I don't like reality shows like the bachelor and the bachelorette but this one intrigued me a lot. A bunch of exes fighting to win back their ex, plus one of the exes is the girl that the guy cheated on her with. Scandal! And on top of that a revenge plot and it's LGBTQ+? Yeah, count me in.

I loved that the book was told from 2 perspectives of Maya and Skye. It was interesting to see how they each felt about the situation, about Jordy and each other, and how their perspectives changed throughout the book. The reality show's challenges and aspects were interesting but what I loved the most was when the girls were just hanging out together, bonding, and letting their relationship blossom. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded.

If you love enemies to lovers or the charm offensive, then you will love this!

content warning: toxic relationship, gaslighting

ME WHEN THEY. I loved this book so much that I read it in one night between the hours of 11p.m. to 1a.m. fully knowing I had to be a passenger in a four hour drive the next day.
Characters galore! I. Loved. Them. All. Except JORDY. All the girls and the non-employees besides Isaac? Immaculate. They weren't one-dimensional, and although a big facet of the story was that many of them thought Maya was horrible at first because they believed Jordy over her, they LEARNED. They UNDERSTOOD. I loved Francesca and Perrie especially, but they were all so fun and amazing, even Kim later on. Jordy didn't have a lot of development, but it's because you could see from day one who he was and who he would be in the future (the same thing).
Maya and Skye are literally perfect!!! I do think they're one of those couples that wouldn't make sense without this connection for some reason, but they're awesome. It's so frustrating seeing Jordy wrong them both, but I loved seeing them love one another amidst all of that. I hate the miscommunication trope, and this was no exception, but again, Skye LISTENED. We love that. There was so much chemistry, even when they were enemies and rivals for Jordy's attention (as if), but I felt like I constantly understood each of them and their relationships to one another.
The plot in this was as good as the rest of it! It flowed smoothly, nothing confused me, and I was never bored, only eager to see what was next. They all thought logically, and the progression made sense because of it. I understood every decision.
I'd definitely recommend this to fans of If This Gets Out, another book by Sophie Gonzales (this one with her as a coauthor), but also anyone who wants their fix of revenge and really cool girls learning things and falling in love. This made me so happy with everything going on in the world.

The description seemed so interesting and I had high hopes. Unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. The switching POV's starting to blend a bit and I felt like I couldn't distinguish the characters from each other. They were both somewhat likable but I couldn't really connect emotionally and struggled with finishing. The pacing of things also felt a bit off at parts. It wasn't the worst book so l'd tentatively recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a super cute YA read about an ex-girlfriend going on a reality dating show to embarrass her ex on public television. He cheated on her, she's pissed and she's going to even the score. What she doesn't anticipate is finding love herself while releasing herself from pent up anger and her past.

This is definitely YA and I wouldn't necessarily consider it a YA/Adult crossover. It's pretty tame and has quick YA humor. It's a fun read and perfect for the summer. I particularly loved the LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! 2.5 stars because it just didn’t keep my attention. It was cheesy and not very realistic. I did like the overall premise of the reality show because that seemed legit, but the way the relationship transpired and the “problem” that developed between them didn’t really do it for me. Really happy to see a bisexual couple in a love story, just not super into this one.

I think this book needs to be listed with a directive that it's about very young people, a recent high school graduate about to head to college and a 20 year old.. I think the premise is good and there are many interesting interaction between characters, but it's just hard to forget how young the girl is.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Okay, normally, I cannot stand fade to black. This was super well-written and delicious. Maya and Skye are just so well-written and full of life and personality. I fell in love with them falling. The setting was unique and interesting. I really enjoyed this one. All the side characters were full and well-rounded. I am a huge fan.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. As soon as I read the description, I thought, “yeah this is a book I need to read”. I’m a millennial, I watched reality tv literally bloom into what it is now and no matter how fake it proved to be as I got older it stayed one of my top tier guilty pleasures. Gonzales did a great job with weaving reality tv culture into the book, it didn’t feel like this hollow type of bait to get readers to become interested. It was a heavy investment in showing the retakes and the fairness into “reality tv”. The villain story was AMAZING. Always love me a great villain. Also, the banter between both characters were really amazing! I love enemies to lovers. If you want to hear more about this book head over to listen to the latest episode of The Poet and the Reader Podcast ❤️.

Almost two years after dumping Jordy for cheating on her, Maya has the opportunity to re-date her almost-famous ex boyfriend on a reality dating show. Maya wants nothing to do with her lying, cheating ex…except maybe to get revenge. Agreeing to do the show, Maya finds herself stuck rooming with Skye, the girl Jordy cheated on her with. As if things couldn’t get worse, most of the other girls take Skye’s side and think she’s jealous. Neither girl expects to hatch a plan with the other to take Jordy down or to catch feelings for each other in the process.

