Jessica Joyce does it again!!! Honestly there is just something so compelling about her writing, I literally become the emotions she puts on page and I spent several pages at the end of the book actively sobbing because it was just that amazing. I loved Georgia and Eli, their dynamic, the way they learn to communicate. It was just so beautiful and raw and powerful and I already can't wait until JJ writes another book!!! AH! Don't sleep on this it's just stunning.
Thanks as always to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the chance to read and review an early copy of this book!

4.5 stars! This is my favorite second chance romance book so far. Georgia and Eli's story was written so incredibly well!

From the start, the prologue hooked me in. The author does a great job giving readers glimpses of Georgia and Eli's past as a couple and leaves us guessing what happened throughout the book. There was such a natural development in their relationship in the present as an ex-couple and we can definitely see the hurt that is still left from when they were dating. I don't usually like second chance romance books because the reasons for couples breaking up are often difficult to believe or just plain silly, but this book has such a real and relatable quality to it. As Georgia and Eli start this book together, we can see why their relationship didn't initially work out but I really appreciated the growth that we get glimpses of in the present. We can also see how they took the time apart to find themselves and start healing and I think this book is a great example of the "right person, wrong time". I loved the self-discovery. I loved the growth. I loved the mental health representation. And I loved Georgia and Eli, both separately and together!

Both Georgia and Eli had such realistic worries and this made it easier to empathize and understand them both; I absolutely loved the emotional layer in this story. I also really liked how the author eventually explains what really happened. She's just so good at hinting throughout the book and the buildup, especially after their time together, is so brilliant. The last 30% of the book was such an amazing experience and I think it was because there was so much heartbreak/angst but in such a... good way? It was heartfelt, it was healing, and it was everything I needed to see why Georgia and Eli deserved to be together. It truly showed how much they love each other, from the beginning to end. I would have loved to see more of their friend group, especially since there is such a deep connection between them, but it was still so emotional and so heartwarming to see how everyone came together in the end!

My god, where to begin. I have been eagerly anticipating this one ever since I first heard about it cuz I just had a feeling it would be right up my alley.

Not only was it up my alley, it knew my address, it was in my driveway, it SLEEPS IN MY BED. THIS BOOK TURNED ME INSIDE OUT. I loved everything. I just adore second chance romance and this captures all the good and messy things about that trope PERFECTLY. Throw in a spattering of being-in-your-twenties-and-not-knowing-wtf-you’re-doing and How to Make Friends As an Adult and Loneliness™️, this is MADE for me (where is my Eli Mora).

Georgia and Eli were such fun, layered, and flawed characters that you couldn’t help but root for. Seeing the ebbs and flows of their relationship and how they are able to grow back together and grow UP together was beautiful.

Reader, I SOBBED. For no joke, an hour straight. The entire last 20% of this book had me in shambles. Everything came together so perfectly, THE PAPER RINGS???? HELLO???? TOOK ME OUT. The understanding and open-ness of their friendships with Jamie and Adam was amazing. Both Georgia and Eli being able to recognize their shortcomings and go after their happiness in mature, communicative ways. Be still my HEART. So freaking glorious.

My first Jessica Joyce book but certainly not my last! I love discovering Bay Area authors (the Blow the Whistle reference had me CACKLING). Just cannot say enough good things. Definitely will be one of my favorites of the entire year!

ALL THE STARS.

I made the mistake of picking this to read on a cross country flight. I was crying before the plane even took off. It had all the mutual pining and emotions that I could wish for.

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes (as well as childhood friends to lovers) and Jessica Joyce writes it so masterfully. The way that she combined a powerful prologue and then interspersed the memories of their failed relationship with the present day plot felt so fresh; and she told it all in a single POV without ever making you feel like you were missing out. I’d read this book 100x over. Not only are Georgia and Eli one of my favorite couples, but the entire cast of characters felt like people I’d want to (and be able to) hang out with in real life.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my copy to review.

I loved this book so much! I loved Georgia and Eli from the first chapter, and Jessica Joyce did such a great job of establishing their deep history from the beginning of the book.

While I may be biased as I’ve lived in the Bay Area for over a decade, I think Joyce really captured the magic of friends who become family and hold you through your messy 20s in this wild and weird place (she also gets bonus points because New Girl is my comfort show at the moment). Additionally, the Blue Yonder setting felt so real and I could feel the magic of summers spent on a vineyard through the pages. Yes, this was a love story, but also felt much like a love letter to the Bay Area.

The romance was incredible too and I found myself swooning and rooting for Georgia and Eli the book. The depth of their relationship and years of history made the miscommunication in this book so real and relatable - I almost never enjoy this trope but feel it was really well executed here! I also think it’s worth mentioning that the friendships in this story were so touching as well - I cried so hard two times and both were moments where Georgia was primarily dealing with her friends.

Overall this book was a true delight and I will be reading You With a View very soon!

I fear I shall never recover. I can’t wait to get my physical copy so it can help me soak up all these tears.

From the moment I cracked open this book, I was sucked into Georgia and Eli's world. And let me tell you, the feels? They hit me like a ton of bricks! I laughed, I cried, I swooned—I basically went through every emotion known to humankind. It was a wild ride, and I loved every second of it!

