I LOVED this book!

Romance novel obsessed Tara decides to revisit her list of exes to see if any of them are her second chance love. The idea is inspired by her grandma Flo’s second marriage, which saw her wed her childhood beau. Along for the escapades are her sister Crystal and best friend Mel, as well as her hot new roommate Trevor.

Things don’t quite go to plan, but the downfall allows Tara to learn more about herself and may even convince her to try looking closer to home 👀👀

This was swoon worthy in parts, and utterly hilarious in others. It riffs off the forced proximity trope and even has a grumpy character who turns out to be an actual cinnamon roll. It’s funny and lighthearted but doesn’t shy away from important topics like gaslighting and the impact it can have on mental health and future relationships. Heartwarming and humorous, it’s an an easy 4 stars.

* Huge thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy to read via Netgalley

First off I want to say a MASSIVE thank you to NetGalley, Viking and Amy Lea for approving me for an eARC of Exes and Ohs in exchange for an honest review.

Amy Lea would have had to do something really bad with this book for me to not give it 5 stars quite honestly. After Set on You and now Exes and Ohs I think Amy Lea has safely secured her place on my list of automatic buy authors.

Starting with Tara, a main character I absolutely adored. As a hopeless romantic I really related to her search for love, the endless crushes, desires for big romantic dates and confessions of love, Tara really did share my love for all those things. That made her actions really relatable and understandable, I could see myself making the same decisions every step of the way.

Then we have Trevor. Once I got passed him having the same name as my dad he really was the perfect book boyfriend. I loved watching his feelings develop for Tara, seeing him soft around her throughout the book. It really felt very natural and genuine. Plus who doesn’t love a firefighter love interest?

This had some of my favourite tropes, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine and so much other good stuff. There were some really emotional points, discussing toxic relationships, gaslighting and the use of the word crazy when talking about a woman in a relationship. There were also some really fun moments that had be laughing out loud.

I gasped, squealed and grinned my way through Exes and Ohs. I loved every minute and now I can’t wait for whatever Amy Lea has in store for her next book.

Romance bookstagrammer and hopeless romantic Tara Chen has been through her fair share of heartbreak, and dreams of finding her own happy ever after. As a fan of the trope in the books she reads, Tara (with the help of her new roommate Trevor) decides to revisit her exes in the hope of a second chance romance of her own.

Amy Lea has fast become an auto-buy author for me and one of my favourites in the romance genre! This is book two in the series and while they can be read as standalones, I do think you appreciate them more reading them in order. I loved that we got little updates on Crystal and Scott in this one.

While I can't imagine anything worse than contacting any of my own exes 🤣, it suited Tara's story so much. The characters were so authentic and genuine - I think most of us can relate to Tara in one way or another and I loved that even though she sometimes came off as a bit too intense with exes in the past, she always remained unapologetically herself.

Funny, romantic & wholesome, with the perfect amount of spice (satisfying the build up of the slow burn without being cringey), this was a genuinely heartwarming read!

Unfortunately the formatting of this book made it really hard to read! That being said I am grateful for the e-ARC and enjoyed delving back into the Chan sisters story.

I’m so glad I picked up Set On You a few months ago during a random trip to Waterstones. The cover and description pulled me in, and I really enjoyed it. So of course when this became available on Netgalley I felt compelled to request it. And I’m glad I did — I love this book even more so than I loved Set On You.

I loved Tara, and found her and her love for books and falling in love with just about everything relatable. I thought she was funny, bold, and I liked her character arc. I also loved Trevor, and his arc over the course of the book — I don’t want to spoil too much but the whole love declaration at the end (it’s a romance book, you know there’s a declaration) was one of my favourite scenes. Trevor and Tara had so much chemistry, a lot more than Crystal and Scott did in the first — so you can certainly see how Lea has improved as an author between books.

Speaking of Crystal and Scott, I loved that we got to see them in this book in small moments. At parts I did wish we could have more of Crystal but reflecting back on the book I think it was done just enough. This was Tara’s story, and Crystal was now the supporting character. I liked how whenever Lea brought either of those characters in to a scene it was for a purpose.


Overall, this book was funny, romantic and wholesome. It had me grinning from ear to ear. Giggling out loud. Covering my eyes from the second hand embarrassment. Jaw dropping moments that had me gasping “she did not just say that!” It had me yelling at the book “FINALLY” and “NOOO” and just about everything under the sun. It was an experience.

This is an obvious and very easy five stars. And I can’t wait for the third — I don’t know if the title has been publicly released or stated but it’s at the end of the arc with a small chapter sneak peek and *squeals* I will be counting down the days.

Exes and O's is such a great book.

I enjoyed it!

Although I found Tara a little intense sometimes, I couldn't help but relate to her. It was refreshing to read a female character that wasn't really cool or cutely ditzy. She truly felt like a character come to life and I loved that.

