In Place of Never

by Julie Anne Lindsey

Can the truth set her free?…
 
A part of Mercy died the summer her sister tragically drowned. Now Mercy has a chance to discover if Faith’s death was an accident—or murder.  Her first step is to confront the lead suspects: a band of traveling gypsies—the last people who saw her sister alive. But Mercy finds an unexpected ally in Cross, the soulful musician in their ranks. He’s a kindred spirit, someone who sees into her heart for the first time in, well, forever. Yet stirring up the past puts Mercy in danger…
 
Suddenly someone is shadowing Mercy’s every move, making her even more determined to uncover the facts. With Cross by her side, she is ready to face it all, even if that means opening up to him, knowing he may one day leave her. What she discovers is a truth that rocks the foundation of her small river town—and a love worth risking everything for….

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Religion, Grief

231 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2016

About the author

Julie Anne Lindsey- Hatcher is an award-winning and bestselling author of cozy mystery and romantic suspense. She’s published more than sixty novels as herself & under the pen names, Bree Baker, Jacqueline Frost & Julie Chase, for various publishers, including Kensington, Harlequin, Sourcebooks and Crooked Lane Books. When she's not writing the stories that keep her up at night, Julie stays busy in Kent, Ohio with her three amazing kids and shamelessly enabling friends. Today she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world.

Be sure to check out NOT QUITE BY THE BOOK, Julie's latest work of contemporary fiction, written under her birth name, Julie Hatcher.

Reviews

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars

Trigger Warning: death of a loved one, self harm, depression, abuse, and off the page rape

Disclaimer: I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Place of Never was a beautiful book about grief, forgiveness, and new starts.

A part of Mercy died the summer her sister tragically drowned. Now Mercy has a chance to discover if Faith's death was an accident—or murder. Her first step is to confront the lead suspects: a band of traveling gypsies—the last people who saw her sister alive. But Mercy finds an unexpected ally in Cross, the soulful musician in their ranks. He's a kindred spirit, someone who sees into her heart for the first time in, well, forever. Yet stirring up the past puts Mercy in danger…

Suddenly someone is shadowing Mercy's every move, making her even more determined to uncover the facts. With Cross by her side, she is ready to face it all, even if that means opening up to him, knowing he may one day leave her. What she discovers is a truth that rocks the foundation of her small river town—and a love worth risking everything for….

The summary really intrigued me but I hadn't heard much about it or the author on goodreads or other social media so I was a little wary. But, I decided to click the request button and here I am in awe. This book was everything I want in a young-adult contemporary. It dealt with mental illness, grief, first love, coming out of your shell, and family problems beautifully.

The main character Mercy is still grieving the loss of her older sister Faith and her mother. She visits them and talks to them about what she's going through. We get a feeling right off the bat of how close Faith and Mercy were. Mercy's love and relationships with characters in this book were so raw. Mercy and her little sister Prudence's relationship grew throughout the book and they had such an amazing bond by the end. Everything Mercy felt, you felt with her. I even found myself crying during some of the scenes, and I'm not a crier.

Mercy's family is also very religious and I found it fitting that 2016 was proclaimed the year of Mercy and this was the year this book was released.

On her walk to see Faith, two men do a little magic and offer Mercy silk flowers. Little did she know that one of these men would help her through the hard and be by her side during the easy. Cross, songwriter and one of the members of a traveling band of gypsies, befriends Mercy, against the wishes of her father.

"I'm not great with timing. Or words. Or people."

I absolutely loved the beginning of their relationship. Mercy knew her father didn't want her to go near the gypsies . but she wanted answers about the death of her sister. Cross understands the pain and helps her uncover these secrets. Along the way they become great friends. Their openness with each other, and friendship, was so refreshing. Usually, young-adult has an instalove relationship that just feels staged. Cross and Mercy fit together perfectly.

Cross. I need to take a moment and just appreciate Cross. On the outside he looks mean and well cross, hence the nickname. But, he is so much more. He's an enthusiastic feminist, open minded, talented, strong-willed, and has endured so much. Whatever I say about him will never do him justice. If you're still apprehensive about reading this book at the end of this review, just do it. If anything do it to meet Cross. You will not be disappointed.

"I'm sorry I grabbed you."
Pru snorted. "Whatever. I was being a bitch."
He turned to Pru. "No. You were honest and firm with me. I had no right to touch you without asking. No one does. Ever."

The plot was fast paced and was well thought out. There weren't any slow scenes and even if the scene wasn't very exciting the characters made up for it. Everything about this book was well balanced.

My favorite aspect of this book was how it dealt with mental illness, abuse, self harm, etc. Mercy and Cross opened up about this topic to each other on multiple occasion. Cross was abused, loved one was an addict, and would intentionally pick fights to feel something. Mercy used to cut, dealt with depression, and guilt over her sisters death. They dealt with these feelings by themselves but when they were ready they told someone and received support. The descriptions of these scenes were beautifully written.

If you or a loved one are feeling suicidal or depressed please visit these websites and call your locations designated hotline. Please know that you are loved <3:
International Suicide Hotlines : http://www.suicide.org/international-...
United States Suicide Hotlines : http://www.suicide.org/suicide-hotlin...
Depression and other help lines : http://www.all-on-depression-help.com...

Over all, I loved this book. It will definitely be on my top list of the year. I heard there was going to be a companion novel, at the moment I don't know how I feel about that. This book was a perfect stand alone and I don't think it needs a companion. But, I do know I trust Julie Anne Lindsey with the story and I will definitely pick up all of her future books.

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Actual Ratings = 4.95 stars

Never did I think I would read YA novel again and actually enjoy it more than a NA novel.

I dived into this book with comparatively low expectations, basically due to the fact it was YA and I've sort of gotten over the YA phase in my life and the stupid decisions that teenagers take generally have made my head hurt (yes, I cannot believe I was a stupid teenager too. If i had a chance to go back I would actually hit my teenage self but let her do the same mistakes, I know I won't be the same without making them). But something in this book was different. First of all this book was not a typical YA book, as you would have figured from my ranting above. The book is definitely darker and it also gives a more mature feeling. The characters are a lot mature than your teenage self and they are so damn like-able. Mercy is one of the nicest YA heroine I've ever read about. Everything about her was relateabale at the same time there was not a single thing she did that made me dislike her. I loved how she picked herself up and went forward in life. One of the best things we get to see in the book is watching Pru and Mercy reconnecting. The bond that the sisters have is truly magical. It was a wondrous journey watching the two of them finding solace in each other and finally come into terms with their lives. Next was Cross. Once again, can I say that Cross is one of the nicest book boyfriends in YA history? He was so patient and kind and all that we expect from a significant other. I would be sad if they do not end up married with many foster kids.

