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Never Lasting: An 831 Stories Romance
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26A scorching-hot romance about what happens when you break a golden rule: Don’t get hooked on your hookup.
When Lucy, a recent NYU law grad with plans to work abroad, and James, a caterer who dreams of opening a small-town restaurant, indulge in a summer fling, they know there’s an expiration date: They’ll be moving to opposite sides of the planet in six weeks. But is their fantasy sexcapade screwed when real feelings get in the way? Or do they let whatever is blossoming between them trump their career ambitions?
When Lucy, a recent NYU law grad with plans to work abroad, and James, a caterer who dreams of opening a small-town restaurant, indulge in a summer fling, they know there’s an expiration date: They’ll be moving to opposite sides of the planet in six weeks. But is their fantasy sexcapade screwed when real feelings get in the way? Or do they let whatever is blossoming between them trump their career ambitions?
- GenresRomance
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Angela Bourassa
3 books2 followersAngela is a screenwriter, mom, and mediocre-but-enthusiastic crafter. Her first feature, IF YOU WERE THE LAST, debuted at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival after making the annual Black List. Her next feature, TURN ME ON, debuted at the 2024 San Sebastian Film Festival where it won the Youth Jury Award. Her debut novella, NEVER LASTING, releases in September 2026.
Angela lives in San Diego with her husband, son, cat, and chickens.
Angela lives in San Diego with her husband, son, cat, and chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 11, 2026
4.5 ⭐️'s! this book made me realize that I'm not a prude who doesn't like one night stands and insta love, I just haven't found a book that did it incredibly and THIS DID IT!!
I'm so obsessed with how real this romance felt. the 2 main characters meet, sleep together and then decide they should call in quits because they're both leaving the state for work in a month. they can't stop thinking about each other after that so they decide to spend the month together and then break it off. the love I felt between them, actually convinced me that you can fall in love that fast.
I loved that there were so many realistic elements, to the point where they have such hectic schedules and barely have time to see eachother so they meet up at the laundromat she's washing her clothes at JUST TO WASH CLOTHES and spend time together, like that's literally it. the way they felt like they had to make the most of every second they had because time was ticking, made the stakes for this so gooood.
also I HAVE TO mention that there was a spice scene in this that had me going back and re-reading because it was that hot 😭
thank you to netgalley for providing me with this ARC, can't wait to never shut up about it now
I'm so obsessed with how real this romance felt. the 2 main characters meet, sleep together and then decide they should call in quits because they're both leaving the state for work in a month. they can't stop thinking about each other after that so they decide to spend the month together and then break it off. the love I felt between them, actually convinced me that you can fall in love that fast.
I loved that there were so many realistic elements, to the point where they have such hectic schedules and barely have time to see eachother so they meet up at the laundromat she's washing her clothes at JUST TO WASH CLOTHES and spend time together, like that's literally it. the way they felt like they had to make the most of every second they had because time was ticking, made the stakes for this so gooood.
also I HAVE TO mention that there was a spice scene in this that had me going back and re-reading because it was that hot 😭
thank you to netgalley for providing me with this ARC, can't wait to never shut up about it now
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June 26, 2026thank you 831 stories and netgalley for the digital arc!
831 stories if you black list me after this one, i get it. but i simply have to speak my truth. and the truth is that this infuriated me.
the premise here is GOOD. it sounds like a romp! a recent law school grad has a fling with a guy who’s only in the city for the summer, and they end up catching feelings. exciting! cute! so much to work with!
but here is where i’m going to start to get mean. and you know what, i’m probably gonna sound like an un-fun loser, but i feel like i am owed a simple courtesy as a reader. and that is the courtesy of a simple google search from the author.
what do you mean lucy is graduating from nyu law in JUNE?? like mid/late june at that?? if there is a law school that keeps their students that long, something is wrong with their program. but one can easily google nyu law graudation and see it happens in may, like every other law school graudation i’ve ever heard of? but this is an easy fix! change the month before this hits publication! (someone at 831 stories, i beg of you, make changes)
and then she says the bar exam is in TWO MONTHS??? hello!?? what bar is she taking??? again, one can easily google “when is the new york bar exam” and see that it’s the last tuesday and wednesday in july. but if we fix the graduation date, then lucy saying the bar exam is in two months is no big deal.
but then lucy says she started bar prep two months ago (honestly normal, i also started before graduation) and now she’s studying FIVE HOURS A DAY. and here is where my eye twitch that i had from the start of 2L until the bar exam returned for a brief visit. what do you mean FIVE HOURS??? girl, you’re gonna fail the bar. that’s not even enough time for one day of a two day simulated exam. the exam is six hours of testing in two three-hour sessions, but you’re doing five hours a day…sure.
how are you practicing your blocks of 100 multiple choice questions??? how are you doing your two MPTs or your 6 MEEs??? where is lucy’s bar prep company’s representative explaining that the course demands 10-12 hours per day, 7 days a week? where is the mental breakdown over the nonsense that is property law? where is the headache of teaching oneself secured transactions? what does lucy know about attachment and perfection!! don’t even get me started on wills and estates!! we hear all about how she wants to practice international law. ok girl, go write an essay on subject matter jurisdiction *now*!! tell me the rules for where venue is proper, quickly!!!
and are these specifics necessary? no. but as a reader, i am operating under the assumption that the author is making deliberate choices in their writing. so when these choices don’t make sense or are just blatantly unrealistic (and can be fixed with a simple google!!), it seems lazy. like, has the author never spoken to someone who has taken the bar exam before? because former law students are very annoying and love the opportunity to talk about themselves, so i’m sure literally any of them could have explained what their bar summer was like. or even just peruse bar prep reddit!! i would never recommend that to someone actively preparing for the bar, but if you want to see the full spectrum of recent law grads going through it, that’s your place.
so i have to ask, why was lucy a recent law grad at all? what value does this timeline have on her character? why couldn’t this have taken place a year after graduation after she had taken the bar, when she is suddenly offered this exciting opportunity that will take her abroad?