Georgia Woodward is all about her lists—they're like her lifeline, especially the one she has about her ex, Eli Mora. But when they're unexpectedly thrown together for their best friend Adam's wedding, all those rules go out the window. The chemistry between Georgia and Eli ignites once again, and suddenly, she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew.

The second chance romance trope here is amazing! Jessica Joyce absolutely nails it, weaving a tale of love lost and found again that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you rooting for Georgia and Eli every step of the way. Their chemistry is palpable, their banter is on point, and their journey is one I won't be forgetting soon!

The supporting characters in this book are just as compelling as the main duo. From their quirky best friends to the meddling relatives, each character brings something unique to the table, adding depth and dimension to an already rich story.

"The Ex Vows" is a romance novel that hits all the right notes. Jessica Joyce has crafted a story that's equal parts heartwarming and swoon-worthy, with characters you'll root for and a love story that will leave you breathless. Highly recommended!

Their mutual best friend is getting married unfortunately things keep going wrong. With a week left until their special day Adam enlists his best friends to help make a miracle happen. Georgia and Eli’s relationship has been strained to say the least since their breakup 5 years ago. They’ve managed to stick to a set of rules but that will inevitably change in Napa Valley where it all began. In between disasters Georgia starts to recognize the man she used to love, breaking the rules might not be so terrible after all.

It’s a bit early but I’m calling it, this will be one of my favorite reads of 2024. There is so much history and unspoken words between Eli and Georgia. I highly appreciate how they handled things after the breakup, trying to be adults about it. Their love for each other is evident and even though it wasn’t easy it made them stronger in the end. Both as individuals and eventually as a couple once again.

Eli’s unhealthy work life balance is what ruined their relationship and now he’s finally starting to deal with the damage it caused. Their relationship wasn’t the only thing that suffered his mental health also deteriorated. Normalizing therapy and mental health is so important and I love how the author wrote it into this story.

The ending is so GOOOOD I don’t know how to do it justice in my review without spoiling anything. It’s years in the making, so romantic and sweet. It gave me all the feels, I’m talking uncontrollable happy tears.

There is so much tension between Georgia and Eli and I’m glad to say it’s not too slow burn and very spicy!! The entire story is told from Georgias pov which works great imo.

I can’t recommend it enough, if you’re a romance reader this is a must read.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Jessica Joyce can do NO wrong in my mind.
I thought that I wouldn't ever find a romcom that I loved more than You With a View, and then i was proven wrong with this one.
Georgia and Eli are the perfect ex's to lovers story, and the fact that their lives were so intermingled with the other side characters, made it such a good read.

This is honestly the best second chance romance book I’ve read in a while, I just adore these characters so much,

Georgia has to be one of the most relatable fmcs I’ve read about in a while. She’s that character you just want to be best friends with.

The second chance aspect was written brilliantly! Not once was I bored with this story, it had my attention gripped throughout. Second chance romances are usually a hit or miss for me, but it was done so well here and I can’t fault it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. A second chance romance story that was well written and fun. The story and characters felt very real.

As soon as I finished this, I requested Jessica Joyce’s first book from the library. I feel like Joyce could be the next Ali Hazelwood or Emily Henry. This was a five star read for me. Only weird criticism: this book deserves a better cover.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced copy.

♾️⭐️
this is one of my favorite romance books I have ever read in my entire life. I was so honored to receive this arc and I picked it up as a silly lil romance between fantasy books, but I was SOOOO happy to be wrong about my initial expectations going into this book because it was so much more than that for me.

I connected so deeply to Georgia and her mental struggles. I found her so relatable and there were moments where I had to stop and look around my room to see if miss Jessica was watching and studying me because she was writing down the inner workings of my brain.

I also related so much to Georgia and Eli's relationship! Something about second chance just really does it for me (maybe it's cuz I believe everyone deserves a second chance, but ill analyze that later cuz this review is not therapy). I feel like it is a really hard trope to write and do right, but wow Jessica did not miss with this one. The reasons the characters were together were so real and honest and broke my heart over and over again as the story went on.

ALSO DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE PAPER RINGS!! I was SOBBING. I thought I was fine this that moment hit and I was a puddle of tears on the ground.

All around, I loved this! The plot, the characters, the love story, the friendships. Just everything was so perfect!

You With a View, the author's debut was one of my favorite romances of 2023. I also loved her holiday novella, A Risk Worth Taking. I love this one just as much and recommend reading all of them. Jessica Joyce has a beautiful way with words. This second chance romance is told from Georgia's point of view. Eli and Georgia are lovely. I loved how gently and deftly the author shared their history, their connection, and their commitment to helping make sure their best friend has the best wedding possible. There are themes of growth, understanding, and healing mixed in with a beautiful romance. The friends and family are wonderful, and I can't wait to read whatever comes next.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy. All opinions are my own.

Such a cute book, I loved it from the start. This is actually my first book by Jessica Joyce and definitely won’t be my last. I’ve come to realize that second chance romance is my favorite trope and this was so good! I highly recommend this one.