The mystery element in the story is in one way one of the strongest in the story. Another beautiful thing about this book is that they let the romance take a step back as they allow the main cause of the book take the center spot in the story. After we were actually introduced to the villain of the story I pretty much guessed that person was the reason that Faith had died, so that part was not actually a big revelation for me. Despite that I could not find myself to truly hate that person either. They did what they thought was the best for both of them and moment of lapse of judgement in a certain way had driven them to it. In no way am I telling what they did was correct but I do get that sometimes our feelings do get ahead of ourselves and we end up doing what it say instead of using our brains to actually filter it before. Despite I sound like I am defending the villain, truly I am not. What happened to Faith was truly sad and I wish that would not have happened to anyone. In a way she was human and she made mistakes too and she was way too young to die in such a manner.

All in all the story was beautifully crafted and the plot flawed in a steady stream. Despite being a YA novel I want to give a note of warning to anyone who reads this, this contains some mildly heavy themes and to read at their own discretion.

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)

Mercy was an okay character, and I felt quite sorry for her. She lost a lot in a short space of time.

This wasn't a bad read, but after a while I just lost interest unfortunately. The pacing was a bit too slow, so it ended up dragging in areas for me.

Overall, An okay read, but couldn't hold my interest well.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I generously received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I was very delightedly surprised with this. To be completely honest, I did not have high expectations, but this book turned out to be wonderfully enjoyable!

There are so many concepts in this book that are extremely hard to write about and make it good. Of course there will always be controversy over such issues, but this novel did an incredible job of portraying them. It writes about issues such as self harm, depression, religion, suicide, and teen pregnancies. To write about all of this at once without feeling overwhelmed is quite amazing. Although there were some moments where it felt like so much was going on at once, the author did a good job of balancing it out.

The character growth in this novel was lovely to read. We start with a girl who barely leaves the house but to visit her mother and sister, and her transformation to a newer, healthier lifestyles is beautiful. The relationship that grows between her father, her sister, and Cross were also beautiful.

I don't know what it was about this book, but it had me hooked. I was so engrossed into it, I could not put it down. I had to know what happened next, the only reason I stopped reading this was because I went to sleep, and that was after reading it until 3 in the morning.

Overall, this novel was extremely enjoyable and thrilling, and I am glad to have read it.

I would highly recommend it to fans of contemporary romance and thrillers.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was set three years after Faith's death, it showed how much her death had affected her family in different ways. How they were still trying to find themselves without her. How to be a family again when members are gone forever.

Mercy was a good main character, she thought about her sister a lot and it was good to learn about what happened this way. I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a sister who was also your best friend. It is a shame she shut Pru out but I was glad they finally started talking again.

I loved the path this story took, her path to find the truth and who she really is. She stuck up for what and who she believes in. There was more to the story than Mercy's quest, there was depth to it, different layers, made it feel more real.

Cross was a good love interest and a great character. I was rooting for him all the way, not just to get the girl but to succeed in his dreams.

I was a big fan of how there was hints at different ways for Faith's death, but it all made sense and became cleat in the end.

I will read more by this author the writing style was excellent.

4 out of 5 stars.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

View this review and more others on Let's Say It's a Blog.

*Digital ARC was received from publisher through Netgalley*

After 3 years of curling up in pain and grief, Mercy was now ready to come out of her shell and find the answer behind the mystery of her sister's death. Mercy was sure that Faith didn't commit a suicide, despite what the town rumor said about it. Whatever hidden behind the curtain had been stayed too long while her family grieving over the losses of two family members in a row. Now less than a month before she's off to college, before she left her dad and Pru behind to deal with the rest of the physical memories, Mercy was determined to reveal all the truth. Still there were people who looked at her one-sidedly due to her dark way of dealing with grief in the past three years. But nothing could stop her now, especially not now when she got full support from a kind stranger whose family might or might not be related to Faith's death. Cross Lovell and his eccentric group sounded so much like trouble for the town, what with constant accidents that seemed to follow them closely - Faith's case included. Pastor Porter sure didn't want Mercy and her lil sister Pru to have anything to do with them. But sometimes appearance didn't exactly show what's on the inside. Sadness, darkness, or madness that was reflected from ones' outer look would not always show that they actually felt that way.
Since everyone has stories and all people could do is just to guess and not to judge.

It's the first book that I pick after three weeks of no-reading. I was honestly expecting a lighter story to start anew but it's on my January TBR list and I had promised to finish up my Jan TBR before creating one for February so... Yeah. But it's pretty intriguing and the thrill was over the top! Due to my preference of lighter story in the beginning, I started this book with less excitement than I was supposed to. The book started strong with detailed descriptions on how Porter's family went on with their life after the miserable losses. From chapter one only we already got a clear picture on how each of the Porter dealt with the grief. The dad chose to focus more on being a pastor with all his church activities. Pru, the little sister, tried to act nonchalant while trying hard to get everything back to normal in their broken family, whatever the 'normal' means. Mercy herself was shown withdrawn at first until she heard the news of the Lovell group coming back to town; that's when she felt like her determination to reveal the mystery finally got its first direction.

The description of each tension and character's expressions were done very well. Despite my lack of excitement toward the heavy plot, somehow I found this story quite interesting with a very well-played thriller and all. I liked the way the author made the readers keep guessing which culprit behind the case all throughout the story. Ms. Lindsey gave so many clues here and there but never directly pointed out to certain person to be suspected. I was constantly blown away by little revelations that I gave up guessing in the end and decided to just go with the flow.

The only slightly minus point from me was how slow the pace seemed to go on from the second half. The story initially started with a determination of Mercy to find the truth behind Faith's death. Yet somehow in that point things got a little tangled up with Mercy's attraction toward Cross and I personally felt like the progress to unravel the mystery went stagnant there. I really didn't mind their romance because I honestly thought theirs were a perfect un-insta one, unlike most romance in YA books. But a few misplaced romance scenes in this book seemed to overwrite the real issue, causing the ending to be rushed and a little out of nowhere.

