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My Ex-Husband's Ex-Husband
From New
York Times
bestselling authors Rachel Cohn and Melissa de la Cruz comes a freewheeling journey through Vienna where two estranged friends search for their mutual ex—and a long-lost bond.
Audrey and Ian were best friends—until they fell in love with the same man. To be precise, they fell in love with, married, and divorced the same man. And there’s no coming back from that.
Twenty-odd years later, they’re right back at the Vienna, where their university study abroad turned into a love triangle from which they never quite recovered. But it’s Christmas, and Audrey’s daughter is getting married. Time to let bygones be bygones.
Not for the sake of the holiday or even because they’ve matured with age…but because their mutual ex is nowhere to be found. It’s up to Audrey and Ian to track him down.
As wedding plans go further awry, the former besties race to find the father of the bride. Juggling complicated family dynamics (and the cocktails required to cope), they learn that, sometimes, it’s not about the search but the friendships rediscovered along the way.
Audrey and Ian were best friends—until they fell in love with the same man. To be precise, they fell in love with, married, and divorced the same man. And there’s no coming back from that.
Twenty-odd years later, they’re right back at the Vienna, where their university study abroad turned into a love triangle from which they never quite recovered. But it’s Christmas, and Audrey’s daughter is getting married. Time to let bygones be bygones.
Not for the sake of the holiday or even because they’ve matured with age…but because their mutual ex is nowhere to be found. It’s up to Audrey and Ian to track him down.
As wedding plans go further awry, the former besties race to find the father of the bride. Juggling complicated family dynamics (and the cocktails required to cope), they learn that, sometimes, it’s not about the search but the friendships rediscovered along the way.
7 pages, Audible Audio
Published November 18, 2025
336 people are currently reading
5638 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Cohn
34 books2,304 followersRachel grew up in the D.C. area and graduated from Barnard College with a B.A. in Political Science. She has written many YA novels, including three that she cowrote with her friend and colleague David Levithan. She lives and writes (when she's not reading other people's books, organizing her music library or looking for the best cappuccino) in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
November 7, 2025
This is a fun little romp!
When Audrey heads to Vienna, Austria for her daughter’s Christmas Day wedding she isn’t surprised to find her ex-husband, Beau, has gone missing. She is surprised to find her ex-husband’s ex-husband, also her former best friend, Ian, has also been invited to the wedding! What ensues is a scramble for Audrey and Ian to find the irresponsible and self-centered father of the bride. Along the way, they share secrets from their past and reconnect as friends.
Audrey and Ian are great main characters and you can see their connection as friends. They both have to deal with a generally nasty former mother-in-law and the crises of their daughters/step-daughters. Ian stole the show! He’s brash, funny and touchingly sweet as he tries to figure out how to be happy while still being present for his friend and step daughters and dealing with unexpected romantic inclinations. He’s just such a solid sweetie, I loved him.
This is a quick read at under 200 pages but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are all sorts of mess ups and adventures as well as great descriptions of Vienna at Christmas time. Plus, there are so many charming and funny supporting characters. It’s quite the ensemble and it absolutely works. Fun, fun read!!
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and Little A publishing for the opportunity to read and review this fun book.
When Audrey heads to Vienna, Austria for her daughter’s Christmas Day wedding she isn’t surprised to find her ex-husband, Beau, has gone missing. She is surprised to find her ex-husband’s ex-husband, also her former best friend, Ian, has also been invited to the wedding! What ensues is a scramble for Audrey and Ian to find the irresponsible and self-centered father of the bride. Along the way, they share secrets from their past and reconnect as friends.
Audrey and Ian are great main characters and you can see their connection as friends. They both have to deal with a generally nasty former mother-in-law and the crises of their daughters/step-daughters. Ian stole the show! He’s brash, funny and touchingly sweet as he tries to figure out how to be happy while still being present for his friend and step daughters and dealing with unexpected romantic inclinations. He’s just such a solid sweetie, I loved him.
This is a quick read at under 200 pages but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are all sorts of mess ups and adventures as well as great descriptions of Vienna at Christmas time. Plus, there are so many charming and funny supporting characters. It’s quite the ensemble and it absolutely works. Fun, fun read!!
Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and Little A publishing for the opportunity to read and review this fun book.
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November 16, 2025
Ho ho hoe Beau is on the run and his two exes (ex wife and ex husband) are searching for him.
After their drama with the reaaaaally open minded (and not so loyal) Beau Audrey’s and Ian’s friendship is destroyed.
But a wedding brings those two together again.
This was so much fun! Especially as an audiobook. I heard it in one sitting (long drive) and was entertained the whole way.
It’s under 200 pages for those who want to read it, so it’s a little snack between your other books.
And the best thing it: the main theme is family and friendship! Before Christmas!
So if you’re in the mood for a funny little Christmas story full of chaos, read this book (or listen to it!).
After their drama with the reaaaaally open minded (and not so loyal) Beau Audrey’s and Ian’s friendship is destroyed.
But a wedding brings those two together again.
This was so much fun! Especially as an audiobook. I heard it in one sitting (long drive) and was entertained the whole way.
It’s under 200 pages for those who want to read it, so it’s a little snack between your other books.
And the best thing it: the main theme is family and friendship! Before Christmas!
So if you’re in the mood for a funny little Christmas story full of chaos, read this book (or listen to it!).
November 10, 2025
Recommend-O-Meter: For a quick and fun read, but not much more
I came into this expecting something light and fun. And honestly, that’s basically all this is. So if you’re expecting something deep and world-changing, this really isn’t it, but still entertaining for what it’s worth.
Audrey and Ian are ex-BFFs who both used to be married to the same deadbeat guy, and now they have to team up and find the asshole for their daughter’s/step-daughter’s wedding. Rocking premise, I know, and it’s all set against a gorgeous backdrop of Vienna during the holiday season.
Cue a lot of family drama, friend drama, and, of course, lover drama. Everyone’s kinda shitty and also kinda cliché, and so many truly horrid decisions are made. Quite simply, this book reads like the kind of direct-to-Netflix holiday special family comedy I would watch when I wanted something that required zero brain cells.
And it really is fun, so long as you’re prepared for the literary equivalent of Coca-Cola calories in terms of nourishment.
Audio Assessment: Jesus, I could barely stand to listen to this at parts. Both narrators’ accents were horrendous. And as a German speaker, hearing them butcher so much of it was like listening to nails on a chalkboard. The short words were… decent, I guess, but every time they got anything longer to say, it was SO bad. Like, I could barely understand what they were trying to say with how badly they pronounced it. It always took me completely out of the moment, and I hated it. Sorry.
[I received an ARC and an ALC of this book from the publisher on NetGalley. This does not in any way affect the contents of my review.]
I came into this expecting something light and fun. And honestly, that’s basically all this is. So if you’re expecting something deep and world-changing, this really isn’t it, but still entertaining for what it’s worth.
Audrey and Ian are ex-BFFs who both used to be married to the same deadbeat guy, and now they have to team up and find the asshole for their daughter’s/step-daughter’s wedding. Rocking premise, I know, and it’s all set against a gorgeous backdrop of Vienna during the holiday season.
Cue a lot of family drama, friend drama, and, of course, lover drama. Everyone’s kinda shitty and also kinda cliché, and so many truly horrid decisions are made. Quite simply, this book reads like the kind of direct-to-Netflix holiday special family comedy I would watch when I wanted something that required zero brain cells.
And it really is fun, so long as you’re prepared for the literary equivalent of Coca-Cola calories in terms of nourishment.
Audio Assessment: Jesus, I could barely stand to listen to this at parts. Both narrators’ accents were horrendous. And as a German speaker, hearing them butcher so much of it was like listening to nails on a chalkboard. The short words were… decent, I guess, but every time they got anything longer to say, it was SO bad. Like, I could barely understand what they were trying to say with how badly they pronounced it. It always took me completely out of the moment, and I hated it. Sorry.
[I received an ARC and an ALC of this book from the publisher on NetGalley. This does not in any way affect the contents of my review.]