What better way to kick off the first day of spring than with a 5-star review?!?

Thank you so much to @jessicajoycewrites @berkleyromance and @netgalley for my #gifted galley and the opportunity to read and review this one early!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“But you deserve to let yourself feel whatever you need to. You can be messy. A disaster, if you need to. The people who love you will accept every single piece of it, I promise you.”

“We can be all those things - good, bad, easy and needy, okay or not on an endless cycle - and trust that the other will stay. Our circumstances are messy, but so is life. It doesn’t mean that we can’t love each other through it. We already are.”

Georgia and Eli have known each other for a very formative chunk of their lives. Meeting at 15, the two of them, accompanied by their third musketeer, Adam, traversed the highs and lows of young adulthood. When they meandered from friends to lovers in college, Georgia and Eli knew they had a lot to lose if their relationship didn’t work out, but high on the dream of building a new life together in NYC, they took the plunge.

Fifteen months later, after months of distance, soul-crushing work hours and lack of communication, Georgia’s worst nightmare came true: She not only lost one of her best friends, but also their relationship, romantic or otherwise.

Now, five years later, the three musketeers are being reunited for Adam’s wedding, and Georgia isn’t sure what she thinks about being in such close proximity to Eli for a week, the longest they’ve been near each other in years. But as the wedding plans begin to crumble, Georgia and Eli vow to do their very best to make Adam and Grace’s wedding perfect, even if that means working together.

Will they be able to put the past behind them?

✨My Thoughts✨

Gah, I loved this book so much! Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and this one absolutely delivered. It gave me Emily Henry Happy Place vibes, and though it didn’t have the Emily Henry banter, it had the Jessica Joyce depth and emotion I adore.

I could feel the tension and pain between Georgia and Eli, and as a reader, I loved seeing how they worked through their own individual issues, as well as issues pertaining to them as a couple. Their chemistry and emotional connection was also so wonderful, and I loved how they knew each other like the back of their hands.

The mental health rep in this one is great, and I thought Adam, Grace, Jamie, Blake and even Cole helped give a stronger, more developed picture of our two main characters. What a great, supportive friend group!

Let's not forget all of the wedding disasters that befall them along the way, as well! It added levity, but also a truly touching and emotional aspect to the story, and I loved it. And that ending ... chef's kiss!

I loved Jessica's debut, You With a View, and with this stunner of a sophomore hit, she's become an autobuy author for me. Don't wait - pre-order your copy of The Ex Vows today because you won't want to miss it in July!

a cute second chance romance that i did not expect to sweep me off my feet. this book had be giggling, swooning, kicking my feet and puching the air from the sheer excitement and anticipation. their chemistry had me running laps.

the ex vows is a light emotional second chance romance that absolutely deserves your first chance. Jessica Joyce wrote perfection in paper that one would not want to miss out.

thankyou netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

when i first read You, With a View by Jessica Joyce, i loved it! it gave me heavy Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry vibes, and if you didn’t know… those are two authors i absolutely LOVE. so i enjoyed You, with a View. However, The Ex Vow didn’t feel like Emily Henry VIBES, it felt like a version of Happy Place that i just really did not enjoy. I’m a second chance romance girl through and through but reading this just felt like.. I already have Happy Place and it felt more impactful and heartfelt.

THIS. IS. HOW. YOU. WRITE. A. ROMANCE. BOOK. You wanna know why this author is quickly becoming my obsession, just read her latest book and see how magical she is with words. I have never read a book where from the beginning the tension and angst grabbed at my heart and never let go.

Eli and Georgia were the epitome of right people wrong time. As someone who has dated a person while transitioning from young adult to full adulthood, I felt this book captured the emotional struggles of balancing life and work. The personal struggles felt raw and real and these characters dealt with everyday challenges every millennial has faced.

This book is the perfect balance of sweet, emotional, and spicy. It’s one of the best books out there and it’s one that every romance lover should read and easily one of my favorite books ever. This author is phenomenal at writing a book that will pull you in and never let you go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC

I had the opportunity to meet the author last year at a Romance convention, and she is incredibly sweet in person. I was extremely excited to read her book, as I have developed a fondness for second-chance romance. This story revolves around Georgia and Eli as they endeavor to salvage their best friend's wedding from disaster, all while rekindling their own love. I found myself deeply engrossed in the characters and captivated by their friendships and idiosyncrasies; however, the narrative hit a snag around the 60% mark. The pacing began to drag, prompting me to skip ahead in anticipation of reaching the story's conclusion. Unfortunately, the ending failed to compel me to revisit the earlier parts of the story. I believe this book could have benefited from being shorter. The author possesses a beautiful writing style, but I wish the story had been more concise.

I wanted to be obsessed with this one but alas I found it to be just okay. While You With a View was a fast favorite, nothing in particular about the Ex Vows drew me in. In fact, I almost DNF’d but found myself just curious enough to keep going. I’m glad I did because ultimately the last 30% or so hooked me, but frankly taking nearly 70% of the book for the plot to be intriguing means this wasn’t really worth my time. Did I like it in the end? Yes. But I don’t think I’ll be picking up a copy for myself.