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Savannah's Best #5
Never the Best
She was never just a bet. She was always the best.
I’m Rhett Vanderbilt, and it’s time to make things right.
When I was seventeen, I made a terrible mistake. What started as a reckless, heartless bet spiraled into something far worse. Pearl Beaumont was awkward, sweet, and hopelessly trusting—and I took advantage of every bit of it. By the time I was done, I’d left her with a broken heart and a ruined reputation. She left Savannah not long after, and now, fifteen years later, she’s back. A lot has changed. I’m not the same selfish kid I once was. I'm determined to right my wrongs.
What I don’t expect is to find myself working alongside Pearl—or to see the woman she’s become. Confident, driven, and completely uninterested in my apologies—or me. She’s nothing like the girl I once knew. Somehow, we manage to rebuild a fragile friendship; and the more time I spend with her, the more I find myself drawn to her. But then my fiancée decides to dig up the past, dragging Pearl’s name through the mud all over again. It’s then that I finally understand the depth of the pain I caused—the toll it took on this kind, remarkable woman.
Ending my engagement is the easy part. Proving to Pearl that she was always the one? Earning her trust? That’s going to be the fight of my life.
Never The Best is an enemies-to-lovers romance and includes all your favorite
🐝Enemies to Lovers
🐝Other Woman Drama
🐝Workplace
🐝Betrayal & Grovel
🐝Overheard
🐝Slow Burn
🐝Complete Standalone
🐝No Cheating
Trigger Warning: This book contains themes of bullying, body image struggles, eating disorders, and recovery, which may be triggering for some readers.
I’m Rhett Vanderbilt, and it’s time to make things right.
When I was seventeen, I made a terrible mistake. What started as a reckless, heartless bet spiraled into something far worse. Pearl Beaumont was awkward, sweet, and hopelessly trusting—and I took advantage of every bit of it. By the time I was done, I’d left her with a broken heart and a ruined reputation. She left Savannah not long after, and now, fifteen years later, she’s back. A lot has changed. I’m not the same selfish kid I once was. I'm determined to right my wrongs.
What I don’t expect is to find myself working alongside Pearl—or to see the woman she’s become. Confident, driven, and completely uninterested in my apologies—or me. She’s nothing like the girl I once knew. Somehow, we manage to rebuild a fragile friendship; and the more time I spend with her, the more I find myself drawn to her. But then my fiancée decides to dig up the past, dragging Pearl’s name through the mud all over again. It’s then that I finally understand the depth of the pain I caused—the toll it took on this kind, remarkable woman.
Ending my engagement is the easy part. Proving to Pearl that she was always the one? Earning her trust? That’s going to be the fight of my life.
Never The Best is an enemies-to-lovers romance and includes all your favorite
🐝Enemies to Lovers
🐝Other Woman Drama
🐝Workplace
🐝Betrayal & Grovel
🐝Overheard
🐝Slow Burn
🐝Complete Standalone
🐝No Cheating
Trigger Warning: This book contains themes of bullying, body image struggles, eating disorders, and recovery, which may be triggering for some readers.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2025
1918 people are currently reading
810 people want to read
About the author
Maya Alden
51 books1,088 followersA top 20 Amazon Bestselling Author, Maya Alden pens angsty contemporary romances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
March 17, 2025
There.
I gave it a try.
It’s definitely not my idea of romance and it has some good things and some bad things. Of course this is my unfiltered modest and very fallible but never bought opinion.
- good things first. The psychological analysis is very good. The heroine has been and is struggling with several mental disorders. Depression, anorexia, dysmorphia.
She was a not so quite skinny child and then teenager, not fat but not that skinny and everyone starting from her own mother called her fat and made her feel less because of her looks. The hero has sex with her at 17, and she 16, for a bet and she overhears him telling his friends that her virginity made up for her looks. Or lack of thereof. After this she spirals on anorexia, the hero was the point of the iceberg, her family though was the start of all her issues. She manages to control her disorders but is still struggling 15 years later. The part about her disorder is very good. And it was painful, not easy at all.
- the part about Savannah high society is quite entertaining but it’s sometimes excessive and resembles a serial from the 80s like Dinasty, Dallas, or something similar, where rich people are mean to each other, marriages are arranged and unhappy, men drinks and cheat and women are frigid bitches. And the patriarchy. Jesus. Not even in Italy 60 years ago a son called his father sir. This is Victorian. So this part was good but too caricature like.
Then what I didn’t like.
- the hero. Not before, not after. He’s 32 going on 14. Oh he’s been remorseful for what he did because he really liked the heroine but he liked his status more so he betrayed her. I pitied him more than I pitied the heroine. He’s a people pleaser. A doormat. Everyone’s little bitch. He acts like everyone expects him to act. He has a fiancee he doesn’t love and doesn’t even like sexually. His sex life has never been satisfactory after the trick he did to the heroine and having sex with his fiancee is less exciting than with a blow doll. He’s not mean, he’s just weak, coward, spineless. He’s personality free. When he finally leaves his fiancee we can’t be but happy but it looks like he won II world war. He doesn’t know what he wants to be, he doesn’t wasn’t to get married ever or to have kids because of responsibilities. Jesus. He’s 13 mentally speaking. I never found him attractive, I couldn’t understand how he could be with a woman for one year he didn’t even have sex with, and he despises her, just because of society expectation. What country is this? Not USA 2024, for sure. Basically I never warmed to him. He’s not bad, he’s simply ecological, he’s got zero impact on me.
- the heroine. She’s a mess. And it’s sad. Ok, realistic and all that, but if you want to be realistic you have to do it all the way and not force a love story between the heroine and the man who’s the cause of her breakdown. This is not realistic at all. Since she was definitely not healed, she should not have been attracted to him and she should have been with a New Romantic interest, someone not linked to her trauma. Yes he changed and yada yada, but the damage he did to her was too big to simply get over it and feel attraction and love for the trigger of her breakdown. Nope.