June 7, 2025
(3.75 star review) While I greatly enjoyed the book, I had a hard time loving the character Ian. By the end Ian did have a tad of a redemption arc but for 3/4 of the book he seemed selfish and I couldn’t get over how he married his best friends ex husband. Even when his character became a tad more likeable I still couldn’t give over that. But overall it was a cute book, I just wish it didn’t end on a cliffhanger. But maybe that means there will be another book coming!
In regards to the writing style, I thought overall it was great. I do wish some characters were describe physically more in depth so I could picture them easier but overall I thought the writing style was beautiful and easy to read.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
In regards to the writing style, I thought overall it was great. I do wish some characters were describe physically more in depth so I could picture them easier but overall I thought the writing style was beautiful and easy to read.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2025
I haven’t read a book by Melissa de la Cruz or Rachel Cohn since high school, but the second I saw this title, it absolutely yelled at me. I knew I needed to read it, and it did not disappoint.
This book is pure fun from start to finish. It’s a short, fast-paced, lighthearted, and genuinely hilarious story that delivers exactly what it promises. I read it in one sitting, and honestly, I didn’t want to put it down. Reading a “Christmasy” book in June gave it an extra layer of charm, like breaking the rules in the best possible way.
The plot is delightfully messy in the most entertaining way: Audrey and Ian were once best friends, until they both fell in love with (and married, and divorced) the same man. Fast-forward twenty-some years, and they’re reunited in Vienna, where it all began, on the eve of Audrey’s daughter’s wedding. There’s only one problem: the father of the bride is missing, and it’s up to Audrey and Ian to find him.
What unfolds is a witty, cocktail-soaked caper through a snow-dusted Vienna filled with old wounds, unexpected laughs, and the kind of friendship that never quite dies. The banter is razor-sharp, the situations are delightfully absurd, and the emotional payoff is surprisingly heartfelt. It’s not a romance, but it’s absolutely a love story of friendship, forgiveness, and what it means to grow up (eventually).
Melissa de la Cruz and Rachel Cohn have created something that feels both nostalgic and fresh. It reminded me why I loved their writing in high school, and why I still do now. If you’re looking for a smart, cozy, laugh-out-loud holiday romp—no matter the season—this book is a total gift.
This book is pure fun from start to finish. It’s a short, fast-paced, lighthearted, and genuinely hilarious story that delivers exactly what it promises. I read it in one sitting, and honestly, I didn’t want to put it down. Reading a “Christmasy” book in June gave it an extra layer of charm, like breaking the rules in the best possible way.
The plot is delightfully messy in the most entertaining way: Audrey and Ian were once best friends, until they both fell in love with (and married, and divorced) the same man. Fast-forward twenty-some years, and they’re reunited in Vienna, where it all began, on the eve of Audrey’s daughter’s wedding. There’s only one problem: the father of the bride is missing, and it’s up to Audrey and Ian to find him.
What unfolds is a witty, cocktail-soaked caper through a snow-dusted Vienna filled with old wounds, unexpected laughs, and the kind of friendship that never quite dies. The banter is razor-sharp, the situations are delightfully absurd, and the emotional payoff is surprisingly heartfelt. It’s not a romance, but it’s absolutely a love story of friendship, forgiveness, and what it means to grow up (eventually).
Melissa de la Cruz and Rachel Cohn have created something that feels both nostalgic and fresh. It reminded me why I loved their writing in high school, and why I still do now. If you’re looking for a smart, cozy, laugh-out-loud holiday romp—no matter the season—this book is a total gift.
January 1, 2026
This book is written like someone binge watched a week of Bravo reality shows and then decided to write all the cliches into a book. But not in a good way. The main characters are Audrey and Ian (who are both about 45 years old) and who both fell in love with (and eventually married and divorced) Beau when they were exchange students in Vienna. And now all of them are in Vienna again for the rushed Christmas wedding of Beau and Audrey’s eldest daughter, a wedding that was planned entirely by her college freshperson younger sister. Becuase sure why not. Except that Beau is MIA since apparently that’s just what he does cuz he’s such a free spirited rich boy who never really ahd to do anything and could just float thru life, and Audrey and Ian have to find him. Everyone is a bit of a mess, which ok messy characters can be fun sometimes. But the way this book is written, with the alternating povs of Audrey and Ian, just doesn’t work since both character’s “voices” sound exactly the same, and so much of it is repetitive, like Audrey remining us she is rich, well almost rich. And Im sorry but having a scene where two 45 year olds go to a middle of the day time rave in Vienna to look for Beau and then one of them (Audrey) passes put on the floor randomly and basically no one in the club notices, except one guy who looks like Hugh Jackman (yes really thats in the book) who saw someone roofied Audrey’s drink then kept an eye on her is just weird. And then like that’s it, there’s nothing except that Ian eventually finds Audrey, gets told she got roofied, takes her back to the hotel, and just leaves her there to go back to the party and hook up with someone, seems like the behavior of 20 year olds. Especially when the next day he tells her she was randomly sipping from stranger’s drinks when they were in the rave since she was drunk. So yeah the book was a bit over the top and trying too hard, and it would have been a fun idea if the characters were younger. But they’re just middle aged alcoholics (seriously, ther is some Bravo level drinking going on with these two) who need therapy.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
August 6, 2025
The story felt predictable and unoriginal. The characters were difficult to relate to, and the plot lacked a much purpose. Despite featuring middle-aged protagonists, the tone came across as cliché and immature—more like a young adult novel trying, unsuccessfully, to pass as adult fiction. #NetGalley
November 4, 2025
4.25⭐️
This was tight 90 minute movie. A “grittier” (PG 16) Hallmark soap opera that I would watch the hell out of. A short, sweet, frequently hilarious book about rekindling long lost friendships, moving forward from past betrayals and finding new love after love lost.
This is dual POV between Audrey and Ian. Beau doesn’t get a chapter because is the story isn’t really about him. It’s about friends reconnecting after betrayal, resentment and buried secrets.
The characters felt fully realized, everyone from the kids, to the grandma and the next love interests felt like real people. Audrey and Ian were kinda annoying at first, but you got their dynamics. You got their reasonings, you understood THEIR TRUTH. You got why they both had fell for Beau and the character growth by the end was great.
This was a fun, funny, madcap family European romp.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
“I know him,” I say. Ian Hawkins was once my very best friend. “He’s my ex-husband’s ex-husband.”
‘Like all disastrous relationships, ours has an origin story.’
‘I haven’t seen Ian in person in - how many years? I do the math. Beau and I were married for ten years. He left me to marry Ian. They lasted six years.’
‘We were Ian and Audrey. Audrey and Ian. Inseparable. Irreplaceable. Interchangeable. One mind, two bodies. We were each other‘s soulmates and best friends.’
‘It would be many more years before I understood that this was Beau to a T – for all his aversion and singularity and moving against societies grain, very little of what he did was original. Everything about him was derivative. What he lacked an authentic thought, he made up for his spade with his pseudophilosophy, his accumulated trivia, and his raw magnetism.
At the time, it didn’t matter.’
‘Ian and I never acknowledged it to each other, but we both wanted to be ruined by Beau. Badly.’
‘Izzy and Max are never going to forgive me if I lose their mother in a day rave in Vienna.’
‘I knew Beau wasn’t straight, and I knew marriage wouldn’t change who he was. But I did fool myself into thinking, he’d chosen a monogamous lane, and that lane was me and our baby.’
‘We fall silent. The last stages of grief, perhaps: acceptance. We both married and divorced a serial philanderer. We sacrificed our friendship for him.
We were so excited and stupid ones.
Beau was never worth that.’
‘I can see his face doing Ian Recalibration, trying to determine whether my version of fax lineup with his.’
This was tight 90 minute movie. A “grittier” (PG 16) Hallmark soap opera that I would watch the hell out of. A short, sweet, frequently hilarious book about rekindling long lost friendships, moving forward from past betrayals and finding new love after love lost.
This is dual POV between Audrey and Ian. Beau doesn’t get a chapter because is the story isn’t really about him. It’s about friends reconnecting after betrayal, resentment and buried secrets.
The characters felt fully realized, everyone from the kids, to the grandma and the next love interests felt like real people. Audrey and Ian were kinda annoying at first, but you got their dynamics. You got their reasonings, you understood THEIR TRUTH. You got why they both had fell for Beau and the character growth by the end was great.
