I have been a fan of Portia's work for a while now. I have to admit that I haven't quite caught up with everything that she has written but that is something that I hope to rectify in the not too distant future. I read the synopsis of 'Ex In The City' and it certainly sounded like the sort of book I have come to expect from Portia - a light hearted and fun romantic comedy. Well it was certainly all that and so much more. I really enjoyed reading 'Ex In The City' but more about that in a bit.

I was drawn into 'Ex In The City' from the very start. I started reading and found that I just couldn't stop. In fact I ended up reading 'Ex In The City' in one long reading binge. Part of the reason why I enjoyed the story so much has to do with the two main characters of Nicole and Dylan, who have definitely got history together and there is a certain chemistry between them. Nicole ended up feeling more like a friend rather than a character in a book and I kept everything crossed that she would get the 'happy ever after' ending that she so deserved. I had to keep reading to see if I my wish came true. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. I was so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and how quickly the pages were turning. All too quickly I reached the end of 'Ex In The City'. I found 'Ex In The City' to be a joy to read from start to finish with lots of laughs, fun and romance.

'Ex In The City' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Portia MacIntosh. Portia has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Portia's books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Portia's love for her characters shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. In fact, as I mentioned previously Nicole ended up feeling more like a friend rather than a character in a book. I love the way in which Portia makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Ex In The City' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I look forward to reading much more of Portia's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Once a music journalist who toured with some of the top bands, publicist Nicole now feels trapped in a respectable suburban existence. When rock star Dylan seeks her help to repair his public image, she’s forced to face the ghosts of her former life.

Portia Macintosh is one of my favorite rom com authors, and this book did not disappoint. I love Nicole and the whimsical cast of characters. Dylan had troubles in his past, but he’s sweet and kind. He helps Nicole realize what she really wants. The book is a smart, funny, and heartwarming read. I loved the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I will forever be grateful to Rachel's Random Resources for introducing me to Macintosh's books. To date this is the eleventh I've read and one of my favourites.

The perfect tonic for when you're feeling down, Macintosh writes the best romcoms EVER and you're guaranteed to finish the book with a smile on your face!

Ex in the City is a second chance romance with hijinx and hilarity along the way. It's part of a series - I had no idea but reads perfectly as a standalone.

I love the whole rockchick vibe I got from Nicole and when she hooked up with Dylan her whole persona changed and she became the person she was truly meant to be.

A highly enjoyable and entertaining read.

I am such a huge fan of Portia MacIntosh and her writing – having read, and loved, many of her previous books, I knew I would love Ex In The City just as much. This story follows the main character Nicole – who used to be a music journalist, but now lives a more quieter life with her partner, Rowan, and his children – Ned and Archie. On the surface, Nicole is living an incredible life, but behind closed doors, her relationship with Rowan is over.

One day out of the blue, Nicole gets a call from rock star – Dylan King, who also happens to be her ex, a trip down memory lane is on the cards for Nicole. Dylan is looking for help to restore his public image and knows that Nicole could really help him. Agreeing to help, Nicole begins spending time with Dylan and is surprised to see how much he has changed – in a good way. At the same time, Rowan sees Nicole spending more and more time with Dylan and starts to get very jealous. But, where does Nicole’s heart lie – with Rowan, or with Dylan?

Ex In The City is a great story from the fabulous Portia MacIntosh. Brilliant characters and a fun read – everything I love from a book written by this author.

I'm a Portia MacIntosh completionist and I liked this story of hers. Nicole has gone from living up to her last name (Wilde) as a music industry insider to a suburban stepmom and has kind of lost herself. Her old best friend, a rockstar that she has unresolved sexual tension with, shows back up in her life and hijinx ensues. While I don't think this is my favourite book by Ms. MacIntosh, it is a fun romcom.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. it was fun, sweet and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books by this author.

4🌟
Second chance romance always has me hoping for the best for the main characters and this one didn't disappoint.

Nicole is also in the middle of trying to sort out a huge problem her boyfriend has caused, when all of a sudden an old familiar face turns up on her doorstep. She has the opportunity tk see him in a new light and to consider what the best option is for her too and pave her own pathway.

Ex in the City is a very entertaining, page turning tale. Nicole is living a quiet suburban life while also planning an exit strategy from her 'gymfluencer' partner Rowan. A rockstar in need of an image overhaul arrives at her front door and chaos promptly ensues! I really enjoyed every minute of this book and
I had no idea while reading it that it was last in a series. Definitely recommend!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.

Its a while since I read the other books in this series so it took me a minute to remember the characters but oh wow I can safely say Portia has done it again and has infused her humour and wit into this story so easily. Whenever i feel down I always turn to Portias books and now i have one more to add to the collection!

I'm so happy that we revisited Nicole and Dylan and I won't say anything that happened in the story as not to spoil it, just know it's a fab story!

Honestly you can’t go wrong with a Portia Macintosh book.
Loved the story and the characters are fab as well I really enjoyed finding out more about Nicole and developed a bit of a soft spot for reformed bad boy Dylan.
This is actually follow on to an earlier book but you can read this as a stand alone as well.
Also I loved the nostalgic throwbacks to Tammy Girl and getting glued in hair extensions that really brought back some memories 😂

I love Portia MacIntosh - I know I can pick up any one of her books and no matter what it's about, I'm going to have a fantastic time reading!

I did have to stop reading this one after a couple of chapters because I felt a bit lost, and then discovered that a couple of weeks ago, there was a novella that was released, called One Wild night - this is actually a prequel novella to this book, and it tells the backstory of Nicole and Dylan. It makes everything in this story a whole lot more clear if you read it FIRST!

