Sometimes a romance doesn’t work out, and it’s terrible. But sometimes a relationship doesn’t work out…and it’s completely fine! Great, even. It might seem rare, but there are definitely former partnerships that result in mutual respect or friendship rather than deep enmity or recriminations.
We found nine single people so incredible that even their exes think you should date them. Ariana Grande said “Thank u, next,” but this Valentine’s Day, we’re saying, “Thank u, ex.”
Charlotte Zoller
These are laminates from tours I’ve worked on and we visited each other on. Martín’s a sound engineer, and at the time I was a tour manager/lighting designer/production assistant. We met when I worked at the Middle East Club in Boston, so music has always been the foundation of our relationship.
Age: 29
Occupation: Social Media Strategist
Star sign: Gemini
Instagram: @nearandchar
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? Throw me to the dogs and I’ll bring treats.
What are you grateful to your ex for? He’s one of the most kindhearted people I know. I’m thankful for his advice, positive outlook, knowledge, and generous spirit. I’m grateful for him showing me what a healthy romantic relationship looks like. I’m proud to still call him a dear friend.
What do you look for in a partner? Gruff on the outside, sweet on the inside. Emotionally mature, passionate, smart, physically affectionate, empathetic, and humorous. I also have a thing for H. Jon Benjamin so take that as you will.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? Good: I’m a fantastic dinner party guest. Bad (depending how you swing it): My chihuahua will be sleeping in the bed with us every night. Non-negotiable.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? A magician never reveals her secrets.
What the ex says
Charlotte is that rare type of cool that she makes you feel like you’re cool too just for knowing her. She can tell you what’s all hype, what’s popular but actually really good, and what nobody else knows about yet but everyone will be talking about. She’s a thoughtful listener with an infectious laugh, a stellar road trip companion, and she comes with an incredibly cute pup that’s more famous on the internet than most humans I know. —Martín Gonzalez
Fabiene Boone
I brought this fraternity paraphernalia, because it was a reminder that my ex was there to support me during a rough patch in my life.
Age: 32
Occupation: Educator
Star sign: Leo
Instagram: @mr_fabo_
What are you grateful to your ex for? I am grateful for her opening my eyes and seeing what it takes to support and be with a strong Black woman.
What do you look for in a partner? I am looking for a beautiful, strong woman who wants to enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? I create positive vibes, I have a lot of energy, I love being spontaneous, I enjoy being silly, and bring laughter to any situation. The bad: I am not the best communicator, I have some petty tendencies that I am working on, and I can have impulsive moments.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? I really do not have any game, so I usually start off with a joke.
What the ex says
Caring, fit, AND can cook…what more does a lady need? Fabe was always encouraging, supportive, and willing to go the extra mile to make me smile! He has a big heart and I know he is ready to share that with a special someone. —Aleah Bouie
Allison Huntington Chase
I got Lulu when Matt and I broke up. However, he helped me to raise her since she was a puppy. She’s obsessed with him, though he’s more of an “uncle figure.” We run Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tours together—a business we started YEARS after breaking up—and she comes on all of our tours, so she still sees him multiple days a week.
Age: 31
Occupation: CEO, Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tours
Star sign: Aries
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? I’m not a bitch, but my dog is.
What are you grateful to your ex for? We started a business together, so I’m grateful every time he takes some of my workload. That he’s always been there for me, and always has my back. I can count on him 100 percent.
What do you look for in a partner? I like them to be obsessed with me (JK…ish). Someone who likes to do dishes. Funny, kind, loyal, accomplished. Mostly, someone who is strong where I’m weak and vice versa, so we can balance each other out.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? Good: I put in 100 percent effort. Bad: I expect 100 percent back.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? “Do you believe in ghosts?” Works every time 😉
What the ex says
Allison is one of the more loyal and thoughtful people I’ve ever met. Once you’re in her inner circle, you’ll probably never leave (and that’s usually a good thing). She’s also really funny, one of the quickest wits around. She’ll entertain you with a deluge of clever quips until she wears herself out. And she’s full of completely useless facts! (Although some are useful, like her encyclopedic knowledge of serial killers and the paranormal). She is also extremely passionate about our business, her family, and most importantly, her dog Lulu. —Matt Zaller
Maxwell Neely-Cohen
Back in the day, Cat professed a love for “skater boys who wore baseball caps,” a category I fortunately fit in. However she grew up an L.A. Dodgers fan and always wanted me to wear a Dodgers hat even though I wouldn’t normally (because I wasn’t cool enough to have grown up in Los Angeles). But she trollingly gave me a couple. So here I am, in one of Cat’s Dodger hats.
