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Not You Again
Wedding gown designer Andie Dresser is hanging on by a thread. Gaining a following on TikTok for her one-of-a-kind fairytale gowns has earned her a spot at Atlanta’s Fashion Week, but the time and upfront costs to design a full bridal line have stretched her to her limit. When her best friend suggests she sign up for a reality show with a potential $100,000 prize, she realizes the money could allow her to hire some desperately needed help. All she needs to do is marry a stranger—sight unseen—and opt for divorce at the end of filming. No big deal, right?
Architect Kit Watson just returned to Atlanta to help his loving but stubborn mother through a health crisis. However, she’ll only accept his help if he agrees to settle down, insisting he sign up for the matchmaking reality show that’s filming in the area. Willing to do anything for his mom, he finds himself at the altar—on camera—staring at Andie, the woman he abruptly left without explanation seven years ago.
In the blink of an eye, Kit and Andie tie the knot on TV for the world to see. Now, they must live together for eight weeks with cameras following their every move. But as the newlyweds reconnect and sift through their past, old feelings females spark…and old grudges cast a shadow over their “marriage”. With decision day looming, Andie must decide if forgiving Kit for his mistakes—past and present—is worth more than her dreams of success.
Architect Kit Watson just returned to Atlanta to help his loving but stubborn mother through a health crisis. However, she’ll only accept his help if he agrees to settle down, insisting he sign up for the matchmaking reality show that’s filming in the area. Willing to do anything for his mom, he finds himself at the altar—on camera—staring at Andie, the woman he abruptly left without explanation seven years ago.
In the blink of an eye, Kit and Andie tie the knot on TV for the world to see. Now, they must live together for eight weeks with cameras following their every move. But as the newlyweds reconnect and sift through their past, old feelings females spark…and old grudges cast a shadow over their “marriage”. With decision day looming, Andie must decide if forgiving Kit for his mistakes—past and present—is worth more than her dreams of success.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2024
35 people are currently reading
8406 people want to read
About the author
Ingrid Pierce
1 book62 followersIngrid Pierce lives a large amount of her life in hospital scrubs. By night, she writes what her friends dub “emo romance novels” and reads anything she can get her hands on. She lives in the Arizona mountains with her husband, son, and menagerie of fur babies. When she’s not writing, she’s helping other writers reach their full potential as a book coach and attempting to finish a single knitting project.
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September 3, 2024
°•*⁀➷・❥・ “𝓘’𝓶 𝓭𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓮, 𝓘’𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼.”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
☆☆☆☆.75 stars
𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭:
If I have to describe this book in one word, MINDBLOWING😍🤌🏻 I never read reality tv show tropes in books because I'm not fond of reality tv shows in real life, but this might have made me add all the books in that trope to my tbr 🤭🗑 The storyline was gripping from the very start, the angst, the chemistry & the banters between the MCs were *chef's kiss*💋
✨️Meet the characters✨️
💌 Andrea Dresser~ aka Andie by everyone, determined, a famous tiktok wedding dress designer, who gets selected to participate in the upcoming Atlanta's Fashion week, realises that she doesn't have the financial sources to design the dresses for the week. In a whim, she decided to participate in the Reality TV Show "First Look at Forever" where you marry a complete stranger and spend time with them for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, they can decide whether they will stay together or divorce and get the $100,000 as the prize. But everything goes under water, when she meets her supposed to be husband in the altar.
💌 Christopher Watson~ aka Kit, is an architecture and is forced to participate in a TV show by his dying mother as it's her last wish to see him married. He is surprised to see he is marrying none other than the ANDIE, the only love of his life, whom he left years ago without an explanation. But this time, he plans on not letting her go no matter what.
When these two people come together, everything is at stake, especially Andie's already broken heart, which she has barely tried to mend throughout the years❤️🩹
🌶chps warning: 22, 30, 31, 32, 33, 48
Trigger warning: breast cancer
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
💍Second Chance
💍Marriage of Convenience
💍Reality TV show
💍Dual POVs
💍Lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers
💍Wedding Dress designer× Architecture
Thankyou to the Author, Alcovepress and Netgalley for this amazing ARC!!🥰🫶🏻💓
ˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
🍓04/07/24
*puts on seat belt* Alright everyone, I'm ready to take off to my motherland🤭🛫 What's better to read when you get a marriage of convenience/ fake dating/ reality tv show/ second chance/ romcom all in a single book?!😍 Got this ARC a while back and now I'm going to simply binge-read this in my 6 hours flight hehe🤭🥰💗 Also I will be on a semi-hiatus starting today, as my vacation starts. But don't worry, I will come here sneakily at night😁 See y'all soon😽💘
*changing the date format to dd/mm/yy from mm/dd/yy now onwards.
☆☆☆☆.75 stars
𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭:
If I have to describe this book in one word, MINDBLOWING😍🤌🏻 I never read reality tv show tropes in books because I'm not fond of reality tv shows in real life, but this might have made me add all the books in that trope to my tbr 🤭🗑 The storyline was gripping from the very start, the angst, the chemistry & the banters between the MCs were *chef's kiss*💋
✨️Meet the characters✨️
💌 Andrea Dresser~ aka Andie by everyone, determined, a famous tiktok wedding dress designer, who gets selected to participate in the upcoming Atlanta's Fashion week, realises that she doesn't have the financial sources to design the dresses for the week. In a whim, she decided to participate in the Reality TV Show "First Look at Forever" where you marry a complete stranger and spend time with them for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, they can decide whether they will stay together or divorce and get the $100,000 as the prize. But everything goes under water, when she meets her supposed to be husband in the altar.
💌 Christopher Watson~ aka Kit, is an architecture and is forced to participate in a TV show by his dying mother as it's her last wish to see him married. He is surprised to see he is marrying none other than the ANDIE, the only love of his life, whom he left years ago without an explanation. But this time, he plans on not letting her go no matter what.
When these two people come together, everything is at stake, especially Andie's already broken heart, which she has barely tried to mend throughout the years❤️🩹
🌶chps warning: 22, 30, 31, 32, 33, 48
Trigger warning: breast cancer
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
💍Second Chance
💍Marriage of Convenience
💍Reality TV show
💍Dual POVs
💍Lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers
💍Wedding Dress designer× Architecture
Thankyou to the Author, Alcovepress and Netgalley for this amazing ARC!!🥰🫶🏻💓
ˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
🍓04/07/24
*puts on seat belt* Alright everyone, I'm ready to take off to my motherland🤭🛫 What's better to read when you get a marriage of convenience/ fake dating/ reality tv show/ second chance/ romcom all in a single book?!😍 Got this ARC a while back and now I'm going to simply binge-read this in my 6 hours flight hehe🤭🥰💗 Also I will be on a semi-hiatus starting today, as my vacation starts. But don't worry, I will come here sneakily at night😁 See y'all soon😽💘
*changing the date format to dd/mm/yy from mm/dd/yy now onwards.
July 7, 2024
Diving into "Not You Again" by Ingrid Pierce was like stumbling upon a hidden gem in the vast realm of romance novels – an absolute exhilarating discovery among romance books!
Let me tell you about Kit and Andie – the main characters. They're not your typical flawless protagonists; they come with their own baggage, flaws, and real-world problems. That's what made them feel so relatable to me. Their imperfections made them more authentic, and I found myself really rooting for them throughout the story.