Tara and Trevor's friends-to-lovers story was natural. I would've liked more chemistry or a little more insight into what Trevor was thinking. You know as the reader that surely, he must like her more than he is letting on but Amy Lea didn't make that obvious enough in my opinion. As a result of this, I think the book lacked a bit of depth.

The plot made sense and although I didn't love Tara hunting down her exes (just because I would NEVER!), Lea did an amazing job at pacing this plot line. I enjoyed seeing bits of Crystal and Scott but am very glad they didn't overshadow the main couple for this book. Trevor's demons felt realistic too.

This book was funny, easy to read, and genuinely heart-warming.

Again, Lea aces the representation in this book. The Chinese rep and chronic illness details were thoughtful and sensitive.

I loved this book. It was brilliant, with great characters and humour, and I couldn’t put it down. Tara was an enthusiastic and loveable protagonist and the many characters with whom she interacts were excellently written as well. I’ll be devouring anything more that Amy Lea writes from now on.

Exes and O’s by Amy Lea❤️

Tara is a hopeless romantic, waiting and wishing for her Prince Charming. Trevor is a closed off firefighter with no time for relationships. See where this is going?!

Look, this was a fluffy, easy read. The ending was guessable and the writing could have been better in parts. I would have liked to see more aspects of Tara’s life fleshed out i.e. her friendships, family relationships, her work, her blog - rather than her being single-mindedly focused on finding a man.

If you want something light and breezy, this one is for you. This book would be ideal for breaking out of a reading slump!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a Netgalley ARC. Many thanks to the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕

#summerreads #books #bookstagram #booktok #netgalley #arc #exesandos #romance #romcomathon

I am obsessed. I requested this at first one because of the cover and second because it sounded so good. Our main character Tara has been through heartbreak. She is a book lover at heart and her expectations of men are high because of the men she reads in her books (I totally get it). Her grandmother tells her how she went back to an ex love and she decides to go through her 10 exes to find if one of them could still be the one. Oh did I also mention that she’s just moved into a flat and is sharing it with firefighter Trevor who only does one night stands and never does relationships? There is forced proximity, a slow burn and it was fantastic. The more she goes through this list and sees why these exes are exes for a reason she starts to think maybe true love isn’t for her. Trevor is scared to open up he’s lost people in his life and would rather not do relationships but as time passes and the more they spend together things are about to change for both of them. I really enjoyed this story and I for me it was the slow burn. The soft little glances, the too long staring at that eyes or lips and it just made this story for me. I really enjoyed both of these characters and I cannot wait to read more from Amy!

As an Amy Lea fan I was SO excited to receive an ARC of Exes & O’s and it did not disappoint. 🔥

Exes & O’s follows the story of 30-something bookstagrammer Tara, who’s on the hunt for the romance novel-worthy man of her dreams. How does she intend to find him? By going through a list of all her past exes and hoping to find that the embers of a past flame might reignite into something more. She’s helped on her journey by her swoon-worthy, seemingly off-limits firefighter flatmate Trevor. And if anyone understands how sparks can turn into a fiery blaze, it’s him. 👀

Dare I say it, as someone who loved Amy Lea’s Set on You, I think this might be my new favourite. It had funny moments, emotional depth, just the right amount of spice, and a sprinkling of pop culture references thrown in. I loved how unapologetically romantic and chaotically optimistic Tara was, against Trevor’s steadfast, calmer and more reserved nature. 🥰

If you’re on the hunt for a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine romcom with lines that’ll make you laugh out loud and tons of relatable bookish moments, put Exes & O’s on your wish list for next year. I’ll definitely be grabbing a physical copy to keep on my bookshelf. 📚

Set on you is sitting unread on my shelf and that will soon be rectified. Exes and O’s was a fast, engrossing read.

Tara is at the end of another relationship and finds herself moving into a place with a hot firefighter as a roommate. Tara is a 30 year old nurse and Trevor (the firefighter) is 5 years younger than her but it doesn’t read that way; you’d say Tara is the younger of the two.

Tara is a romance reader and second chance romance is her favourite trope, so she sets out to reconnect with all of her exes to find that second chance romance. But with Trevor on the scene, we all knew where this was going.

The whole book is from Tara’s POV and I felt that we needed some of Trevor’s perspective because there were times when I didn’t quite feel/believe their connection beyond friends. It was a good read but was missing something without that insight, or maybe I love a dual perspectives so much that I now find single pov lacking? It’s likely a me thing.

Slowburn, adorable, and wholesome!
The main character Tara creates a list of past exes that she might be able to rekindle a relationship with but also to take to a work gala event, all while doing so, moves in with her brothers best friend Trevor. Trevor the fire fighter is your typical no relationships, lady killer and someone who knows he is good looking. These two living together nothing will happen surely? Oh yes it will. These two are matches made in heaven, put all romance tropes together and they're there. I really like Tara, I loved her attitude and her kindness to others. Trevor was funny and so well written. I do have to say it is extremely slow burn, but the steam definitely makes it worth it😉 as an author I absolutely adored the inclusion of bookstagram and book related podcasts!! Honestly anyone in the community would love this book!

