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Fall Away #4.5
Next to Never: A Fall Away Novella
Fall Away with this addictive series from the bestselling author of PUNK 57.'As gripping as it was sexy!' COLLEEN HOOVERNew York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas returns to her Falling Away series, introducing the next generation in her novella, Next to Never...............The story of her future may have already been written in the past . . . Under the close watch of the men in her family, Quinn Caruthers has found it nearly impossible to spread her wings - or even date - without her three older brothers, Jared, Madoc and Jaxon, jumping in to hover. And when a family friend - several years older - from her childhood still holds her heart, she knows they're going to be a problem. Lucas Morrow is a man, and knowing her brothers, he may as well be forbidden. But years ago, Lucas left town and shows no signs of returning. Quinn knows she shouldn't wait for him anymore.Until a package turns up on her doorstep with no return address and its contents reveal family secrets that threaten to turn her world upside down. She's never asked about the path of her parents' romantic history, but she soon learns their happy marriage had a very rocky and passionate start. As she starts to see things around her with new eyes, Quinn will have to make tough choices about whether she'll keep waiting . . . or finally go after what she really wants...............Praise for the Fall Away creates incredible tension between their characters in this best friends to enemies to lovers romance. It touches on the trauma of high school relationships, first loves, and broken hearts, and most importantly, how to be with someone without losing yourself' Helena Hunting'A wonderfully addictive read that kept my heart racing from start to finish. I could not put it down! 5 stars!!' Aestas Book Blog'I got completely wrapped up in Bully' Scandalicious Book Reviews'Freakin' awesome! I absolutely love, love, loved this book . . . It totally rocked. Three times I honestly thought I might spontaneously combust' Smitten's Book Blog'There's a very thin line between love and hate! Did I know the line could be so blurred and painful? No! But can I say I didn't absolutely, without a doubt love this damn book? No! I freaking Loved it!!' SBookLover Reviews'A heated and passionate novel, full of feeling and intensity that will appeal to the reader seeking an emotional rush' IndieReader.com
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2017
535 people are currently reading
25095 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Douglas
44 books110k followersPenelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Their books have been translated into more than twenty languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, Credence, Tryst Six Venom, and Five Brothers. Please look for The Hellbent Series, coming next.
They live in New England with their husband and daughter.
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Amazon: http://amzn.to/1A8hUBX
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They live in New England with their husband and daughter.
Would you like to join the reader group? ---> https://www.facebook.com/groups/16198...
Looking for News?
Text DOUGLAS to 603-519-3800 to be alerted when new releases are live!
Website: www.penelopedouglasauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeDoug...
Twitter: www.twitter.com/PenDouglas
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/penelopedoug...
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1A8hUBX
Instagram: www.instagram.com/penelope.douglas
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finished-writing
September 29, 2016NEXT TO NEVER is up for pre-order!! I'm so excited for everyone to read this, and I know I'm excited, because I'm having a hard time not giving too many teasers right now :D
Links are below, and please remember, this is ebook only on January 17th. The paperback comes out with both Aflame and Next to Never in one on May 2, 2017. Pre-order below, as well.
Amazon---> http://amzn.to/2d9Zg97
Nook---> Available Soon
iTunes---> http://apple.co/2cZOXCa
KOBO---> http://bit.ly/2da1G7u
Order the paperback (releases May 2)---> http://amzn.to/2deUKVL
AGAIN, this is NOT Quinn's love story. It is from her pov, it covers some family history, and it leads into the spin-off series coming eventually. It's a light and fun novella (in my opinion ;) ) with lots of goodies <3 Hope you enjoy!!
109 DAYS 7 HOURS 8 MINUTES
Original Post:
Yes! You read it right. This is a new novella for the Fall Away series coming this winter!
I had planned on eventually moving on with the kids' stories some day, but I was never going to write a novella. However, when I tried to sweet-talk my publisher into putting Aflame into paperback, they also did some sweet talking of their own. ;) Sooooooo...we have a new novella coming. The digital copies will be released January 17, 2017, and Aflame will be printed in paperback ALONG WITH this new novella in a two-for-one type deal on May 2, 2017.