The whole plot revolves around a reality show that throws people into unexpected marriages. Now, imagine the twist – Kit and Andie are exes. And not just any exes, but ones with a history full of heartbreak and unresolved issues. Andie had her heart shattered when Kit couldn't reciprocate her "I love you" back in college. It led to him disappearing from her life for days. Andie's been nursing that hurt ever since, while Kit regrets his past actions and wants a shot at winning her back.
As they navigate an eight-week marriage on the reality show, you get to see both sides of the story, past and present. The character growth is so realistic; you witness Kit and Andie evolving as they confront their past and deal with the challenges of the present.
What really sold me on this book is the chemistry between Kit and Andie. It's electric and makes their journey genuinely captivating. Ingrid Pierce did an incredible job of weaving in every emotion and unresolved feeling, making Kit and Andie endearing characters that you can't help but get attached to.
The writing style is fantastic – the story is filled with witty charm and emotional depth. I easily fell in love with the storyline, thanks to the well-crafted characters and the unique premise.
“Not You Again" is not just your run-of-the-mill romance – it's a heart-pounding rollercoaster of emotions that I devoured with pure excitement! Ingrid Pierce's storytelling is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you're a sucker for second chance romances with characters that are flawlessly imperfect and utterly lovable, trust me, this book is an absolute must-read!
Let me tell you about Kit and Andie – the main characters. They're not your typical flawless protagonists; they come with their own baggage, flaws, and real-world problems. That's what made them feel so relatable to me. Their imperfections made them more authentic, and I found myself really rooting for them throughout the story.
The whole plot revolves around a reality show that throws people into unexpected marriages. Now, imagine the twist – Kit and Andie are exes. And not just any exes, but ones with a history full of heartbreak and unresolved issues. Andie had her heart shattered when Kit couldn't reciprocate her "I love you" back in college. It led to him disappearing from her life for days. Andie's been nursing that hurt ever since, while Kit regrets his past actions and wants a shot at winning her back.
As they navigate an eight-week marriage on the reality show, you get to see both sides of the story, past and present. The character growth is so realistic; you witness Kit and Andie evolving as they confront their past and deal with the challenges of the present.
What really sold me on this book is the chemistry between Kit and Andie. It's electric and makes their journey genuinely captivating. Ingrid Pierce did an incredible job of weaving in every emotion and unresolved feeling, making Kit and Andie endearing characters that you can't help but get attached to.
The writing style is fantastic – the story is filled with witty charm and emotional depth. I easily fell in love with the storyline, thanks to the well-crafted characters and the unique premise.
“Not You Again" is not just your run-of-the-mill romance – it's a heart-pounding rollercoaster of emotions that I devoured with pure excitement! Ingrid Pierce's storytelling is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you're a sucker for second chance romances with characters that are flawlessly imperfect and utterly lovable, trust me, this book is an absolute must-read!
June 23, 2024
I received this for free as an advanced reader copy audiobook. This is dual POV with two narrators. As an audiobook, it was pretty good. But, the story wasn’t my favorite.
I loved the premise. Two people who dated in college but broke up get matched in a “Married at First Sight” type of reality show. With a lot of forced proximity, they fall in love again. And get to know why they broke up in the first place.
However… it went bad.
There are three things I need to make a second chance romance work really well:
1. A real reason the two people broke up, that isn’t due to them being crap people.
2. Real growth leading them back to each other.
3. An abiding love and faithfulness, meaning there were no other folks they pursued while they were broken up.
This didn’t do a good job with any of the three. Didn’t like the reason they broke up, didn’t feel like they grew, and they both slept with others during their separation (especially him).
I wouldn’t read another book by this author. There were multiple things that drove me crazy. For instance, the heroine asks the hero to cut her out of her dress. There’s no reason for this other than an elaborate metaphor that the characters think about the whole time of “removing each other’s armor”. It was bizarre that she would have him ruin a fancy dress she made.
I couldn’t STAND how the hero acts. He’s very self-righteous that he’s all in and she’s not but when push comes to shove, he runs away. Super frustrating. I’m never a fan when the heroine has to chase the hero. She seems to grow in this book and be open to trying again. And he’s not. It takes a LOOOOOONG talk with his mom for him to be open to having a relationship.
Safety deets
- No other people during the book, but they definitely slept with others during their 10-year separation.
- SO MUCH NEGATIVE MOTIVATION. The heroine pushes back SO MUCH. And then, when she finally gives in, the hero pushes away.
- Brutal 3rd act separation.
- Birth control and diseases discussed but condoms not used.
I loved the premise. Two people who dated in college but broke up get matched in a “Married at First Sight” type of reality show. With a lot of forced proximity, they fall in love again. And get to know why they broke up in the first place.
However… it went bad.
There are three things I need to make a second chance romance work really well:
1. A real reason the two people broke up, that isn’t due to them being crap people.
2. Real growth leading them back to each other.
3. An abiding love and faithfulness, meaning there were no other folks they pursued while they were broken up.
This didn’t do a good job with any of the three. Didn’t like the reason they broke up, didn’t feel like they grew, and they both slept with others during their separation (especially him).
I wouldn’t read another book by this author. There were multiple things that drove me crazy. For instance, the heroine asks the hero to cut her out of her dress. There’s no reason for this other than an elaborate metaphor that the characters think about the whole time of “removing each other’s armor”. It was bizarre that she would have him ruin a fancy dress she made.
I couldn’t STAND how the hero acts. He’s very self-righteous that he’s all in and she’s not but when push comes to shove, he runs away. Super frustrating. I’m never a fan when the heroine has to chase the hero. She seems to grow in this book and be open to trying again. And he’s not. It takes a LOOOOOONG talk with his mom for him to be open to having a relationship.
Safety deets
- No other people during the book, but they definitely slept with others during their 10-year separation.
- SO MUCH NEGATIVE MOTIVATION. The heroine pushes back SO MUCH. And then, when she finally gives in, the hero pushes away.
- Brutal 3rd act separation.
- Birth control and diseases discussed but condoms not used.
September 1, 2024
3.75 stars.
January 11, 2024
“You really can’t survive without me, can you?” She scowls , but drops her hands at her sides, balled into fists. “Amazing I’m still alive, then.”“A miracle.” I say dryly. “Don’t worry, I’m here now.”
I was really excited to read this book and it was better than I was expecting it to be! Andie & Kit were perfect for each other and the history between them served angst! The writing was fantastic and kept me engaged. There was so much left to be resolved between Andie & Kit and it was entertaining to watch them figure out how to act around each other and I loved the activities that their show kept arranging because it helped bring them closer. At first, I was thinking that Andie was really being selfish but towards the end, I could understand her pov and Kit was somewhere to be blamed for their break up too. Both of them did have good character development and I loved how they communicated in the end. Their story was sometimes painful but it was nice watching them fall in love all over again. I went in without having any expectations and this book did surprise me, big time! It was really well written and Andie & Kit both had some flaws but it was what made them feel realistic and relatable. So in fact, I loved the book, it was super enjoyable and really impressive!
Thank you so much Netgalley for providing me the ARC in exchange of an honest review
I was really excited to read this book and it was better than I was expecting it to be! Andie & Kit were perfect for each other and the history between them served angst! The writing was fantastic and kept me engaged. There was so much left to be resolved between Andie & Kit and it was entertaining to watch them figure out how to act around each other and I loved the activities that their show kept arranging because it helped bring them closer. At first, I was thinking that Andie was really being selfish but towards the end, I could understand her pov and Kit was somewhere to be blamed for their break up too. Both of them did have good character development and I loved how they communicated in the end. Their story was sometimes painful but it was nice watching them fall in love all over again. I went in without having any expectations and this book did surprise me, big time! It was really well written and Andie & Kit both had some flaws but it was what made them feel realistic and relatable. So in fact, I loved the book, it was super enjoyable and really impressive!
