal (depending on the country, but still TEENAGERS) competing for a second chance with an ex is not only UNFATHOMABLE but it's NOT YA. This guy is a 20 year old douchecanoe with close ties to the royal family, and *6* serious relationships? They would have both been CHILDREN which affects the risk, punch, and believability of the story.

But fine, whatever. Let's just PERMANENTLY suspend that disbelief. That brings us to the characters.
*Jordy, our 20 yr old bachelor is the brother of the princess by marriage of the country of Chalonne.
*Maya, she's bitter and bi.
*Skye, also bi. Nice.

That's it. That's all I have on the girls.

If we include the other contestants we have
*Perri, a cool influencer who is in it solely for the followers
*Kim, who is still in love with Jordy
*Francesca.
*Girl #6. I literally can't even remember her.
I see so many reviews praising the book for writing so many different, well-rounded girls (and don't get me wrong, they're definitely not women yet), and that wasn't my experience at all.

Overall, I'm giving it 2/5 stars. I'd recommend her other 3 previously mentioned books. This book was too YA for me.

Firstly, I want to thank Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the early copy in exchange for a review.

This book. THIS BOOK. Honestly, I almost DNF’d this book about 1/3 of the way through. The book is essentially the bachelor in a made up country in Europe. And I just couldn’t take the drama. It was all too much for me. And Jordy, the male main character, was so overly obnoxious. But about halfway through the book, it all picked up. If you enjoyed John Tucker Must Die and don’t totally loathe dating reality tv, you’ll enjoy this book!

I adored the relationship between Maya and Skye. I adored Perry and Isaac. You’re supposed to hate Jordy and he was awful. He was spoiled and stuck up.

Overall, getting past the first 40-45% of the book and the drama as well as awful Jordy, the book was fantastic! 5 stars for the last half, 4 stars overall.

I thought the concept for this book was so fun, and Gonzales’ writing was definitely good enough to back it up. It was a very enjoyable read and while I was immersed in it I was happy enough to suspend some disbelief. Here's the thing though: it feels as though this concept was wasted somewhat on the YA category. There's no way around it, it simply strains credulity that all the main characters are still teenagers. The dating show brings together several of Jordy's exes (and apparently he has several more out there) but since he's so young, it means he was like... 11 years old when he dated some of them, or that they were very minor flings. The character development and depth (especially of the supporting characters) suffers a bit for this I think. I personally love YA of many genres, but this is a case where I think it's categorically not the right fit for this story.
If you're looking for something fun and don't mind a little silliness, I would still definitely recommend this book. I will read more from this author in the future especially due to the bi and lgbtq rep in her books.

This was amazing. I’m so glad I was approved for this. The story was engaging and I cannot wait to read more from
This author.

I tried. I tried so hard to love this book, and I know it’s for a younger audience, but I just could not get past the ages of the characters. It felt a bit like watching The Ultimatum and screaming, “What do you mean you need to get started on your family right now?! You’re 22!!!” Except the characters are even younger you—Maya is 18, and Jordy is 20. I get poking fun at reality TV shows, and I’m all for it, but I could suspend my disbelief for long enough to really get into the story. The writing style is great, and it did make me laugh. If you enjoyed Sophie Gonzales’s other books, then you’ll probably like this, too. It’s just unfortunately not the book for me.

NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER was really cute, when all was said and done! I mean what's not to love about A) two contestants on the most ill-conceived reality tv competition falling for each other instead of the so called "eligible bachelor", and B) said contestants getting well deserved revenge on the bachelor in question, who happens to be their mutual dirtbag ex. I'll admit - and this might be one and the same with my realization that I'm drifting away from a lot of YA fiction as I get older, full disclaimer - that I almost put this down and walked away at about the 30% mark, because I don't have a ton of patience for intelligent women fighting each other over some unworthy guy (honestly, there's never a guy worthy of fighting over, folks), when it was so clear that he was manipulating them all.. But Maya and Skye finally caught on, joined forces, and began falling in love for real and that was where the story really picked up.

So, if you feel like the book is lagging when you first get started: hang in there! It's worth it for the HEA. (And to see that moldy walnut Jordy get what he deserves.)

sapphic romances>>>
the romance isn't the main point of the book, it's more of a side plot which I wasn't really expecting. But the sapphic romance makes up for it sooo much! They were so cute and I was really rooting for them to just get together! The angst between them actually felt believable! I wish they would have thrown out Jordy earlier in the book and just got together. That man..... It's shocking how many women came back on this show for him. One thing that bothered me so much during reading this book was their ages. They were supposed to be 18/19 and just graduated high school. On a reality dating show?? They felt and acted like in their early 20s. I couldn't find a single reason for their ages to be so young. This book was seriously copy and pasting the bachelor. Don’t know if that's good or bad?? You choose. Overall the book was really fun to read and we need more sapphic romance books! I also loved the bi rep! The Taylor swift title bumps this book up an entire star. 3.75☆