The publisher will release the blurb and the cover some time this summer, but I can tell you this is told from Quinn's point-of-view. In case you don't remember who she is, she's Jared's, Madoc's, and Jax's little sister from Aflame, but this is NOT her story. That will be a full length novel eventually. This is simply a short novel to touch base with the characters, clear up a couple of loose ends, and give you a nice little tease into the next generation's stories.
As for more books after this in a spin-off series (i.e. the kids' stories) I can't yet tell you when they'll be written. I don't plan on it being too long, but I'm not actively writing those at the moment, so please keep that in mind.
The Next to Never storyboard is open. It's a work-in-progress--->http://bit.ly/1Ut31EJ
You will see everyone, and the kids will be teenagers in this book. Just an FYI...
xoxo
Links are below, and please remember, this is ebook only on January 17th. The paperback comes out with both Aflame and Next to Never in one on May 2, 2017. Pre-order below, as well.
Amazon---> http://amzn.to/2d9Zg97
Nook---> Available Soon
iTunes---> http://apple.co/2cZOXCa
KOBO---> http://bit.ly/2da1G7u
Order the paperback (releases May 2)---> http://amzn.to/2deUKVL
AGAIN, this is NOT Quinn's love story. It is from her pov, it covers some family history, and it leads into the spin-off series coming eventually. It's a light and fun novella (in my opinion ;) ) with lots of goodies <3 Hope you enjoy!!
109 DAYS 7 HOURS 8 MINUTES
Original Post:
Yes! You read it right. This is a new novella for the Fall Away series coming this winter!
I had planned on eventually moving on with the kids' stories some day, but I was never going to write a novella. However, when I tried to sweet-talk my publisher into putting Aflame into paperback, they also did some sweet talking of their own. ;) Sooooooo...we have a new novella coming. The digital copies will be released January 17, 2017, and Aflame will be printed in paperback ALONG WITH this new novella in a two-for-one type deal on May 2, 2017.
The publisher will release the blurb and the cover some time this summer, but I can tell you this is told from Quinn's point-of-view. In case you don't remember who she is, she's Jared's, Madoc's, and Jax's little sister from Aflame, but this is NOT her story. That will be a full length novel eventually. This is simply a short novel to touch base with the characters, clear up a couple of loose ends, and give you a nice little tease into the next generation's stories.
As for more books after this in a spin-off series (i.e. the kids' stories) I can't yet tell you when they'll be written. I don't plan on it being too long, but I'm not actively writing those at the moment, so please keep that in mind.
The Next to Never storyboard is open. It's a work-in-progress--->http://bit.ly/1Ut31EJ
You will see everyone, and the kids will be teenagers in this book. Just an FYI...
xoxo
February 7, 2017
***Full review now posted***
4 Super Cute Stars
So the blurb on this was kind of vague...add to that my vague reading of said ambiguity...and this was my face until about 20% into this bad boy:
Not to say that the plot was super complicated...not to say that I am just retarded (although that might be argued).
Just meaning that I wasn't quite sure where this was going.
However, I love me some Penelope Douglas.
I trust me some Penelope Douglas.
And believe me, I have learned whom and what I can and canNOT trust these days.
Lies!
Once again, Douglas has proven herself to be quite the trustworthy and talented lady scribe.
This story was very different than the other books in this series in that there was no true central romance...the romance that was present was told in a very How to Make an American Quilt style in that it was, in essence, told in a veritable flashback format.
A first, I was not on board with this, not gonna lie, but I quickly became very absorbed and enjoyed it immensely.
I feel like this book displayed some of Douglas' versatility in addition to acting as a springboard for what I am sure is going to another series focused on the second generation of the Until gang.
Looking forward to it!
Find me at:
4 Super Cute Stars
So the blurb on this was kind of vague...add to that my vague reading of said ambiguity...and this was my face until about 20% into this bad boy:
Not to say that the plot was super complicated...not to say that I am just retarded (although that might be argued).
