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☆

Never Ever Getting Back Together is perfect for fans of reality tv who always wish it could be a little gayer. In this book six girls enter to see if they can have a second chance romance with the ex-boyfriend they have in common. But things start to get dramatic when Maya, who was secretly there for revenge, falls for one of the other girls.

I thought this book was really fun. Even if you're like me and don't watch a lot of reality tv, I think you'll still find yourself enjoying this. There was a lot of drama of course, but there was also a lot of friendship amongst the girls as they supported each other. The romance was cute and felt really natural as these two girls who were set up to hate each other started getting to know each other instead.

Hey Alexa.. Play We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift.. “ 🎶

NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER was a fun twist on dating reality shows like The Bachelor but with all of one man’s ex’s for a second chance at love.

Except throw in some revenge plots and the two Bi ex- girlfriends rooming together and you get a whole lot of drama!!

This was highly entertaining and I really hated Jordy right from the start. He was a terrible, womanizing human and if only the girls had seen through his lies a whole lot sooner!

I also imagined these girls in their 20’s but they were actually all still in their teens. While there was not any open door sex scenes I would recommend older teenagers for this book!

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I’ve come to love Sophie Gonzales’ work, and Never Ever Getting Back Together is another fun one. From the fun title (Taylor Swift references are always a win!) to the premise, I was sold. And while it’s not the best execution of said premise, Gonzales injects a lot of charm into it. It leans into many pop-culture references, from the reality show being vaguely Bachelor-esque to the accompanying headlines in the media, due to the guy’s fame (even if it’s more of the “by association” type).

While I can’t say there’s a lot of substance to either lead beyond their respective romantic parts (and even that isn’t delved into super deeply), the drama more or less made up for it in this over-the-top wild story. The development of Maya’s arc in particular, navigating her bitterness toward her ex, really comes through. And Skye, who navigates her hurt in a much more subdued way, makes for a great contrast.

I also appreciate that while the story initially involved Maya making a choice between pursuing her vengeance and bowing out with Skye, it wrapped up in a way that allowed both of them to have the last laugh (along with the other girls) and humiliate their dirtbag ex. It feels far too common for the choice to be revenge or forgiveness, with the latter being the path to finding happiness with one’s true love, and I love that this book did something different.

Most of my more serious quibbles are rooted in the question of whether this story really works for a YA book, even with the redefined parameters to include 18-20 year olds, who feature as characters of the book. With more fleshing out, possibly I could believe a guy in that age bracket could leave behind a trail of broken hearts, especially given how heightened teen love is, even after a short time. But I’d like that explicitly explained. Otherwise, it feels more believable in a premise for an adult romance.

However, even with some of its shortcomings, I enjoyed this book for what it had to offer. If you’re looking for a fun sapphic YA romance, I think you’ll enjoy it if you don’t think too much about the logistics.

This was just the read I needed. I will admit I am a sucker for trashy reality tv, and I am also a sucker for books about trashy reality tv (One to Watch; Bachelor Nation), so I really loved this one. I felt like they did a great job of portraying how edited and staged reality tv is. It took some of the glamour out of it. I also loved the characters. I would say the only I wish it had more of was even more character development for the female leads and the other contestants.

I did think it kind of sucked that Jordy did not have one redeeming quality. I was kind of hoping he was going to see the err in his ways at some point, and maybe Maya would regret her revenge plan, but alas it wasn't to be. I guess the moral of the story is some guys are just unredeemable?

Fun, quick read. I would definitely recommend it for a long weekend.

The only reason I didn’t finish this book in one sitting is because humans need sleep to survive.

If you have ever watched The Bachelor and thought to yourself “This guy is so lame but the girls are awesome, I wish they would just date each other”, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

I absolutely love Sophie Gonzales’ voice. It captivated me. This book is FUNNY. I have not laughed like this reading a book in longer than I want to admit, and this book reminded me what I loved so much about romcoms to begin with.

The premise is that this guy, Jordy, who is awful, has become famous because his sister married royalty, and so he’s gotten his own reality dating show called “Second Chance Romance” - where he is the lead (naturally), and all the female contestants are his ex-girlfriends, all competing for a second chance with Jordy (gag, we hate him). Naturally, as it goes with many straight white men under 30, he’s been the worst boyfriend in history and all his ex-girlfriends are awesome.

Maya goes on the show for revenge against Jordy for cheating on her with Skye.
Skye goes on the show for a second chance with Jordy, who has told her Maya is a crazy liar.
And they were roommates… literally.

What follows is the most charming romance / romcom I have read all year, that reignited my love for the genre. I laughed, I teared up, I had butterflies, and I loved the very real way their relationship built - no insta love here, we really got to know each other, and it was so worth it.

I’m so excited to get a physical copy of this when it releases on 11/29/2022. I knew on the first page it was going to be a 5-star read, and it was. I loved it so much!

Thank you thank you to NetGalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC of Never Ever Getting Back Together!

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales was a great take on reality show dating for the next generation of 18+ year old's. The rivals to friends to lovers concept was a new take on romance and totally believable. Fun does not even begin to describe how wonderful a time I had reading this book. I should have known better with a title like that. Not to mention if you've heard the Taylor Swift song by the same name, you're singing it all the time. Overall a great read and would recommend.

