I love this book. The author did such a great job, setting up a storyline and executing it and I cannot wait to read what is next from this author. The characters were so great to read, and I love getting to know them.

I’m sure some readers will love this book. I just don’t think rom-com’s are for me. I prefer dark romance. The writing is good, just not for me.

I gotta start this review saying that, In my humble opinion, the man doesn't suffer enough.

This book was delightful! When I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it: a guy cheats on two girls who end up falling in love with each other? This concept had been my dream for years, and it served. The reality TV show setting made it super funny and dynamic to read, and it got even better when Skye and Maya were forced to be roommates since the beginning, when they still hated each other. The forced proximity plus the revenge plan was the best. The only thing I didn't like very much was that Skye and Maya hated each other for too long, and I wanted them to be on the same team (and start falling in love) earlier. I still LOVED them separately, and when the miscommunication was cleared up, I loved their relationship. Cutest girlfriends ever!

As I say at the beginning of this review, Jordy doesn't suffer enough. He deserved way worse than what he got. I can't say more because obviously this was an ARC, and I am VERY satisfied with how things ended for everyone, but I guess I'm a very petty person who hates manipulative cheaters very much and doesn't want them to find happiness ever again in their lives LOL.

I really really recommend this book, even for those of you who don't read YA on a daily basis! I don't read contemporary YA since probably 2017, but this was too good and doesn't feel too much like a YA. In fact, I forgot they were 18 and not 24 or 25 all the time.

Out November 29th!

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: None - contemporary YA

Thanks to Wednesday Books for my ARC! Opinions are my own.

I've read many books from Sophie Gonzales in the past, and I've loved them all, and Never Ever Getting Back Together was no different. To me, this book was like the recent Netflix movie Do Revenge set to the backdrop of a reality dating show. It follows our two main characters, Maya and Skye, as they compete on a new reality show to re-date their publicly beloved ex-boyfriend Jordy Miller, who has wronged them both, along with many other girls, as they soon discover. Despite a rough start, Maya and Skye end up teaming up to take Jordy down and make everyone see what kind of person he really is. As Skye and Maya's scheme progresses, so does their friendship, eventually blossoming into something more.
I personally am I sucker for a good rivals to lovers, as well as a forced proximity situation, so I loved Maya and Skye together, and also as individual characters. Post her breakup with Jordy, Maya was painted as the "crazy ex" in Jordy's story, and made to look like a villain on the show. She's also recently been struggling with the ever approaching promise of college, and how she really feels about it.
Skye on the other hand, has been traveling through Europe on her own, and has all her next steps planned out. She's had family issues in the past and has trouble trusting many people because she doesn't want to get hurt, Together, Maya and Skye make an unexpected couple, and I loved them for it.
"You don't gracefully descend for someone,. You fall. Head over heels, right? And either someone catches you, or they don't, and you don't have any control over how badly bruised you are at the bottom of it."
Another thing I loved about the book was the humor. There were a lot of moments with great comedic timing, as well as the general ridiculousness of the reality TV setting at times. Finally, the side characters made this book shine, and added plenty of humor. The other girls on the show ended up being really supportive of each other, once they saw past Jordy's facade, and I loved to see them all bond.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Maya's been holding a grudge against her ex-boyfriend, Jordy, for years. So when she gets a call from a production company asking her to be on a reality TV show about second-chance romance starring her ex, initially, she says no. But then she realizes she can probably show the world what he really is, and accepts.

But she doesn't take into consideration her competition - some of Jordy's other exes, including Skye, the one she believes KNEW Jordy was still with her when she began dating him.

Sequestered in a castle far away from home, Maya and Skye are forced to be roommates. Things are not always what they seem, though, and revenge is sweet . . . or is it?

A very cute story and fun plot. I enjoyed the interaction between all the characters, though some of the secondary characters could have been a little more three-dimensional. A fun read all around!

When Maya is asked to spend seven weeks filming a reality love show with her ex-boyfriend, she wants nothing to do with it… until she cooks up a plan for revenge on him and the woman he cheated with, Skye. Join maya and Skye as they just might find love after all.

