Seven Exes by Lucy Vine Review

Title: Seven Exes

Author: Lucy Vine

Genre: Rom-Com

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 432

Release Date: 25 May 2023

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Hello fellow booklovers! Today I'm back with a review for Seven Exes by Lucy Vine, a wonderfully witty and wildly chaotic Rom-com that’s packed full of humour.

Synopsis

Esther is out with her two friends, bemoaning her lack of relationship, when she finds a magazine from the noughties. Seeking comfort – and a laugh – she turns to the dating advice only to find an article that feels a little too close to home. According to the journalist, there are seven people a woman will date before finding the one:

The First Love, The Work Mistake, The Friend with Benefits, The Overlap, The Missed Chance, The Bastard and The Serious One. 

Her friends laugh but Esther realises each of her exes fits these roles perfectly. Deciding that she’s mistaken her true love in the reject pile she decides to contact each of her exes to find out which is the one that got away...

Review

I absolutely loved every second of this and—given the lighthearted tone of the premise (which sounded fabulously Rom-com-y and reminded me of the movie What’s Your Number), I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotion and social commentary that we get to explore.

Dealing with past insecurities, infidelity, mental health struggles and even exploitative workplace relationships— Lucy Vine cleverly traverses the highs and lows of dating and how our perceptions (and life experiences—both the good and the bad) shape us into the people we are today.

This is actually the first book by Lucy Vine I’ve ever read but I know given how much I enjoyed this—it certainly won’t be the last!

I adored the writing which was easy to follow and wonderfully conversational in tone. I truly felt immersed in Esther’s world and loved getting to know the vibrant and beautifully nuanced characters within her friend group. The banter was off the charts good and made me chuckle on more than once occasion—especially during their drunk/ tipsy conversations.

I absolutely loved Esther, who was such a relatable character and I loved watching her grow in confidence and learn to accept all the great things in her life (even if they don’t fit the dream version of her life she visualised as a teen.)

The exes were interesting to meet and I enjoyed the flashback scenes which gave us a good sense of what each relationship was like (and true reasons behind the initial breakups).

I had soo much fun watching Esther and her besties (Bibi and Lou) comparing each ex to their past selves and discussing whether reconnecting would be worth it.

I laughed, cried and (a couple of times) got irrationally angry —and in one particular scene got completely grossed out, but the bond of friendship and the unconditional support of the people you love was what really made this a standout read for me.

Overall, a heartfelt and humourous read that’s perfect for fans of Rom-coms with Bridget-Jones level catastrophes, drunken shenanigans and endearing characters you can’t help but root for.

Also, a huge thank you to Simon and Schuster for the physical arc.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

About The Author 

Lucy Vine is a writer, editor and the bestselling author of novels Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell and Are We Nearly There Yet? Her books have been translated into ten languages around the world, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series in America.

She's also host of the podcast and live event series, the Hot Mess Clubhouse, celebrating funny women. Her writing has appeared in the likes of Grazia, Stylist, Heat, Fabulous, New, Now, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Daily Telegraph, Sun and Mirror. Seven Exes is her fifth novel.

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