- the unromantic ending. I understand this author wants to have her cake and eat it too, because she would like to write romantic books hp like, but she also wants to be politically correct and woke follower, like when she makes one of her heroes bisexual just because, or when, as in this case, she makes the heroine a woman who doesn’t want to get married ever or have children ever.
Ok, wedding and children are not end game for all people in real life and this is good, but if you write a romance you should at least leave the door open for further development. The heroine feeling she doesn’t want children or marriage when we know she is suffering from several mental issues is not showing a good and balanced choice. It looks like since she’s been so hurt, she wants to close that part of her life. And the hero deciding he doesn’t want the responsibility of marriage and children is the same, a reaction to something bad that happened to him and conditioned his choice. Since they come from a very warped and dysfunctional society where marriages are usually farcical, it would have been good if they had married and showed everyone how a good marriage works, while their refusal to get married seems an attempt to appease those who doesn’t want always marriage and children as an epilogue to romantic books. So imo, it’s quite hard to be a romantic author and a radical woke follower, even if I’m a feminist and believer that a woman is more than a womb and a wife.
In the end, I didn’t dislike the book, it was interesting and quite easy to read, but I found it bittersweet and not completely satisfying.
Safety. Separated for 15 years. Both have been with op, the heroine had only ONS and the hero’s sex life hasn’t been great. He’s been celibate for months when the book starts, I don’t know if after he met the heroine again he’s been with his fiancee, the heroine was with nobody after seeing him again.
I gave it a try.
It’s definitely not my idea of romance and it has some good things and some bad things. Of course this is my unfiltered modest and very fallible but never bought opinion.
- good things first. The psychological analysis is very good. The heroine has been and is struggling with several mental disorders. Depression, anorexia, dysmorphia.
She was a not so quite skinny child and then teenager, not fat but not that skinny and everyone starting from her own mother called her fat and made her feel less because of her looks. The hero has sex with her at 17, and she 16, for a bet and she overhears him telling his friends that her virginity made up for her looks. Or lack of thereof. After this she spirals on anorexia, the hero was the point of the iceberg, her family though was the start of all her issues. She manages to control her disorders but is still struggling 15 years later. The part about her disorder is very good. And it was painful, not easy at all.
- the part about Savannah high society is quite entertaining but it’s sometimes excessive and resembles a serial from the 80s like Dinasty, Dallas, or something similar, where rich people are mean to each other, marriages are arranged and unhappy, men drinks and cheat and women are frigid bitches. And the patriarchy. Jesus. Not even in Italy 60 years ago a son called his father sir. This is Victorian. So this part was good but too caricature like.
Then what I didn’t like.
- the hero. Not before, not after. He’s 32 going on 14. Oh he’s been remorseful for what he did because he really liked the heroine but he liked his status more so he betrayed her. I pitied him more than I pitied the heroine. He’s a people pleaser. A doormat. Everyone’s little bitch. He acts like everyone expects him to act. He has a fiancee he doesn’t love and doesn’t even like sexually. His sex life has never been satisfactory after the trick he did to the heroine and having sex with his fiancee is less exciting than with a blow doll. He’s not mean, he’s just weak, coward, spineless. He’s personality free. When he finally leaves his fiancee we can’t be but happy but it looks like he won II world war. He doesn’t know what he wants to be, he doesn’t wasn’t to get married ever or to have kids because of responsibilities. Jesus. He’s 13 mentally speaking. I never found him attractive, I couldn’t understand how he could be with a woman for one year he didn’t even have sex with, and he despises her, just because of society expectation. What country is this? Not USA 2024, for sure. Basically I never warmed to him. He’s not bad, he’s simply ecological, he’s got zero impact on me.
- the heroine. She’s a mess. And it’s sad. Ok, realistic and all that, but if you want to be realistic you have to do it all the way and not force a love story between the heroine and the man who’s the cause of her breakdown. This is not realistic at all. Since she was definitely not healed, she should not have been attracted to him and she should have been with a New Romantic interest, someone not linked to her trauma. Yes he changed and yada yada, but the damage he did to her was too big to simply get over it and feel attraction and love for the trigger of her breakdown. Nope.
- the unromantic ending. I understand this author wants to have her cake and eat it too, because she would like to write romantic books hp like, but she also wants to be politically correct and woke follower, like when she makes one of her heroes bisexual just because, or when, as in this case, she makes the heroine a woman who doesn’t want to get married ever or have children ever.
Ok, wedding and children are not end game for all people in real life and this is good, but if you write a romance you should at least leave the door open for further development. The heroine feeling she doesn’t want children or marriage when we know she is suffering from several mental issues is not showing a good and balanced choice. It looks like since she’s been so hurt, she wants to close that part of her life. And the hero deciding he doesn’t want the responsibility of marriage and children is the same, a reaction to something bad that happened to him and conditioned his choice. Since they come from a very warped and dysfunctional society where marriages are usually farcical, it would have been good if they had married and showed everyone how a good marriage works, while their refusal to get married seems an attempt to appease those who doesn’t want always marriage and children as an epilogue to romantic books. So imo, it’s quite hard to be a romantic author and a radical woke follower, even if I’m a feminist and believer that a woman is more than a womb and a wife.
In the end, I didn’t dislike the book, it was interesting and quite easy to read, but I found it bittersweet and not completely satisfying.
Safety. Separated for 15 years. Both have been with op, the heroine had only ONS and the hero’s sex life hasn’t been great. He’s been celibate for months when the book starts, I don’t know if after he met the heroine again he’s been with his fiancee, the heroine was with nobody after seeing him again.
March 18, 2025
i think i’m done with this author unfortunately, this is the third book i’ve DNF’d. i’m truly flabbergasted how she can continue to write these horrendous ass men doing something so vile to the FMC and then give a half assed grovel and sad excuse for an apology then all of a sudden all is forgiven. can we get one book where the FMC she possess a back bone and makes them work for it?