I bet Cross character is a lovely one. He's like a warm chocolate covered inside a bottle of vodka. Instead of finding the burning liquor, you'd find warmness instead within him. I liked that he's really honest and never judge people for what they'd done. He's really wise, really. I super loved his one saying to Mercy about their circumstances:
“I’m not broken, not yet. Neither are you. We’re just a little dinged up . Slightly damaged.”
I wished to learn more about him because I don't think he's got enough part in the book due to so many complex issues happening. Here I got something to make you feel gooey inside about Cross, his confession of love for Mercy:

“ I would want you if you were bald.” He dropped a kiss on my temple. “Twice my weight.” He kissed my throat. “Had hairy legs.” One long finger hooked in the waistband of my shorts. “Talked like a trucker.” He kissed my lips. “I fell hard for this.” He laid a palm over my heart. His soulful eyes burned with emotion. “The rest is icing.”

Awww the rest is icing he said...

The epilogue wrapped everything up well. I noticed one interesting line there about how Mercy character was described to be a religious person than we thought she was the entire time. Her refusal to belief in such thing as curse and believing in talisman showed her strong faith to God and I personally liked that about her.

In Place of Never is a unique and intriguing title. Inside, you'd find a gripping story on how a family dealt with loss and eventually found closure about it. There's also an issue about how unbiased judgment still going strong among us and how damaging it done to those who's directly impacted by it. Lindsey brought the issue up but luckily she also wrote it in different angle to show that sometimes it's all what's on our mind that matters really, not what's on people's mind.

In 24 chapters, Mercy Porter would take us to a journey of how to come to terms with a broken past with the help of faith and a little love.

[Daniela (Lost in a Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

This was a really nice surprise. I requested this book because the cover drew me in. After I saw it, I went and read the blurb of the book and thought it sounded like something I would like. And it was.

This book introduces you to Mercy's life, a girl who's had to see death way too many times for someone so young. For years she's had to suffer and live with the pain and guilt and the doubts that those deaths left her with. What if she hadn't covered for her sister that night? Why hadn't she seen what was really going on with her mom? Did she really knew her sister? Was she sad? Was she happy? What if she wasn't really happy? What if she was in pain and she wanted to end it? The doubts are our own enemies. But what if those doubts can be resolved? Everything seems possible when the festival comes into town and with it, a new guy comes along. All the doubts start looking as questions that have real answers, and she's set her mind to find them.
In Place Of Never is a story about searching the truth about life and about yourself too. It's about grief and moving on. It's about friendship and the beauty of being able to count on the people you love. Sometimes we depend or rely so much in someone, that we tend to forget who we are without them. It's like, we can't function if the other person isn't around, and that couldn't be so far from the truth. When I first started reading the book, I thought the storyline was interesting, and it got better with every page turn. At some point, the story got a bit predictable, but I don't mean that in a bad way. Sometimes, you just realise what's going on, but it's the author's job to still make the story interesting, and I got that. Even though I had an idea of what was going on, I wasn't entirely sure and the story was inviting enough for me to keep reading until I found out the truth along with Mercy and Cross.

Mercy is just a young girl who's lost a lot over the years. She's barely survived over the years, dealing with her pain in different ways: stepping out of life, cutting, shutting everyone and everything out. I really saw the way she grew in those weeks. Finding out the truth can start as something to free someone else, but along the way, you might find that you needed to be free too, and that's exactly what happens with Mercy. I really liked seeing her grow into a more confident girl over the chapters. When she was shy and confused and depressed, she ends up being a confident, and determined girl who will do anything to be free of her demons.

Then, we have Cross. Will. I have to say, there's something about characters named Will that draw me in. And this one here, is no different. He's mysterious but sweet at the same time. Cross is the little push Mercy needed to get out of that bubble she was in, so she could start enjoying her life. I loved that even though he seemed to be all serious and cranky, there was something sweet and adorable about him, like everything he did and said, came straight from the heart. I love that.

This book includes a few delicate topics, like cutting and fighting to feel something or drain the pain. I felt like these things were barely explained, and if they were things that marked the character's lives so much (which I believe they were) I think the author could've gone a bit deeper into it, not in a morbid way or anything, but explain a bit better and give it the attention that a problem like that really needs, you know? But other than that, I really enjoyed it.
The pace of the book was really good. It was intense when it needed to be intense, and it was sweet and lighthearted when it needed to be like that, and those sweet moments were heart-warming and swoon worthy.

There was something I really liked about this story. We have two sides of beliefs. It's sad but it's so common to find people who say they do as God says, but in reality, they're just so far away from what I believe God intended for us all to do. We should all love one another, right? Then, why judge? I saw a lot of judgement in this book and I really liked how the author managed to fight it. Sometimes, beliefs make people do crazy things, but sometimes, those same beliefs help you see how wrong you've been.

[Mutated Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Synopsis: Can the truth set her free?…

A part of Mercy died the summer her sister tragically drowned. Now Mercy has a chance to discover if Faith’s death was an accident—or murder. Her first step is to confront the lead suspects: a band of traveling gypsies—the last people who saw her sister alive. But Mercy finds an unexpected ally in Cross, the soulful musician in their ranks. He’s a kindred spirit, someone who sees into her heart for the first time in, well, forever. Yet stirring up the past puts Mercy in danger…

Suddenly someone is shadowing Mercy’s every move, making her even more determined to uncover the facts. With Cross by her side, she is ready to face it all, even if that means opening up to him, knowing he may one day leave her. What she discovers is a truth that rocks the foundation of her small river town—and a love worth risking everything for….

My Review: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, and honestly I didn't want to like this book at first. It seemed poorly planned and thought out, the characters were all over the place, and it was just really sad. There's a lot of things going on, the main character, Mercy, is ignored by her father, the town pastor, after her sister dies and then her mother commits suicide. Although that doesn't actually happen in the book, it happened three years before, but it's still sad. There's a lot of mention of self harm and self harm scars, and a couple characters are a little cringe worthy in their personalities, they're pretty invasive. Then, something changed. As I read further into the book, about half way through, I realized it wasn't a sad story about being sad, it was a story that started out sad but developed into happiness. It's about getting over being sad. I found myself drawn to the mystery surrounding Mercy's late sister Faith, and I stopped procrastinating reading the book. I really started to get into it. Sure, it had a rocky start, but who doesn't like young love, a travelling sideshow, and a mystery? This book really grew on me, and the things I found annoying about the characters at first turned into quirks. The end was exciting, although I had a feeling about that specific character when we were first introduced to them, and the epilogue was cute. I don't like country music, or church, but this was a good read and you should check it out and give it a chance. Thanks for reading.

