An emotional and heartwarming story of love in every facade, of friendship, found family and second chances. A story of growth and how individual growth can make you a good partner to someone else.
I really appreciated this story that was simile really but so on point.

"When I say I'm still in love with you, I mean the first time I saw you and right now. I mean every second in between."

My Best friend's wedding is only 10 days away and till now everything has been going upside down it's like the wedding is cursed or something 🙃🙃🙃 and to make things harder the best man is Eli his best friend too and my Ex the man who broke my heart whom I haven't forgotten.

Our relationship went through many stages from strangers to best friends to lovers then to strangers again and NOW we are the ones who has to save the day by working together side by side alone for a week in the place where everything started and where all the best memories lay.

What will happen and how will it end??
🤤🙈🤤🙈🤤

I loved this book so much ❤️
The angst, passion, romance, banter, and everything in between.
It showed how love sometimes never dies but grows in different shapes and sizes and how as humans we go through relationships.
It wasn't just about the easy stuff and the hard stuff too.
Eli was amazing especially with the paper rings ( when you read, you will know what I'm talking about 😉) like OMG I melted 🥰🥰.

I loved the whole found family troop coz it's one of my favourites.
All in all , this book is so good and I 100% recommend, make sure to read it.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #TheExVows in exchange for my honest review.

Xoxo💋

I'm a bit conflicted! There are elements in the book that I liked, and others I didn't. I feel like the leads got together very quickly, the character development for the female MC was non-existent, I would have liked a bit more flashbacks to connect with their old relationship a bit more. I enjoyed the wedding planning and mishaps, the side characters were good but then again a bit more depth and it would have been better. I couldn't get through the idea that one conversation could have solved all of their problems. Though I've heard many good things about You, With A View, so I'll be sure to read it at one point.

A firm tug on the heartstrings should be expected from Jessica Joyce after reading You, With A View, but I was still taken aback by just how emotional this second chance romance was.
Whilst not only delving into the romantic lives of main characters Georgia and Eli, this also looked at friendship, insecurity and our reliance on other people. It looks at the work people put into friendships, and how it sometimes feels like you're asking too much from those around you, when in fact, they are as reliant on you as you are on them. When best friend Adam's wedding venue burns down, it falls to exes Georgia and Eli to save the day, despite the fact that they're both ignoring their own heartbreak from 5 years prior.
This could have been a bright and breezy rom-com, easy laughs coming from the chaos of trying to salvage their best friend's wedding, and their rivalry to be Adam's top dog. Instead, it looked deeper, uncovering the character flaws that had broken down their earlier relationship and helping them rebuild a foundation of friendship and support.
Best read with a bar of chocolate and a box of tissues, this book had me weeping, swooning and laughing at regular intervals. I can't wait to see what Jessica Joyce does next.
As always, thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, and the author for the chance to read an early copy!

Review going live on my blog (https://creativityandcatastrophe.wordpress.com/) and Instagram (@creativityandcatastrophe) on 13/06.

4.5 ⭐

I can't even explain how much I loved this book! I'm a sucker for second chance romance and The ex vows didn't disappoint me! Last summer I read You, with a view by Jessica Joyce, but this one was my favorite by far.

Georgia was SO relatable and Eli was a cupcake. I loved to watch them gradually get closer again, after 5 years of pain and doubts. They were really made for each other, so they found their way back to each other. Some chapters, especially at the end of the book, made me so emotional. Eli is one of the sweetest MMC ever and made me bawl my eyes out at the end of the book.

Also, the found family was adorable and the setting was beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-arc! 💖

You, With a View was one of my favourite reads of 2023; I still think about Noelle and Theo to this day, could quite literally talk about them, Paul, and just how good the story was, all day long, like I’ll never shut up about how much I loved it. It’s also no secret that I’m a huge Jessica Joyce fan; I’ll read anything she writes (shout out to Claire and Connor, too because I was just as obsessed with them), when put in front of me, and when I got approved for the arc of this, I could have cried. Though, I must say that it’s taken me almost four months to start it, as I had heard mixed reviews.

I adore how in Jessica’s writing, she captures the emotions of her characters in such a raw and beautiful way because it tells a beautiful story. I liked Eli and Georgia’s tender moments together; the anguish of having to be around your ex when you’re still in love with them, it would send me into a tailspin however, their story felt rather underwhelming in the sense of how angsty second chance romances can be.

They’re forced to work together, to save their best friend’s wedding and be in a close proximity of one another, which makes for a great story, but with Georgia’s defiance of not wanting to talk about their relationship, or really in general. When they did come together for a second time, it felt like there was no build up to it, because they had this week agreement, and then they had went their separate ways again, without addressing the elephant in the room; how they both felt/what they wanted.

