I just loved this story. Told alternately between current day and four years before, it is a beautiful story of love and trust, music and following your heart and your passions.

💞 Single POV (First person)
💞 Past/Present timeline - which works surprisingly well
💞 Man down BAD for his woman
💞 Character driven
💞 SPICY
💞 Second Chance
💞 Fake/Not Fake Dating - it makes sense if you read it

Y'all!!! This book right here is so good. Like really, really good.

I always worry a second chance, especially one where we bounce between now and then, is going to be a struggle for me. Clare Gilmore does an excellent job of keeping you right on the edge while also feeding you just enough of what you want to keep the story going.

We get the entire book from the FMC's perspective. This is highly important given the way things play out (no spoilers) between her and the MMC, as well as all of the people overlapping their lives.

Our FMC, Paige, is the youngest of five girls. Each interaction feels so authentic between her and her siblings. By the end you can feel the growth and change for each on the page.

Liam, our MMC, is also a youngest child, which they quickly bond over. His relationship with his family is different - more strained due to REASONS.

Paige and Liam had a *thing* back in the day. Life happened, which led to them breaking up. When Paige realizes the only truly beautiful song she's written was after their separation, she decides having him break her heart again is the best way to find the magic again.

This is where I'm going to drop some spoilers for those who need it. <spoiler> They get spicccyyyy both in the past and the present for this book. During the separation they are with other people. In fact we see what some might consider the OW on the page befriending the FMC. It isn't don't badly, though I was startled by it because of how adamant Liam was about Paige being it for him. The man has it BAD for her either way. Plus there's no drama there. It's honestly barely a mention, but dropping for #safetysquad folks. </spoiler>

ANYWAY, back to the program. The couple in this book is so real. They're flawed and they grow, both apart and together IMO. It took me by surprise how I could not put this book down. I flew threw it because I HAD to know how it ended.

The Epilogue.... just grab your tissues now. I mean, I wasn't bawling but WHEW, the author really wrapped things up in such a unique and beautiful manner.

Read this if you like Hannah Bonham Young's heartfelt stories + Tarah DeWitt's character development + Becka Mack's Carter-level obsession in Consider Me.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin), and Clare Gilmore for the chance to review this eARC.

I enjoy Clare Gilmore. Her latest, Never Over is out this fall and it’s one to pick up on publication day. It was a great read.

“All of this, and so much more, because on a warm, rainy day, on a sidewalk in downtown Knoxville, the college pitcher saw a girl out of the corner of his eye.”

This book was incredible. I don’t normally even like second chance romance stories, but Never Over was impossible to put down. I was hooked from the very beginning, and in tears by the epilogue.

Never Over tells the story of Liam, a former collegiate baseball pitcher and current stage hand, and Paige, a waitress and recent music school graduate who isn’t quite sure who she wants to be. Paige gets feedback on her songwriting that makes her realize she’s uninspired. She seeks out the source of the last good song she wrote, and goes to ask Liam, who she hasn’t so much as spoken to in four years, to break her heart again.

The pacing of this book was perfection. The way the story of their relationship was told made me so anxious to keep reading and find out what happened. The side characters felt well-fleshed out, and Liam and Paige’s challenges felt viscerally real. I liked how long it took them to make breakthroughs in their respective insecurities and triggers, and I loved their relationship on page. And might I add, you’re all going to fall in LOVE with Liam. He’s a top tier book boyfriend and I need someone like him in my life immediately please.

This was a very, very strong romance novel. I want to shout out the epilogue - I’ve never read an epilogue quite like it in a romance novel, and now I want all romance novels to end like that. It made me cry. I won’t say more about it to avoid spoilers, but it may have been my favorite part in what is now one of my new favorite books.

