The Ex Vows

Jessica Joyce goes on my auto-buy list, this was another win.

I’m not a fan of second chance romance. It has to be done really well for me to enjoy it, and this one was perfection.

The reason why Georgia and Eli had split was heartbreaking. Relationships fall apart because of stuff like that irl too. It takes time, effort and growth to repair that damage and that is exactly what this book is about.

I love this author’s no-nonsense way of talking about the most important things in life. There’s no sugar coating, no pretending that it’s enough to love each other and it will be okay. Some things are difficult and messy and you need to accept them all if you want to be happy.

Five stars and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

The Ex Vows absolutely stole my heart. Jessica Joyce has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and this book is the perfect example of why—she writes with so much humor, heart, and honesty that by the time you finish, you feel like you’ve lived alongside the characters rather than just read about them.

Second-chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, but it’s also one of the hardest to get right. The history has to feel real, the heartbreak has to matter, and the reconciliation has to be earned. The Ex Vows nailed every single one of those things. The story beautifully captured the ache of what it means to lose someone you once loved, and the incredible joy of realizing that maybe, just maybe, love show more deserves another chance.

The characters were phenomenal. The heroine was strong yet vulnerable, navigating her own doubts and regrets while trying to protect her heart. The hero was equally layered—he wasn’t just a swoony love interest, he was a man with flaws, mistakes, and a very real need to make amends. Together, their chemistry was undeniable. Every look, every touch, every sharp piece of banter carried the weight of their past, which made their present connection that much more powerful.

The romance itself was such a satisfying slow burn. It wasn’t about diving back into old patterns—it was about rediscovering each other, rebuilding trust, and choosing to grow together rather than apart. That balance of angst, longing, and genuine tenderness gave the story an emotional punch that left me teary-eyed in places and grinning ear to ear in others.

I also adored the supporting cast and the sense of community woven into the book. Friends, family, and side characters added richness without distracting from the central love story. They made the world feel lived-in, and they gave both main characters space to grow individually while still pushing them toward each other.

What really stood out to me, though, was Jessica Joyce’s voice. Her writing is sharp, witty, and incredibly heartfelt. She captures the small moments—the quiet realizations, the unspoken feelings, the way love can feel terrifying and exhilarating all at once—with such precision that it makes you feel seen as a reader.

By the time I reached the ending, I was an emotional mess in the best way. It was romantic, cathartic, and deeply satisfying—the kind of conclusion that reminds you why second-chance love stories are so powerful.

The Ex Vows isn’t just a romance; it’s a story about forgiveness, growth, and the courage it takes to believe in love again. It’s heartfelt, swoony, funny, and full of emotional depth. Jessica Joyce has given us a love story that feels both magical and real, and it’s one I know I’ll be recommending over and over again. Five glowing stars—this book is an absolute gem. show less

I did not hate "The Ex Vows", but I found Georgia and Eli so persistently irritating that the novel never became more than a frustrating, middling read. Jessica Joyce still knows how to write atmosphere, banter, and emotional history, and the wedding-disaster setup gives the book enough momentum to stay readable. But the romance itself kept getting in its own way, and after a while I was less invested than exasperated.

Georgia is frustrating in a very specific manner. She is so afraid of her own feelings, and so terrified that another attempt at this relationship might fail, that her caution gradually hardens into monotony. I understood where that fear came from, but understanding it did not make it any less irritating to watch her show more retreat from feeling over and over again. The novel clearly wants that fear to read as emotionally rich, yet for me it mostly read as repetitive.

Eli annoyed me even more, because the book insists on the depth of his love while repeatedly showing how easily he slips out of responsibility. He does not merely hesitate. He makes Georgia responsible for drawing the line that he himself will not hold.

»In thirty seconds, you’re not going to want this, and I can’t pull away, so you’re the one who has to.«

That is exactly the kind of move that made him so maddening to me. He presents his lack of self-control as honesty, but the practical effect is that she has to do the difficult part for both of them. Later, when the novel lets Georgia name the deeper grievance, it lands because the groundwork has been laid.

»you let me leave you without a fight«

This is also why the book did not work for me either as a second-chance trope or as a slow-burn romance. I do not especially like either trope to begin with, and here both are stretched too far. Five years of unresolved pain plus pages of hesitation did not feel deliciously tense, only wearying. And I do not buy the claim that this has no third-act breakup. After their intense week together, the book still drops them into a not-really-together limbo that absolutely counts as a kind of breakup, or at least a deferral severe enough to feel like one.

»I need your friendship. I need that to be enough for us, at least for now.«

Compared with "You, with a View", which I found warmer, more generous, and much more persuasive emotionally, "The Ex Vows" feels strained. The prose is smooth, the wedding chaos is entertaining, and there are good moments throughout, but the novel mistakes prolonged emotional paralysis for irresistible romantic tension. For me, the more interesting romance lies somewhere in the middle.

Three stars out of five.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam show less

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy.

This book is a read in one sitting kind of book. Read it by the pool. Just read it.

The two of them are estranged since their breakup 5 years ago and are thrown together to help fix this disaster of a wedding for their mutual best friend. Neither of them does a great job not being silently thirsty as all hell despite it because their love for each other wasn’t the problem.

The banter. The tension. Chef’s kiss.

Also this book gave a tiny bit of Veronica Mars x Logan Echolls vibes (grown up Logan not disaster teenager Logan). Met as kids, bit of a break, man is nothing short of in love with her the whole time with good banter.

None of this is a surprise because it’s in the blurb show more but the wedding is a complete disaster and it was straight up the most joyful wedding I’ve read about it a long time. Most books would have had them save the day but this wedding was next level because of the “curse” and eventually everyone just leaned into the chaos of the day and it was better for it. show less

You will love this if you enjoyed 'Happy Place' by Emily Henry, it's got similar themes of friends' circle and exes missing what they had.

One thing I enjoyed about the Ex Vows was the vivid writing; I could picture the setting and understand the protagonist's thoughts right from the first page and this was consistent up to the end.
It's a second-chance romance with loads of chemistry and necessary spice, so it was a perfect weekend read. However, this didn't feel remarkable or special to me as the characters outside the couple felt like caricatures at times.

This was just the fun and joyous breath of fresh air I needed right now. Georgia and Eli's second chance romance reminded me of all the reasons love is worth fighting for and how special and precious that connection can be! Love is something that will always find its way back to you, and this book will have you look over at your person and go, "Yea, it is worth fighting to keep this feeling"

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
Contemporary romance. Second chance troupe.
Georgia Woodward and Eli Mora were once a couple. But they were young and just starting out in life. Although they loved each other, they ended up going their separate ways. The major problem? Friends in common. And now they’ve both agreed to help with all the details of their mutual friend Adam’s wedding. They get is set with lots of strife and agreements. Then comes the wedding and one thing after another goes wrong. Can they pull off all the last minute changes without ruining the big day?

Georgia is the POV and has a lot of rules, lists, and feelings. Eli throws everything out the window and start over. Both with their lost relationship and all the wedding show more details.
A lot of angst, and a lot of steam as they figure out what they want. It can be a bit raw at times. Eli is now willing to provide answers and speak about his feelings.
I personally hate the third quarter breakup troupe, but it does give them time and space to settle and grow and figure out what they really want this time.
Of course it’s a good ending. It’s romance. show less