(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

[Michelle Dare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that no matter what I write in this review, it won't do it justice. I absolutely LOVED it. So, here goes.

Mercy has spent the last three years in her room. She lost her sister and her mother within a short period of time. To deal with it she stayed inside, stopped eating, and stopped interacting with anyone. Her father firmly believes that the people with the traveling sideshow that was in town when her sister died, were responsible for her death. When the gypsies appear in town for the annual festival, Mercy decides that she wants answers before leaving for college.

Cross is part of that show, only he's different. He's not a gypsy. And he's interested in Mercy. The two start an unlikely friendship that leads into a forbidden romance. On her quest to find out the truth of what happened to her sister, Cross enters her heart and helps pull her out of the state she's been living in. Will Mercy be able to find out the truth before she leaves for college? What will happen if her dad finds out about the new guy in her life?

This book is about starting fresh, falling in love, forgiveness, and discovering the truth. Told from Mercy's POV, you get a front row seat to her emotions and what happens within her home. You get to watch her come into herself and fall in love. I was surprised on so many levels with this story. The suspense, the mystery, and the romance - I loved it all! Cross was an amazing character and I quickly swooned over him. I would love a book about Anton. He deserves to find his HEA. All in all, great book, amazing characters, and a storyline to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Book received in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon An Alpha.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite things about being a member of Netgalley is the chance to read releases before the actual release date and some of them are amazing like In Place of Never. The book starts a bit omnious with the main character Mercy's household being like the walking dead as they move like sloths from one thing to another . We discover that it has been three years since the family lost not only a sibling but also their mother three months later. Mercy went through a rough time and blamed herself for her sister's death and started cutting. That eventually stopped but she never stopped looking for answers as she doesn't believe it was an accident or suicide. The incident took place three years ago during the Lovell Travelling Circus and her father and a couple of the townsfolk have blamed them. This has been Mercy's view until she meets Cross - one of the performers and the pair get quite close. Mercy sees this as an opportunity to discover the truth about what really went down the night she died. Though as Mercy gets closer to the truth and secrets are revealed - it seems that someone doesn't want her to find out the truth and wants what happened to Faith to stay buried and unfortunately if Mercy's not careful - she may be the next one in her family to discover what it's like to be six feet under. If you love mysteries with a bit of romantic suspense and New Adult tales then In a Place of Never by Julie Anne Lindsey should be top of your 2016 reading lists.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

3.5 stars

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is February 2nd, 2016.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this story. you see the thing is circus' freak me out. So does the idea of a travelling sideshow. I find the idea of gypsies (the ones found in fiction) extremely creepy. I don't know why, its just something I can't explain. At least there were not an clowns...I would have been done.

That aside this actually told a very nice story. If you want to look really deep, it is a story about not judging a book by its cover, forgiveness, healing and young love. If you just want to scratch the surface it is a love story with a little bit of a mystery attached.

I loved Cross who was perfect in his imperfections. The way he saw Mercy in his eyes was swoon worthy. Mercy herself was a good strong character once she got past her period of hibernation.

I will not say anything else as I fear it may lead to spoilers. This story surprised me and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Lucky for me the travelling circus Gypsies were not as scary as I thought they would be.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Source: I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, with thanks to Lyrical Press and Netgalley.
Cost: Free

Title: In Place of Never
Author: Julie Anne Lindsey
Genre: YA, contemporary
Overall Rating: 3 stars

This was okay.

I wanted to love this book so much, usually I really enjoy this type of book, the whole losing a sibling thing seems to be a main theme in a lot of books I've read and it's something that every author tackles differently as it's something that affects everyone differently.

But I just couldn't focus on it.

Mercy was okay, Cross was okay.

Everything was just okay. When I wanted amazing. I just couldn't connect with this book as well as I wanted too and that kind of makes me quite sad as I had such high hopes.

[Melanie McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Where do I start? I love the elements of romance in this novel, it is both sudden and all consuming, just as a first love should be. As for the mystery element, I was continuously strung along, and just when I thought I figured it out, I was pulled in a different direction. I would have liked to see more of the Roma life, but was please with what I did see. Judgement and forgiveness were two important elements addressed. This is the perfect standalone novel, filled with love, mystery, and intrigue...the most important of these being love ;)

[Lorraine Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Place of Never is the latest novel by Julie Ann Lindsey. I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book by Lindsey that I've read and it won't be the last, of that I'm certain.

Lindsey is telling a story of romance, mystery, small town paranoia, loss, and restoration. Mercy is the middle daughter of the Porter family. Her father is the pastor of the local church, her younger sister Pru (Prudence) is a fairly typical teenager, and Mercy is preparing to head off to Tennessee Temple College, just like her older sister Faith was preparing to do 3 years earlier when the Lovells' Travelling Sideshow came to town to help celebrate the River Festival.

The morning the Lovell's broke camp and headed to greener pastures was the same morning that Faith's body washed ashore. While the coroner ruled accidental drowning, Mercy knew her Dad blamed the Lovells for Faith's death and it certainly had seemed suspicious the way they had disappeared suddenly. Things had rapidly spiralled downhill when the rumour mill suggested it had been a suicide, and three months later, Mercy's mother took an overdose of sleeping pills.

Now, a family crisis surrounding Pru pulls their dad back into parent mode, and for the first time in three years, the Lovells' caravan has pulled into town one month early for River Festival. Mercy decides that she "wouldn't leave for college without telling Faith's story". She had to find out what had happened to her sister. Lifeguards don't drown accidentally. And, while she didn't believe the Lovells were responsible for Faith's death, she knew her sister had sneaked out to the Sideshow and some of the Lovells might have seen her, might know who she had been with, might even have seen something that would solve the mystery of how her sister had drowned. Despite her father's adamant orders to stay away from everyone connected to the Sideshow, Mercy sets out on her mission to determine exactly what happened that had set her family, the whole town, actually, upside down, and that includes asking questions at the campsite.