March 17, 2025
This book was NOT a romance at all it was about her coping with an illness, anorexia. Please relabel this book as a testament book or how to survive an illness as the romance it did have made me the reader feel somewhat uncomfortable.
March 20, 2025
I enjoy this author. I love all of the soapy Savannah elite drama. I didn’t love the ending, for reasons. I didn’t find it romantic. I get that it’s some people’s cuppa, but not mine. It is considered a HEA because that’s what the h supposedly wants too.
But the bottom line is in the US, unmarried people don’t have the same rights to each other (for instance in hospitals making medical decisions, owning property together, taxes, etc) and it’s really a hassle and people end up losing everything to it—just read some of the horror stories on Reddit. So that soured the story for me. Aren’t people allowed to change their minds? But “I’ll NEVER marry you or have kids with you”. What if he decides to do it with someone else?
But the bottom line is in the US, unmarried people don’t have the same rights to each other (for instance in hospitals making medical decisions, owning property together, taxes, etc) and it’s really a hassle and people end up losing everything to it—just read some of the horror stories on Reddit. So that soured the story for me. Aren’t people allowed to change their minds? But “I’ll NEVER marry you or have kids with you”. What if he decides to do it with someone else?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2025
That was amazing! Seriously! Having mental issues is a reality in our society and the way you react to that, either you're the one with the issues or you know someone who has them, tells a lot about yourself and your values. This book is kind of heavy and not light-hearted as I expected but I loved every second of it. So much that I finished it in one sitting. I cried, empathized, felt sadness, happiness, rage, desperation. I loved how the two main characters grew up. And even though the hero was in the wrong, he managed to redeem himself and make it up to the heroine and himself. And the heroine! Omg I felt her pain, her sadness, her anxiety, her devastation, her desperation, her willingness to fight and overcome everything.
November 11, 2025
I get it, she had issues. But reading about this in every page was too much for me. I could not qualify this as a romance. It was full of heroine's personal drama and her efforts to overcome her struggles.
February 23, 2025
This one took me a minute to digest before I could review it. Definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings, because it is a pretty realistic portrayal of the struggles of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. It was handled in a sensitive way and was beautifully, but as someone that has dealt with anorexia since I was 13, it brought me back to some rough places and it’s been 34 years. Still, I am glad I read it. I cried multiple times throughout and had to take a break a couple times. I am going to attempt to do this without spoilers.
I adored Rhett, though and I was really ready to hate him after that bet! It was sickening to read how it affected Pearl. Like, in my head he was going to have to do some Noah level grovel, which I don’t even feel he did enough grovel, to even get her to be civil for what he did to her. Rhett surpassed that, though, and then some! Pearl was such a strong and beautiful person and did not in anyway deserve the way she was treated. I am glad that Rhett realized and was able to make things right. My heart just broke for her and I don’t think I could hate anyone as much as I hate Josie. She is truly despicable and a terrible human being. Pearl’s mom and sister-in-law are also trash humans. I hope they get what is coming to them in a later check in. Rhett and Pearl were just beautiful, though. I liked the way he finally bucked society’s expectations of him and became better. By the end I really loved him for Pearl.
The side characters were amazing as always! I loved Aunt Hattie! I actually would like more Sage interestingly enough. I was also prepared to hate her, but really want her story now and to see how she ends up. She was a very intriguing character.
This was yet another win for Maya Alden! I can’t wait for Against All Odds after reading the blurb! I received an ARC of this. I truly adored it! 💜
I adored Rhett, though and I was really ready to hate him after that bet! It was sickening to read how it affected Pearl. Like, in my head he was going to have to do some Noah level grovel, which I don’t even feel he did enough grovel, to even get her to be civil for what he did to her. Rhett surpassed that, though, and then some! Pearl was such a strong and beautiful person and did not in anyway deserve the way she was treated. I am glad that Rhett realized and was able to make things right. My heart just broke for her and I don’t think I could hate anyone as much as I hate Josie. She is truly despicable and a terrible human being. Pearl’s mom and sister-in-law are also trash humans. I hope they get what is coming to them in a later check in. Rhett and Pearl were just beautiful, though. I liked the way he finally bucked society’s expectations of him and became better. By the end I really loved him for Pearl.
The side characters were amazing as always! I loved Aunt Hattie! I actually would like more Sage interestingly enough. I was also prepared to hate her, but really want her story now and to see how she ends up. She was a very intriguing character.
This was yet another win for Maya Alden! I can’t wait for Against All Odds after reading the blurb! I received an ARC of this. I truly adored it! 💜
March 16, 2025
Never the best has to be one of my favorites books from Maya. It hit all the spots. I had been looking forward to reading it from the moment I saw the first teaser and the anticipation kept on building and honestly the story didn’t disappoint. Pearl journey and what she endured my heart broke for her. I was honestly not expecting to empathize with Rhett but he was stuck under the pressure from the expectation of his family. Hats off to Maya for writing the story so beautifully and the one incident/ betrayal that changed both of them and impacted their lives. This story was not just Pearl’s story from a young bullied girl to a confident woman but it was also Rhett’s journey from cruel entitled boy to a kind man who was guilty and genuinely ashamed of what he did when these two were young. Rhett became Pearl’s strength and he was patient with her. Maya has written both these characters so beautifully and realistically you feel and empathize with both these characters and want to hug them. One thing I enjoy about Maya’s stories are they are so close to reality and thought provoking. How someone words could hurt and impact another person and change their life even if you don’t mean it we should be so careful with our words specially in this day and age of social media. I know we would all know someone who has been through what Pearl went in the story, and how people treat and shame you. It’s just cruel. The story was definitely an emotional roller coaster. Would recommend keeping a box of tissues handy and I will be honest this was not an easy read . There are triggers so do read those before reading the story. This is one of those stories that even after you finish reading it the characters stay with you and you keep thinking about them. I know it’s going in my re-read list. Highly recommend this book. Hats off Maya for another masterpiece. Can’t wait to read what you write next.
