perfection!!!!

this was one of the sweetest, most romantic, yearning-filled books i've read in a long time. also it felt magical but is not a magical realism romance?? that's saying something!! i loved both the past and the present storylines and felt myself swept away by liam and paige's story. i absolutely adored the way paige approached music and songwriting and how passionate she is about it. plus how she finds herself throughout the summer??? so good.

i love LIAM so much!! i want to give him a hug. the way he loves paige is inspiring. the way he cares for her and pushes her. ugh what a man!!

i could have read 100 more pages of this book and not gotten tired of it. such an incredible story that i'm so obsessed with now.

thank you so much SMP romance & Netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.

I have to start by saying that second chance is one of my least favorite tropes. I just find the reason for the initial break up almost always seems to be something that could have been resolved with a conversation. However, I really enjoyed this book. I’m a sucker for a guy who is gone for his girl, especially if he’s been pining for years and Liam had been crazy about Paige for so so long. I also really liked the format of the flashback chapters that really immersed the reader in their original relationship. I’m a rare one who far prefers single POV as it makes the tension so much stronger. Overall a really enjoyable book.

This is my first Clare Gilmore book and it certainly won’t be my last. I received this Advanced Readers Copy via NetGalley. It releases Oct 28, 2025.

Someone please explain to me why Clare Gilmore keeps writing characters that I'm wholly obsessed with? I want to be friends with these women and I wish these men were real

I love a second chance romance and I really liked the way that Clare set the dual timeline - having Paige and Liam find their way back to each other while also showing us their beginning and end intertwined made me emotional! What I liked nearly as much as the romance was the sisterhood - seeing Paige grow through both timelines as a friend and a sister and really try to come into her own was just as important as her time with Liam.

I think Paige and Liam just inspired me to take a few more risks.... Thank you, Clare Gilmore and St. Martin's Press, for the arc!! Immediately putting this one into my reread pile!

This was SO CUTE.

What a perfectly plotted second chance romance, with the flashback chapters executed well in what they revealed as the story progressed. Paige and Liam are just - I think I have no words for their level of cute perfection together.

I really liked the music part of the story, Paige's songwriting and the way it's interwoven into her entire being. Clare Gilmore's writing pulled me in, kept me entertained and giggling, and also kind of emotional at times, and I just enjoyed reading this a lot.

Thank you NetGalley/St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this I read.

Dual timeline, second chance romance, forced proximity + only one bed, some spicy scenes, and one of the best epilogues to ever exist for a book is what you can look forward to when you add this to your TBR <3

A cute and fun second chance romance! This book definitely had its good moments, but I think I found myself not drawn to the main characters which made me not enjoy it as much. I did love the growth of the FMC, Paige and her journey with songwriting though!

A gorgeous depiction of second chances, sisterhood, self discovery and the power of taking risks.

Clare Gilmore’s writing reads like a balm to my soul. The way she creates a bubble of comfort in her characters, surrounds them with community and patient strength to overcome the challenges before them.

Paige & Liam are layered with complexity and felt so very real to me. Paige’s pov was so very important to me because I could relate to her so much as someone with so much passion to share but struggles to release it into the world. Her journey to vulnerability was so raw and tangible and I love how her partnership with Liam and relationship with her sisters led her to finding the strength within herself to reach her fullest potential. Liam as an MMC was a DREAM! Every time he spoke, I was a puddle and I loved how he never failed to believe the absolute best was in store for Paige. A man who wants you to WIN >>>

Lastly, that epilogue?! The power of the butterfly effect is so real. If anyone has ever questioned how their existence, no matter how big the ripple, can affect the environment around them, I would beg them to read this book just for the impact of the epilogue. My heart burst wide open in my chest reading those last few pages.