Overall good storyline, showcasing a smarmy boyfriend who shows a lot of classic emotional abuse and gaslighting behaviors. I liked the characters, but I wasn’t a fan of how the book was written. I also couldn’t get over the idea that 6 18 year old women were on a reality show of this kind.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ugh. I thought I was going to LOVE this based on the premise, but the more I think about it, it just really didn’t work for me. My biggest gripe for this book is that it should have been an adult novel. On what planet does a dating show comprised of 17-18 year-olds make sense? Just so implausible to me, and really took me out of the story. I also thought the royalty angle was wholly unnecessary. The two main characters had very few personality traits except for their dislike of Jordy, and I thought that it made it really hard to root for either of them. My Bachelor Nation-loving heart was obsessed with the plot, and I have really enjoyed Gonzales’ other work, so I thought this was a sure-fire win for me, but I just had a really hard time with it. Huge bummer, but I hope others love it more than I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a review copy! Overall rating: 4/5

A YA romance where two girls are recruited to compete on a reality dating show called Second Chance Romance starring their ex-boyfriend. One of them is there to potentially pick up things where they left off, the other is there to get public revenge on him for cheating. But along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other instead...

This is the first book I've read by Gonzales and YA romance isn't a genre I usually spend much time in, so I didn't really have any expectations going in, other than the synopsis sounded like the kind of bisexual chaos that I crave at all times. And I was pleased to discover it definitely lives up to those chaotic bi vibes! (On a personal note, my inner child was absolutely overjoyed to read a story about two bisexual girls who are both completely confident and comfortable in their sexuality!)

My only real nitpick is one that I occasionally encounter in other YA, which is that I ended up wishing that the characters were just...adults. In this case, that might be more of a personal gripe than a legitimate criticism, but there it is. I'm also getting a tiny bit tired of the reality show trend in romcoms if I'm being honest and I think that aspect of the story could have used a bit more tweaking, but it's handled well enough.

Our two main characters, Maya and Skye, are both fantastic and have electric chemistry. I loved watching their dynamic evolve from enemies to allies to friends to friends-who-make-out-sometimes to lovers. I would have liked a little more depth to their backgrounds, but you get enough for them to be well-rounded characters whose motivations make sense, as well as some very satisfying character growth. There's plenty of snappy dialogue between these two and the rest of the girls competing, and there was a real sense of camaraderie and even protectiveness between the "competitors" that was wonderful to see.

I think this was very ok. It was sort of boring and predictable though. I found myself feeling like I had to just trudge along

This was so fun! I loved the alternating POV s from Maya and Skye. They were both hilarious and there were many times where Maya's inner dialogue had me rolling. I really liked their relationship too, so cute. Best revenge on a self-centered prick? Falling in love with one of the other female contestants. Can't wait to put this on my library's shelves.

This book was kind of ridiculous, but in the very best way possible. The concept was definitely interesting; another chance at romance with the guy who broke your heart in a Bachelor-style dating show. Mix in a little romance between you and another one of your ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriends, and you've got me hooked. I thought it was so fun, the characters were all interesting and enthralling, and the pacing of the story was also very well done.

One thing that kept taking me out of the book, however, is the fact that all of the cheating happened two years ago and Maya was still so hung up on it that she was willing to go on national television to get her revenge. I know that cheating is bad and painful for the person involved, but after two years, I would think that she wouldn't still be so mad as to do something like that. It just seemed like things were being blown out of proportion.

I also felt like Skye and Maya's relationship was slightly underdeveloped. I think the book did a good job showing the sparks between them and getting them to the initial moment when they got together, but once they got together, it felt very underdeveloped.

I was also interested in who this book was for - it's marketed as YA and the romance and plot felt YA but there was a LOT of swearing. I didn't mind it and I don't think it was overused, but it felt like it was kind of going against the grain of the rest of the vibes of the book.

Never Ever Getting Back Together will sadly not be getting a rose tonight...

Why, you may ask? Let's break it down:

Pace and Plot
A brief synopsis is that Never Getting Back Together is a twist on the Bachelor/ Bachelorette type shows, where two contestants fall in love with each other instead of the Bachelor, who is also their ex-boyfriend.