A side note; the wedding had so many things that went wrong, I almost struggled to keep up, like, so many unfortunate things happened for one event, I just don’t know. It had me holding my breath in anticipation because I was thinking; surely not another bump in the road, but it was also, all that was happening outside of Georgia and Eli’s relationship/agreement.

As characters; they felt a bit one dimensional; Georgia is a people pleaser, whom seeks validation from her friends about feeling wanted, and is scared about drifting apart from them, and Eli is burnt out and anxious. That’s all there is to it.

Despite having not enjoyed this as much, I’m still very much an avid read of Jessica’s and cannot wait for what’s to come next for her!

Tropes

Forced proximity
Friends to lovers, to exes
Only one cottage (bed)
Second chance

Brace your hearts for this brilliantly written second-chance romance. 
I just finished reading ‘The Ex Vows’ by Jessica Joyce, and WOW. This novel completely blew me away. This is my first time reading anything by this author, and I have to say it won’t be my last!
Jessica absolutely smashed it with this second-chance romance. Georgia and Eli are our MCs. Their love story is seriously swoon-worthy, but it also pulls on those heartstrings in the best way. You can practically feel the tension and electricity buzzing between them, even after all those years apart. Plus, their personal and intertwined growth in this book is so satisfying. 
And let's talk about the spice! Jessica delivers the heat without going overboard, perfectly complementing the emotional depth of the story. 
But seriously, the best part? Those freaking paper rings Eli made Georgia all those years ago? Talk about a detail that punches you right in the feels. Jessica, you are an absolute genius! 
This book has everything: characters you can't help but root for, a family home that feels like your home, and a romance that will leave you grinning like a fool and maybe reaching for the tissues.
If you're looking for a second-chance love story that will make you believe in forever again, this is the one to read. Seriously, add it to your TBR! You won't regret it.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book.

I don’t know how to describe how much I loved The Ex Vows. It made me laugh and it made me cry. This is one of my favourite reads of the year for sure. I had You With a View on my TBR and I can’t wait to devour that too.

Plot:

Two exes Georgia and Eli are still part of a best friend group and their best bestie is getting married. They are both best people to Adam and all of the planning is going totally wrong. Cue the two exes coming in to messily try to save the day with forced proximity, one bed and all of the delicious romcom tropes we love!

Honestly such a heart warmer- all of the soul searching, delving into the past hurt and miscommunication and learning how to love again with some hot spice. Perfect summer read!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my god this book was amazing! I loved Georgia and Eli as characters, the romance between them was just so good! The book will made me feel all the emotions; I laughed, I cried and I really didn’t want this book to be over! Jessica Joyce’s writing is phenomenal, straight away from the prologue the writing is so fluid and really takes you on a journey.

I loved this book so much!
Georgia and Eli broke up several years ago, but their best friend is getting married and they are the best people. They usually put on a good front when around friends, but Eli is acting weird.
One disaster after another happens and these two are suddenly falling into bed with each other 🤭
I absolutely adored Eli. We love a man who realizes his mistakes and goes to therapy! As far as second chances go, this one was done so well. I would have loved a little POV from Eli just to really feel how much he still loved Georgia.

The Ex Vows is wrought with witty banter, and generally great dialogue - it felt visceral and authentic, like watching an actual conversation or argument unfold in front of me. The also translated to the relationships in the book, not just our hero and heroine - the friendships in particualr shined. It also had a great representation of anxiety, it was well researched.

The leads however were aggravating, and the thing that drove them a part feels anticlimactic compared to how clear the author makes that these two are soulmates. It seemed so fixable? Also, I like Taylor Swift, but the references were a bit much, it kept pulling me out of the story, and made it seem juvenile at times.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱 𝐕𝐨𝐰𝐬 | 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐲𝐜𝐞
★★★★☆

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟
⟡ Childhood best friends to lovers to exes to lovers 😂
⟡ Second chance romance
⟡ Forced proximity

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Immediately, readers are drawn into this story with a dynamic that is tantalising. Having to face an ex who broke your heart yet also need to stay civil with due to the best friend you both share? Damn 🥵.

This book surprised me with its sheer emotional level. Both Georgia and Eli, the main characters, had incredibly well written growth arcs and the book felt like one big therapy session. It was easy to see myself in both Eli and Georgia as their searing self-awareness into their perceived flaws were explored.

Jessica Joyce has again delivered a romance that is sweet as it is spicy and kept me wholly gripped.

𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
“𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵, 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭-𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.”

“𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸—𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺. 𝘈𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘵.”

Jessica Joyce has a super talent of making you feel good and destroy you emotionally at the same time!
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING!!! If you were ever hesitant about second-chance romances, please go read The Ex Vows, because this book is a true example of why I love them.