Read if you like:
— Second chance
— Musically artistic FMC
— Baseball player MMC (bonus points for being v flirty)
— Banter
— Love confessions via songwriting
— Found family
— Sisterhood
— Invisible string

Content warnings:
Death of a parent (MMC’s dad/ off page but referred to throughout)

This book gave me all the feels. I need Liam to be my boyfriend! This had the sibling relationship drama, absent parents, found family and the second chance romance. Sometimes I found myself having to double check if I was reading the Then or Now, but it wasn’t distracting enough to take away from the plot. This was my first Claire Gilmore book and won’t be the last!

Let’s start at the end because this book is on the list of favorite epilogues. I’m usually not a huge fan of song lyrics in books but the importance that music plays in this book and their story was so real. The way it connects and shapes people. It was all done so well and had me so emotional. I’m obsessed with Liam and Paige and their love story. They felt connected from the very beginning and every moment through the years, even when they weren’t together. Every time either of them talked about the 4 years they were apart it was fucking heartbreaking. I love that it didn’t take them too long to start being vulnerable with each other and you could tell how grateful they were to be getting a second chance. Watching these two come back together after a past that understandably tore them apart was too good. Also because ultimately they had to acknowledge how important their past was to the people they were destined to become. Liam is the definition of support, he was truly Paige’s biggest fan and the way he pushes her to her potential even when he knows the risk is a level of love that is admirable. The tour setting was a new one for me and I thought it set up for so many pivotal moments for Paige’s character. Clare’s writing is some of my favorite. If Liam were to ask- 100% in love with Never Over today and for the foreseeable future.

Thank you @netgalley and @st martins press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Never Over is out in October and it’s a must read!


🎶🎶🎶
second chance
dual timelines
forced proximity
tour setting
only one bed

When I tell you this book wrecked me in the best of ways, just to put me back together, I'm not exaggerating.

I wasn't able to put it down and devoured it in about a day.

Paige and Liam will live in my head rent-free for the foreseeable future, I'm sure of it.

Paige is a songwriter and her biggest dream is to sign with a publisher and live a quiet life writing songs for others. When she gets THE call from a music industry professional, she is told her songs lack depth. So she finds her ex, Liam, because he was the muse for the best song she's written so far. The thing is, they haven't spoken since they broke up four years ago. Liam agrees to help her but has some conditions.

The novel jumps between the past and the present. We get to witness both Paige and Liam's character growth and how they reconnect with each other after four years of no contact.

I thought this book was exceptional and the relationship Paige and Liam build throughout the novel is heartwarming. The tension between them is palpable, and I loved every second of it.

And the epilogue! Omg, the epilogue was perfection. After I read it for the second time, I stared at the ceiling for the better part of an hour and that wasn't enough time to process it. Still processing, actually.

Never Over shows us the ripples of our actions, and the effect they have on the life of others.

If I could give this book a million stars, I would.

Thank you NetGalley and Claire Gilmore for the e-ARC.

Never Over hooked me immediately and served up a heartfelt second chance romance that had me swooning. The chemistry between Paige and Liam was apparent throughout the story and I was desperate to find out what their breaking point had been and whether they were able to overcome it the second time around. The dual timeline really helped to further the plot, and the past and present scenes flowed together beautifully. I really liked the dynamic of a songwriter searching to be reinspired by the boy who broke her heart and his fervent desire to mend what had been broken. I fell hard for both characters and couldn't help but root for them to come out stronger in the end.

There were a few factors that kept this from being a five-star read for me, though I had a wonderful time regardless. Firstly, I didn't feel that the fight that caused their initial breakup was severe enough to warrant Paiges reaction and subsequent radio silence for 4 years, especially if their bond was as strong as she claimed. I really thought Maisy had played a larger part in their demise with the way that they danced around her character. I also disliked the tone of the epilogue. While I enjoyed the way the story ended, I felt that it would have been much more effective as seen through the eyes of someone who was touched by Paiges music, rather than a random third person narrator who felt like they were talking at me. It really removed me from the feel of the story, which was a shame as it felt like the book ended on a bad note, even if I enjoyed the way everything worked out.

