If We Never End

by Laura Taylor Namey

You've Reached Sam meets If I Stay in this epic romance spanning life and death, from New York Times bestselling author Laura Taylor Namey.

Sylvie Castellano is used to goodbyes. Every summer, her friends leave to vacation at faraway beaches and her parents jet off to work on a luxury yacht, dumping her with her tia Vivian. Sylvie may love her aunt Viv, but just once, she wishes the summer held a big adventure for her, too.

When Sylvie scores the thrift find of a lifetime-a vintage gold watch worth thousands-she thinks maybe her luck is turning around. Then a turn of the watch's dial summons a ghost boy. With no idea who he is or why he's attached to the watch, and only his name to go off of-Penn-Sylvie offers to help him unravel the mystery of his death.

Sylvie's summer is suddenly full of road trips, beach bonfires, and ferris wheel rides as she and Penn try to piece together the life he lost. But soon, Sylvie begins to imagine a future together-a future they can never have. Then a devastating discovery brings everything crashing down. The watch's secrets extend far beyond Penn, and it's not only Sylvie's heart at risk, but her life.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal, Audiobook, Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2026

About the author

Laura Taylor Namey is the New York Times and international bestselling author of  young adult fiction including Reese's Book Club pick A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow. A proud Cuban-American, she can be found hunting for vintage treasures and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Every summer, Sylvie Castellano is left with her tia Vivian while her friends go on vacations and her parents go to their jobs on a luxury yacht. Although she loves her aunt, Sylvie wants to be given the freedom and choice to have a great, big adventure of her own, too. But she doesn’t see it when she and her tia stay at a cabin in a small town in Oregon.

But when she finds a broken, vintage gold watch worth thousands of dollars at a thrift store, Sylvie thinks her adventure could actually happen. The thing is, the watch isn’t actually broken because when she turns the dial, it summons a ghost named Penn, who knows nothing about his previous life. So, Sylvie offers to help him solve the mystery of his life and death, leading to a summer full of fun and longing for her and Penn to actually be together, until a discovery not only can break her heart, but also puts her life at risk as well.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•


ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Happier by Marshmello, Bastille
0:32 ───ㅇ───── 3:34


˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ At first, I was worried that this was going to be a mid read, but past the 60% mark, I was literally flying through the pages! Don’t get me wrong, the first half of it was good, but it was just a bit slow, nothing that would make me DNF it or give it three stars, because it was still interesting.

I really liked Sylvie and related to her and her upbringing. I’m half Salvadorian–half Mexican, so when her Aunt Vivian said, “‘Cuban eighteen is not regular eighteen,’” I felt that. 😂 You feel like you have to constantly prove yourself to your parents that you are, in fact, a responsible adult, but it seems like nothing works. I am still their niña. Which I get. Lol, but I could not relate to people knowing Sylvie was a Latina because whenever people find out that I’m Hispanic, they’re shocked. After all, like Sylvie, my other sibling and I have green eyes, light brown hair, and lighter skin, unlike the rest of our siblings, who inherited the dark eyes, hair, and skin. I will never understand how genes and biology work. 😆
But I also related to Sylvie’s resentment toward her parents and the world, basically. I’m not going to go into too much detail about that because you are going to have to read it to find out the reasons why she’s mad at her parents, but let’s just say that I totally get where she is coming from, and her character growth made me realize that I need to do the same: to grow and let go. Life is too short to be holding onto past hurts and traumas that I’ve already come to terms with. The resentment isn’t helping me, and it’s not hurting them, no matter how much I think it is.

And then there’s Penn. He was so sweet! 🥹 I was wishing right alongside Sylvie that he wasn’t a ghost so they could be together forever. He was understanding, sarcastic, funny, and kind. I was just as happy as Sylvie was when he showed up. I loved the scenes when they were together, and I was hoping that the ending would be a happy one for them.

AND THAT PLOT TWIST?!?!