March 17, 2025
For the longest time in my life, I have suffered criticism sugercoated as advise about my weight. Even after a single greeting, the next statement is oh my how have you gained so much weight!!! I mean, do people not have anything else to talk about? I thought the pounds in the bank matter but alas pounds on the body seems to be more important!!! I digress.....
The issues of bullying, body shaming have been beautifully captured in this meaningful book by Maya. The angst is on point and the redemption arc very believable. However what really captured my heart was the vulnerability showcased by the MMC. Bullying can leave a mark on the person bullying too. The victim's suffering in 10 fold but the perpetrator did not go unscathed and that has been penned down with great sensitivity without downplaying the suffering of the FMC.
I am from India and I stayed up till 5AM in the morning just catch the arc of this story. The little snippet shared by Maya was enough to make me want to get my grabby hands on this book at the earliest possible. Maya is an incredible story teller and this book is yet another example of her ability to write extraordinary stories about ordinary people!!!
The issues of bullying, body shaming have been beautifully captured in this meaningful book by Maya. The angst is on point and the redemption arc very believable. However what really captured my heart was the vulnerability showcased by the MMC. Bullying can leave a mark on the person bullying too. The victim's suffering in 10 fold but the perpetrator did not go unscathed and that has been penned down with great sensitivity without downplaying the suffering of the FMC.
I am from India and I stayed up till 5AM in the morning just catch the arc of this story. The little snippet shared by Maya was enough to make me want to get my grabby hands on this book at the earliest possible. Maya is an incredible story teller and this book is yet another example of her ability to write extraordinary stories about ordinary people!!!
March 21, 2025
Life is heavy enough, so for the whole book to be such a downer, is disappointing! Why not have a heroine who goes through the mess but actually fights to overcome it? Not sit on the floor for days, have a nervous breakdown, and whine how people will view her? That’s the gyst of the book. Sure, there’s a few pages of her being “strong”, but homegirl crumbles like an aluminum can in a tornado! The main character in this book is her therapist! No joke! He has more page time than anyone! This book was WAAAAY too heavy with no end in sight. Depressing, actually.
March 27, 2025
Listen, the author understands the headspace and the mental health of someone with anorexia. That much is clear. I felt like I was right back there in the trenches of my younger years.
HOWEVER - what in the fresh fuck is the romance in this. Dating the guy who bullied you? Who betrayed your trust? Who mercilessly shamed you in front of his closest friends?
I would give this negative stars if I could. I wasted two days on this when I could have been reading orc smut.
HOWEVER - what in the fresh fuck is the romance in this. Dating the guy who bullied you? Who betrayed your trust? Who mercilessly shamed you in front of his closest friends?
I would give this negative stars if I could. I wasted two days on this when I could have been reading orc smut.
April 11, 2025
Tags: betrayal, cruel-cruel-hero, damaged-broken_heroine, disabled-heroine-other-illness, enemies-to-lovers, ex-bully, grovel-remorseful, hero-does-heroines-nemesis, hero-hurts-heroine, heroine-leaves, hurtful-words-overheard, manwhore-philanderer, mean-mean-girls, over-the-years, ow-drama, read, second-chance, southern-romance
March 19, 2025
Not my favorite
I adore Maya Alden books. There's always hurt with satisfactory corresponding grovel. And technically this book was no different.
The focus here was more on the h's eating disorder and how she overcomes it, deals with triggers and learns to lean on others.
When I read the blurb ages ago I assumed the focus would be on the couple. How they get past the h overhearing the H saying something awful about her as teens. How they fall for each other again. Which is shown somewhat, but it wasn't believable for me. I don't get what they see in each other or why. And then the marriage thing.
Just an ok read for me that sort of dragged due to the inner monologing.
I adore Maya Alden books. There's always hurt with satisfactory corresponding grovel. And technically this book was no different.
The focus here was more on the h's eating disorder and how she overcomes it, deals with triggers and learns to lean on others.
When I read the blurb ages ago I assumed the focus would be on the couple. How they get past the h overhearing the H saying something awful about her as teens. How they fall for each other again. Which is shown somewhat, but it wasn't believable for me. I don't get what they see in each other or why. And then the marriage thing.
Just an ok read for me that sort of dragged due to the inner monologing.
March 4, 2025
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶 out of 5
Betrayal type: #Overheard #BodyShaming #SheWasABet
Betrayal level: 💔💔💔💔💔 out of 5
Grovel level: 👌👌👌👌👌out of 5
❗️Check the Trigger Warnings!
Where do I begin with my review of Maya Alden's "Never the Best"? I got the arc and had to binge read it cause it was that emotional. Let me start by saying that I love Maya's style of writing. Her gut punches can go from brutal to in your face to subtle. Well, this one was brutal. My heart broke for the h upon hearing what the H was saying, and then to make it worse, he showed no remorse, externally at least, when caught. Granted, they were teenagers, but there is no excuse for doing what he did to h. It had such an impact on her life that she developed an eating disorder and suffered greatly because of it. Sure, H wasn't the only one who caused this. Her family sucked, but his actions pushed her over the edge. Skip to 10 years later, and h is back in town, and H is finally a grown mature man and wants to make amends. He's still heavily influenced by society, but nowhere near the level it was when he was in high school. He's engaged to one of the mean girls but doesn't want to be. Long story short, he grovels and proves himself to finally win the h. What I loved most about this h is her resilience and her strength. She was dealt a bad hand, but in the end, it was her found family and H that helped her realize that she was loved and was more than enough. Loved it and highly recommend it if you're looking for a brutal betrayal and heavy grovel.
