Sophie Gonzales is a fantastic writer. She never fails to surprise and delight with her writing. While I didn't love this one as much as Perfect on Paper, it does have a great premise that's super hooky.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and Sophie Gonzales for the eARC of Never Ever Getting Back Together.

Maya and Skye both dated Jordy. At the same time. When Maya gets a phone call asking her to be on Second Chance Romance, she is very hesitant. After agreeing, Maya shows up at the mansion… Only to be placed in a room with Skye. Tension is high, but the girls finally hash out their issues and spend their time getting to know one another while plotting revenge against Jordy for what he did.

This book was so fun! It was very much like The Bachelor while still being hilarious and dramatic. Would recommend!

I love Sophie's writing style and her inclusion of queer character! Seeing the dating show setting and all of them women being the bachelor's ex-girlfirends was such a fun and unique concept! Watching the growth of the women in sorting out fact from fiction, developing friendships and a romantic relationship just made it all that much better.

My one and only true qualm is I think that this book could have been better as a new adult or adult romance as opposed to YA. I love YA books, but with the concept at times it felt a little lacking.

I would ultimately strongly recommend this book and definitely will be picking up Sophie's next release!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advance reading copy.

When I first heard about this book, I was excited to read it. I quickly moved it to the top of my tbr and couldn't wait to get started. Unfortunately, I just could not get into this book. I gave it a few tries but it never held my attention. It's an okay book and for some, probably quite enjoyable but it just wasn't for me. I could not stay interested in the story or the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Gonzales, and St. Martin's Press for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Never Ever Getting Back Together follows two 18 year old contestants Maya and Skye on a new reality dating show where they have the chance to win a second chance at love with their ex-boyfriend, Jordy.

Maya and Skye narrate in alternating first-person chapters. This was a fun, easy read; however, I struggled with the second chance at love for characters so young. If you like reality tv, especially the bachelor/bachelorette and romance books, you will love this one!

This was fun and unique! I had a great time reading it, and I'm so happy with how Skye and Maya's relationship developed. Also obviously loved the Taylor Swift title.

🗣️ fuck jordy

THIS BOOK WAS SO FLIPPIN CUTE.

Chaotic bisexual babes, a reality competition I would absolutely never go on in my life, an incredible supporting cast, and just SO MUCH FUN.

I do think this felt more NA than YA??? Based on how old they were and how everyone acted??? But since traditional pub pretends NA doesn’t exist, I get it. It just felt a little weird.

Regardless it was hella cute, Maya was a dumbass but hilarious, and they all just made me so happy, and the audio was phenomenal 🤌🏼

Except for Jordy. Fuck that guy.

This book was a genuinely enjoyable experience. It is an emotional rollercoaster that is perfect for fans of The Charm Offensive,

This book is a freaking DELIGHT. It crackles with humor and within like three pages I was so wrapped up in the main characters and invested in their stories. I loved the general fucking-up-shitty-men vibes of it, and of course I swooned for Maya and Skye's romance!

A book that has my two favorite things? Reality TV and romcom?? SOLD

This was definitely an entertaining read and I loved the premise. It's very prevalent because this reminded me of the women and men going on The Bachelor/Bachelorette and then coming out as queer after the show aired. The only thing I didn't like is how this is marketed as YA. I've never seen a dating reality show with teens so this could've passed for adult.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Loved the teen/ya take on the bachelor storyline. Characters were relatable (I’m a UConn grad too!) and the romcom tropes we’re perfect. Would recommend to anyone wanting a quick, sweet read

"Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Sophie Gonzales is a captivating and emotionally charged LGBTQIAP+ novel that explores themes of love, identity, and the complexities of relationships. Gonzales' storytelling prowess shines as she crafts a tale of self-discovery, friendship, and the journey to finding one's true self. The book's relatable characters and engaging plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with young adult readers. Gonzales skillfully navigates the emotions of young love, heartbreak, and the challenges of defining one's own path, adding depth to the narrative. "Never Ever Getting Back Together" is a powerful reminder that love and self-acceptance go hand in hand, leaving readers with a sense of empowerment and the reassurance that they are not alone in their journey of navigating relationships and self-identity.

If you remember the episode of the bachelor where two of the contestants fall in love, this feels like their story with a big twist.

Maya and Skye are two of the many exes Jordy has invited to the reality show Second Chance Romance, the reality show where exes have the opportunity to recall in love. These two ladies have a difficult past when it comes to Jordy and find out they may actually be able to work together to take him down. There is however a twist., they may be starting to have feelings for each other.

Why you should read this:
~Dual POV
~Revenge
~Sapphic Romance
~Reality TV
~Bachelor/The Selection Vibes
~Amazing Writing

Trigger:
~Lying/ Cheating Ex
~Miscommunication

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited by the premise of this book. I love reality dating shows like the Bachelor, and the allusions to a romance between two contestants I thought would be really fresh. I think unfortunately my love for reality TV contributed to the fact that I chose to abandon this book around 17%.

