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Never After
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26From fan-favorite author Alexis Hall comes a story of faith, redemption, and love—a melancholic tale of queer romance set in nineteenth-century England.
On the grim streets of London, a young man succumbs to his demons. Discarded by his lover and left penniless and alone, Michael “Micha” Dashwood uses sex to pay the bills and opium to numb the pain.
When a sudden illness strikes, all seems lost. But hope finds Micha in the shape of the Reverend Thomas Mandeville. Haunted by grief of his own, Thomas cannot bear to ignore another man’s plight. He brings the ailing Micha home to heal in his parish at Nettlefield.
As Micha recovers under Thomas’s care, he begins to realize that some people in this world are worthy of trust. Thomas, in turn, learns the truth of his own needs and desires. Between the secrets of the past and the burdens of the present, their future together seems impossible. Questions of faith and the shadow of opium continue to haunt them both.
Yet possibilities, like miracles, can be found wherever you look for them.
On the grim streets of London, a young man succumbs to his demons. Discarded by his lover and left penniless and alone, Michael “Micha” Dashwood uses sex to pay the bills and opium to numb the pain.
When a sudden illness strikes, all seems lost. But hope finds Micha in the shape of the Reverend Thomas Mandeville. Haunted by grief of his own, Thomas cannot bear to ignore another man’s plight. He brings the ailing Micha home to heal in his parish at Nettlefield.
As Micha recovers under Thomas’s care, he begins to realize that some people in this world are worthy of trust. Thomas, in turn, learns the truth of his own needs and desires. Between the secrets of the past and the burdens of the present, their future together seems impossible. Questions of faith and the shadow of opium continue to haunt them both.
Yet possibilities, like miracles, can be found wherever you look for them.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 7, 2026
11 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Alexis Hall
59 books15k followersOne of those intricate British queers.
Please note: I don’t read / reply to DMs. If you would like to get in touch, the best way is via email which you can find in the contact section on my website <3
Please note: I don’t read / reply to DMs. If you would like to get in touch, the best way is via email which you can find in the contact section on my website <3
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
The writing never shied away from the possibility that perhaps a Never After was always written in the stars. Even with the foreboding foreshadowing that the title would play into fruition, the hopeless, helpless romantic that I am believed in defies reality. It was heart wrenching to accept the truth that nobody gets everything they want in life, we all pay prices for the choices we make. 💔
And so what if it was a forbidden love - tormented love, unkind love? The sacrifice of desire for duty, love for reality, devotion to God or to the heart. To follow which path is the struggle unspoken. 😢 The title speaks of what to expect, so I cannot fault entirely the ending that left me both desolate, disheartened, but also begrudgingly accepting the unfortunate circumstances.
My real issue was the way it was presented - not wholly fair to either party, justification disappointing, and a totally inconsequential, unfair perspective that paints a certain character as the winner, which did not serve its due diligence of rewarding me with a conclusive, gratifying feeling of closure. That ambivalent nature that leaves it all up for speculation boils my blood like nothing else. 😒
“Was it idealism, or pride, or the simple lunacy of love, which felt too much like invincibility sometimes?”
The writing was a tad too sentimental, overly dramatic at times, also sometimes repetitive - an overabundance of flowery romance with love declarations galore. A lot of growling and shrugging - too noticeable to ignore, and a strange contrast of time with the modernity of its intense spice, carnal rough and relentless, that had a contemporary feel to it. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not so much. 🤷🏻♀️
I understand that the journal entries were needed to explore Micha's shameful, pitiful, sorrowful past as a whore and provide context to his struggles and conflicted relationship with laudanum, but I found it distracting and detracted from the main story. 🙆🏻♀️ At times, his own self-loathing, self-doubt was so very strong that the way in which Thomas was so patient and tender with his reluctance and willful stubbornness in denying himself the simplest of pleasures and belief in happiness got wearisome.
“It's just the same. Just the same as loving anybody. Uncomfortable and terrible, and, you know, wonderful.”
“Yes, that does sound like love.”
Thirty-year-old Reverend Thomas' undying devotion to twenty-three-year old Micha with his false declarations of promises was hard to believe. 🤨 I didn't understand the suddenness in which Thomas devoted himself entirely to Micha - 'thou hast ravished my heart'; which in a way, then does explain the final outcome. But, his infatuation was so swift and blinding that even when he offers him the choice, it feels like he was almost compelled into agreeing.
It's a fine line to toe between melodrama and desperation, and removing my visors I can see how hurtful and tragic this doomed tragedy could have been to those who lived during this time period, who may have even experienced it - all their smiles and touches and little jokes, as countless as the stars. 🥺 I just wanted love to triumph over all the rest. Find a way to really work, rather than the only compromise that he had to offer, which did seem paltry and not all too tempting, when I honestly believe that maybe Micha could have found a way for himself - not give him a chance or choice to find out.
“I'm scared of tomorrow. Tomorrows have never been particularly good to me.”
“Then let's make now last for as long as we can.”
I can learn to live with it - accept it, because reality of the historical context. I just wish the author could have chosen to portray it differently. It was distasteful, almost as if Thomas did get the better end of the deal, much like how it was Micha's sacrifice, that even when it was a chase or a compromise, Thomas still was maybe more content, not necessarily happier, but more content. And that saddened me. 🥀
“I wish I could give you everything I want to give you.”
The writing never shied away from the possibility that perhaps a Never After was always written in the stars. Even with the foreboding foreshadowing that the title would play into fruition, the hopeless, helpless romantic that I am believed in defies reality. It was heart wrenching to accept the truth that nobody gets everything they want in life, we all pay prices for the choices we make. 💔
And so what if it was a forbidden love - tormented love, unkind love? The sacrifice of desire for duty, love for reality, devotion to God or to the heart. To follow which path is the struggle unspoken. 😢 The title speaks of what to expect, so I cannot fault entirely the ending that left me both desolate, disheartened, but also begrudgingly accepting the unfortunate circumstances.
My real issue was the way it was presented - not wholly fair to either party, justification disappointing, and a totally inconsequential, unfair perspective that paints a certain character as the winner, which did not serve its due diligence of rewarding me with a conclusive, gratifying feeling of closure. That ambivalent nature that leaves it all up for speculation boils my blood like nothing else. 😒
“Was it idealism, or pride, or the simple lunacy of love, which felt too much like invincibility sometimes?”
The writing was a tad too sentimental, overly dramatic at times, also sometimes repetitive - an overabundance of flowery romance with love declarations galore. A lot of growling and shrugging - too noticeable to ignore, and a strange contrast of time with the modernity of its intense spice, carnal rough and relentless, that had a contemporary feel to it. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not so much. 🤷🏻♀️
I understand that the journal entries were needed to explore Micha's shameful, pitiful, sorrowful past as a whore and provide context to his struggles and conflicted relationship with laudanum, but I found it distracting and detracted from the main story. 🙆🏻♀️ At times, his own self-loathing, self-doubt was so very strong that the way in which Thomas was so patient and tender with his reluctance and willful stubbornness in denying himself the simplest of pleasures and belief in happiness got wearisome.
“It's just the same. Just the same as loving anybody. Uncomfortable and terrible, and, you know, wonderful.”
“Yes, that does sound like love.”
Thirty-year-old Reverend Thomas' undying devotion to twenty-three-year old Micha with his false declarations of promises was hard to believe. 🤨 I didn't understand the suddenness in which Thomas devoted himself entirely to Micha - 'thou hast ravished my heart'; which in a way, then does explain the final outcome. But, his infatuation was so swift and blinding that even when he offers him the choice, it feels like he was almost compelled into agreeing.
It's a fine line to toe between melodrama and desperation, and removing my visors I can see how hurtful and tragic this doomed tragedy could have been to those who lived during this time period, who may have even experienced it - all their smiles and touches and little jokes, as countless as the stars. 🥺 I just wanted love to triumph over all the rest. Find a way to really work, rather than the only compromise that he had to offer, which did seem paltry and not all too tempting, when I honestly believe that maybe Micha could have found a way for himself - not give him a chance or choice to find out.
“I'm scared of tomorrow. Tomorrows have never been particularly good to me.”
“Then let's make now last for as long as we can.”
I can learn to live with it - accept it, because reality of the historical context. I just wish the author could have chosen to portray it differently. It was distasteful, almost as if Thomas did get the better end of the deal, much like how it was Micha's sacrifice, that even when it was a chase or a compromise, Thomas still was maybe more content, not necessarily happier, but more content. And that saddened me. 🥀
November 11, 2025
4.5 rounded up. This book is beautifully written, as usual Alexis Hall is an extremely skilled creator of prose. It’s a beautiful but tough story- lots of dark themes & ideas, but one that comes clear into hope, & then takes another turn back into the practicality of the nineteenth century. I cried multiple times toward the end, even as I think the end is a little uneven- the epilogue seems to do a bit to undermine the optimism of the actual ending, & I’m not opposed to it, but I wish there were more detail there. However, I really appreciate the serious lush style- very little of the tongue-in-cheek of the recent rom coms, to its credit. Breaks your heart, in a good way.
November 22, 2025
I am a bit at a loss for words. The ending broke my heart, still, I believe it might be the best I have read by this author so far. It's heavier and darker than usually, yet it also has the best of AH's writing, namely, strong voice, emotional depth and a broken, snarky, prickly MC you can't help falling in love with while he picks up himself piece by piece. And Thomas, Thomas... Kudos to all the gentle, patient, kind-hearted giants, carrying the rest of us on their shoulders. Also, may I become a part of Netterfield, too, please? I really need it to be non-fictional right now.
Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC of this book.
November 26, 2025
initial thoughts: I think Thomas's character was more developed than Micha's? Micha's narration and dialogue was a little uneven and, I don't know, modern? I'll come back with more when I have time.
---
. . . two weeks, one acid trip, and three hours of staring at a painting of Hades and Persephone I have hanging above my fireplace later, the final chapter and the epilogue snapped into place.
*I received this as an ARC
---
. . . two weeks, one acid trip, and three hours of staring at a painting of Hades and Persephone I have hanging above my fireplace later, the final chapter and the epilogue snapped into place.
*I received this as an ARC
Want to read
August 16, 2025Can't find an announcement for this book anywhere? Anyway, it's Alexis Hall so preorder has been preordered and I will be counting down the days till release!
