This one was so cute! Over the past two years, I've learned I'll love anything Gonzales puts out, so I was eager to get my hands on Never Ever Getting Back Together. Although it's not my favorite of her books (that's either Perfect on Paper or If This Gets Out), it was still a super solid read.

First up, I've gotta address the conflict here. I loved it. The whole quest for revenge was immaculate. Sure, it may not be the "right" thing to do, but it was fun. It was amusing, and it was everything I wanted. Watching Skye and Maya scheme was addicting, and even when their schemes went wrong, it was fun.

I will admit though, I wanted more from the reality dating show backdrop of this one. It was just... bland. Really, there was almost no action. The girls would spend a chapter doing something, and then nothing would happen other than dialogue for entire chapters. It got boring fast, and instead of being unputdownable, it was easy to put down.

Jordy though, Jordy was a great character. He was the perfect dumb, spoiled male character. He was perfectly ignorant and vapid. He was the perfect target for the girls. He was a horrible guy, but he was the perfect guy for this book.

As some other reviewers have said, this could've (and probably should've) been new adult. It would've given the author a lot more wiggle room, and for a dating show, it was very tame. I wanted more irrational anger, more heat, and more maturity. I know YA is what Gonzales has written, but it would've been great to have seen her branch out for this one.

Although I do have some minor complaints, I still really enjoyed this one. It was super cute, and I'd definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Never Ever Getting Back Together follows Maya who two years ago breaks up with her boyfriend Jordy. One day se gets a call to be on a show called Second Chance Romance. It is a show were Jordy will redate his ex's to try and find the one that got away. Maya wants to go on the show make to to the finally and reject Jordy. When Maya gets to set she runs into Skye who is the person Jordy cheated on Maya with. At first they hate each other. But then will do whatever it takes to bring Jordy down.

Overall this was a really cute romance novel. I liked how in the end the characters you did not expect to get together did. I will say the one thing that I did not like about this novel is that the writing felt a little young. There was also a little bit to much drama in this one for me. But I thought the plot was overall really good. But this is not my favorite Sophie Gonzales book. I did enjoy it when reading it. But I do not think this is one that I am going to go back to over and over again.

I'm in love with this author's writing style and will gladly read anything and everything she ever writes. Here, Sophie provides us with a reality dating show where the contestants are all ex-girlfriends of the now royally-adjacent bachelor who's greatly in need of being knocked down a few pegs. Really enjoyed watching the girls sort out truth from lies and develop friendships, and a romantic relationship, in spite of the bachelor and the reality show set-up.

Highly recommended LGBTQIA YA Contemporary read.

The moment I heard about the concept of this story, I knew I needed to read it. I mean, two girls go on a reality show to date their douche-bag ex but end up falling for each other instead? Sign me up!

I really enjoyed Maya and Skye and the other girls on the show. Jordy, the narcissistic ex not so much but that was the point and he made a great villain. Overall, I had a good time with this book though I wasn't a huge fan of the in-your-face humor and at times found Maya and Skye's voices too similar and got confused whose point of view I was reading in. I liked how things wrapped up in the end concerning the show, but in terms of Maya and Skye things are left very much in the air. Not their relationship, but what they're doing next in life. It was done on purpose, but I think I would've liked more closure for Maya who was really struggling with whether or not she would go to college.

If you're looking for a fun, easy read in a reality show setting you should definitely check this out!

This books is so freakin' good! At first, I will admit I wasn't a huge fan, primarily because all the characters are around 18. They really could have been aged up by at least 2 years so its less high-school. The characters don't act like they are in high school though, which is why the age thing just seems weird. Once I ignored that and pretended they were all at least 22, the book was so good. Literally, did-not-put-it-down good. There was not a single dull moment. The smaller number of contestants on the show was perfect and not overwhelming. I liked that we learned more about them, but Maya and Skye were still the main characters. I liked how Skye was always true to herself and really stuck to her values and her worth. Maya had some growing up to do but it was written in such a way that it was understandable and not annoying. Her dry wit had me laughing out loud. This book was amazing and how it ended was just perfect. Also, bonus points for using a Taylor Swift song as the title. Amazing job!