I enjoyed Maya and Skye’s alternating narratives. It was great to see into each of their lives and understand how they were each individually processing their situation. While I enjoyed the plot, I do wish that Maya and Skye were a few years older. I don’t know how realistic it would be for an 18 year old to fly to another continent for 7 weeks with no family contact.

4.5

This was very cute and so much fun! I'm a huge fan of competition show/reality show romances, reluctant allies to lovers, and sweet sweet revenge, so this was a ride I truly enjoyed. This book is also not afraid of tropes, and not afraid to refit and remake tropes into unique. This really hit everything I was looking for, and if you enjoy the tropes mentioned then you most likely will agree.

The connection between Maya and Skye was uncertain and a bit wobbly at first, but as the hooks of love and revenge find their ways in, it becomes unstoppable and impossible to pull you eyes away from Gonzales really works the tension and the newfound connection between the character. There is a lot of passion and big feeling, with some wires occasionally getting crossed, and it was so much fun to see the fires stoked and watch as their relationship progressed.

Which was a fun progression by itself, because it comes out of the casual/fwb to lovers trope dynamic. The focus here is on the revenge plot, and it's heavily acknowledged that this is a temporary situation to the point where they don't actually know how much time they're going to have together. So the start of their "not-relationship" made a lot of sense, and getting to see them move past the physical and casual into truly caring for each other and communicating that was perfect.

And the communication was all I could have asked for. This is a story of hurdles to jump, tension, and manipulation (of sorts), but it is not a story of miscommunication. Skye and Maya communicate flawlessly once they actually come together as friends and allies! There were so many moments were Gonzales could have let them fall into a bad and/or unnecessary scenario due to simply not talking to each other, but it's avoided each and every time. It also helped make their budding relationship feel that much more organic, lasting, and healthy.

I also enjoyed the characterization of our antagonist, Jordy. Jordy is a terrible person in real life, 2022, standard, and that is inarguable. We get a lot of evidence of him being horrible, both through anecdotes and through scenes we're shown on page. And yet Jordy never feels like the over the top villain no one could root for and no one would love. He's more insidious, and far more realistic, making him a character you can see an unassuming world cheer for, and also making the story feel down to earth even in a heightened, media-soaked setting.

Finally, I worried about the ending. The lead up looked as if it may let me down, and I think I could've enjoyed the book regardless, but I was pre-let down by drama of the end. However! I had to take that back as I was proven wrong. The ending is definitely earned and incredibly satisfying for the characters and for the readers cheering them on.

The things that kept me from 100% falling for this book, were mostly to do with depth and time. The characters are interesting in theory, but none of them are very fleshed out. Maya and Skye both have background issues that come into their relationship(s), but beyond those specific moments of context, they don't have that much going for them. I still cared about them because I cared about the revenge and the romance, but as individuals, they fell flat. And they were doing about a hundred times better than the supporting cast. I liked the cast in theory, but the lack of distinction made the actual cast feel a lot smaller.
I also do think, as I previously stated, that Jordy is well characterized, but I don't think that his relationships were. And had there been some more depth for everyone, and perhaps some more looks at his pasts with theses characters, everyone would have felt more well rounded and had better reasons to care about each other.

I also felt like the romantic arc's pacing was just a little off. Had everything taken just a little longer, maybe I wouldn't have this complaint, because the start of their relationship does technically make sense, I just would've loved a little more of a base connection personally. But the progression into real feelings felt more like a given than actual exploration.

I had a really good time with this book! This was a fun reality show romance with a heavy dose of revenge plans, and I recommend it to everyone who's ever wanted two dating show contestants to just date each other instead of competing.

Do you like watching the Bachelor? Do you like when someone comes up with a revenge plot on their ex? Do you like a fun romance? This may be the book for you.

In Never Ever Getting Back Together, Maya is asked to go on a reality TV show for a second chance with her ex boyfriend, Jordy. Maya takes them up on the offer not because she wants to get back with Jordy, but because she thinks she can use the show against him. Once there she finds herself in the company of women who are all trying to get their second chance, including Skye, who Jordy cheated on her with. Tensions are high and Maya finds herself struggling with her desire for revenge and new feelings that are surfacing.

This was a fun romance with a fairly unique concept in a genre that tends to be very formulaic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 It wasn’t a total standout but I did enjoy it overall.

Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC.

A few years ago, Maya was dating Jordy. He cheats on her and the relationship ends. Fast forward to now, Jordy is doing a bachelor-esque show where he’s dating women from his past to find “the one” including the firm he cheated on Maya with, Skye. What could go wrong?

I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of reality TV, or dating shows in general. Obviously Jordy is a huge jerk, and Maya is originally shown as a villain.

Skye and Maya’s love story was sweet albeit a little predictable. I really liked the producer Isaac. There is a lot of representation in this book which I really liked.

