Many thanks to St Martin’s Griffin for the NetGalley widget for this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I did a mix of reading my eARC with listening to the audiobook - I enjoyed the narration of the audio a lot, too.
Reading the title that quotes Stevie Nicks, I should have known how music-centric this book would be. The book made me nostalgic for the music I grew up listening to in the 90s and early 2000s. From Tracy Chapman to DMB and Blink 182, Blues Traveler and Train to Fall Out Boy and The Killers, I loved how each song/artist mentioned brought back both memories of the music along with memories of my life at those times. Everlong by Foo Fighters, mentioned multiple times in this book, is one of my favorite songs. I immediately remembered listening, to the acoustic cut no less, in my freshman college dorm room - likely via Napster download 🤣 If the contents of that sentence resonated with you, I bet you’ll enjoy this one, too!
The book’s chapters time-hop between different ages for the main character Maggie, from her time at performing arts summer camp to her mid-twenties when she’s touring and to her mid-thirties when she’s unsure of her life. At one point when she’s thirty-five, Maggie’s best friend is appalled when she realizes Maggie has two marriage pacts (both to get married at age thirty-five, nonetheless) that she says it’s worse than the plot of My Best Friend’s Wedding! I’ve argued for a long time that it is the worst movie plot ever. I mean, I love Julia Roberts but that movie is awful in many ways. This is just one small example of the humor involved in the book - the description of a present-day Central Park Dave Matthews Concert also cracked me up.
This book and audiobook came out last month and are available now - go check them out!

In the end I loved this book but I struggled initially with the structure. It is divided by significant years in Maggie’s life. It moved back and forth beteeen the years and it took me awhile to piece the timeline together. The characters and the storyline were so compelling and really captured my interest. At times this book was heartbreaking and poignant. I have a bit of a book hangover after this one which is a good thing since it means I was totally invested in the story!

Aspiring singer-songwriter Maggie Vine made marriage pacts with two different men. Now she's 35 and it's time for the pact to be called in. Garett and Asher, her two biggest loves, are both back in her life. But there's only one thing Maggie knows she wants for sure. And that's to be a mother. 
We get to come along for the ride with Maggie through the past and present and witness her falling in love, breaking up with both these men in the past and make the decisions to paint her future. 
I love that Maggie is a relatable character, who finds empowerment in herself. I alos love the side characters, especially her best friend Summer who I wish we could have had features even more. Finally, I love an angsty love triangle and this gave me plenty of that. 
A sparkling read! Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC.

I thought the premise of Maybe Once, Maybe Twice was super cute, unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me!

this was such a fun read! I loved the timeline and concept of it. The characters were likeable and funny. I dropped it one star because I wasn't. a fan of the setting. But overall an enjoyable read

When you see Emily Henry post about a book, you read that book.

This was my first book by Alison and I adored it. I actually inhaled it. This book had everything that my bookish dreams are made of. It was fun and cute but also so so real & deep. I navigated every single emotion and that is an automatic 5 star read for me. I know a lot of people will avoid this because it does have the love triangle trope but I truly believe this book could make you a fan. I loved Maggie with my whole heart.

Read if you like:
-love triangles (read even if you dont like this)
-friends to lovers
-second chance
-found family
-chasing big dreams
-musician vibes (90's & 2000's kinda vibes... the best ones)
-friendship themes & found family

There are a lot of major TW for this so please look them up or reach out to me.

“You know the moment you realize the person across from you could be the person who fills the blanks inside your soul? I’d felt this once before—but at fourteen I didn’t understand how rare it was. For the first time in nearly a decade, I was drunk on the possibility of someone else."

Thank you Netgalley, the author & the publisher for the eARC of this book.

I really liked this book. I had no idea what kind of journey it would take me on and I really enjoyed the romance between both of the male love interests and the flashbacks. Even though I liked the flashbacks it was a little tricky to follow sometime to figure out where I was in her timeline. I also felt like the big twist was just out of place compared to the rest of the story.

Thank you NetGalley, Alison Rose Greenberg, and MacMillan publishing for the e-arc of Maybe Once, Maybe Twice. This book was full of mutual pinning, missed connections, and second chances. I'm pretty sure I was sobbing through the last few chapters.

At 35, Maggie's music career still hasn't taken off, she's pinning for her guy best friend (Garrett), and she's stuck playing low paying shows at low-end venues. She also made a marriage pact with Garrett that if she wasn't married by 35, they were going to get married. Strangely enough, she also made that same pact with her childhood boyfriend-turned-movie-star, Asher Reyes. And on the night of her 35th birthday, Asher comes right back into her life in a big way, and gives Maggie an opportunity that could change her entire career.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is told solely in Maggie's POV, but the time line jumps around a lot -- from present day 35 years old, all the way back to when she was 14 and met Asher for the first time. Although there was the obvious struggles of her feelings for both Asher and Garrett, the book also talked a lot about her struggles in the music industry, her friendship with her best friend Summer, her strained relationships with her parents, abuse, and wanting children but being told she was too old.

I loved how Alison wrote about all of these topics, and Maggie showed tremendous growth throughout the book. I also was not able to guess who she would choose in the end, if anyone.

The only thing that kind of frustrated me was the mention of synesthesia in the beginning of the book, when Maggie was explaining the beginning of her love for music, and then how it just wasn't really brought up anymore. It felt like how she was able to see or taste music should have been woven through the story better.

4/5 stars overall
green pepper spice rating (closed door/fade to black)

Love the relationships in this romance. The highlight for me was the healthy relationship the protagonist had with herself-- knowing her wants and needs, and putting those first. I think that is so important in any relationship. Would gladly recommend this to our romance loving readers.

his book is about a girl named Maggie who made “marriage pacts” with two different individuals to marry her if she was single at the age of 35.