My jaw dropped, and I was ready to tell my invisible audience what the heck just happened. I was shocked. No, beyond shocked because I thought I had this story figured out, but nope! I was wrong, and I am very happy that I was. 🤭

All in all, I enjoyed this book so much! 💙 Not only because it has ghosts, romance, and some mystery, but because of the lessons I learned that I truly believe have helped me realize that I need to work on myself some more. Ah, when will it end? 😂😏

✧ Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books | Bloomsbury YA for granting my wish to read the arc via NetGalley! All opinions and statements are my own. This book will be available on 03/03/2026! ✧

❗Content Warnings❗
Death/dying & blood.
Swearing: Yes (including the f-word)
Spice: Only kissing. (🌶/5)

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3 stars ✰

“The lure was almost the same: a magnetic pull of memory and regret.”

For those who have forgotten that they matter, If We Never End is the gentle reminder that they'll never be forgotten by those who matter.

18yo's Sylvie Castellano's longing to belong was a relatable feeling, her desire to break free of her parents' overprotectiveness, to find herself like her ambitious and free-spirited Tia Vivian, and to experience life for all that it offers, starting with a summer filled with new changes and new people.

So I understood why she fought so desperately to protect this strange and unique friendship she'd forged with the mysterious Penn, whose spirit presence would appear by the turn of a mystical watch.

“I let myself want the one person the universe said i couldn't have.”

The solid pacing kept me engaged in their insta-cute romance that was steadily growing through their limited interactions as they attempted to uncover the secrets and mysteries concerning broken and beautiful Penn's strange existence, and when they discovered the truth behind it, it was gut-wrenchingly perfect. 🥺

The chills, the fear, the sadness, the shock - I felt it all. 🤌

But after that pivotal moment, I didn't feel as immersed. 😮‍💨​ Maybe because I was kind of hoping for a more bittersweet ending, which seems kind of gloomy, but I don't know. As surprising as it was, I was also disappointed. Very strange, I know. 😅

The magical realism element of how it all went down was not as clearly explained as it could have been - but true love was all things, everywhere too. Or maybe my disappointment masked my ability to put two and two together, so I just had to wing my emotional expectations regarding Sylvie's eventual crucial decision. 🙁

“I'd forget my own name before yours.”

The writing, while haunting and poetic at times, was also sometimes a little too pointedly repetitive. I wasn't a fan of the overemphasis of her Cuban heritage - despite how it ties into the storyline, while certain words and phrases were used too often not to be noticeable.

I'm also left wondering if Del has a story of her own​. As cryptic as her abilities were, I wonder if there's more to her that remains to be revealed. 🤔

Still, it's a moving story that leaves you with the reminder to never feel like you don't belong. That your presence is not a burden but a treasure and that you have to be brave to risk trusting your heart to make the right call for whatever challenges you face in life, knowing that you won't be facing them alone. For when love and trust exist, anything can be possible - even life after death. 💟

[Lindsay (pawsomereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If We Never End was a bittersweet and atmospheric read. I liked the summer setting, beach bonfires, and the slow-burn connection between Sylvie and Penn. Their relationship was equally sweet and heartbreaking and I really enjoyed watching them uncover the mystery behind Penn’s ghost. The story definitely tugged at my heartstrings and the mix of romance, mystery and supernatural elements made it a memorable read.

[YourBookHunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️!! Loved this one!! Tanto que lo lei en solo 2 noches jajajaja

Tiene un concepto cool, el romance is swoon worthy, y tambien tiene solidos subplots de family and life purpose. Admito que tiene un comienzo lento (solo por esa razon no le di un 5/5), dude si continuarlo, pero después de cierto punto se me hizo imposible soltarlo… y tiene un plot twist I NEVER SAW COMING jajaja literal pense que tenia todo descifrado y booommm la autora me dijo “no mijita, no tenes ni idea”🤣

Gracias Bloomsbury Publishers por este ARC!!


