After reading You, with a View last year, I’ve been waiting for Jessica Joyce to release another romance book. When I found out that this one was going to be a second-chance romance I was beyond excited and for good reason, it was excellent.

Georgia and Eli broke up five years ago, so they are definitely over each other… right? But, when they’re thrown together at the best friend’s wedding, sparks fly, literally when the venue burns down a week before the wedding. It is Georgia and Eli’s jobs to get it back on track. So, as they rush to put on the perfect wedding, old feelings start to resurface, and there’s only one bed…

I adored Georgia and Eli. Georgia in particular is for the over-thinkers, planners and makers of lists. She cares so deeply for all the around her and I adored her. I’m sure so many readers will see themselves in Georgia which makes her such a reassuring character.

Eli is quite literally the real life embodiment of ‘it’s always the quiet ones’ which is exactly what Georgia says about him. He is always trying to do the best for those around him, is such a loyal friend and is going through so much that he is trying to hide from others. Add to them, the incredible side characters we meet in this book and you have an excellent selection of characters. A special shout out goes to Adam and Grace who I loved.

The romance in this book is wonderful. Georgia and Eli are meant for each other and you can tell that from the very start of the book. The way they interact, their care for other another and the undeniable tension between them.

Aside from the romance, this book covers the important topic of mental health awareness. Both Eli and Georgia have found their way to therapy as a way to make sense of their lives. This allows them to have open and honest discussions with each other about their feelings and worries. This means they trust each other more which is the basis of any good relationship.

Jessica Joyce has definitely made her way onto my auto-buy author list. Her books have both been excellent reads and ones I’ve had a lot of fun reading. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Overall, The Ex Vows is a wonderful second-chance romance with childhood best friends at its heart. If you like both of those tropes then this is certainly one for you. I would highly recommend it!

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce is a second chance romance and the story of Georgia and Eli.
 
These two thought they had found the one, but it ended up not working out.  Five years later they meet again at their best friend’s wedding, and they must work together to salvage it. That was a great opportunity for them to get closer again and you can still feel the sparks between them. But a lot has changed and sometimes they felt way too estranged from each other. I feel like I needed to see more from their past to understand where they fell in love. But there were definitely very cute moments like the found family aspect or the paper rings. Ultimately, I didn’t just fall head over heels in love with these characters. I absolutely loved the author’s other book, You, With A View, but unfortunately this story just didn’t work for me.
 
If you like second chance stories or books like Happy Place by Emily Henry, you will definitely enjoy this one. 3 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Jessica Joyce’s debut novel You with a View was a fantastic read in 2023 so I was very excited to read the Ex Vows. Former lovers who are now enemies forced to reconcile for the benefit of their best friends? Sign me up!
Georgia is the ultimate people pleaser. She works tirelessly to remain important to those around her as she’s terrified of losing their favour. After a troublesome childhood, Georgia found refuge and support from her best friend Adam, whose family made her feel welcome and loved once more. After a while Eli enters the picture and becomes the third best friend in the group. Eli also found solace with Adam and his family. Things become complicated when Georgia and Eli fell in love and began their adult lives together until Eli grinds their relationship to a halt, forcing Georgia to reevaluate her life and out herself first. Following their break up, the pair avoid one another as much as possible. If they do see each other it includes minimal interaction. As far as Adam knows, the two remain friends and nothing is wrong.
When Adam announces his marriage plans, Georgia steps up to organise the special day but after Eli slips on his best friend duties due to work, he is back and determined to prove his loyalty to both of his childhood friends. Disaster after disaster strikes the wedding party and new obstacles are placed in Georgia and Eli's path almost immediately.
This was a really great second chance romance. The only thing I wasn’t keen on was the miscommunication trope. Georgia is certain that Eli hates her and was relieved by their relationship ending. Whereas it is pretty clear Eli still loves Georgia. It was an emotionally charged book that kept you engaged right until the end. I look forward to seeing what Jessica Joyce releases next!

the ex vows is a fun romcom that’s quite easy to get into and read. eli and georgia are characters that you immediately root for and you can feel their connection through the pages. for me personally, while it was a good book overall, nothing really stuck with me. i had a good time while reading it but it is nothing i will come back to or really think about again in the future. so if you are looking for a cute little romance story now and them this would be quite a good pick!