Thank you so much Netgalley for providing me the ARC in exchange of an honest review
dnf
July 12, 2024DNF at 10%
Really wasn’t feeling this at all🫠
Really wasn’t feeling this at all🫠
April 9, 2024
What a touching story Andie and Kit have! They meet in art class, fall for each other, and date for a while before a personal tragedy and miscommunication put an end to their relationship, leaving Andie heartbroken.
Several years later, Andie is fighting for her dreams of becoming a wedding dress designer, and what she lacks are the funds to get her business off the ground. Her friend suggests she apply to a reality TV show, "Married At First Sight," and then divorce in order to pocket the compensation money. After all, there's no risk of her actually wanting to stay married, especially since she has dedicated herself to her career after her youthful love. However, fate has other plans, as on the big day, she discovers that her unknown husband is none other than Kit.
I really enjoyed their story; they're adorable, with their small gestures, awkward moments, and misunderstandings. I also found the context of the reality TV show to be an original idea; it's like being invited to the front row backstage!
Thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Ingrid Pierce for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Several years later, Andie is fighting for her dreams of becoming a wedding dress designer, and what she lacks are the funds to get her business off the ground. Her friend suggests she apply to a reality TV show, "Married At First Sight," and then divorce in order to pocket the compensation money. After all, there's no risk of her actually wanting to stay married, especially since she has dedicated herself to her career after her youthful love. However, fate has other plans, as on the big day, she discovers that her unknown husband is none other than Kit.
I really enjoyed their story; they're adorable, with their small gestures, awkward moments, and misunderstandings. I also found the context of the reality TV show to be an original idea; it's like being invited to the front row backstage!
Thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Ingrid Pierce for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 1, 2023
Hi readers,
I wrote NOT YOU AGAIN for the ones who hold reality TV watch parties and wish more of the couples found their perfect match ❤️
This story is for you if you love
- second chance romance
- marriage of convenience
- dual POV
- "don't worry, I won't fall in love with you"
- reality TV
- he's obsessed with her hands
- "cut me out of my dress"
- banter on tap with a dash of angst and p i n i n g
Please check my website for content considerations before diving in!
I wrote NOT YOU AGAIN for the ones who hold reality TV watch parties and wish more of the couples found their perfect match ❤️
This story is for you if you love
- second chance romance
- marriage of convenience
- dual POV
- "don't worry, I won't fall in love with you"
- reality TV
- he's obsessed with her hands
- "cut me out of my dress"
- banter on tap with a dash of angst and p i n i n g
Please check my website for content considerations before diving in!
June 25, 2024
I was leaning towards rating this as 4 stars until I actually sat down to write my review, and then I realized that - though I enjoyed much of the story - I had quite a few pretty big issues with the relationship at the heart of it. Let's talk about the good for a minute, because there's a solid amount of it. I liked the premise of two people getting matched on a Married at First Sight-style dating show, only to discover that their supposed "ideal" partner is the person who broke their heart years ago. They had a messy breakup back in college and left things very unresolved between them, so they have different levels of enthusiasm about their present day match. I always love "he falls first" vibes and a man who knows he needs to win over his girl, so that part worked for me. I also thought the reality show aspect added a fresh, unique feel to the typical second chance romance setup, and it was easy to feel the connection that still sparked between our couple. I'll get into the things that didn't work for me in a minute, but this was the kind of debut that makes me excited to check out more from the author in the future, as her writing continues to grow.
The story follows Andie, a wedding dress designer who is resistant to letting love into her life. After having her heart broken in college and after spending years watching her mom drift from one man to another, the last thing Andie is looking for is a relationship. But she does need money to grow her business, so when a friend tells Andie about a loophole in a reality show's contract, it sparks an idea. Andie will get married to a stranger, and when they part ways she'll receive a check large enough to grow her business. Unfortunately, that plan goes awry as soon as Andie meets her groom - Kit, her college sweetheart. They only dated for a few months, but Andie let herself fall for him... only to be shattered to pieces when he unexpectedly disappeared from her life. Ten years later, Kit is ecstatic to discover that his new bride is Andie. He sees it as a second chance to get things right, even if she wants nothing to do with him.
I'm not the biggest fan of second chance romances, but I love a reality TV romance book, so I was excited to see how this one played out. The writing was pretty good, not amazing but certainly enough to pull me in. Where this one stumbled is with the endless, exhausting miscommunication. The reason for their breakup kinda drove me crazy, but even worse was that they continued to struggle with communication in the present day. Though Kit is excited for another chance to get things right with Andie, their relationship felt lust-focused to me. In the past AND the present. They both refuse to open up and repair old wounds, even though Kit says he's willing to. There were SO MANY missed opportunities for them to work on the emotional side of their relationship, but things still felt unresolved by the time we got the HEA. I think I probably could've bumped this up to a 4-star rating had the third act not been quite so messy, but it just made me feel even less confident that these two could make it in the long run. Ultimately, there's a ton of potential here, and I think a few tweaks could've really done wonders for the story.
Audio note: The audio was pretty good. I enjoyed Kelsey Navarro-Foster's performance, and her voice is always easy to listen to. She does a great job here. John William Maddux is a new-to-me narrator, and it seems like he's newish to narration in general. His soft, understated voice worked for Kit's character, though I did not like his voice for Andie AT ALL. He's got potential as a narrator though, so I wouldn't rule out listening to him in the future if he works on his "girl voice." The book isn't super spicy or anything, but there is a bit of heat. At 10-11 hours, the runtime is short enough to get through in a single day if you want. I found it easy enough to binge. Not a standout on audio, but certainly not bad in the format either.
The story follows Andie, a wedding dress designer who is resistant to letting love into her life. After having her heart broken in college and after spending years watching her mom drift from one man to another, the last thing Andie is looking for is a relationship. But she does need money to grow her business, so when a friend tells Andie about a loophole in a reality show's contract, it sparks an idea. Andie will get married to a stranger, and when they part ways she'll receive a check large enough to grow her business. Unfortunately, that plan goes awry as soon as Andie meets her groom - Kit, her college sweetheart. They only dated for a few months, but Andie let herself fall for him... only to be shattered to pieces when he unexpectedly disappeared from her life. Ten years later, Kit is ecstatic to discover that his new bride is Andie. He sees it as a second chance to get things right, even if she wants nothing to do with him.
I'm not the biggest fan of second chance romances, but I love a reality TV romance book, so I was excited to see how this one played out. The writing was pretty good, not amazing but certainly enough to pull me in. Where this one stumbled is with the endless, exhausting miscommunication. The reason for their breakup kinda drove me crazy, but even worse was that they continued to struggle with communication in the present day. Though Kit is excited for another chance to get things right with Andie, their relationship felt lust-focused to me. In the past AND the present. They both refuse to open up and repair old wounds, even though Kit says he's willing to. There were SO MANY missed opportunities for them to work on the emotional side of their relationship, but things still felt unresolved by the time we got the HEA. I think I probably could've bumped this up to a 4-star rating had the third act not been quite so messy, but it just made me feel even less confident that these two could make it in the long run. Ultimately, there's a ton of potential here, and I think a few tweaks could've really done wonders for the story.