Update: acabo de analizar que tambien hay unos cuantos loose threads que no vemos finalizados 💆🏻‍♀️ pero esque yo tmbn siempre quiero que los finales sean satisfactorios en todo sentido jajaja no me gusta cuando quedan cosas sin resolver

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura Taylor Namey’s If We Never End blindsided me with a love story so fragile and chaotic that I’m still emotionally cleaning up the wreckage. Published by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books | Bloomsbury YA, thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

I thought I was picking up a soft, summery YA romance with a quirky paranormal hook. A vintage watch. A ghost boy. Some yearning. I was prepared to enjoy it, maybe even tear up a little. I was not prepared to feel personally attacked by themes of abandonment, resentment, cultural expectations, and the terrifying tenderness of loving someone you cannot keep.

Sylvie Castellano is used to being left behind. Every summer her parents sail off to work on a luxury yacht, her friends scatter toward beaches and freedom, and she’s sent to Oregon with her brilliant, warm, endlessly patient Aunt Viv. Sylvie is eighteen, technically an adult, but in her Cuban household that doesn’t mean much. When her aunt teases, “Cuban eighteen is not regular eighteen,” I laughed out loud because it’s funny and painfully true. That tension between independence and family loyalty hums beneath every page.

Then there’s the watch.

Sylvie finds a vintage gold watch in a thrift store. It shouldn’t work. It definitely shouldn’t summon a ghost. But when she turns the dial, Penn appears. Confused. Kind. A little sarcastic. Very dead. He doesn’t know how he died, only that he’s tethered to the watch. And Sylvie, who has spent her life feeling powerless, finally has something that feels like hers. A mystery. A purpose. A boy who looks at her like she’s the only solid thing in the room.

Watching Sylvie and Penn piece together his past is where the magic lives. Ferris wheel rides. Late-night talks. Road trips that feel golden and fleeting. The romance builds in glances and almost-touches, in the quiet understanding that their time is borrowed. “Some loves aren’t meant to last forever. They’re meant to change you.” That line wrecked me.

But what makes this more than a ghost romance is Sylvie herself. Her anger at her parents feels sharp and real. Her loneliness is not dramatic for the sake of drama. It’s the slow ache of being unseen. Through Penn, and through her aunt’s steady love, she starts to confront the truth that holding onto resentment doesn’t protect you. It just keeps you stuck.

And the twist. Oh my God, the twist.

I genuinely believed I had figured it out around the halfway mark. I was wrong. Spectacularly wrong. The final act shifts the ground beneath you, and suddenly every moment carries new weight. I had to close the book and stare at the wall for a minute. You know that feeling when your chest tightens and you whisper, no way? That.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Five stars, without hesitation.

This book is for readers who love yearning that hurts a little. For anyone who adored If I Stay or stories where love brushes up against life and death. It’s for daughters navigating complicated families. For romantics who believe even temporary love can be epic. For readers who don’t mind crying but want to come out the other side feeling steadier.

I finished If We Never End feeling cracked open in the best way. It reminded me that grief and love often share the same space, and that letting go is sometimes the bravest thing you can do.

Tell me, have you ever fallen in love with a fictional character knowing it would break your heart anyway?

#IfWeNeverEnd #LauraTaylorNamey #YARomance #ParanormalRomance #BookReview #BloomsburyYA #NetGalley #RomanceReaders #YoungAdultFiction #GhostLoveStory

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this isn't what I expected when I picked this on Libby. Such a moving and deep story. I felt the yearning and needed some closure. I had no clue what to expect but I am honestly glad I read this. What a beautiful, but sad story.

[Book_Haven (click on my pfp to see the full meme) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That plot twist

[Victoria Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5++ out of 5 (close to a 4-)
Teen novel

18 year old Sylvie is sent every summer to stay with her Aunt Vivian, while her father captains a cruise ship and her mother serves as cruise director.
This summer, her aunt, who is an artist, has a commission in a small town in Oregon. Sylvie and her aunt drive there from their home in LA. On the drive there, her aunt swerves to avoid a deer that darted across the road.