Ahh this was so cute.

I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters and the discussion around anxiety and the way our childhood can impact our behaviour as adults.

I liked the romance as well although I found some parts to be a bit too quick.

A nice summer read!

I loved loved LOVED this! I was recommended this by a colleague but wish I read it sooner. It was amazing!

3.5*

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

While I did enjoy this book, I just couldn't stop comparing it to Joyce's first novel, You With a View, which I absolutely adored. The Ex Vows just didn't quite hit the mark for me but it was an enjoyable read.

Georgia and Eli are both such lovely characters to follow and I enjoyed learning about their past while seeing them at their present. Will be a great summer read!

✔️second chance
✔️found family
✔️forced proximity
✔️friends to lovers
✔️cute nickname for her
✔️open-doors
✔️anxiety rep

How can I even start with this review? I have so many feelings. First of all, I must say that Jessica Joyce is quickly becoming one of my favourite rom-com authors. I enjoyed her debut novel last year and I was excitedly waiting for her second one. The Ex Vows was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 and it met and surpassed my expectations.

Jessica's writing is so captivating. She knows perfectly well how to mix romance, banter, angst, heart-ripping situations, wholesome friendships and real-life moments.

As someone in her late twenties, I relate to Georgia, our FMC, in so many ways. I was touched by so many of the situations and feelings she experienced. I loved the growth she had throughout the book so much. And I loved how fiercely she protects and loves those who are important to her. There were times though, were I just wanted to scream at her 'Oh c'mon Georgia! just love him' but I understand our girl's apprehension.

Eli, our MMC, was perfect. I loved him. The way he loves Georgia is the kind of love you want to be loved. His love is steadfast, constant, and determined. I loved Eli's growth and change SO much. And how vulnerable but strong he was with his struggles with anxiety.

Their story was so beautiful and poignant. So perfect because of their imperfectness. So angsty and heart-wrenching but wholesome, funny and moving.

When I finished this book, I wanted to start it all over again immediately, and it made me want to cry so many times, especially by the end.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I truly think people haven’t experienced true love if they haven’t read The Ex-Vows by Jessica Joyce. This was everything I needed and more after an extraordinary debut with You with a view. The way Jessica Joyce was able to embody the superiority that is the second chance trope, without breaking my heart into a million pieces, was absolutely incredible. Georgia and Eli were giving me the same vibes as Harriet and Wyn from Happy place written by Emily Henry, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Jessica Joyce is well on her way to become the next big author that everyone is obsessed with. One of my favorite quotes from this book was “The one thing that hasn’t changed at all is him loving me” and i just feel like that fully captures the emotion in a second chance romance; that while our two main characters go through life and change, the love they have for each other never will, and on the contrary, will grow fonder. If you haven’t already, please please please (sabrina carpenter reference) pick up The Ex-Vows by Jessica Joyce. I can promise you will not be disappointed.

I am OBSESSED with the way Jessica writes so I knew I was going to enjoy this, and yet it still exceeded all my expectations. It truly has it all, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll swoon and you’ll sweat. Just stunning.
Georgia and Eli are so in love and you can see it clearly but it is emotional rollercoaster for them to get back to a point where they can admit it both to themselves and to each other. I loved being able to see the work Eli had clearly put in to get to a point where he felt like he could try again to make his life fulfilling and also feel “deserving” of Georgia’s love and time again.
The flashbacks that are scattered throughout are perfect at building that tension up as we see how their chemistry manifested in the past and how they’re holding back in the present. And when they finally give into each other again? It is ELECTRIC. These two are made for each other and I just loved every second of seeing them reunite and work their way back to each other.
The nicknames, the yearning, the PAPER RINGS, the disasters along the way as they help plan Adam’s wedding, it’s just perfect. Loved it so much, cannot wait for whatever is next from Jessica.

