I love the title of Seven Exes, and I also like when books do exactly what they say on the tin. The reader goes in and out of the present-day narrative and the histories of her past with the seven different boyfriends. Of course, the reader makes predictions about which men from her past are going to be complete non-starters and which might be the goers, with a few twists and red herrings along the way. Even though I don’t personally relate to these seven categories of exes, I can imagine readers enjoying talking with their friends about which roles their own exes might fit into. (Perhaps some will have more than one who fits into ‘The Bastard’!)
This is a romcom from a seasoned writer with an astute awareness of what makes a romcom successful: the premise is super neat and TikTok reader friendly, Esther has two classic best friends who offer their unconditional support on Esther’s journey to rediscover love for an ex, and there’s pepperings of exactly the kinds of wild messes and cringe-worthy dates that I tell myself I should be having in my London life. But it’s also different from other romances at the more warm and fluffy end, in that Esther’s pain, shame, and loneliness from being unwillingly single comes through in its often sharp, sarcastic kind of humour. It’s perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton, Lauren Bravo, and Daisy Buchanan.
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...
Lucy Vine is a freelance journalist based in London, who regularly writes and edits for the likes of Grazia, Heat, Cosmo, Stylist and Marie Claire. She also writes a weekly newsy column for Grazia Daily. Fed up of seeing the happily-ever-afters in films, she decided to write her own and her debut Hot Mess is the result. Follow her on Twitter @Lecv