This is a truly believable story of what can happen to a small community, and particularly to a close-knit family, when tragedy strikes and there are no answers — only guilt, regret, and confusion. At the beginning of the story, the three remaining members of the Porter family have spent three years trying to cope in their own way instead of helping each other. They have become a dysfunctional family. But as the story progresses, Mercy learns more about each member of her family and comes to realize that she is the key to bringing everything back into perspective. She can help both her family and the town have closure. With the help of a member of the Sideshow, she slowly pieces together the events that led to Faith's drowning, but the closer she gets to the truth, the more she realizes the danger she is in — someone is stalking her movements.

This story is tender, yet full of suspense and pathos. Mercy and her younger sister, Pru (wise beyond her years), make an engaging duo, and the people from the Sideshow bring a wide range of characters to the story — some of them mysterious, and some plain dangerous, or possibly just insane. One, Cross, becomes Mercy's staunch and protective ally. The plot twists like the river through the town, and history almost repeats itself before the mystery unravels. An excellent read.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This truly is a stunning book. With a unique, lyrical writing style, jaw-dropping romance, a heroine you can really get behind and all the intrigue of a good mystery, this book has it all.

Mercy' sister died three years ago in a tragic drowning everyone labelled an accident. Mercy's mother committed suicide not long after, Mercy's dad, a pastor, buried himself in work and Mercy herself checked out of life altogether, leaving her younger sister to raise herself. But the three-year anniversary of Faith's death sees the return of the Lovells' travelling performing group and a chance for Mercy to uncover what really happened at the river that fateful night three years ago.

In Place of Never is a captivating story. I really like the writing style. This is the first book I have read by Julie Anne Lindsey, but it definitely won't be the last. I was instantly engrossed in this book, the characters and the way everything is shown, rather than told. Little ways of describing things, he stuffed the ball stool underneath him, the guitar swaddled each note, made this story come to life. It's original and yet you go, yeah, that's exactly how that looks or sounds.

At first the story seems to jump a little as the reader gradually discovers what has happened to Mercy and her family over the past three years. Mercy doesn't seem to know whether to trust the Lovells or not. She is drawn to Cross and his affable friend Anton, but there is no doubt the group is hiding something about the night Faith died. Cross, wonderful, gorgeous, possibly too-good-to-be-true Cross. Now there is the perfect book boyfriend. He is slightly damaged, a little broody but so kind, gentle and understanding. He's also funny, kind to Mercy's younger sister and totally sexy. Cross and Mercy's chemistry just leaps off the pages, and I loved reading about their love story.

I loved how family was so key an element in this book. Yes, it's about Mercy and her quest to grieve and honour her sister, but it's also about those who are left behind. I love how Mercy treated her family. Her dad drove her nuts but she still loves him and wants to respect him. Her feelings for Cross challenge this already-shaky relationship, but how she handles the situation was admirable. Pru, Mercy's younger sister also plays a key role in the story and brings a fun, lightness.

Mercy's dad is a pastor and Mercy is a believer, so faith is a frequent topic in this book. It is never preachy, but Mercy is honest about her faith and what she believes, which is refreshing and should appeal to a wide range of readers.

As Mercy investigates she begins to see the far-reaching effects of Faith's death. The truth of Faith's death remains well hidden and was certainly very mysterious. I had no clue what the end reveal would be and the suspense builds steadily until things get very tense at the end.

This captivating book is a perfect mix of intrigue, dream-worthy romance, family and one girl's quest to deal with the guilt, sadness and unresolved questions about her sister's death. It is uplifting and hopeful and perfectly executed.

The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.

[Angel - Angel Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find this review and more on Angel Reads.
I received an e-arc of In Place of Never by Julie Anne Lindsey from Lyrical Press, Kensington Books via NetGalley. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I started this book. I hadn’t heard much about, I read it on a whim as the synopsis intrigued me and I am glad I did.

In Place of Never follows protagonists, Mercy as she tries to come to terms with the death of her sister. Even though it happens years before, something died in Mercy when her sister did. So when the last people that saw her alive comes back to town – she has to confront them, however everything isn’t all it seems. She finds an expected ally is Cross who sees her for her for the first time and not someone from the outside.

Mercy is a troubled one. Her life has been school and boys. She had to suffer through the terrible drowning of her sister Faith and then the suicide of her mother, leaving her with her overprotective father. And herself. Mercy suffers with depression and heartache, all I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and hug her. Everyone treats her differently and all she wants is answers. So when the traveling gypsies come back to town she knows where to get them. Everything isn’t what it seems and then she meets Cross.

I loved Cross, he was such a loveable character that you couldn’t help, but smile every time he was mentioned. Maybe it was because of Mercy and how she felt about Cross or maybe it was since Lindsey was such beautifully written. I normally hate when characters are musicians in novels simply as I think it’s so cliquey and I have seen it so many times before, but there was something about Cross, that it didn’t matter.

The storyline of In Place of Never was truly intriguing, I wanted to know what happened to Faith. As each step into the novel, we find out stuff that leads us in one direction and then boom! We are in another. It was thrilling and I couldn’t get enough of it. I liked how everything unfolded slowly and not until the end. However, I felt the ending was rushed and wasn’t intense enough for the situation at hand.

The writing was beautiful. Julie Anne Lindsey is captivating and brings the reader on the journey with both Mercy and Cross.

The family dynamics. True, but upsetting. I didn’t like Mercy’s dad, at all. I know that he behaved that way because he already lost his wife and daughter and couldn’t lose what he had left. However he was obsessed and not in the way that Mercy was, he was determined that the traveling gypsies were to blame, but he didn’t ask the questions. He didn’t have much character development

In Place of Never is a heartbreaking novel about finding the truth, death, depression, sacrifice and what it’s like to live when everything else is falling apart. Julie Anne Lindsey writes a beautiful novel that lets the reader pond upon life and what it’s truly like to live. It’s about love, faith and finding all the little things that count.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery
Published: February 2, 2016 by: Kensington Books
Pages: 269
Rating: 5/5 stars



*Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to receive this book in exchange for a honest review.*

Mercy Porter has been living in darkness ever since her sister Faith tragically drowned. Now three years later, Mercy wants to piece together what happened that fateful night, by interviewing a travelling band of gypsies who were accused of being involved in the death. However when Faith develops a love for one of the travellers Cross, she must find a way to hide from her strict pastor father who wants to drive the gypsies out of town, all while protecting herself and her younger sister Pru from Faith's bitter and alcoholic ex boyfriend, who will stop at nothing to torment the Porter girls for his girlfriend's fate.