This was a story of personal growth as much as it was one of romance. While I wished the plot felt less repetitive, I was really rooting for the heroine to realise her worth and trust in love again.

The writing style was easy to read, but honestly, I wasn’t sure about the attempts at humour. Similarly, the discussion surrounding mental health was heavy handed. Still, I appreciated the inclusion of Georgia’s career anxiety and her fear of being forgotten by her friends.

The plot was pushed forward by Georgia and Eli having to ‘save’ the wedding, but I didn't actually feel like they accomplished anything critical. I wanted more hijinks other than crabby bakers and wacky DJs. Teaming up to save the wedding was very clearly the vehicle to getting the couple to rekindle their romance. I wished it felt high stakes in its own right.

Parts of the story felt very repetitive. As it was written from Georgia’s perspective, it was very much in her head and was reliant on her internal monologue. Georgia kept on rehashing her history, constantly bringing up how disengaged Eli became at the tail end of their relationship. Georgia used this as a barrier to them getting back together again, yet it was blatantly obvious that Eli was/had been working on himself for her. It would have been interesting to get to read his side of the story.

The romance definitely gave off 'Persuasion' vibes, but as it was second chance, I missed out on getting to know Georgia and Eli as well as I wanted to. I felt I didn’t get to properly understand them as a couple, so it was kind of like the pining wasn’t earned. However, I liked how mature the final act was - it highlighted how much both characters had grown.

Second chance romances are actually the best.

It’s been a while since I read a good second chance romance and let me tell you, this one did not disappoint. I love the fact that Eli and Georgia started out as friends, especially with Adam their mutual best friend. Something I also really enjoyed was that, even though we went back in time to meet them when they just met/when they dated/when they broke up, it’s not too long so it doesn’t overpower the storyline. I like that she kept it mostly in the present and just the fact it took them 5 years to get there.

Honestly a really good read, a little bit emotional and hit a bit too close to home at some points but other than that it was a really nice time!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review!

-friends to lovers
-second chance
- dual pov
I have no words to describe the love I have for this book!! It was fun and the perfect book for summer while it also had so many real moments that made me sob. If I wasn’t giggling or swooning I was crying sad and happy tears.

Georgia was so relatable. I loved reading about a character who faced the same problems and worries as me, it made me feel so understood and seen.

Eli is one of the best book boyfriends. The things he said and did has raised my standards to a new level ( for the better or the worse).

They fit perfectly together!! The way they still understood what the other one needed even after not having seen each other for 5 years.

Thank you Jessica Joyce and netgalley for this arc!!!

Georgia, Eli, and Adam have been best friends since childhood and would do anything for one another. Eli and Georgia fell madly in love from a young age but by 23 they just couldn’t make their relationship work anymore. They agreed to keep their distance whenever possible for the sake of their friendship with Adam. Now Adam is getting married and after a series of catastrophic events it is down to the best woman and man to save the day.

Whilst Georgia and Eli spend time at their old summer home their chemistry floods back. Georgia sees glimpses of the man she adores and Eli is determined to show her just how changed he is. But Georgia has been pushed away and hurt before and isn’t sure that risking her heart and her friendship will be worth the absolute devastation if things go wrong again.

My thoughts: A second chance, friends to lovers, forced proximity, found family, with spicy moments and anxiety representation.

I’m starting this by saying that this author’s previous book You With A View was one of my absolute favourites last year, I still regularly think about that book so if you haven’t read it yet I urge you to.

The story of the couple having to team up to save their best friend’s wedding was really sweet. So many things went wrong that it became a little silly but it was fun to see how the pair would work together and overcome the obstacles. However if it were my wedding i absolutely would have just cancelled!