Overall, the book was fine. It wasn’t my favorite but they can’t all be, right? I’m glad I read it but I wouldn’t pick it up again.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I used to watch a lot of reality TV during my formative Teenage and College years, so this premise combined with the title of a Taylor Swift song definitely intrigued me.

I picked up the book yesterday and I couldn’t put it down after reaching the 50% mark.

The character development was great, and the build up was perfect for the type of close proximity both female leads had to deal with throughout the book.

There were also a few lines that had me laughing out loud, always a sign of a good time.

Thank you so much for the e-arc opportunity!

4/5 stars

I was so excited by the premise of this book! It follows Maya and Skye who have both been selected for a new reality TV show called "Secondchance romances" where they have the opportunity to potentially get back together with their ex-boyfriend, Jordy.

I loved the tenseness of this book. I feel like the enemies part of the book was so angsty that watching their chemistry build was so satisfying as a reader. My one critique is that I wish that Skye was more fleshed out as a character in the first third. I understand that she was the love interest and was made to be unlikeable because of what she did to Maya, but I do wish that we could've gotten more depth from her in her POV chapters because it would have least made me feel a bit of empathy for her.

Overall, I would give this a solid 4 stars if you're looking for a good sapphic enemies to lovers! Also note this is a fade-to-black book, but I'm okay with that because they're still so young (at least Maya is like 18) so anything else would've made me a little uncomfortable.

NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER was a fun, lighthearted read. set on a bachelor-style reality TV show where two girls team up in order to take down their ex—only to find themselves falling for each other—this book’s pitch had my attention from the start & i had so much fun reading it. there was so much humor & heart in this book, and i loved the hate-to-love sapphic romance at the center. seeing the two leads fall for each other amidst all the chaos of the show made for such a compelling story, and i loved seeing two bi girls find love & happiness in the most unexpected of places.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a lover scorned romance. Is there anything better? This book is the definition of “I’ll date you, then steal your next girlfriend.” And it’s a Taylor Swift reference. Can you get any better?

I love a love triangle and this one delivered. I did find the parallels to the Bachelor a little too on the nose but definitely read this if you’re a fan!

First saw this title and immediately a Taylor Swift song popped in my head! Never read this author and was reluctant. A good read if you are a reality tv drama junkie! lol Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for a review.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was so fun!!

Never Ever Getting Back Together follows two girls who are given a second chance to win back their ex-boyfriend among several other contestants. It's been two years since Maya finally dumped Jordy for cheating on her, but everyone else believes she stalked him. When she is invited on a show to try and date him again Maya comes up with the perfect revenge scheme. Win the show, make Jordy fall for her again, and then break his heart and reveal the truth at the end of the season. But all Maya's plans don't account for Skye.

Skye is the girl Jordy cheated on Maya with. But Maya can't seem to keep being angry at her, especially when it seems Skye is willing to listen to Maya's side of things. If the two can forge a reluctant alliance, they might have a better chance of taking Jordy down.

I do enjoy TV competitions, but Jordy was gross and I hated all the interactions the girls had with him. He is just the worst (and was written this way on purpose). But the joy of this book was Maya and Skye. I was so thrilled when they started working together, and it happened so easily and much quicker than I expected. I really loved them teaming up. They are devious and I live for it.

While I loved both of the girls, Maya really stood out to me. I loved how angry and righteous she could be. She was supposed to be the villain of the show, but I loved seeing an angry female character WIN for once. Then there was the way everything played out in the end and it was so satisfying.

Rep: white bisexual cis female MC, white sapphic mspec (not specified) cis female MC, South Asian cishet female side character, various cis female side characters, BIPOC gay cis male side character, white cishet male side character.

CWs: Toxic relationship, emotional abuse, infidelity, misogyny, sexism. Moderate: Biphobia/bimisia, abandonment, alcohol consumption.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital arc :)

More of a 3.75 rounded up.

To start off I loved the reality tv show vibes it had, it reminded me so much of The Charm Offensive, and the revenge plot. I liked both maya and skye as mcs, the rivals to lovers trope!! and the writing was great of course seeing as it's Sophie Gonzales.
Onto the things that I didn't particularly enjoy... why was there so much girl hate. I understand that this show is basically like The Bachelor and it makes women compete agaisnt each other but the internalized misogony really bothered me and I just wished it wasn't there at all. One of the tropes I hate hate hate the most is love triangles and it had a lot of those dyanmics, which I guess I should've known from reading the synopsis but still it gave me the ick numerous times. Also this book would've been better as a new adult in my opinion because making all the mcs such young people didn't really fit with the plot. I would still recommend to anybody who likes the premise of the book though!! it was a good read.

Romance novels with a reality show set up are becoming so commonplace, it feels like it's the latest trope. (No hate - I love a good trope). Here in Never Ever Getting Back Together, the set up works really well for the story and sets up a delightful romance with a satisfying ending.