This was the first novel that I have read by Greenberg and I was in for a delight. Her writing style is one that pulls you into the page and doesn't let you go. Her characters are well-developed and lovable. They are genuine and relatable, which makes the read even more enjoyable to me. There are some hard topics that emerge and the author portrayed them really well. I would definitely classify this as a rom-com.

4.5/5 stars

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Funny, Heart wrenching, beautiful, cute.

My only complaint was there was a lot of sex and I don’t need to hear about her grabbing men’s dingalings.

Alison Rose Greenberg's novel, Maybe Once, Maybe Twice, explores themes of romance and self-discovery over a span of two decades. With a captivating narrative structure and a sense of mounting tension, the book delves into the concept of second chances and forging one's own path.

The story revolves around Maggie Vine, who finds herself making a vow to marry two different individuals at different stages of her life.
As fate would have it, both of them resurface, throwing Maggie's life into turmoil. At 35, Maggie strives to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer and a mother, but faces setbacks in both areas. When Garrett Scholl, a charismatic aspiring rock singer, enters the scene, Maggie's life takes an unexpected turn. However, Garrett is engaged to someone else, and Maggie realizes she may not fit into his preconceived life plan. Enter Asher Reyes, Maggie's childhood sweetheart, now a successful and private actor. When an opportunity arises for Maggie after reconnecting with Asher, she believes that everything she desires—music, love, and family—will finally fall into place. But her past refuses to release its grip without a fight.
Throughout the novel, my heart ached as Maggie searched for love in the wrong places, particularly with the wrong person. The story captures those moments of lingering on the "what ifs" in life.

I easily empathized with Maggie's character, experiencing the forbidden desire for Garrett and the longing for Asher, her first love. Each intense moment resonated deeply, evoking both heartache and tears as Maggie navigated her journey as the leading character.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice was such a lovely read! We all know by now, I'm a sucker for a great story that has music involved (looking at you, "The Happy Ever After Playlist" and "Daisy Jones and the Six"). The pacing is on the slower side throughout which I thought really works with the story (imo, it rarely dragged and was incredibly engaging). Because of the slower pace, it felt like the last few chapters were a little off and possibly wrapped up too quickly, but that would be my only complaint.
I am generally not a huge fan of love triangles, but it is done very well here and it's likely because the two men were not the main focus. Don't get me wrong, they were a huge part of the story, but I felt the main theme was Maggie and her love for music (ugh the music is so good, I made a playlist of all the existing music mentioned) among other themes. The marriage pacts seem like such a small part because Maggie was such a great MC and I love that we were on a journey with her to really find what she wanted out of life. I also loved that we were able to see so much of her friendship with Summer and how much of a positive impact she had on Maggie's life. Also, I want to mention that Garrett and Archer were both very different love interests from different times in Maggie's life, so it didn't seem like a redundant back and forth between the two men like it usually does with the love triangle trope.
The book is written with multiple timelines (I will also praise how this was done, it was so clear and concise. I have a tendency to get frustrated if I have to revert back to previous chapters to remember where we are, but the author chose perfectly here). I also thought the conflict built and resolved well without being dragged out. Between the lovely Maggie, the original (and existing) music, and Alison Rose Greenberg's beautiful writing and everything else mentioned, "Maybe Once, Maybe Twice" is easily one of my favorite books I've read this year. Definitely planning to read this again!

Absolutely loved Greenberg’s second novel! This story of love lost, found, lost, and found again was very heartfelt. I was conflicted as to how I would feel if either of the leading men were picked and everything ended up working out beautifully. There was a lot more spice in this novel and in Greenbergs debut, which, although unexpected, was still delighful.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is an easy-going beach read. I enjoyed most of the book, but the ending went by really fast and seemed rushed.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

''You know that old saying, “if we are still single when we’re 35, we should get married?” Well, Maggie Vine made that vow with two different people, at two very different stages of her life.

And they both showed up.