This was a fun, funny, madcap family European romp.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
“I know him,” I say. Ian Hawkins was once my very best friend. “He’s my ex-husband’s ex-husband.”
‘Like all disastrous relationships, ours has an origin story.’
‘I haven’t seen Ian in person in - how many years? I do the math. Beau and I were married for ten years. He left me to marry Ian. They lasted six years.’
‘We were Ian and Audrey. Audrey and Ian. Inseparable. Irreplaceable. Interchangeable. One mind, two bodies. We were each other‘s soulmates and best friends.’
‘It would be many more years before I understood that this was Beau to a T – for all his aversion and singularity and moving against societies grain, very little of what he did was original. Everything about him was derivative. What he lacked an authentic thought, he made up for his spade with his pseudophilosophy, his accumulated trivia, and his raw magnetism.
At the time, it didn’t matter.’
‘Ian and I never acknowledged it to each other, but we both wanted to be ruined by Beau. Badly.’
‘Izzy and Max are never going to forgive me if I lose their mother in a day rave in Vienna.’
‘I knew Beau wasn’t straight, and I knew marriage wouldn’t change who he was. But I did fool myself into thinking, he’d chosen a monogamous lane, and that lane was me and our baby.’
‘We fall silent. The last stages of grief, perhaps: acceptance. We both married and divorced a serial philanderer. We sacrificed our friendship for him.
We were so excited and stupid ones.
Beau was never worth that.’
‘I can see his face doing Ian Recalibration, trying to determine whether my version of fax lineup with his.’
November 14, 2025
This was messyyyyy...
Like a reality TV show about a rich family or some telenovela with like a million seasons. This book catches up us about season 14, we are past behind 2 divorced and many drama.
In the present Audrey and Ian try to find their shared ex-husband, who is the reason for their falling out while rekindling their friendship. In Audrey's place I don't know if I had been civil with Ian, after his betrayal, doesn't matter how many years passed. It's clear that Beau, their ex-husband was the main manipulator who treated both of them bad, but Ian was really self-centred and not a good friend to Audrey. Honestly, the more I learned about their relationships I hoped Beau would just turn up dead. 😅
I really enjoyed their journey it was funny and tragic at times. My favourite characte was Damien, he deserved better than this fucked up family in my opinion.
It was a short read I pretty much destroyed it in one sitting. The audiobook of it is also great, with two narrators.
Thank you Brilliance Publishing for the eARC and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this adudiobook.
Like a reality TV show about a rich family or some telenovela with like a million seasons. This book catches up us about season 14, we are past behind 2 divorced and many drama.
In the present Audrey and Ian try to find their shared ex-husband, who is the reason for their falling out while rekindling their friendship. In Audrey's place I don't know if I had been civil with Ian, after his betrayal, doesn't matter how many years passed. It's clear that Beau, their ex-husband was the main manipulator who treated both of them bad, but Ian was really self-centred and not a good friend to Audrey. Honestly, the more I learned about their relationships I hoped Beau would just turn up dead. 😅
I really enjoyed their journey it was funny and tragic at times. My favourite characte was Damien, he deserved better than this fucked up family in my opinion.
It was a short read I pretty much destroyed it in one sitting. The audiobook of it is also great, with two narrators.
Thank you Brilliance Publishing for the eARC and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this adudiobook.
November 15, 2025
My Ex-Husband's Ex-Husband follows Audrey and Ian, who used to be close friends before they both married and divorced the same man, as they prepare for their daughter/step-daughter's wedding in Austria. For such a wild premise, I think the book does a great job of threading together the twists and turns that have resulted in this slightly absurd situation.
My Ex-Husband's Ex-Husband is a fun romp, but I struggled to connect with the protagonists. Audrey and Ian are charismatic but not especially mature. While I value flawed protagonists, they are often petty and messy in a way I found tough to enjoy from characters in their mid 40s. Despite not always enjoying the protagonists' viewpoints, I love how the story centers Audrey and Ian's (now strained) friendship as they try to navigate the obstacles that have come between them.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this audiobook.
My Ex-Husband's Ex-Husband is a fun romp, but I struggled to connect with the protagonists. Audrey and Ian are charismatic but not especially mature. While I value flawed protagonists, they are often petty and messy in a way I found tough to enjoy from characters in their mid 40s. Despite not always enjoying the protagonists' viewpoints, I love how the story centers Audrey and Ian's (now strained) friendship as they try to navigate the obstacles that have come between them.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this audiobook.
December 10, 2025
2.5
This was... fine. I was looking for something fast on a flight, and it delivered that. The concept is excellent and funny. But he first half of the book is kind of terrible -- unlikeable characters, a weird relationship with time and pace, and at one point, an apparently sincere and extensive belief that Bratislava is in Slovenia (the characters went to "Bratislava, Slovenia" and the authors then followed up on this magical journey with details about "Slovenian polka." How two authors and at least one editor all missed this fairly basic geography is anyone's guess.) The inspo seemed clearly to be the wonderful "The Guncle," but the characters lacked the development and depth that made that book so good.
The second half of the book was at least entertaining. The action (and characterization) both develop slightly. While it didn't make it a good book, it at least made the last half a fun book.
This was... fine. I was looking for something fast on a flight, and it delivered that. The concept is excellent and funny. But he first half of the book is kind of terrible -- unlikeable characters, a weird relationship with time and pace, and at one point, an apparently sincere and extensive belief that Bratislava is in Slovenia (the characters went to "Bratislava, Slovenia" and the authors then followed up on this magical journey with details about "Slovenian polka." How two authors and at least one editor all missed this fairly basic geography is anyone's guess.) The inspo seemed clearly to be the wonderful "The Guncle," but the characters lacked the development and depth that made that book so good.
The second half of the book was at least entertaining. The action (and characterization) both develop slightly. While it didn't make it a good book, it at least made the last half a fun book.
November 21, 2025
This book instantly gave will & Grace meets Real Housewives vibes. The banter was sassy, the characters had no filters… I wish that was more socially acceptable at times!
However, the plot fell a little flat for me. I wasn’t expecting adult characters to imitate gossip girl vibes throughout. It just wasn’t my vibe.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review!
However, the plot fell a little flat for me. I wasn’t expecting adult characters to imitate gossip girl vibes throughout. It just wasn’t my vibe.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review!
January 7, 2026
This story was quite silly but very entertaining. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. I don’t know if I would have enjoyed this story if I read it instead. It has a Christmas theme and an interesting plot but overall pretty good.
I recommend this book if you are looking for something lighthearted, funny, and not too serious.
I recommend this book if you are looking for something lighthearted, funny, and not too serious.
November 29, 2025
I DNF'd at 5% on the ebook. If I would have pushed through, I could see myself possibly enjoying the story. I stopped reading because I did not like the style of the writing. I believe in giving honest reviews but will not read books that are not for me.
January 11, 2026
3.8 stars.
June 17, 2025
Real rating: 2.75 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A. for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
The tile of this book instantly struck me because I knew I would be in for messy drama. Two best friends, Audrey and Ian, who fall in love with the same man, Beau, and even get married and divorced to him. Beau is MIA the night before Beau and Audrey’s daughter’s wedding, so Ian and Audrey take it upon themselves to find him before it’s too late.
Unfortunately, the writing style of this novel alerted me almost immediately that I would not have a great time with this book. It’s very…quirky, which I’m not a fan of at all. It felt a bit excruciating to get through. On top of that, there’s the constant pop-culture references and sprinkled use of ebonics—meant to elicit a chuckle from the reader, but is more distasteful than anything, especially considering it’s being referred to as “gen z slang”— that keep getting inserted into the story.
Even with the alternating POVs between Ian and Audrey, there honestly isn’t much of a difference in tone. They’re practically the same person. More than once, I had to pull up the table of contents to remind myself who was talking because I honestly could not tell the difference.
Even a book with the most interesting premise, for me, can be completely sullied by a “quirky” writing style. This is not to say that everyone would dislike it. I can only compare the style to the likes of Cara Bastone and Emily Henry—interesting storylines with quirky writing styles, not right on the money, but in that ball park—so if you’re a fan of their writing, you might like this book.