Just meaning that I wasn't quite sure where this was going.
However, I love me some Penelope Douglas.
I trust me some Penelope Douglas.
And believe me, I have learned whom and what I can and canNOT trust these days.
Lies!
Once again, Douglas has proven herself to be quite the trustworthy and talented lady scribe.
This story was very different than the other books in this series in that there was no true central romance...the romance that was present was told in a very How to Make an American Quilt style in that it was, in essence, told in a veritable flashback format.
A first, I was not on board with this, not gonna lie, but I quickly became very absorbed and enjoyed it immensely.
I feel like this book displayed some of Douglas' versatility in addition to acting as a springboard for what I am sure is going to another series focused on the second generation of the Until gang.
Looking forward to it!
Find me at:
January 18, 2017
4.25 Stars!!
Next to Never is nothing like I expected it to be. The story is from Quinn Caruther’s POV, but it’s not completely Quinn’s story (from what I understand, her full length story is yet to come). Quinn is the little sister of Jared, Madoc and Jaxon. With three older brothers like them, she’s never had much freedom in her life. She also doesn’t have much dating experience. This is partly due to her older brothers, and partly because she’s had a long time crush on Lucas. Lucas is quite a bit older than her and left town years ago. Quinn knows she should move on, that waiting for him isn’t the smartest idea, but she can’t escape those feelings she has.
As I said earlier, this is Quinn’s novella, but it isn’t really her story. I'm glad we'll get that in the future more thoroughly, though. Quinn get’s an old book delivered to her anonymously and that is the true story told throughout this. I loved the unique way Douglas decided to tell this couple’s tale. Jase and Kat’s story was tumultuous and stressful at times, but there was always so much love there. I loved the way their damaged hearts were finally healed once they came together.
I love this series and all the characters. It was great to see the guys from the earlier books married with children of their own. And holy hell… Dylan, Hunter, and Kade! I’m SOOOOOO freaking intrigued! I really hope Penelope decides to write a few more books in this Fall Away series because, really!!! I need to know more about those three! I enjoyed the romantic element and steam of Jase and Kat’s story, and also the present with Quinn. Her character is one that I want to know more about! I recommend this to all fans of this series. It’s one you don't want to miss out on!
Next to Never is nothing like I expected it to be. The story is from Quinn Caruther’s POV, but it’s not completely Quinn’s story (from what I understand, her full length story is yet to come). Quinn is the little sister of Jared, Madoc and Jaxon. With three older brothers like them, she’s never had much freedom in her life. She also doesn’t have much dating experience. This is partly due to her older brothers, and partly because she’s had a long time crush on Lucas. Lucas is quite a bit older than her and left town years ago. Quinn knows she should move on, that waiting for him isn’t the smartest idea, but she can’t escape those feelings she has.
As I said earlier, this is Quinn’s novella, but it isn’t really her story. I'm glad we'll get that in the future more thoroughly, though. Quinn get’s an old book delivered to her anonymously and that is the true story told throughout this. I loved the unique way Douglas decided to tell this couple’s tale. Jase and Kat’s story was tumultuous and stressful at times, but there was always so much love there. I loved the way their damaged hearts were finally healed once they came together.
“It comes back so easily, doesn’t it?” I mused. He stared down at me. “It never left.”
I love this series and all the characters. It was great to see the guys from the earlier books married with children of their own. And holy hell… Dylan, Hunter, and Kade! I’m SOOOOOO freaking intrigued! I really hope Penelope decides to write a few more books in this Fall Away series because, really!!! I need to know more about those three! I enjoyed the romantic element and steam of Jase and Kat’s story, and also the present with Quinn. Her character is one that I want to know more about! I recommend this to all fans of this series. It’s one you don't want to miss out on!
“A strong person realizes that the only love you truly need in this life is the love you have for yourself. If you have that, it’s like armor. No one can stop you. No one else matters.”