Maggie Vine’s life is going extra-medium. At 35 she’s pursuing her dreams of being a singer and being a mother―though neither is successfully panning out. So when Garrett Scholl―stifled hedge fund manager by day but electrifying aspiring rock singer by night―comes to her 35th birthday party with the intention to kiss Maggie senseless, it feels like one piece might click into place. Except he’s engaged to someone else, and Maggie knows she won’t fit into the cookie-cutter life he’s building for himself.

Enter Asher Reyes. Her first boyfriend from summer camp, turned into heartthrob actor, he’s lived a successful yet private life ever since he got famous. When a career-changing opportunity is presented to Maggie after her reconnection with Asher, it feels like everything―music, love, family―will fall into place. But her past won’t let her move on without a fight.''

This book is relatable. Not just the overall theme, but the little details. I also loved that we get a kickass moment of women handling their own issue that other books tend to write with a male (or female) saviour running in to save the day. (Minimal details as I'm not to spoil this scene).

I could sing this books praises all day and will certainly be recommending it to anyone and everyone.Oh, two delicious men and one huge dilemma!!! A wonderful little romance novel abounds here that is not too schmaltzy to read...even I was not sure who I would choose. (Most people I imagine would go for the potential billionaire unless they want to be in magazines with the Hollywood star and become semi-famous themselves. A great storyline means I will recommend this to my lovers of love books and chick-lit far and wide.


ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
******************************************************
Filled with the romance and angst that defines the years you come to know yourself, with a shifting timeline covering two decades and ratcheting up the tension, Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a novel of second chances and finding your own way.
You know that old saying, “If we are still single when we’re 35, we should get married?” Well, Maggie Vine made that vow with two different people, at two very different stages of her life.
And they both showed up.
Maggie Vine’s life is going extra-medium. At 35 she’s pursuing her dreams of being a singer and being a mother—though neither is successfully panning out. So when Garrett Scholl—stifled hedge fund manager by day but electrifying aspiring rock singer by night—comes to her 35th birthday party with the intention to kiss Maggie senseless, it feels like one piece might click into place. Except he’s engaged to someone else, and Maggie knows she won’t fit into the cookie-cutter life he’s building for himself.
Enter Asher Reyes. Her first boyfriend from summer camp turned into a heartthrob actor, he’s lived a successful yet private life ever since he got famous. When a career-changing opportunity is presented to Maggie after her reconnection with Asher, it feels like everything—music, love, family—will fall into place. But her past won’t let her move on without a fight.

Oh, two delicious men and one huge dilemma!!! A wonderful little romance novel abounds here that is not too schmaltzy to read...even I was not sure who I would choose. (Most people I imagine would go for the potential billionaire unless they want to be in magazines with the Hollywood star and become semi-famous themselves. A great storyline means I will recommend this to my lovers of love books and chick-lit far and wide.
#shortbutsweetreviews

I enjoyed the characters in this story, but felt that the boom drug. There was too much hopping back and forth with the timeline. Drug in parts and then rushed to tie up quickly.

4.25. There's a lot going on in this book - most of which I really enjoyed. I loved the back and forth chapters in the age of the Maggie the main character - it was a great development of character to see her at 14, 17, 29, 35, etc. and to flip back and forth. This book is about all the time in the world you think you have when you're 20 . . . and then all of a sudden you're 35 and your dreams and expectations didn't pan out then what?

Maggie has two forever loves in her life at different moments in time - I liked that the author made both of these men good people - and I was rooting for both of them at different times. Maggie is a song writer/singer and I absolutely loved how the author uses music as metaphors to life and moments in time. Music and art are very important to this book and I loved how the author incorporated the need for art.

Some harder topics in this book emerge as well and I think the author did a great job of identifying those hard topics and going thru the topics as well as suggesting therapy for some really hard things/thoughts. Very pro-mental health and its importance.

There are also some pretty darn funny scenes that I was giggling at and I appreciated the funnier moments in this book.