I was very excited about the premise, but the execution was off. The two contestants spend as much time plotting against their ex, the Bachelor, as they do building their feelings for one another. For that reason, this had a good, albeit sometimes confusing, pace (i.e., sudden time jumps, quick changes in narrative, etcetera).

I also wish this book was Adult instead of YA, and that Jordy was a C-list celebrity instead of a literal Prince. Both of these small decisions would have been more plausible to the plot, where instead of a young Prince essentially speed-dating his exes, you could have a college-aged or older celebrity trying to become relevant again by putting himself on a dating show.

Quality of Writing
To put simply, I could not get past this elementary style of writing. I understand that this book is targeted towards teens/YA, but it's written as if it's intended for a much younger audience. I would compare the writing style to the early-2013-era Wattpad days.

Examples: one of the main characters, Skye, blasts show tunes to wake our other M/C, Maya, up in the morning. There's dress-up scenes where characters are trying on ball gowns and each dress is described in explicit detail. Relationships form just as fast as they fall apart. While I would never judge someone for liking this style of books, it's no longer fit to my personal tastes.

Points for the title, tho!! I love a good Taylor Swift reference.

Characters
Not a single one of these characters would be getting a rose from me. They all came across as one-dimensional and seemed to have no personality outside of their motives. I was really looking forward to some cute moments between our M/Cs, but instead felt stilted by reality show drama involving Jordy.

Nevertheless, the groundwork was there for some really cool characters, I just was wishing they could have been fleshed out more.

Would I Recommend?
In my personal opinion, I would not recommend this book, but I can understand why people like it! It simply wasn't for me, and if it sounds like it might suit your fancy at all, I wouldn't try deterring anyone from reading it.

My deepest thanks to NetGalley, Sophie Gonzales, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I dont read a lot of contemporary romance but when I read the concept for the story I was very intrigued. And I have to say I was not disappointed. I remember obsessively watching all the ridiculous reality shows in college, especially all the gimmicky dating shows that emerged after the bachelor, so it was fun to reminisce and read about one for a change.

The only thing that threw me was that all the contestants seemed to be around 18-19, which seemed so young for that mind of reality show, but honestly I mostly didn't remember unless they specifically mentioned.

The characters in the book were great, especially Skye and Maya. I like that they had a bit of enemies to friends, friends to lovers relationship. It wasn't too quick or overly forced, I just wish they had had more time with each other toward the end, but I still enjoyed the ending and liked the way it went.

The author did a great job of making the perfect bachelor wannabe that you love to hate. Jordy is that guy you've probably known or dated before, so you definitely don't feel sorry for him I also liked how every girl had a different kind of relationship with him and yet still shared plenty of commonalities.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book! It's a great LGBTQ romance and a fun read, especially for anyone who loves reality dating shows as a guilty pleasure!

“Never Ever Getting Back Together” is a book you can't put down. I love the idea of two girls on a dating show falling for each other instead of the man they're supposed to be chasing, so I was super excited for this romance. I immediately fell in love with Maya and Skye and despised Jordy, so it was delightful to watch them fall in love and work together and take him down. It takes its time building up, never feeling too rushed or underdeveloped. The passion between Maya and Skye was unparalleled. I could really see why they fit together. They had all these adorable moments, and we can truly see it when they start to fall for each other, there’s so much tension and chemistry and longing and when it finally explodes, it’s fire! I loved the dual POV. It was great to get both Maya and Skye’s perspectives and feelings about each other and everything that was going on. It only adds to the drama and allows us to see just how complex the situation is. We were also able to see how Jordy used the same lines on Maya and Skye (as well as the other girls) and pitted them against each other by painting the other person as the person who was wrong and making himself look good. I also did not expect to care so much for the side characters in this book, some of them were very annoying, but I couldn’t help but root for them. I love that there's a lot of girls supporting girls moments and it's just nice seeing characters with decent support systems. I think this should’ve been a new adult instead of a young adult book. While I was reading, I was picturing the main characters as in their 20s but they're 18. And on a reality show about reconnecting with exes. I think if they were a few years older it would've made more sense. Aside from that, I absolutely adored this book. This was my first Sophie Gonzales book, so I will definitely have to go back and check out her previous works and I can’t wait for her next one! Many thanks to Sophie Gonzales, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my thoughts.

