Cover Image: Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I enjoyed this second chance romance with an order heroine. Because let’s face it we didn’t get enough of that in the romance genre.

Was this review helpful?

This was a pretty good read. Sizzling steamy romance. Love triangle. This was a good read but I didn't love the story as much as I expected. Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this look at dating in your 30s and figuring out your life! I really liked the main characters and I thought this was a fun twist on the rom com.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this unique romance novel. I would definitely classify this as a romance rather than a rom-com. It has much more depth than a typical predictable rom-com. The complexities of the love triangle between Maggie, Garrett, and Asher are well-written and intricately plotted. I loved how the different flashbacks slowly revealed more about the history of both relationships. At first, it seemed a bit confusing with the various flashback timelines, but as the story played out, it became clear why the author had structured the reveals of the story in that way. Unlike with your typical rom-com or romance, it was unclear until the very end how the story was going to turn out, and this uncertainty kept me intrigued and turning the pages. This novel is very open door and spicy, so be aware of that before diving in.

Was this review helpful?

In this second chance romance, Maggie makes a pact with her camp boyfriend, Asher. When they inevitably grow apart, Maggie forgets the pact and continues on with her life. Garrett also makes a pact with Maggie but when it comes time to deliver, Garrett is already engaged and Asher walks right back into Maggie's life. It's a moving second chance romance about discovering your true self and learning to put yourself first.

Was this review helpful?

This is a good book. The two main characters are Maggie and Asher. They have known each others for all their lives. Maggie is a singer and songwriter. Asher is an actor. They made a pact when they were teenagers that f they were not married by the age of thirty five, they would find each other and get married. Asher went looking for Maggie when she turned thirty five. They started dating. They did a movie together. They fell in love.

Was this review helpful?

The book Maybe Once, Maybe Twice was an enjoyable read. I would recommend any book written by Alison Rose Greenberg. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

Was this review helpful?

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice was a pretty typical contemporary romance. Maggie, an aspiring singer, celebrates her 35th birthday. 35, the year she'd said that if she wasn't married, she'd marry Garrett Scholl... or Asher Reyes. The problem is she made that promise to both Garrett AND Asher leading up to 35.

Throughout the book, we flash back to many of Maggie's birthdays to uncover her friendship with Garrett which at times, seemed like it could be more, and to her first-ever relationship with Asher back at summer camp. In the present, both Garrett (who's engaged) and Asher (who's famous) show up at Maggie's 35 birthday. Which one will keep their promise?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was published on October 3, 2023 (Oops!) :)

Was this review helpful?

This was cute! I enjoyed the dual timelines and I thought that following MC's that were singers was really fun. There were definitely times when I didn't know who she was going to end up with, which made the romance feel a lot more interesting, as well. I personally love following famous people, so that added a fun element. Although I loved the multiple timelines and felt it helped us learn more about the characters and their past relationships, it did sometimes get a little confusing to keep up with where we were in the story.

Ultimately this wasn't a new all time favorite, but still a sweet read!

Was this review helpful?

I may have found the genre of book that I never want to not read and want to shout from the mountains about. This was very real, and the first time I understood why the FMC was actually not telling her love interest an important thing. I loved this story and the boys (Garrett and Asher) and felt so much empathy for Maggie Vine. Also, I love a supportive and non-toxic best friend, so thank you for writing Summer so perfectly. I would read this again and again, and would recommend to everyone.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Sadly was unable to finish bc it was removed from my library before I could finish it. Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read the start of this book and I hope to finish read it in the future and give a full and proper review .

Was this review helpful?

Yikes. I'd leave it at that, but I'm not cruel enough to leave this review so bland. First, I did read and sort of liked Greenberg's prior novel Bad Luck Bridesmaid. It had promise. This story just left me struggling. I contemplated not finishing but with the holidays approaching, did I really want to end the year with a DNF? No, I'm a fighter.