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November 8, 2025
༒︎༻4.25/5 stars༺༒︎
This was pretty much an emotional rollercoaster in the form of a raw, beautifully worded story. The main characters, Micha and Thomas, deal with dark struggles of their own and find a way to find hope and love within each other.
Characters
I can't help but absolutely adore Micha. He's a character with complicated, compelling flaws and struggles, questionable artistic abilities, and and I enjoyed his development over the course of the story. Thomas is also really interesting, he has conflicting thoughts about his duty versus his true feelings. Pretty sure he's also the human embodiment of goodness.
Romance
What I love the most about their romance is the pacing of it. There's only so much to write in a 380-something-page book, but their developing relationship took its time to be properly fleshed out and feel compelling. It's so subtle and delicate at first, and probably my favorite aspect of the book. I love the mutual devotion, their soft words, the light-hearted jokes/banter and the way they grew closer and got to know each other deeply. I highlighted way too many quotes/dialogue solely because of how beautiful and raw they were.
Plot + writing
The plot progressed rather slowly, and a decent amount of the story was spent on introspection and the handling of emotions. I found part 2 to be much more engaging and fun to read compared to Part 1 and 3. As for the writing itself, it was just beautiful. I loved the descriptions of the weather and the setting, it was like I could picture those scenes vividly in my head. You can expect a generous amount of similes and flowery descriptions.
What I didn't like
Finally, the ending - quite the emotional wreck, but I'm not sure if we needed that epilogue. It kind of distracted me from the flow of the story and didn't do much justice for the developments so far. Plus as much as I adore the side characters and their presence, they're could've been more to them. Especially Sheba, I'm not entirely pleased with how the subplot concerning her was wrapped up and it left me largely unsatisfied.
Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for access to this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was pretty much an emotional rollercoaster in the form of a raw, beautifully worded story. The main characters, Micha and Thomas, deal with dark struggles of their own and find a way to find hope and love within each other.
Characters
I can't help but absolutely adore Micha. He's a character with complicated, compelling flaws and struggles, questionable artistic abilities, and and I enjoyed his development over the course of the story. Thomas is also really interesting, he has conflicting thoughts about his duty versus his true feelings. Pretty sure he's also the human embodiment of goodness.
Romance
What I love the most about their romance is the pacing of it. There's only so much to write in a 380-something-page book, but their developing relationship took its time to be properly fleshed out and feel compelling. It's so subtle and delicate at first, and probably my favorite aspect of the book. I love the mutual devotion, their soft words, the light-hearted jokes/banter and the way they grew closer and got to know each other deeply. I highlighted way too many quotes/dialogue solely because of how beautiful and raw they were.
Plot + writing
The plot progressed rather slowly, and a decent amount of the story was spent on introspection and the handling of emotions. I found part 2 to be much more engaging and fun to read compared to Part 1 and 3. As for the writing itself, it was just beautiful. I loved the descriptions of the weather and the setting, it was like I could picture those scenes vividly in my head. You can expect a generous amount of similes and flowery descriptions.
What I didn't like
Finally, the ending - quite the emotional wreck, but I'm not sure if we needed that epilogue. It kind of distracted me from the flow of the story and didn't do much justice for the developments so far. Plus as much as I adore the side characters and their presence, they're could've been more to them. Especially Sheba, I'm not entirely pleased with how the subplot concerning her was wrapped up and it left me largely unsatisfied.
Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for access to this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Read
December 15, 2025Please note I don't star books because I'm an author and reviewing feels right but starring feels wrong. I only review books I like/love/or am so disturbed or distracted by I need someone to hear me roar.
**************************
Never After is what I wish Pretty Woman had been. Not that Pretty Woman wasn't great and not that that and this are alike in any way more specific than prostitute plus man with good intentions find a place in each other's hearts. And not that they should be compared because they shouldn't so never mind. It's just that if I could watch this or that on a big screen, I'd choose this times a million, even though I'd cry at the end like it was classic k-drama (mind the title of this book).
I should preface this with: I will read every Alexis Hall book. My favorite romance is an Alexis Hall book. My second favorite is also an Alexis Hall book.
And then with: Of these books, I will love many, like some, and appreciate a select few more recent books for just being written by a writer whose voice I enjoy across all protagonists and who does some of the best single-book emotional journeys around, whether or not I'm caught by the story.
This one, I'm relieved to say, caught me. Then it mauled me.
What I loved least: The early tension didn't quite rise to the level of the fantastic character development (but did later) and things hung just on the edge of too light in description (especially of rooms) and I struggled early on for a sense of how much time was passing. I can usually handle light description but I longed for a little more imagery and texture of the spaces these two men occupy to better ground me, especially because of the strong character interiority and the speed and strength of Thomas's feelings, and this wanting extended into wishing for maybe a few more events between the two of them in the first half to add tension to the orbit the two men made around each other, to give more depth of payoff to their romance. But I also loved them already so that it didn't really matter by the middle and definitely not by the end.
What I loved the most: Everything else. Villages that heal are a theme I love. Villagers that draw in the hopeless, self-loathing protagonist, yes. Especially when written by Hall, whose specialty is group dialogue. Stubbornly resilient love interests with their own povs, for sure yes. A fateful redirection of a protagonist's unimaginably harsh life carried out by quirky and ridiculous people who have had their own hard and harsh lives and just didn't quite get to the rock bottom the protagonist did, yes. Hall does such a beautiful job of self-as-antagonist and this is the case here, too, to more of an extreme in Micah than any other of Hall's characters. Micah is not a good man, but he's a real one. This makes a beautiful (literally), sharp contrast to the priest (a very good man) who loves him.
Without exception, my favorite Hall protagonists are the most self-loathing - Ash, Fen (he counts as an epistolory and epilogueory protag), Luc, and now Micah (but also, it's always their contrasts that dig deepest into my heart - Darien, Alfie, Oliver, and very much Thomas).
I started reading with no idea what the book was about. I like to do this when I know the author. I didn't know premise, had no clue what the conflict would be or whether this was romantic comedy Alexis Hall or vice and spice Alexis Hall.
And it was both, at times, but more than those it was the Alexis Hall I love best - bunting into the dark corners of trauma and self-delusion and then batting out of the park with redemption and healing on the next pitch. This time, though, the ending wasn't what I expected. It's absolutely a departure from what I'm used to in a GOOD BAD WAY. Have tissues nearby.
So I'm happy not only for that twist of a surprise but for the unexpected exploration of how God's love, rather than man's dogma, can be channeled through a religious man who does so innately but still lacks faith in himself until he doesn't and how a morally bankrupt sex worker with the worst kind of monkey on his back and whose only experiences of love all ended in rejection could hit rock bottom and be one of the ones who makes it back.
There's a brutality to outside-the-rigid-norms love stories set back in England's merry days of casting ruin on anyone who stuck so much as a toe out of heteronormative or female chastity bounds, and maybe the thing I liked best about this story is that it's made clear that it's not nor ever could be God's work to punish the strayers, but only and ever man's delusions that set strange and arbitrary constraints.
That brutality is starkly here but it churns inside a bigger issue, which is how to find and keep faith when internal conflict makes a person have to turn away from what they want to favor what they need. That's big philosophy right there, and a lesson that only gets learned by having to go through it. Very much team Thomas for how he was broken between duty and desire and team Micah for making the sacrifice he had to for Thomas to get the kind of grip on himself that has to happen when a person's alone enough to really see themselves and has one good voice of reason conveniently placed in their life (Sheba, I like you very much).
What Thomas and Micha go through wouldn't be the same kind of issue now, obvs, but the soul of it, the internal battles between duty and desire that build up or chip away at people's character and life purpose, give beautiful gravity to the story.
So like, that's my simple and not at all overthought take on this melancholy, asks-big-questions love story.
tldr; IT WAS GOOD. RECCOMMEND.
**************************
Never After is what I wish Pretty Woman had been. Not that Pretty Woman wasn't great and not that that and this are alike in any way more specific than prostitute plus man with good intentions find a place in each other's hearts. And not that they should be compared because they shouldn't so never mind. It's just that if I could watch this or that on a big screen, I'd choose this times a million, even though I'd cry at the end like it was classic k-drama (mind the title of this book).
I should preface this with: I will read every Alexis Hall book. My favorite romance is an Alexis Hall book. My second favorite is also an Alexis Hall book.
And then with: Of these books, I will love many, like some, and appreciate a select few more recent books for just being written by a writer whose voice I enjoy across all protagonists and who does some of the best single-book emotional journeys around, whether or not I'm caught by the story.
This one, I'm relieved to say, caught me. Then it mauled me.
What I loved least: The early tension didn't quite rise to the level of the fantastic character development (but did later) and things hung just on the edge of too light in description (especially of rooms) and I struggled early on for a sense of how much time was passing. I can usually handle light description but I longed for a little more imagery and texture of the spaces these two men occupy to better ground me, especially because of the strong character interiority and the speed and strength of Thomas's feelings, and this wanting extended into wishing for maybe a few more events between the two of them in the first half to add tension to the orbit the two men made around each other, to give more depth of payoff to their romance. But I also loved them already so that it didn't really matter by the middle and definitely not by the end.
What I loved the most: Everything else. Villages that heal are a theme I love. Villagers that draw in the hopeless, self-loathing protagonist, yes. Especially when written by Hall, whose specialty is group dialogue. Stubbornly resilient love interests with their own povs, for sure yes. A fateful redirection of a protagonist's unimaginably harsh life carried out by quirky and ridiculous people who have had their own hard and harsh lives and just didn't quite get to the rock bottom the protagonist did, yes. Hall does such a beautiful job of self-as-antagonist and this is the case here, too, to more of an extreme in Micah than any other of Hall's characters. Micah is not a good man, but he's a real one. This makes a beautiful (literally), sharp contrast to the priest (a very good man) who loves him.
Without exception, my favorite Hall protagonists are the most self-loathing - Ash, Fen (he counts as an epistolory and epilogueory protag), Luc, and now Micah (but also, it's always their contrasts that dig deepest into my heart - Darien, Alfie, Oliver, and very much Thomas).
I started reading with no idea what the book was about. I like to do this when I know the author. I didn't know premise, had no clue what the conflict would be or whether this was romantic comedy Alexis Hall or vice and spice Alexis Hall.
