Swoony second-chance romance
The Ex Vows
Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
Berkley
July 16, 2024
Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook
400
USA Today Bestseller An Indie Next Pick A Library Reads Pick Estranged exes must stick close together to save their best friend’s wedding after a string of disasters in this swoony and steamy second-chance romance from the USA Today bestselling author of You, with a View. Georgia Woodward lives by her lists, none more so than the one about her ex, Eli Mora. It’s full of the ironclad dos and don’ts they’ve been following since she returned to the Bay Area after their cataclysmic breakup five years ago. With the wedding of their mutual best friend, Adam, looming, and them about to step into their roles as best woman and man, Georgia’s never needed it more. She refuses to threaten their tight-knit friend group with her messy—and still very present—feelings. The rules on that list will keep her cool, calm, and compartmentalized. What’s not on her list? Eli arriving from New York with a new rule-breaking attitude or the all-inclusive venue burning to the ground, leaving the bride and groom in dire straits. Nor does she anticipate Adam asking her and Eli to help him make a miracle happen. Together. As Georgia and Eli rush up to Napa Valley to pull off the perfect wedding, their old chemistry comes back in technicolor. Somewhere between cake tastings gone wrong, disastrous DJ auditions, and Eli’s heated attention, Georgia starts recognizing the man she fell in love with before. And if she lets herself break her rules, she might find what they’re building isn’t the something old that ruined them—it’s a chance at something new.
Heart flutters galore thanks to The Ex Vows
The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce was a perfect second-chance romance. It reminded me of classic feel-good rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and even the more recent Your Place or Mine, not because they have similar plots but because of how they made me feel: all heart flutters.
The plot
Sparks flew when the teenage versions of Georgia and Eli met at Adam’s house. After years of friendship, they decided to surrender to their harbored feelings. Unfortunately, as young adults found their way, they weren’t compatible. Eli was a workaholic, and Georgia felt alone, so she walked away but never stopped loving him.
For the five years after their breakup, they’ve convinced Adam their bestie trio never broke up, putting up a facade for his benefit. Now, they must work together to help their best friend save his wedding by essentially re-planning a wedding in only a week. Of course, the forced proximity and the palpable feelings (and undeniable still-existing chemistry) are overpowering them both. They must confront why they broke up and how much they still love each other.
A Five Star Rom-Com
It’s difficult for me to write a review for a book I love because I’m not inclined to dissect it; I accept it. A book you love is just one you love. (But here I try.)
Bee Val also read The Ex Vows and sent me this text about it: “I love that Eli just kept showing up. He knew that Georgia didn’t trust him, but she was too polite to say anything, and he still kept showing up.” Eli’s (sometimes quiet & sometimes gritty) fight for Georgia—his determination and unquestionable love—was my favorite part of this book. Add Jessica Joyce’s fun dialogue and narrative, and it makes the book hard to put down.
I loved The Ex Vows because Georgia and Eli never doubted their love for each other, and they found their way back. I also loved it because they felt relatable—no hyperbolic character flaws & no forced interpersonal drama meant to delay their reunion. Their story is about finding their way back to the heart that is their home. Plus, there’s the right amount of angst & some excellent spice. I will read this story one hundred times and still feel all the heart flutters at the hundredth read.
Music: The obvious choice is Paper Rings by Taylor Swift (read to find out why), but Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros also sets the mood.
Darienne was 15 when her aunt gave her a copy of Princess by Jean Sasson, and she has been hooked on books ever since. Originally from Puerto Rico and now living in Maryland, she’s always looking to visit new coffee shops and bookstores. Her favorite genres include YA, spicy romcoms, and women’s fiction. Thanks to the Bees, she’s also now obsessed with romantasy series. Other loves include lavender lattes, sassy coffee mugs, sunrises, sleeping in, small-town charm, and big city lights. One day, she’ll write that book that lives in her head.
