Thank you very much to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have since purchased my own copy of this book.
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.
After reading You, with a View last year, I’ve been waiting for Jessica Joyce to release another romance book. When I found out that this one was going to be a second-chance romance I was beyond excited and for good reason, it was excellent.
Georgia and Eli broke up five years ago, so they are definitely over each other… right? But, when they’re thrown together at the best friend’s wedding, sparks fly, literally when the venue burns down a week before the wedding. It is Georgia and Eli’s jobs to get it back on track. So, as they rush to put on the perfect wedding, old feelings start to resurface, and there’s only one bed…
I adored Georgia and Eli. Georgia in particular is for the over-thinkers, planners and makers of lists. She cares so deeply for all the around her and I adored her. I’m sure so many readers will see themselves in Georgia which makes her such a reassuring character.
Eli is quite literally the real life embodiment of ‘it’s always the quiet ones’ which is exactly what Georgia says about him. He is always trying to do the best for those around him, is such a loyal friend and is going through so much that he is trying to hide from others. Add to them, the incredible side characters we meet in this book and you have an excellent selection of characters. A special shout out goes to Adam and Grace who I loved.
The romance in this book is wonderful. Georgia and Eli are meant for each other and you can tell that from the very start of the book. The way they interact, their care for other another and the undeniable tension between them.
Aside from the romance, this book covers the important topic of mental health awareness. Both Eli and Georgia have found their way to therapy as a way to make sense of their lives. This allows them to have open and honest discussions with each other about their feelings and worries. This means they trust each other more which is the basis of any good relationship.
Jessica Joyce has definitely made her way onto my auto-buy author list. Her books have both been excellent reads and ones I’ve had a lot of fun reading. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.
Overall, The Ex Vows is a wonderful second-chance romance with childhood best friends at its heart. If you like both of those tropes then this is certainly one for you. I would highly recommend it!
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