Audio note: The audio was pretty good. I enjoyed Kelsey Navarro-Foster's performance, and her voice is always easy to listen to. She does a great job here. John William Maddux is a new-to-me narrator, and it seems like he's newish to narration in general. His soft, understated voice worked for Kit's character, though I did not like his voice for Andie AT ALL. He's got potential as a narrator though, so I wouldn't rule out listening to him in the future if he works on his "girl voice." The book isn't super spicy or anything, but there is a bit of heat. At 10-11 hours, the runtime is short enough to get through in a single day if you want. I found it easy enough to binge. Not a standout on audio, but certainly not bad in the format either.
July 8, 2024
This was a fun second chance romance romcom. Did it hugely break new ground? No. But I still had fun on the ride. I liked our main characters and the story was well narrated and easy to listen to. I don't generally watch dating-based reality tv (or much of any reality tv beyond cooking shows for that matter), but I do like how it works as a plot driver. The TikTok fame paired with the dating show was a good partnership. However, I was expecting the show to be more of a driving factor of a major plot developments than it really was. Overall, a cute, fun book to read on audio.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
December 29, 2023
read if you like
new adult
contemporary romance
women's fiction
reality show
second chance trope
miscommunication
headstrong and stubborn couple
realistic adult relationship representation
review
This book really felt like watching a reality TV show on Netflix, but with one advantage - knowing their inner thoughts. I usually avoid books that contain the tropes of second chances and miscommunication - but I'm so glad I picked this book up. Thank you to @ingrid pierce, @AlcovePress and @Negalley for the ARC of this great book - and here is my honest review, as promised.
This book had a very simple plot that centered around the characters, and that's what made this book so special. The story conveyed the emotions, the hidden feelings and the passion of the characters so vividly on the pages that you felt like you were experiencing it first hand.
Andie was a passionate and ambitious wedding designer who was at a pivotal point in her career. She was headstrong, stubborn and so dependent on herself that she found it difficult to express her feelings and trust and rely on other people. Kit was an architect without roots or a home. He worked for a big hotel chain and designed for them. he was observant, caring, and loved providing for his people but had major communication issues. both of them had their walls up so high pretending to be fiercely independent that they had trouble following their heart.
The character growth- more like the character's ups and downs maybe a little frustrating at times, but was really realistic and intriguing to follow. You might punch air sometimes in frustration, but trust me when I say this had the most satisfying endings beautifully showcasing rational adult relationship and the struggles the couple face despite their love for each other.
Another aspect of the story that I loved was the writing of the supporting characters- very mature, sensible, supporting and kind hearted. No petty jealousy or selfishness just adult surviving and communicating in adult world.
I really love the author's writing style. I will surely buy this book and follow her future bookish endeavors.
new adult
contemporary romance
women's fiction
reality show
second chance trope
miscommunication
headstrong and stubborn couple
realistic adult relationship representation
review
This book really felt like watching a reality TV show on Netflix, but with one advantage - knowing their inner thoughts. I usually avoid books that contain the tropes of second chances and miscommunication - but I'm so glad I picked this book up. Thank you to @ingrid pierce, @AlcovePress and @Negalley for the ARC of this great book - and here is my honest review, as promised.
This book had a very simple plot that centered around the characters, and that's what made this book so special. The story conveyed the emotions, the hidden feelings and the passion of the characters so vividly on the pages that you felt like you were experiencing it first hand.
Andie was a passionate and ambitious wedding designer who was at a pivotal point in her career. She was headstrong, stubborn and so dependent on herself that she found it difficult to express her feelings and trust and rely on other people. Kit was an architect without roots or a home. He worked for a big hotel chain and designed for them. he was observant, caring, and loved providing for his people but had major communication issues. both of them had their walls up so high pretending to be fiercely independent that they had trouble following their heart.
The character growth- more like the character's ups and downs maybe a little frustrating at times, but was really realistic and intriguing to follow. You might punch air sometimes in frustration, but trust me when I say this had the most satisfying endings beautifully showcasing rational adult relationship and the struggles the couple face despite their love for each other.
Another aspect of the story that I loved was the writing of the supporting characters- very mature, sensible, supporting and kind hearted. No petty jealousy or selfishness just adult surviving and communicating in adult world.
I really love the author's writing style. I will surely buy this book and follow her future bookish endeavors.
March 23, 2024
(3.5 stars!)
A La Married At First Sight, Not You Again is a second-chance romance debut in which one couple must decide if they can overcome their past for a chance at happily ever after,
This one was cute! I enjoyed the characters Kit and Andie and the premise immediately drew me in.
I usually struggle with second chance romance, because been there, done that, but Andie and Kit's first breakup showcased their youth and enough time has passed for growth. I also enjoyed the side characters and how their relationship wasn't without hardship and it wasn't linear. Despite a far fetched premise, this book and these characters feel relatable.
However, I did struggle with a few things:
- I found the spicier scenes to be underdeveloped. The first moment of heat came out of left field a bit and felt like kind of a cluster and a bit cringey.
-I'm from Atlanta, where this book supposedly takes place, and it's clear the author is not. It's a small thing, but this feels like an outsider's perspective of Atlanta who used google to input a few key phrases. Take out those key city names, this book could have taken place anywhere.
-I struggled HARD with the miscommunication. It starts from the very beginning and doesn't end, well...until the end. Both breakups would have been solved with a short conversation and every argument could have been solved similarly. It just felt like the characters were level headed in all other aspects of their lives except when it came to communicate with each other. The miscommunication continued to make a mess of things from start to finish and it made me love the character less and feel like this was an even harder book to really believe.
Overall, people will love this one for the reality show vibes, quirky main characters, and the unique perspective.
Read For:
-Second Chance Romance
-Complicated Familial Relationships
-Artists MCs
-Reality TV Romance
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my free advanced readers' copy in exchange for my honest review.
A La Married At First Sight, Not You Again is a second-chance romance debut in which one couple must decide if they can overcome their past for a chance at happily ever after,
This one was cute! I enjoyed the characters Kit and Andie and the premise immediately drew me in.
I usually struggle with second chance romance, because been there, done that, but Andie and Kit's first breakup showcased their youth and enough time has passed for growth. I also enjoyed the side characters and how their relationship wasn't without hardship and it wasn't linear. Despite a far fetched premise, this book and these characters feel relatable.
However, I did struggle with a few things:
- I found the spicier scenes to be underdeveloped. The first moment of heat came out of left field a bit and felt like kind of a cluster and a bit cringey.
-I'm from Atlanta, where this book supposedly takes place, and it's clear the author is not. It's a small thing, but this feels like an outsider's perspective of Atlanta who used google to input a few key phrases. Take out those key city names, this book could have taken place anywhere.
-I struggled HARD with the miscommunication. It starts from the very beginning and doesn't end, well...until the end. Both breakups would have been solved with a short conversation and every argument could have been solved similarly. It just felt like the characters were level headed in all other aspects of their lives except when it came to communicate with each other. The miscommunication continued to make a mess of things from start to finish and it made me love the character less and feel like this was an even harder book to really believe.
Overall, people will love this one for the reality show vibes, quirky main characters, and the unique perspective.
Read For:
-Second Chance Romance
-Complicated Familial Relationships
-Artists MCs
-Reality TV Romance
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my free advanced readers' copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 20, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Not You Again was such a fun second chance at romance. In this, you will meet Kit and Andie. Now these two have a past and lots of baggage to deal with. Sure, they dated before and ended on horrible terms with one another. So, in a way, it's kind of funny that they ended up being each other's perfect match and married at first sight (on a show, that is).