The other main thing that throws me is the fact that all of the main characters are at least 45 years old (minus Audrey and Beau’s two children). Yet, there is nothing any of them does that reflects that. I genuinely had to keep reminding myself they were nearing their 50s, yet all of their actions, rationale, communication skills—it’s like a New Adult novel. There’s just morsels here and there that remind me of their age: the mention of subtle frown lines, wrinkles by their eyes, random moments of worrying about their jobs.
I get the prevailing theme here—trust me, I do. Two ex-best friends that were torn apart by their love/heavy competitive infatuation (take your pick) for the same man, rekindle their friendship as they traverse the streets of the town that started it all, making them feel young again.
Well, they feel a bit /too/ young.
Even with the small flashbacks from both Ian and Audrey showing glimpses of their individual relationships with Beau, I have a hard time believing it was love. I actually don’t think anybody was in love with anybody. Beau was just having fun—yes, even with two marriages and two children between the three of them. Audrey and Ian are (not were) incredibly insecure people who were both steadfast in their belief that Beau was incredibly out of their league and they were /lucky/ he even gave them the time of day. Both Audrey and Ian were in this weird competition with each other for his attention. I can chalk it up to youthful naïveté at the time, I suppose. But by their mid-30s? Some growth would’ve been great to see.
I also don’t love that they made the sexually fluid man cheat on everybody with anybody. It feeds a harmful stereotype. Audrey even made a comment early on in the book where she says something along the lines of acknowledging that Beau wasn’t straight, but still “fooled” herself into believing that marriage would make him faithful. That says a lot. She also makes comments here and there about Ian that suggests she’s someone who genuinely believes she’s an ally, but isn’t at all.
Then we have Ian who keeps calling Audrey a “bitch” or a “ho” in his internal monologues for literally no reason. His anger towards her is so incredibly misplaced that it’s almost exhausting to keep reading.
Those last 30-odd pages gave it the extra .75 boost.
Overall, I believe they are all borderline alcoholics who are in dire need of therapy, not a man, and are honestly better off without each other in their lives. They enable each other’s worst qualities.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A. for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
The tile of this book instantly struck me because I knew I would be in for messy drama. Two best friends, Audrey and Ian, who fall in love with the same man, Beau, and even get married and divorced to him. Beau is MIA the night before Beau and Audrey’s daughter’s wedding, so Ian and Audrey take it upon themselves to find him before it’s too late.
Unfortunately, the writing style of this novel alerted me almost immediately that I would not have a great time with this book. It’s very…quirky, which I’m not a fan of at all. It felt a bit excruciating to get through. On top of that, there’s the constant pop-culture references and sprinkled use of ebonics—meant to elicit a chuckle from the reader, but is more distasteful than anything, especially considering it’s being referred to as “gen z slang”— that keep getting inserted into the story.
Even with the alternating POVs between Ian and Audrey, there honestly isn’t much of a difference in tone. They’re practically the same person. More than once, I had to pull up the table of contents to remind myself who was talking because I honestly could not tell the difference.
Even a book with the most interesting premise, for me, can be completely sullied by a “quirky” writing style. This is not to say that everyone would dislike it. I can only compare the style to the likes of Cara Bastone and Emily Henry—interesting storylines with quirky writing styles, not right on the money, but in that ball park—so if you’re a fan of their writing, you might like this book.
The other main thing that throws me is the fact that all of the main characters are at least 45 years old (minus Audrey and Beau’s two children). Yet, there is nothing any of them does that reflects that. I genuinely had to keep reminding myself they were nearing their 50s, yet all of their actions, rationale, communication skills—it’s like a New Adult novel. There’s just morsels here and there that remind me of their age: the mention of subtle frown lines, wrinkles by their eyes, random moments of worrying about their jobs.
I get the prevailing theme here—trust me, I do. Two ex-best friends that were torn apart by their love/heavy competitive infatuation (take your pick) for the same man, rekindle their friendship as they traverse the streets of the town that started it all, making them feel young again.
Well, they feel a bit /too/ young.
Even with the small flashbacks from both Ian and Audrey showing glimpses of their individual relationships with Beau, I have a hard time believing it was love. I actually don’t think anybody was in love with anybody. Beau was just having fun—yes, even with two marriages and two children between the three of them. Audrey and Ian are (not were) incredibly insecure people who were both steadfast in their belief that Beau was incredibly out of their league and they were /lucky/ he even gave them the time of day. Both Audrey and Ian were in this weird competition with each other for his attention. I can chalk it up to youthful naïveté at the time, I suppose. But by their mid-30s? Some growth would’ve been great to see.
I also don’t love that they made the sexually fluid man cheat on everybody with anybody. It feeds a harmful stereotype. Audrey even made a comment early on in the book where she says something along the lines of acknowledging that Beau wasn’t straight, but still “fooled” herself into believing that marriage would make him faithful. That says a lot. She also makes comments here and there about Ian that suggests she’s someone who genuinely believes she’s an ally, but isn’t at all.
Then we have Ian who keeps calling Audrey a “bitch” or a “ho” in his internal monologues for literally no reason. His anger towards her is so incredibly misplaced that it’s almost exhausting to keep reading.
Those last 30-odd pages gave it the extra .75 boost.
Overall, I believe they are all borderline alcoholics who are in dire need of therapy, not a man, and are honestly better off without each other in their lives. They enable each other’s worst qualities.
June 27, 2025
-- 3.75 ★
The premise of this book is so unlike anything I've ever read and it was brilliant. The book flows so easily and it was such a fun and simple read. Although it is quite short I still managed to gain feelings for the different characters and could envision them realistically which is a plus. Ian and Audrey's relationship went from hatred (rightfully so) to blossoming into something more mature and sophisticated. It felt like a huge hug I will miss their dynamic so so much. I just didn't like how Ian's character acted at times BUT we need flawed characters in books, he just irritated me fitfully.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!!
The premise of this book is so unlike anything I've ever read and it was brilliant. The book flows so easily and it was such a fun and simple read. Although it is quite short I still managed to gain feelings for the different characters and could envision them realistically which is a plus. Ian and Audrey's relationship went from hatred (rightfully so) to blossoming into something more mature and sophisticated. It felt like a huge hug I will miss their dynamic so so much. I just didn't like how Ian's character acted at times BUT we need flawed characters in books, he just irritated me fitfully.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Little A for an advanced copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story follows Audrey, a forty-something single mom of two daughters, and Ian, a forty-something ex-step-father to Audrey's children. Their connection? Beau, a charming but flaky philanderer who did Audrey and Ian wrong in so many ways. Prior to their own respective relationships with Beau, Audrey and Ian were best friends studying abroad in Vienna, where they both met Beau. Now, after twenty-some years, Audrey's daughter Izzy is getting married (also in Vienna), bringing together the two estranged best friends. On top of that, Beau has gone missing and Audrey and Ian need to work together to find the father of the bride and save this wedding.
This story was funny and touching. I loved Audrey and Ian's relationship. The strained awkwardness when they first reunited after their divorces from Beau, their humor and affection showing a long history of love between the two that was derailed by their marriages to Beau. Throughout the book, I laughed out loud at their sibling-like antics, the endearing displays of sudden protectiveness of each other to silly outbursts of frustration. They made a good team as co-parents to Izzy and Mia, only to revert back to their frenemy status when alone. Told in duo points of view between the two friends, I loved watching their Vienna Christmas wedding (mis)adventures. The side characters were also enjoyable, filling out the family dynamics that made up the conflicting and joyous occasions in the story.
The tone of the writing matched the subject: it allowed for good humor and playful banter, but also for serious heart to hearts, discussions on infidelity, alcoholism, cheating, co-parenting, horrible (shared) mothers-in-law, heartbreak, and ultimately, the healing power of true friendship. I really enjoyed the pace, the writing style, the topics in question. I found they were handled well by the authors and made for a funny and heartwarming exploration of what it means to be family.
