Initially I was drawn to this one for the cover art, premise and author. I read another book by the author last year and really enjoyed it, the cover is eye catching and pretty, and the idea of a marriage pact and MCs being in their thirties appealed.

The author is definitely a skilled writer and writes in an engaging manner. I also really enjoy books that have that balance of Women’s Fiction and romance. Hers tend to have more of a WF tilt, that cover deeper topics or just life issues and make you think. I loved that the mains were slightly older than what I’m used to in romance reads - I want to see more romance featuring age brackets beyond 25 and under. It was refreshing to see someone in their 30s.

I can definitely think of several people who would appreciate and connect with this read. That being said, this particular book did not work for me. It definitely had elements I enjoyed and appreciated, but also had some pieces that just weren’t to my taste.

For me, probably the biggest drawbacks were too of the issues covered (important and real, but just not ones I wanted to explore): infertility and cheating. The infertility discussion and some of how it was handled didn’t sit well for me personally. These are both tough topics, some don’t mind them, others do - definitely a matter of personal preference.

I guess the other main two bits that did not connect with me were the timeline jumping. While I appreciated the labels to clearly state where / when we were for chapters, I started to get frustrated with the jumps. And finally the main and her love interests, I didn’t really connect with our MC and couldn’t decide if I really liked / was rooting for her? Then her love interests, I just didn’t really like either of them enough. Though given another bit covered, I think that played a role in this for me.

Overall, I do think it is a book that will appeal, especially to fans of Women’s Fiction or looking for something with more heart and grit. The author is one who writes well and I would try again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Pub for the opportunity to read and review an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.

This novel was a 4.5 stars, and it was absolutely fantastic! I loved Alison Rose Greenberg's descriptions in this novel, and the way she made all of her characters fantastically nuanced and realistic. She beautifully captures the ways in which we change and find ourselves as we move through our lives.

This novel is a spin on the classic marriage pact: "If we're both single when we're 40, let's get married." Except, Maggie Vine makes the pact (13 years apart from each other) to marry two different men at age 35. Well, Maggie is 35 now and both men have showed up: Garrett, the scruffy blonde Maggie has spent the last 12 years pining after in a will-they/won't-they limbo, and Asher, Maggie's artistic, dark-haired high school summer camp ex-boyfriend turned A-list director.

This novel was very very close to being a 5 stars, the only things holding me back were a relatively slow beginning and one plot point that I didn't care for. However, once these portions were passed, I fell in love very quickly with the rest of the novel.

Normally, I cannot stand dual timeline POVs. However, Greenberg deftly jumps in and out of chapters spanning Maggie's life from age 14 to the present time. Each time jump felt purposeful, and it gave the reader different glimpses into Maggie's relationships and selfhood, allowing the reader to experience her maturation. I also had preconceived notions regarding the end of the novel based off of the first half of the novel, and Greenberg blew me completely out of the water with her ending - in the best way possible. I don't think I've ever read a romance whose ending satisfied me so completely, in terms of character growth, plot, and the romance itself. I also loved the characters, in addition to Maggie and her romantic partners, Summer (Maggie's best friend) and Raini (a young actress) were stand out side characters. This is all in addition to the brilliant banter and reflections that Greenberg already provides in her writing.

This novel is exactly why I am glad I started reading ARCs, it's allowed me to discover brilliant authors and novels whose work I may not have found otherwise. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely beautiful. This is special book and an unexpected journey through not one but two love stories. I truly devoured this novel in one day - it’s so much more than a spicy romance (though it is that too) - most of all it’s a story about growing up and looking back at how you got here. It tells the story about how you can wish you knew then what you know now, but life is all the more beautiful when you embrace what it’s taught you. The story authentically addresses so many important topics like loss, empowerment, friendship, parenthood, and divorce - painting a heartbreaking love story that has you guessing til the end (and somehow the ending is just right). I’m gushing because this book is really something special. And best of all it reads like a movie script in the best way, it’s so easy to see this story come to life. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review - this one is out in October!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I didn't like the first 10% of this book. I thought the jumping between past and present was confusing and I was a bit overwhelmed at first. HOWEVER, then I met Asher. When Asher and Maggie reunited, I instantly felt their chemistry and I was hooked. One thing about Asher and Maggie is that they basically started where they left off 18 years or so later. This kind of made the book lack the tension that I long for in romance books but the chemistry and their emotional connection was still off the charts.

Don't get me wrong, this book had a lot going on. That being said, I think in some ways that was a good thing. This book was the opposite of predictable, which I loved. At one point my jaw was on the floor because I wasn't expecting such a late third act breakup. And although the ending felt a little rushed to me, I still enjoyed thoroughly it.