The book had a sadness underlying it which touched on how friendships and relationships change as people grow up. It highlights how important it is for people to communicate their feelings. This is where a lot of the mental health representation features and this is done very honestly and carefully. I particularly appreciated the coping strategy Eli uses in this book when suffering from panic attacks as this is something I’ve come across before.

The depth of love between the main characters is ultimately what I fell for most in this story. Both characters are loveable in their own right but the way they love one another is so heartwarming. Their banter is also really strong and you can’t help but root for them!

Overall this is a great second chance romance, Jessica Joyce has smashed it again.

Really enjoyed reading this book, was able to really connect with the characters. i found that there were times i forgot i was reading i was that absorded in the book. so glad i got the chance to read this.

There were a few moments that felt off when reading but not much that dampered the experience

Someone told me this book was even better than You With a View and I thought impossible, but damn it was absolutely incredible. Completely different so I don’t think I’d say better they are probably on equal footing of amazingness.

I’m not going to lie, I cried a lot during this book. It was one I kinda felt seen in. It was relatable and such a damn beautiful journey from start to finish. It gutted me and hurt my heart, but it also completely made up for those facts. The paper rings destroyed me in the best way.

I absolutely love second chance romance and this whole book is one of those that shows why.

Eli and Georgia. Gah. Everything they go through and how they find their way back to each other. I love every second. The looks, the fighting the connection, (and man they had some amazing intense chemistry), both of their childhood traumas and baggage, it all just comes out a little at a time until you can see the whole picture and oh my heart. I loved it and them so much.

The found family aspect as well was just the icing on the cake. I loved all the friendships they have and those evolving too.

I was so excited to read this after having absolutely loved YWAV and let me tell you that it did not disappoint. At all.
I loved everything about this and that’s saying a lot because I’m not the biggest fan of second chance romance. But after this, I think I might give this trope another chance.
I loved Georgia so much. The way she thought, the way she acted, you couldn’t help but root for her and love her.
I loved seeing how Eli learned to deal with his anxiety and the way he wanted to get better for himself and Georgia.
The secondary characters were a great addition too. I loved their group dynamic. It felt really authentic and natural.
I think Jessica Joyce has become one of my auto buy authors!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! I loved the premise of this book which is why I gave it 3.75 stars. The book did start off a bit slow, but around the 25% mark is when it started to pick up more and when I began to get really into the book. I loved the character development in this book, and I loved how we got moments/thoughts that showed the MC's past together which was really good. I loved the plot of this book and how it forced the MC's to work together despite their past. I do want to re-read this book at a later point to annotate it so I will be placing an order for it soon!

Tropes:
- Forced Proximity
- Second Chance
- One Bed
- Friends to Lovers

I thought this might be a nice feel good summer read and I really wanted to enjoy it. However I have to say there really wasn’t much of a story and the characters lacked any real depth. I kept hoping there was going to be something more but there wasn’t and it was a relief to get to the inevitable end.

Thank you NetGalley and Jessica for the Arc copy of this book.

This was a beautiful story that had me sobbing from the heart when I finished it and I can’t stop thinking about these characters. I am a sucker for a romance story when you go back to your one true love.

I really loved the character Georgia I saw myself a lot in her as a person who likes to have everything in order .I understood her need for control and wanting the best for her loved ones.

Jessica beautifully also writes about Anxiety from Elis childhood and when he comes back to Georgia you get to noticeably see changes in him and that he finally seems to be dealing with those issues in a healthy way. They are forced to work together to make the wedding of their friends Adam and Grace happen, and watching these two evolve was magical to read. Some of the unfortunate mishaps at the wedding and the way they had to resolve them has me in stitches.

I did feel it took a long time to fully get into the story but also understand this was needed for the readers to understand both characters and their journey.

I loved this book X



.