and THEN (spoilers i guess, but who cares if you’ve made it this far lol), lucy moves to the netherlands WITHOUT TAKING THE BAR. and this is a choice the author made!! to have her move without closing the loop on THE ENTIRE POINT OF GOING TO LAW SCHOOL. there would be no internship at the hague that would coincide with lucy taking the bar in the states. there would be no law firm job without her taking the bar exam. most law firms are giving law grads the summer off to take the bar (or maybe having them work part-time, but still), and THEN they start after the bar. and some of these offers are contingent upon PASSING the bar! and lucy sure as hell can’t pass the bar because she never took it!!
and her law firm just happens to ask what office she would like to work in, new york or portland? hm i don’t know, what bar exam did you register for? probably new york, right? because that’s where you live? and you went to nyu? so presumably you’re taking the new york bar? that would make sense, huh? so if you’re looking to go to the portland office you better make sure you can transfer your UBE score (again, a simple google) and that new york’s passing score would let you practice in oregon, too (don’t worry, i looked it up and they both have the same score requirement because i utilize the research tools at my disposal).
so i think that my concludes my bar prep related complaints. perhaps i care too much about the details here, and that’s fair if nobody else cares. but i am just asking the author to craft a story. and when the universe of that story is flimsy and easily picked apart, the whole thing loses credibility for me. so now i’m just accepting that this is make believe land where none of the stakes matter and these problems and concerns are not real. and now i don’t care about the characters!
so tldr care about your universe! it impacts your characters! and if you want me as the reader to care about any of it, you have to care about all of it!!!
when i wasn’t distracted by the jaws music playing in my head at an increasingly louder volume with each chapter that lucy wasn’t preparing for the bar exam, the romance itself actually wasn’t that bad. did they get annoying in the second half? absolutely. but when i think of the context that nobody preparing for the bar exam is their best selves, i give lucy a little grace.
and i think that would be interesting to explore! like how does this stressful summer of bar prep and other post-grad responsibilities make a summer fling seem enticing at first (yay distraction), but then as the fling becomes something more serious, the stress compounds and manifests as tension in the relationship. but unfortunately so many of these threads were dropped or just flat out not explored.
and james honestly was just kind of there, too. maybe that isn’t giving him enough credit. i did like james as a foil to lucy. i like that they disagreed, i like that they pushed each other’s expectations of what they wanted from their lives, and i like that they LIKED each other.
where these novellas tend to lose me is the rush to fall in love. like what do you mean you started falling in love on your first date? i can only roll my eyes so much, y’all, i’m going to strain something. i just wish we could let the characters LIKE each other. i actually don’t need them to fall in love in two weeks! that’s fine! it’s enough for me that they care about each other and are treating each other well! the dramatic love confessions can wait!! i’ll even accept a sappy epilogue instead!! just let them have fun!!
i could go on but i fear i’ve already said too much. if anybody in the editing department over at 831 stories would like to talk about how to improve this book, hit my line!! we have time before the publication date!! you could even find somebody in the midst of bar prep right now because again, the bar exam is the last tuesday and wednesday in july!!
831 stories if you black list me after this one, i get it. but i simply have to speak my truth. and the truth is that this infuriated me.
the premise here is GOOD. it sounds like a romp! a recent law school grad has a fling with a guy who’s only in the city for the summer, and they end up catching feelings. exciting! cute! so much to work with!
but here is where i’m going to start to get mean. and you know what, i’m probably gonna sound like an un-fun loser, but i feel like i am owed a simple courtesy as a reader. and that is the courtesy of a simple google search from the author.
what do you mean lucy is graduating from nyu law in JUNE?? like mid/late june at that?? if there is a law school that keeps their students that long, something is wrong with their program. but one can easily google nyu law graudation and see it happens in may, like every other law school graudation i’ve ever heard of? but this is an easy fix! change the month before this hits publication! (someone at 831 stories, i beg of you, make changes)
and then she says the bar exam is in TWO MONTHS??? hello!?? what bar is she taking??? again, one can easily google “when is the new york bar exam” and see that it’s the last tuesday and wednesday in july. but if we fix the graduation date, then lucy saying the bar exam is in two months is no big deal.
but then lucy says she started bar prep two months ago (honestly normal, i also started before graduation) and now she’s studying FIVE HOURS A DAY. and here is where my eye twitch that i had from the start of 2L until the bar exam returned for a brief visit. what do you mean FIVE HOURS??? girl, you’re gonna fail the bar. that’s not even enough time for one day of a two day simulated exam. the exam is six hours of testing in two three-hour sessions, but you’re doing five hours a day…sure.
how are you practicing your blocks of 100 multiple choice questions??? how are you doing your two MPTs or your 6 MEEs??? where is lucy’s bar prep company’s representative explaining that the course demands 10-12 hours per day, 7 days a week? where is the mental breakdown over the nonsense that is property law? where is the headache of teaching oneself secured transactions? what does lucy know about attachment and perfection!! don’t even get me started on wills and estates!! we hear all about how she wants to practice international law. ok girl, go write an essay on subject matter jurisdiction *now*!! tell me the rules for where venue is proper, quickly!!!
and are these specifics necessary? no. but as a reader, i am operating under the assumption that the author is making deliberate choices in their writing. so when these choices don’t make sense or are just blatantly unrealistic (and can be fixed with a simple google!!), it seems lazy. like, has the author never spoken to someone who has taken the bar exam before? because former law students are very annoying and love the opportunity to talk about themselves, so i’m sure literally any of them could have explained what their bar summer was like. or even just peruse bar prep reddit!! i would never recommend that to someone actively preparing for the bar, but if you want to see the full spectrum of recent law grads going through it, that’s your place.
so i have to ask, why was lucy a recent law grad at all? what value does this timeline have on her character? why couldn’t this have taken place a year after graduation after she had taken the bar, when she is suddenly offered this exciting opportunity that will take her abroad?