I recommend this to fans of true love, songwriters, complex character development, and happy endings.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and Clare Gilmore for the advanced readers copy provided in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Clare Gilmore is officially an auto-buy author for me! She’s in the leagues of Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry. She has a knack for writing emotional, thoughtful, and charming romances. I’m normally not one for second chance romance, but I think Clare knocked it out of the park. I love how her characters are never perfect or too “shiny” — they’re flawed and have to work through their past experiences before they can have their HEA. Paige’s imposter syndrome was very relatable, and I loved seeing her grow throughout the novel. I wish we had gotten to spend more time with Liam and Paige in the present, and it was a bit hard to keep all of the characters’ names straight in my mind between the bandmates, the crew, and the sisters. Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced copy, and I’m super excited to see what Clare has in store next!

DAREISAY MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2025? This was yet another beautiful story by Clare Gilmore. I was absolutely in love with Liam and Paige, and I felt so emotionally connected to them. Their story was so emotional and beautiful. Clare Gilmore has the wonderful talent of creating flawed and real characters who you can’t help but love.

Normally, I don’t love a second-chance romance, or anything having to do with the music industry/songwriting in general. I think it has the potential to get very cringey, very fast, but MAN! If anyone can make me rethink tropes I don’t love, it’s Clare Gilmore!!!! Mark your calendars for November!!!!!

Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC! You’ve made me a very happy girl💗

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and Paige and Liam's story is one of my favorites. I loved the dual timeline where we got to see their from 4-5 years ago along with the present. Paige and Liam met in their early 20s, and they fell in love, but things ended for them. Paige is an aspiring songwriter, and when she tries to write meaningful songs, she decides to find inspiration with Liam. Liam inspired her to write amazing songs, but without him, she feels unable to put her feelings into songs. Her lyrics are basic and without heart behind them.

When she sees Liam at a concert, she discovers that he has become a tour manager. He agrees to date her, and she goes on tour with him. As they share hotel rooms and only one bed, their feelings for each other return, but they have rules that involve not even kissing each other. The slow burn is so worth it because sparks fly when they kiss each other again.

The past timeline works so well because we get to see the start of their relationship and how things ended. It adds so much context to the story, and I enjoyed both timelines equally. Even though the story is single POV, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.

The epilogue is beautiful, and it made me cry! It was so emotional.

I enjoyed this book and the growth both main characters had throughout the book. However, I didn’t ever fully connect with the FMC. I did enjoy the friend group aspect of the book. It did at times get confusing to keep track of all the characters (siblings and friend group). Overall, I would rate this 3.75 stars.

I wasn’t too sure about this one at the start, but I was completely invested by the end. That epilogue was so beautifully written!

The second chance romance develops very quickly, but the connection between Liam and Paige felt so heartwarming and real. Outside of their relationship, the story explores family dynamics and sibling relationships, which I always adore.

I discovered Claire’s first two books last fall and devoured them within a couple days so I was extremely excited to read Never Over. It took me a few chapters to get into the “can’t put this down” vibe but once I was there I was hooked. I think Claire did a perfect job with the time changes between chapters and gave the reader all the necessary details to build relationships without making it feel like certain parts dragged on. I also love that Paige didn’t change her thoughts on performing at the end. A cute read withe plenty of main and side characters to fall in love with and relate to. I just wish I could hear Paige’s songs in real life!

I enjoyed this ARC so much! I am an absolute sucker for a second chance romance. The characters and chemistry were very real and I blew through this in a day. This is the second book I have read from Claire Gilmore and I preferred this one. I also loved the back and forth between present day and the past. My only feedback was that there were so many secondary characters (specifically all of the sisters and tour members ) and I had a hard time keeping them straight.

This book is easily one of the most delightful and heartwarming stories I’ve read in a long time! From start to finish, it flows effortlessly, with a plot that unfolds at just the right pace. The development of the characters and their relationships feels completely natural and authentic, making the journey all the more engaging. Everything comes together beautifully, leaving you with a sense of joy and fulfillment. If you’re searching for a truly charming read, this story is an absolute must.