Betrayal type: #Overheard #BodyShaming #SheWasABet
Betrayal level: 💔💔💔💔💔 out of 5
Grovel level: 👌👌👌👌👌out of 5
❗️Check the Trigger Warnings!
Where do I begin with my review of Maya Alden's "Never the Best"? I got the arc and had to binge read it cause it was that emotional. Let me start by saying that I love Maya's style of writing. Her gut punches can go from brutal to in your face to subtle. Well, this one was brutal. My heart broke for the h upon hearing what the H was saying, and then to make it worse, he showed no remorse, externally at least, when caught. Granted, they were teenagers, but there is no excuse for doing what he did to h. It had such an impact on her life that she developed an eating disorder and suffered greatly because of it. Sure, H wasn't the only one who caused this. Her family sucked, but his actions pushed her over the edge. Skip to 10 years later, and h is back in town, and H is finally a grown mature man and wants to make amends. He's still heavily influenced by society, but nowhere near the level it was when he was in high school. He's engaged to one of the mean girls but doesn't want to be. Long story short, he grovels and proves himself to finally win the h. What I loved most about this h is her resilience and her strength. She was dealt a bad hand, but in the end, it was her found family and H that helped her realize that she was loved and was more than enough. Loved it and highly recommend it if you're looking for a brutal betrayal and heavy grovel.
August 26, 2025
I hate books where the age of the H is used as an excuse for atrocious behaviour. Rhett may have been young but he understood that the way he treated Pearl was beyond cruel and he did it anyway. He was a pathetic, weak bully then and I don't see any change now. He pursued her to apologize because HE needed it, not because she did. Her friends and family told him to leave her alone, that his insistence on bringing up the past might damage her emotionally but he did it anyway.
In the end, this book was not a romance about a character with an eating disorder; it was a book about eating disorders that was supposed to be romantic but wasn't.
In the end, this book was not a romance about a character with an eating disorder; it was a book about eating disorders that was supposed to be romantic but wasn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2025
Definitely a story that pulls at the heart strings - read the TW to make sure it’s right for you.
Rhett has always been haunted by the horrible way he treated Pearl when he was seventeen. Many years later he is still trying to make amends and grow as a person. All he wants is for Pearl to forgive him. Little does he know, he doesn’t even know half of what Pearl went through after him and how it affected her physical and mental health. With their chemistry still intact, and with Rhett engaged to another - they decide to try being friends again. But when the past gets thrown back into Pearls face - will Rhett realize he wants to be more than her friend, but to be her protector and person.
I found I didn’t connect as much to this story. I don’t love the redemption arc in this story because honestly I still think Pearl deserves so much better.
Rhett has always been haunted by the horrible way he treated Pearl when he was seventeen. Many years later he is still trying to make amends and grow as a person. All he wants is for Pearl to forgive him. Little does he know, he doesn’t even know half of what Pearl went through after him and how it affected her physical and mental health. With their chemistry still intact, and with Rhett engaged to another - they decide to try being friends again. But when the past gets thrown back into Pearls face - will Rhett realize he wants to be more than her friend, but to be her protector and person.
I found I didn’t connect as much to this story. I don’t love the redemption arc in this story because honestly I still think Pearl deserves so much better.
March 18, 2025
Maya’s books keep getting better and better.
This one is a really tough read so please read the trigger warnings.
Rhett and Pearl are amazing characters. The story focuses on the fallout of a childhood bet and the bullying of Pearl.
Maya handles the subject of eating disorders with grace and a sensitivity that left me stunned for weeks after reading. The growth of both characters is something to read. As someone who has struggled with my weight my whole life the bullying Pearl went through hit me hard.
Maya is an automatic read for me. Be sure and read this on release day.
This one is a really tough read so please read the trigger warnings.
Rhett and Pearl are amazing characters. The story focuses on the fallout of a childhood bet and the bullying of Pearl.
Maya handles the subject of eating disorders with grace and a sensitivity that left me stunned for weeks after reading. The growth of both characters is something to read. As someone who has struggled with my weight my whole life the bullying Pearl went through hit me hard.
Maya is an automatic read for me. Be sure and read this on release day.
March 30, 2025
This story was amazing. Maya is an amazing story teller. I was hesitant to read because I was not sure if I could deal with Peral forgiving Rhett but I ended up really liking it. I like how we got Rhett’s POV and how we got to see his regret.
May 7, 2025
WOW!
This was an amazing book. I have read many of this authors books and all are well written and while very much a romance, they are not cookie cutter stories. Each book is different.
This is more “angsty” but still shows the journey to an HEA for the main couple.
This was an amazing book. I have read many of this authors books and all are well written and while very much a romance, they are not cookie cutter stories. Each book is different.
This is more “angsty” but still shows the journey to an HEA for the main couple.
November 5, 2025
Trigger Warnings:
This is from the Savannah’s Best series:
Best of Me
Best Served Cold
Best Laid Plans
Best Kept Secret
Not gonna lie, I forgot their stories. You can read this as a stand-alone, but the characters appear as side characters from the other books. If you don’t wanna miss references, read this in order. The books in this series are a hit or miss. This book didn’t feel like a romance, it felt more like women’s fiction. The main focus was the FMC Pearl’s mental health and about her eating disorder. The MMC Rhett was an ass when he was young, but older Rhett needed to grow a spine. This book was boring, I was hoping for an angsty grovel, but this was about healing and growth. I personally haven’t dealt with the stuff Pearl did and cannot speak for everyone. But this book might be helpful to some people. There wasn’t much grovel since the characters didn’t interact much at the beginning, and then the MMC is accepted. The characters are not memorable and there is too much inner monologue. It felt really repetitive, people recounting the past multiple times, mean characters continuing to be bullies, characters feeling regret but not doing much about it, and the FMC’s mental health struggles. The characters from the previous books are seen as celebrities, but I don’t even remember them.