After arriving at their destination, Sylvie goes to explore the town. She is attracted to an antique watch at a store, so she buys it even though it doesn't run.
Later, in her room at the cottage where she and her aunt are staying, Sylvie sees that the second hand is running. She winds the watch. To her surprise, a boy around her age appears in her room. He looks solid but turns out to have the ghostly ability to pass through things. If Sylvie tries to touch him, her hand passes through him. He has no memory of who he is.
Over the course of a few visits, Sylvie and the boy discover that when the second hand of the watch is running, if Sylvie winds the watch, he will appear. He will disappear after a few hours. He has no control over his appearance/disappearance. He slowly regains some memories. His name is Penn. He is from Oregon. Sylvie and Penn theorise that he was killed and somehow has not yet passed on to the afterlife. Sylvie makes it her mission to help him move on. As the 2 of them visit over the summer, they fall in love.
SPOILER:
Penn has gradually been remembering more and more. Now, he recovers all his faculties. He breaks it to Sylvie that he is alive. He has been visiting her when he is asleep and dreaming. He disappears when he wakes up. Sylvie is the one who was killed, along with her aunt, when they had swerved to avoid the deer.
Sylvie goes to visit living Penn during the daytime, but he has no memory of her. Only his dream self knows her.
Sylvie is heartbroken. Her aunt tells her that she (the aunt) has known all along that something was not right. Viv had not moved onto the afterlife because she wanted to stay for Sylvie's sake. Sylvie releases her aunt and the 2 say goodbye.

Penn had warned Sylvie that the watch used to belong to his grandfather and that it was considered cursed. Sylvie now blames the watch for making her so miserable. She takes the watch and tries to smash it. The watch's hands begin to move backwards. Then it disappears altogether.

Sylvie loses consciousness and wakes up in the wreckage of her aunt's car. It seems that the watch rewound time to the scene of the car accident. Sylvie's aunt did die, but Sylvie survived. She is transported to hospital, where she eventually recovers.

Sylvie's aunt had bought the cottage where they were living. She left the cottage in her will to Sylvie.

Penn comes to the cottage's workshop with a "dream box" that had been made by her aunt many years ago. Penn had read about Vivian's death in the newspapers. He thought the surviving family might want to have the box back. Penn's grandfather had used the box to store the magic watch. It turns out that the watch absorbed the magic from the box, which was made from magical trees by her aunt. The watch wasn't cursed; it just caused people to see other dream beings, like Sylvie had seen Penn.

Penn doesn't recognise Sylvie but he says there's something familiar about her. His dream memories start to surface. Then he remembers everything. The two of them are now able to love each other in real life.

Verdict:
I liked the amnesia, magic, and ghost aspects of this story. The writing, however, was often clumsy. If the writing had been better, it would have been a solid 4 star book.
This is a teen novel and it reads like one, but I enjoyed it.
3.5++ out of 4

[Yanan Bonte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy read

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 4th book I’ve read by this author. Sylvie buys a broken antique watch. Occasionally it works and when it does a boy named Penn appears. Is he a ghost? This is where the plot got weird for me.

The parts I liked best related to the Finders Keepers program in Lincoln City, as I have been an avid searcher since 2003. References to Mo’s and the pier were like reading about my back yard. There are also references to Skinner Butte in Eugene. I’m curious if the author has some personal connection to Oregon, my home stare.

Note to the narrator: Willamette is pronounced incorrectly.

[Liz Mannegren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first paranormal romance and I was immediately intrigued by the premise. (Not to mention this edition's gorgeous cover and edges!) I wasn't sure where this story was going to go but I was along for the ride.

I love it when books manage to weave light-hearted moments and heavy themes together in a way that feels natural and relatable. Sylvie's character grapples with feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and connection, and this portrayal felt authentic and heartfelt. Sometimes characters like this can come across as whiny or self-absorbed, but in this case, it just felt genuine, making her an easy character to feel and root for.