There were so many hints of a really good relationship, how they grew apart, and throughout the novel we learn what happened between Georgia and Eli.. They are reluctantly teaming up to save their common bestie's wedding, which is also a lough-out-loud shenanigan; what can go wrong, goes wrong.

But throughout the mess, G and E find the way back to each other: when you love someone, you love them through the mess and the unpleasant and you are able to grow together. This is my takeaway from the book!

Also, it was spicy with open door scenes, but I think the author did really well connecting it to the emotional arc pf the story! 10/10 recommended!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Jessica’s Joyce does it again. I really loved this book, it was written in such a way you could really feel who the characters were, the book was playing like a movie in my head. The FMC was such a people pleaser that she didn’t know how to tell people what she wanted and needed yet the FMC just instantly knew, like he was reading her, he knew everything about her. Her quirks and her needs. It was nice to see a different type of love portrayed. How he loved her was so important because he knew she would never ask for the things so he just gave them to her, he knew he so intricately that he was so endowed with her they were to halves of one another.

The connection in this book was written excellently, you could tell how deep the affection was from the moment they were in a room with one another.

I really enjoyed how they spent time with one another, that he done things on his own timeline even if it should’ve been done sooner but he realised what was happening.

An excellent read! 4.75 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, and Jessica Joyce for providing me with an advanced copy of The Ex Vows in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say about this book that will do it justice? Probably nothing, but here goes. The Ex Vows follows Georgia as she attempts to save her best friend, Adam's, wedding from disaster. The sticking point is that she is sharing best-person duties with her ex of five years, Eli. Georgia and Eli have managed to convince their mutual friends that their break-up was amicable and they are perfectly happy to be in each other's space. Will a week alone together pulling Adam's wedding day from the brink of total collapse have their carefully designed facade fraying at the seams?

First of all, there was so much heart in this book! I could really feel the connection between Eli and Georgia and related to both of them so much individually, as well. I adored the mental health representation in this book; I felt the depiction of Eli's workplace anxiety was so well written as well as Georgia's feelings of loneliness and being unable to ask for more. Sometimes I think that second-chance romance novels can annoy me because the reason for the initial split was either too minor to be realistic or too big to forgive each other - but I think in The Ex Vows, Joyce found a perfect middle ground. There were definitely teary moments for me.

I also loved the secondary characters we met, especially Jaime; I thought she was such an amazing friend. Adam, also, was so funny with all his curse-related fears. The setting felt so vivid and picturesque, making this a perfect summer read.

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce releases on July 18th and if you love a well-written second chance romance, or you were a fan of Emily Henry's Happy Place, then I would definitely recommend picking this up! I can't wait for more people to experience this read.

I got completely swept up in the gorgeous second chance romance between Georgia and Eli as they plan their best friends wedding while navigating 5 years of hurt, after their own relationship when wrong, and a lot of lingering feelings.

My favourite thing about this book was that I could feel the love these two had for each other bleeding through the pages and I was just rooting for them to get it right this time around so much.

I loved the supporting cast of characters too and honestly i would not change a single thing about this book.

And the paper rings. Oh my god the paper rings!

Thank you Jessica for the therapy representation in this, I mean, wow! As someone who has benefited from years of therapy and knows how awkward it can be to have to miss out on important stuff to do therapy, THANK YOU. it is hard to fit those appointments in, but it is crucial. I just love that aspect of this book so, so much. The swoon in this book is unmatched. I love the character development throughout with everyone, even the actual bride & groom!! Just another lovely romance from Jessica. Thank you to Netgalley & penguin for the ARC, loved this one!!! If you enjoyed You, With a View, you will enjoy this one!

I absolutely adored this book, immediate 5 star read. Just the way the characters show love for one another! It’s also so funny and had me laughing out loud. One of my fave reads of 2024 and would highly recommend!

The Ex Vows is focus on a second chance romance, where from the start Eli and Georgia have an obvious, well written connection that is bursting with tension. They are placed amongst a cast of friends with plenty of history and many scenarios where they are forced together such as sharing a bed. Weaved in to most of the story is the unknown reason for Eli and Georgia’s original break up and the secret of Georgia’s new job offer in a faraway location. I enjoyed this story with strong character build up and connection and would give it a strong 4.5.

Estranged exes are forced to help replan their best friend's wedding in this swoony and steamy second chance romance from the author of You, With a View.

WOW WOW WOW. I loved this so much!!!!

It really felt like one of my favourite books ever which is Happy Place by Emily Henry and I immediately got that five star feeling about 150 pages in. I loved it.

Eli literally owns my heart, I loved his character and the author did a brilliant job of showcasing his love and adoration for Georgia right from the jump.

Georgia felt like a reflection of myself in so many ways and it cut deep at some points. I love relating to a character because it immerses me so deeply into their story hence why I absolutely adored this book.

I rated this 5 stars and I already can't wait to read it again.