Never Over by Clare Gilmore is the perfect second chance romance and my new favourite book by the author. Paige and Liam had met 4 years earlier and their time together ended with a couple of broken hearts. Paige who is so close to earning a song writing contract is told that her lyrics are missing something, leading her to reconnect with the person who both inspired her and set her on her current career path. The dual timeline really works with this story as the reader gets to see over time how Paige and Liam initially got together and what inevitably led to their break up all while seeing them connect again in the present day. The main characters show growth and vulnerability. The book was also a beautiful reminder of how important and influential music and lyrics can be - with the epilogue alone deserving 10/10 stars.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

A cute, quick, and easy read. While the main trope is a second chance romance, there is also a large focus on the main character, Paige, finding her own voice and courage.

While I was excited to read this book, it ultimately fell flat for me since I never connected with Paige. I found her selfish (e.g., asking Liam to break her heart without thinking how it might hurt him). And while it was intentional for the story, her insecurities and lack of clear personality made it hard for me to feel invested in her and her story.

Thank you to Clare Gilmore, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC of Never Over.

Oh, my gosh. I wasn't expecting to like this book a much as I did. I've read another by her and it was fine, but THIS ONE! The word that comes to mind when I think about it is tender. Everything was handled with care and it wasn't fluff, but still fun, but also had depth. A perfect blend executed beautifully. I'm usually not a big fan of second chance romance because I feel whatever issue kept them apart was easily resolvable, but this one was more believable and just, like I said, very well done. I loved Liam. Loved loved loved. An easy 5 stars for me.

Wow.

Clare Gilmore has been getting better with every novel and Never Over really just hit it out of the park. Second chance romances, especially ones with past/present timelines, are usually a hard sell for me, but this one subverts all of the things I hate about that trope in the best way. Usually when an author is employing past/present timelines, they hold back information from the reader so that they can have some big explosion that parallels what’s happening in the present. This book doesn’t do that and I really appreciate it. You know why they broke up, you’re just along for the ride to find out why. I also find it really easy to resonate with the reason why they broke up, and you can find it extremely believable that these two people would want to find their way back to each other. A lot of other second chance romances have this huge betrayal that you could never understand why someone would want to come back from it. The betrayal in this book is something you can empathize with on both sides, which is SUCH a strength in this type of story.

Aside from all of that, this book is just so romantic. The way Liam and Paige love each other and have loved each other is just so good. Liam just wants the best for Paige. He wants her to see herself as the main character in her own story because that’s how he sees her. Paige wants Liam to be happy and comfortable. Their relationship just feels so healthy. Going into their second chance, they’re so clear with their communication, which is another good way this book subverts usual executions of this trope in my opinion.

I’m excited for whatever comes next from Clare Gilmore. This book made her an auto buy author for me!

Another amazing book by Clare Gilmore!!! As a Belmont grad and continuing Nashville resident, I loved the ties to Belmont and the Nashville music scene. It felt like a piece of home in book form. Gilmore perfectly described how sometimes we need a community just as much as a community needs us even if we can’t see it for ourselves. I appreciated the dual-timelines and the vulnerability that this perspective helped capture. Another 5 star read for me!

Paige and Liam’s story just might be my favorite from Clare Gilmore yet! Both Paige and Liam had their own emotional complexities to face individually that impacted their relationship, and I loved how Gilmore took the time to realistically address their feelings and experiences head on - both with themselves, their families, their friends, and most important, with each other.

Following Paige and Liam on tour across the country was such a fun backdrop for their fake-relationship, second chance, one bed only trope (IYKYK). With every stop on their journey, I cheered their growth, honestly, and growing renewed love for one another. Relationships aren’t easy, and but Gilmore shows that they can be very worth it - and that sometimes, the impact your love has ripples far beyond two individuals through art.

I absolutely ATE THIS UP.
The bantering, the right person wrong time, absolutely blew me out of the water. I loved the FMC, how incredibly strong her had been. The MMC was head over heels, and the smut was right ON!!
Will be recommending to everyone I know!!

I loved this! One of my favorite second chance mixed with music books I have read this year. The only thing keeping it from being 5 stars is that there was something missing from the present. It’s a shame it took them 4 years to speak again as their issues were easy to move on from once they spoke!! That being said, I flew through this and loved Paige and Liam together.