and THEN (spoilers i guess, but who cares if you’ve made it this far lol), lucy moves to the netherlands WITHOUT TAKING THE BAR. and this is a choice the author made!! to have her move without closing the loop on THE ENTIRE POINT OF GOING TO LAW SCHOOL. there would be no internship at the hague that would coincide with lucy taking the bar in the states. there would be no law firm job without her taking the bar exam. most law firms are giving law grads the summer off to take the bar (or maybe having them work part-time, but still), and THEN they start after the bar. and some of these offers are contingent upon PASSING the bar! and lucy sure as hell can’t pass the bar because she never took it!!
and her law firm just happens to ask what office she would like to work in, new york or portland? hm i don’t know, what bar exam did you register for? probably new york, right? because that’s where you live? and you went to nyu? so presumably you’re taking the new york bar? that would make sense, huh? so if you’re looking to go to the portland office you better make sure you can transfer your UBE score (again, a simple google) and that new york’s passing score would let you practice in oregon, too (don’t worry, i looked it up and they both have the same score requirement because i utilize the research tools at my disposal).
so i think that my concludes my bar prep related complaints. perhaps i care too much about the details here, and that’s fair if nobody else cares. but i am just asking the author to craft a story. and when the universe of that story is flimsy and easily picked apart, the whole thing loses credibility for me. so now i’m just accepting that this is make believe land where none of the stakes matter and these problems and concerns are not real. and now i don’t care about the characters!
so tldr care about your universe! it impacts your characters! and if you want me as the reader to care about any of it, you have to care about all of it!!!
when i wasn’t distracted by the jaws music playing in my head at an increasingly louder volume with each chapter that lucy wasn’t preparing for the bar exam, the romance itself actually wasn’t that bad. did they get annoying in the second half? absolutely. but when i think of the context that nobody preparing for the bar exam is their best selves, i give lucy a little grace.
and i think that would be interesting to explore! like how does this stressful summer of bar prep and other post-grad responsibilities make a summer fling seem enticing at first (yay distraction), but then as the fling becomes something more serious, the stress compounds and manifests as tension in the relationship. but unfortunately so many of these threads were dropped or just flat out not explored.
and james honestly was just kind of there, too. maybe that isn’t giving him enough credit. i did like james as a foil to lucy. i like that they disagreed, i like that they pushed each other’s expectations of what they wanted from their lives, and i like that they LIKED each other.
where these novellas tend to lose me is the rush to fall in love. like what do you mean you started falling in love on your first date? i can only roll my eyes so much, y’all, i’m going to strain something. i just wish we could let the characters LIKE each other. i actually don’t need them to fall in love in two weeks! that’s fine! it’s enough for me that they care about each other and are treating each other well! the dramatic love confessions can wait!! i’ll even accept a sappy epilogue instead!! just let them have fun!!
i could go on but i fear i’ve already said too much. if anybody in the editing department over at 831 stories would like to talk about how to improve this book, hit my line!! we have time before the publication date!! you could even find somebody in the midst of bar prep right now because again, the bar exam is the last tuesday and wednesday in july!!
June 27, 2026
Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the arc!
Rtc
Rtc
June 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for approving me for the eARC.
This novella packs a punch with the emotions and tension between the two MCs. I love how they were written, they were so relatable. The chemistry and banter between Lucy and James is perfect and I was beaming at a lot of the dialogue between them.
There were swoony moments, a moment that made me almost spray tea from my nose it was so funny and there were tears.
There was a point that I was like omg just talk to each other but then the impact at the end wouldn’t have been the same. It was simply perfect.
Predictable but I still loved it! I can’t wait to see what this author does next!
This novella packs a punch with the emotions and tension between the two MCs. I love how they were written, they were so relatable. The chemistry and banter between Lucy and James is perfect and I was beaming at a lot of the dialogue between them.
There were swoony moments, a moment that made me almost spray tea from my nose it was so funny and there were tears.
There was a point that I was like omg just talk to each other but then the impact at the end wouldn’t have been the same. It was simply perfect.
Predictable but I still loved it! I can’t wait to see what this author does next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2026
devoured this in one sitting!! bourassa packs so much emotional weight into ~250 pages, like lucy’s grief over celebrating and navigating life without her mom, james’ self-doubt, and the gnawing hope that things will work out as they’re meant to. the characters were smart and charming with depth and soooo much chemistry (the spice was HOT), but the very best part for me was the reality of it all. falling in love doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it happens alongside all the messy, heavy, human shit we’re already carrying and that was so true for james and lucy. what a great debut, i can’t wait to see what bourassa writes next.
i received this ARC in exchange for an honest review, thanks @831stories
i received this ARC in exchange for an honest review, thanks @831stories
July 23, 2026
Another hot little romance from 831 Stories!! I loved this! This is such a fun and spicy summer romance! Their romance felt so real and I loved them so much! 🥹
They have so many reasons they shouldn’t be together and they keep saying it’s a one time thing, BUT they just can’t help themselves!! Ahh this had me kicking my feet and giggling while simultaneously wanting to shake Lucy and James because they need to be together!!
This book deals with so much and it does such a beautiful job at balancing everything. Lucy is dealing with so much grief and her and James are both trying to follow their dreams will still being together.
I absolutely loved this book and how everything came together! The last chapter was perfection and ahh so good! I will definitely be recommending!
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
They have so many reasons they shouldn’t be together and they keep saying it’s a one time thing, BUT they just can’t help themselves!! Ahh this had me kicking my feet and giggling while simultaneously wanting to shake Lucy and James because they need to be together!!
This book deals with so much and it does such a beautiful job at balancing everything. Lucy is dealing with so much grief and her and James are both trying to follow their dreams will still being together.
I absolutely loved this book and how everything came together! The last chapter was perfection and ahh so good! I will definitely be recommending!
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 24, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ super fun, short novella rounded down to a 3! For a debut, this was nothing short of amazing. I love me a good novella, but these two characters were full of so much life I could read not just one book, but multiple about them! They were truly so adorable and I wanted to learn more about their lives, their travels, their future. I’ll have to settle for this… I can’t wait to see what’s next!