This was a twist on the tropes and romance novels; the female character wants all of these. I kind of liked that about it; it was different. I love a slow burn, but for me it was a bit too slow. Thats just my personal taste though, so other people will totally love it.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book. This was my first Amy Lea book and it won't be my last. I will be ordering Set on You ASAP. I was very much looking for a cute fun romance with a bit of spice and Exes and O's was just that for me. I read it in under 24 hours.
Nurse and bookstagrammer, Tara Chen, has been heartbroken a grand total of 10 times during her life, and more than anything, Tara wants to find love. After a chat with her grandma, she decides to revisit her exes and see if the second chance romance trope can work for her. With the help of her new (extremely good looking) roommate, Trevor, who is best mates with Tara's sister's fiance, the two look into Tara's past relationships and become closer in the process. Unfortunately for Tara, Trevor is a commitment phobe and seems set on helping her review her list of exes as any good friend would do.
This is a perfect slow-burn love story. I fell completely in love with the main characters and both Tara and Trevor's character development throughout the book was perfect! An easy 5 stars for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK Books and Viking Books UK for the ARC.

This was a very sweet and funny romance, with a delicious slow burn.

Tara embarks on a journey to find all her exes, tired of dating she wants to see if any of her past love interests might end up being her soul mate.

She ends up moving in with Trevor, Scott's friend from Set On You - you don't need to read Lea's first book to understand this one, but I'd highly recommend it anyway as it's a great story. Trevor then helps her on her quest, and naturally they develop feelings for each other.

It's all a slow burn and so satisfying when they finally admit to their feelings. I also really loved the side characters, like Angie, and I loved how Tara and Trevor became friends first - their teasing and banter was cute and fun.

There was slight miscommunication, which I usually hate, but it was brief, resolved quickly and actually fit the plot well.

This would have been a 5 star book for me, if it wasn't for the main character. Tara just seemed incredibly immature to start with. I found her annoying and childish - she's supposed to be a 30 year old nurse, and whilst I found her sense of humour and friendliness great, everything else about her was irritating. I like that she does seem to grow, but I feel that it took slightly too long to get to that stage.

There's one thing that really bothered me about the plot. I understand that Tara is a bookstagramer and wanted to share her journey with her followers, but why on earth would she share all the guys names? How is that okay to do, I feel like giving out other people's information to thousands of people online is a huge invasion of privacy. Big no.

But overall this was a very easy and fun read, full of tropes - every reader's dream!

Such a unique book, I loved the plot and oh my god the characters we're so amazing!! I definitely will be recommending!!

A sweet rom-com with a fun twist, playing with different well worn romance tropes. Although I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as Set on You, it’s still a great, light read with some very funny moments, and characters you’ll really root for.

Tara has had her heart broken ten times, and yet, she is still determined to find her perfect man. As such, her new plan is to reach out to her exes in the hope of finding a second-chance romance. Her room mate, firefighter Trevor is enlisted as her wingman.

I admittedly have not read any of Amy Lea’s earlier books, this is something I now intend to rectify!!! I found this cosy romance to be the perfect summer-by-the-pool read and now, I can’t wait to get my hands her previous work too.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the opportunity to read and review this heartwarming ARC.

This is the first Amy Lea book I’ve read but I am hooked!

The dynamic between Tara and Trevor was incredible right from the start. I loved how he was your typical closed off love interest who only opened up to her, you could tell how much Trevor cared about Tara straight away and I loved watching their relationship develop.

I loved how their relationship developed as Tara went on the hunt for the perfect ‘second chance romance’ but ended up with something completely different.

Amy Lea knows how to write great characters and develop them properly so nothing feels rushed. At first I thought the book was going to be a little predictable and even though I had an idea of how it was going to end, the way everything unraveled took me by surprise.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a 5⭐️ read and I’d recommend it to any romance reader.

I admittedly have not read the previous book in this series but was intrigued enough by the fun premise of 'Exes and O's' by Amy Lea to snap up the opportunity to read it. Tara is unlucky in love and pursuing every romance trope in the literary business to find the person she is meant to be with. We have childhood sweethearts, the one that got away, second chance romance, friends to lovers, all filtered through rediscovering a litany of 10 ex-boyfriends. Helping her in her quest is her new roommate Trevor (forced proximity anyone?), a drop dead gorgeous firefighter who prefers to keep it casual... oh I wonder who Tara will end up with?

This is a sweet read. I enjoyed Tara's quest for love and her chemistry with Trevor. Her moments as an influencer are a particular highlight, her seeing tropes everywhere great fun for any lovers of the romance genre. There are, however, some nice moments where Tara realises not everything can be reduced to a trope and we see some real growth from both her and Trevor as they confide in one another and deepen their relationship. I finished this book a week ago now and the story is not hugely memorable. So, it is very fun in the moment but not something life changing and earth shattering. I enjoyed it enough I will be keeping an eye out for Mel's story which Lea is publishing next. And perhaps even delving into 'The Set-up'!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.