Navigating their relationship, with real-life problems, on a reality tv show was interesting. Sure, I've seen the shows that are sort of based on this, but we don't really get to see all that happens, you know? So, I really liked getting both points of view and seeing it through their own eyes. It was also adorable to watch them fall back in love with one another.
Things got emotional between these two and that really needed to happen. We needed to know what happened in their past to see how they could move on from it. Healing and understanding were a big part of these two moving forward with their lives. Then there's, again, navigating the now and how that will make them better too. Especially when we get some drama.
In the end, I really adored these two and their amazing chemistry. The narrators also did a great job! I definitely look forward to the next book Ingrid writes.
"We're in this together. You jump, I jump."
Not You Again was such a fun second chance at romance. In this, you will meet Kit and Andie. Now these two have a past and lots of baggage to deal with. Sure, they dated before and ended on horrible terms with one another. So, in a way, it's kind of funny that they ended up being each other's perfect match and married at first sight (on a show, that is).
Navigating their relationship, with real-life problems, on a reality tv show was interesting. Sure, I've seen the shows that are sort of based on this, but we don't really get to see all that happens, you know? So, I really liked getting both points of view and seeing it through their own eyes. It was also adorable to watch them fall back in love with one another.
Things got emotional between these two and that really needed to happen. We needed to know what happened in their past to see how they could move on from it. Healing and understanding were a big part of these two moving forward with their lives. Then there's, again, navigating the now and how that will make them better too. Especially when we get some drama.
In the end, I really adored these two and their amazing chemistry. The narrators also did a great job! I definitely look forward to the next book Ingrid writes.
July 3, 2024
I really, really enjoyed this second chance, dual POV, reality tv show that has one former college couple matched up to get married at first sight, forcing them to choose love or money in this standout debut!
I loved the two main characters, their chemistry and the steamy scenes in this slow burn were HOT! I also thought there was great emotional depth and character development as they learn to open up about what happened in the past in order to take a chance at love in the future.
Great on audio narrated by Kelsey Navarro Foster and John William Maddux. Fans of Bachelor style reality romances with a unique twist won't want to miss this one and I am excited to read what the author writes next! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
TW: parental death (in the past), parent with cancer
I loved the two main characters, their chemistry and the steamy scenes in this slow burn were HOT! I also thought there was great emotional depth and character development as they learn to open up about what happened in the past in order to take a chance at love in the future.
Great on audio narrated by Kelsey Navarro Foster and John William Maddux. Fans of Bachelor style reality romances with a unique twist won't want to miss this one and I am excited to read what the author writes next! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
TW: parental death (in the past), parent with cancer
July 3, 2024
This is adorable from the cover to the story inside. The idea of lovers to enemies back to lovers is not a new concept, but this book is done in a way that is funny and endearing. They characters are lovable which makes you root for them from the very beginning. For those of you looking for some spice, have no fear, you’ll find that here as well! There were some truly blushing moments that had questioning if my audiobook was playing too loud…..
Overall this is an easy to read (or listen) romance that is perfect for the summer!
I would like to thank Ingrid Pierce, Dreamscape Publishing and NetGalley for advanced access to this audiobook!
Overall this is an easy to read (or listen) romance that is perfect for the summer!
I would like to thank Ingrid Pierce, Dreamscape Publishing and NetGalley for advanced access to this audiobook!
February 8, 2025
This book was cute! Sometimes, I feel iffy about reality tv show books, but I enjoyed this one. Especially because it was basically Married at First Sight (a reality show I used to be obsessed with!)
This second-chance romance delivered on angst and tension, while also having fun. The reality tv portion of this book was fun and more believable. It was nice that we were able to focus on our two main characters without having loads of side characters constantly trying to steal the attention (which is how I often feel with other reality TV plots).
I liked our two main characters, Andie and Kit. I think I wanted just a smidge more background on them, but I was okay with what I got. They had blazing hot chemistry and kept fighting this rekindling of their relationship. Their personalities were also complete opposites which kept things interesting and moving along. I will admit, the third act breakup could have been stronger since things started feeling wishy-washy, but I won't nitpick.
The narrators were good. For some reason, I didn't fully connect with either one, but I don't have a good reason as to why. They both had great inflection in their voices and portrayed strong emotions well. I just didn't find myself loving them as narrators. I think it's just an unknown and unidentifiable preference of mine.
Overall, I enjoyed this one! It was good in the way you don't have to put in a lot of effort or concentration to enjoy.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Blog • Instagram • TikTok
This second-chance romance delivered on angst and tension, while also having fun. The reality tv portion of this book was fun and more believable. It was nice that we were able to focus on our two main characters without having loads of side characters constantly trying to steal the attention (which is how I often feel with other reality TV plots).
I liked our two main characters, Andie and Kit. I think I wanted just a smidge more background on them, but I was okay with what I got. They had blazing hot chemistry and kept fighting this rekindling of their relationship. Their personalities were also complete opposites which kept things interesting and moving along. I will admit, the third act breakup could have been stronger since things started feeling wishy-washy, but I won't nitpick.
The narrators were good. For some reason, I didn't fully connect with either one, but I don't have a good reason as to why. They both had great inflection in their voices and portrayed strong emotions well. I just didn't find myself loving them as narrators. I think it's just an unknown and unidentifiable preference of mine.
Overall, I enjoyed this one! It was good in the way you don't have to put in a lot of effort or concentration to enjoy.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Blog • Instagram • TikTok
January 22, 2024
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is going to be one of those books that I cannot get out of my head. It checks all the boxes: fake dating/marriage, second chance romance, all set on a reality tv show (think married at first sight). Andie is a wedding dress designer who owns her own bosses and is encouraged to go on the reality tv show in order to win the $100k that is offered to couples who divorce at the end. What she didn’t expect was to see her ex boyfriend Kit who broke her heart at the end of the altar. Kit sees Andie and realizes it’s his second chance at his only love.
This book was so insanely cute and had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. The banter was amazing and it will be an instant reread for me every year. Highly recommend.
This book is going to be one of those books that I cannot get out of my head. It checks all the boxes: fake dating/marriage, second chance romance, all set on a reality tv show (think married at first sight). Andie is a wedding dress designer who owns her own bosses and is encouraged to go on the reality tv show in order to win the $100k that is offered to couples who divorce at the end. What she didn’t expect was to see her ex boyfriend Kit who broke her heart at the end of the altar. Kit sees Andie and realizes it’s his second chance at his only love.
This book was so insanely cute and had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. The banter was amazing and it will be an instant reread for me every year. Highly recommend.
July 10, 2024
What an amazing debut novel out of Ingrid Pierce! Huge thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book! These are my honest thoughts!
I've been on an accidental second chance romance kick lately, and this second chance nearly broke my heart. These two main characters, Kit and Andie, come from such similar backgrounds. They dated in college, but Kit's dad died and he didn't cope well, then Andie's mom got divorced and she didn't cope well (we'll forgive both of them because their brains were still maturing), and ten years goes by before they get their second chance.
The premise of this story is similar to... Married at First Sight??? I think? IDK. I don't watch reality tv (because I'm too busy reading), but these two set their sights on each other for the first time at the altar, and they're married for 8 weeks before they have to decide if they want to stay married to each other. And boy, do we go on a rollercoaster of an emotional journey with Kit and Andie!