July 9, 2026
Took me a bit to get into the alternating perspectives, which imho were a little too frequent at first but I also understand why that was necessary to establish the characters. Ultimately a sweet story with good character development!
June 28, 2026
1.5 ★
831, i love you. please don’t blacklist me, but i fear this one was not for me.
i usually tear through these novellas but, between the insta love storyline and the writing style, i found myself struggling to pick this one up.
thank you 831 stories and netgalley for the e-arc🖤
831, i love you. please don’t blacklist me, but i fear this one was not for me.
i usually tear through these novellas but, between the insta love storyline and the writing style, i found myself struggling to pick this one up.
thank you 831 stories and netgalley for the e-arc🖤
June 17, 2026
I probably would have enjoyed if I was 19.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another huge win for 831 Stories! I genuinely do not know how they do it, but I have never trusted a publisher as much as I do them when it comes to finding romances that I just know I will enjoy. I felt so giddy reading Never Lasting by Angela Bourassa. While every girl I know craves a book-style summer romance, the way Bourassa fully captured the anxious-avoidant attachment style made me feel incredibly seen. I also loved that anxiety and avoidance were treated as obstacles that could be overcome with love and time. I am a massive fan.
The story puts us right in the middle of what is supposed to be Lucy's proudest day, her law school graduation, yet she is feeling her lowest as the loss of her mother sinks in. After she gathers her wits, she meets her best friend's cousin, James, who is everything she needs in that moment. A perfect date leads to them realizing this once-in-a-lifetime romance has a strict deadline, as their careers will take them to opposite ends of the globe in six weeks. This is a novel about grief, letting down your walls, and refusing to give up on your dreams.
I appreciated this novella for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that it felt real in a way that many romances, especially ones with page constraints, do not. I also loved that neither James nor Lucy gave up their personal dreams and ideals to be together. Would it have been easier to forgo the Hague and take the cushy Portland job? Yes, 100%. However, giving up everything you have worked toward for a person, even if they are your soulmate, will only breed resentment.
This novella gave me hope as an anxiously avoidant person with family issues that I, too, will one day find love. It honestly means the world to me when I can see the parts of myself that I am embarrassed about reflected in a character who still gets a happy ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.
The story puts us right in the middle of what is supposed to be Lucy's proudest day, her law school graduation, yet she is feeling her lowest as the loss of her mother sinks in. After she gathers her wits, she meets her best friend's cousin, James, who is everything she needs in that moment. A perfect date leads to them realizing this once-in-a-lifetime romance has a strict deadline, as their careers will take them to opposite ends of the globe in six weeks. This is a novel about grief, letting down your walls, and refusing to give up on your dreams.
I appreciated this novella for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that it felt real in a way that many romances, especially ones with page constraints, do not. I also loved that neither James nor Lucy gave up their personal dreams and ideals to be together. Would it have been easier to forgo the Hague and take the cushy Portland job? Yes, 100%. However, giving up everything you have worked toward for a person, even if they are your soulmate, will only breed resentment.
This novella gave me hope as an anxiously avoidant person with family issues that I, too, will one day find love. It honestly means the world to me when I can see the parts of myself that I am embarrassed about reflected in a character who still gets a happy ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
At this point, I am a sucker for anything from 831 Stories, and Never Lasting was no exception.
This is a quick, steamy, summer-fling novella built around one of romance’s most reliable famous last words: it’s just a hookup. Lucy and James know they have six weeks before their lives pull them in completely opposite directions. She is a recent NYU law grad with plans abroad; he is a caterer dreaming of opening a small-town restaurant. It should be simple, temporary, very adult, very reasonable.
Naturally, it is none of those things.
What works so well here is the heat and immediacy. Never Lasting knows exactly what kind of story it is: short, sexy, emotionally heightened, and designed to drop you right into that dangerous little window where a fling starts feeling a lot less casual than anyone agreed to. Lucy and James have great chemistry, and the novella format gives their connection a compressed, almost vacation-romance intensity that makes the stakes feel urgent even when the setup is simple.
That said, I do think this is the kind of book where reader expectations matter. There are some logistics and real-life timing details that require a little willingness to go with the flow. If you are looking for deeply practical life planning, career realism, and a spreadsheet-approved romantic arc, this may ask you to unclench a bit. But if you go in expecting a fun, spicy, emotionally direct novella about two people making a mess of the “don’t catch feelings” rule, it absolutely delivers.
This was a fast, enjoyable read with plenty of chemistry and that signature 831 Stories bite-sized romance appeal. Not necessarily one to overthink, but definitely one to enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This is a quick, steamy, summer-fling novella built around one of romance’s most reliable famous last words: it’s just a hookup. Lucy and James know they have six weeks before their lives pull them in completely opposite directions. She is a recent NYU law grad with plans abroad; he is a caterer dreaming of opening a small-town restaurant. It should be simple, temporary, very adult, very reasonable.
Naturally, it is none of those things.
What works so well here is the heat and immediacy. Never Lasting knows exactly what kind of story it is: short, sexy, emotionally heightened, and designed to drop you right into that dangerous little window where a fling starts feeling a lot less casual than anyone agreed to. Lucy and James have great chemistry, and the novella format gives their connection a compressed, almost vacation-romance intensity that makes the stakes feel urgent even when the setup is simple.
That said, I do think this is the kind of book where reader expectations matter. There are some logistics and real-life timing details that require a little willingness to go with the flow. If you are looking for deeply practical life planning, career realism, and a spreadsheet-approved romantic arc, this may ask you to unclench a bit. But if you go in expecting a fun, spicy, emotionally direct novella about two people making a mess of the “don’t catch feelings” rule, it absolutely delivers.
This was a fast, enjoyable read with plenty of chemistry and that signature 831 Stories bite-sized romance appeal. Not necessarily one to overthink, but definitely one to enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a nice short read with very interesting characters, though it would have definitely found its home better in a novel instead of a novella.