February 7, 2017
➳Penelope has a way to attract her readers by providing a story that captivates you with an emotional and a powerful physical level…
➳From the synopsis, we come to an understanding that Quinn-sister of Jared, Jax, and Madoc, and daughter of Jason and Katherine; Madoc’s father and Jared’s mother- and Lucas, a friend of the Caruthers boys, have established feelings for each other and have separated themselves due to the act of adapting a future. Lucas is 29 years old, and Quinn 17 turning 18 has a conflicting matter of being with Lucas, even though they are both far away. They have attracted each other, both physically and emotionally, adapting a friendship plus a relationship that leads to much more than just a friendly relationship. The story itself though is not ABOUT Quinn and Lucas and how they adapt to a relationship or deal with their confronting problems of having a huge age gap. However, this story is all on how Katherine and Jason met. From the previous books of the series, we have come to a conclusion that Jason and Katherine had a conflicting past. The transition of this story from Quinn and Luca’s to Kat’s and Jase’s story is kind of conflicting to read because as the reader, I was not expecting to read their story but be indulge in Quinn’s and Lucas’s.
➳It was lovely reading Kat’s story, while at the same time connecting the backstory of Jared’s and Tate’s, while also connecting the story of all the other characters. This was a short novella that Penelope made really clear about. The real story of Quinn’s and Lucas’ is coming, when you ask? Penelope has not dropped release date. I am more excited to read THEIR story. Overall, my time reading this book was hard because my love for Penelope’s writing is off the charts, but I can officially say that this my least favorite of all the books Queen P has written.
➳Hero rating: 4.0
➳Heroine rating: 4.0
➳Sexual tension rating: 4.5
➳Sex scenes rating: 4.0
➳Sex scenes frequency: 3.5
➳Plot rating: 4.5
➳Dialogue rating: 4.0
➳Storytelling rating: 4.5
➳Story ending rating: 4.0
➳Order Links:
Amazon Kindle
Nook
iTunes
Kobo
➳If you want to read the prologue of Next To Never clicking the link here.
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review
➳From the synopsis, we come to an understanding that Quinn-sister of Jared, Jax, and Madoc, and daughter of Jason and Katherine; Madoc’s father and Jared’s mother- and Lucas, a friend of the Caruthers boys, have established feelings for each other and have separated themselves due to the act of adapting a future. Lucas is 29 years old, and Quinn 17 turning 18 has a conflicting matter of being with Lucas, even though they are both far away. They have attracted each other, both physically and emotionally, adapting a friendship plus a relationship that leads to much more than just a friendly relationship. The story itself though is not ABOUT Quinn and Lucas and how they adapt to a relationship or deal with their confronting problems of having a huge age gap. However, this story is all on how Katherine and Jason met. From the previous books of the series, we have come to a conclusion that Jason and Katherine had a conflicting past. The transition of this story from Quinn and Luca’s to Kat’s and Jase’s story is kind of conflicting to read because as the reader, I was not expecting to read their story but be indulge in Quinn’s and Lucas’s.
➳It was lovely reading Kat’s story, while at the same time connecting the backstory of Jared’s and Tate’s, while also connecting the story of all the other characters. This was a short novella that Penelope made really clear about. The real story of Quinn’s and Lucas’ is coming, when you ask? Penelope has not dropped release date. I am more excited to read THEIR story. Overall, my time reading this book was hard because my love for Penelope’s writing is off the charts, but I can officially say that this my least favorite of all the books Queen P has written.
➳Hero rating: 4.0
➳Heroine rating: 4.0
➳Sexual tension rating: 4.5
➳Sex scenes rating: 4.0
➳Sex scenes frequency: 3.5
➳Plot rating: 4.5
➳Dialogue rating: 4.0
➳Storytelling rating: 4.5
➳Story ending rating: 4.0
➳Order Links:
Amazon Kindle
Nook
iTunes
Kobo
➳If you want to read the prologue of Next To Never clicking the link here.
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review
January 18, 2017
4.5 ~ 5 STARS
”How could something be so right and so toxic at the same time?”