I think my favorite thing about this book was the theme of time. That might sound weird but everything in Maggie's life was somewhat related to time. It was never the right time for her and Garret to happen, which I think was a blessing in disguise. Maggie had to focus on time to heal, time to grow (especially in her music career), time to love (herself, her relationships and her friends), and time to become a mother. Plus, the jumping back and forth between past and present also fit into theme and once I got used to it, every time jump felt very intentional.

Maggie was so unapologetically herself. She knew what she deserved and she was not going to let anything come in the way of her goals. Becoming a mother was her number one aspiration from the very first chapter and I loved that we were able to see her accomplish that in time.

This book was unexpected for me because I didn't connect with it immediately but I absolutely loved it. I also loved all the nostalgic moments and music references. If you love music, I highly encourage you to read this!

“So desperately I sing to thee of love, sure, but also rage, and hate, and pain, and fear of self. And I can’t keep these feelings on the shelf.” - Hook, by Blues Traveler

☝🏼 this song lyric (from a song that just so happens to be on this book’s playlist) is a perfect description for this book. Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a book about love, sure, but also rage, and hate, and pain, and fear of self. - And I loved ever agonizing minute of it.

It’s ‘right person, wrong time’ x2 - crossing over 2 decades with the intertwining stories of Maggie’s two great loves. There is Asher, her teenage boyfriend and first love. She hasn’t seen him since she was 17. Then there is Garret, her best friend, who she’s also been in love with for the last 12 years. She may have made marriage pacts with both of them. Asking them to show up on her 35th birthday. Well now she’s 35, and they both show up.

This book is slow burn with LOTS of angst, and all the feels. I honestly felt like my heart was getting shredded right along with Maggie’s as I read this. This book is so good. It sucks you in and in a blink of an eye you are so invested in Maggie. You want to know all the details that got her right here to this moment. You want desperately for things to go her way. And you long to be able to fast forward her story to the happy ending you know she deserves. But we only know what it means to be happy, because we also know what it means to be unhappy.

This might be may favorite book of 2023.

(I will post this review on my Instagram sometime in September, I will update with the exact date when I know when. Will also post on Amazon when the book comes out!)

Review to come ,
I will for now tell you what I was drawn to when selecting this book , the title, and the cover really got me.
Thank you net galley and publisher for allowing me to read this book. !

Maggie is turning 35 and hasn't had the career break she's been working for or gotten her dating life figured out. She's had two great loves one when she was a teenager and one she never got the timing right with both she made promise that if they weren't married at 35 they would find her on her birthday and be together. Of course both show up back in her life in different ways and offering different things to her and she has decide which is the path she wants to take. I really enjoyed this book loved seeing both relationships develop in flashbacks and seeing how she got to the point in her life she was in. I'm not sure I loved how it ended and wondered if maybe it should've gone another way but I was still ok with how it turned out. I would definitely recommend this one and would more from this author. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital arc giving this one 4 stars.

This was a good, emotional read. Usually when there’s two love interests involved, I root for one but I really enjoyed both Asher and Garrett. I almost wished she could’ve had both of them. I thought it was neat that the author wrote songs for the book as well.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I do try to read debut authors occasionally and was mostly rewarded by my decision to read this book. There is mention of the main character being Jewish, and I'd argue the essence of Maggie's personality is inherently Jewish. It's definitely not a focus. Maggie Vine is an aspiring singer - songwriter with talent, a New Yorker we meet on her 30th birthday. We don't actually find out when her birthday takes place, but I'm guessing early summer.

The format of the book takes us into the future and past, most of the plot taking place in her 35th year. Maggie is torn between two loves: Garrett, a best friend, Trader Joe's shopper, and a confidant who moonlights in rock music with an adult day job in finance. We learn about the unrequited love between the two. Well, they love each other, but the timing just never works out. Then there's Asher Reyes, Maggie's summer camp boyfriend she met at 15 and hadn't seen since she started college at 17, 18 years old. Asher is a famous director/ actor and is making Maggie's favorite book into a film. Maggie wants to write the original music for the movie.

The other major character is Maggie's best friend, Summer, who is her opposite personality wise. Their friendship reminded me of mine with my best friend, who tends to be pragmatic when I'm emotional.

This isn't really a love triangle so much, and the description may be somewhat misleading as well as the cover. It seems like a fluffy rom com, but Greenberg gives us an emotionally fulfilling tale of love, loss, and life goals. There should be a trigger warning for grief, loss, sexual assault and the aftermath. Don't overlook this book as another typical adult contemporary romance. There are some funny moments too that give levity for more serious moments. I couldn't relate to the main character wanting a baby, but that's just me. I really enjoyed the musical references made with some of my favorite artists, including Stevie Nicks, Fiona Apple. Please note to take care with the trigger warnings I mentioned.