I liked both James and Lucy in the sense that they are very different from one another, so getting to see how they connect and how they still work despite their differences, was very lovely to read about. I felt their chemistry, but I wasn’t all that convinced they were falling in love. It felt a little more tell than show most of the time. The conflict with their diverging career goals worked very well too and it ends in a realistic way, but with this being a novella, I feel like it becomes dissatisfying not getting to see them actually do the hard work to maintain their relationship. Sure, we see them run into conflict in the story with one another, but what it’s all building to ends up feeling lackluster.
I liked that we got both of their POVs, but often, this switched between them too much, too many times within the same chapter. Sometimes it would be only two paragraphs of one of their POVs then switched. There were so many moments between them I wanted to sit in for longer, but instead we just told them and moved on.
It’s a nice read if you want something short but it is also bogged down by the fact of its format. You will feel chemistry between the characters, even if the love is a little less convincing, and they offer up some interesting themes about career and love.
Thank you to NetGalley & 831 Stories for the ARC!!! Book publishes Sept. 22, 2026!
I liked both James and Lucy in the sense that they are very different from one another, so getting to see how they connect and how they still work despite their differences, was very lovely to read about. I felt their chemistry, but I wasn’t all that convinced they were falling in love. It felt a little more tell than show most of the time. The conflict with their diverging career goals worked very well too and it ends in a realistic way, but with this being a novella, I feel like it becomes dissatisfying not getting to see them actually do the hard work to maintain their relationship. Sure, we see them run into conflict in the story with one another, but what it’s all building to ends up feeling lackluster.
I liked that we got both of their POVs, but often, this switched between them too much, too many times within the same chapter. Sometimes it would be only two paragraphs of one of their POVs then switched. There were so many moments between them I wanted to sit in for longer, but instead we just told them and moved on.
It’s a nice read if you want something short but it is also bogged down by the fact of its format. You will feel chemistry between the characters, even if the love is a little less convincing, and they offer up some interesting themes about career and love.
Thank you to NetGalley & 831 Stories for the ARC!!! Book publishes Sept. 22, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Here I come again with another raving review about my favorite publishers and their impeccable curation skills. This is an incredible debut.
I will admit I’m starting to have favorites as I read more stories from 831. This one had all the right ingredients and was a perfect romance in itself, but I was still left hoping for more.
Most of my disappointment comes from the fact that I had a certain expectation from the start. That is on me. I have done it before when reading other novels. I probably will do it again. I just can’t help it; when I connect to a writing style, my brain goes on its own little journey and ofc that leaves room for disappointment. Much like the FMC and MMC in this novel who are constantly disappointing each other and themselves.
I think I struggled with the characters because they suffered a lot of tumult, but it was entirely self-inflicted. There was no irresolvable stimulus causing them to suffer—just their own stubborn-headed decisions & contrived circumstances based on the latter.
However, they did have an entertaining dynamic and it is interesting to watch how they navigate their relationship.
I enjoyed the buildup and the emotional chemistry between them. They had fun banter and an easy-going dynamic (when they chose to enjoy themselves).
I did wish that I could have experienced a little bit more of the after, but I was still very happy at the end nonetheless.
I will admit I’m starting to have favorites as I read more stories from 831. This one had all the right ingredients and was a perfect romance in itself, but I was still left hoping for more.
Most of my disappointment comes from the fact that I had a certain expectation from the start. That is on me. I have done it before when reading other novels. I probably will do it again. I just can’t help it; when I connect to a writing style, my brain goes on its own little journey and ofc that leaves room for disappointment. Much like the FMC and MMC in this novel who are constantly disappointing each other and themselves.
I think I struggled with the characters because they suffered a lot of tumult, but it was entirely self-inflicted. There was no irresolvable stimulus causing them to suffer—just their own stubborn-headed decisions & contrived circumstances based on the latter.
However, they did have an entertaining dynamic and it is interesting to watch how they navigate their relationship.
I enjoyed the buildup and the emotional chemistry between them. They had fun banter and an easy-going dynamic (when they chose to enjoy themselves).
I did wish that I could have experienced a little bit more of the after, but I was still very happy at the end nonetheless.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
a very quick & enjoyable read! this is pretty immersive and easy to get through. the writing flows nicely and pulls you in from the start. lucy and james both have very clear narrative voices, which i enjoyed, especially given that this is a dual pov novella. that being said, i kind of wish we weren't jumping back and forth between the two every few pages, it was kind of jarring sometimes. the other thing that didn't exactly work for me is the insta-love/attraction between the two, which is a personal preference; i'm sure it would work for some. for me, it just fell a little flat, and i didn't feel particularly moved by the connection between them, but then again this is a novella, there's only so much you can pack in 240 pages.
i did like the setting of their relationship a lot, the themes of grief and navigating life and love and do you have to give up on career opportunities for the sake of romantic relationships, but i wish there'd been a bit more substance to it, or at least that things would have unfolded in a less predictable way. honestly, i would have mostly likely enjoyed this a great deal more if it was longer & we'd gotten the chance to spend more time with these characters.
still, this was enjoyable, and i'm sure this will be loved by many! it's a promising debut.
huge thanks to 831 Stories Romance and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC. all thoughts & opinions are my own.
i did like the setting of their relationship a lot, the themes of grief and navigating life and love and do you have to give up on career opportunities for the sake of romantic relationships, but i wish there'd been a bit more substance to it, or at least that things would have unfolded in a less predictable way. honestly, i would have mostly likely enjoyed this a great deal more if it was longer & we'd gotten the chance to spend more time with these characters.
still, this was enjoyable, and i'm sure this will be loved by many! it's a promising debut.
huge thanks to 831 Stories Romance and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC. all thoughts & opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There's something particularly cruel about a love story that comes with an expiration date built in from the start. Never Lasting understands that cruelty intimately, and it weaponizes it beautifully.