All in all a very fun good book that I really enjoyed. Thank you to NetGalley, Alison Rose Greenberg and St. Martin's Press for the ARC and the ability to read this great romcom book.

An ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“You stole my soul, and that’s a pain I could do without.”
We have Maggie our main character, Garrett the man she thought was her forever person, and then there’s Asher her childhood sweetheart.
This has a love triangle troupe, and I am not the biggest fan of those, but I understood that going into this book. The way the love triangle was executed is what made me dock it down to four stars instead of a five star rating. I didn’t 100% agree with who Maggie chose, but I won’t spoil that ending for you guys.
My heart ached throughout the entire novel. Maggie is chasing love in all the wrong places and more specifically with the wrong person.
We all linger on those “what if” type of moments.
I found myself diving straight into Maggie’s shoes as a character, and all I could feel was the forbidden desire for Garrett and those dangerous flirty blue eyes of his. Then the other half of my heart was longing for Asher the first love of Maggie’s life.
Every single intense moment made my heart ache and cry with Maggie as our leading lady.
I would totally recommend this book for anyone’s that’s looking for a romance book that will make you ugly cry but in a good way!

“‘Find someone who makes you laugh’ was a line I had always heard. But finding someone who made me see the world in psychedelic colors was equally intoxicating.” 
 
• 
 
Maggie Vine is a 35-year-old singer songwriter, who is still looking for her big break while also trying to navigate what her future looks like in terms of love and family. so when the two great loves of her life both show up because of separate marriage pacts she made with them (at very different times), she’s got some things to figure out. 
 
"Maybe Once, Maybe Twice" is an empowering story of love and loss and life, full of uplifting relationships and heartbreaking disappointments. it’s a story about betting on yourself by going after what you want and not settling for what’s easy or what makes sense to other people. it’s a story about believing in yourself, even when you’re scared.  
 
Alison Rose Greenberg writes top-tier relationships that are impossible not to love. I absolutely adore Maggie’s best friend, Summer, who embodies the type of friendship we all deserve: a friend who will be there for you without you even telling them you need them, and a friend who loves you unconditionally. 
 
when it comes to the boys: whether you’re Team Asher or Team Garrett, it’s undeniable that both of them contribute to Maggie’s journey in seismic ways. at different times, each is her muse, champion, and love. no spoilers, but my favorite guy wins, and it makes me so happy! 
 
but above all, it’s Maggie’s relationship with herself that I value so much. she’s confident and vulnerable and open to what the world has to offer, while also demanding that it give her what she deserves. she doesn’t just let life happen to her; she jumps on the stage and directs the show, even when it’s hard. she lives and loves out loud, and she’s not ashamed to turn up the volume.  
 
Maggie Vine is a supernova of color that will come crashing into your heart full force without apologies. She’s a heroine for the ages, and she’ll make you look at life through a kaleidoscope of hope and joy and vulnerability and messiness that will encourage you to be present, embrace the moments, feel the hurt, and cherish the love. you’ve only got one life, so don’t waste it on things that don’t make your heart dance.  
 
• 
 
read if you like: 
♡ a kickass female lead 
♡ betting on yourself 
♡ synesthesia  
♡ Trader Joe’s smashing s’mores (literally my fave) 
♡ music (especially 90s/00s. think: fallout boy, blink-182, dmb, deana carter) 
♡ great love, bad timing  
♡ women supporting women 
♡ Jewish representation  
♡ running away from engagement parties 
♡ rebellious ponies  
♡ beautiful goodbyes  
♡ hopeless romantics  
♡ NYC 
♡ friends that are family  
♡ big breaks 
 
trigger warnings: 
☞ infertility / difficulty conceiving  
☞ suicide  
☞ loss of loved ones 
☞ grief 
☞ absentee parenting  
☞ fear of abandonment  
☞ sexual assault  
☞ survivor’s guilt  
 
• 
oh, and I would be doing a huge disservice if I didn't mention the magic of music within this story. it will be a riot for people of all ages, but it will be especially enjoyable for children of the 90s and 2000s. The nostalgia will gut punch you, and you’ll be left with a desire to lay on your bed with your five disc CD player circulating through all your mixed CDs.
•

thank you to the author for sending me an early copy for my honest review!