Pearl is betrayed by the first person she has ever fallen for at 16. After Rhett’s betrayal at 17, Pearl disappears from Savannah for 15 years. But now, Pearl is back, and stronger than ever.
Now for spoilers
Stay safe folks!
This is from the Savannah’s Best series:
Best of Me
Best Served Cold
Best Laid Plans
Best Kept Secret
Not gonna lie, I forgot their stories. You can read this as a stand-alone, but the characters appear as side characters from the other books. If you don’t wanna miss references, read this in order. The books in this series are a hit or miss. This book didn’t feel like a romance, it felt more like women’s fiction. The main focus was the FMC Pearl’s mental health and about her eating disorder. The MMC Rhett was an ass when he was young, but older Rhett needed to grow a spine. This book was boring, I was hoping for an angsty grovel, but this was about healing and growth. I personally haven’t dealt with the stuff Pearl did and cannot speak for everyone. But this book might be helpful to some people. There wasn’t much grovel since the characters didn’t interact much at the beginning, and then the MMC is accepted. The characters are not memorable and there is too much inner monologue. It felt really repetitive, people recounting the past multiple times, mean characters continuing to be bullies, characters feeling regret but not doing much about it, and the FMC’s mental health struggles. The characters from the previous books are seen as celebrities, but I don’t even remember them.
Pearl is betrayed by the first person she has ever fallen for at 16. After Rhett’s betrayal at 17, Pearl disappears from Savannah for 15 years. But now, Pearl is back, and stronger than ever.
Now for spoilers
Stay safe folks!
Read
March 23, 2025Gave up at 62%
Wasn’t working for me, I’m assuming it’s a me thing.
Wasn’t working for me, I’m assuming it’s a me thing.
March 3, 2025
4.75 rounded to 5
I was prepared to read Pearls journey and her battle with body image. I was not prepared for Rhett’s journey from entitled scared boy to a honest good man.
He was cruel, he was scared, he felt bad when he did it and after. The guilt but just as that moment of cruelty was a defining moment in Pearls life, it was also a defining moment in Rhett’s.
Pearl was treated horribly by her family and bullied at school. So this moment with Rhett was the straw that broke the camels back. Pearl was strong and fought her way out of the darkness. Warning this book does contain a setback and breakdown but it was written beautifully.
Rhett finally had the last layer of entitlement and image taken off. He was there for Pearl. I was unsure how I would ever get past what he did but Maya wrote this in a way that showed his growth, remorse, but also change. The scene where he told off those vipers including some of Pearls family was golden.
I almost gave it the full 5 stars because I 100 believed he loved her and I totally believed his change. The reason I did not is 2 reasons which are personal preference. 1 I wanted some type of scene where Pearl came face to face with Rhett’s ex that had her gracefully putting her in her place. The scenes with Rhett were great but I wanted Pearl to have her chance. 2 the whole not marrying thing loved it but I wanted some type of commitment thing where they alone made huge commitment to each other and exchanged rings to show that not to others but to each other. Pearl had a ring but not Rhett. A tangible example to each other. Otherwise, this was another fantastic read that I highly recommend.
I was prepared to read Pearls journey and her battle with body image. I was not prepared for Rhett’s journey from entitled scared boy to a honest good man.
He was cruel, he was scared, he felt bad when he did it and after. The guilt but just as that moment of cruelty was a defining moment in Pearls life, it was also a defining moment in Rhett’s.
Pearl was treated horribly by her family and bullied at school. So this moment with Rhett was the straw that broke the camels back. Pearl was strong and fought her way out of the darkness. Warning this book does contain a setback and breakdown but it was written beautifully.
Rhett finally had the last layer of entitlement and image taken off. He was there for Pearl. I was unsure how I would ever get past what he did but Maya wrote this in a way that showed his growth, remorse, but also change. The scene where he told off those vipers including some of Pearls family was golden.
I almost gave it the full 5 stars because I 100 believed he loved her and I totally believed his change. The reason I did not is 2 reasons which are personal preference. 1 I wanted some type of scene where Pearl came face to face with Rhett’s ex that had her gracefully putting her in her place. The scenes with Rhett were great but I wanted Pearl to have her chance. 2 the whole not marrying thing loved it but I wanted some type of commitment thing where they alone made huge commitment to each other and exchanged rings to show that not to others but to each other. Pearl had a ring but not Rhett. A tangible example to each other. Otherwise, this was another fantastic read that I highly recommend.
February 27, 2025
Lesson from this book: Your words have power, and you never know someone else’s struggles.
From an early age Pearl didn’t meet the expectations that Savannah Society required of her. Being teased and ridiculed from family members over her weight caused a lifelong battle with negative body image, depression, and anxiety.
Teenage years are hard enough but what Pearl went through was horrifying. She is in love with Rhett. He takes her virginity and then Pearl discovers it was a bet among friends. All for a few hundred bucks and some bragging rights, he destroyed her. She was made fun of, called names, and treated unfairly.
Pearl moves away from Savannah for college but as in all good stories, she ends up coming home and having to face all her demons. The ladies of Savannah’s Society are nothing but mean girls from high school, just older.
Not all the women are mean girls. Pearl does have a group of women that are her foundation. Aunt Hattie and Missy are crucial to Pearl’s recovery. If you have been reading this series, then you know how remarkable Nina Davenport and the ladies at Savannah Lace are. Nina is a favorite and a constant source of support for all the ladies, society be damned!
This book certainly reinforces the power of our words and how they may impact someone else’s life. It made me wonder if I have ever said anything that may have negatively impacted someone else’s life, the way Pearl’s life was impacted. Gosh, I hope not….
I enjoyed the book although it is not an easy read. The romance and forgiveness between Pearl and Rhett are secondary to the battle Pearl faces with anorexia.
My favorite quote, “I can’t forgive the boy, but I forgive the man.”
From an early age Pearl didn’t meet the expectations that Savannah Society required of her. Being teased and ridiculed from family members over her weight caused a lifelong battle with negative body image, depression, and anxiety.