What makes this book work is how the author doesn't shy away from the stupidity of falling in love when you've explicitly agreed not to. There's no magical solution where one person suddenly wants to follow the other across the world. There's no grand compromise that solves everything. There's just two people who want incompatible things finding themselves deeply tangled up in each other anyway.
The chemistry between Lupe and James is genuine, but it's the emotional vulnerability that lands harder. They're both trying so hard not to catch feelings, and that effort itself becomes part of their connection. The best scenes are the quiet ones where they're both aware of what's happening and powerless to stop it.
The tension comes from knowing how this ends. Not because of plot mechanics or external conflict, but because of simple, brutal incompatibility. One of them will leave, and leaving will hurt, and there's no way around that truth.
This is a romance for readers who understand that love doesn't always fix everything, and sometimes the most important relationships are the ones that don't work out anyway.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
What makes this book work is how the author doesn't shy away from the stupidity of falling in love when you've explicitly agreed not to. There's no magical solution where one person suddenly wants to follow the other across the world. There's no grand compromise that solves everything. There's just two people who want incompatible things finding themselves deeply tangled up in each other anyway.
The chemistry between Lupe and James is genuine, but it's the emotional vulnerability that lands harder. They're both trying so hard not to catch feelings, and that effort itself becomes part of their connection. The best scenes are the quiet ones where they're both aware of what's happening and powerless to stop it.
The tension comes from knowing how this ends. Not because of plot mechanics or external conflict, but because of simple, brutal incompatibility. One of them will leave, and leaving will hurt, and there's no way around that truth.
This is a romance for readers who understand that love doesn't always fix everything, and sometimes the most important relationships are the ones that don't work out anyway.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lucy and James meet on the night of her law school graduation, six weeks before they are both planning to leave NYC and move to opposite sides of the globe. Not only will they be moving apart but they have very different visions for their futures. Lucy wants to travel and James wants to settle down in his small hometown and put down roots. What starts as a fling quickly develops into so much more. In an attempt to save themselves from heartache their relationship turns into quite a rollercoaster; the question remains will their instincts to protect themselves outweigh the pull to be together?
I loved this book. James and Lucy's banter and chemistry pulled me in right from the start. I was rooting for them, even while supporting their need to be independent and not give up their individual goals. Never Lasting never feels lacking even though it is only 250-ish pages. I felt like the characters were all fully formed and their relationship felt real and not too insta-lovey. Kudos to the folks at 831 for realizing not all great books have to be 400+ pages! Can't wait to see what Angela Bourassa writes next.
Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC!
I loved this book. James and Lucy's banter and chemistry pulled me in right from the start. I was rooting for them, even while supporting their need to be independent and not give up their individual goals. Never Lasting never feels lacking even though it is only 250-ish pages. I felt like the characters were all fully formed and their relationship felt real and not too insta-lovey. Kudos to the folks at 831 for realizing not all great books have to be 400+ pages! Can't wait to see what Angela Bourassa writes next.
Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC!
July 12, 2026
I thought this was fine! I usually devour anything 831 Stories, this one fell a little flat for me. Still very readable and it packs a lot in to a novella, but I didn't really feel anything for either of our MCs. Lucy is a recent law school grad, and James is a chef, and her best friend's cousin. They fall in insta-love and spend the summer stuck between "Is this a fling?" or "Is this something more?" Our primary tension is that Lucy wants to travel the world and is planning a move to the Netherlands for a prestigious clerkship in six weeks; James likes to plant roots, and is moving back to his hometown in Oregon to open a restaurant. How can they possibly last with such diverging paths? In the epilogue we find out that they're still together three years later, having navigated their differing career and life journeys - I kind of wish book had spanned the course of those three years, showing us all of the ups and downs, instead of just one summer. I'd love to read more from Bourassa - maybe a full-length novel is in her future! Thank you 831 Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*ARC Review*
First of all, thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I genuinely enjoyed reading this one.
James (the MMC) was a walking green flag and a breath of fresh air. Not once throughout this entire novella did he pressure Lucy (the FMC) in any way. He just let her be and let her figure things out on her own, and I loved that.
Lucy felt incredibly human, real, and relatable. I loved how both characters kept battling with what to say and what not to say because we all do that. That internal push and pull felt so authentic.
I also loved how I genuinely didn’t know till the very end if they were going to end up together or not.
What impressed me most is that despite being a short story, it didn’t lack anything a full-sized novel would give you. The emotions, the tension, and the connection were there.
It was such a fun and easy read that I finished it without even realizing how fast I flew through it.
Highly recommend. Can’t wait to see what Angela Bourassa writes next.
First of all, thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I genuinely enjoyed reading this one.
James (the MMC) was a walking green flag and a breath of fresh air. Not once throughout this entire novella did he pressure Lucy (the FMC) in any way. He just let her be and let her figure things out on her own, and I loved that.
Lucy felt incredibly human, real, and relatable. I loved how both characters kept battling with what to say and what not to say because we all do that. That internal push and pull felt so authentic.
I also loved how I genuinely didn’t know till the very end if they were going to end up together or not.
What impressed me most is that despite being a short story, it didn’t lack anything a full-sized novel would give you. The emotions, the tension, and the connection were there.
It was such a fun and easy read that I finished it without even realizing how fast I flew through it.
Highly recommend. Can’t wait to see what Angela Bourassa writes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the advanced reader copy
When Lupe and James meet at her law school graduation (he's there to celebrate his cousin, who is also Lupe's best friend), they think it's the beginning of a fun summer fling. After all, they are both planning to leave NYC in 6 weeks--her to the Hague, to start an international law internship, and him back to Oregon, where he hopes to open his own restaurant. But each moment they spend together draws them closer and closer, forcing them to reckon with their different life plans.
831 stories are always hit or miss for me and, luckily, this one was a hit. Lupe and James are sufficiently flawed in ways that makes the conflict keeping them apart feel real and not like a plot device from the author. Their time together reflects their youth and lack of money in a way that felt authentic but didn't drag down the romance. The ending felt a little too neatly wrapped up, in terms of getting to the HEA, but that's a small quibble for a well-written, enjoyable read.