This book was incredibly emotional and unique!! I absolutely love reading about travellers and gypsies, specifically in YA. I feel like their culture is so interesting, and it is something that never fails to spark my curiosity. This book contained heavy themes such as self-harm, family and abuse, but it also handled forbidden love in a perfect/non cheesy way.

Each character had their own special characteristics that added something to the book. I loved Mercy's determination, Pru's humour and confidence, and of course, Cross's kind and caring heart. Mercy broke my heart, the poor girl had been through so much, but she never failed to bring herself some closure. Strangely enough, I even had a great respect for her father by the end of the book. He cared for his daughters so much, and I loved how the author made him develop for the better.

The romance in this book was executed perfectly. Even though it revolves around a strong theme of forbidden love, it was handled in a way that wasn't unrealistic or even predictable. Cross and Mercy seemed like a real couple, they had their differences and their love developed slowly. Ugh, I could not handle Cross in this book, he was such a cutie.

I feel like this book also handled strong themes of diversity. Mercy's small Virginia town did not like the idea of the gypsies who came every summer. They called them slurs, and had prejudice towards them. However on the other side, the gypsies weren't too fond of the "settled" people either. I loved in the end how the two communities were able to join together and at least have some closure.

Overall, this book was so interesting, it was unpredictable, and the ending will put a smile on your face. It was filled with things that you would never expect, and the writing kept me wanting to read on. An amazing book!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted on my blog, Audrey's Bookcase :

First off, I should mention that there are a couple of trigger warnings; the story deals with self-harm, abuse, suicide, and depression. It's not for the light-hearted, and it's not something I'm usually the first in line to read, but to say this book surprised me is a bit of an understatement. I mean that in a good way.

I have to admit that it took me a while to get into the book. About a quarter into it, I wanted to drop it and move on to the next, but something about the tone and the way Lindsey writes compelled me to keep moving forward. The story is very much set up as a mystery, taking place after the death of Mercy's older sister. A few years have passed but the impact still exists in their household. The need to know what happened to Mercy's sister and the progression of the events after kept me interested 'til the very end.

There are several other themes in this book including religion, music, and culture. I'm not one to usually lean towards books dealing with religion, just because I've seen it go totally wrong and get really preachy and/or discriminatory. Now, In Place of Never also deals with Roma and their culture. Mix the two, and again -- could go totally wrong. But Lindsey did a good job in keeping the content appropriate.

A lot goes on in the book, but what I enjoyed most about this book was Mercy's personal growth. In the beginning, Mercy shut herself out from the world, including her family. It's not until she meets the travelling sideshow made up of the Lovell family -- and a boy named Cross -- that she starts coming out of her self-contained shell and demands answers and closure from Faith's death. A huge part of this growth came from her interactions with other characters: her younger sister, her father, Cross, and the rest of the Lovell family. It was also interesting to get to know the other characters, because every single one of them is so different from each other, but they were all tied together by one life-changing event.

In Place of Never gives readers a glimpse of the effects of a tragedy in a small community where it's easier to make assumptions than it is to find the truth. All in all, the story is about healing and forgiveness, wrapped up in a pretty engrossing tale full of mystery, justice, and a healthy dose of romance.

[Laurie Treacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Place of Never by Julie Anne Lindsey is a poignant and powerful read. The cover simply spoke to me and the summary made me want to read it (like NOW). I devoured the book in one evening. Mercy's voice drew me in with its mixture of melancholy, unbelievable honesty, wit and gentle strength. This girl has had to endure so much in her young life and before she leaves for college she needs answers. Answers to some of the most troubling events in her life--in particular the death, and the mystery surrounding, the loss of her older sister, Faith. Mercy is incredibly insightful and I settled back to enjoy her outlook on things.

The story has this wonderful pace--not too fast and not too slow. Just the right speed so I can enjoy each and every line, repeat the ones I admire, and fully comprehend what this character is saying (on each line and in between them). There is mystery surrounding Faith's death centering around the Lovell family and their traveling show. When they return to town, Mercy sees this as a sign. Meeting Cross (part of this show) enables her to search for these answers while also dealing with her own return to life. For too long she'd fallen from living her life, consumed by the things happening around her and to her. I liked the interactions and developing 'forbidden' romance between mercy and Cross.

Growing up as a pastor's kid had its challenges and losing both a sibling and mother certainly left behind their own kind of scarring. But this book is not just about loss and pain and picking up the pieces. There is reaffirmation, connecting, awakening and so much more to enjoy. While focusing on a certain section of a picture, Mercy sees that there's more to the entire photograph--for example she adored Faith and she sees that her younger sister Pru also needs a sister to look up to.

Julie Anne Lindsey has written an engrossing YA story with a main character I found easy to like, trust and befriend. Her incredible voice, an intriguing storyline, interesting and well-rounded characters and an engaging plot had me reading long into the night. Staying up late is always okay when the reading experience is memorable. In Place of Never has found a place in my heart. I loved it!

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We all have scars. They aren't always visible, but they're there. Life's hard on everyone, no matter what people show the world. Don't be ashamed of these. Scars are proof of healing. Scars say you survived."

It's been three years since Mercy Porter's sister, Faith, drowned. The official cause of death was accidental drowning, but the rumours have swung from suicide to murder and back again. Mercy had completely closed herself off from the world for three years, ignoring her father and her younger sister Pru, but when she bumps into two mysterious men and discovers that the Lovell's sideshow is back in town, she finds a renewed sense of purpose: she will solve the mystery of Faith's final hours.
The sideshow was in town the night Faith drowned, but by the time her body was discovered the next morning the group had disappeared. Her father blames them for Faith's death, and for the subsequent suicide of their mother, but Mercy doesn't think it can be as easy as that. When she starts investigating she finds herself working closely with Cross, a new addition to the group, and it doesn't take long before she's falling in love and looking forward to her future for the first time since that fateful night.
Part mystery, part romance, I actually really enjoyed 'In Place of Never'. It took a little time to get into it, discovering the dynamics between the characters and everything that had happened to them over the past three years, but when the story hit its stride it was near impossible to put it down.