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I was drawn to this book out of a love of queer romances set on reality TV shows and this didn’t disappoint! I had so much fun getting to know the characters through outrageous scenarios and seeing Maya and Skye fall for each other. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC, would definitely recommend!

I liked the premise in this one but it felt a bit young to me. It wasn’t listed as YA but certainly felt like it. I enjoyed the main characters but didn’t necessarily feel the chemistry between the leads. I love the queer representation and the overall growth of the main character was well done.

I really loved how this story came together. From unlikely friendships to revenge to a beautiful love story. I would definitely like to see a follow up book to see how the story continues to unfold. I felt the epilogue didn’t pull everything together and give it a better ending. It did leave more open for a continued story so I hope we get that! All in all a solid read and I’m so happy to have gotten the pleasure to read and review it!

This reality tv inspired romance romp is such a treat!! I love the fact that having two bi characters adds a twist that viewers of the show don’t know is coming. This was such a fun read and I love the overarching message of not settling for someone who doesn’t treat you with the respect and honesty you deserve. If you’re into the Bachelor franchise, you’ll be into this, trust me. Thank you to NetGalley for the delightful ARC in exchange for my opinions!

This book is the next big thing in sapphic romance, I can feel it!

Never Ever Getting Back Together is about two women on a Bachelor-esque TV show where they are invited to re-date their ex-boyfriend for a chance to rekindle their relationship. Maya isn't jumping at the opportunity to see her cheating ex Jordy at first, until she realizes that this could be her chance at the ultimate revenge- public humiliation and rejection. But once she gets there, she encounters another obstacle she hadn't anticipated: Skye. Skye is beautiful and charming, but she also happens to be the girl Jordy cheated on Maya with. These girls are thrust together, along with four other ex-girlfriends, and must live in a mansion with each other over the course of the show. They form friendships, tackle all kinds of Jordy-related baggage, and participate in many group challenges and one-on-one dates.

This book sounded exactly like my kind of thing, and let me tell you: it was! I am one to watch the Bachelornation shows and pretend to make fun of them, but then secretly get invested and root for my favorite contestants. When I read that Never Ever Getting Back Together was all about the behind-the-scenes action of those shows AND a sapphic romance, I was immediately hooked and knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. The setting is beautiful and lush, but what really pulls you in are the characters and their relationships with each other. Each girl is so different from the next, and none of them felt flat or one-dimensional. They all had distinctive personalities and styles that I loved to read about and get to know as the story went on. Even the girls who left the show first I felt like I knew them well enough to miss them.

I would like to commend Sophie Gonzales for writing a male character that I absolutely hated, and I mean that has a genuine compliment. We are supposed to hate Jordy and boy did I! He is self-centered and manipulative and he gets every negative thing that's coming to him and more. I have some experience with similar men (unfortunately) and I have to say that he was written in a very realistic and textbook way when it comes to gaslighting and manipulation. It is very easy to hate him!

Never Ever Getting Back Together had me rolling with laughter, gasping at the twists, and kicking my feet with the romance. I will be rereading and buying this book when it is released, and I highly recommend that you do the same!

I received this arc from NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing & Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

This is a hands down 5/5 star read! I binge-read this in less than 24 hours, really only putting it down because sleep was needed!

The humor & banter was hilarious. The queer / bi rep is perfection, especially because the drama did not revolve around Maya & Skye's sexuality. The plot with a reality tv show was at times over-the-top but still comical and well-done. The side / supporting characters had enough depth that they were wonderful.

Definitely another YA queer book I will be adding to my list to recommend to friends!

I love Sophie Gonzales, and I wanted so badly to love this. It's such a good formula! John Tucker Must Die is one of my favorite teen movies! I love a cheesy reality show book and I LOVE a revenge fantasy. But devastatingly, this didn't work for me.