The concept of the storyline I appreciated and the interactions between characters. However, it was hard to follow at times. The love triangle was difficult to follow.

I would definitely give it a 3.5 stars — I didn’t hate it, but I wouldn’t read it again. But thankful to of had the opportunity to read it.

I am a sucker for a messy, emotional love story.
I felt like this one delivered!
I don't mind a love triangle, and the push and pull of the different relationships.
I thought this was well done!

What a beautifully grounded romance read. There was so much wonderful representation in this and the characters were well-rounded and fleshed out to perfection. The issues addressed spoke to my heart, they were relatable and honest. And the romance: my heart felt for these characters!

What a truly engaging reading experience.

I loved the fact that the MC was in her mid thirties, I enjoy most romances but in most of the ones I read, the couples are usually younger. I also related with the pop culture/music references in the story, that was pretty cool for me! I enjoyed the sense of humor, the banter, the bonds she has with each of her friends, the growth, especially Maggie’s character development. Overall I would give this book a 3.5. The time jumps were a bit overwhelming and the ending felt rushed. I would have loved to see more of “them” together.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this advance copy!

I really enjoyed Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg. It is the story of 35-year-old Maggie whose life hasn't turned out exactly as anticipated either in her music career or in her love life. She had previously made a pact with both Garrett and Asher that if they weren't married by 35 they would be her person. The best part of this story which is told in flashbacks to various birthdays is that Maggie's choice isn't between two men but rather about how she will bring about the life she desires and then who will be her partner. I also enjoyed the poignancy of the story of Summer her BFF. All in all a nice adult coming-of-age story with a dose of love, sex, and friendship.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is available now.

So I liked Bad Luck Bridesmaid, it gave me conflicting feelings but still earned 4 stars from me. I had a hard time getting in the groove of this one. I’m not a fan of dual timelines, especially when they jump the way this book does. I also was really bored of the Maggie/Garrett story. It took too long to introduce Asher in my mind. But once we got to him, I loved him and I loved them! And I still am churning on the ending, was it really what I wanted? Sigh! I think that is Greenbergs calling card; endings that you hate and love equally.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

Maggie Vine, at 35, finds herself stuck in a mediocre existence, aspiring to be a singer and a mother but facing obstacles in both areas. Unexpectedly, two significant figures from her past resurface: Garrett Scholl, a hedge fund manager with a secret rock star ambition, and Asher Reyes, her childhood sweetheart turned famous actor. Garrett, engaged to someone else, sparks a connection with Maggie, but their differences threaten their budding relationship. Meanwhile, Asher's return brings a career-changing opportunity, offering Maggie a chance at love, music, and family. However, her past struggles and unresolved feelings create complications, forcing her to confront her history as she navigates her future.

I picked up this book intrigued by the love triangle setup, but sadly, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the chemistry between Maggie and her two potential love interests was there, the romantic tension I was hoping for fell flat. On the positive side, there was a beautiful portrayal of friendship and different facets of love throughout the story. I must commend Alison Rose Greenberg's writing—it was sharp, witty, and often poignant.

However, the plot felt cluttered with unnecessary elements, leading to a rushed and unsatisfying ending. The story, pitched as a romance, lacked the deep romantic elements I expected. The climax, which should have been a high point, felt anticlimactic and resolved too hastily.

Maggie, the main character, was relatable, and I found myself rooting for her. Despite my disappointment, I recognize Greenberg's talent as a writer. I would like to go back and read her previous novel at some point. This book might not have been my cup of tea, but if the synopsis interests you, I definitely recommend giving it a chance.

"Maybe Once, Maybe Twice" published on October 3, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been in a looooong reading slump and this is the first book that hooked me. The unveiling of this story, told through multiple times in the life of main character, Maggie, makes it a slow build. We learn these nuggets of information and then find out why chapters later. Maggie wasn’t always likeable, she is definitely flawed. However I was still rooting for her until the very end - event when she drove me crazy.

It was a little hard following the timeline via audiobook, but reading it didn’t have the same problem.

This wasn't my favorite book, but I still enjoyed it. I don't really know what made it rough for me to get through. I think it could possibly be the writing style. I'll definitely be reading another book from the author to give them another chance!

I enjoyed this book, and quickly was sucked in. Maggie recently turned 35 and had made previous marriage pacts. It was told from present and past points of views as the story came together of her history with both Asher and Garrett. I liked the side characters as well as it also explored friendship, and family dynamics.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice explores what would happen if you made an “if we’re not married by 35, let’s marry each other” pact with two people… and they both showed up.

Maggie and Garrett have always had bad timing. Through flashbacks we see their friendship over the years as they clearly liked each other but never when they were both single and ready for a relationship.

We also see Maggie and her first love Asher as they fell in love under the stars at summer camp over a decade ago. Until their relationship, and Maggie’s heart, are broken.

I inhaled this book. I thought the transition from current time to flashbacks was seamless, and I really appreciate how Alison used the flashbacks to “show not tell” details from the past. Each of the flashbacks enhanced what was happening in the present, and I am such a fan of this narration style.

I definitely had my favorite in the love triangle but I enjoyed watching the story play out. I was hooked from the beginning and enjoyed the story more and more as it progressed.

The best part of the book was Maggie. She had confidence and vibrancy and joy despite all the messiness in her past and present circumstances. Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is about chasing your dreams and not settling for less than you deserve.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for an eARC. All thoughts are my own.