Age: 32
Occupation: Novelist
Star sign: Gemini
Instagram: @_maxnc_
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? Bring It On is the greatest work of American art.
What are you grateful to your ex for? Cat truly helped make a few years in my early twenties far less hellish, which is no small feat.
What do you look for in a partner? Someone way smarter than me. Grace under fire. Cool skills. Nice to children and small animals.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? I give lots of presents. I have a great library. I’m down to go on spontaneous trips on short notice. I need a fair amount of alone time.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? I don’t really do pick-up lines, but I read recently that during courtship displays hummingbirds will fly high into the air singing, and then dive bomb past a potential mate, rapidly fluttering their feathers to make a buzzing sound. This reminds me of dating apps.
What the ex says
Dating Max was one of the most exciting and positive experiences of my life. He has the most beautiful and intense brain, capable of learning literally anything. One minute he’s a brilliant athlete, the next he’s building a robot. But above all, he is kind and generous in a way most of us are not. Roots and supports his friends like no one I know. It’s crazy how many people I’ve met who say Max gave them the best gift they’ve ever gotten. —Cat Woods
Jaci Daudt
Outdoor activities are important to both of us. I figured nobody else would bring a fishing rod, so here we are. Favorite fishing memory: camping up on Lake Ontario and drinking Keystone Ice with the local fishermen. Or maybe heli-fishing in the Italian Alps.
Age: 31
Occupation: Finance
Star sign: Pisces
Instagram: @jacidaudt
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? Real what?
What are you grateful to your ex for? Introducing me to the extreme world of vegetable fermentation, keeping me grounded, and teaching me how to properly swing a kettle bell.
What do you look for in a partner? Wit, kindness, kitchen skills, and some swagger.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? A love for fun facts and jokes that may sometimes border on annoying, unabated optimism some may on occasion despise, and as a Midwesterner, the firm belief that food is love—you better finish that steak, boy.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? SUP SIR HOW YOU LIVN’
What the ex says
Jaci is a great communicator and is quick to let you know exactly how she feels, but also someone who has a rarely seen ability to sense your mood and understand if that means she should smother you with kindness or give you a little alone time. I also really enjoyed her love of the outdoors; from camping to skiing, she was always up for an adventure. Jaci is an excellent skier—a former junior Olympian—and through her I initially learned how to ski. She is also an excellent cook, nearly as good as me. —Matt Lebo
Gregory Kimball
The memento I brought is one of many notes of encouragement Lucas would leave for me when I was in the midst of starting my business. I was working incredibly long hours, more often than not alone, and Lucas would leave little notes and surprises to inspire me and brighten my day.
Age: 31
Occupation: Founder & Owner, Naked + Thriving Skincare
Star sign: Cancer
Instagram: @nakedandthriving
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? It’s great to have a pizza, but it’s even better to have two pizzas.
What are you grateful to your ex for? Lucas is endlessly supportive and encouraging, with an overall great outlook on life. He is a constant pillar of positivity and a joy to be around.
What do you look for in a partner? Someone who has a strong sense of their values and self, is incredibly kind, and knows what motivates them. Witty banter doesn’t hurt either.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? I think I’m a natural caretaker and am quick to make a joke or break out into dance. On the other hand, I’m someone who works long hours everyday, makes corny jokes, and has questionable dance moves.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? Awkward dance tend to be their own pickup lines.