What didn't work were the Heroine and at least 1 of her love interests. 1st love interest we're introduced to was a stereotypical beautiful man-child (the other is what I'll just refer to as cinnamon roll boy). I get that we're dazzled by his prettiness and studly swagger, but as he kind of stuck it through towards the end, we're cringing at the love affair and whether we want to root for this or not. Heroine flopped towards the end as she had to deal with past trauma. It was hard to not scream at her to rally and get it together. This part seemed like a convenient plot device. 1 - 1.5 stars.

I'm sad to not end the year on a high note with a good read and already searching for something that will save my year in books. As it was, I had to pick up other reads in-between chapters of this book to keep me entertained.

Was this review helpful?

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice has so much promise the the premise was intriguing but at the end of the day, the only story I cared about was Summer. I absolutely did not like the main character Maggie and her choices, although the trauma explains some of it but still it was so hard to get into this. The time back and forths make me absolutely crazy, I like a linear story and so it just didnt work for me but will work plenty for others. I loved and then hated both male leads as well. I just wanted something different than this ended up being, but I can see why others loved it. Read it and decide for yourself, but please check the trigger warnings first.

Was this review helpful?

Maggie Vine made a marriage pact with two different men at very different points in her life. But at age 35, these previous suitors show up in her life again and she's torn about who to choose — her first love or a man she's pined for for 12 years.
"Maybe Once, Maybe Twice" is an empowering story of love, loss and living. It's a somewhat angsty slow burn that ultimately pays off. The characters are so well-rounded and you'll inevitably find yourself rooting for Maggie whomever she chooses.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advance copy!

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me after trying to read it from the beginning on two different occasions, and not making it past the 20% mark.

Something about the writing style made it really hard to get into the story, and I found it difficult to relate to Maggie or particularly care about her troubles. I'm usually a big fan of stories with multiple timelines, but I think the many jumps between different ages threw me off and made it harder to follow or invest in the plot; I constantly forgot which age/year the chapter was focusing on.

I've mostly seen glowing reviews for this, so I'm clearly in the minority--maybe I'll attempt to pick this up for the third time in the future, but for now it's a pass.

Was this review helpful?

thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. At first I was put off by the non linear timeline of this story, but once I got used to it, I fell in love with the characters and the story. It shows how love and relationships can be complicated and not everything is what it looks like. It's a lighthearted read and you'll fall in love with the characters (at least I did).

Was this review helpful?

I love Alison Rose Greenburg so much and this second book I've read by her solidified her name on my fave authors list. I loved this story, although I didn't want to choose between the guys until I had to, lol. I can't wait for the next one!!

Was this review helpful?

This book kept me guessing up until the very end, I wasnt sure who to root for - is it Asher or Garrett who is her one true love?!? Definitely a good light hearted read!

Was this review helpful?

Maggie Vine makes a marriage pact with two different men at two very different points in her life. When they both show up on her 35th birthday, bearing promises underscored by the scars of lost love, Maggie must decide what path will make her heart whole.

No one delivers the perfect mixture of heartbreak and hope quite like Alison Rose Greenberg. Maggie’s analyzation of romance endeared me to her immediately. Throughout the novel, Maggie disentangles the difference between love forever and love for now. It’s a distinction that feels wholly relatable for anyone who has lost someone they thought could have been “the one.” Greenberg pours Maggie’s reflections and revelations into original songs with full lyrics included in the back of the book. The lyrics provide additional insight into how Maggie feels at certain moments and they are some of the most emotional lines of writing in the entire book.

Highlights:
-All the music references (Fleetwood Mac & Dave Matthews Band, to name a few)
-Maggie & Summer’s friendship
-Celebrity second chance romance
-Female characters unabashedly fighting for what they want
-A non-linear format, spanning decades

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I don’t have the words right now to decide how this book made me feel. I FELT so much.

Maggie makes a pact with two past loves to get married at 35. Well, both end up showing up.

Maggie has to not only choose between her first love or best friend but also try to figure out who she is and what she wants.

The writing is spectacular. The journey was heartbreaking, the romance was top notched between both relationships, the characters had so much chemistry, and I just cried because I felt so many things.

One of my favorite books this year.

Was this review helpful?