Esther reads an article that tells her you only have 7 exes in you life and she applies it to her past loves. She decides to track them down to see if she missed something with one of them. She could be quite annoying in places but it was interesting to see how she gets on in her search.

I've read every Lucy Vine book so far, starting with her debut 'Hot Mess'. What I like about her books is that although they masquerade as romance to a degree, they're ultimately all about friendship. That's true here, even with a book entitled 'Seven Exes' that features the protagonist (Esther) looking up her previous partners in the hope of discovering one of them was The One. Though each ex plays a part in the story, the most steadfast characters are Bibi and Louise, her best friends and roommates.

'Seven Exes' is a really easy read, I flew through it in about three days, with fun, pacy, short chapters and the constant reintroduction of possible new love interests. Plus, who amongst us hasn't wondered about (or even attempted) a re-do with an ex!? Esther is a slightly unreliable narrator of sorts, simply in the very natural way that she constantly questions herself, her motivations and her past behaviour. It's sometimes difficult not to feel frustrated with her single-minded focus on the ex mission at the cost of all else and I appreciated when we got to hear the opinions of those around Esther in regards to her behaviour.

If I had a complaint it was that the book packed in so many characters and exploratory relationships that otherwise interesting dynamics were glossed over. Despite the book generally being light and cheerful, Vine touches on power dynamics in a sexual relationship, the importance of having a sense of self-worth and the impact of depression within a relationship. These interesting yet serious topics were utilised functionally but I usually felt a little unnerved by how quickly they were then dismissed. That said, the focus of the book was on Esther and her proactive if messy approach to sorting out her own life, so perhaps her ability to engage with this issues and then understand she had to let them go was true to form.

A fun read with an excellent premise.

This story was very uneven. Even though I don't have to find characters likeable to enjoy the story, in "Seven Exes" somehow the supporting cast is way more complex and interesting than the protagonist. Esther was written as a clueless, naive and self-absorbed character. However, the trope of hot mess lost its charm ages ago.

I tried to read "Seven Exes" as a satire on amatonormativity, but I'm sure this wasn't Lucy Vine's intention. I tried to look at it as an apotheosis of female friendship, but this didn't feel right, either (Esther as a character is so self-absorbed that she has no space to be genuinely involved and interested in her friends' lives). Maybe it's just a story about the need of media literacy education, because treating a Cosmo-esque article so seriously that it puts this whole story in motion definitely calls for it.

Nothing too spectacular but I do love the idea. It’s more about self-reflection and what Esther brought to or expected from the relationship. I didn’t see the twist coming with the bad kisser at the end🤣🤣 that killed me. The friends were pretty developed as side characters, with their own happenings going on in the background. Overall a pretty good story!

I really enjoyed this! The story was engaging, relatable and I could picture the characters clearly as they were so well observed. A fab rom-com, would 10/10 recommend to fans of the genre.

This was such a fun read. Fast paced and addictive, if you want a fun, fast read i would 100% recommend.

This is my first Lucy Vine and I thought it was brilliant. It takes guts to reach out to one ex, never mind 7. It was a really fun read. I think everyone has had these kinds of relationships in some form or another and will relate to the narrative. There were a few too many niche cultural references, like the Jackie Weaver one for example, but otherwise as a woman in my early thirties can really relate to this whole experience. I also thought the ending was perfect in terms of expectations.

Meet Esther. She's happy - kind of. She loves her job and her friends - even if her flat is falling apart and she can never get her eyebrows to match. But honestly, she'd be a lot happier if she had someone to love. So when her and her friends find an old 90's magazine, they flip through the pages for some good old-fashioned dating advice.

And then they come across something that almost feels written for her - an article explaining the seven men a woman will date before they find "the one" - The first love, the work mistake, the FWB, the overlap, the missed change, the bastard and the serious one. As they relive her dating history, it all comes together - this is a sign. So Esther decides it's time to walk down memory lane and see if 'the one' could be one that got away ...

"All my relationships, all the connections - real, stupid, intense, absurd, horrible, heart-breaking, illuminating, silly, sexy - they're all there on the page."

Agonisingly funny and relatable, this witty commentary on modern love and dating is refreshing and smart but with plenty of heart. Lucy Vine isn't afraid to get real - this book jumps into our innate human desire to love and be loved, but also tenderly explores the impact that the people of our pasts can have on our present and even our futures. Whether that's your friends, your regrets, or the ones you miss - this book will make you want to reflect on every person who has collectively shaped you and left a piece of themselves with you along the way.

Esther was a delight to behold - the very embodiment of a woman struggling to find her place in the world but staying hopeful it's out there. She was brilliantly honest, she didn't always make good choices but she always had something good to say and a smile when you needed it. Her friends made me absolutely howl with just how familiar they felt to me - but in the best way. Bibi, the overqualified academic working in a pub and Louise the struggling artist both felt like people I already knew and loved.