Read the rest of my review here!

[Riki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an absolutely delightful find. I had no idea what to expect when I requested a review copy, but I was so intrigued by the synopsis and needed a dark, twisty YA in my life like nobody's business. Boy, was I ever pleasantly surprised!

This book has everything I love about a deeply moving and intense mystery, all wrapped up in a darkly atmospheric, richly depicted underworld. In this instance, that underworld is a traveling family of performers who may or may not have the answers to a dark family mystery. I loved Cross and his intriguing "family" of performers in this novel. He's exactly the type of brooding YA lead that I fall for, and I thought the connection between Cross and Mercy was intense and immediate. I loved the slow burn feel of their relation ship. If I had a criticism of the book, it would be that I so wanted more scenes with the performers. It's such an interesting and unusual world, I wanted more.

Mercy is a wonderful lead character with plenty of deep-seated motivation to find out what happened to her older sister. The family dynamics of the book are really well done, and I could really feel Mercy's pain and confusion throughout. I loved seeing her transformation as clues begin to fall into place and she begins to realize that who can and cannot be trusted.

The pacing and plot of this book are impeccable, with a wonderful twisty mystery that kept me guessing until the end. The book is definitely a page-turner. In fact, I read it in one sitting!

I highly recommend this book for and of dark, twisty YA. It's got a deeply intriguing send of setting and a lovely slow burn romance that is sure to delight readers.

[Liesel · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC copy via NetGalley for an honest review**

This was my very first book of the year, and let me say that it was a great book to start me off. In Place of Never is a beautifully written story about loss, grief, guilt, prejudice, love and redemption. To be honest, the summary seemed interesting enough, but I didn’t really have high expectations for the book. The idea of gypsies however (Roma is the correct term though) did catch my interest. I was wonderfully surprised by how much I really did enjoy the book.The book begins with a view into the broken family dynamic but allows the reader to get a glimpse of each character’s personality.

I loved watching as Mercy slowly fights her way out of her self induced oppression. It was nice to see how Cross, a musician among the traveling gypsy sideshow, is a big factor in helping her overcome her woe, but he isn’t the reason she is able to. He accepted her as she was and helped her accept herself also. Mercy comes to grips with the past and discovers herself along the way. Witnessing the unraveling of the mysterious circumstances of Faith’s death was an adventure. Mercy herself mentions that she was not expecting to unravel some dark conspiracy surrounding her death, but there is more to Faith’s death than what everyone believes. Great read!

[irene ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley! :D

Rating: 3/5.

To my utter surprise, I liked the book. I enjoyed reading Mercy's story. Obviously it's not the revelation of the year, but it's strangely entertaining and easy to read.

My favorite quote: Fixing was not love. Fixing was like saying: "I do not like you this way. Let me change you into something That makes me more comfortable. "

But although the book amused me, there were some details that I didn't like:
SPOILERS!
* Cross. He was a strange character and I've always believed that it's NOT necessary to create a romance / love interest to write a good story. I adored him, he's one of those characters that I can't resist, but still I really would rather not having him in the book. In addition the way he finishes his story was a big EH?
* The Lovells. They were the reason I wanted to read the book and there are few pages about them.
* The death of Faith. Since the first appearance of THE character, I knew more or less what happened that night with Faith.
That final HEA. Really? Was necessary?

I can't believe I found myself enjoying the story so much when I found so many buts, but it's an entertaining book.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kensington Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Years after Mercy Porter's sister Faith drowns in a tragic accident, Mercy is struck with the feeling that it may have been a deliberate act. A chance meeting with Cross and the band of traveling gypsies, who had been in the area at the time of Faith's death, provides Mercy with the opportunity she needs to find out what happened to her sister, once and for all. She is stuck between her pastor father, who has mostly checked out emotionally, and her younger sister Pru, who is trying to gain her independence but keep her family together. As the answers she gets only prompts more questions, will Mercy ever be able to find out the truth and move on?

Filled with suspense, mystery, and romance, In Place of Never features a fast paced story with a strong main character. Mercy, after taking the time she needed to mourn two losses in her life, decides to find out the truth before leaving for college. The final reveal of the true circumstances surrounding Faith's death was predictable, but the character development was so complete that it did not matter to me. This is the first novel that I have read by author Julie Anne Lindsey, but it will certainly not be my last.

[Angela Jones-Cuéllar · Rating 5 out of 5]

pooled ink Reviews:

In Place of Never is a heart-tugging story of loss, grief, hope, healing, and romance. It explores prejudices, pain, family, and faith. Sharing a story that cries out with pain and yet never loses this hesitant feeling of relief and hope. It dips into depths of darkness and reaches forwards towards healing. A beautifully written book.

Read my FULL review here: https://pooledink.wordpress.com/2015/...

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to be honest this book has a special place in my heart. I remember sitting with Julie Lindsey as she plotted this story. I loved Mercy before I even started reading it! This book though drew me in. I think as teens we all struggle with something. And the one thing we want is someone to hear us. Mercy and Cross did that for each other. I loved the tenderness and honesty. Such a great book!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story and good ending.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more YA book reviews, check out http://cabookle.tumblr.com

***I received this book through NetGalley for reviewing purposes; the following is my HONEST opinion of the book as I was in no way obligated to give a positive review. Thank you NetGalley and Lyrical Press for letting me read this book in advance!***

In Place of Never is about a teenage girl named Mercy who is trying to come to terms with her older sister Faith’s death before she leaves for college. At the time her sister drowned, a traveling group of Roma - or gypsies - was in town and disappeared. Three years later, they’ve come back again. While her father blames them for Faith’s death as they were the last to see her alive and tries to run them out of town, Mercy goes to them to find out if her sister’s death was actually an accident. In the process she gets to know Cross - a musician who is determined to help Mercy uncover the truth, no matter what the cost. A mystery combined with a compelling romance, In Place of Never was an enchanting story with an unbelievable amount of twists and a compelling storyline that keeps you hooked.