4/5 stars
This story follows Audrey, a forty-something single mom of two daughters, and Ian, a forty-something ex-step-father to Audrey's children. Their connection? Beau, a charming but flaky philanderer who did Audrey and Ian wrong in so many ways. Prior to their own respective relationships with Beau, Audrey and Ian were best friends studying abroad in Vienna, where they both met Beau. Now, after twenty-some years, Audrey's daughter Izzy is getting married (also in Vienna), bringing together the two estranged best friends. On top of that, Beau has gone missing and Audrey and Ian need to work together to find the father of the bride and save this wedding.
This story was funny and touching. I loved Audrey and Ian's relationship. The strained awkwardness when they first reunited after their divorces from Beau, their humor and affection showing a long history of love between the two that was derailed by their marriages to Beau. Throughout the book, I laughed out loud at their sibling-like antics, the endearing displays of sudden protectiveness of each other to silly outbursts of frustration. They made a good team as co-parents to Izzy and Mia, only to revert back to their frenemy status when alone. Told in duo points of view between the two friends, I loved watching their Vienna Christmas wedding (mis)adventures. The side characters were also enjoyable, filling out the family dynamics that made up the conflicting and joyous occasions in the story.
The tone of the writing matched the subject: it allowed for good humor and playful banter, but also for serious heart to hearts, discussions on infidelity, alcoholism, cheating, co-parenting, horrible (shared) mothers-in-law, heartbreak, and ultimately, the healing power of true friendship. I really enjoyed the pace, the writing style, the topics in question. I found they were handled well by the authors and made for a funny and heartwarming exploration of what it means to be family.
4/5 stars
October 26, 2025
LOVED IT! If you're worried it will be a cliché plot getting the two exes together, don't! It's a perfect blend of a Christmas chaos, repairing long-lost friendships, moving on and above all, getting together as a family.
So when it comes to the plot, Audrey and Ian have been best friends since forever. And when they are exchange students in Vienna, they meet Beau, and they both fall for him. Which, as you can imagine, eventually will lead to the friendship going bad, with both of them marrying him in due time. But we meet them after all this already happened, they're both divorced from Beau and meet, in Vienna again, for the wedding of one of Audrey and Beau's daughters.
And from here onwards, there we have the Christmas chaos in all its glory when the bride's father is nowhere to be found. Audrey and Ian will just have to find the ever cheating bastard, and bring him back in time for the ceremony.
Both Audrey and Ian have their own share of problems outside their relationship with Beau. The biggest similarity between the two is their lack of confidence in themselves, thinking they aren't a "good catch". Throughout the book, they find their friendship again, and push each other to recognize the better parts of themselves, ultimately leading to a new-found happiness for both.
My only irk here would be the cliffhanger at the end. That said, I would gladly return to this world, to continue this journey will all the characters (well, maybe except Beau and Georgia, they can stfu).
I'd say it's a very nice read for the upcoming Christmas break, if you're up for some laughter, but also some character development and family drama.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
So when it comes to the plot, Audrey and Ian have been best friends since forever. And when they are exchange students in Vienna, they meet Beau, and they both fall for him. Which, as you can imagine, eventually will lead to the friendship going bad, with both of them marrying him in due time. But we meet them after all this already happened, they're both divorced from Beau and meet, in Vienna again, for the wedding of one of Audrey and Beau's daughters.
And from here onwards, there we have the Christmas chaos in all its glory when the bride's father is nowhere to be found. Audrey and Ian will just have to find the ever cheating bastard, and bring him back in time for the ceremony.
Both Audrey and Ian have their own share of problems outside their relationship with Beau. The biggest similarity between the two is their lack of confidence in themselves, thinking they aren't a "good catch". Throughout the book, they find their friendship again, and push each other to recognize the better parts of themselves, ultimately leading to a new-found happiness for both.
My only irk here would be the cliffhanger at the end. That said, I would gladly return to this world, to continue this journey will all the characters (well, maybe except Beau and Georgia, they can stfu).
I'd say it's a very nice read for the upcoming Christmas break, if you're up for some laughter, but also some character development and family drama.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
December 15, 2025
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: From New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Cohn and Melissa de la Cruz comes a freewheeling journey through Vienna where two estranged friends search for their mutual ex—and a long-lost bond.
Audrey and Ian were best friends—until they fell in love with the same man. To be precise, they fell in love with, married, and divorced the same man. And there’s no coming back from that.
Twenty-odd years later, they’re right back at the beginning: Vienna, where their university study abroad turned into a love triangle from which they never quite recovered. But it’s Christmas, and Audrey’s daughter is getting married. Time to let bygones be bygones.
Not for the sake of the holiday or even because they’ve matured with age…but because their mutual ex is nowhere to be found. It’s up to Audrey and Ian to track him down.
As wedding plans go further awry, the former besties race to find the father of the bride. Juggling complicated family dynamics (and the cocktails required to cope), they learn that, sometimes, it’s not about the search but the friendships rediscovered along the way.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: A Yuletide wedding has only one thing going for it that I can see: no way to forget the date. Making the wedding itself a destination wedding? In Europe, where you need a passport and a pile of cash to travel? Well, we know already who these folks are hangin' with. Not the likes of my broke-ass self.
But let's go with the fantasy. I love a holiday romantic story. The set-up for this one's irresistible...Ian and Audrey having to solve the problem of their mutual ex-husband, the deeply self-centered borderline narcissist Beau—aptly named thing of beauty and a boy forever—ghosts Izzy (Isadora, as in Duncan) their daughter/stepdaughter on her Christmas wedding day. This is far from the first time he's behaved this thoughtlessly to either of them but they're willing to rally together to keep him from ruining their dear Izzy's slapped-together last-minute dream.
It's a romance, there is no mystery about the Happily Ever After. It's all the banter and shenanigans that make it fun to read.As Audrey and Ian mobilize to get Beau's butt where he said it would be for once, they rekindle their own badly damaged trust in each other. It's that relationship that each of them really missed, really values.
Told in alternating first-person chapters as the hunt for Beau takes the two recovering co-dependent besties from pillar to post and back again, the story sees them heal their fractured lives, their fractured friendship, and their mutual step/daughter's wildly impulsive disaster in the making. Izzy's choice of husband, her younger daughter Max's choice of a life, her testy, curmudgeonly ex-mother-in-law's rudderless aimless bad mood...Audrey's love life and Ian's love life, Beau's jerk personality all fixed as well.
It's a romance, the spoiler would be telling you *how* not *that* it all works out! I was pleased to be along for this goofy ride because, as each corner was turned, I thought "oh sure, that makes sense" exactly never. Instead I was treated to improbable, amusing solutions to the entire crew's problems. Hey, this is a wedding for two young Americans in Vienna, Austria, at the city's busiest time and there's no scheduling conflicts. This is not reality.
But it sure was fun.
The Publisher Says: From New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Cohn and Melissa de la Cruz comes a freewheeling journey through Vienna where two estranged friends search for their mutual ex—and a long-lost bond.
Audrey and Ian were best friends—until they fell in love with the same man. To be precise, they fell in love with, married, and divorced the same man. And there’s no coming back from that.
Twenty-odd years later, they’re right back at the beginning: Vienna, where their university study abroad turned into a love triangle from which they never quite recovered. But it’s Christmas, and Audrey’s daughter is getting married. Time to let bygones be bygones.
Not for the sake of the holiday or even because they’ve matured with age…but because their mutual ex is nowhere to be found. It’s up to Audrey and Ian to track him down.
As wedding plans go further awry, the former besties race to find the father of the bride. Juggling complicated family dynamics (and the cocktails required to cope), they learn that, sometimes, it’s not about the search but the friendships rediscovered along the way.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: A Yuletide wedding has only one thing going for it that I can see: no way to forget the date. Making the wedding itself a destination wedding? In Europe, where you need a passport and a pile of cash to travel? Well, we know already who these folks are hangin' with. Not the likes of my broke-ass self.
But let's go with the fantasy. I love a holiday romantic story. The set-up for this one's irresistible...Ian and Audrey having to solve the problem of their mutual ex-husband, the deeply self-centered borderline narcissist Beau—aptly named thing of beauty and a boy forever—ghosts Izzy (Isadora, as in Duncan) their daughter/stepdaughter on her Christmas wedding day. This is far from the first time he's behaved this thoughtlessly to either of them but they're willing to rally together to keep him from ruining their dear Izzy's slapped-together last-minute dream.
