Ex on the Beach

I’ll admit it: I rolled my eyes when I saw the ‘wedding planner with a broken heart’ premise. But *Ex on the Beach* won me over by refusing to be cute about it. Andie isn’t some manic pixie dream girl waiting for love to fix her—she’s a mess, and the book leans *hard* into that. Her ex, who ghosted her years ago, doesn’t waltz back in with a grand apology; their reunion is awkward, painful, and (refreshingly) not instantly forgiven. Law’s dialogue crackles, especially in the group scenes where Andie’s friends roast her denial with the kind of brutal honesty you’d expect from people who’ve seen you cry over tequila. Natalie Ross’s performance elevates the material significantly. She gives Andie a weary-but-wry tone that sells the character’s emotional whiplash—one minute she’s snapping at her ex, the next she’s vulnerable in a way that feels earned. The male voices (particularly the love interest) are distinct without being overdone, though I’ll dock half a point for her occasional over-enunciation of sarcastic lines, which can feel a touch theatrical. The production is clean, but the pacing drags slightly in the middle during a subplot involving Andie’s business woes; it’s the only section where the energy dips, and I found myself speeding up the playback. Still, the payoff—especially a third-act confrontation that’s equal parts cathartic and cringe—makes it worth the lull. If you’re tired of romance novels where the conflict melts away with a single kiss, this one’s for you. Just don’t expect a tidy bow.