Full disclosure: I love baseball, but country music...... is probably my least favorite genre LOL (sorry guys), and I'm a big music lover too! Not saying that I never listen to it, but rarely. That said..... if Clare Gilmore writes it, I will read it. Clare has quickly and easily become one of my top favorite romance authors over the last year – first with LOVE INTEREST, then PERFECT FIT.... and now with NEVER OVER – and I *desperately* wish & want for her to be catapulted to more widespread RomCom stardom à la Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, and Rachel Lynn Solomon. I love the Second Chances trope and I absolutely adored this book! Clare has a way of writing characters, whether main or secondary, that just.... truly leap off the page, full of life and multi-dimensional energy. I laughed so much. I highlighted so much. I felt their yearning, their anxiety, their love. And the SETTING! While reading all 3 of her novels, I honestly have always been a bit left in awe at how well Clare sets the stage and paints such a full picture of where the characters are at; it's never just a non-specific "background," if that makes sense. In a world where romcoms in particular can easily fall victim to blurring together/all sounding the same, it's this extra level of detail and care that sets Clare Gilmore and her stories stand out the most for me. This review is free from spoilers and thus will most likely be added to &/or revised once pub day hits, but I encourage all my romance lovers (and general readers alike!) to give this one a shot because it's just.... aces. Absolutely aces. 💫💫💫

I have to be honest that in the first few chapters, I was worried this one wasn't going to be for me. But in Clare Gilmore I must trust, because this was so great. It's a dual timeline, second chance romance, with an amazing take on a few classic tropes: fake dating and only one bed, most notably.

There is a lot to love here - Liam and Paige are (mostly) great at communicating. He shows up for her and then keeps on showing up, even when it's hard. I also really liked the exploration of what it looks like when your version of the future is unattainable, either because it's too scary or because it's no longer an option.

My only beef, besides the slow start, was that I wanted a slightly more robust epilogue. I liked where we got with Liam and Paige in present day, but the epilogue felt a little too pat and more focused on style over rounding out the substance of their story.

4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I'm a fan of Clare Gilmore and was happy to get this new book a read. It was a second change romance filled with lighthearted moments and deepe reflective relationship discussion. This was a sweet romance but for me, I was a little put off by the speed of the relationship. Overall, this was a 3.5 star read for me. Some great moments but some that just fell as little flat for me.

CLARE GILMORE CAN DO NO WRONG!!

I went into Never Over expecting to love it and I am so happy that I did.

Clare Gilmore has a knack for writing beautifully flawed and real characters and having them fall in love in the most romantic ways. Her MMCs are always exactly what I need and her FMCs are always incredibly relatable. The ache I felt for Liam and Paige as they got to fall in love with each other all over again!!

I loved the admittedly somewhat bonkers set up of Paige tracking down Liam after 4 years apart so he could make her fall in love with him all over again, with the planned end game being that he breaks her heart. All in the name of inspiring her so she can write better music. SOLD!

I loved following them on the road from concert to concert. The forced proximity of it all was exquisite!

The way Liam is with Paige is so soft, so tender.. and so hot. I want to spread this man on toast and have him for breakfast, lunch and dinner. *bites fist*

I related to Paige so much, and she had me crying quite a bit.

The writing was fantastic, immersive and utterly perfect. I could not put this book down.

I highly recommend picking this up in October... but while you wait, I definitely think you should pick up Love Interest and Perfect Fit by the author! She is 3 for 3 for 5 star books.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin for the ARC of Never Over by Clare Gilmore. This was such a cute second chance romance. I don"t usually like books with music/musicians in them but this was a delight. Each character felt incredibly real and the story swept me away from the first page. I will be shocked if this isn"t a book that everyone goes crazy for.