And it was both, at times, but more than those it was the Alexis Hall I love best - bunting into the dark corners of trauma and self-delusion and then batting out of the park with redemption and healing on the next pitch. This time, though, the ending wasn't what I expected. It's absolutely a departure from what I'm used to in a GOOD BAD WAY. Have tissues nearby.
So I'm happy not only for that twist of a surprise but for the unexpected exploration of how God's love, rather than man's dogma, can be channeled through a religious man who does so innately but still lacks faith in himself until he doesn't and how a morally bankrupt sex worker with the worst kind of monkey on his back and whose only experiences of love all ended in rejection could hit rock bottom and be one of the ones who makes it back.
There's a brutality to outside-the-rigid-norms love stories set back in England's merry days of casting ruin on anyone who stuck so much as a toe out of heteronormative or female chastity bounds, and maybe the thing I liked best about this story is that it's made clear that it's not nor ever could be God's work to punish the strayers, but only and ever man's delusions that set strange and arbitrary constraints.
That brutality is starkly here but it churns inside a bigger issue, which is how to find and keep faith when internal conflict makes a person have to turn away from what they want to favor what they need. That's big philosophy right there, and a lesson that only gets learned by having to go through it. Very much team Thomas for how he was broken between duty and desire and team Micah for making the sacrifice he had to for Thomas to get the kind of grip on himself that has to happen when a person's alone enough to really see themselves and has one good voice of reason conveniently placed in their life (Sheba, I like you very much).
What Thomas and Micha go through wouldn't be the same kind of issue now, obvs, but the soul of it, the internal battles between duty and desire that build up or chip away at people's character and life purpose, give beautiful gravity to the story.
So like, that's my simple and not at all overthought take on this melancholy, asks-big-questions love story.
tldr; IT WAS GOOD. RECCOMMEND.
November 12, 2025
3.5 Stars
An unexpectedly deep story about two very troubled men and their time together
Characters were layered and distinct, I felt certain side characters enhanced the novel more than others: Both of the brothers Edward and George taught us about Thomas, his struggles in relating to them and their troubled home life. Isidore on the other hand was a figure of mystery and I felt that Micha’s obsession with him wasn’t completely justified, in fact because of this I assumed he was going to show up later on if only for some closure. I think Micha’s angst and self hatred were strong and well done but I think if we were shown more of his backstory separate from his trauma I could have connected with him easier.
The writing was lush and flowery which really fit the historical setting, as a personal preference I noticed that it took me longer than usual to connect to the story because of this but it did make for a consistent strong atmosphere which really complemented Thomas’ thoughts and monologues about religion.
Religion really was a strong theme along with addiction and morality, all of which I thought in my uneducated opinion were handled really well.
By the last quarter I was really starting to like this book, however the ending let it down. The whole book has such a dark tone and because of this I completely understand having it end in a classic happy ever after might feel incongruous however in that case I think that that should be on page and clear. Instead we have this vague confusing epilogue that I do think detracts from the story’s whole impact.
Arc received from Netgalley
An unexpectedly deep story about two very troubled men and their time together
Characters were layered and distinct, I felt certain side characters enhanced the novel more than others: Both of the brothers Edward and George taught us about Thomas, his struggles in relating to them and their troubled home life. Isidore on the other hand was a figure of mystery and I felt that Micha’s obsession with him wasn’t completely justified, in fact because of this I assumed he was going to show up later on if only for some closure. I think Micha’s angst and self hatred were strong and well done but I think if we were shown more of his backstory separate from his trauma I could have connected with him easier.
The writing was lush and flowery which really fit the historical setting, as a personal preference I noticed that it took me longer than usual to connect to the story because of this but it did make for a consistent strong atmosphere which really complemented Thomas’ thoughts and monologues about religion.
Religion really was a strong theme along with addiction and morality, all of which I thought in my uneducated opinion were handled really well.
By the last quarter I was really starting to like this book, however the ending let it down. The whole book has such a dark tone and because of this I completely understand having it end in a classic happy ever after might feel incongruous however in that case I think that that should be on page and clear. Instead we have this vague confusing epilogue that I do think detracts from the story’s whole impact.
Arc received from Netgalley
November 4, 2025
Rounded up from a 4.5
Alexis Hall is at his best when writing heartwrenching, queer love set in days past. He always manages to make me laugh out loud despite the heavy topics this story dealt with (death of a family member, drug addiction, questions of faith, etc.). I wish I had a physical copy just so I could highlight the way Thomas spoke of his love of Micha despite traditional religious values telling him it is wrong. The way Thomas was written was such a breath of fresh air because he was never ashamed of his love of another man, just struggling to come to terms with his role in the world, religious or otherwise.
This story is perfect for anyone looking to heal their religious trauma, see queer love in history, or just wants to get in their feels. Be prepared for a very flawed main character but everyone deserves love, right?
Alexis Hall, I will read anything you write. I feel so lucky to exist at the same time as you.
Alexis Hall is at his best when writing heartwrenching, queer love set in days past. He always manages to make me laugh out loud despite the heavy topics this story dealt with (death of a family member, drug addiction, questions of faith, etc.). I wish I had a physical copy just so I could highlight the way Thomas spoke of his love of Micha despite traditional religious values telling him it is wrong. The way Thomas was written was such a breath of fresh air because he was never ashamed of his love of another man, just struggling to come to terms with his role in the world, religious or otherwise.
This story is perfect for anyone looking to heal their religious trauma, see queer love in history, or just wants to get in their feels. Be prepared for a very flawed main character but everyone deserves love, right?
Alexis Hall, I will read anything you write. I feel so lucky to exist at the same time as you.
October 31, 2025
I’m not sure where to start this review. There was a lot that I liked. I did not want to put this down. We see Thomas and Micha build a relationship despite having a lot to overcome - illness, addiction, family secrets, questions of faith and loss of self. I found that I enjoyed the side characters. Especially once they’re in Nettlefield.
Even though it hurt, I feel this accurately represented how accepting people were of queer relationships in that time period. I appreciated how Thomas dealt with his love for Micha and his faith. He wasn’t ashamed of their love. Most of his crisis of faith seemed to stem from duty and ideology. This was a heavy read that had me all in my feels. Given the description, I knew going in to it that it was going to be on the darker side but the first bit in London was tough. I was tearing up towards the end.
Not sure how to feel about the ending. I think it’s meant to be hopeful but it just left me sad. I wasn’t expecting some grand happy ending given the time period and the material but I wasn’t expecting that. I think I would’ve actually liked it more without the epilogue.
I do recommend checking the book out on the authors website. It provides a little more information other than just the description.
Even though it hurt, I feel this accurately represented how accepting people were of queer relationships in that time period. I appreciated how Thomas dealt with his love for Micha and his faith. He wasn’t ashamed of their love. Most of his crisis of faith seemed to stem from duty and ideology. This was a heavy read that had me all in my feels. Given the description, I knew going in to it that it was going to be on the darker side but the first bit in London was tough. I was tearing up towards the end.
Not sure how to feel about the ending. I think it’s meant to be hopeful but it just left me sad. I wasn’t expecting some grand happy ending given the time period and the material but I wasn’t expecting that. I think I would’ve actually liked it more without the epilogue.
I do recommend checking the book out on the authors website. It provides a little more information other than just the description.
November 28, 2025
Never After follows opium addict Micha as he is rehabilitated from a sudden illness by steadfast Reverend Thomas. Micha is full of heartbreak, shame and secrets and Thomas is held back by his own feelings of duty and draws in different directions - between what he wants and what he feels honor bound to do. This book is dark and gritty but has moments of great hope and love.
I have epically struggled over how to rate this book. Alexis Hall does an incredible job of creating two complex and real feeling characters who fit together perfectly. I felt their epic love story and appreciated all of the hardship they had to endure to get to where they ended up. However, I found the first half a bit difficult to enjoy, as we mostly follow Micha making poor decisions and being horrible to the people trying to help him because of his addiction. It was great watching him overcome these difficulties but, for me, this took up a bit too much page count. The next about 45% is glorious - we get to be there during Micha and Thomas' beautiful romance where they help each other equally and fit together perfectly. Their love felt epic, earned and their interactions were beautifully written even if it wasn't always clear exactly what Thomas saw in Micha... Then we get to the very end of the last chapter and the epilogue, which, I must admit, I hate with a burning passion. In my opinion, this book does not have an HEA which, as it is advertised as a romance, it should have as a convention of the genre. This opinion is certainly debatable but I just really did not feel like this was a satisfying ending for either of these characters. This, for me, was utterly heartbreaking and took what was a 4 or even 5 star book way down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I have epically struggled over how to rate this book. Alexis Hall does an incredible job of creating two complex and real feeling characters who fit together perfectly. I felt their epic love story and appreciated all of the hardship they had to endure to get to where they ended up. However, I found the first half a bit difficult to enjoy, as we mostly follow Micha making poor decisions and being horrible to the people trying to help him because of his addiction. It was great watching him overcome these difficulties but, for me, this took up a bit too much page count. The next about 45% is glorious - we get to be there during Micha and Thomas' beautiful romance where they help each other equally and fit together perfectly. Their love felt epic, earned and their interactions were beautifully written even if it wasn't always clear exactly what Thomas saw in Micha... Then we get to the very end of the last chapter and the epilogue, which, I must admit, I hate with a burning passion. In my opinion, this book does not have an HEA which, as it is advertised as a romance, it should have as a convention of the genre. This opinion is certainly debatable but I just really did not feel like this was a satisfying ending for either of these characters. This, for me, was utterly heartbreaking and took what was a 4 or even 5 star book way down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 29, 2025
‘We’ll make our own heaven.’
My eyes are wet with unshed tears.
This book is beautifully written. The writing, almost poetic. And then it ripped my heart out and left me sad. Sad for Thomas and Micha. I wanted them to have Venice and deserts and live forever in the sunshine of their love.
I’m a huge fan of well written, descriptive text and Alexis Hall does it perfectly in this book. The stars, the sunsets, the light playing on the people and the nature, it all sang to me.
‘The rain came down in earnest now, slicing through the fog, coating Micha in the silver of fallen stars. He held his hand so he could watch the way the water streamed over his skin, making him shine, as though he could be cleansed. Miniature rivers spilled down his fingers, mingling and parting, crossing each other sometimes and then breaking away.’
‘He was a tear in a flood of tears, travelling the furrowed landscape of his own hand.’