It's fun! It's cute! But as characters I honestly couldn't really tell Skye and Maya apart, and I didn't feel that their romance or personal journeys were fleshed out at all. Jordy is such a one-note villain that I had a hard time caring about the revenge plot. I didn't feel any real sense of place from the Bachelor-like setting or Chalonne itself. I want there to be real emotional stakes in a reality show story! But everything here felt very surface level.

I'll of course be catching Gonzales next time, but this was a miss for me. Alas!

thank you to wednesday books and netgalley for the arc!

i have way too many words but also none at the same time to say about this book. Sophie Gonzales is honestly tied for my fav author so when she first announced this book i knew i needed to get my hands on it, i squealed when i got approved for the arc and immediately started reading it! i loved this book so so much! i am a sucker for dual pov at this point because i love getting to see both the characters slowly fall for each other and it was especially interesting to read maya's thoughts during the moments of revenge. skye was definitely my fav though! as a bisexual woman myself it was great to get to read about 2 bi women :) also even the side characters were great! perrie was a QUEEN and jordy was the perfect antagonist because it was really fun to hate him! overall i am very glad i got the chance to read this early because honestly speaking i would read literally anything sophie puts out <3

I loved everything about this book!!
It was such a fun read and I could not put it down!!! I loved the development of Maya and Skye’s relationship and how they hated each other at first. That switch to enemies to friends was perfect along with the build up of their relationship. Maya deciding that Jordy was no longer worth her time and energy and it wasn’t worth losing Skye over was everything
I loved Perrie too!!! She really came in clutch at the end of this book!

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book in 3 words: Hilarious. Powerful. Rallying.

Maya joins a handful of her loser ex-boyfriend's exes on a reality TV show, Second Chance Romance, where Jordy tries to reconnect with past girlfriends. She accepts, revenge on her mind, hoping to show the public how terrible her ex really is. While hoping to find a way to have her truth heard and Jordy's genuine self exposed, she stumbles upon something (or someone) much more interesting, Skye, who just happens to be who Jordy cheated on Maya with.

YOU ARE KIDDING ME WITH THIS BOOK! I was sucked in and enjoyed it, start to finish. There are so many one-liners which had me pause and audibly cackle, here are my top 2 faves: "Jordy Miller is -- as his British relatives would say -- a fucking wanker" and "Hey, nice one, fuck you." Honestly hilarious.

In all transparency, most reality tv makes me want to physically gag. I will say, I do sometimes get sucked into a YouTube hole of show clips (mostly the Bachelorette... Alabama Hannah's season, to be exact). However, this plot point worked so well and kept my attention... I liked the behind-the-scenes feel.

Skye and Maya are quite the rollercoaster. The dual POV works really well for the overall delivery of the story but even better for their character growth. I liked them both, even when they hated each other.

Now, we can't let good ol' Jordy go without a mention --- here's to one of the most villainous, loser, misogynistic, and make-me-want-to-vom characters I've ever read. Sophie sure knows how to write a real DUD.

I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I'll post my review (Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram) closer to launch.

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales: 5/5 stars

I was so excited when Wednesday Books made this available for 48 hours on Netgalley! I've been on a reality show romance kick lately, and two women falling for each other while trying to take down a terrible man is right up my alley.

Maya is invited on a reality show called Second Chance Romance, in which her ex-boyfriend Jordy will re-date some of his exes in an attempt to find the one that got away. At first she doesnt want to go anywhere near Jordy, but she realizes she can use the opportunity to make his cheating ass look bad on TV. She ends up getting roomed with Skye, the woman Jordy cheated on Maya with years ago. And then she ends up falling for Skye.