Nicole is living in the spare room of her current boyfriend's house - their relationship ended due to something extremely stupid that he did, and she's just a glorified nanny and keeping up appearances until he makes reparations at this point. She loves the children (not hers), and is having a hard time leaving them, and needs the ex (Rowan) to make amends before she is able to flee town, plus she doesn't know where she would be able to go. When an ex from long, long ago shows up out of the blue (did she manifest him from thinking about him the night before?), on her doorstep, her entire life changes - and the rockstar groupie... I mean rockstar journalist life she left in her rearview mirror after a photograph ruined lives, comes back to life.

Nicole and Dylan are reunited, and she comes back out of her shell - and it's a fantastic story of smug Stepford wives being put in their place, old scandals being put to rest and second chances being given. A great read whether you're a long-time MacIntosh fan, or new to her books. A complete standalone (but please do read One Wild Night first), so you don't need to have read any of her previous works to know other characters.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books, and this is my honest feedback.

My sincere thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Ex in the City by Portia MacIntosh. I give my unbiased opinion of the book in the following review.

Nicole's life is not where she wants it to be. She is living with her former partner and his two boys in an affluent neighborhood not far from London. She loves the boys but is not in love with their dad anymore after he did something she can't forgive. She knows she needs to move on, but wanted to make sure everything was going to be ok for the boys first. Enter Dylan the ex and former rock star. Dylan was part of her life nearly ten years before, and she is not all that sure she wants the neighborhood to know about who she used to be even though she longs for some parts of that life. Dylan asks her to help him with his image in light of a possible return to music. Is this a good idea? How will the "mean mums" treat her when they find out about her past?

I have to say that I really did like this book a lot. I love a good second chance romance and from the first time they make contact in the story, the chemistry between Dylan and Nicole is written so well that it was easy to imagine them together. We are treated to a nice slow burn when they stay in the friend zone for a good part of the book. Dylan's character is pretty swoony, and I liked that Nicole wasn't afraid to re-visit her past and allow herself to re-connect with old friends. The reservations she had were believable and understandable which is another nod to the writing style here. I'm looking forward to trying another Portia MacIntosh book in the future.

First, I want to thank Portia Macintosh, Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

OMG WOW!! I totally adored everything about Portia Macintosh’s latest Ex In The City!! It was such a fun read that put a huge smile on my face!

I have a new book boyfriend and that is Dylan!! Sorry Rowan I am team Dylan on this one! Dylan had so many incredible traits that I just totally loved! He was amazing with kids, a great friend, handsome, it doesn’t hurt that he is a well known musician either!

Ex In The City is a very cute, fun, fast paced read that is comical. It had its shares of ups and downs and twists and turns. It was addicting and I finished it in one sitting.

What a truly stunning read this book is and it certainly didn't disappoint. Heart warming and beautifully written.

This is an entertaining second chance, rock star romance. Nicole used to hang out with different bands, but her best friend was Dylan, the lead singer for The Burnouts. The secret to their friendship was that they never got romantic with each other
Nicole specializes in rehabilitating reputations, a skill she perfected with The Burnouts. She’s in a waning relationship with her boyfriend Rowan, who cheated on her, and she’s only hanging around because she loves his two sons, and she needs to right a wrong.
Suddenly Dylan appears, looking for a reputation rehab after a doomed marriage ends. He’s renting the house across the street, and he and Nicole start spending time together. He’s volunteering at the boys’ school helping with their school play. Rowan is unreasonably jealous, and Nicole is discovering a part of herself she thought was gone.
I really enjoyed the parts where Nicole was touring with the band, and I loved Nicole’s relationship with her boyfriend’s kids. 4 stars.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This is the first time I've read Portia and it won't be the last. This story has fascinated me and I have read it non-stop. It is a second chance that is very well written and is a carousel of emotions, but that makes you really want to read. The relationship between Nicole and Dylan is well written.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook.
Once again Portia macIntosh delivers a great novel. This one was more in the sweet side of second chances. Highly recommend! You will not be disappointed. I liked all the characters and they all had a purpose to the plot.

I love second chance romance and this one, between Nicole and Dylan, was a great one! Nicole had been a music journalist, but was now living in the suburbs passing the days. When a blast from her past, and the current niggest name in country music, shows up on her doorstep, she has to decide what she wants now. This was a sweet story and I loved watching Nicole and Dylan figure things out!

This one took me a minute to get into but once I did I really loved the dynamic between Dylan and Nicole.

Some parts were obvious - like the conflict bc 2 women’s names were almost the same (Nicole vs Nicola)

I loved the character arc for Dylan and how he is with the kids at the school.

I am still confused on who Luke is… I think the elder millennial in me added to that confusion because I was thinking Luke and Dylan were the same person - but that was probably bc I watched 90210

Overall a quick and fun read

I always enjoy books written by Portia MacIntosh and this book is just another to add to my collection of her books.

The story of Nicole, Dylan & Rowan is fun & enjoyable. The book flies by reading about Nicole who is unhappy in her current relationship with Rowan (but she adores & loves his kids). Just as her relationship is ending & she is trying to decide when she should leave, Dylan, musician & past love interest, shows up at her door asking for her help to improve his image in public.

Nicole cannot quite believe how Dylan has changed. She begins reminiscing between the days that once were and the reality of her life now. While she wants to relive her past at the moment she does not want to relive the bad parts either. She needs to figure out how to make what she wants from each relationship work.

As in the past, I have to recommend reading MacIntosh’s upcoming book. She was provides just the perfect amount of entertainment in her story and a sweet romance! Read, relax & enjoy the heartwarming story that she has created once again.