Wow I read this novella cover to cover last night. I’m still thinking about how brilliantly Penelope Douglas gifted the untold story of Katherine and Jason while in the present we are introduced to teenage Quinn. Quinn is their daughter and sister to Jared, Madoc, and Jax.
Quinn’s all about doing what pleases her family as a senior in high school. She’s hanging out with some great characters all of which are the offspring of prior characters of this series. Quinn has been harboring a HUGE crush on Lucas who had left town years prior and the story takes flight as she receives a book to read.
”…someone sent the book to me for a reason.”
This story isn’t Quinn and Lucas’ and I’m pretty sure that will follow this novella. It’s what is delivered in the pages of the mysterious book that will completely capture your attention. Quinn is shocked that the names resemble her parents and her brothers and she gets a solid understanding of the love they shared when it was toxic and controlling and how they got to where they are in the present. My friends this was one well done journey. Katherine’s pov was fantastic while being ugly and real and swoon-worthy and heart breaking.
“I’d never been his mother, because I never made the choice to. I grew up with him, not for him.”
”The only person happy here was Jase, because he got the best of both worlds. And I was only happy when I saw him. Which was next to never. And for so long, I’d accepted it. Because I didn’t think I deserved something more.”
To be honest, I needed to ask a friend to refresh my memory on who Quinn was, but once I got the picture of who was who, this was a stellar installment in the series. This is a book worth reading about being the other woman, finding your self-worth for self, and loving yourself. Top all the above with some great characters that also have interesting storylines going on for themselves (and not in keep writing off of the original story replica sort of way) and this series may never end.
This is the prologue its on author's page but had to be cut from novella due to word count:
http://penelopedouglasauthor.com/news...
”How could something be so right and so toxic at the same time?”
Wow I read this novella cover to cover last night. I’m still thinking about how brilliantly Penelope Douglas gifted the untold story of Katherine and Jason while in the present we are introduced to teenage Quinn. Quinn is their daughter and sister to Jared, Madoc, and Jax.
Quinn’s all about doing what pleases her family as a senior in high school. She’s hanging out with some great characters all of which are the offspring of prior characters of this series. Quinn has been harboring a HUGE crush on Lucas who had left town years prior and the story takes flight as she receives a book to read.
”…someone sent the book to me for a reason.”
This story isn’t Quinn and Lucas’ and I’m pretty sure that will follow this novella. It’s what is delivered in the pages of the mysterious book that will completely capture your attention. Quinn is shocked that the names resemble her parents and her brothers and she gets a solid understanding of the love they shared when it was toxic and controlling and how they got to where they are in the present. My friends this was one well done journey. Katherine’s pov was fantastic while being ugly and real and swoon-worthy and heart breaking.
“I’d never been his mother, because I never made the choice to. I grew up with him, not for him.”
”The only person happy here was Jase, because he got the best of both worlds. And I was only happy when I saw him. Which was next to never. And for so long, I’d accepted it. Because I didn’t think I deserved something more.”
To be honest, I needed to ask a friend to refresh my memory on who Quinn was, but once I got the picture of who was who, this was a stellar installment in the series. This is a book worth reading about being the other woman, finding your self-worth for self, and loving yourself. Top all the above with some great characters that also have interesting storylines going on for themselves (and not in keep writing off of the original story replica sort of way) and this series may never end.
This is the prologue its on author's page but had to be cut from novella due to word count:
http://penelopedouglasauthor.com/news...
February 6, 2017
5 STARS <3333
I was so excited to read Next to Never, since I love this series.Each book gives you something and the characters were all loveable.Penelope did an amazing job with this one as well!!She is so talented and her books are addictive!!
The way the story developed with actually two stories was brilliant.And you can see all the characters from the series who are now adult. This book was the perfect piece of puzzle that will connect the previous characters with the upcoming one!
I'm so eager to see Quinn's story.If you love the Fall Away series, you are going to love this book for sure!!!