The novel would have worked better if the main characters were a bit older. It was hard to fathom a reality show with 18 year old stars, and especially with it centering around finding love. I was also put off that the show only had six contestants, but I suppose if the person is young there wouldn't be that many past loves to mine from. Some of the technical elements of reality shows also stuck out to me - they would have never let the contestants be alone in the house for a full night before filming began, allowing them to talk to each other off camera.

Ultimately, I would still love to read an adult version of this story, but this particular book did not work for me.

This book was so fun!! It was giving John Tucker Must Die vibes mixed with a reality dating show.

And the way Sophie Gonzales was able to write such an unlikeable character in Jordy? Kudos, honestly.

Everything was fast paced which I really liked. I felt like it helped me feel the pressure of being part of the show itself 😅

This book was full of girl power moments which I really liked.

Sophie Gonzales offers an engaging and relatable take on young love and self-discovery. I found the novel's portrayal of the complexities of relationships and the challenges of navigating newfound independence to be incredibly authentic. The story follows the protagonist's journey of mending a broken heart while uncovering her own identity in the process. Gonzales captures the nuances of friendships, romantic entanglements, and personal growth with a fresh and witty narrative voice. The book's exploration of love's twists and turns amidst the backdrop of college life makes it a must-read for anyone seeking a heartfelt and charming coming-of-age story.

This was so cute! Skye is honestly the breakout character of the week, the RANGE on that girl ugh. I love the premise of the book, reality show romances are thriving as of late, but having one based in revenge was a great twist. It took me a little bit longer than I would have liked to get into the story, but the second Jordy's RIDICULOUSLY PUNCHABLE FACE EVEN THROUGH THE PAGES showed up in the story, I was in it and just as invested in taking him down as they were. And then because it's what we're all here for anyway, the romance between them was cute too. I wish it had gotten a little more time on the page to develop, but that's not what the story was and I'm good with the story as it is. Special shoutout to Isaac, an actual legend.

This adorably fun romcom was even more fun than I anticipated. It was very rompy, like reading a really good gossip style mag but with fantastic representation!!! Loved it!!!

𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 by Sophie Gonzales
Published: November 29, 2022 by @wednesdaybooks
Reviewed by: Mel
Format: eBook ARC + Audiobook [thank you @netgalley]

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆


𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Womp womp. I really really wanted to enjoy this one - but I think it was a perfect storm of negative things that lead me down this two-star path.

➜ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. I hated every single one of them. Even the two MCs. They had zero personality and literally every chapter — okay, every word of dialogue — was just about how much they hate Jordy, the male MC. It really grated on my nerves that I couldn’t even look past it to enjoy the unfolding love story between Skye and Mya — which was completely masked in the negativity of hating on Jordy.

➜ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙩. I loooooved the idea of the love triangle and being on a game show for a guy and having two female MCs fall for each other — I’ve honestly thought about the potential of that scenario with how many seasons of The Bachelor, etc. that I’ve watched and I’ve always wondered what happens behind the scenes. But honestly, I can’t tell if it was a weak plot, or if I just got really really sick of how annoying the characters were and how much negativity was in this book. Additionally, the narrator completely got on my nerves as well and all of her accents and voices were irritating. Maybe it’s worse because I was just coming off of listening to Fairy Tale by Stephen King and all of those voices were audiobook GOLD.

➜ 𝙔𝘼/𝘼𝙜𝙚𝙨. For some reason, I was already annoyed at the beginning of the book when I found out that most of the characters were between 18-21 years old. Who lets their 18-year-old travel to another country to film a dating show? Also, how many freaking ex-girlfriends does this guy have for being so young still?!

I feel like all of the negativity in this book is honestly rubbing off on me and now my own negativity is grating on my own nerves. I’m going to stop writing this review by the sheer fact that I’d rather be listening to another book instead of still thinking about this one.

Why two stars then? The concept was entertaining and I obviously love the idea of having an LGBTQ plotline behind the scenes of a hetero dating show — so it gets the two stars for creativity, but….that’s where I stop.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is a perfect example of a book written for someone exactly like me. I love both revenge plots and reality TV shows and it was the PERFECT blend of those and many more surprises had me devouring this book.
One of my favorite things is how Sophie Gonzales Perfectly balances the two main characters. They are both flawed people and they both SHINE in her writing. The dual POVs were split perfectly to keep the reader understanding how they both are feeling and their perspective on why they are acting the way they are. Sophie also makes sure that each of the other girls has their moments to shine and the friendship they all formed around hating Jordy was fantastic.
If you want a fun Queer summer read to get ready for bachelor season this is the perfect book! Full of fun, girls sticking together over toxic men, getting over him by living your best life, and the chaos that is working a "reality" TV show.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free ARC copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.