::

Let me tell you I was hooked from the first chapter and I knew this would automatically be a 5 star book. This is a second chance dual timeline book that follows Paige and Liam. In the past they are in their 20s. Liam is the star pitcher at Belmont University and Paige is a waitress at a local restaurant. Liam sees Paige from afar and follows her into a bookstore to meet her. He is so down bad for her that he does anything to keep talking to her. Paige who has always lived in the shadows of her friends and family thinks he is talking to her to get to her best friend Maisy. When he asks for her number she gives him Maisels number and doesn’t see him for over a year. Like kismet they run into each again at a house party. He is still down bad for her and will do anything to have a shot with her. Now we jump to the future where Paige has an offer for a record deal but needs to improve her songs. She thinks back to the last song that moved her and that is when she broke up with Liam. She makes a plan to find Liam and date him again so she can write more emotional songs. This man is obviously still down bad for her so he says yes but has her at arms length because he already had his heart broken once. Through this story you get to see them fall in love not once but twice.

Read this book if you like:
- second chance romance
- dual timeline
- one bed

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Griffin for the ARC of *Never Over* by Clare Gilmore! I was excited to read this book because I really enjoyed Gilmore's previous works, such as *Perfect Fit* and *Love Interest*. This book was truly emotional; I felt every emotion experienced by the main characters, Paige and Liam. The alternating perspectives of the past and present effectively tied the story together, illustrating how these two individuals navigated different stages of life. I found myself racing to the end to find out what would happen next. Even though I could predict the conclusion, I was still delighted with it! I felt such pride in Paige for overcoming her obstacles and rooted for her throughout the entire story. Reading it was like watching a movie!

This was such a cute second chance romance! I don't usually like books with music/musicians in them, but this was a delight! It felt fun and fresh without being overbearing. The chemistry between both characters also felt so palpable and had me turning the pages as fast as I could. I loved all their moments together, especially the quiet ones and it was so heartwarming. Definitely recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

For my first experience with a Clare Gilmore book, I have to admit I’m a smidge disappointed. Now don’t get me wrong Never Over was an easy romcom to read. And overall I like Claire’s writing style enough where I can see myself checking out her back catalogue. However, overall I found Never Over to be a smidge boring and at times way too cheesy for my liking. To make matters worse the book contains dual timeline and I struggle when books jump around like this. And regretfully the way it was handled here was a bit of mess.

Besides the mess of the dual timelines I also struggled with our main characters. Paige in particular was a difficult one for me. I found her to be un-relatable and at times way too selfish. I will give her some props I would never have the guts to go up to one of my exes and ask them to re-break up with me just so I can get song lyrics content. Speaking of that particular ex, Liam was actually my favorite part of the entire book. I honestly wish he got more screen time. I also think Liam is better off without Paige. But what can we do?!?

Lastly, the epilogue. I may get slack for this but I don’t care. I honestly would’ve been happy just reading the epilogue instead of the entire book. I was originally only going to give this book two stars until I got to the epilogue. The ending was cute, adorable and wrapped everything up nicely. And because of it I’m leaving this book a 3 ⭐️.

Overall, this isn’t my favorite romcom. But I think if you’re a swifty this would be a perfect romcom for you so definitely check it out. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & St Martins Press for a review copy!

4.5!
“i love you too, paige. invariably. i have loved you like you were beside me, even when you weren’t”
this was so stunning. this book is like a master class on how to write YEARNING and LONGING. i have SO many highlights from this book. i swear every page had a quote i wanted to underline and share. i LOVE second chance romance and this was just done so so so well.
it’s dual timeline so we get to read about them falling in love in the past and them reconnecting in the present. the love was just soooo BELIEVABLE and BEAUTIFUL.
i thought the plot was so unique and fun as well. but it’s also pretty deep and moving and the epilogue had be in TEARS!!
i will be shocked if this isn’t a book that everyone goes crazy over.
i loved the growth and development that liam and paige went through. the conflict that broke them up was a little frustrating but also understandable.
i looooved the discussion of art and creating so so much!!
the only thing i didn’t love was how much spice is in it! i went into it not knowing how much spice there would be and there was 4 open door scenes with some other explicit scenes as well. i skipped right over the major scenes but there was some other references and stuff thrown in throughout that i didn’t like. that being said, i do like that the author really makes these two FALL IN LOVE before they do anything physically.