Clare Gilmore Archives - The Litertarian

I’ve been a massive fan of Clare Gilmore since I read Perfect Fit last year. That book is *chef’s kiss*. I don’t know what it is about books about music that kind of turn me off, but I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying her newest release, Never Over.

Here we have another wonderful second chance romance. Paige is a songwriter living in Tennessee who is struggling to break into the industry. Her big break comes with a music exec finally comes by to listen to her tunes. He realizes she’s a phenomenal talent for melody, but her lyrics don’t quite hit the way they could. That’s not a surprise to her, considering her heart has been walled off ever since her catastrophic breakup with Liam.

She’s not too proud to go to him and ask if they can strike up a new fling so she might be inspired again, the way he once inspired her.

I’m not the greatest fan of the setup here, however, I can appreciate that this is the fake dating trope without actually being fake dating. I love Liam for laying out in their rules that this is real. He can’t fake it with her. But they will leave the end date a nebulous thing. Whatever happens, happens. So, basically, like any relationship. It’s a risk. Things might light up, they might burn to the ground.

We’re taken back and forth between the present timeline, with Paige trying to write new music and lyrics, and the past, when writing music was only a hobby and her best friend was Liam the baseball pitcher extraordinaire, not Liam the roadie.

The connection between the two of them is inevitable. They’re electric, which is my favorite thing to find in a romance novel. Especially their physical connection, wink wink. Yes, there is some spice here. But they both have some issues to work through, both in past and present timelines, in order to lock in for the long haul.

In conclusion! I very much enjoyed this book (though it hasn’t quite knocked Perfect Fit from the number one spot). If you’re looking for a tension laden romantic story to hold you over – this one is a great choice!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Never Over
Author:: Clare Gilmore
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 52m
Audiobook Narrator:: Carly Robins
Published:: October 28th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

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There’s nothing I love more than a romance novel that blows away my expectations. By the cover and description, I figured this would be a light, not-that-deep rom-com that would be entertaining while it lasted, but likely wouldn’t leave much of an impression. I probably should have known better with a cover blurb from Tarah Dewitt, but I’m happy to report I was wrong. This book has pressed itself into my memory, and will not soon be forgotten.

Josephine is the CEO of her own fashion brand, Reventant, based in Austin, TX. For a side-gig she started as a hobby in college, it has grown into something she never expected: an online phenomenon with dozens of employees. In an effort to keep aligned with her values, she’s after a new certification which will tell customers how dedicated the brand is to quality and sustainability. To that end, Revenant is hiring a consultant to help, and the man who wants the job happens to be a ghost from her past she’s been afraid to run into in town. They did not part in high school on the best of terms, and she’s not sure she wants to open the door back up on all the hurtful feelings from the past. But he’s a skilled professional and has taken an interest in her business. A few months of working together should be tolerable, right? Especially if it pushes her company, which is everything to her, in the right direction.

So what do I love about this book? The romance felt realistic. These two didn’t fall in love over the course of a hot weekend, or a single business trip, or basically just a big firework of an event that ‘changed everything’. They build a genuine friendship. Yes, it might be colored by burning crushes on both sides, but over time and many interactions, the two of them form a genuine connection that is strong and true and flush with meaning. Not to mention Will Grant is a walking, talking green flag. Oh my gosh, the romance in this book is everything you could want. It reminded me of all my favorite summer romances that came out this year (reviews for my favorites are linked below)!

There were also deep themes of friendship woven into the fabric of the story. Josephine was best friends with Will’s sister Zoey in high school, and they had a falling out way back when. It happens. It’s happened to me. But it’s about recognizing your mistakes, realizing there are sometimes greater things playing into things that happen that can exaggerate or cause hurtful things to happen, and that it’s okay to forgive, and grow, and repair. The author balances these themes through several characters and really created a big impact for me.

This was my first Clare Gilmore book, but gosh dang it, she’s going on my watch list cause this book was something special. I was provided an arc copy from netgalley and the publisher, and what do you know, I hit pre-order as soon as I was finished! I will be reading it again, and I think you should too!

Details

Title:: Perfect Fit
Author:: Clare Gilmore
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 47m
Audiobook Narrator:: Katharine Leonard
Audiobook Publisher:: Recorded Books
Published:: October 29th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 2