I appreciated so much the "structure" of the reality show they were on, forcing Kit and Andie to interact and spend a whole bunch of time in forced proximity to each other. Andie's in it for the money at the end, Kit's in it to please his mom who is sick, and yet we end up with two people so perfectly complementary to each other. Their balance and also their ability to see and love and care for the other person really shines throughout the book. I liked that there were therapy sessions, and sessions with the other couples from the show. And throughout it all, I appreciated the growth of each character to the very last page.
Overall, a very solid audiobook! I liked both narrators and their take on the characters. This book was progressive without feeling overly agenda-oriented. The characters were strong but fragile, motivated and driven without being overly ambitious, communicative and also reserved. It felt very organic, and by listening to the audio, it felt like the story came to life.
Out now!
I've been on an accidental second chance romance kick lately, and this second chance nearly broke my heart. These two main characters, Kit and Andie, come from such similar backgrounds. They dated in college, but Kit's dad died and he didn't cope well, then Andie's mom got divorced and she didn't cope well (we'll forgive both of them because their brains were still maturing), and ten years goes by before they get their second chance.
The premise of this story is similar to... Married at First Sight??? I think? IDK. I don't watch reality tv (because I'm too busy reading), but these two set their sights on each other for the first time at the altar, and they're married for 8 weeks before they have to decide if they want to stay married to each other. And boy, do we go on a rollercoaster of an emotional journey with Kit and Andie!
I appreciated so much the "structure" of the reality show they were on, forcing Kit and Andie to interact and spend a whole bunch of time in forced proximity to each other. Andie's in it for the money at the end, Kit's in it to please his mom who is sick, and yet we end up with two people so perfectly complementary to each other. Their balance and also their ability to see and love and care for the other person really shines throughout the book. I liked that there were therapy sessions, and sessions with the other couples from the show. And throughout it all, I appreciated the growth of each character to the very last page.
Overall, a very solid audiobook! I liked both narrators and their take on the characters. This book was progressive without feeling overly agenda-oriented. The characters were strong but fragile, motivated and driven without being overly ambitious, communicative and also reserved. It felt very organic, and by listening to the audio, it felt like the story came to life.
Out now!
July 10, 2024
I've never read a male character that's so obviously written by a woman ever...
Longer review coming soon.
---
Andie is a bright new rising star in the wedding gown business! She has a spot on the Atlants Fashion Week and has gained a pretty big following in TikTok. But...not everything is that rosy. She's struggling with money, so when her best friend tells her about a reality show where the only catch is if she divorces she'll gain 100,000 dollars Andie sees her opportunity. She gets a spot on the reality show where she has to be married to a stranger for 8 weeks. A stranger who is supposed to be her soulmate (according to the match-maker scientists). But Andie couldn't have dreamed that at the end of the aisle, she wouldn't find a stranger. Oh no...at the end of the aisle is Kit Watson, the guy who broke her heart 10 years ago and with whom she was completely head over heels in love. And now for the next 8 weeks, she has to live with Kit and put her old feelings aside to get the money she came for. So what else to say besides...lights, camera, ACTION!
***
I felt drawn to the book from the moment I read the synopsis. It seemed like a fun summery romance, basically a perfect book to read in July.
And in the end...it was just okay. Mostly it was due to the fact that I hated Kit. He was the most obviously written by a female writer male character EVER. I cringed so hard listening to the book since he was just Andie 2.0, but more bland. The tone of voice for both female and male characters was basically the same (but it mostly stuck out with Kit, since the book is in dual POV). I think the book should've just been from Andie's POV since Kit's POV didn't add much to it. So in general the book gets a no from me and my overall score would be 2 stars.
I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Longer review coming soon.
---
Andie is a bright new rising star in the wedding gown business! She has a spot on the Atlants Fashion Week and has gained a pretty big following in TikTok. But...not everything is that rosy. She's struggling with money, so when her best friend tells her about a reality show where the only catch is if she divorces she'll gain 100,000 dollars Andie sees her opportunity. She gets a spot on the reality show where she has to be married to a stranger for 8 weeks. A stranger who is supposed to be her soulmate (according to the match-maker scientists). But Andie couldn't have dreamed that at the end of the aisle, she wouldn't find a stranger. Oh no...at the end of the aisle is Kit Watson, the guy who broke her heart 10 years ago and with whom she was completely head over heels in love. And now for the next 8 weeks, she has to live with Kit and put her old feelings aside to get the money she came for. So what else to say besides...lights, camera, ACTION!
***
I felt drawn to the book from the moment I read the synopsis. It seemed like a fun summery romance, basically a perfect book to read in July.
And in the end...it was just okay. Mostly it was due to the fact that I hated Kit. He was the most obviously written by a female writer male character EVER. I cringed so hard listening to the book since he was just Andie 2.0, but more bland. The tone of voice for both female and male characters was basically the same (but it mostly stuck out with Kit, since the book is in dual POV). I think the book should've just been from Andie's POV since Kit's POV didn't add much to it. So in general the book gets a no from me and my overall score would be 2 stars.
I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2024
I think reality tv show is slowly moving up my favorite tropes list. I just seem to enjoy every one that I read. Also after Divine Rivals, I think I just have a soft spot for any MMC named Kit.
The premise of this book/reality show is essentially Love is Blind, but backwards. They get married first, sight unseen, and then spend the next few weeks trying to see if they can make it work. If not, at the end they get divorced.
As fate would have it, these two were paired up, and they happen to be exes from college. Cue in the second chance romance trope. Andie feels a bit prickly about how things ended, giving the beginning of this story an enemies to lovers vibe. However, as they begin to spend quality time with each other, that wall slowly starts to melt. On the other hand, Kit’s builds up.
Andie begins to forgive him, especially as his acts of love continue (helping her hands, helping her with work, etc). However, from Kit’s childhood, he seems to view love as needing sacrifice. So he sacrifices his relationship. So as Andie starts accepting him, he starts pulling away. The book then kind of takes a serious turn and it begins to focus on them really building their trust and communication and being the better half for the other.
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the e-galley for review!
The premise of this book/reality show is essentially Love is Blind, but backwards. They get married first, sight unseen, and then spend the next few weeks trying to see if they can make it work. If not, at the end they get divorced.
As fate would have it, these two were paired up, and they happen to be exes from college. Cue in the second chance romance trope. Andie feels a bit prickly about how things ended, giving the beginning of this story an enemies to lovers vibe. However, as they begin to spend quality time with each other, that wall slowly starts to melt. On the other hand, Kit’s builds up.
Andie begins to forgive him, especially as his acts of love continue (helping her hands, helping her with work, etc). However, from Kit’s childhood, he seems to view love as needing sacrifice. So he sacrifices his relationship. So as Andie starts accepting him, he starts pulling away. The book then kind of takes a serious turn and it begins to focus on them really building their trust and communication and being the better half for the other.
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the e-galley for review!
July 3, 2024
I listened to this in less than 24 hours! I was that hooked. I am flabbergasted this is a debut book. This author shows wonderful talent here and I cannot wait to recommend this to everyone.
This is a second chance love story inspired by the tv show Married at Fist Sight. This story was written so darn well. It delivers on angst, mutual pining, romance, drama and spice. This book had me going through it. Andie & Kit were perfectly flawed characters but that just made me relate to them more. I could understand their decisions but also get frustrated with them at the same time.
The angst here tug at my heart strings multiple times. Especially towards the end?! I had to finish this is one sitting because my heart couldn’t take the emotional turmoil 😂
This wasn’t just angst though. It had its cute and funny moments. I really liked how obsessed Andie was with Kit’s thighs and Kit’s nickname for Andie. I also enjoyed the other couples and side characters.
