ALA Booklist (Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

Whoever said there's no cure for heartbreak hasn't met Max Scott, founder of Ex Inc., an agency aimed at empowering dumped girls to get over their former boyfriends gracefully. The monthlong program culminates in a "Moment," a chance for the girl to present herself fabulously to her ex and "make him regret his entire existence." There's a problem, however: Max's ex, wealthy Hugo Tillman, starts showing up around New York City on her turf, and suddenly she isn't so sure she's over him. Does that make her a hypocrite? To add to Max's stress, there's another love interest waiting in the wings, needy clients to attend to, and a sassy best friend who's feeling marginalized. The writing is less than stellar at times ("A flicker of hurt crosses Zach's face like the time he stepped on sea glass"), and Max's effort to cure her potential NYU advisor of heartbreak doesn't ring true, but the premise is a fun one. Fans of McLaughlin and Kraus' megahit The Nanny Diaries (2002) d there are many ll be anticipating the latest from the duo. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Expect a huge marketing push for this YA novel from these New York Times best-sellers, including a pamphlet excerpt in every girl's bible, Teen Vogue.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Popular teen Max founds a successful start-up, Ex, Inc., teaching other girls how to thrive after a bad breakup. This beautiful and charming socialite might be a savvy businesswoman, but she has trouble practicing what she preaches, given that she's still nursing a broken heart. This purely escapist, slickly packaged romantic romp is studded with pop culture references and trendy details.

Kirkus Reviews

Sophisticated chick-lit for the hip consumer of teen fashion magazines, this comedy-drama hits all the in-crowd buttons. Max has crashed badly from an unsuccessful romance with wealthy Hugo. She ran away from school, got her GED and started a business, Ex, Inc., that guides brokenhearted girls who have been dumped through recovery. She does want to go to college, but only to NYU. She's living in New York City, but now that her mom has married and is about to give birth, Max operates almost entirely on her own, with the help of best friend Zach and assistant Phoebe. She takes advantage of her mom's job as a magazine writer, though, to sneak into the offices of Teen Vogue and secretly borrow expensive designer fashions from their closet. As Max guides new client Bridget through a bad breakup, she meets Ben, a possible new love interest, but suddenly runs into Hugo and plunges back into the depths of despair. Now she has to apply her recovery techniques to herself, but all doesn't go as planned, and she stands to lose her friends and Ben as well. McLaughlin and Kraus keep the tone light, with plenty of in-jokes and ultra-hip lingo, lots of passion and romance, and some steamy bits. They allow Max to grow up a bit, to make mistakes and try to correct them, thus hauling the story back from a complete focus on the superficial. Bridget's and Ben's hurt feelings when Max makes her mistakes offer an effective counter to Max's breezy confidence. Nevertheless, the emphasis remains on entertainment for designer readers. The whole chick-lit package, upscale. (Chick lit. 14 & up)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

After a lifetime of moving around, 17-year-old boarding school dropout Max Scott roots herself in New York City in this snappy and original romp from the authors of The Nanny Diaries. No stranger to heartbreak, Max creates a regimented program called Ex, Inc., which helps girls get over their exes after being dumped. Max rushes to help a new client, Bridget, after her boyfriend, Taylor, breaks it off. Over the next few weeks, Max encourages Bridget to ignore Taylor, keep her dignity, and create a -Moment- where she can (hopefully) prove she-s over him. Healing isn-t easy, though, as Max knows firsthand: she-s still secretly reeling over Hugo, a rich socialite who threw her heart for a loop. McLaughlin and Kraus offer an appealing yet wildly improbable vision of teenage New York City life: the city is Max-s playground, as she hits up trendy clubs, uses Teen Vogue-s closet like a lending library, and has spontaneous dance parties on the street with her gay BFF. While the authors don-t get points for plausibility, it-s still a sharply written and romantic summer read. Ages 14-up. (Sept.)

School Library Journal (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Max Scott knows from experience how the dumped and brokenhearted feel. After surviving a breakup, she starts an organization, Ex, Inc., dedicated to helping teens get over their exes. With unbridled optimism and self-help mantras like, "He's entitled not to love me, but he's not entitled to mess with my happy place" and "You are the source," she swoops into clients' lives with an action plan for recovery. Her grateful patrons spread the word and Ex, Inc. is busy enough to keep Max and her friends hopping. Max wants to take it national, so she is applying to NYU with plans to co-major in business and psychology. However, she has a secret that may undermine her ambitions. She is not quite over the rich playboy who dumped her. When he comes to town, Max is confronted with all her past anguish and her polished veneer begins to crack. Over You is filled with vulnerable moments that pull on readers' sympathy while still giving fodder for a chuckle or two. The myriad references to fashion designers and pop culture will date the book, but that will not stop readers from enjoying this chick-lit offering. Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT