I loved You With a View & was so excited to read this. This book was an easy 5 stars for me!!

A cursed wedding, ex’s as the ‘best people’ and a week to fix literally everything with the man you never want to see again but also never want to let out of your sight - what could go wrong?

I love a second chance romance as I just feel like the yearning is even greater. I also found Georgia’s struggles with friendships and allowing herself to need people, and Eli’s workaholic anxiety really compelling as foils that lead to the end of the relationship, while still making them sympathetic characters despite breaking each others hearts! Adam is a great friend and extra layer to their dynamic, and I loved their whole little gang.

I honestly cried for about 80% of this book (both happy and sad tears) and just can’t recommend enough. Thanks so much for this ARC

I loved 'You with a view’ by this author and second chance romance is one of my favourite romance tropes so I had high hopes going into this.

I enjoyed this one but I just didn’t feel that same deep connection to the characters as I did with You with a view.

I found the plot of them having to collectively work together to save their mutual best friends wedding gave way to some great tropes:

- Fake engagement
- Forced proximity
- Neighbours
- One bed trope
- Tension due to ticking deadline etc

Eli’s paper rings motif running through out the book which then created that adorable ending and revelation for Georgia was just wonderful.

I will definitely read more from this author as I really like her writing style.

Single FMC POV ✔️
Exes / Second chance ✔️
Sprinkle of open door spice ✔️
Anxiety rep ✔️

Thank you for this arc in return for an honest review.

*4.5 stars*

Thanks to Penguin Random House UK, Transworld, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book to review.

This is everything I want in a romance and more. This book made me laugh, cry, and feel every emotion possible. It felt like a much grander romance than ones I have been reading recently, with much higher stakes, so I felt like I was fully absorbed in Georgia's and Eli's world the entire time I was reading this story.

I think part of the reason I loved this book so much was because the issues Georgia was going through felt very personal to me at the moment, and I felt so emotionally connected to her experiences. The feeling of friendships changing as you grow into different stages of your lives and not knowing where your place is with your friends anymore. Another thing for Georgie was that she knew the best thing for her as a person was to move away from everything she knew and loved and start fresh in a place she had loved once before but only lived for a short space of time, but having the fear of leaving all of her loved ones behind, them forgetting about her, the fear of things not going well when she gets to the new place. All of these things that Georgia was going through made me just root for her as a protagonist, because I saw myself a lot in her, and so could empathise with all her worries.

Eli was just one of the cutest people ever. From the moment he entered the book, it was obvious how much he adored and loved Georgia, but due to their past, she never wanted to address things between them. They had to stick to their carefully crafted rules to ensure their best friend, Adam, thinks things are good between them, when really they don't speak since they broke up five years ago.

Second chance romances get me every time, and sprinkle in a bit of friends to lovers, you have the recipe for a perfect book in my eyes. Oh, and add in some forced proximity, that's one tasty book!

All the side characters in this were beautiful too. I particularly loved Cole and his particular brand of chaos. I loved how he was so brutal with his comments, but actually turned out to be such a solid friend for Eli and had both their backs so much when they were struggling to navigate their new dynamic.

I can't wait for this book to hit shelves and for everyone to fall in love with these characters as much as I have. I know this is one that I'll definitely come back to time and time again, and now I can't wait to read Jessica Joyce's debut novel, as I just loved her writing style.

Highly recommend!

I was absolutely swept away by the emotional rollercoaster of a journey depicted in this book! What initially seemed like a simple exploration of lingering feelings between exes turned out to be a deeply intricate, authentic, and passionate love story that resonated with me on so many levels.

I'm thrilled to have discovered this gem and I wholeheartedly recommend it to you. Be prepared to shed tears, to immerse yourself in the poignant melodies of "Paper Rings" on repeat, and to sing along at the top of your lungs until your vocal cords protest or your neighbors kindly request a pause. Because when you find a book that speaks to your soul in such profound ways, who cares about the opinions or reactions of others?

Jessica Joyce has truly outdone herself with this masterpiece, deserving not just five stars but a galaxy of accolades. I found myself not only rooting for team Geli (Georgia-Eli) but also deeply invested in their genuine connection with their friends and the vivid backdrop of Napa Valley, which may just convince you to plan your own wedding in Blue Yonder.

Upon finishing the book, I couldn't resist revisiting certain chapters, particularly those between Eli and Georgia, and I was captivated anew by their raw and heartfelt dialogues. It's possibly one of the most authentic portrayals of a bittersweet and compelling love story I've encountered.

The character development is striking, with both protagonists embarking on profound journeys of self-discovery. There's no unnecessary drama, exaggerated angst, or tired clichés here; instead, readers are treated to a refreshing honesty and relatable perspectives that foster a deep connection with the characters.