#IfWeNeverEnd is definitely slower paced. I meandered through the first half, curiously wondering how it would all resolve. But then the second half of the book hit me full force and I Could. Not. Put. It. Down.

I can't remember the last time I read a book while walking down a public street, but errands weren't getting in the way of me immediately needing to know how this one ended. (Also, not me trying to walk and hold back tears...)

This was a really beautiful story, well-written, with some unforgettable characters.

3.75 stars!

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for my gifted copy.

[TheBookandBubble · Rating 5 out of 5]

If We Never End by Laura Taylor Namey

My heart was absolutely wrecked, but in the best way. This story really hits you with a plot twist you never see coming.

Sylvie spends every summer with her Aunt Tía, who truly understands her in a way no one else does. Though she wished her parents would take her on one of their grand adventures. On their way to Oregon, they stop at an antique store, and Sylvie finds a beautiful gold watch. The watch and its strange working second hand is where everything changes.

She meets a sweet new friend named Del and starts seeing a ghost named Penn. Yes, a ghost, and somehow he’s super sweet and not scary at all. He’s the type of teenage boy you can’t help but love. Sylvie decides to spend her summer uncovering who Penn really is, and that journey turns into something so much deeper than she expected.

This book is full of twists and emotional moments. It has the perfect summer adventure vibe. I definitely recommend having tissues nearby, because it will pull at your heart strings. It’s such a beautifully written story, and completely worth experiencing all of the emotions.

4.5/5 ⭐️’s

[Lauren | Wordsbetweenlines · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

What if the only person you feel comfortable with is a ghost? And a ghost that doesn’t know what has happened or who they are?

Sylvie’s summer is now turning into an adventure with ghost boy but it feels like there’s something they both don’t know. The last 1/3 blew me away, I stayed up far too late one night until I truly couldn’t stay awake because I didn’t want to put it down.

I am such a sucker for magical realism and impossible romances. This tugs at your heart but has times of whimsy. Also, it’s absolutely beautiful. Pick it up.

Thank you @bloomsbury and @bookinfluencers for the beautiful copy 🤍

[Morgan Gayles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay because tell me why I really thought my girl was out here tripping seeing ghosts and what not. I was concerned for sure concerned about that migraine headache.

So good….Perfect YA fiction with just a little magic sprinkled in. And that twist? It tore me up a little. Her realization about the adults in her life had me sitting there like… wow. Because how often do we really stop and think about the grown folks who shaped us? The impact they had…good, bad, intentional or not.

[Brogan Plot Twist & Chill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never been so happy to not know a direction in which a book was going to go. I literally did not see that coming and I am extremely pleased with the ending. What a plot twist! This was definitely well written and I enjoyed the diversity of it. I will say that I had to look up a few translations but it didn’t make me not want to read it. I loved this so much and will be reading more of this author! Thank you Bloomsbury and BookInfluencers for allowing me to voluntarily read this book.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was perfect! I absolutely loved the writing, the characters, the setting, the plot. And don't even get me started on THAT TWIST!! I thought I knew where this story was going, but I genuinely did not see that twist coming.
This story went above and beyond my expectations. The FMC was so well written, plus I loved her relationship with her aunt. Just so much beautiful emotion in this book, I highly, highly recommend this!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was perfect!
I loved the characters and their relationships to each other.
The magic in this was otherworldly and believable!
There was even a surprise twist that I loved!
After the twist I couldn’t stop reading and finished the end too late into the night lol
The HEA was exactly what I needed to make give this story a perfect ending!

[TiffanysBookCult · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

My heart was warmed
My eyes were misty
And my soul was moved

This is an amazing story about a Cuban American girl who finds a gold watch in an antique store and has her whole summer turned upside down. There is growth, change, first time experiences, mystery and a devastating discovery.