Teenage years are hard enough but what Pearl went through was horrifying. She is in love with Rhett. He takes her virginity and then Pearl discovers it was a bet among friends. All for a few hundred bucks and some bragging rights, he destroyed her. She was made fun of, called names, and treated unfairly.
Pearl moves away from Savannah for college but as in all good stories, she ends up coming home and having to face all her demons. The ladies of Savannah’s Society are nothing but mean girls from high school, just older.
Not all the women are mean girls. Pearl does have a group of women that are her foundation. Aunt Hattie and Missy are crucial to Pearl’s recovery. If you have been reading this series, then you know how remarkable Nina Davenport and the ladies at Savannah Lace are. Nina is a favorite and a constant source of support for all the ladies, society be damned!
This book certainly reinforces the power of our words and how they may impact someone else’s life. It made me wonder if I have ever said anything that may have negatively impacted someone else’s life, the way Pearl’s life was impacted. Gosh, I hope not….
I enjoyed the book although it is not an easy read. The romance and forgiveness between Pearl and Rhett are secondary to the battle Pearl faces with anorexia.
My favorite quote, “I can’t forgive the boy, but I forgive the man.”
March 16, 2025
An absolute heart breaker of a novel.
Knowing that this delved into eating disorders, bullying and their lifelong impacts, it definitely took time to prepare myself to read.
Technically a standalone, it doesn’t require reading of the other novels, but it’s nice to see some of the other characters again.
As mentioned, the story delved into some pretty sensitive topics, and the author clearly researched well with some seemingly realistic reactions.
I can just imagine telling your bully you forgive, but you want nothing to do with them…. And then the karma when someone takes it a little too far! 👌
I wouldn’t really call it grovel, but seeing the character growth of both the male lead and secondary characters hit the right spot. I felt it moved maybe a little fast, but that’s personal preference… 🤷♀️
Overall, Maya Alden novels are a one-click for me - and after this one, it hasn’t changed.
Knowing that this delved into eating disorders, bullying and their lifelong impacts, it definitely took time to prepare myself to read.
Technically a standalone, it doesn’t require reading of the other novels, but it’s nice to see some of the other characters again.
As mentioned, the story delved into some pretty sensitive topics, and the author clearly researched well with some seemingly realistic reactions.
I can just imagine telling your bully you forgive, but you want nothing to do with them…. And then the karma when someone takes it a little too far! 👌
I wouldn’t really call it grovel, but seeing the character growth of both the male lead and secondary characters hit the right spot. I felt it moved maybe a little fast, but that’s personal preference… 🤷♀️
Overall, Maya Alden novels are a one-click for me - and after this one, it hasn’t changed.
March 1, 2025
From having read the very first teaser in Maya's Facebook group, I knew right there and then that I NEEDED to get ahold of a copy of the ARC. So I prepped myself until the ARC Day and fortunately, it paid off. But then, came a plethora of dilemmas - mainly, I was scared to open the book. I don't really care much about trigger warnings, I pretty much just dive in to reading books and wing it; but this gave me cold feet - probably because I know how much this story will resonate with me. Then impulse took over and I started reading. Although as much as I wanted to devour the whole thing in one sitting, like what I usually do with Maya's books, I had to take a few moments. A lot of scenes took me back when I was in the same boat as Pearl. Thus, it took me a week to finally share my thoughts and post this review.
The Power of Words. That is the biggest moral one can get from reading Never the Best. I can attest to that as someone still struggling but continuously fighting through the words stuck in my head that other people have said to me over the years.
In true Maya Alden-fashion, the issues tackled in this story were written with sensitivity. I truly appreciate authors doing their research, and much respect for Maya in delicately creating Pearl and her narrative. Word to the wise, please do heed the Trigger Warning Section of this book particularly. The story is literally about second chances - Pearl Beaumont's life and her romance with Rhett Vanderbilt. I cried. I laughed. I felt throwing my phone too many times to count. I've been in an emotional whirlwind while reading this. It surprised me though of how the book closed - it's not very conventional but at the same time very much into what is the norm nowadays and not what's expected. Maya's magic touch has not waned in Pearl's journey in any way. I even feel like she's upping her ante with every book she releases. That's why she's become one of my favorite authors!
I fought for the ARC fair and square, and this review is given in my own volition.
The Power of Words. That is the biggest moral one can get from reading Never the Best. I can attest to that as someone still struggling but continuously fighting through the words stuck in my head that other people have said to me over the years.
In true Maya Alden-fashion, the issues tackled in this story were written with sensitivity. I truly appreciate authors doing their research, and much respect for Maya in delicately creating Pearl and her narrative. Word to the wise, please do heed the Trigger Warning Section of this book particularly. The story is literally about second chances - Pearl Beaumont's life and her romance with Rhett Vanderbilt. I cried. I laughed. I felt throwing my phone too many times to count. I've been in an emotional whirlwind while reading this. It surprised me though of how the book closed - it's not very conventional but at the same time very much into what is the norm nowadays and not what's expected. Maya's magic touch has not waned in Pearl's journey in any way. I even feel like she's upping her ante with every book she releases. That's why she's become one of my favorite authors!
I fought for the ARC fair and square, and this review is given in my own volition.
March 4, 2025
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
I loved EVERYTHING about this book. Ya hear me?! I love a good gut punch to the ovaries and then everything deeper. Ugh! This book had all the ingredients for a 5 🌟 recipe. A bet. A savannah suit with no sense, Rhett. A cackling bunch of snotty society people. A badass kickass backboned heroine, Pearl, my babe ❤️ A grovel to fit the crime. Drama. An independent woman who middle fingers society constructs. A couple who also middle finger society constructs and I LOVED EVERY LETTER OF IT! This is a book that literally spoke to me.