I was so excited to read Next to Never, since I love this series.Each book gives you something and the characters were all loveable.Penelope did an amazing job with this one as well!!She is so talented and her books are addictive!!
The way the story developed with actually two stories was brilliant.And you can see all the characters from the series who are now adult. This book was the perfect piece of puzzle that will connect the previous characters with the upcoming one!
I'm so eager to see Quinn's story.If you love the Fall Away series, you are going to love this book for sure!!!
February 6, 2017
3 stars
I'll probably be in the minority here with 3 star rating but this was a bit of a downfall for me...i went in expecting someting else (obviously more Quinn and Lucas) but what i got was a messy story of Quinn's parents love affair, as Quinn reads her mom's journal, figuring out that it is actually a story about her parents...and how they've met, what they went through and how they finally found the guts to stand up for themselves and be able to look themselves in the mirror first, face up the failing of the "relationship" they tried to justify with. *sigh*
I still dont understand the low point in existence that was Jase/Jason Caruthers.
He was a selfish piece of shit that cheated his wife whom he "loved" but wasnt "in love with", and he didn't want his kid to hate him, like he hated his own cheater-father, and yet again, he ended up being just like his prick of a father, cause he had Kat/Katherine play out the fuckin "love/need/passion/life" role of a mistress and basically a kept woman.
Cause he wanted it all...a prestige, a well respected job and position, and sitting on two chairs...
It s less to say that, for me, he s a low-life, despicable selfish prick who couldnt face up to his own mirror image and respect himself...yuck! Lets face it, he 's a fuckin cheater! Why find the excuses?
God, i hate cheaters...that's just lame...
Man the fuck up...or just walk away!
And Katherine was a doormat, she loved him, true...and yet she tasted the dirt of the path her precious Jase walked on...and for what?! For a fuck?! A warm bed...
When all she wanted was a family with him and that s the only thing she didnt have....
And he finally put things in motion when he realized that Kat didnt "need" him anymore, after 16 years of rotting for a guy who fucked it all up.
I guess, even assholes and drunken doormats deserve a second chance at love
Yes, they sure do, they absolutely deserve each other!
The point of that journal was to show Quinn how she first needs to love herself then she'd be able to love another person and not being blindly depended on.
Yeah, she sure had a real role model...but the point is when you make a mistake, you learn from it, you dont repeat it cause it makes you stupid...
Sorry for the rant but this was just way of set course i expected...
I know what to expect from Penelope, i just got lost in the way of justifying the human mistakes...
It’s human nature to be imperfect,after all.
Well, i disagree...
Just because we are marked as sinners simply cause we were born as humans, therefore imperfect at start...i think it's not supposed to be an excuse to do shit/mistakes cause, well to hell with it, my nature is already wired that way...
Simply said, in my POV, that s a load of crap!
I'm not saying that i dont make mistakes, duh?! But they are put down at their minimum and I tend to thrive not doing the mistakes cause i'm wired that way, but i tend on reaching higher by learning from my mistakes and not do the same shit again. Not to be perfect but to make believe that i can and i am better and more than the odds of my miserable human nature
But to each his own!
And this went way off the road of just writing a review for this book, it also got me thinking and pissed along the way, so i guess the book indeed got my attention, after all
April 19, 2017
3.75 stars!
“That’s the hardest thing about being a parent. Living through heartache, bearing your struggles, learning the hard lessons the hard way, and enduring years of climbing a wall only to fall back down and have to start all over again . . .”
Next to Never opens with Quinn, the younger sister of Jared and Madoc, two characters from the Fall Away series. Quinn is seventeen and doesn’t know her path in life, she does what her parents want, but she wants to find something she’s passionate about. Randomly, Quinn receives a romance book from Canada, no return sender listed. As she reads, she begins to realize this story might not be fiction at all, and connected to her life….
“We could say we were young and stupid, but that excuse only lasts so long before you realize that you were selfish and just really big assholes.”