Let’s start with everything it did well. The plot itself was very attractive. Mercy isn’t just any girl - she’s a pastor’s daughter. Every time she goes out and about, she usually ends up betraying her father and his rules. Mercy and her little sister Prudence are determined to find the truth while their father is determined to hide from it. As the reader, I felt for Mercy and Pru as they raced against the clock to get back home in time so their father won’t discover - and stop them - from doing what they felt they needed to do. I also love how, in such a short story, Julie made for some super compelling characters. She didn’t overwhelm us with the amount of characters we meet - the Sheriff & his boys, the Roma group, and even Faith’s old friends. Julie made every single character unique and strong in their own way, which was part of the reason I couldn’t put the book down.

The romance was the best part of the book. Mercy and Cross are both serious characters with tragic pasts, but they come together and find their own way to make each other happy. Things happen quickly for the two of them - mostly because of the short length of the book and because of the short period of time they are together - but I still found their entire relationship realistic. I fell in love with the two of them together, even though it was forbidden since Mercy’s father hates the Roma. Julie’s writing in terms of the romance scene was spot on. If anyone reads this, just know I’m mostly talking about the roof scene. The roof scene was honestly one of the best make-out scenes I have ever read in my entire life. If there were a grade higher than A, she would get that just for her romance part.

That being said, there were some issues with the plot and characters that I couldn’t overlook. While she did a lot of great things, I think some things could have been improved upon. For starters, as a mystery, this book wasn’t very good. The romance plot made me enjoy the book much more, but if it was strictly a mystery, I would have been disappointed. Julie doesn’t set up very many suspects - she also doesn’t give a lot of red herrings to confuse us. While I will say I didn’t see the main suspect coming, it was more because of how obvious they were rather than how well she hid them. I understand in a small town there were only so many people she could introduce that would have a part in the possible-murder, but I wish the plot was developed a bit more to make it more, well, mysterious.

My other iffy part was the characters. While I loved them all, there seemed to be a lack of overall change. There WAS development in the main characters, but it wasn’t that great. Honestly, most of it was pretty typical to the types of characters she was building, which made it not to enjoyable. I wish I could have seen something unexpected happen. Furthermore, her background characters may have been wonderfully unique, but many of them were pretty flat. They were mean just because or they were crazy just because, but nothing else happened and nothing else changed. Don’t get me wrong, Julie’s characters are still great and entertaining, but I just wished she gave them a little more life before allowing us to read about them.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to most people, especially if you are looking for a romance. I really enjoyed Cross and Mercy’s story more than anything else. If you are looking for a mystery, however, you may not want to read this as it isn’t the best mystery I have ever read.

[Ruthsic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A part of Mercy died the summer her sister tragically drowned. Now Mercy has a chance to discover if Faith's death was an accident—or murder. Her first step is to confront the lead suspects: a band of traveling gypsies—the last people who saw her sister alive. But Mercy finds an unexpected ally in Cross, the soulful musician in their ranks. He's a kindred spirit, someone who sees into her heart for the first time in, well, forever. Yet stirring up the past puts Mercy in danger…

Suddenly someone is shadowing Mercy's every move, making her even more determined to uncover the facts. With Cross by her side, she is ready to face it all, even if that means opening up to him, knowing he may one day leave her. What she discovers is a truth that rocks the foundation of her small river town—and a love worth risking everything for….

Surviving a loved one's death is a very hard to thing to do. Surviving a death you think you could have avoided by a different choice is even harder. Mercy has been living with the guilt of her sister's 'accidental' death for three years, and now when she is about to leave for college, she resolves to put an end to the mystery and figure out what really happened that night. It helps that the traveling sideshow, which was in town that unfateful night, is back in their midst, making it her first priority to investigate. Among them, she also finds Cross, who knows what she is going through and identifies with her; more importantly, he understands her brokenness and is okay with it - not trying to fix her.

As she tries to piece together the events of that night, she realizes there is a bigger picture at play. She thought hers was the only family that was dysfunctional and hid it, owing to them being the pastor's children, but soon she realizes that she was perhaps wrong about her town. Her father, however, is very much against her associating with the people whom he derogatorily calls Gypsies, and after three years, has finally woken up to 'protect' his daughters from their menace. Mercy also has woken up and realized all that she had missed, like checking out on her younger sister who was left to fend for herself. Pru is a very interesting character in that she was resilient; she did not let her absent family bring her down.

Overall, this book speaks out to all grieving souls everywhere, assuring that mourning is not something to be ashamed of. There is a strength in getting through it. One line I really loved was

Too many people tried fixing me. Most justified their intrusion under the guise of love, but fixing wasn’t love. Fixing was like saying, “I don’t like you this way. Let me change you into something that makes me more comfortable."

Received a free galley from Kensington Books, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Ace · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Place of Never starts out on the anniversary of Faith’s death. It’s been three years and Mercy is still reeling at the death of her older sister. This book holds onto a hefty amount of triggers for people who have had depression, issues with death and losing a member of the family as well as self harm. I would not recommend this novel to people who are still in recovery or are easily triggered by graphic detailing. While Mercy is a victim of all of these things, the novel focuses on her healing process.

On the anniversary of her sister’s death the sideshow that mysteriously vanished the night she died reappears and with it brings Roma tradition. The author, Lindsey, does very well to remind everyone that Gypsy is a slur to the Roma people who live this lifestyle which I found nice and refreshing. She had done her homework very well on several issues throughout the book. Along with the side show comes a non-Roma boy, who has bigger dreams that what the sideshow can give him. He comes to town with the goal of winning singer/songwriter contest but in the mix of Mercy’s investigation, gets swept up in Mercy herself.

Despite feelings for the boy who doesn’t stare at her scar, Mercy carries on her mission of finding out just what really happened to her sister three years ago. There’s a mix of “he said, she said” with a cast of odd and suspicious characters that keeps even the reader guessing as they turn the page. I will admit I was even caught off guard by the end of the novel. A lot of bridges get burned and several rebuilt. It’s a great cast of side characters that Lindsey does an amazing job of fleshing out , giving the whole novel a sense of something real. I really enjoyed Mercy’s story of coming to terms with death and healing for the better, she even rebuilds a life with her younger sister who thought she was lost long ago. All in all, Lindsey writes a relate-able novel. I loved her descriptive details that went into the metamorphosis of Mercy as she finds her Sister’s Killer and prepares herself for a world outside of her small town and life in college.