Micha at the beginning of the book is wasting away in turmoil, with no hope, no love, no future and then Thomas saves him from his misery and I ached with want for their happiness. I still ache.
I loved this book, but it hurt me because it didn’t end how I wanted it to end. I want to end a book feeling uplifted and joyful not sad. And yet, I think the happiness is there, you just have to hunt for it.
‘He unspooled beneath spring’s careless sun in threads of amber and gold, love and loss and an ever restless wanting.’
My eyes are wet with unshed tears.
This book is beautifully written. The writing, almost poetic. And then it ripped my heart out and left me sad. Sad for Thomas and Micha. I wanted them to have Venice and deserts and live forever in the sunshine of their love.
I’m a huge fan of well written, descriptive text and Alexis Hall does it perfectly in this book. The stars, the sunsets, the light playing on the people and the nature, it all sang to me.
‘The rain came down in earnest now, slicing through the fog, coating Micha in the silver of fallen stars. He held his hand so he could watch the way the water streamed over his skin, making him shine, as though he could be cleansed. Miniature rivers spilled down his fingers, mingling and parting, crossing each other sometimes and then breaking away.’
‘He was a tear in a flood of tears, travelling the furrowed landscape of his own hand.’
Micha at the beginning of the book is wasting away in turmoil, with no hope, no love, no future and then Thomas saves him from his misery and I ached with want for their happiness. I still ache.
I loved this book, but it hurt me because it didn’t end how I wanted it to end. I want to end a book feeling uplifted and joyful not sad. And yet, I think the happiness is there, you just have to hunt for it.
‘He unspooled beneath spring’s careless sun in threads of amber and gold, love and loss and an ever restless wanting.’
December 31, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
This was such a beautiful story. My first by this author but definitely won’t be my last. The story of Thomas and Micah was heartbreaking, and I truly didn’t want to leave them behind, which is why I took almost two weeks to finish this book! A roller coaster of emotions in the best way possible.
This was such a beautiful story. My first by this author but definitely won’t be my last. The story of Thomas and Micah was heartbreaking, and I truly didn’t want to leave them behind, which is why I took almost two weeks to finish this book! A roller coaster of emotions in the best way possible.
November 7, 2025
3.5 stars rated down. I was delighted to learn that Alexis Hall was publishing a historical m/m with protagonists who sounded plagued by absolute bucketfuls of personal issues, which frankly is a whole lot more up my alley than the whimsical romcoms he’s lately shifted towards. (Which, no shade – obviously Alexis Hall doesn’t owe me books written to my liking, lol. It just means this was the first of his books that I felt drawn to in a while).
And the book is quite lovely in its way – the characters are complex and painfully real, the settings vibrant, and the language lush. Perhaps slightly too lush, as it does occasionally get a little bit overwrought, but, well, I quite like a lot of exuberant description and imagery, so it worked for me.
It’s a mid-19th century romance between a priest and an opium-addicted rentboy with a massive slew of mental, emotional, and sexual trauma, so plenty of angst and drama come with the premise. I enjoyed it, for the most part, though probably more for the characterisation than the romance.
To wit: Hall takes no shortcuts with Micha’s addiction and the scars his past have left on him. He’s an abuse victim with all the hope and resilience ground out of him, and he doesn’t have any empathy or grace left to extend to anybody else. He lashes out at people, viciously and cruelly, hitting them in their soft places. Even people who care for him. He’s extremely well-written and I ached for him, but the very fact that he’s written so poignantly as a survivor of abuse made him a difficult person to root for (at this stage in his life) as a romantic partner, let alone for someone like Thomas, who meets all the abuse and cynicism that Micha flings at him with endless outpourings of love and reassurance. Thomas struck me, even for a priest, as sometimes overly naïve, and in no way prepared to form a functional, or for that matter honest, relationship with Micha. There are parts of Micha’s past he never learns about, or only in pieces. Their journey towards friendship, and attraction, and physical intimacy had some lovely, even devastating moments, but it struck me as an uneven relationship.
“Uneven” is probably a good word for why I’m rounding down rather than up. I enjoyed the book. I rolled around in the gorgeous settings and imagery like in a fragrant pile of autumn leaves. There are a number of moving observations that Thomas makes about the nature of romantic love and religious faith and the ways he manages to reconcile the two, rather than fret endlessly about them being mutually exclusive. I certainly had strong emotions about the characters both individually and as a couple. But I also felt a little off-kilter about the story throughout, just something a little out of step. Perhaps that’s simply due to the fact that we are – for better or for worse – primed towards certain expectations when reading romance, and Alexis Hall has never been afraid of playing with those genre conventions a little bit.
A large part of that unevenness comes from Micha, who frequently acts in ways that are, well, deeply shitty. At no point is it unclear why he acts this way. It is entirely emotionally plausible and rooted in patterns he’s had no way to escape from, and it’s often painful to see him act this way and see all too vividly where the behaviour stems from. The problem is, it doesn’t make the behaviour any less shitty. And I could deal with it when it’s directed at Thomas, who is, for all his naivety, a grown man of a certain privilege with a reasonably healthy emotional buffer zone for all the nastiness Micha flings his way. But there’s an ongoing situation that I found pretty impossible to swallow, where Micha, out of fear and resentment, causes extremely real harm and peril to a female side character. I understand why, but the consequences for said character – who is strong, well-rounded, and pretty damn awesome, probably my favourite in the entire book if I’m honest – are dire and potentially life-ruining. As that character is part of the later story and part of Thomas’s (and arguably Micha’s) support system, I needed that shittiness addressed or resolved, and it never happens; not even an honest apology. They just move past it. Micha grows as a person but apparently not enough to give a shit about – or even think about – the harm he’s caused. They ALSO move past that same female character being sexually blackmailed and fired by Thomas’s PTSD-riddled twin brother, and that ALSO never gets resolved and they all just ignore it. It was probably the biggest souring point of the book for me – no matter how imperilled and trapped Micha considers himself, Sheba is, by virtue of the era and her sex, in a worse position than him, and I cannot stand reading about women being used as punching bags for a male character’s personal or plot development.
The book is also generally pretty realistic as to the very real dangers and constant uncertainties that make up the reality of queer people’s lives in the 19th century. I won’t spoil anything but I’ll hazard a guess that the way Thomas and Micha reconcile that, and especially the epilogue, will not be to everybody’s taste. I could've probably done without the epilogue entirely.
Basically, the compelling characterisation of a very complicated protagonist and the semi-realistic portrayal of queer people’s choices during the book’s era make this something other than an easy escapist romance. It’s an excellent story about self-discovery and self-redemption and yes, also (but not exclusively) love, in many forms, lots and lots of it. I found it a worthwhile and engaging read, but I almost wish I’d come across it in some less rigidly defined genre. (I am, of course, writing this in the assumption that it will be published and marketed as a romance rather than as historical fiction or somesuch.)
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And the book is quite lovely in its way – the characters are complex and painfully real, the settings vibrant, and the language lush. Perhaps slightly too lush, as it does occasionally get a little bit overwrought, but, well, I quite like a lot of exuberant description and imagery, so it worked for me.
It’s a mid-19th century romance between a priest and an opium-addicted rentboy with a massive slew of mental, emotional, and sexual trauma, so plenty of angst and drama come with the premise. I enjoyed it, for the most part, though probably more for the characterisation than the romance.
To wit: Hall takes no shortcuts with Micha’s addiction and the scars his past have left on him. He’s an abuse victim with all the hope and resilience ground out of him, and he doesn’t have any empathy or grace left to extend to anybody else. He lashes out at people, viciously and cruelly, hitting them in their soft places. Even people who care for him. He’s extremely well-written and I ached for him, but the very fact that he’s written so poignantly as a survivor of abuse made him a difficult person to root for (at this stage in his life) as a romantic partner, let alone for someone like Thomas, who meets all the abuse and cynicism that Micha flings at him with endless outpourings of love and reassurance. Thomas struck me, even for a priest, as sometimes overly naïve, and in no way prepared to form a functional, or for that matter honest, relationship with Micha. There are parts of Micha’s past he never learns about, or only in pieces. Their journey towards friendship, and attraction, and physical intimacy had some lovely, even devastating moments, but it struck me as an uneven relationship.
“Uneven” is probably a good word for why I’m rounding down rather than up. I enjoyed the book. I rolled around in the gorgeous settings and imagery like in a fragrant pile of autumn leaves. There are a number of moving observations that Thomas makes about the nature of romantic love and religious faith and the ways he manages to reconcile the two, rather than fret endlessly about them being mutually exclusive. I certainly had strong emotions about the characters both individually and as a couple. But I also felt a little off-kilter about the story throughout, just something a little out of step. Perhaps that’s simply due to the fact that we are – for better or for worse – primed towards certain expectations when reading romance, and Alexis Hall has never been afraid of playing with those genre conventions a little bit.
A large part of that unevenness comes from Micha, who frequently acts in ways that are, well, deeply shitty. At no point is it unclear why he acts this way. It is entirely emotionally plausible and rooted in patterns he’s had no way to escape from, and it’s often painful to see him act this way and see all too vividly where the behaviour stems from. The problem is, it doesn’t make the behaviour any less shitty. And I could deal with it when it’s directed at Thomas, who is, for all his naivety, a grown man of a certain privilege with a reasonably healthy emotional buffer zone for all the nastiness Micha flings his way. But there’s an ongoing situation that I found pretty impossible to swallow, where Micha, out of fear and resentment, causes extremely real harm and peril to a female side character. I understand why, but the consequences for said character – who is strong, well-rounded, and pretty damn awesome, probably my favourite in the entire book if I’m honest – are dire and potentially life-ruining. As that character is part of the later story and part of Thomas’s (and arguably Micha’s) support system, I needed that shittiness addressed or resolved, and it never happens; not even an honest apology. They just move past it. Micha grows as a person but apparently not enough to give a shit about – or even think about – the harm he’s caused. They ALSO move past that same female character being sexually blackmailed and fired by Thomas’s PTSD-riddled twin brother, and that ALSO never gets resolved and they all just ignore it. It was probably the biggest souring point of the book for me – no matter how imperilled and trapped Micha considers himself, Sheba is, by virtue of the era and her sex, in a worse position than him, and I cannot stand reading about women being used as punching bags for a male character’s personal or plot development.
