This book was exactly the fun romp I wanted it to be. Bachelorette meets The Selection (minus the dystopia aspect...) meets the Princess Diaries, is how I described it to a friend of mine. It wasn't my favorite of the Sophie Gonzales books I've read but as always, YAY for bi girls, and strong female friendships.

ARC releasing 12/6/22. Maya is called to be part of a new reality show, where her ex boyfriend dates his ex girlfriends to find the one and sees it as the perfect revenge for cheating on her. Taylor Swift reference plus Bachelor vibes? Sign me up. Sadly, I was disappointed. I felt like the characters were too young for this plot to work well and they were all very one dimensional.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of Never Ever Getting Back Together in exchange for an honest review.
Never Ever Getting Back Together is the classic story of girl falls in love with prince charming. Prince charming is everything but charming. Prince "charming" cheats on girl. Girl meets other girl when invited on a reality tv show for prince's second chances. Girl falls in love with other girl while teaming up to expose prince charming on reality tv.
There were many things I loved about this book for goodness’s sake I read it in only two days. I love the reality tv show aspect, and that the jerk was so hate able I loved it. I loved the banter and the humor of the characters and their (my fatal flaw like Maya's) interaction together as a group.
However, there are two reasons why I can't go higher in my rating. The first reason is the age of the characters I could not get over it of them being at the age 20 at most and already had more than 6 relationships. That these relationships on the show are from when they were 16 years old. I would of like for them to be more aged up around 24 or 28. The second reason I did not feel as much chemistry between Maya and Skye as a couple as I would have liked.
Don't let these two reasons be what stops you from reading this book because overall it is a fun read and is very much a joy to read it.

I received this ARC in exchange of an honest review. I do enjoy a romance book, but it took awhile to get there. Especially when in the beginning of the book, it was all about the lack of female friendship and cattiness that can happen. It felt that the females were being pinned against each other. Even when Jordy was the common denominator of the reason to all of it. Even with some of Maya's initial thoughts of Skye "she doesn't just get to watlz into my orbit and take my boyfriend and my pride..." Skye didn't know! I get that Maya was acting and thinking on emotion, but clearly no communication was had.

I am aware that that part of all the miscommunication is to cause the tension and the drama, but it takes so long. I think i'm just the type of person who hates cattiness and that type of environment feeling ganged up upon and it made me feel more for Maya. Especially when no one was listening to her and she's been telling the truth.

Ultimately, I read something that was different than what my typical interest (I'm not someone who watches "The Bachelor" franchise for example), but I think this will be a fun book for those who do enjoy reality style dating shows and definitely perfect for the YA book reading romance crowd and can definitely see this in middle-school libraries. There were many moments that felt like "reality show montage" moments, so the writer did a good job portraying a dating-reality show on paper. I also loved the representation. The whole time I knew I'd be upset if Maya and Skye didn't end up together in the end.

An absolute banger! Something about sapphics plotting the downfall of terrible men and falling in love in the process was wholly satisfying. Such a fun read!

Thank you to NetGley and St. Martins press for the ARC of this lovely book.
This book is all about “Second Chance Romance.” It was sweet and an easy read.

I loved the setting and the inner monologues of both Skye and Maya. I heavily disliked Jordy, obv.

I always like when a book wraps things up for the ending, which Sophie Gonzales did well.

Another solid book from Sophie Gonzales. I love her stories and her writing, and the fact that she always makes me laugh.
Never Ever Getting Back Together follows Maya and Skye in a dual POV as they go on a dating reality show with their ex who they hope to have a second chance with (for romance or revenge), and the truth comes out about their 'relationships' and what kind of guy Jordy is.
I love the concept of a reality tv show and how Gonzales handled all the behind the scenes moments. The hijinks, the schemes, the girls & friendships on the show, Maya & Skye's handler, the revenge, even Jordy and his awfulness, made this such a fun and quick read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC! When I started this book, I have to be honest, I kind of looked at the title, skimmed the description and requested it, so I was under the impression Maya would get back with Jordy. Maya was also super annoying at the start. But I still didn’t want her to get with jordy, obviously, and then Skye came in and I was like oh ok that’s fine then they should be together. In most books, the big fallout in the relationship near the end is kind of drawn out, and I liked that this one was short and then Maya and Skye were back together! Overall, would definitely recommend this book

THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD! I've always wanted to read a bachelor style plot where two of the girls fall in love and this was even better because Jordy is such a toxic prick and I wanted him to be taken down so badly

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Never Ever Getting Back Together!