This is a good book to read for fans of "The Bachelor" and related romance shows. I like that there was a surprising twist I wasn't expecting.

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Sophie Gonzales truly never disappoints. I was hooked from the summary, because all I've ever wanted out of those reality dating shows was two of the contestants falling in love - I mean, it has to happen, right? They spend more time with each other than their suitor in reality! And that's exactly what Never Ever Getting Back Together gives us, with even higher stakes, because in this case they're both the suitor's ex-girlfriend "trying" to win back his affection. The stakes grow even higher when it twists into a revenge plot against a cheating, lying ex on a national stage. Ultimately, though, it's a story about the reality of holding grudges, choosing your battles, and not letting trash men live rent-free in your head because in the end it's just letting them win. When talking about this book, I read somewhere that Gonzales let out a lot of anger in this book, and that definitely comes through. What also comes through is the love, and how love and hate truly aren't opposites. If I were a better reviewer, I'd pull the quote from the book that says exactly that, but I guess you're just going to have to read it for yourself and find it.

I truly loved Maya and Skye and the chemistry that grew between them. I also absolutely despised Jordy, Gonzales did a great job creating a villain there. The other characters were also strong and well-rounded, they all had their own places and reasons to be there, and they all felt unique. Even the other contestants, who easily could've morphed into this amorphous blob of 'Other Exes', felt individually different. I felt like everyone got what they deserved by the end of the story, from all of the girls that Jordy had wronged, to Maya and Skye. I've read a lot of really great books this year, and this one has shot straight to the top of that list.

Pub date: 11/29/22
Genre: YA romance, queer fiction
Thanks @wednesdaybooks for my ARC!

I needed a fun read, and this was a great choice! Skye and Maya are competing for their mutual ex-boyfriend's affection on a reality show, but it turns out they were both better off keeping him an ex. I loved seeing these two bring out the best in each other - and yes, of course there's an HEA. Like Gonzales' previous book PERFECT ON PAPER, this one has great bisexual representation. If you love reality dating shows, this is a perfect match!

This book was easy to read and parts of it were super fun. Maybe I'm not the target audience for this book because it seemed really strange to me to put girls 18-20 years on a reality show to find love, although the reality show premise made for some fun things, like beautiful dresses and going to a castle. I did get kind of bored in the middle of the story and just wanted to know how it ended, although I liked the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read an early copy.

Never Ever Getting Back Together has a great premise — go on a second chance reality show to get revenge on your scumbag ex-boyfriend, which is what Maya does, since her ex, Jordy, cheated on her with Skye. Unfortunately for Maya, the entire world loves Jordy and she wants to bring him down and show his true colors. Once she starts filming the show, Maya meets Skye and it’s hate at first sight; Skye doesn’t believe Jordy cheated on Maya with her and Maya doesn’t believe Skye didn’t know. A bit throughout the book, Maya and Skye come to an understanding about Jordy and vow to work together to take him down. And of course, they fall in love along the way.

There are some things I really liked about this book. I loved the enemies-to-lovers trope between Maya and Skye. I liked the reality show premise and I’m all for a revenge plot, but there were some things I didn’t like. I wish the book was an adult romance rather than YA, though I think it will be very popular with the younger readers. I really loved Skye and thought she was fantastic, but I had some issues with Maya. While I agreed with her about getting revenge on Jordy, she had tunnel vision for most of the book which was frustrating. Maya and Skye are cute together (and are both disaster bi’s) but I wish we got more build up between them and had more time for their relationship to grow. I would’ve loved to see more of them together outside of the show. As for Jordy, I hate him.

Overall, Never Ever Getting Back Together is a fun read that has a sweet romance and great side characters (not you Jordy).

I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars.

I was really optimistic about this story. I think it's still very entertaining and worth a try, but I believe it could've been way better and there was some lost potential.