Never, Not Ever

by Jodie Benveniste

A smart summer romance about family secrets, finding yourself, and falling in love, perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty.Every year, Tilly dreams of the dad she’s never known showing up for her birthday. But he never does. When she wakes up on the morning of her sixteenth birthday dadless yet again, she knows it’ll never happen.

In fact, it’s her worst birthday ever because her grandmother died a few months ago, her mum is working again, and the boy she’s in love with—the ridiculously gorgeous Josh—refuses to break up with his drama-queen girlfriend and notice her instead.

Then Tilly’s dad does show up, shocking everyone, and she works out an awful Her mum and her grandma lied to her. For sixteen years! Tilly is drowning in her family’s lies. Worse, these feelings for her neighbour Zack—these stupid, flustering, more-than-friends feelings she’s been trying to ignore—mean she’s also lying to herself.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2024

Reviews

[hannah! (lowkey gone) · Rating 5 out of 5]

NEW FAV ALERTTTTTTTTTTT

but yeah. im a sucker for aussie books and this one starting with a scavenger hunt around my city? COUNT ME INNNNNN !!!

but yeah overall this was a cute story with a good message that made me think of home <3

[Val Maverick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story. I loved it 10/10

[prathaaaaaaaa]

heartwarming. yay adelaide.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

such an amazingly well written book- 10/10 recommend

[Makayla Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a cute read, great ending, I loved it.

[Keeaah Chauke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was such an amazingly written book! I loved the way the characters developed from the beginning to the end! The story itself is such a beautiful one and that the plot was pretty nicely developed! I liked how I could feel "the feels" of the story. The author wrote this is such a way that you'd feel the characters emotions through them and that is an obvious checkmark in my book! Again, amazingly written and this is going on my reread list for next year!

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for my gifted copy! Aww y'all this book was so endearing! I found myself falling in love with Tilly and rooting for her family. Such a heartfelt, coming of age story. The author captured all the feels of teenage experience: from being angry at your parents to grieving a loss to missing your best friend whose on holiday to wondering if your crush likes you. I thought she did such a wonderful job of balancing heavier themes like grief and generational trauma with lighter themes of joy and friendship and romance. As a therapist, I really appreciated the attending therapy aspect of the book and the healing Tilly experiences along with the perspective she (and the reader) gains about her family.

Reading this felt like a cozy warm hug and I'm so thankful to have been gifted a copy It reminded me of Jenny Han + Lynn Painter vibes. Also, HOW CUTE is this cover?!

[Beezy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting.

This feels more like contemporary fiction than YA, it's so well written and it's more complex than just a teenager summer romance. It explores topics like grief, insecurities, forgiveness, growing up and learning mothers, friends, crushes and everyone around us are like us, humans.

Now, I absolutely love the summer I turned pretty (one of my favorites) and even though I do can feel the connections between that story and this, specifically the character's development, reducing this story to that one is wrong. This one is different and both are great but no, this feels more mature, less romantic and more about learning.

Actually I can see more 20 something adults enjoying this one than 13 years old teens.

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because the title and blurb pulled me in. The whole idea of life being turned upside down, and possibly finding love along the way just drew me into the story. I loved Tilly, loved Zack from the first meeting and adored the way Benveniste made you hooked on the twists and turns along the way. I loved the therapist, and the way she worked with Tilly, and the whole book was raw and emotional, while also sweet and engaging which sounds like a contradiction but very much is not. One that I recommend to everyone who loves a sweet romance with some messy parts to it!

[Maureen Oliveira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently I missed that this was a YA novel. It was cute. Had all the emotions of a girl turning 16…

[❥~Bonnie Knox~❥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute but very predictable

[Cutiebatuti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hehe so cute :)
I love how the theme was healing generational healing ❤️

[Baran · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate the effort that the author put into the book, but honestly, some parts were pretty cliche and kinda cringy. Although I really liked the relationship two of the characters!

[Rosie ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the writing style and how it was based in Australia and written by an Australian. Overall it was a really good story and I recommend especially to my fellow Australians who want a good Aussie book.