What the ex says
Greg is a good friend above anything else—this ideology trickles into every part of his life, where he leads with kindness and attentiveness. That, mixed with his goofy demeanor and productive approach to life, creates a bold wake that can provide a calm balance for a partner. —Lucas Thompson
Siobhan Maire Jones
Sophia and I used to swap books (like Ada, or Ardor) and then argue about them with each other. It was honestly pretty fun. Most girls don’t wanna book club with me 🙁
Age: 28
Occupation: Editorial Director, Book of the Month
Star sign: Aquarius
Instagram: @siobhannnj
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? I’m secretly kind of spicy, so don’t be surprised when I bring the heat.
What are you grateful to your ex for? I met Sophia when I was new to NYC, and she showed me a lot of great neighborhoods and venues and introduced me to a lot of people.
What do you look for in a partner? Intelligence is super attractive. More so when it isn’t coupled with arrogance or extreme pessimism, so I would add empathy to the list too.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? I think I’m a good listener. Except when I’m stressing about something or trying to multi-task, and then I’m a bad listener.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? Sometimes falls asleep on Seamless, but won’t fall asleep on you.
What the ex says
Siobhan and I met in the middle of a particularly freezing winter so we spent a lot of time hanging out on opposite ends of the couch, arguing about the meaning of something we had just read or watched. She’s very chill and down for whatever, even if that was reading on the couch while I worked in the other room. I think Siobhan would be great for a person who’s catlike– someone who needs a little space but still wants their sig fig close by. —Sophia Lou
Christopher B. Stewart
On our first date, Maddie wore a pineapple Hawaiian shirt. I kept telling her how much I loved it, so for my birthday last year, post breakup, she got me one. We also have matching pineapple tattoos.
Age: 32
Occupation: Barista
Star sign: Pisces
Instagram: @stewyiscool
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? And Bob’s your uncle!
What are you grateful to your ex for? Her friendship and passion and independence and definitely her butt.
What do you look for in a partner? I love creativity, sexiness, and independence.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? On the good side, I bring affection, and I’ve been told I’m funny. The bad side? I’m gonna want you to make plans.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? My pick-up line in the real world is asking you if you’d like to fill out a super quick survey, then show you my phone, which just so happens to be the “Add new contact” screen.
What the ex says
Stewy is just so much fun to be around. He’s got a unique, creative mind, so I never knew which direction our conversations would go. Stewy is that rare man who is in touch with his emotions—he actually talks about his feelings and was intuitive about mine—he could tell when I was feeling down and always tried to cheer me up. He’s also a really talented photographer, so he will take you to cool creative events and make sure your profile picture is fire. Our relationship didn’t work out, but we remain friends and even got matching buddy tattoos before I moved across the country. —Madelyn Owens
Diego Gonzalez
Travel represented a very important part of our relationship, whether it was visiting beaches in Brazil, strolling through Paris, spending time in breweries in Ireland, or doing roadtrips through California. We were in a long distance relationship, so we constantly traveled between New York and Mexico City.
Age: 29
Occupation: Architect
Star sign: Sagittarius
What would your Real Housewives tagline be? I don’t watch too much TV, but if I had to choose a show I would be a member of the Stark family (cheers to the king in the north!).
What are you grateful to your ex for? She taught me a lot, we traveled a lot, and laughed at all times.
What do you look for in a partner? She has to be curious, open-minded, and eager to see the world.
What do you bring to the table in a relationship—good and bad? I am naturally spontaneous which makes my dates—hopefully—mysterious and interesting.
Your Tinder/IRL pick-up line? “How you doin’?” in a Joey Tribbiani style. Just kidding—I don’t use pickup lines.
What the ex says
Diego has one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever come across, and I feel extremely lucky that our paths crossed. He’s goofy, easy-going, and so much fun to be around! We were in a long-distance relationship for over three years (he was in Mexico City and I was in New York), yet despite the distance I always felt close to him because of how good he was with texting, calling, Skype-ing (throwback!), and sending pictures and videos that would make me laugh. We ended up breaking up because of the distance, and now that he lives here we maintain a very respectful and friendly relationship with one another. —Pia Velasco
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