Let's delve into the plot: Picture yourself as the maid of honor at your childhood best friend's wedding, which seems to be plagued by a series of unfortunate incidents, including the venue burning down. Is it a sign of impending disaster?

This is just one of the challenges facing Georgia Woodward as she scrambles to salvage the wedding arrangements in just one week. From revisiting her past in Blue Yonder to sourcing the perfect wedding cake, she's got her hands full. And to make matters more complicated, she's forced to work alongside Eli Mora, the man who shattered her heart years ago.

Despite their attempts to maintain a facade of indifference for the sake of their friendship circle, it becomes increasingly clear that the unresolved feelings between Georgia and Eli are impossible to ignore. As they navigate the wedding preparations together, the tension crackles, and suppressed emotions bubble to the surface.

Georgia is hesitant to reopen old wounds, but what if confronting the past is the key to unlocking a future filled with happiness? What if burying her feelings only leads to more regret and sorrow? What if they have a chance to rewrite their story and find the happiness they both deserve?

I absolutely adored every page of this book—it resonated with me on such a deep level. Have I mentioned how much I loved it? Well, let me say it again: I adored it beyond measure! Count me firmly on team Geli!

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with a digital review copy of this incredible book in exchange for my honest feedback.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

this was absolutely brilliant. I loved everything about this book.I mean literally everything .the writing was beautiful, the characters were multidimensional and had my undivided attention.the plot .I am in awe.this was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more of her work. 100% recommended. Readers that love second chance romance will adore this.

This was everything I loved in a romance and more. Georgia was a perfect main character, I saw a lot of my own anxieties, hopes and dreams in her which made it incredibly easy to root for her. I loved her friendship with Adam and Jamie and how they kept her grounded, while still allowing her to grow and ask for the help and love she deserved.

And Eli, oh boy. What a beautifully, well rounded love interest. I appreciated that he had his own baggage and realistic struggles that he brought to the table. Reading about his and Georgia’s past made it to easy to love them together in the present. By the end of the book I was in tears, from the final confession to the epilogue, this entire book was full of big characters with strong emotions and an absolutely breathtaking love story. I can’t wait to reread it when it’s out and annotate my copy.

There's something almost painful about second chance romance, like it hurts your heart to read how two people who loved each other have managed to drift or fall apart - and Jessica Joyce captures that so perfectly in The Ex Vows.

With the upcoming wedding of Georgia and Eli's best friend, Adam, the pair have to pull everything together at the last minute and have no choice but to work closely. Georgia's heart is still broken from when they broke up five years before and she's still struggling with her childhood abandonment issues and serious FOMO. When she sees Eli for the first time in a while, it's shocking to her how much she still feels that pull towards him, even though something about him seems different, he's not glued to his phone like he normally is, and his work doesn't seem as important to him as usual.

Throughout the week leading to Adam's wedding, the pair rediscover each other and move beyond the awkwardness and pain of their break up - discovering each other again and avoiding the pain of the past.

This was such a beautiful book and I highlighted so many wonderfully written lines. Jessica Joyce is a new favourite author of mine, You, with a View was excellent and I think The Ex Vows is even better. The side characters are wholesome and Joyce gives space for them to shine throughout the novel as we delve into Georgia and Eli's love story. The setting is stunning and I felt like I was staying at Blue Yonder with them, plus the pacing was perfect and there was no third act conflict!

Highly recommend.

I've had the pleasure and privilege of reading both of Jessica Joyce's novels early, and I am so utterly grateful to have had a chance to read these books!

Joyce writes books that are the literary equivalent of hugs. The kinds of desperate and calming hugs you get after crying, the kinds that calm the world around you, that make everything better. Georgia and Eli are such genuine real characters, and their story from friends to lovers to heartbroken friends who are now forced to coexist for their best friend's wedding absolutely tore me apart.

This book had me sobbing at the conclusion, clutching it to my chest. I would recommend this for anyone who wants their heart broken and put back together in the best way.

I was super excited for this book after loving Jessica Joyce's debut book so much - You With a View. This book had some brilliant laugh out loud moments in it, with the curse they are all desperately trying to end. The banter between Georgia and Eli was brilliant and really well written and so was the beauty of their relationship. It's so easy when you're an adult to get swooped up into the working life that we forget about the things around us and this book portrays that really well. How Eli was so focused on work and doing better than his Dad that he let Georgia slip through his fingers.

Georgia and Eli's love story was really well written and the spicy parts were on point. I absolutely loved the ending it brought a tear to my eye. One thing I found though is that certain points of this book really dragged for me so it took me longer to read than normal but I did love it and think it's a solid four stars overall.

5/5 stars.