I spent the first part of the book extremely confused:
I had a lot of trouble figuring out who was married to whom, who was blood related or not, and just keeping track of names in general. I think this book really could have used a family tree diagram to follow in the beginning of the book. Once I got the hang of things it became easier to read but I honestly still don’t know a lot of which kids belong to whom…..
I went into this book blind, I didn’t really read the blurb beyond knowing Quinn was Jared’s younger sister. I didn’t know a huge part of the plot would be Quinn reading about the story of her parents, how Kat and Jase fell in love and how it affected their lives. I thought it was a beautiful love story, one of two people who just didn’t know how to get the timing right.
I do feel this book despite being from Quinn’s perspective, she was just an observer, it wasn’t her own story. Even in the present time she’s just observing what her other younger family members were doing, except for one racing instance and the end. I wish we had seen more of her in the story, but after the end I suspect there is more to come. If Quinn and Lucas get their own book I will be DESPERATE for it!
“When I come back for you, it will be forever. Tell me it’s not over.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
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“That’s the hardest thing about being a parent. Living through heartache, bearing your struggles, learning the hard lessons the hard way, and enduring years of climbing a wall only to fall back down and have to start all over again . . .”
Next to Never opens with Quinn, the younger sister of Jared and Madoc, two characters from the Fall Away series. Quinn is seventeen and doesn’t know her path in life, she does what her parents want, but she wants to find something she’s passionate about. Randomly, Quinn receives a romance book from Canada, no return sender listed. As she reads, she begins to realize this story might not be fiction at all, and connected to her life….
“We could say we were young and stupid, but that excuse only lasts so long before you realize that you were selfish and just really big assholes.”
I spent the first part of the book extremely confused:
I had a lot of trouble figuring out who was married to whom, who was blood related or not, and just keeping track of names in general. I think this book really could have used a family tree diagram to follow in the beginning of the book. Once I got the hang of things it became easier to read but I honestly still don’t know a lot of which kids belong to whom…..
I went into this book blind, I didn’t really read the blurb beyond knowing Quinn was Jared’s younger sister. I didn’t know a huge part of the plot would be Quinn reading about the story of her parents, how Kat and Jase fell in love and how it affected their lives. I thought it was a beautiful love story, one of two people who just didn’t know how to get the timing right.
I do feel this book despite being from Quinn’s perspective, she was just an observer, it wasn’t her own story. Even in the present time she’s just observing what her other younger family members were doing, except for one racing instance and the end. I wish we had seen more of her in the story, but after the end I suspect there is more to come. If Quinn and Lucas get their own book I will be DESPERATE for it!
“When I come back for you, it will be forever. Tell me it’s not over.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
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February 7, 2017
***5 "It will never be over!!!" stars***
... HAPPINESS IS A DIRECTION, NOT A PLACE ...
By now, you will all know that I adore Mrs. Douglas's stories and i have a small addiction with the Fall away series...
This novel wasn't an exception, even though the blurb was deceitful!!!!
Yep, Quinn was the heroine in this story but it wasn't her story that was said... But, we could call this book as an introduction to the youngest members of this awesome bunch and especially in Quinn's story!!!
But after this book, I'm dying here, Penelope!!!
I suppose that next will follow Quinn's book and then the twins with Dylan??? Say yes, because i need both of them ASAP!!!!
Please hurry and please, don't you dare saying that you won't write a book about them....
“Why was I so weak?”
“Because we all eat lies when our hearts are hungry...”
Well, Quinn is Jared and Madoc's younger sister.... If you haven't read the previous books, don't ask!!! It's a long story....
As we can understand Quinn is in love with Lucas who was mentored by Madoc when he was just a kid... Lucas is not around anymore but Quinn never forgot about him...
Quinn is a very good kid who is always helping the others and she always doing what she's been told... But is she happy with that arrengement???
And just like that, one day, Quinn is receiving a book by an unknown source and when she is start reading, everything is turning upside down in her world...
"No one knows what I want.
No one looks closely enough.
No one except Lucas..."
"Someone sent the book to me for a reason..." {Quinn}
As i told you above, through Quinn we learn Kat and Jase's story and what a story was that!!!