It's a romance, there is no mystery about the Happily Ever After. It's all the banter and shenanigans that make it fun to read.As Audrey and Ian mobilize to get Beau's butt where he said it would be for once, they rekindle their own badly damaged trust in each other. It's that relationship that each of them really missed, really values.
Told in alternating first-person chapters as the hunt for Beau takes the two recovering co-dependent besties from pillar to post and back again, the story sees them heal their fractured lives, their fractured friendship, and their mutual step/daughter's wildly impulsive disaster in the making. Izzy's choice of husband, her younger daughter Max's choice of a life, her testy, curmudgeonly ex-mother-in-law's rudderless aimless bad mood...Audrey's love life and Ian's love life, Beau's jerk personality all fixed as well.
It's a romance, the spoiler would be telling you *how* not *that* it all works out! I was pleased to be along for this goofy ride because, as each corner was turned, I thought "oh sure, that makes sense" exactly never. Instead I was treated to improbable, amusing solutions to the entire crew's problems. Hey, this is a wedding for two young Americans in Vienna, Austria, at the city's busiest time and there's no scheduling conflicts. This is not reality.
But it sure was fun.
June 24, 2025
Glorious title, and apt, because Audrey and Ian both loved, married, and divorced Beau who is the centre of his own world and also in a way the centre of this book. Even if he's largely absent. MIA, just a few days before the wedding of his daughter.
Daughter Izzy is to be wed at Christmas, in Vienna, the city where her parents (all of them) met as foreign students many years back.
At times I couldn't decide whether I was reading Vienna's content creators marketing efforts, or the start of a feel-good-thriller (this was, after all, an ARC - I went in with no prior knowledge) or an upmarket Hallmark-script.
Having finished the book I can safely say the latter. Ian and Audrey, once best friends, have steered clear after both their marriages to the same man collapsed (not their faults, the fault of the man). Now they cooperate in trying to locate the bloody guy in hopes of making this self-centred hedonist appear on time for his daughter's wedding. They traverse Vienna, drink lots (LOTS - talking marketing: maybe there was a sponsordeal here with some alcohol producing companies?) and remember the good, later the bad, and just before the end -as it goes in novels- the ugly.
I found myself wanting to pick up the book to continue reading even when life called me, so that's good. A few things did irk me tbh: these people are mid-forties, surely they would sound like it, and -god forbid- act like it? Both Ian and Audrey get their own chapters, but I sometimes had to double check whose I was reading as they did sound very much alike.
I would have loved to have had a few baddies left, instead, all and any argument is settled - this would work in a Hallmark (I think) but was too quickly achieved/ brushed over on the pages.
Nevertheless a fun Christmas read
I received a copy from NetGalley in return for my honest opinion
Daughter Izzy is to be wed at Christmas, in Vienna, the city where her parents (all of them) met as foreign students many years back.
At times I couldn't decide whether I was reading Vienna's content creators marketing efforts, or the start of a feel-good-thriller (this was, after all, an ARC - I went in with no prior knowledge) or an upmarket Hallmark-script.
Having finished the book I can safely say the latter. Ian and Audrey, once best friends, have steered clear after both their marriages to the same man collapsed (not their faults, the fault of the man). Now they cooperate in trying to locate the bloody guy in hopes of making this self-centred hedonist appear on time for his daughter's wedding. They traverse Vienna, drink lots (LOTS - talking marketing: maybe there was a sponsordeal here with some alcohol producing companies?) and remember the good, later the bad, and just before the end -as it goes in novels- the ugly.
I found myself wanting to pick up the book to continue reading even when life called me, so that's good. A few things did irk me tbh: these people are mid-forties, surely they would sound like it, and -god forbid- act like it? Both Ian and Audrey get their own chapters, but I sometimes had to double check whose I was reading as they did sound very much alike.
I would have loved to have had a few baddies left, instead, all and any argument is settled - this would work in a Hallmark (I think) but was too quickly achieved/ brushed over on the pages.
Nevertheless a fun Christmas read
I received a copy from NetGalley in return for my honest opinion
October 20, 2025
Just the Fluffy, Boozy, Cosy Novella You Need
Rachel Cohn and Melissa de la Cruz teamed up to cook up this wild, European-set Christmas-Wedding-Relationship-Chaos novella you did not know you needed until now. My Ex Husband's Ex-Husband follows Audrey and Ian, both divorcees of a certain Southern heartbreaker called Beau, whom they met as students in Vienna all those years ago. Now mother of two children, Audrey invited everyone back to the city where it all began in order to celebrate her older daughter's dream wedding: on Christmas Day, Von Trapp-themed. Except things don't go to plan. The wedding preparations are in disarray, her own career and sale of her business come to a screeching halt, Ian makes himself talk of the literary world and Beau is nowhere to be found..
I did not think I'd enjoy this as much as I did. I am not much of a fan of booze or drunk adults, but Ian and Audrey are as weird as they are drunk and on their quest to find Beau and fix their problems (and their relationship), they stumble from one bar to the next spiked coffee and things get more absurd before they get better.
Still, it's a cosy read with fairly low stakes. What really stood out are the voices of the dual-POV. They are unique, captivating and thoroughly enjoyable. It is also mildly funny to see how Ian and Audrey not only have the exact same type when it comes to men, but also the same twisted relationship with their ex-mother-in-law.
If you are looking for a cosy roadtrip/romance/middle age/Christmas novella, this one is for you! And even if Christmas isn't your thing, who could resist Vienna in December?
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Rachel Cohn and Melissa de la Cruz teamed up to cook up this wild, European-set Christmas-Wedding-Relationship-Chaos novella you did not know you needed until now. My Ex Husband's Ex-Husband follows Audrey and Ian, both divorcees of a certain Southern heartbreaker called Beau, whom they met as students in Vienna all those years ago. Now mother of two children, Audrey invited everyone back to the city where it all began in order to celebrate her older daughter's dream wedding: on Christmas Day, Von Trapp-themed. Except things don't go to plan. The wedding preparations are in disarray, her own career and sale of her business come to a screeching halt, Ian makes himself talk of the literary world and Beau is nowhere to be found..
I did not think I'd enjoy this as much as I did. I am not much of a fan of booze or drunk adults, but Ian and Audrey are as weird as they are drunk and on their quest to find Beau and fix their problems (and their relationship), they stumble from one bar to the next spiked coffee and things get more absurd before they get better.
Still, it's a cosy read with fairly low stakes. What really stood out are the voices of the dual-POV. They are unique, captivating and thoroughly enjoyable. It is also mildly funny to see how Ian and Audrey not only have the exact same type when it comes to men, but also the same twisted relationship with their ex-mother-in-law.
If you are looking for a cosy roadtrip/romance/middle age/Christmas novella, this one is for you! And even if Christmas isn't your thing, who could resist Vienna in December?
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
September 28, 2025
"The waiter looks at us, confused, but we both nod. We remember each other's poison of choice. Of course we do. We were Ian and Audrey. Audrey and Ian. Inseparable. Irreplaceable. Interchangeable. One mind, two bodies. We were each other's soulmates and best friends."
I'm a huge fan of characters who are quite honestly just a mess. I find it refreshing, seeing people who are not polished and perfect, trying to just muddle through their lives and make it through. Audrey and Ian were a mess, and whilst I loved them, they teetered on the line between messy and just immature and mean.
Now, I know there's the bugbear here - the queer guy being written as unfaithful and promiscuous. But here's the thing, there's writing it because you're perpetuating the stereotype of sexually fluid people being this way, or there's just writing a character who just happens to be a bad person and also is queer which I'm fairly sure this book falls into. It also allows an interesting dynamic to emerge - two friends, in love, married and divorced from the same man.
Audrey and Ian take it in turns telling their story, remembering the chaos before the wedding and then leading us through the madcap antics that ensue when their ex-husband goes awol and they start to thaw, let each other and us into their hearts for a moment and start to feel their friendship come back to life.