This book is such an easy five star read for me. Ever since i first read "you, with a view" by jessica joyce, i immediately fell in love with her writing style. And this book way exceeds my expectations. I love love love this book.

i'm not a huge fan of second chance romance books but this one hits different. the storyline is great and the characters each has their own emotional depth with flaws and rawness to them. and the friendships between Eli, Georgia & Grace? they're so cute and i love them.

Eli and Georgia has their respective anxieties and fears, and the way they try to navigate them and talk things out makes me feel so happy and also heartbreaking. And the paper rings Eli made for Georgia for all these years?? and the little letters written in them?? god, i literally cried. now whenever i listen to "paper rings" by taylor swift, i will always remember Eli Mora.

anyway, this is such a perfect second chance romance book and i love jessica for writing this <3 live, laugh, love Jessica Joyce!

This book is the most wonderful second chance romance 🥹 It definitely has Happy Place vibes - two exes come together & pretend to act completely normal for the sake of their friends - but thankfully there is much less angst!

We are fully in Georgia’s PoV so I was expecting pain… but it becomes clear to the reader from early on that Eli is still very much in love with her, and I felt like I knew both of them so well by the end (no mean feat in a single PoV book!)

One of the reasons I loved Georgia & Eli’s romance so much was because it felt so real. I worked in finance for many years and am familiar with the pressures & commitments that can come with a job like Eli’s. Pair this with Eli’s anxiety and their 23yo immaturity, and I really do believe that - despite Eli & Georgia being perfect for one another - this relationship could have fallen apart.

I absolutely loved Eli & Georgia both independently and together (especially Eli 🥺) Whilst they tiptoed around admitting their true feelings for a while, it never felt like there was frustrating miscommunication (even though there was when they broke up the first time!)

Eli and Georgia finding their way back to one another made me cry happy tears, and don’t even get me started on the paper rings 🥲🫶🏼

From a completely objective point of view - this book is extraordinary. Jessica Joyce's writing flows naturally and tugs at your heartstrings, it is poetic but relatable. A feeling so precisely described you can feel it, you can taste it. The past and present are intertwined not only in Georgia's mind but also visually and we can see two similar scenes taking place at the same time because Jessice weaves them so seamlessly. The characters are fleshed out, we manage to get inside Georgia's head and it is such a messy place to be in but you want to stay, want to be there for her. And since she knows Eli so well, as well as he knows her, you kind of manage to get inside his head but never all the way. The entire time you are wondering along with Georgia and anticipating their happy ending. From the subjective point of view - this book ruined me in the best possible way. I adore it. Georgia is so much like me that it makes me want to scream. While I was never that bad at communicating my needs, I do tend not to rely on anyone for anything. And the people pleaser in me understood every single move she made even when I wanted to shake her and tell her to take a breath. Second chances are always a bit sad but also hopeful and the grief for their relationship and for the way it ended (and the fact that it did) is such a huge part of the story it hurts to read about it. I cannot remember how many times I gasped and clutched my chest in actual pain for them and there was certainly a lot of crying - both ugly sad crying and crying tears of joy. I loved how this book celebrates mess and how important it is to be loved while being imperfect, to have people be there for you through good AND the bad and it goes for all kinds of relationships - whether they are romantic or platonic. There was a lot of genuine humor in it and the steamy scenes were never over the top, but handled with care and love. If you like second chance romances you will love it and if you enjoyed her debut as much as I did, you will love it! I already want to read it again and spend some more time with these characters, and I mean all of them!

I loved You with the View, so I was expecting that I would love this one too. And I did.
This book has two of my favorite tropes friends to lovers and second chance.
It was such a well writen story that griped me till the end.
Recomend thi one.

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. Out July 16th!

Second-chance and bestfriends-to-lovers are my least favourite tropes. You will never see me pick up a book themed with those voluntarily. Unless it's highly praised by my fellow reviewers, whom I trust. With that being said, I didn't have any expectations going into this book. And I was left pleasantly surprised by the end.

The plot was AMAZING! Georgia, the ever people pleaser, is the best woman at her best friend's wedding and is determined to give it her all to make his special day perfect. But Adam's wedding is... cursed. One disaster after the other. Adding in a reunion with the guy who broke her heart at 23, who also happens to be the best man, doesn't help one bit. Not only that, but they agreed to not make things complicated after their break up, so for the past couple of years, they have been pretending to be chill. When they, in fact, aren't chill at all. But to keep their band of best friends tight, they pretend as if the break up didn't affect them at all in front of Adam. It was always simple, stick to the rules and go separate ways. But now Adam's wedding needs to be saved and Georgia and Eli must join forces. After the venue burns to the ground, Georgia and Eli head to Blue Yonder with the mission to put together everything within a week's time. Spending time alone with Eli was definitely not on her list, especially since the hurt from their last meeting is still fresh. But Blue Yonder brings back fond memories, and they find themselves walking down the sweet memory lane, pretending to be engaged, sharing one bed, and facing their past. A week of bliss... and then what?