Never Lasting is out September 22, 2026
When Lupe and James meet at her law school graduation (he's there to celebrate his cousin, who is also Lupe's best friend), they think it's the beginning of a fun summer fling. After all, they are both planning to leave NYC in 6 weeks--her to the Hague, to start an international law internship, and him back to Oregon, where he hopes to open his own restaurant. But each moment they spend together draws them closer and closer, forcing them to reckon with their different life plans.
831 stories are always hit or miss for me and, luckily, this one was a hit. Lupe and James are sufficiently flawed in ways that makes the conflict keeping them apart feel real and not like a plot device from the author. Their time together reflects their youth and lack of money in a way that felt authentic but didn't drag down the romance. The ending felt a little too neatly wrapped up, in terms of getting to the HEA, but that's a small quibble for a well-written, enjoyable read.
Never Lasting is out September 22, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*3.5
i do think this slightly suffered from being on the shorter side. i know that’s the point of 831 stories, but my enjoyment is somewhat dampened when the romantic development happens so quickly. however, this book actually does take place over only a couple of months, so maybe that’s just the nature of this story. i also didn’t love the back-and-forth about whether the characters wanted to be together for the summer or not, but it all worked out in the end.
that’s not to say i didn’t enjoy it though! this was a really easy read, and i think that’s why i continue to appreciate 831 stories even though they typically have less development than full length novels. i also liked the main couple: i thought they had great chemistry and it was refreshing to see them deal with the struggles of life while forming a connection. so even though i think this would’ve been a little better if it was more fleshed out, the writing itself did stick out to me!
thank you to netgalley and 831 stories for the arc!
i do think this slightly suffered from being on the shorter side. i know that’s the point of 831 stories, but my enjoyment is somewhat dampened when the romantic development happens so quickly. however, this book actually does take place over only a couple of months, so maybe that’s just the nature of this story. i also didn’t love the back-and-forth about whether the characters wanted to be together for the summer or not, but it all worked out in the end.
that’s not to say i didn’t enjoy it though! this was a really easy read, and i think that’s why i continue to appreciate 831 stories even though they typically have less development than full length novels. i also liked the main couple: i thought they had great chemistry and it was refreshing to see them deal with the struggles of life while forming a connection. so even though i think this would’ve been a little better if it was more fleshed out, the writing itself did stick out to me!
thank you to netgalley and 831 stories for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc.
I ended up reading Never Lasting in two quick sessions, but honestly, it’s the kind of fast-paced, addictive book you could easily inhale in one sitting.
It is such a great romance! It definitely leans into the "insta-love" vibe, which I actually really enjoyed here because Angela Bourassa handles it so well. My absolute favorite part, though, was how mature the characters were. It was so incredibly refreshing to read a romance where the couple actually works through things like normal people, without relying on an annoying miscommunication trope or some totally ridiculous, manufactured drama to force them apart.
Lucy and James have so much genuine depth and chemistry. They are dealing with some heavy, real-life stuff, like Lucy navigating her grief after losing her mom, but they are just so adorable together that you instantly want to root for them and see where their future takes them.
For a debut novella, this was fantastic. If you want a quick, sweet, and spicy read that skips the frustrating tropes, definitely pick this one up!
I ended up reading Never Lasting in two quick sessions, but honestly, it’s the kind of fast-paced, addictive book you could easily inhale in one sitting.
It is such a great romance! It definitely leans into the "insta-love" vibe, which I actually really enjoyed here because Angela Bourassa handles it so well. My absolute favorite part, though, was how mature the characters were. It was so incredibly refreshing to read a romance where the couple actually works through things like normal people, without relying on an annoying miscommunication trope or some totally ridiculous, manufactured drama to force them apart.
Lucy and James have so much genuine depth and chemistry. They are dealing with some heavy, real-life stuff, like Lucy navigating her grief after losing her mom, but they are just so adorable together that you instantly want to root for them and see where their future takes them.
For a debut novella, this was fantastic. If you want a quick, sweet, and spicy read that skips the frustrating tropes, definitely pick this one up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Anything set in NYC is already an automatic win for me. The thing that really made this book stand out was the way it integrated so many realistic moments throughout the story. I understand these books are fiction, but when there is real conflict or emotion portrayed in a story (even if it's uncomfortable or unpleasant), i love that because you know what? That's life. The chaotic schedules and barely being able to see each other/seeing each other like passing ships in the night was suuuuch a real thing. The emotional turmoil and heavy topics unpacked such as grief in such a short number of pages was executed flawlessly by Angela. I adored that neither James or Lucy had to sacrifice their careers or dreams for the sake of being together. This story showed that it's ok to prioritise yourself first and what you want, then, whatever is meant to be, will be.
Another great 831 novel and absolutely recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley, 831 Stories and Angela for an advanced copy of this book.
Another great 831 novel and absolutely recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley, 831 Stories and Angela for an advanced copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"A scorching-hot romance about what happens when you break a golden rule: Don’t get hooked on your hookup.
When Lucy, a recent NYU law grad with plans to work abroad, and James, a caterer who dreams of opening a small-town restaurant, indulge in a summer fling, they know there’s an expiration date: They’ll be moving to opposite sides of the planet in six weeks. But is their fantasy sexcapade screwed when real feelings get in the way? Or do they let whatever is blossoming between them trump their career ambitions?"
What a fun, easy romance, that is perfectly devoured/best enjoyed on one nice sunny Sunday afternoon, like I did. Lucy and James' love story is very Before Sunrise-Coded and I mean that as a total compliment. You get the sense that they are growing up and finding themselves in real time and it makes their mistakes really tender and their romance a thing you want them to protect.
Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC!
When Lucy, a recent NYU law grad with plans to work abroad, and James, a caterer who dreams of opening a small-town restaurant, indulge in a summer fling, they know there’s an expiration date: They’ll be moving to opposite sides of the planet in six weeks. But is their fantasy sexcapade screwed when real feelings get in the way? Or do they let whatever is blossoming between them trump their career ambitions?"