The book is also generally pretty realistic as to the very real dangers and constant uncertainties that make up the reality of queer people’s lives in the 19th century. I won’t spoil anything but I’ll hazard a guess that the way Thomas and Micha reconcile that, and especially the epilogue, will not be to everybody’s taste. I could've probably done without the epilogue entirely.
Basically, the compelling characterisation of a very complicated protagonist and the semi-realistic portrayal of queer people’s choices during the book’s era make this something other than an easy escapist romance. It’s an excellent story about self-discovery and self-redemption and yes, also (but not exclusively) love, in many forms, lots and lots of it. I found it a worthwhile and engaging read, but I almost wish I’d come across it in some less rigidly defined genre. (I am, of course, writing this in the assumption that it will be published and marketed as a romance rather than as historical fiction or somesuch.)
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2025
Pub. date 4/7/26
So what’s the deal is with Never After? I haven't seen any publicity about it, especially compared to Hall's other upcoming 2026 releases, Father Material and Hell's Heart. It was available as a "Read Now" option on Net Galley, which is usually where books by little known authors or small publishers go to die. And the ebook’s list price is a paltry $3.99. So what gives? Is this a legally contracted book from a publisher with whom Hall has fallen out? Is the historical romance genre really on its last legs? Am I looking for controversy where none exists?
Anyway, I did like the book, although it's not my favorite AH novel. It has none of the lighthearted rom-com Richard-Curtis-movie feel of the London Calling series or the earnest local colour of the Spires books. I'd compare it most closely to A Lady for a Duke in terms of lush writing style and high angst quotient.
The novel's plot is your basic light meets dark. Micah is an opium-addicted rent boy who is barely conscious much of the time, and Thomas is the dutiful reverend who finds Micah passed out in the middle of a busy street and takes him home. Micah is beautiful but cynical and cruel, while Thomas is plain but goodness and innocence personified. He had no idea he was a sodomite until he met Micah, but he doesn’t freak out about it because he assumes he’ll never have the opportunity to act on his feelings. The angst quotient is through the roof as Micah pushes Thomas away, Thomas refuses to budge, and the mid-19th century world conspires to keep them apart. There's a bit of wry humor, especially in the form of Thomas' parishioners, but for the most part this is Melancholy Drama with a side of theological debate.
Be forewarned that Never After is NOT a romance novel. The last chapter has a very tenuous HFN ending, but the epilogue suggests that “for now” didn’t last very long. Frankly, I hope that Hall drops the epilogue altogether in the published version. Spoilers ahead if you must.
I doubt Never After will become a fan favorite, but it’s another example of Hall’s amazing ability to write across numerous time periods and tones.
ARC received from Net Galley and Montlake Books.
So what’s the deal is with Never After? I haven't seen any publicity about it, especially compared to Hall's other upcoming 2026 releases, Father Material and Hell's Heart. It was available as a "Read Now" option on Net Galley, which is usually where books by little known authors or small publishers go to die. And the ebook’s list price is a paltry $3.99. So what gives? Is this a legally contracted book from a publisher with whom Hall has fallen out? Is the historical romance genre really on its last legs? Am I looking for controversy where none exists?
Anyway, I did like the book, although it's not my favorite AH novel. It has none of the lighthearted rom-com Richard-Curtis-movie feel of the London Calling series or the earnest local colour of the Spires books. I'd compare it most closely to A Lady for a Duke in terms of lush writing style and high angst quotient.
The novel's plot is your basic light meets dark. Micah is an opium-addicted rent boy who is barely conscious much of the time, and Thomas is the dutiful reverend who finds Micah passed out in the middle of a busy street and takes him home. Micah is beautiful but cynical and cruel, while Thomas is plain but goodness and innocence personified. He had no idea he was a sodomite until he met Micah, but he doesn’t freak out about it because he assumes he’ll never have the opportunity to act on his feelings. The angst quotient is through the roof as Micah pushes Thomas away, Thomas refuses to budge, and the mid-19th century world conspires to keep them apart. There's a bit of wry humor, especially in the form of Thomas' parishioners, but for the most part this is Melancholy Drama with a side of theological debate.
Be forewarned that Never After is NOT a romance novel. The last chapter has a very tenuous HFN ending, but the epilogue suggests that “for now” didn’t last very long. Frankly, I hope that Hall drops the epilogue altogether in the published version. Spoilers ahead if you must.
I doubt Never After will become a fan favorite, but it’s another example of Hall’s amazing ability to write across numerous time periods and tones.
ARC received from Net Galley and Montlake Books.
November 8, 2025
4.5 stars, rounded up. Never After is the darkest book by Hall that I've read (and I have read almost all of his books). That being said, I will read most anything Hall writes, and I love heavier, emotional books, so this was definitely a win for me. Majority of the story is bleak for various reason, but mostly in the beginning as you get a good look at Micha and his troubles with grief, additcion and being a sex worker. Thomas is dealing with his own grief and trying to find where he truly belongs in the world as he struggles a bit with his faith. There are absolutely some happier times, but for sure this one is pretty dark throughout.
I am not a religious person, and I typically do not choose to read books where part of the main plot is religion-based. The way Hall wrote Thomas and his difficulties with his God and faith were fitting for the story and it did not bother me that so much of the book was based around religion. Hall did an excellent job questioning the things that I think everyone should consider when contemplating religion/faith. I also loved that Thomas was never ashamed of who he was and just wanted to be accepted. On that note, Thomas is an absolute precious gem of human and I would quite literally die for him!!!
Micha is snarky bastard (we all know there has to be one if Hall is the author). He really goes through some emotional struggles and it's easy to see why he is the way he is. It was nice to see his growth throughout the book, but for real I was wanting to shake him so many times! I loved his dry sense of humor and offensive language, especially in contrast Thomas's.
Extra points for side characters! Esther is an icon for sure and Ada was her own kind of entertainment. Sheba is amazing. Even Ruff the dog gets a shout out from me.
Final thoughts...Despite their differences, it was lovely reading about both of them coming into their own. I will say that in my opinion, this is love story, but absolutley not a romance. Never After is perfect for anyone that likes to see queer love in history, get your emotions wrung out, or maybe even deal with religious trauma/difficulties. Get your tissues ready if you're a crier!
My only reason for giving 4.5 instead of 5 stars is that I found some parts of the book to be a little too wordy and wow there are a ton of similies used for descriptions of just about everything. We all like to have a visual picture, but for me, sometimes it was just a lot when I really wanted to get on with the Micha + Thomas saga.
I am dying to see who will narrate this audiobook and will mostly likely purchase it when it becomes avaialble.I think this will be a fantastic book for audio!!
ARC received from Netgalley.
I am not a religious person, and I typically do not choose to read books where part of the main plot is religion-based. The way Hall wrote Thomas and his difficulties with his God and faith were fitting for the story and it did not bother me that so much of the book was based around religion. Hall did an excellent job questioning the things that I think everyone should consider when contemplating religion/faith. I also loved that Thomas was never ashamed of who he was and just wanted to be accepted. On that note, Thomas is an absolute precious gem of human and I would quite literally die for him!!!
Micha is snarky bastard (we all know there has to be one if Hall is the author). He really goes through some emotional struggles and it's easy to see why he is the way he is. It was nice to see his growth throughout the book, but for real I was wanting to shake him so many times! I loved his dry sense of humor and offensive language, especially in contrast Thomas's.
Extra points for side characters! Esther is an icon for sure and Ada was her own kind of entertainment. Sheba is amazing. Even Ruff the dog gets a shout out from me.
Final thoughts...Despite their differences, it was lovely reading about both of them coming into their own. I will say that in my opinion, this is love story, but absolutley not a romance. Never After is perfect for anyone that likes to see queer love in history, get your emotions wrung out, or maybe even deal with religious trauma/difficulties. Get your tissues ready if you're a crier!
My only reason for giving 4.5 instead of 5 stars is that I found some parts of the book to be a little too wordy and wow there are a ton of similies used for descriptions of just about everything. We all like to have a visual picture, but for me, sometimes it was just a lot when I really wanted to get on with the Micha + Thomas saga.
I am dying to see who will narrate this audiobook and will mostly likely purchase it when it becomes avaialble.I think this will be a fantastic book for audio!!
ARC received from Netgalley.
November 3, 2025
If you've never read an Alexis Hall book, and think that an emotionally devastating m/m historical romance between a priest and a sex worker that grapples with grief, faith, duty and addiction (and that uses words like "glebe" and "glossolalia" sincerely) sounds interesting, this book may be for you.
If you're a long-time Alexis Hall reader who's been feeling nostalgic for their more serious, darker works [1] after the recent string of rom-com-ish releases, this may also be the book for you. (To be clear: I am delighted that Alexis Hall found such success with Boyfriend Material - and within the wider rom-com space - but I don't think anything he's released since Boyfriend Material has been more than a 4-star read for me. That's not a fault with the author, just personal taste. I mention it in case there are other fans who feel the same).
Never After feels like Hall's darkest and most complicated book yet. The first third in particular is heavy. Micha is wrecked by grief and addiction, while Thomas is struggling with his own grief and family secrets. It's bleak, and almost too much, but the story is allowed to breathe by the middle section. This provides some much-needed relief: we get to see signs of recovery, a developing relationship, and finally meet some secondary characters who are actually nice! (including a delightfully Margaret Dashwood-esque child). This is just enough lightness to balance the rest of the book, which wrestles with the ideals of faith, love, and duty, alongside the key romance-novel question: How can we be together?
One thing I particularly appreciated is that Thomas's struggle with how to reconcile his faith with his love for another man is framed in terms of duty and ideological consistency, rather than shame.
Overall, I loved this (even if I was wincing and whispering "Nooo..." every 35 pages). Will be getting the audiobook when it's released, because I want to support more books like it.
ARC received from Netgalley.
[1]: Prosperity fans wondering if Never After has shades of Milord and Ruben - yes, sort of. Not in their bedroom dynamic, but certainly in the way that Thomas and Micha are also two people with complicated pasts, trying to navigate a relationship while dealing with illness, addiction, and questions about God and faith, while one of them is also a super-prickly bastard.