4/5☆ out 10/3/23

I loved the idea of this story, but it just didn't work for me -- the jumping timeline got too confusing, and I didn't actually like either of the love interests enough to get excited or disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this early.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this second chance plus friends-to-lovers romance novel (although it was so much more than that)! Singer-songwriter Maggie Vine made a marriage pact with two very different men - her teenage boyfriend and one of her closest guy friends through her 20s and 30s. At 35, she has to confront her feelings for each man head-on.

Alternating between past and present timelines, the author deftly shows us how Maggie fell in love with each man at different stages of her life with each having a different, yet lasting, impact on her life and view on love (I did have a favourite right from the get-go as one of the guys felt spineless to me - not that Maggie was any better!) I felt the book was more about a journey of heartbreak, grief, first love, unrequited love and most of all friendship (loved Summer's story). All characters are flawed characters but relatable - even the ending was crafted in a realistic manner (at least to me).

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a beautiful story about knowing when to let go and loving yourself. It’s beautifully written between past and present giving you and insight into how Maggie has gotten to a point of her life in knowing what she wants.

Although it has romance it’s more of a loving yourself type romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

Maggie is an indie singer who makes a marriage pact to get married at age 35..but makes it with two different men. Garrett is Maggie’s best friend, both are in love with each other but just can’t seem to get the timing right. Asher is an Oscar winning actor who fell in love with Maggie when they were 15.

The story bounces around in time between Maggie and both men in various places in their relationships and in current time- age 35. For most of the book, I was team Garrett. I could feel his love for Maggie but towards the end of the book, he’s indecisiveness, lack of communication and just inability to be the person he wanted to be for himself was a turnoff. I ended up really enjoying watching Asher and Maggie and their dynamic, I was glad everything worked out in the end. I thought the whole story was very cute and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”





Love❤️💕✨💖💗🤍

THANK YOU to the publisher and of course Netgalley for the e-arc! This is a romance centering around Maggie but Maggie has a marriage pact with TWO men in her life (Asher and Garrett). Maggie is turning 35 and follows a dual timeline between her time as a teenage until present day. The story did have elements of Emily Henry as this wasn't a clearcut sunshine and roses romance, it was a realistic story with the familiar twists and turns of life.

This book was really enjoyable! I'm giving it a 3.5 stars rounded up to four on here; there were just a few things that felt a little rough around the edges for me. The timeline jumps around a LOT, which is a bit hard to follow. The characters are great and I loved the romance, but I think the whole book could have been a little shorter for what it was. Some things just never get brought up again, and those could be cut out. I really enjoyed the character arc for our FMC though, definitely a bad*ss in more ways that one! Read this if you like second chance romance, what-ifs, and stories about people finding themselves.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is for readers who like to feel deeply. This story is about Maggie and her journey. While this is a romance, the story also has its share of drama. The story is told in multiple timelines as we get to know Maggie and the relationships she has with Garrett and Asher. These two men are from different points in her life and has made marriage pacts with both of the along the way. The author has written a book that delivered a lot of emotion, passion, heartbreak, yearning. We got to share in Maggie's life as she changes and grows and figures herself out. If you love romance, this one has those vast all consuming feelings which make for a standout romance.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

This was so cute! I have been leaning more toward picking up indie romances but this one had me in a chokehold. I am sucker for the tropes in this book and i devoured this in less than 24 hours. Highly recommend.

“Both of them felt like the best and worst parts of being in love.”

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a 5⭐️ read for the amount of times it made me cry alone. I walked into this story not knowing what to expect, but I felt every emotion while reading this book.

Maggie May is an aspiring musician who has been in love with two incredible men in her life. She also has a marriage pact with both of them. Asher - her childhood sweetheart and first love from summer camp and Garrett - the one with undeniable chemistry and the worst timing. The story follows Maggie when she turns 35 and flashes back to her teenage years and the time leading up to her 35th birthday.

I don’t want to compare this book to Happy Place, but it gave me the same emotional experience. I really loved have an FMC in her mid-thirties who is dealing with real human emotions. This wasn’t a neat and tidy love story, but a (while heart wrenching) lovely depiction of how messy love and life can be.

There are triggers for infertility, PTSD, and sexual assault.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

This book is written in such an interesting way. It follows Maggie, who is 35 and wants to have children. She made “marriage pacts” with two different men. Her teenage love Asher and Garrett, a man she fell for as an adult. The story is told in flash backs and the present - with chapter titles telling where we were age-wise.

First of all, I knew who she’d end up with at the end, but I do appreciate the last minute curve ball! This author writes very beautiful sentences with lovely descriptions and passion you can feel. I enjoyed this one, though it made me feel alone at 35 - haha.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.