If you desire an angsty second chance romance with a unique twist, I recommend Not You Again. Listen to the audio because the narrators did a fantastic job!
Rating: 5/5
🌶️ Rating: 3/5
This is a second chance love story inspired by the tv show Married at Fist Sight. This story was written so darn well. It delivers on angst, mutual pining, romance, drama and spice. This book had me going through it. Andie & Kit were perfectly flawed characters but that just made me relate to them more. I could understand their decisions but also get frustrated with them at the same time.
The angst here tug at my heart strings multiple times. Especially towards the end?! I had to finish this is one sitting because my heart couldn’t take the emotional turmoil 😂
This wasn’t just angst though. It had its cute and funny moments. I really liked how obsessed Andie was with Kit’s thighs and Kit’s nickname for Andie. I also enjoyed the other couples and side characters.
If you desire an angsty second chance romance with a unique twist, I recommend Not You Again. Listen to the audio because the narrators did a fantastic job!
Rating: 5/5
🌶️ Rating: 3/5
June 30, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook of Not You Again by Ingrid Pierce.
Andie Dresser is an up-and-coming dress designer with a Tik Tok following. She was invited to show her line at fashion week. Unfortunately, she used all of her savings for the fabric and her next bride cancelled her order. Now Andie has to figure out to pay for the supplies for her show.
Her friend has insider scoop on a reality tv show. You get married at first sight but if it doesn't work out there is a hidden clause that they will pay you $100,000. Andie applies for the show with the $100,000 as her goal.
Her ex-boyfriend Kit Watson moves back to town to help take care of his mom while she goes through chemotherapy. Her wish is to see her son happy. She talks Kit into applying for the show...and I am sure you can guess what happens. I don't want to spoil it, so I won't go on.
I liked the premise. I did not like all of the leading up to romance parts. Seriously, use different wording. How many times do you have to hide your chest due to ummmmm....issues. I found it quite annoying.
Andie Dresser is an up-and-coming dress designer with a Tik Tok following. She was invited to show her line at fashion week. Unfortunately, she used all of her savings for the fabric and her next bride cancelled her order. Now Andie has to figure out to pay for the supplies for her show.
Her friend has insider scoop on a reality tv show. You get married at first sight but if it doesn't work out there is a hidden clause that they will pay you $100,000. Andie applies for the show with the $100,000 as her goal.
Her ex-boyfriend Kit Watson moves back to town to help take care of his mom while she goes through chemotherapy. Her wish is to see her son happy. She talks Kit into applying for the show...and I am sure you can guess what happens. I don't want to spoil it, so I won't go on.
I liked the premise. I did not like all of the leading up to romance parts. Seriously, use different wording. How many times do you have to hide your chest due to ummmmm....issues. I found it quite annoying.
July 27, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for this ALC!
Andie Dresser is an Atlanta wedding dress designer stretched to her limits with limited funds. Her best friend suggests she sign up for a Married at First Sight -esque reality show that has a fine print divorce payout of $100,000. All she has to do is marry a complete stranger and NOT fall for them.
Kit Watson is an architect recently relocated to Atlanta to help his mother through her health scare. His mother is really wanting him to settle down before she passes. To satisfy her, he signs up for a matchmaking reality show and gets matched to be married.
Flash forward, Kit is standing on the altar, cameras everywhere. Only issue is, the woman standing at the end of the aisle… his college ex-girlfriend… Andie.
Will they make it through the 8-weeks without falling in love so Andie can get her payout?
I LOVED this friends to lovers to strangers to lovers so much. The comedy, the angst, the longing… perfection.
I also really enjoyed the voice actors and their phenomenal performance!
Andie Dresser is an Atlanta wedding dress designer stretched to her limits with limited funds. Her best friend suggests she sign up for a Married at First Sight -esque reality show that has a fine print divorce payout of $100,000. All she has to do is marry a complete stranger and NOT fall for them.
Kit Watson is an architect recently relocated to Atlanta to help his mother through her health scare. His mother is really wanting him to settle down before she passes. To satisfy her, he signs up for a matchmaking reality show and gets matched to be married.
Flash forward, Kit is standing on the altar, cameras everywhere. Only issue is, the woman standing at the end of the aisle… his college ex-girlfriend… Andie.
Will they make it through the 8-weeks without falling in love so Andie can get her payout?
I LOVED this friends to lovers to strangers to lovers so much. The comedy, the angst, the longing… perfection.
I also really enjoyed the voice actors and their phenomenal performance!
March 27, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an arc copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own!
I gobbled this book up. I couldn’t put it down. I typically hate the miscommunication trope but I actually loved it in this one and I was surprised. I think the characters were fantastic and I think the storyline was fun and interesting. I don’t find many books that just hold my attention the whole time but this one did.
Tropes:
-miscommunication
-past relationship
-arranged marriage
-friends to lovers to enemies to lovers (lol)
-hilarious banter
-second chances
Pick this book up yall, you won’t regret it.
5 stars!
I gobbled this book up. I couldn’t put it down. I typically hate the miscommunication trope but I actually loved it in this one and I was surprised. I think the characters were fantastic and I think the storyline was fun and interesting. I don’t find many books that just hold my attention the whole time but this one did.
Tropes:
-miscommunication
-past relationship
-arranged marriage
-friends to lovers to enemies to lovers (lol)
-hilarious banter
-second chances
Pick this book up yall, you won’t regret it.
5 stars!
July 9, 2024
“We’re in this together. You jump, I jump.” Kit was always right there with Andie, every step of the way. I loved it.
5 stars for making me cry. Books do not make me cry and I had silent tears as I read this one.
Synopsis: Andie and Kit dated for 4 months 10 years ago and all but fell in love. Kit’s father died and he ran away from his feelings foe Andie. When he decided he wanted to come back, Andie wouldn’t let him. Fast forward, they both sign up for a dating show (essentially Married at First Sight) and they’re matched. Andie needs the divorce money for her career & Kit is trying to make it work as his dying mother’s last wish. Will it work out in the end?
Review: I felt like this story was real. Also, it’s a miscommunication trope done right. Both parties were communicating with each other, but not fully saying what they were trying to say. I love wholesome reality dating shows & this one is it. We do get mentions of the other couples on the show, but we never get their POV. There is so much more to this story than the reality dating show.
There is love, there is heart break, there are some big emotions and I was here for it all. 🥹
Read this one if you like:
🎬 Reality TV
🥰 Second chance romance (very little spice 🫶🏼)
👯♀️ friendships (there’s a lot of people caring for each other)
😅 Witty banter and swoon-worthy moments
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of this one in exchange for an honest review. I will be buying it for friends!
5 stars for making me cry. Books do not make me cry and I had silent tears as I read this one.
Synopsis: Andie and Kit dated for 4 months 10 years ago and all but fell in love. Kit’s father died and he ran away from his feelings foe Andie. When he decided he wanted to come back, Andie wouldn’t let him. Fast forward, they both sign up for a dating show (essentially Married at First Sight) and they’re matched. Andie needs the divorce money for her career & Kit is trying to make it work as his dying mother’s last wish. Will it work out in the end?
Review: I felt like this story was real. Also, it’s a miscommunication trope done right. Both parties were communicating with each other, but not fully saying what they were trying to say. I love wholesome reality dating shows & this one is it. We do get mentions of the other couples on the show, but we never get their POV. There is so much more to this story than the reality dating show.