I also loved how Maya handles very difficult topics and she clearly does her research. In this book she handled such a sensitive topic of the development, the low, and the daily struggles of living with an eating disorder.
Well done, Maya. Thank you.
I was one of the few to receive an ARC for this title
I loved EVERYTHING about this book. Ya hear me?! I love a good gut punch to the ovaries and then everything deeper. Ugh! This book had all the ingredients for a 5 🌟 recipe. A bet. A savannah suit with no sense, Rhett. A cackling bunch of snotty society people. A badass kickass backboned heroine, Pearl, my babe ❤️ A grovel to fit the crime. Drama. An independent woman who middle fingers society constructs. A couple who also middle finger society constructs and I LOVED EVERY LETTER OF IT! This is a book that literally spoke to me.
I also loved how Maya handles very difficult topics and she clearly does her research. In this book she handled such a sensitive topic of the development, the low, and the daily struggles of living with an eating disorder.
Well done, Maya. Thank you.
I was one of the few to receive an ARC for this title
March 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. The subject matter is difficult though, so check your triggers before reading.
Pearl grew up in an affluent family of Georgia, but because she was heavier than many of the girls she had no friends and no confidence. When Pearl meets Rhett in high school and starts dating him, she thinks she’s finally found her person only to overhear him speaking to his friends about it being a bet. That moment right there was when Pearl’s life changed dramatically. Now it’s been over 10 years since Pearl has been home and she is finally in a good place, she has lost weight and has been seeing a therapist for years. However, when Pearl has to work on a project with Rhett and he tries to befriend her, she’s not taking any chances with him. Unfortunately Rhett still has a lot of growing up to do, but I loved the story of how the two of them come together stronger than they were apart! Such a beautiful story.
Pearl grew up in an affluent family of Georgia, but because she was heavier than many of the girls she had no friends and no confidence. When Pearl meets Rhett in high school and starts dating him, she thinks she’s finally found her person only to overhear him speaking to his friends about it being a bet. That moment right there was when Pearl’s life changed dramatically. Now it’s been over 10 years since Pearl has been home and she is finally in a good place, she has lost weight and has been seeing a therapist for years. However, when Pearl has to work on a project with Rhett and he tries to befriend her, she’s not taking any chances with him. Unfortunately Rhett still has a lot of growing up to do, but I loved the story of how the two of them come together stronger than they were apart! Such a beautiful story.
February 22, 2025
It all started as a bet!! However, Pearl was always the best!!!
As usual, Maya has written an absolutely brilliant book focusing on the fmc, Pearl, who has body imag-e strugg-les n eati-ng diso-rders due to a bet prank of the MMC , Rhett, while they were teenagers.. .the effect of the pra-nk n other family issues on her, though was tremendous!! She had to undergo therapy, faced seri-ous medical iss-ues, and managed to bring it under control. That pr-ank also kind of changed Rhett, too .. when shes back in Savanaah, he wants to apolo-gise to her n at least for them to be friends.. this journey of Rhett and Pearl from enem-ies to being a comfort to each other, to friendship, and how ultimately it turned to love was awesome!! The chapters where Rhett takes care of Pearl when she is not well due her medical iss-ues feel so real. The readers r going to need lots of tissues and some comfort food!!! The way both of them bonded over books was also awesome!!
The author has very finely dealt with all the ha-rd iss-ues, and as readers, we also understand Pearl's stru-ggles and her recovery through it, thanks to the love and support of Rhett and Savannah Lace ladies!!!!! This girl gang is the best!!! They are supportive and also fun!!
Though the main plot is all about Pearl, there r also some surprise secret couple/s!! Then there's Royal, whose book I want to read n hope he gets a book.. Dom n Luna are going strong. I can't wait to read their book!!!
As usual, Maya has written an absolutely brilliant book focusing on the fmc, Pearl, who has body imag-e strugg-les n eati-ng diso-rders due to a bet prank of the MMC , Rhett, while they were teenagers.. .the effect of the pra-nk n other family issues on her, though was tremendous!! She had to undergo therapy, faced seri-ous medical iss-ues, and managed to bring it under control. That pr-ank also kind of changed Rhett, too .. when shes back in Savanaah, he wants to apolo-gise to her n at least for them to be friends.. this journey of Rhett and Pearl from enem-ies to being a comfort to each other, to friendship, and how ultimately it turned to love was awesome!! The chapters where Rhett takes care of Pearl when she is not well due her medical iss-ues feel so real. The readers r going to need lots of tissues and some comfort food!!! The way both of them bonded over books was also awesome!!
The author has very finely dealt with all the ha-rd iss-ues, and as readers, we also understand Pearl's stru-ggles and her recovery through it, thanks to the love and support of Rhett and Savannah Lace ladies!!!!! This girl gang is the best!!! They are supportive and also fun!!
Though the main plot is all about Pearl, there r also some surprise secret couple/s!! Then there's Royal, whose book I want to read n hope he gets a book.. Dom n Luna are going strong. I can't wait to read their book!!!
March 3, 2025
Another 5 star read….I loved Rhett and Pearl! This was a very emotional read, and was so happy that Rhett realized what he did to Pearl and set out to make it right! I believe he always loved Pearl but due to his age and social pressure he gave in to it, but as he grew he saw the damage he caused! Pearl was such a beautiful person and I’m happy they both got the life they deserved!
I received this book as an Arc and this is my honest opinion.
I received this book as an Arc and this is my honest opinion.
February 24, 2025
It was not easy to read about eating dissorder as someone very close to me went through something similar. The story was beautifuly written and I really felt what Pearl went through. Rhett had amazing redeption line. In my opinion the only thing which didn’t quite right with me was the romance between main characters. I haven’t felt the chemistry between them. I felt very deep and beautiful friendship but no romance, so I would be ok if they just stayed as friends. On the other hand I loved that they decided to not get married eventhough Savannah’s society is old tradition, that was very refreshing compare to other stories. Good job Maya as always.
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