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. I love Sophie Gonzales something fierce and she's an insta-buy author for me. If This Gets Out and Only Mostly Devastated are at the top of my favorites list, but Never Ever Getting Back Together has now claimed its place there as well.

I made a promise to myself to read more F/F or sapphic romance this year and I'm happy to say that this falls into that category! Never Ever Getting Back Together follows the story of two women, Maya and Skye, who both dated the same guy, Jordy. Maya and Jordy were dating while Jordy was also dating Skye. Uh oh. When the women are thrust together on the same reality TV show, Second-Chance Romance, they learn that they were played by the same guy and work together to try and take him down.

Although this book didn't resemble the plot of The Charm Offensive, it did give me some Charm Offensive vibes. Maya and Skye, although having gotten off to a rocky start, slowly become friends and then something more. The ways that Maya and Skye try and a) rehabilitate Maya's character on the show and b) take down Jordy were hilarious. With a cast of side characters including a girl who's only in it for the followers, a royal junkie, and a drama-loving PA, this book had it all and it clipped along at a comfortable pace. I never felt like it dragged and as the chapters go between Skye and Maya, you get two different point of views that really help round the story out.

Never Ever Getting Back Together would be considered YA, in my opinion. There is no explicit sexual scenes, but when it's suggested, it is fade to black, which is typical of the author. Although I normally read books with a higher spice level than this, it didn't impact my rating at all. I knew going in who the book was marketed for but Gonzales creates such as a wonderful myriad of characters with creative plot lines that the romance does kind of take a backseat for me.

I can't wait until December so that I can own a physical copy of this book! It was great and I'm so glad I get to hype it up over the next six months!

Oh my gosh. This was such a fun book- I really enjoyed the interplay between all the women chosen for the show, and the slow reveal of all of their shared experiences. Maya and Skye are great antagonists to friends to more. I will definitely be picking up more of the author’s work- this is a perfect lazy afternoon read!

The best work by Sophie Gonzales in the past few years. Though nothing will top Only Mostly Devastated in my mind, I was pleased to see the relationship develop through the premise of a reality
tv show. I also really liked how light hearted the language of the chapters was.

thanks to netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

i tried to read this book but after the first few chapters i was simply not interested. the writing wasn’t very engaging for me. the plot seemed interesting from the excerpt i read but the actual execution wasnt so fun.

I think this was a really cute fast read. I liked how it was a competition show like the Bachelor but combined with Ex on the Beach. I think it was interesting/gross that the women were pitted against each other from the beginning, but that's Reality TV. I feel like the ending was a little rushed but over all a pretty average read.

I love this author, so having their team reach out to me to be one of the first to access an ARC I was thrilled! I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers and so I was full down for the ride this book would take me on.

Second Chance Romance is a new reality dating show where 1 bachelor has the chance to re-date his exes to see if they really are the one who got away. The perfect landscape for ex Maya to come in and give the world a taste for who Jordy really is. Spoiler; it's not the charity giver, feminist he appears to be. The only downside you ask? Having to be face to face with Skye, with whom Jordy cheated on her with.

The set up was incredible, I loved the tension and distrust between Maya and Skype, and the moments where many they didn't hate the other as much as they thought they did, but I did start to get confused on who's POV I was reading at times as both girls sounded very similar. This set me up to be a bit confused at times and begin to loose interest.

Overall I enjoyed it, but just wish there was more personality differences between the girls to differentiate them.

Sophie Gonzales is one of my favorite authors of all time and when I originally heard the premise of this book, two contestants falling in love on a reality-tv dating show while trying to destroy the showrunner’s reputation, I was so excited and couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

The setting is a reality TV dating show similar to The Bachelor where 6 ex’s of a semi-famous guy are brought on to date him again and try to win his affections. The book shifts perspectives between two of the contestants, Maya and Skye, one of whom is not going on the show in an attempt to win the guy back but instead wants to destroy him (you go girl!). During filming Maya and Skye grow very close and begin falling for each other and teaming up in an epic revenge plot.

Both Maya and Skye are wonderfully developed characters and their relationship in all of its stages is so beautifully written. The side characters were also very fun and I loved all of the humor and banter that occurred between all the women. It was so refreshing to read a book where bisexuality was simply accepted and represented positively. Sophie did a great job of creating some really complex characters who make mistakes and learn from them. She also created a very relatable “villain” in the showrunner Jordy, who I'm sure will remind everyone who reads this book of a narcissistic, entitled man that they have known.