If you're a long-time Alexis Hall reader who's been feeling nostalgic for their more serious, darker works [1] after the recent string of rom-com-ish releases, this may also be the book for you. (To be clear: I am delighted that Alexis Hall found such success with Boyfriend Material - and within the wider rom-com space - but I don't think anything he's released since Boyfriend Material has been more than a 4-star read for me. That's not a fault with the author, just personal taste. I mention it in case there are other fans who feel the same).
Never After feels like Hall's darkest and most complicated book yet. The first third in particular is heavy. Micha is wrecked by grief and addiction, while Thomas is struggling with his own grief and family secrets. It's bleak, and almost too much, but the story is allowed to breathe by the middle section. This provides some much-needed relief: we get to see signs of recovery, a developing relationship, and finally meet some secondary characters who are actually nice! (including a delightfully Margaret Dashwood-esque child). This is just enough lightness to balance the rest of the book, which wrestles with the ideals of faith, love, and duty, alongside the key romance-novel question: How can we be together?
One thing I particularly appreciated is that Thomas's struggle with how to reconcile his faith with his love for another man is framed in terms of duty and ideological consistency, rather than shame.
Overall, I loved this (even if I was wincing and whispering "Nooo..." every 35 pages). Will be getting the audiobook when it's released, because I want to support more books like it.
ARC received from Netgalley.
[1]: Prosperity fans wondering if Never After has shades of Milord and Ruben - yes, sort of. Not in their bedroom dynamic, but certainly in the way that Thomas and Micha are also two people with complicated pasts, trying to navigate a relationship while dealing with illness, addiction, and questions about God and faith, while one of them is also a super-prickly bastard.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was a quiet, deliberate wrecking of my heart. Never After is lush and aching, deeply humane—a love story bound up with addiction, faith, grief, and the terrifying choice to stay. From the opening pages, Hall pulls us into Micha Dashwood’s opium-hazed world through vivid, fragmented moments that hurt to read but are impossible to turn away from. Micha’s first-person memories and dreams are brutal and intimate. There’s just enough humanity in them to keep you hoping for him, even when he can’t manage that himself.
Reverend Thomas Mandeville finds Micha at his sickest and nurses him back from the edge. His care is patient and steady, offered without illusion, even in the face of Micha’s sharp edges and deep self-loathing. What grows between them feels earned. Nothing about it is sentimental.
The book’s structure in Part I does real narrative work. Alternating POVs and journal fragments deepen the emotional landscape rather than distracting from it. Thomas’s writings illuminate his interior struggle, while Micha’s fractured sections weave together pain, addiction, and memory with an honesty that never flinches. Family secrets, generational harm, and a haunting revelation about Thomas’s brother quietly raise the stakes.
When the story shifts to Nettlefield, the tone softens. It feels warmer, calmer—like a cautious exhale. Their falling-in-love unfolds slowly and with great care, culminating in a forest encounter that feels genuinely revelatory. Micha as the protective black cat and Thomas as the earnest golden retriever is exactly right, and Hall handles that dynamic with affection and restraint.
Hall is careful to show that Thomas’s devotion isn’t saviorism or martyrdom. It’s love tested under impossible circumstances. Thomas believes in God; Micha does not. But Micha’s unshakable belief in Thomas becomes its own kind of faith, and watching those truths circle each other is quietly devastating.
This is a love story that doesn’t flinch. It asks whether care can become penance, whether love can coexist with fear, and what it means to choose another person when you don’t fully trust yourself. Never After is spectacular—tender, painful, and unforgettable. I closed the book with a full heart, tears in my eyes and that deep, satisfied ache that only a true five-star read can leave behind.
Reverend Thomas Mandeville finds Micha at his sickest and nurses him back from the edge. His care is patient and steady, offered without illusion, even in the face of Micha’s sharp edges and deep self-loathing. What grows between them feels earned. Nothing about it is sentimental.
The book’s structure in Part I does real narrative work. Alternating POVs and journal fragments deepen the emotional landscape rather than distracting from it. Thomas’s writings illuminate his interior struggle, while Micha’s fractured sections weave together pain, addiction, and memory with an honesty that never flinches. Family secrets, generational harm, and a haunting revelation about Thomas’s brother quietly raise the stakes.
When the story shifts to Nettlefield, the tone softens. It feels warmer, calmer—like a cautious exhale. Their falling-in-love unfolds slowly and with great care, culminating in a forest encounter that feels genuinely revelatory. Micha as the protective black cat and Thomas as the earnest golden retriever is exactly right, and Hall handles that dynamic with affection and restraint.
Hall is careful to show that Thomas’s devotion isn’t saviorism or martyrdom. It’s love tested under impossible circumstances. Thomas believes in God; Micha does not. But Micha’s unshakable belief in Thomas becomes its own kind of faith, and watching those truths circle each other is quietly devastating.
This is a love story that doesn’t flinch. It asks whether care can become penance, whether love can coexist with fear, and what it means to choose another person when you don’t fully trust yourself. Never After is spectacular—tender, painful, and unforgettable. I closed the book with a full heart, tears in my eyes and that deep, satisfied ache that only a true five-star read can leave behind.
November 29, 2025
I have a complicated relationship with Hall's writing: often there are elements in their stories that irritate me and make me cringe but the prose is fun and snappy enough that usually I can plow through and come out the other side having had a good time. Unfortunately, that was not the case with this book. Instead of getting through this quickly, I read it in fits and starts; I'd even sit down and tell myself to just get through it but would inevitably have to take a break after only a chapter or two because I just didn't care. If I didn't get this as an arc from NetGalley I'm sure I would have dnfed it.
I can appreciate complicated characters with a complicated relationship, but Thomas and Micha didn't fully work for me. Micha was rather horrible at times but at least realistic and interesting to read; Thomas was seemingly besotted for no reason ("he's so beautiful!" he's a drug addict you found in the street, surely he looks a little rough) and fell in love WAY too fast. I was intrigued by his inner turmoil about being gay and a man of God, but even that was resolved too easily ("God can't hate love, therefore I have no qualms with loving a man :)"). Also Micha was constantly reflecting on his first love, Isidore; I'm really not sure how I feel about that element, as it explained some of his character but also didn't add much too the overall story compared to how often he was remembered.
As for the other characters: honestly don't care. I had hopes for the plot lines with Thomas and his brothers, but—similar to Isidore—it never really went anywhere, and were clearly just invoked when necessary for drama. () The villagers were ok, but the lesbians were random and added nothing to the story; like ok yay queer positivity, but it was soooo unrealistically done and soooo not needed it just irked me.
Oh and the ending? Fucking stupid. If you're going to include an epilogue, don't add weird confusing information that makes the rest of the story seem like it existed for no reason. It's never good to get to the end of a book and go "Ugh!", but that's what I did.
I keep mentioning elements that added nothing to the story: that was basically the structure of this novel. There actually were some good scenes and topics throughout, but scattered moments don't make for a good cohesive story. (Also, once I finished this, I totally forgot about it and almost forgot to write this review. At least it was bad in a way that won't plague me?)
I can appreciate complicated characters with a complicated relationship, but Thomas and Micha didn't fully work for me. Micha was rather horrible at times but at least realistic and interesting to read; Thomas was seemingly besotted for no reason ("he's so beautiful!" he's a drug addict you found in the street, surely he looks a little rough) and fell in love WAY too fast. I was intrigued by his inner turmoil about being gay and a man of God, but even that was resolved too easily ("God can't hate love, therefore I have no qualms with loving a man :)"). Also Micha was constantly reflecting on his first love, Isidore; I'm really not sure how I feel about that element, as it explained some of his character but also didn't add much too the overall story compared to how often he was remembered.
As for the other characters: honestly don't care. I had hopes for the plot lines with Thomas and his brothers, but—similar to Isidore—it never really went anywhere, and were clearly just invoked when necessary for drama. () The villagers were ok, but the lesbians were random and added nothing to the story; like ok yay queer positivity, but it was soooo unrealistically done and soooo not needed it just irked me.
Oh and the ending? Fucking stupid. If you're going to include an epilogue, don't add weird confusing information that makes the rest of the story seem like it existed for no reason. It's never good to get to the end of a book and go "Ugh!", but that's what I did.
I keep mentioning elements that added nothing to the story: that was basically the structure of this novel. There actually were some good scenes and topics throughout, but scattered moments don't make for a good cohesive story. (Also, once I finished this, I totally forgot about it and almost forgot to write this review. At least it was bad in a way that won't plague me?)
November 6, 2025
NetGalley ARC. This book is dark. The first quarter is an especially tough read as we watch Micha in the throes of opium addiction, reliving his experiences as a prostitute, which he fell into after losing his respectable place in society because of a love affair gone wrong. He eventually collapses in front of big-hearted priest Thomas, who takes him away from London to recover in his small parish.
The book doesn't get much lighter there, though; Micha abuses laudanum to numb and forget, and is awful to Thomas and other characters (believable based on his history, but tough to read for hundreds of pages). I understand why Micha falls for Thomas: he's earnest and huge-hearted and serious about his commitments. Why Thomas falls for Micha is more of a mystery to me, but he felt it hard enough that I shrugged and went along for the ride.
The good: Micha's realistic physical and emotional struggles with intimacy based on his history, and the anger at himself for wanting to love and trust again, was written well. Thomas' struggle aligning his desires with his job guiding others in his faith was also well done. There is a cute community in Nettlefield, and I'd read whole books about them, especially Sheba and her daughter.
Unfortunately, for me it felt bulky and longer than 383 pages, and it just all felt so heavy. Every moment is such a struggle for the characters that I was wiped out by the end. It feels like there's no respite. And I disliked the epilogue immensely; I felt like it undercut Micha and Thomas' struggles and dramatic proclamations in the rest of the book. Until then it was teetering between a three and a four for me, but that knocked it firmly down to a three. I like a dark book with a challenging protagonist, and don't need a completely happy ending, but this one felt like we were going through this darkness in order to get an unabashed happy ending that we ultimately didn't get.
I'd recommend reading a sample of this to see if the style is for you before committing to the full book.
The book doesn't get much lighter there, though; Micha abuses laudanum to numb and forget, and is awful to Thomas and other characters (believable based on his history, but tough to read for hundreds of pages). I understand why Micha falls for Thomas: he's earnest and huge-hearted and serious about his commitments. Why Thomas falls for Micha is more of a mystery to me, but he felt it hard enough that I shrugged and went along for the ride.