It was okay but I wasn't feeling the thing with the 2 love interests, definitely wasn't the vibe. This was just meh for me. Barely meets 3 stars.

Two very different loves in two very different parts of life, both given the same marriage pact: if we aren’t married by 35, show up at my door.
At 35, Maggie never expected to be unmarried, finding out she might not get to have a baby, have her career going stagnant, and watching someone she loves get engaged to someone else. But when an old love comes back into her life, he could turn it all around for her - if she can get over some parts of her past.

Much like Alison’s last book (Bad Luck Bridesmaid), I really enjoyed this book! It is not as much as a rom-com but I love that! It has parts where I was laughing and parts where things were serious and my heart was aching for Maggie. At its core it followed a similar presence to her last book; always stay true to you!

I really enjoyed Maggie as the MC, she was level-headed, determined, fun, but also didn’t take herself too seriously. One love interest I adored, the other I thought was not that great and couldn’t understand why Maggie loved him so much - but I guess that lends itself well to the story so I shouldn’t complain!
My only critique was that I found the bulk of the plot was amped up and resolved within the last 5-ish chapters. I personally like the build-up to be throughout the novel rather than lumped at the end, but that’s just me!

Alison continues to make herself a staple authour when it comes to rom-coms and I hope others join in and love her writing as much as I do!

Thanks to NerGalley and St.Martin’s Press (SMP Romance) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own

Following Maggie's struggles to "have-it-all" was an emotional roller coaster.

Once I figured out that after each chapter number the bold spelled-out number referred to Maggie's age during that chapter it became easy to set myself for the right time period.

Maggie Vine is determined to be a successful singer/songwriter. Her journey includes her BFF Summer, two love interests Asher & Garrett, 2 producers. Maggie's life choices are influenced by her parents whose diverse child-raising styles left her at a disadvantage.

Definitely worth investing time in this character.

This is what Book Boyfriends are made of. This was a good book and I will be reading more from them. Read it today. you will find a new author to love.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When Maggie Vine made marriage pacts with two different men from different times in her past, she never imagined either pact going anywhere. But when both men turn up in her life on her 35th birthday, she is torn between the man who was her first love and the man she has loved for twelve years.

I received an advance copy of this book and was excited to dive into it after reading Alison Rose Greenberg’s debut novel, Bad Luck Bridesmaid, last year. I was not disappointed!

I am not a huge romance fan, but I LOVE romance written by Greenberg! Her characters are flawed and genuine and her writing style pulls you in from the first page. Maggie May, the protagonist, is a little bit Daisy Jones and a little bit Carrie Bradshaw and you cannot help but love her. Her relationships with Garrett and Asher are beautiful in their own ways, but the true love story of this book in the one between Maggie and her best friend, Summer.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc of this book. I loved every minute of it. 🤩

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg tells the story of Maggie Vine, who is a 35-year-old singer songwriter who is still searching for her big break. The novel follows Maggie throughout various points in time in her past, which all have shaped who she is at 35 and the relationships that exist at that time. While this book is a romance, I think the best part is that on two occasions you see characters choose putting their priorities first instead of the wishes of a partner. If you like references to 90’s music and/or parts of a story that takes place in Trader Joe’s, this could be the book for you!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for reaching out with an offer to read on NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: infertility, suicide (off-page), sexual assault.

I really enjoyed this story! I really felt the emotion of the characters and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I thought that this romance felt very realistic and I quickly fell in love with main characters.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

good romance and trying to figure out life at 35. I loved that she had such a great friend in summer. I also loved that she was trying to figure out pining for garret or another chance with a childhood friend Asher. I loved that she wrote songs from her life and figured out what she wanted. I adore who she picked . The timelines were a bit confusing at first.