At times the references to the made-up country and royal family were a little cheesy, but it did seem intentionally so. Especially in the beginning there were some references to cultural stuff in the fake country that came off a little awkward but I understood why it was necessary to the story to use a made-up (Genovia-style) nation instead of relying on real-world places. There was one other aspect that I wasn’t a huge fan of and that was the ages of the characters. I think this book would have made way more sense as a new adult or adult romance with the characters being at least a few years older. It doesn't seem realistic that an 18 year old (even a semi-famous one) to have had 6 meaningful past relationships that the media or the public would be interested enough in to create an entire dating show around. Also, the drama between Maya and Skye in both of their relationships with Jordy would have been more believable if they were all older. I couldn't see any reason why the characters needed to be under 20 other than the opportunity to market it as YA.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will continue to read anything Sophie Gonzales writes forever.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I truly loved this book so much!!
Reality TV is possibly my favorite thing in the world and to be given the opportunity to read this reality TV based book was amazing! Already only reading the description of the book I was hooked. Sophie Gonzales has managed to make you feel as if you are witnessing the production of a reality TV show. Between the descriptions of how many things were staged to how all of the girls managed to live together in one house it felt so realistic.

Sophie has also created two main characters that you can't help but root for. The concept of the ex-girlfriends of Jordy coming together to take him down but falling in love instead has to be one of my favorite things. I loved the friendships the women in the book made along with Maya and Skye themselves and their relationship. Personally, I would have loved for there to be more development in the beginning of their relationship but I do see the time constraints they are under in the TV filming realm. I enjoyed having the perspective of both characters and getting to see their own ways of figuring out their love. I loved this book so much and cannot wait to have it in my hands in December!

Thank you so much St. Martins's Press for this ARC!

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more!!! I loved the humor, the distinct voices, the feminist message, the subtle and slow-burn romance (a hate to love where you can feel the longing underneath the resentment is my kryptonite). Jordy was the most punchable villain, Maya and Skye were both relatable in their own ways (though I think Maya is my favorite).

I really appreciated the bi rep, which we still don't have nearly enough of. The plot twists at the end were fantastic, and I didn't see most of them coming, but they all felt earned. I especially appreciated Maya's journey of realizing her need for revenge is destroying her. I can see a show starring people in their late teens / early 20s happening in real life, given our obsession with celebrity dating lives!!! If Olivia Rodrigo ever dated her exes on live tv I would not be able to turn that off. I live for the drama.

What happens when your ex invites you to participate in a reality TV series to try to win him back? What happens when you have no interest in winning him back, but would rather win revenge? What happens when you unexpectedly find love in an unlikely place?

Sophie Gonzales sets out to explore these questions in this book, Never Ever Getting Back Together. This story is told from two contestants' points of view as they "explore" their way through love on a reality TV show with their ex. Both girls have different reasons for agreeing to come on the show. They come to learn that there may be two sides to every story.

Maya and Skye along with their ex, Jordy engage in a confusing love triangle thanks to some troubling miscommunications. I could definitely relate with these women as they journey to find their own place in the world. I loved their inner dialogue as they worked through their own insecurities.

Throughout the book, Gonzales takes the time to point out the "reality" of reality TV, pointing out how staged some of our favorite romance shows may be. She left me reflecting on what may be "real" and what may be "staged" in all our romantic relationships.

This is a well-written romance story! It is a fun, light-hearted, and well-paced read. This closed-door (but not clean) romance story has characters and conversations that feel real.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title prior to publication day, it was a joy to read and review!

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, & Wednesday Books for the ARC.

I never thought I’d be someone who said “I really wanted to like this book,” but here we are. At first glance, this book had everything I liked: revenge, enemies to lovers, & a reality TV backdrop. However, when I started to actually read the book, I realized that my first glance was wrong.

The first 150 pages (out of 320) were a slog. Maya was annoying & self-righteous, Skye was too naive, & the side characters, with the exception of Perrie, were beyond my fairly high tolerance of cattiness. There didn’t really seem to be any development from plot point to point, everything seemed to just happen without a lot of reasoning behind it.

After the first 150 pages the book got a bit better, because we finally got to the romance part, but even that was woefully underdeveloped to me. Skye & Maya went from hating each other to wanting to kiss each other, & while that’s not totally abnormal, I didn’t really buy their chemistry (an arguably fairly important element of a romance).

What I did like was how utterly terrible Jordy was. He sucked from the beginning & I appreciated that. The scheming towards the end was also fun & I enjoyed watching the schemes play out. The bi rep was great to see too.

Overall, I’m sure this book is wonderful for some people, but I sadly can’t count myself among them. While there were enjoyable elements, I found the romance to be underdeveloped & not at all believable; I also felt very little connection to either of the main characters.