The good: Micha's realistic physical and emotional struggles with intimacy based on his history, and the anger at himself for wanting to love and trust again, was written well. Thomas' struggle aligning his desires with his job guiding others in his faith was also well done. There is a cute community in Nettlefield, and I'd read whole books about them, especially Sheba and her daughter.
Unfortunately, for me it felt bulky and longer than 383 pages, and it just all felt so heavy. Every moment is such a struggle for the characters that I was wiped out by the end. It feels like there's no respite. And I disliked the epilogue immensely; I felt like it undercut Micha and Thomas' struggles and dramatic proclamations in the rest of the book. Until then it was teetering between a three and a four for me, but that knocked it firmly down to a three. I like a dark book with a challenging protagonist, and don't need a completely happy ending, but this one felt like we were going through this darkness in order to get an unabashed happy ending that we ultimately didn't get.
I'd recommend reading a sample of this to see if the style is for you before committing to the full book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Alexis Hall's work has always been hit or miss for me, but admittedly leaning towards the latter. Still, this new novel looked intriguing and very different from what I'm used from the author so I was intrigued - love it when authors try something new!
And Never After definitely is different. It's not a romcom, I wouldn't even necessarily classify it as a romance. It's a historical character drama with a central love story, and it's pretty hard to read at times. Both main characters are complex, though I admittedly never really warmed up to either of them. Their struggles are heartbreaking, especially Micha's story. I always felt like they stayed a bit on the superficial side with Thomas, who way too easily accepted himself being attracted and sexually intimate with a man as just a-okay considering he's a reverend. The struggle between his feelings, his existence and the religion he genuinely believes in and preaches to other people is there - but for him, it's not really that much of an emotional issue.
The first few chapters also dragged a little, but I really enjoyed the middle part of the novel, despite some rather bland side characters and weird narrative decisions. I liked most of the final chapters too, though I wasn't a fan of how an important female character was treated with no resolution whatsoever (as in, Micha has been absolutely horrible to this woman but he never actually apologized once, it just fizzles out in the end). I think this would have been a 3,5 star read rounded up.
But then the epilogue happened, and it's genuinely just unnecessary and terrible. Not that I would have expected a HEA for this story, but the epilogue basically undoes all of the emotional work the reader did before. The story is dark, and in the end the pain wasn't even worth it.
Which is why I'm not rounding up, but down. I honestly think the book would be a lot better without that epilogue.
So I do recommend the book, just maybe don't read the final few pages.
Many thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for the arc!
And Never After definitely is different. It's not a romcom, I wouldn't even necessarily classify it as a romance. It's a historical character drama with a central love story, and it's pretty hard to read at times. Both main characters are complex, though I admittedly never really warmed up to either of them. Their struggles are heartbreaking, especially Micha's story. I always felt like they stayed a bit on the superficial side with Thomas, who way too easily accepted himself being attracted and sexually intimate with a man as just a-okay considering he's a reverend. The struggle between his feelings, his existence and the religion he genuinely believes in and preaches to other people is there - but for him, it's not really that much of an emotional issue.
The first few chapters also dragged a little, but I really enjoyed the middle part of the novel, despite some rather bland side characters and weird narrative decisions. I liked most of the final chapters too, though I wasn't a fan of how an important female character was treated with no resolution whatsoever (as in, Micha has been absolutely horrible to this woman but he never actually apologized once, it just fizzles out in the end). I think this would have been a 3,5 star read rounded up.
But then the epilogue happened, and it's genuinely just unnecessary and terrible. Not that I would have expected a HEA for this story, but the epilogue basically undoes all of the emotional work the reader did before. The story is dark, and in the end the pain wasn't even worth it.
Which is why I'm not rounding up, but down. I honestly think the book would be a lot better without that epilogue.
So I do recommend the book, just maybe don't read the final few pages.
Many thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for the arc!
November 18, 2025
Never After by Alexis Hall
☀️☀️☀️⛅ (3.5 rounded down)
Big thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for this ARC!
Alexis Hall is such a versatile writer that it's never clear which side you'll get, but let it be known that this is by far the darkest book of his I've read. That's not inherently a bad thing, and I think he did an excellent job of characterising addiction and recovery, but tagging this as 'romance' feels overblown. It is a love story, but it is not a romance.
The relationship between Thomas and Micha was lovely at times and complicated as necessary, but there was always a degree of separation between them that stopped me from totally buying the love story. I liked that it took so long for Micha to open up, but he didn't fully, nor did Thomas. I also found Thomas's flip flopping over his position as a priest believable to a point, but here overdone and a definite vibe killer. Realism has a very important place in this story, but ultimately I am reading a romance for a HEA or a HFN and didn't get that.
I struggled with the pacing initially - the first quarter was tough and really dragged for me - but that improved in the second act. What I did not like was the epilogue: it felt like we'd been working towards something at the end of the book only for it to be ripped away hastily and carelessly. If it had been crafted differently I might have found it poignant, but the jolt from the last chapter into that wasn't handled well enough for that.
I'm not sure I'd outright recommend this due to the clunky aspects, but it does do a great job of Micha's arc from near-death to a whole new life. If you are prepared for heavy content and a bitter ending, it's worth giving a go when this is released in April next year.
"He is like some magnificent, ruined thing, a piece of stained glass, still vivid and no less beautiful for its cracks and rough edges. I ask myself, how is he brought so low? Who in the world beheld such splendour and chose go break it?"
☀️☀️☀️⛅ (3.5 rounded down)
Big thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for this ARC!
Alexis Hall is such a versatile writer that it's never clear which side you'll get, but let it be known that this is by far the darkest book of his I've read. That's not inherently a bad thing, and I think he did an excellent job of characterising addiction and recovery, but tagging this as 'romance' feels overblown. It is a love story, but it is not a romance.
The relationship between Thomas and Micha was lovely at times and complicated as necessary, but there was always a degree of separation between them that stopped me from totally buying the love story. I liked that it took so long for Micha to open up, but he didn't fully, nor did Thomas. I also found Thomas's flip flopping over his position as a priest believable to a point, but here overdone and a definite vibe killer. Realism has a very important place in this story, but ultimately I am reading a romance for a HEA or a HFN and didn't get that.
I struggled with the pacing initially - the first quarter was tough and really dragged for me - but that improved in the second act. What I did not like was the epilogue: it felt like we'd been working towards something at the end of the book only for it to be ripped away hastily and carelessly. If it had been crafted differently I might have found it poignant, but the jolt from the last chapter into that wasn't handled well enough for that.
I'm not sure I'd outright recommend this due to the clunky aspects, but it does do a great job of Micha's arc from near-death to a whole new life. If you are prepared for heavy content and a bitter ending, it's worth giving a go when this is released in April next year.
"He is like some magnificent, ruined thing, a piece of stained glass, still vivid and no less beautiful for its cracks and rough edges. I ask myself, how is he brought so low? Who in the world beheld such splendour and chose go break it?"
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is unlike any Alexis Hall book I’ve ever read, but he’s still on top form! This book really tugged at my heartstrings, and wasn’t afraid to delve into some darker places than usual.
The story is mostly told from the perspective of Micha, who is reluctantly given a second chance at life when Thomas stumbles across him and decides to take him in. Micha is prickly to say the least, and has more than his fair share of trauma. What I really appreciated, though, is that he was still allowed to be prickly, and complex, even as he started to heal and see himself in a different light.
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As much as I liked Micha, my favourite character was Thomas. His journey was so moving, and I particularly liked how we saw him carve his own path and his own happiness, in contrast to both of his brothers. He refused to believe the narrative he was given for his own life, standing firm in what he knew to be true. I especially liked the way his faith intersected with his queerness, and how they weren’t treated as opposing forces.
In this particular book, Hall isn’t interested in contriving a happy ending. That’s not to say the ending is unhappy, and with nearly all historical queer fiction, there is some compromise needed, whether it’s between fiction and reality, or between the HEA we want and the HEA the characters would realistically get. In this case it’s the latter, and while my heart ached for them – especially for Thomas – I was still satisfied with the ending that we got.
While this isn’t a cheery, laugh-out-loud kind of romance, it is still an incredibly poignant and moving love story, that isn’t afraid to be unconventional.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
The story is mostly told from the perspective of Micha, who is reluctantly given a second chance at life when Thomas stumbles across him and decides to take him in. Micha is prickly to say the least, and has more than his fair share of trauma. What I really appreciated, though, is that he was still allowed to be prickly, and complex, even as he started to heal and see himself in a different light.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
As much as I liked Micha, my favourite character was Thomas. His journey was so moving, and I particularly liked how we saw him carve his own path and his own happiness, in contrast to both of his brothers. He refused to believe the narrative he was given for his own life, standing firm in what he knew to be true. I especially liked the way his faith intersected with his queerness, and how they weren’t treated as opposing forces.
In this particular book, Hall isn’t interested in contriving a happy ending. That’s not to say the ending is unhappy, and with nearly all historical queer fiction, there is some compromise needed, whether it’s between fiction and reality, or between the HEA we want and the HEA the characters would realistically get. In this case it’s the latter, and while my heart ached for them – especially for Thomas – I was still satisfied with the ending that we got.
While this isn’t a cheery, laugh-out-loud kind of romance, it is still an incredibly poignant and moving love story, that isn’t afraid to be unconventional.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
December 5, 2025
The book was very angsty and dark in parts but also hard to put down.
There is a very strong theme of addiction running through the story so be careful if this is a trigger for you.
Micha is a young man who makes his money selling himself on the streets of London and then immediately spends his earings in an opium den. One day when he breaks down, a priest picks him up from the street and nurses him back to health.
His experiences and his job have made Micha quite cynical and angry overall and he mistrusts Thomas' motives. Yet he agrees to move to the country with Thomas because he has no family or friends and no prospects of anything else other than his life of Prostitution.
In the country, he is taken by the simple beauties of life again and slowly starts to heal, not only from the side-effects of illness.
I did enjoy reading of their journey together and the way the characters grow together and change, especially Micha. Despite my current months-long reading slump I would look forward to the book in the evenings.
I am not really sure about the ending though. I think I know what Alexis Hall were going for, but I am not sure I fully understand it in its brevity and only implied complexity. Might have to think on that a bit but was a bit disappointed upon first reading it. I do think I get what they were going for but I like stories that wrap up in nett little bows because life rarely does and the ending felt incongruous with some scenes, but then again fitting with others. And there might have been a bit too much focus on god for my taste but then I am an atheist and struggled with some of the premises that moved along the plot....