I loved this book. I thought it was well-paced, well-written, and had strong, realistic characters. They felt like real people, and I genuinely cared about all the women on the show and one of the queer male producers by the end of the book Maya's attempts to make Jordy look bad don't go well, Jordy's really good at being manipulative himself, and while I was rooting for Maya I also had no idea how well her plans would turn out Watching Maya and Skye fall for each other and confront their issues was beautiful, and I appreciated that Skye could call Maya out on her actions.

Never Ever Getting Back Together comes out December 6, 2022. I definitely recommend preordering!

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me w an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Never Ever Getting Back Together is told from the perspectives of Maya and Skye, who are contestants on a reality dating show that gives them a second chance at love with their mutual ex-boyfriend, Jordy. Maya uses the show as an opportunity to take revenge on Jordy, who cheated on her with Skye. Maya and Skye slowly go from bitter rivals, to reluctant allies, to more in this hilarious and romantic story.

I want to preface my review by saying that the main reason for my interest in this book is the author. Sophie Gonzales has written some of my favorite YA contemporary romances of all time (Only Mostly Devastated, Perfect on Paper, If This Gets Out). No matter the plot of the book, Sophie’s witty writing style and unique characters come through. However, I wasn’t interested enough in the dating show to feel invested in the story. I found myself getting bored with the repetitiveness of the challenges, dates, and drama that made up the show. With that being said, I would still highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy reality TV.

An aspect of the book that really worked for me was the dual perspective. It was interesting to see how Maya and Skye’s perceptions of love, Jordy, and each other differed. I loved watching their relationship develop from both sides. The dual perspective also kept the story moving. Maya and Skye have distinct voices, yet I enjoyed both povs equally (I feel like I rarely read books where both of these things are true).

One thing that was lacking for me was well-rounded side characters. Something I love about Sophie’s other books is the supporting cast of characters, who add a lot of depth to the story. I think the other contestants could have been more well-developed characters. Towards the beginning of the book, I thought I was going to get that with Perrie, but she sort of faded out and became just a followers-obsessed influencer.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it unfortunately isn’t a new favorite. The story’s resolution left me feeling satisfied, but I didn’t walk away from the book with any strong feelings. Again, I think fans of reality TV would have a lot more fun with this book than I did- but I’d still encourage anyone who is intrigued by the premise to pick this book up!

Rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for this eARC!

I couldn't put this down. I started it first thing Wednesday morning, and just had to keep going, with few stops in-between. I was just hooked.

I will agree with a couple other reviews I've seen that this book feels like it maybe should be filed in adult fiction, at the very least new adult. I kind of feel like, given that it's a rom-com in a dating reality TV series, Sophie maybe limited herself by making this YA, and it could have benefited from some of the spicier bits available in a NA book. I dunno, YMMV on that front. Maya and Skye also get together kind of with the flip of a switch...they learn they're not the enemies they expected to be and all is good, but the second they find out they're both bi (Skye might be pan, I'm not sure she ever gives herself a label, but I digress) they want to kiss one another. Maya makes the point of saying 'just because we both like to kiss girls doesn't mean we have to kiss each other', and while true, it feels like it was thrown in to distract from that fact that that's exactly how they're initial relationship comes across.

All that out of the way, I did like the pair of them, eventually. They were cute, especially when they got to be alone together. Most of the other girls were awesome, as well. Jordy was a complete tool, but one who did a good job hiding it, so unlike say The Lost Girls, I could understand why he fooled these awesome girls with his bullshit.

Definitely recommend. 4/5 stars.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The main characters were interesting and developed. I enjoyed the many twists and turns throughout the story and was genuinely shocked by some of them. The conflict and resolution were good, though a bit fast in some ways. That's really the only critique I have - some parts felt so slow and boring - but I'm no expert. Overall, I'd give it 3/5 stars but I'll bump it up a star because it did leave me thinking some of the themes after putting the book down.

i enjoyed the premise a lot. the romance was a slower burn than i anticipated, but still so good. i kinda wished the characters were a little older (the immaturity made sense for the characters but it got frustrating occasionally) but otherwise it was a super fun, super cute book.