I have read this book and listened to it now, and both forms are great. I loved the romance and the premise of the story. The one thing I had an issue with this story is that it felt super unrealistic for this to be about bunch of 18 year olds. I felt like the story and the feelings fit an older audience, and a tv show featuring the ex's of teenagers is a little bit weird. Putting that aside, the book was fun and unique, and had great character growth

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this early!

Maya Bailey, and Skye Kaplan have one thing in common; Jordy Miller. Royalty adjacent Jordy Miller, brother to the Princess of Chalonne, invites six of his ex-girlfriends to be on a reality TV show where they'll compete for the chance to continue dating him at the show's end. To Skye, the show is a second chance to win back one of the only people she's ever let herself connect with. To Maya, the show is a chance at revenge. What starts as a heated rivalry between the two girls, slowly morphs into a friendship, each hopes can become something more.

As a fan of Sophie Gonzales, sapphic romance, and The Bachelor franchise, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, "Never Ever Getting Back Together" fell flat for me. A book like this would normally take me a few days to finish, but I struggled to become invested in the story, and it ended up taking me nearly two months to read.

The story is told from two points of view; Maya, and Skye. However, the characterizations of both girls are so similar that it's difficult to keep up with which is which. I found myself scrolling back to the beginning of the chapter to check whose point of view I was reading multiple times.

The ages of the characters feel wrong. It's YA, and I believe all the characters are supposed to be 18-20 years old, but the narrative would make a lot more sense if they were all in their mid to late twenties. The entire concept of the reality show would have felt more natural if the characters were older.

The pacing is off. It starts out slow, and stilted, and then suddenly accelerates pass the point of believability. I wanted to enjoy Skye, and Maya's relationship but found it difficult because it comes out of nowhere.

The last 15% of this book was great, and kept me entertained. I just wish the first 85% would have been better.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This was super cute. It's funny - I don't watch reality TV, but I've really enjoyed a number of books that center around reality TV shows in the past few years. This one hit all the right notes for me.

I love love loved that it was two girls supposedly competing for a past boyfriend's heart who really try to take him down and fall in love along the way. They were great together. Their frank 'yes i dated this guy and this girl and this guy' coming out to one another was enjoyable because it was very much a "yes, I'm bi, what are you going to do about it?" and very matter-of-fact.

Jordy was the sleaziest sleazeball ever and his part was painful to watch but bearable because you just know that he'll get his comeuppance in the end. The 'enemies to lovers' thing was done well and believable. Maya and Skye were enjoyable and while it was frustrating to watch them at odds with each other over a misunderstanding created by sleazeball Jordy, it was very satisfying when they finally worked things out.

The other girls were very much not in focus for most of the book, so I don't feel like I have a very good sense of them beyond the bareset sketch of personality, but they worked as background characters to better show Maya, Skye, and Jordy.

The way the show played out, and the way we could see Jordy manipulating everyone and pulling them all along was fascinating and kept my interest riveted. I listened to the audio and ended up finishing it in two sittings because I just couldn't stop listening.

The audiobook narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life. They made Maya and Skye sympathetic, though not without flaws, and made Jordy truly insufferable. They also did a good job making the other characters waver between sympathetic and self-interested.

I loved the way things played out. The misunderstandings and conflict and moment of realization and grand gesture. Not Jordy's "grand gesture" - his sucked. Maya's, though, was great. Also the ending was sooooo satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing an e-arc and audio arc for review.

🔊Song Pairing: Picture to Burn - Taylor Swift (I bet you were thinking I was going to use a different Taylor song. Okay this book screams Taylor. It could be a Taylor Swift musical)

💭What I thought would happen:

I mean the title screamed drama with an ex. Who was I to say no. I just hoped for every woman’s sake that they were never ever getting back together.

📖What actually happens:

Maya gets a call that she in 1000 years did not expect. Her ex who destroyed her wants her to be on a reality show starring him. A second chance romance bachelor (vomit). Maya is taking this opportunity to ruin this cheating asshole.

Skye is another of Jordy’s victims. Jordy called her to prepare her to beware of Maya his “crazy” ex who went stalker crazy when they broke up and he started dating Skye. Sadly to Skye’s surprise her and Maya are bunking together in the contestant house.

6 women must compete for the love of one douche nozzle who treated them all like last weeks trash and better yet, he’s protected by editing clauses and is acting like the European royalty he thinks he is, fake British accent and all. What could go possibly wrong?!

🗯Thoughts:

Honestly the whole show feels like a lose lose for these women…so your ex gets you to come back into his life only to make him a star and if he looks bad in any way there is an editing clause because he’s connected to the royal family?! This sounds like the 11th REALM OF HELL!!!! Who would sign up for this. I had secondhand embarrassment and rage for all women in the competition.

Jordy is 10/10 that guy who says his ex was a psycho and tells every woman who shows any semblance of emotion that they are overreacting. He is the epitome of chauvinistic sexist asshole. I have made it
my mission to either avoid or destroy those guys with all my might. A castration isn’t asking too much is it?! Also, when I typed his name it autocorrected to hoedown and now I am in a fit of laughter.

I loooove my drama. Don’t get me wrong I hate reality tv especially when it’s pinning women against one another. But Damn do I love reality tv drama in a book. I don’t want it but I can’t look away either. Would 💯 understand where people wouldn’t like this book, it’s full of mean girls who are actually nice but are turned that way by a raisin dick.

Pick this up and then message me as soon as you’re done. K thanks!