While I didn't find myself fully connected to the characters. I can't deny there's a lot of fun to be had in this book - a quick, fast-paced and energetic story full of friendship, complications, absurdly booze-soaked situations and a little festive spirit that will make this a great winter read.
I'm a huge fan of characters who are quite honestly just a mess. I find it refreshing, seeing people who are not polished and perfect, trying to just muddle through their lives and make it through. Audrey and Ian were a mess, and whilst I loved them, they teetered on the line between messy and just immature and mean.
Now, I know there's the bugbear here - the queer guy being written as unfaithful and promiscuous. But here's the thing, there's writing it because you're perpetuating the stereotype of sexually fluid people being this way, or there's just writing a character who just happens to be a bad person and also is queer which I'm fairly sure this book falls into. It also allows an interesting dynamic to emerge - two friends, in love, married and divorced from the same man.
Audrey and Ian take it in turns telling their story, remembering the chaos before the wedding and then leading us through the madcap antics that ensue when their ex-husband goes awol and they start to thaw, let each other and us into their hearts for a moment and start to feel their friendship come back to life.
While I didn't find myself fully connected to the characters. I can't deny there's a lot of fun to be had in this book - a quick, fast-paced and energetic story full of friendship, complications, absurdly booze-soaked situations and a little festive spirit that will make this a great winter read.
November 18, 2025
First: thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Little A for the ALC.
2.75
This was a quick and okay read. I think I was expecting a little more depth in the story but it just didnt hit that for me. The story occurs over Christmas in Vienna which makes this a good read for the holiday season, maybe between other series you may be reading.
As far as the characters:
I did like how Audrey and Ians friendship progressed throughout the story. Didnt really feel invested to any character. Beau had no redemption qualities for me throughout the story. I just did not enjoy him as a character. Why was everyone so obssessed with him. He was hot according to everyone but that all I got from him. Not entirely sure why that alone made it so everyone wanted to destroy friendships for him. I didnt even really care much for the daughters. I almost want to hear more about the past Audrey and Ian rather than the present day.
The plot: Was a Netflix popcorn read but not exactly originial. I did get a little lost and everything was a little messy. not entirely sure why they had to do all this searching for Beau in all these places. I know the story mentioned he could get into trouble at times but i kind of just felt like this was the only thing that was getting the plot going.
The narrators: Audrey was voiced well. I did feel like it matched who the character was and portrayed emotions well. Ian...I didnt feel like the narrator was a match for voicing this character which is a Bummer because I freaking love the narrotor. I have heard him voice other stories and it was perfection.
2.75
This was a quick and okay read. I think I was expecting a little more depth in the story but it just didnt hit that for me. The story occurs over Christmas in Vienna which makes this a good read for the holiday season, maybe between other series you may be reading.
As far as the characters:
I did like how Audrey and Ians friendship progressed throughout the story. Didnt really feel invested to any character. Beau had no redemption qualities for me throughout the story. I just did not enjoy him as a character. Why was everyone so obssessed with him. He was hot according to everyone but that all I got from him. Not entirely sure why that alone made it so everyone wanted to destroy friendships for him. I didnt even really care much for the daughters. I almost want to hear more about the past Audrey and Ian rather than the present day.
The plot: Was a Netflix popcorn read but not exactly originial. I did get a little lost and everything was a little messy. not entirely sure why they had to do all this searching for Beau in all these places. I know the story mentioned he could get into trouble at times but i kind of just felt like this was the only thing that was getting the plot going.
The narrators: Audrey was voiced well. I did feel like it matched who the character was and portrayed emotions well. Ian...I didnt feel like the narrator was a match for voicing this character which is a Bummer because I freaking love the narrotor. I have heard him voice other stories and it was perfection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2025
📚My Ex-husband's Ex-husband
✍🏻Rachel Cohn & Melissa de La Cruz
Blurb:
Audrey and Ian were best friends―until they fell in love with the same man. To be precise, they fell in love with, married, and divorced the same man. And there's no coming back from that.
Twenty-odd years later, they're right back at the beginning: Vienna, where their university study abroad turned into a love triangle from which they never quite recovered. But it's Christmas, and Audrey's daughter is getting married. Time to let bygones be bygones.
Not for the sake of the holiday or even because they've matured with age…but because their mutual ex is nowhere to be found. It's up to Audrey and Ian to track him down.
As wedding plans go further awry, the former besties race to find the father of the bride. Juggling complicated family dynamics (and the cocktails required to cope), they learn that, sometimes, it's not about the search but the friendships rediscovered along the way.
My Thoughts:
I can't deny there's a lot of fun to be had in this book - a quick, fast-paced and energetic story full of friendship, complications, absurdly booze-soaked situations and a little festive spirit that will make this a great read. Told in Audrey and Ian POV's
Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing, Author Rachel Cohn & Melissa de la Cruz for the complimentary ARC. I am leaving my review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#AmazonPublishing
#RachelCohn
#MelissadelaCruz
#MyEx-Husband'sEx-Husband
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Rachel Cohn & Melissa de La Cruz
Blurb:
Audrey and Ian were best friends―until they fell in love with the same man. To be precise, they fell in love with, married, and divorced the same man. And there's no coming back from that.
Twenty-odd years later, they're right back at the beginning: Vienna, where their university study abroad turned into a love triangle from which they never quite recovered. But it's Christmas, and Audrey's daughter is getting married. Time to let bygones be bygones.
Not for the sake of the holiday or even because they've matured with age…but because their mutual ex is nowhere to be found. It's up to Audrey and Ian to track him down.
As wedding plans go further awry, the former besties race to find the father of the bride. Juggling complicated family dynamics (and the cocktails required to cope), they learn that, sometimes, it's not about the search but the friendships rediscovered along the way.
My Thoughts:
I can't deny there's a lot of fun to be had in this book - a quick, fast-paced and energetic story full of friendship, complications, absurdly booze-soaked situations and a little festive spirit that will make this a great read. Told in Audrey and Ian POV's
Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing, Author Rachel Cohn & Melissa de la Cruz for the complimentary ARC. I am leaving my review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#AmazonPublishing
#RachelCohn
#MelissadelaCruz
#MyEx-Husband'sEx-Husband
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 19, 2025
Absolutely love this funny story about family and friends.
I always surprise myself when I decide to read a book that has cheating in it. The title of the story is what caught my eye. I thought, “ this sounds like it’s going to be a funny story”. Then I read the premise, and I thought “ I really hope this is gonna be as funny as it sounds”. It was funny.. There were laugh out loud moments. as well as some serious not so funny moments.
The story is told an alternating point of views by both Audrey and Ian, who were once best friends. However, a man named Beau came between them. Beau referrs to himself as sexually fluid, which means he likes both men and women but refused to label himself. Audrey and Ian both fell in love with Beau at the same time. They both were married to Beau at one time, first Audrey, then Ian but Beau refused to be tied down or committed,
I loved the relationship Audrey and Ian had. You could tell they cared for each other even when they were mad at each other and refusing to talk to each other or pulling pranks on each other. They both willingly let go of their silliness for the sake of their family. They loved each other like brother and sister or maybe better. Ian was definitely a better coparent than Beau.
The book was shorter than most books I’ve read lately and it had two epilogues one in Audreys point of view and one in Ian’‘s, I wanted more so it definitely deserves four stars.
I’d like to thank that Galley for this complementary advanced, copy, in exchange for an honest review.
I always surprise myself when I decide to read a book that has cheating in it. The title of the story is what caught my eye. I thought, “ this sounds like it’s going to be a funny story”. Then I read the premise, and I thought “ I really hope this is gonna be as funny as it sounds”. It was funny.. There were laugh out loud moments. as well as some serious not so funny moments.
The story is told an alternating point of views by both Audrey and Ian, who were once best friends. However, a man named Beau came between them. Beau referrs to himself as sexually fluid, which means he likes both men and women but refused to label himself. Audrey and Ian both fell in love with Beau at the same time. They both were married to Beau at one time, first Audrey, then Ian but Beau refused to be tied down or committed,
I loved the relationship Audrey and Ian had. You could tell they cared for each other even when they were mad at each other and refusing to talk to each other or pulling pranks on each other. They both willingly let go of their silliness for the sake of their family. They loved each other like brother and sister or maybe better. Ian was definitely a better coparent than Beau.