Fast-paced and so easy to read, this story lures you in with vivid and cringe-inducing nostalgia, bold characters and a warm, personal writing style. It's wonderfully chaotic at times and definitely had a few moments where everything was absurdly 'too much' but very much in a hot-mess kind of way that was still endearing and entertaining.

Right from the start, Esther bares on soul on the pages and admits things to us that we all think sometimes - about her insecurities and worries, her desires and reams. We jump back in time with her as she recalls the defining moments of her relationships with that strange clarity you can only get after leaving - and wondering what the hell you were doing.

A little bit rom-com, a little bit drunken conversation with a girlfriend - Seven Exes is a triumphantly fun time you don't want to miss!

"We're human beings, and we're all a little bit of everything. So every relationship has its good and bad moments."

I loved this! After reading that the average person has seven relationships in a lifetime and fearing she's used up her quota, main character Esther decides to track down her seven exes to see which one could be her one true love. I really liked the format with a series of flashbacks intermingled with the present day, and particularly enjoyed reliving Esther's first love bringing back memories of school playground dynamics! I also loved Esther's flatmates and the banter and dynamics between the three friends. It was totally relatable and totally funny. A definite five stars from me

Esther, the central character in Lucy Vine's novel, immediately jumped into my mind as the protaganist of a rom-com from the late 2000's. After finding an old women's magazine article about the seven types of exes you have in your life, she immediately relates the examples to her own exes, and becomes convinced that one of them must have been The One Who Got Away on her and tracks them all down to decide who it is. As we follow esther and her friends through the novel, the story flows like a movie. With the flashbacks to the original relationships mixed in with the reunions, each character gets their moment to shine or in some cases showcase why they broke up.

I flew through reading this, and thought it was a fun read, while mostly light-hearted it also had some deeper moments that came through wonderfully in the novel. I would recommend to a friend.

Esther reads an old magazine and an article about past relationships sets her on a journey to contact her exes and see if one of them may have been "the one". Through a combination of flashbooks and reunions we get to know a lot about Esther through the lens of her past relationships. The book is cute and funny and her relationship with her friends was heartwarming.

Esther sets herself on a mission to revisit her seven exes in the hope that she may settle down and find "The One".

This book had me laughing and cringing along every time I turned a page. I felt very connected to Esther and really felt for her as the story progressed. Imagine having to face all your exes - she's a braver girl than I am!

I thought this was a great fun and easy read.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for this ARC.
I enjoyed this book right from the start. The plot was easy to follow and wasn’t dragged out. Also great sized chapters to keep you wanting to carry on reading. I gave it 4 stars purely because I found it predictable towards the end but loved it anyway. Such a feel good romance/comedy read. Would definitely recommend!
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I've read a lot of Lucy Vine's previous work and was thrilled to receive an early copy of Seven Exes. We meet Esther, who after reading a magazine decides to contact her seven exes and see if they might have been the one. I enjoyed her journey through relationships past but found her friendship journey even more interesting and one that I was more invested in.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. Can't wait to read what Lucy writes next!

Esther is out with her two friends, bemoaning her lack of relationship, when she finds a magazine from the noughties. Seeking comfort – and a laugh – she turns to the dating advice only to find an article that feels a little too close to home. According to the journalist, there are seven people a woman will date before finding the one:

The First Love, The Work Mistake, The Friend with Benefits, The Overlap, The Missed Chance, The Bastard and The Serious One.

This book was just what was needed for the January Blues; when life just feels a bit 'meh' and your brain starts to think 'what if....?'

Well that's exactly the premise of this book. After reading a magazine article that suggests there are 7 types of men that you will date before finding 'the one' Esther starts to panic that she may have missed her chance for a happy ever after. With the help of her best friends she tracks down her exes to see if there is any possibility that she might have made a mistake and rectify that error.

I found myself laughing, nodding in agreement and cringing as I read the book. At times I was cheering Esther on and at others I wanted to tell her to wake up and smell the coffee. I was fully invested in her journey to happiness, that involved far more than romance. By the end of the book Esther has to face some home truths, reassess some of her memories and become a little bit more self aware.

If a sequel pops up I will definitely be adding it to my must read list, and I would like to thank the publishers and Net Galley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

Many thanks to the author publisher and Netgalley for a free ARC of this ebook.
This book wasn’t for me at all. It’s a rom-com, and although I enjoy the genre from time to time, this one didn’t bring me any joy at all. The premise of the story is that the protagonist reviews her love life by contacting her past love interests, with the intention of identifying the one who got away. It’s a different take on the usual tropes, and there are some funny and some insightful moments in it.
I wouldn’t wish to disrespect the author by giving it a bad review, it just was t to my taste.

This was a fun and quick read. Loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

As soon as I read the summary for this book I got “What’s Your Number” vibes, the film starring Chris Evans and Anna Faris from 2011. I was instantly hooked.

I read this book incredibly quickly. It was a fun and easy read perfect for it's summer release. It doesn't take itself too seriously which was a nice change of pace from what I have been reading.

Absolutely loved this funny and relatable very well written book. First I have read by this author but definitely won’t be the last. Loved everything about it.