What a fun, easy romance, that is perfectly devoured/best enjoyed on one nice sunny Sunday afternoon, like I did. Lucy and James' love story is very Before Sunrise-Coded and I mean that as a total compliment. You get the sense that they are growing up and finding themselves in real time and it makes their mistakes really tender and their romance a thing you want them to protect.
Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for this Advanced Readers Copy! Never Lasting was a cute story. I loved that Lucy was a badass lawyer who had similar future dreams as me. Having an fmc who has grand dreams and doesn't want a traditional life and career was so refreshing. Novellas are a bit hit and miss for me, since I traditionally prefer a second chance story, or at least a slow burn to get that proper yearning feel in a love story. In Never Lasting, Lucy and James had a nice connection and the story was really fast paced. I also loved that the lesson from the story was that love isn't a weakness and love + career doesn't have to mean sacrificing one or the other. Still, I didn't feel that "WOW" connection between them, or really understand where the really quick love connection came from, which is why Never Lasting gets a 6.5/10.
July 28, 2026
Thank you to 831 Stories for the ARC!
3⭐️
Angela Bourassa’s Never Lasting is a sweet but ultimately forgettable story, not sure of what it wanted to be or what it wanted to say. It tried to tell too big of a story for a novella, so the characters felt underdeveloped and their motivations were at once predictable yet confusing.
The dialogue was heavy-handed and there were wayyyyy too many adverbs and italics and exclamation marks telling us wayyyyy too much. Which, after discovering the author is mostly a screenwriter who probably specializes in dialogue and parentheticals, made sense but really didn’t translate well for a novel. Look, F Scott Fitzgerald didn’t say that using an exclamation point "is like laughing at your own joke” for nothing…
I’ve been enjoying the majority of the novellas coming out of this imprint but this one was a miss for me.
3⭐️
Angela Bourassa’s Never Lasting is a sweet but ultimately forgettable story, not sure of what it wanted to be or what it wanted to say. It tried to tell too big of a story for a novella, so the characters felt underdeveloped and their motivations were at once predictable yet confusing.
The dialogue was heavy-handed and there were wayyyyy too many adverbs and italics and exclamation marks telling us wayyyyy too much. Which, after discovering the author is mostly a screenwriter who probably specializes in dialogue and parentheticals, made sense but really didn’t translate well for a novel. Look, F Scott Fitzgerald didn’t say that using an exclamation point "is like laughing at your own joke” for nothing…
I’ve been enjoying the majority of the novellas coming out of this imprint but this one was a miss for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I quite enjoyed this story! I really related to Lucy and her thought process. It’s always scary to fall in love especially when you been independent for a while. On the day of her graduation, Lucy meets James, her best friend cousin who is visiting New York for the summer before going back to Oregon to open a restaurant. Lucy and James first night together is magically, but they don’t want to fall in love with each other as it would change their plans.
I liked the progression of the story and their relationship, it felt real and relatable. They had a lot of chemistry and I really liked the ending! Overall, this is a great short romance novella !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book opinions are my own.
I liked the progression of the story and their relationship, it felt real and relatable. They had a lot of chemistry and I really liked the ending! Overall, this is a great short romance novella !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!
Short and cute and no miscommunication 3rd act breakup 🙏‼️
I appreciated how they both had individual, independent character arcs and had to go apart before coming together - last chapter/epilogue was really cute. Slight insta-love but the character arcs helped me look past it
Wish there was slightly less telling vs. showing and more fun/personality-focused/connection-showing dates (vs just them getting freaky in an art exhibit) thru the book but alas what else can you do w a novella?
Getting freaky at the rooftop party was a choice…they had me stressed out 😭
Could have done w/o James constantly talking about how much he liked musicals and Dolly Parton also
Short and cute and no miscommunication 3rd act breakup 🙏‼️
I appreciated how they both had individual, independent character arcs and had to go apart before coming together - last chapter/epilogue was really cute. Slight insta-love but the character arcs helped me look past it
Wish there was slightly less telling vs. showing and more fun/personality-focused/connection-showing dates (vs just them getting freaky in an art exhibit) thru the book but alas what else can you do w a novella?
Getting freaky at the rooftop party was a choice…they had me stressed out 😭
Could have done w/o James constantly talking about how much he liked musicals and Dolly Parton also
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2026
Thank you, 831 Stories and NetGalley, for the E-ARC! This was such a beautiful read. I loved these characters and how dedicated they were to chasing their dreams and building the lives they truly wanted. It was so refreshing to watch them stay true to themselves throughout the whole story. The romance was adorable, with just the right amount of angst to keep me interested the whole book. My emotions were on a rollercoaster the whole time, in the best way. There were a few frustrating moments, but they felt earned and true to the story rather than manufactured conflict for conflict's sake, which I really appreciated. Overall, a fantastic read and a great debut. I can’t wait to see what Angela Bourassa comes out with next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Never Lasting delivers the signature heart-flutter moments I've come to expect from 831 Stories. It's a quick, romantic read that's easy to devour in a single sitting.
That said, the structure didn't work quite as well for me as it has in other 831 Stories I've read. I don't mind alternating points of view, but the perspective shifted multiple times within individual chapters, which I found a bit jarring and disruptive.
The story itself was sweet and entertaining. While this particular narrative style wasn't my favorite, I think it will appeal to readers who enjoy more frequent POV changes.
Thank you to NetGalley, 831 Stories, and Angela Bourassa for the advance reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
That said, the structure didn't work quite as well for me as it has in other 831 Stories I've read. I don't mind alternating points of view, but the perspective shifted multiple times within individual chapters, which I found a bit jarring and disruptive.
The story itself was sweet and entertaining. While this particular narrative style wasn't my favorite, I think it will appeal to readers who enjoy more frequent POV changes.
Thank you to NetGalley, 831 Stories, and Angela Bourassa for the advance reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
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