I was immediately immersed and didn’t want to put it down. You won’t regret picking this up.

[Anika Goyal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! The storytelling was impeccable and the characters felt so real and dynamic!! Great plot and very good execution of everything that makes a strong story!!

Highly recommend!!

[Oma · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 for making me laugh, cry, and think all in one summer’s read.

[Athena · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Emphasizes the importance on cherishing what you have!

[Elissa Frechette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written, the end made me cry. I could feel their pain as if it was my own

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully crafted in less than 300 pages.
This sucked me right in- magical coming-of-age that any of us could relate to. Penn and Sylvia will stick with me for a long time ❤️

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was actually pretty good! I don’t know if it’s 4 star or 5 star material, but I am just feeling 4 stars today. I really enjoyed this and it was pretty interesting, even though I wasn’t as into it as I wanted to be.

[Mella aka Maron]

DNF at 120pgs.

I’m calling it guys. I am SO bored. The dialogue is good but everything else is a chore to read. The issue is that the convo will start and then they just think/ramble for 2 pages and then finally what they were talking about finishes. This book really is a chore. Just when you think something cool is happening, like Del, we get a whole chapter of the FMC walking around doing nothing.

Just so much… nothing.

And I did jump to the end and read it. Honestly, it was a cool ending - but I really needed the rest of the book to be better so I could get there. 😂 Also, I feel like that particular situation has happened plenty of times in other books/movies/media and done a LOT better.

So I’m out.

[Sofie Nakken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably one of the worst books I’ve read this year, a boring recreation of Ghost Whisperer. Had it not been for the Goodreads challenge I would have never finished.

[Maya Ervin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay; I simply picked this book up to get the Hispanic Heritage bookmark. I had never heard of it before or even knew what it was about. This book was simply a wanna-be Ashley Poston book, except this was not my vibe. It seems like this caters more toward high schoolers. Cute, but not for me.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨📖 If We Never End by Laura Taylor Namey is PURE magic and I am not okay (in the best way).

Sylvie has just graduated high school and is heading to Sacred, Oregon to spend the summer with her Aunt Vivian. She’s feeling abandoned by family and friends, stuck in that strange in-between space where everything is changing and nothing feels certain. The post-grad emotions? So real.

On the way, she finds a mysterious gold watch in an antique shop. The catch? It doesn’t even work. Or at least… it doesn’t seem to. ⏳✨

Because suddenly, the second hand starts ticking.
And then Penn, a college boy, appears to Sylvie.

What follows is dreamy, romantic, and just the right amount of magical. I adored:
💛 Characters that felt authentic and layered
💛 A swoony love story that gave me butterflies
💛 The tender, beautifully written relationship between Sylvie and Aunt Vivian
💛 Anne Shirley the cat (an icon, obviously 🐈)

This story feels nostalgic and hopeful, like summer wrapped in stardust. It’s about love, timing, healing, and the unexpected ways life can surprise you.

⭐️ 4.75 stars and I’m still thinking about it.

[Beth Given · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sylvie is spending the summer after her senior year in rural Oregon, living with her aunt while her parents are working and traveling. Sylvie finds an old watch in an antique shop, and she's enchanted by it -- especially when a turn of its crown summons a boy, Penn, about her age, who is transparent and without memories. Has she met a ghost? In an effort to guide his restless spirit in moving on, Sylvie vows to help Penn rediscover his identity -- but the more time she spends with him, the more hesitant she will be to say good-bye.

I don't know if I followed every bit of this storyline (I felt like the audio narration and the writing were kind of stilted and unnatural in places), but I was still very entertained by this book, especially in the last third. I enjoyed the Cuban-American influence throughout. This was pretty fun!


Some language; mostly mild profanity but there was one f-word.

Kisses and pining; no spicy scenes.

Content warning for death of loved one.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I disliked the writing style throughout but man… that twist and ending was pretty good