There is love, there is heart break, there are some big emotions and I was here for it all. 🥹
Read this one if you like:
🎬 Reality TV
🥰 Second chance romance (very little spice 🫶🏼)
👯♀️ friendships (there’s a lot of people caring for each other)
😅 Witty banter and swoon-worthy moments
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of this one in exchange for an honest review. I will be buying it for friends!
January 29, 2024
This book doesn’t shy away from how messy and hard marriage can be, even without the pressures of being on camera for a reality TV show. How some days hurt because even when two people love each other deeply they can still make mistake after mistake — and yet, Not You Again bravely shows that even after hitting a breaking point it’s possible to come out on the other side stronger than ever before. It takes some hard lessons, a lot of work from both characters, and a big leap of faith, but Andie and Kit choose each other, rebuilding their love one stitch, and one brick, at a time.
*****
Content warning for a parent with cancer (no death, goes into remission).
*****
Content warning for a parent with cancer (no death, goes into remission).
October 29, 2024
3.5 stars. A push-pull romance has to be done well or the reader can get annoyed fast. This mostly walked the line of that okay but there were definitely moments that I thought both could have communicated better. Kit clearly needed therapy for the massive guilt tripping he did on himself. And Andie needing to figure out what she wanted and go after it. Stop wading in confusion. Not sure working all that out on national tv was the right call, but go off I guess. Overall it was mostly enjoyable!
May 8, 2024
4.5 stars!! This was such a fun read! It was just as addicting as any good reality show!!
This was a second chance romance between wedding gown designer, Andie and architect, Kit. They dated for a few months in college until Kit abruptly left without an explanation.
Now, years later, they are each preparing to enter a reality TV show where the premise is you marry a stranger, sight unseen, and you have 8 weeks to see if your marriage will last.
They are both shocked as Andie walks down the aisle to none other than, Kit!
This whole premise reminded me a lot of my favourite reality show, Love is Blind! I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down! I loved Andie & Kit and the whole cast of characters. While the reality show idea was wild (it's totally something I would watch), their backstories were totally grounded with layers and it was just so fun and cute!
This was a second chance romance between wedding gown designer, Andie and architect, Kit. They dated for a few months in college until Kit abruptly left without an explanation.
Now, years later, they are each preparing to enter a reality TV show where the premise is you marry a stranger, sight unseen, and you have 8 weeks to see if your marriage will last.
They are both shocked as Andie walks down the aisle to none other than, Kit!
This whole premise reminded me a lot of my favourite reality show, Love is Blind! I really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down! I loved Andie & Kit and the whole cast of characters. While the reality show idea was wild (it's totally something I would watch), their backstories were totally grounded with layers and it was just so fun and cute!
February 2, 2024
This was such a cute, heartwarming and fun read, perfect for a cozy night!
Pros:
- Cute love story with depth and layers
- Fake/Arranged marriage-ish (“MY WIFE”)
- Enemies to lovers & second chance romance done well!
- Deeper backstories - no bad action was done without reason
- Crazy & hilarious concept- married at first sight vibes
- A cinnamon roll softie MMC + acts of service
- A tough and hardworking FMC
- The cutest ending (made it go up a star (from 4-5 stars))
- A realistic love story that will have you swooning
- She needed his help with undoing her buttons (I LOVE these type of scenes)
- Kitt was the biggest green flag - he watched romance movies with his mom growing up
- Great communication constantly between the couple
Cons:
- Took a while to pick up
- Was a solid 4⭐️ up until 80%
Fave Quotes:
“Ready to take the leap?”
“Promise to catch me?”
“Always.”
“She doesn’t hand out her joy to just anyone. I like being the one to earn it.”
“I’m done pretending I don’t have feelings for you when every time you look at me, I’m yours.”
“I didn’t know how to accept love so selfless, so I let you think I didn’t need it.”
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc, all thoughts are my own!
Pros:
- Cute love story with depth and layers
- Fake/Arranged marriage-ish (“MY WIFE”)
- Enemies to lovers & second chance romance done well!
- Deeper backstories - no bad action was done without reason
- Crazy & hilarious concept- married at first sight vibes
- A cinnamon roll softie MMC + acts of service
- A tough and hardworking FMC
- The cutest ending (made it go up a star (from 4-5 stars))
- A realistic love story that will have you swooning
- She needed his help with undoing her buttons (I LOVE these type of scenes)
- Kitt was the biggest green flag - he watched romance movies with his mom growing up
- Great communication constantly between the couple
Cons:
- Took a while to pick up
- Was a solid 4⭐️ up until 80%
Fave Quotes:
“Ready to take the leap?”
“Promise to catch me?”
“Always.”
“She doesn’t hand out her joy to just anyone. I like being the one to earn it.”
“I’m done pretending I don’t have feelings for you when every time you look at me, I’m yours.”
“I didn’t know how to accept love so selfless, so I let you think I didn’t need it.”
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc, all thoughts are my own!
June 30, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I mean, it was...fine?
I didn't hate it, and i think some people would definitely enjoy this, but it was pretty bland in my opinion (which is saying something given this book was advertised with all the tropes I LOVE--fake dating, second chance romance, lovers to enemies to lovers again, etc.)
Unfortunately I never felt any chemistry from the couple AT ALL it just felt so dry from minute one and everything felt forced. The author kept telling us they were attracted to eachother or hated eachother but I never felt that either was true at all. They felt like two random characters that were thrown together with no connection.
I think a large part of that might be down to the cringe dialogue (think "millennial" humour) that made me groan. The humour in general kind of took me out of the story because it was so ridiculous, for example in one scene the FL stuck her tongue out at the ML after he made a comment and he nearly 'choked on his food' from laughing so hard at her reaction sticking her tongue out....like babes bffr that wasn't funny!! 😭🙏🏻 another was shouting at the top of her lungs (while supposedly outwardly despising this man) "Kit Watson has thighs that should be illegal!!!"....girl I got the ick!!!
also I felt like there was a bit of an issue with the creativity/originality given that the same words and phrases or concepts are reused and overused SO much, like the FL's main personality trait is flipping everyone off its used SO often.
All in all, I've read FAR worse and it wasn't a BAD book by any means, I just didn't have much personal interest in it.
I mean, it was...fine?
I didn't hate it, and i think some people would definitely enjoy this, but it was pretty bland in my opinion (which is saying something given this book was advertised with all the tropes I LOVE--fake dating, second chance romance, lovers to enemies to lovers again, etc.)
Unfortunately I never felt any chemistry from the couple AT ALL it just felt so dry from minute one and everything felt forced. The author kept telling us they were attracted to eachother or hated eachother but I never felt that either was true at all. They felt like two random characters that were thrown together with no connection.
I think a large part of that might be down to the cringe dialogue (think "millennial" humour) that made me groan. The humour in general kind of took me out of the story because it was so ridiculous, for example in one scene the FL stuck her tongue out at the ML after he made a comment and he nearly 'choked on his food' from laughing so hard at her reaction sticking her tongue out....like babes bffr that wasn't funny!! 😭🙏🏻 another was shouting at the top of her lungs (while supposedly outwardly despising this man) "Kit Watson has thighs that should be illegal!!!"....girl I got the ick!!!
also I felt like there was a bit of an issue with the creativity/originality given that the same words and phrases or concepts are reused and overused SO much, like the FL's main personality trait is flipping everyone off its used SO often.
All in all, I've read FAR worse and it wasn't a BAD book by any means, I just didn't have much personal interest in it.
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