Overall a really good book though. I enjoyed it. I would give it 4.5 stars
There is a very strong theme of addiction running through the story so be careful if this is a trigger for you.
Micha is a young man who makes his money selling himself on the streets of London and then immediately spends his earings in an opium den. One day when he breaks down, a priest picks him up from the street and nurses him back to health.
His experiences and his job have made Micha quite cynical and angry overall and he mistrusts Thomas' motives. Yet he agrees to move to the country with Thomas because he has no family or friends and no prospects of anything else other than his life of Prostitution.
In the country, he is taken by the simple beauties of life again and slowly starts to heal, not only from the side-effects of illness.
I did enjoy reading of their journey together and the way the characters grow together and change, especially Micha. Despite my current months-long reading slump I would look forward to the book in the evenings.
I am not really sure about the ending though. I think I know what Alexis Hall were going for, but I am not sure I fully understand it in its brevity and only implied complexity. Might have to think on that a bit but was a bit disappointed upon first reading it. I do think I get what they were going for but I like stories that wrap up in nett little bows because life rarely does and the ending felt incongruous with some scenes, but then again fitting with others. And there might have been a bit too much focus on god for my taste but then I am an atheist and struggled with some of the premises that moved along the plot....
Overall a really good book though. I enjoyed it. I would give it 4.5 stars
December 3, 2025
Alexis Hall has such a range within the romance genre; it feels as if he can write anything bur for me his angsty books are my favourites. That means I’m in luck because books don’t become much more angstier than Never After. It also means I’m still crying, 24 hours after finishing the book.
Never After is a Hades and Persephone retelling (luckily this was spelled out by the author because I’m terrible at recognising retellings) set in the Victorian era. The Persephone character is Micha, a prostitute addicted to opium who collapses in the street right in front of a clergyman, Thomas. Thomas takes him home with him to recover and they grow closer.
One of the many great things of this book is the way it treats religious beliefs. Not at any point does Thomas believe that loving Micha and having sex with him is a sin. Instead it’s the church and the laws that prevents them from being a couple openly.
I absolutely loved this book. The prose was just so beautiful and I keep thinking about some of the themes, events and ending of the book. I need to reread it.
*** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
Never After is a Hades and Persephone retelling (luckily this was spelled out by the author because I’m terrible at recognising retellings) set in the Victorian era. The Persephone character is Micha, a prostitute addicted to opium who collapses in the street right in front of a clergyman, Thomas. Thomas takes him home with him to recover and they grow closer.
One of the many great things of this book is the way it treats religious beliefs. Not at any point does Thomas believe that loving Micha and having sex with him is a sin. Instead it’s the church and the laws that prevents them from being a couple openly.
I absolutely loved this book. The prose was just so beautiful and I keep thinking about some of the themes, events and ending of the book. I need to reread it.
*** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I would first like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a free eARC copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to get to read this book by this author especially since this author is one of my, what you would call, auto buy authors. Anytime this author writes something I will immediately purchase it or request my library purchase it. This book 100% met with my expectations in this regard. I absolutely loved this book and after I began to fall in love with the characters, I had a very difficult time putting it down.
The story does start a little bit slow, but it is totally worth it in the end. The last quarter of the book had me crying the whole way through though in a roller coaster of emotions. One minute I was crying in joy, then in pain, then in despair, then in hope, and then at a perfectly wonderful bittersweet ending. This historical romance was very accurate in its historical depictions. It shows a real relationship that might have been more possible and realistic than some of the idealized versions of the period, and because of this, I felt like it was beautiful and bittersweet. The spicy rating was also a level 5.
Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. I would rate it a 6 out of 5 if I could and can’t recommend it enough to others.
I was very excited to get to read this book by this author especially since this author is one of my, what you would call, auto buy authors. Anytime this author writes something I will immediately purchase it or request my library purchase it. This book 100% met with my expectations in this regard. I absolutely loved this book and after I began to fall in love with the characters, I had a very difficult time putting it down.
The story does start a little bit slow, but it is totally worth it in the end. The last quarter of the book had me crying the whole way through though in a roller coaster of emotions. One minute I was crying in joy, then in pain, then in despair, then in hope, and then at a perfectly wonderful bittersweet ending. This historical romance was very accurate in its historical depictions. It shows a real relationship that might have been more possible and realistic than some of the idealized versions of the period, and because of this, I felt like it was beautiful and bittersweet. The spicy rating was also a level 5.
Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. I would rate it a 6 out of 5 if I could and can’t recommend it enough to others.
November 10, 2025
This book broke my heart in the best way. I loved that Micha wasn't perfect, and I loved how earnest Thomas was with him, and how much he believed in their love. Reading about cynical Micha, who's hiding the fact that he's a whore and an opium addict, trying to figure out exactly when Thomas was finally going to demand payment for boarding him -- and getting suckered into an old lady reading club, learning how to sketch again, and slowly figuring out that Thomas is actually just that damned kind -- was so much fun to read.
Religious characters are tricky to write, but Hall kept true to Thomas' faith without being trite, and without making Micha believe. That moment when Micha saw Thomas give a sermon and realized that he loved his job as much as he loved Micha was a gut-punch but so true to character that I couldn't be upset with it at all.
I know I am probably going to be in the minority here, but I thought the bittersweet ending was perfect for the story. I liked knowing that Micha wasn't alone, and that they'd both lived full lives. It was a beautiful, *honest* love story. That said, this is def more on the side of a HFN/bittersweet ending than a true HEA.
Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC!
Religious characters are tricky to write, but Hall kept true to Thomas' faith without being trite, and without making Micha believe. That moment when Micha saw Thomas give a sermon and realized that he loved his job as much as he loved Micha was a gut-punch but so true to character that I couldn't be upset with it at all.
I know I am probably going to be in the minority here, but I thought the bittersweet ending was perfect for the story. I liked knowing that Micha wasn't alone, and that they'd both lived full lives. It was a beautiful, *honest* love story. That said, this is def more on the side of a HFN/bittersweet ending than a true HEA.
Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2025
Rounded down from 3.25
If you are looking for an angsty, bitter queer historical romance that explores addiction, grief, and trauma with nuance, this may be the book for you.
(It was not for me)
To start with the positive, Hall's prose is lush as always, and the more challenging topics of the book charge it with a sturm und drang decadence that I thoroughly enjoyed. Angst, nature, trauma— oh my!
I found Micha's addiction recovery arc compelling and thoughtfully written. The arc surrounding Thomas' family trauma also felt satisfying. I have more mixed feelings about his religious arc.
Unfortunately, the narrative seemed to encourage more compassion for male characters than the female character their actions injure, which left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
Finally, although I love angst in my queer romance, I only do so with the promise of a happy (or at least satisfying) end. This book did not provide that. The final arrangement Thomas and Micah agreed upon left both characters visibly unhappy, leaving the epilogue to feel like the second half of a one-two gut punch.
I often enjoy love stories without HEAs, but sadly, this ending was insurmountably dire for my tastes. I doubt I will recommend it.
If you are looking for an angsty, bitter queer historical romance that explores addiction, grief, and trauma with nuance, this may be the book for you.
(It was not for me)
To start with the positive, Hall's prose is lush as always, and the more challenging topics of the book charge it with a sturm und drang decadence that I thoroughly enjoyed. Angst, nature, trauma— oh my!
I found Micha's addiction recovery arc compelling and thoughtfully written. The arc surrounding Thomas' family trauma also felt satisfying. I have more mixed feelings about his religious arc.
Unfortunately, the narrative seemed to encourage more compassion for male characters than the female character their actions injure, which left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
Finally, although I love angst in my queer romance, I only do so with the promise of a happy (or at least satisfying) end. This book did not provide that. The final arrangement Thomas and Micah agreed upon left both characters visibly unhappy, leaving the epilogue to feel like the second half of a one-two gut punch.
I often enjoy love stories without HEAs, but sadly, this ending was insurmountably dire for my tastes. I doubt I will recommend it.
November 3, 2025
This book is a journey, and one that I mostly enjoyed! At first I thought the wordy, lush style was not my cup of tea and that the main characters were respectively too bland/too unlikeable for me to care about. However, within a few chapters I was hooked and totally invested in the characters and their dynamic! I knew going in that this isn't a conventional romance, so was expecting some twists in the road, but the twists surprised me for the wrong reasons. The ending felt abrupt, didn't ring true to the characters and really just felt like the story had been abandoned. I mean, one element of the hasty ending was directly contrary to something a character had expressed a few chapters ago, without any explanation for the turnabout. But one benefit of an abrupt ending is that you can enjoy like, 90% of the book and that was the case here. I loved the village setting, the side characters and the main character's dynamic! Even without being a conventional romance, I feel like this could have hit so much harder with some editing.
November 7, 2025
I loved this so much.
In Never After, Alexis Hall revisits the themes and style of the Spires series: gorgeous, gorgeous writing, and deep, nuanced examinations of characters and relationships and the way different power dynamics shape them.
This is not a romance. While it's very much a story about love, it lacks the structure - and accompanying expectations - of the romance genre. Instead, this is a story about two people learning to inhabit their skin through a relationship with each other, about the ways different kinds of love can shape us, and the different kinds of relationships that can form and constitute a HEA.
And the writing! Never After is full of the most gorgeous descriptions - of the seasons, of nature, of sex - so lovely that the line between prose and poetry seems to erode without losing an ounce of the compulsive readability that made me race through this book in 24 hours.
Highly, highly recommend, and can't wait for release so I can have this book on my shelf.
In Never After, Alexis Hall revisits the themes and style of the Spires series: gorgeous, gorgeous writing, and deep, nuanced examinations of characters and relationships and the way different power dynamics shape them.
This is not a romance. While it's very much a story about love, it lacks the structure - and accompanying expectations - of the romance genre. Instead, this is a story about two people learning to inhabit their skin through a relationship with each other, about the ways different kinds of love can shape us, and the different kinds of relationships that can form and constitute a HEA.
And the writing! Never After is full of the most gorgeous descriptions - of the seasons, of nature, of sex - so lovely that the line between prose and poetry seems to erode without losing an ounce of the compulsive readability that made me race through this book in 24 hours.
Highly, highly recommend, and can't wait for release so I can have this book on my shelf.
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