The book was shorter than most books I’ve read lately and it had two epilogues one in Audreys point of view and one in Ian’‘s, I wanted more so it definitely deserves four stars.
I’d like to thank that Galley for this complementary advanced, copy, in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for providing the eARC.
This was actually a really fun read! It was like a minor train wreck you couldn’t look away from.
As much as Audrey and Ian were not that great of people at times, they were very real and multilayered. Their relationship was complex and it was great seeing how they were when they were young and how they slowly came back together after all the issues that occurred. Friendship was such a refreshing topic to focus on.
Did I wish that some people actually experience consequences? Absolutely but this was a somewhat light hearted read that wasn’t about bad people getting what they deserved but people growing from mistakes.
And because this was a light hearted Christmas type book, the romantic relationships didn’t seem that developed, they just seemed obvious and then it happened. Some of the writing I had to get used to, like I had to read a few things multiple times to understand what they were trying to say. And it was kinda of a weird theme of everyone is getting divorced, at least 5 couples that got divorced (this at least seems a lot to me for a fiction book). And this might a downside for some readers but a lot of these characters are kinda unlikable, more like tolerable at best.
The ending is hilarious. I have to give it to the authors for that very last moment.
This was actually a really fun read! It was like a minor train wreck you couldn’t look away from.
As much as Audrey and Ian were not that great of people at times, they were very real and multilayered. Their relationship was complex and it was great seeing how they were when they were young and how they slowly came back together after all the issues that occurred. Friendship was such a refreshing topic to focus on.
Did I wish that some people actually experience consequences? Absolutely but this was a somewhat light hearted read that wasn’t about bad people getting what they deserved but people growing from mistakes.
And because this was a light hearted Christmas type book, the romantic relationships didn’t seem that developed, they just seemed obvious and then it happened. Some of the writing I had to get used to, like I had to read a few things multiple times to understand what they were trying to say. And it was kinda of a weird theme of everyone is getting divorced, at least 5 couples that got divorced (this at least seems a lot to me for a fiction book). And this might a downside for some readers but a lot of these characters are kinda unlikable, more like tolerable at best.
The ending is hilarious. I have to give it to the authors for that very last moment.
August 28, 2025
Thank you Little A for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
4 stars — A messy, merry reunion with heart and hilarity
Audrey and Ian were once inseparable—until they fell for, married, and divorced the same man. Twenty years later, they’re back in Vienna, the city where it all began, and the drama is far from over. Their mutual ex has vanished just days before Audrey’s daughter’s wedding, and suddenly these former besties are on a chaotic scavenger hunt through snowy streets, awkward family dinners, and cocktail-fueled confessions.
This book is a fizzy blend of humor, heartbreak, and holiday chaos. The banter is razor-sharp, the emotional baggage is real, and the setting adds a cozy, cinematic backdrop to all the dysfunction. I laughed, cringed, and rooted for Audrey and Ian as they stumbled through old wounds and new revelations.
It’s not just about finding the missing ex—it’s about rediscovering the kind of friendship that survives even the most spectacular implosions. One star off for a few plot conveniences, but honestly? I didn’t care. I was too busy enjoying the ride.
Perfect for fans of messy love triangles, found family, and stories that remind you it’s never too late to forgive, reconnect, and maybe even dance in the snow.
4 stars — A messy, merry reunion with heart and hilarity
Audrey and Ian were once inseparable—until they fell for, married, and divorced the same man. Twenty years later, they’re back in Vienna, the city where it all began, and the drama is far from over. Their mutual ex has vanished just days before Audrey’s daughter’s wedding, and suddenly these former besties are on a chaotic scavenger hunt through snowy streets, awkward family dinners, and cocktail-fueled confessions.
This book is a fizzy blend of humor, heartbreak, and holiday chaos. The banter is razor-sharp, the emotional baggage is real, and the setting adds a cozy, cinematic backdrop to all the dysfunction. I laughed, cringed, and rooted for Audrey and Ian as they stumbled through old wounds and new revelations.
It’s not just about finding the missing ex—it’s about rediscovering the kind of friendship that survives even the most spectacular implosions. One star off for a few plot conveniences, but honestly? I didn’t care. I was too busy enjoying the ride.
Perfect for fans of messy love triangles, found family, and stories that remind you it’s never too late to forgive, reconnect, and maybe even dance in the snow.
September 21, 2025
I was really excited for this book, and I'll admit, that was largely because I've been a huge fan of some of Rachel Cohn's other work (Melissa de la Cruz is amazing too, I'm sure—I'm just less familiar!). But ironically, I think what I have loved about these authors in the past is what causes this book to struggle: They're brilliant at writing YA.
This book focuses on two grown adults dealing with grown-adult problems, but they think, talk, and act like teenagers. That can be fun! It can make for a light read! But personally, I found it consistently jarring. I found myself genuinely wondering, "Is this book for real?"—it felt more like a short story, where the authors wouldn't have time to really develop the characters (but it's a full-length novel, so they did!) or like a book that should have been a comedy (but the jokes never started coming!). No, it really was just an adult novel written in the style and to the level of depth of a young adult novel, but without the compelling characters we've seen in many of Cohn and de la Cruz's YA projects.
That being said, this is a cute Christmas read with nice romance over the holidays vibes, so if you're looking for a cozy but messy holiday book, it's worth giving it a try! Just...expect a lil genre confusion.
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ebook copy of this book! All opinions are, of course, my own.)
This book focuses on two grown adults dealing with grown-adult problems, but they think, talk, and act like teenagers. That can be fun! It can make for a light read! But personally, I found it consistently jarring. I found myself genuinely wondering, "Is this book for real?"—it felt more like a short story, where the authors wouldn't have time to really develop the characters (but it's a full-length novel, so they did!) or like a book that should have been a comedy (but the jokes never started coming!). No, it really was just an adult novel written in the style and to the level of depth of a young adult novel, but without the compelling characters we've seen in many of Cohn and de la Cruz's YA projects.
That being said, this is a cute Christmas read with nice romance over the holidays vibes, so if you're looking for a cozy but messy holiday book, it's worth giving it a try! Just...expect a lil genre confusion.
(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ebook copy of this book! All opinions are, of course, my own.)
November 18, 2025
Before picking up this book, I hadn’t read anything by Rachel Cohn before, and I only knew Melissa de la Cruz from her young adult books, so I was intrigued by the synopsis but also hesitant. What this story gave me was an unexpected holiday (Christmas) treat, a quick read, and beautiful imagery as the characters’ adventures were described.
The whole clan of characters really made this story worth reading. How in the world did two (now former) best friends end up marrying the same guy?! Where was the friend code? The story is full of their feud, all the family drama a blended family could endure, and an entertaining adventure Audrey and Ian must go on to track down the father of the bride, their ex-husband Beau.
I loved the sassy banter a few of the characters brought to the story. The arguments between Ian and Audrey are so realistic and petty. It felt authentic, even if any of it was over the top.
”Honey, if you’re demure, then I’m the straightest made you’ve ever met.”
This line had me laughing so hard, especially when the narrator performed it with such pizazz and snark.
This turned out to be the perfect holiday romance that I didn’t know I needed. I definitely recommend it, especially in audio!
I was able to enjoy this story as an advance audio copy thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio.
The whole clan of characters really made this story worth reading. How in the world did two (now former) best friends end up marrying the same guy?! Where was the friend code? The story is full of their feud, all the family drama a blended family could endure, and an entertaining adventure Audrey and Ian must go on to track down the father of the bride, their ex-husband Beau.
I loved the sassy banter a few of the characters brought to the story. The arguments between Ian and Audrey are so realistic and petty. It felt authentic, even if any of it was over the top.
”Honey, if you’re demure, then I’m the straightest made you’ve ever met.”
This line had me laughing so hard, especially when the narrator performed it with such pizazz and snark.
This turned out to be the perfect holiday romance that I didn’t know I needed. I definitely recommend it, especially in audio!
I was able to enjoy this story as an advance audio copy thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio.
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