I absolutely loved this book. I loved how REAL Georgia and Eli's reasons to split up were. Most second chance books have silly miscommunication as its whole plot. But not here. Jessica served in You, With A View and she ATE in this.

The whole book was Paper Rings and Labyrinth coded and it made my heart sing! Eli and Georgia are one of those couples that you know will stay together forever. I screamed (in my head) 'soulmates' literally every time they interacted. Unlike those books that lean heavily on exaggerated angst and clichéd miscommunication, this book focuses on real and genuine emotions.

Their personal growth was everything. Eli went from being a workaholic to someone who made efforts, took therapy, and communicated. Georgia communicated her fear of being abandoned by her friends and her need for reassurance that she never got before. Together, they opened up about their past feelings that they had kept bottled up and figured out a way to stay connected. They made sure that they got the timing right this time, as well as their priorities.

I loved the whole vibe. Saving the wedding, the love and homey feeling in Blue Yonder, the beauty of Napa Valley, the friendships, forced proximity, and the chemistry... phenomenal.

Do yourself a favor and add this masterpiece to your TBR and preorder right away!

Thank you so much @NetGalley and Random House UK for the eARC of this book.

3⭑

Tropes;
- friends to lovers
- second chance
- wedding setting
- anxiety rep
- single POV

I liked this but didn’t really love it the way I loved You With A View.

I really liked Georgia as a character, she was very relatable and I could see quite a lot of myself in her. I loved the friendship group in this book and loved the plot of trying the main characters trying to save their best friends wedding - this part was so fun to read about. I also really enjoyed Eli as a character!! His little paper rings that he would make Georgia are so cute.

With that being said, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance in this book but I feel like that doesn’t come to a surprise as the second chance trope really is not a favourite of mine. I wish we got to see Eli’s perspective, I think this would have helped believe how much he struggled after they first broke up and how hard he worked to better himself for her.

I think if you’re someone who loves the second chance trope, you will adore this book. Unfortunately I didn’t come to love it as much as I hoped I would.

Huge thank you to NetGalley & Penguin UK for sending me an early copy of The Ex Vows in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a sweet second chance romance that reminded me of Emily Henry’s Happy Place which I also loved.

Georgia and Eli were best friends growing up before becoming a couple, but after their relationship ends they are left not speaking to each other for years until they are forced to come together for their mutual friends wedding.

I loved Georgia and Eli so such they were such great characters, they were both flawed and human in a way you were just rooting for theme straight away. There’s also a great cast of supporting characters which were really well fleshed out and interesting too rather than just being background characters which can so often happen.

I’ve not read any books by this author before this one but this has made me want to read her other work, I really enjoyed it - it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside which is exactly what you want from a romance book.

The Ex Vows is an enjoyable second chance romance. It follows Georgia and Eli as they team up to help save their best friend’s wedding after a series of unfortunate events threaten to derail their plans.
This book has fun characters and I enjoyed the side plot of how friendships can change over the years and the impact this can have. I felt there was quite a bit of miscommunication in this book which I found a little bit frustrating and repetitive at times. However it was still an enjoyable romcom that I think would make a great easy holiday read.

Georgia isn't ready to spend a number of days with her ex boyfriend while they are getting ready for their best friend's wedding. But when one disaster after another happens it means that she not only get to spend time with Eli, they are both spend some very much alone time while they are trying to save said wedding since it has been moved in a new location days before it's supposed to happen.

While this will be very hard for her, she does what she does best and doesn't complain, doesn't asked for help while she is trying not to drawn.

Meanwhile Eli is as she remembers him but also different trying to decide if that is good or not is a whole other headache that might lead to a heartbreak.

You might know that second chance romance isn't my favourite but I couldn't resist reading the newest Jessica Joyce book especially after loving You, with a view as much as I did.

The Ex Vows is a very emotional book, the single pov means we only got to see what happened and everything that is going on through her eyes which leaves some things about Eli in the dark.

I liked the friendship between the main and side characters, it really showed many things about how life can change but true friendship lasts no matter what.

As for the romance, I found it sweet. There is something in particular that I found especially precious 😍 It was nice to see what brought their break up five years ago, I preferred the way the romance was in the present though as both main characters had or were willing to work on some personal issues.


* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Ex Vows' by Jessica Joyce.

This was underwhelming to say the least. Two exes reunited after a break up that causes them not to speak to plan their other friends wedding. The reason they broke up was a bit over the top and honestly, they might have gotten through their hurdle if they had actually SPOKEN ABOUT IT. Both characters were honestly boring to me and I didn't connect with either of them enough to enjoy this read.