I think i needed it very much, but damn, it made me also so sad...
Their love story was absolute and great, but at the same time was so fuckin' toxic!!!
Both of them, made me angry mostly for the sake of their childs and i felt so much sadness because they were destroying each other... They wasted so much time and they destruct their selves, especially Kat....
Honestly, i was so mad with both of them, but i liked that i understood and that i found more about them...
“You said you were going to give me everything, and you didn’t. You can’t... I would’ve eventually gotten away from Thomas, but you?...
You’ve made a mess of me.” {Kat}
“I’d crash and burn a thousand times just to have you.” {Jase}
And now, for once again, I'm begging for more stories about those guys...
I adored that we saw all the gang for once again, even though that they are twenty years older, but hey, after all, there are so many more people that their stories have to found out the light, right???
Quinn, Lucas, Dylan, Kane, Hunter, Hawke...
I want to learn everything about them!!!
And why I'm drown so much toward the asshole type guy, Kade??? Maybe because he reminds me Jared in his youth and because i want him so desperately to be with Dylan....
Please, Penelope, hurry up!!!
“What do you want, Quinn? What makes you happy?... Whatever it is, don’t wait on anyone else to give it to you. Don’t wait for it to just happen. Go get it.”
Warning: You should read all the five books of the Fall Away series before you read this one...
Honestly, i don't know why they refer to this book as the number 4.5.... In my opinion is number 5.5...
... HAPPINESS IS A DIRECTION, NOT A PLACE ...
By now, you will all know that I adore Mrs. Douglas's stories and i have a small addiction with the Fall away series...
This novel wasn't an exception, even though the blurb was deceitful!!!!
Yep, Quinn was the heroine in this story but it wasn't her story that was said... But, we could call this book as an introduction to the youngest members of this awesome bunch and especially in Quinn's story!!!
But after this book, I'm dying here, Penelope!!!
I suppose that next will follow Quinn's book and then the twins with Dylan??? Say yes, because i need both of them ASAP!!!!
Please hurry and please, don't you dare saying that you won't write a book about them....
“Why was I so weak?”
“Because we all eat lies when our hearts are hungry...”
Well, Quinn is Jared and Madoc's younger sister.... If you haven't read the previous books, don't ask!!! It's a long story....
As we can understand Quinn is in love with Lucas who was mentored by Madoc when he was just a kid... Lucas is not around anymore but Quinn never forgot about him...
Quinn is a very good kid who is always helping the others and she always doing what she's been told... But is she happy with that arrengement???
And just like that, one day, Quinn is receiving a book by an unknown source and when she is start reading, everything is turning upside down in her world...
"No one knows what I want.
No one looks closely enough.
No one except Lucas..."
"Someone sent the book to me for a reason..." {Quinn}
As i told you above, through Quinn we learn Kat and Jase's story and what a story was that!!!
I think i needed it very much, but damn, it made me also so sad...
Their love story was absolute and great, but at the same time was so fuckin' toxic!!!
Both of them, made me angry mostly for the sake of their childs and i felt so much sadness because they were destroying each other... They wasted so much time and they destruct their selves, especially Kat....
Honestly, i was so mad with both of them, but i liked that i understood and that i found more about them...
“You said you were going to give me everything, and you didn’t. You can’t... I would’ve eventually gotten away from Thomas, but you?...
You’ve made a mess of me.” {Kat}
“I’d crash and burn a thousand times just to have you.” {Jase}
And now, for once again, I'm begging for more stories about those guys...
I adored that we saw all the gang for once again, even though that they are twenty years older, but hey, after all, there are so many more people that their stories have to found out the light, right???
Quinn, Lucas, Dylan, Kane, Hunter, Hawke...
I want to learn everything about them!!!
And why I'm drown so much toward the asshole type guy, Kade??? Maybe because he reminds me Jared in his youth and because i want him so desperately to be with Dylan....
Please, Penelope, hurry up!!!
“What do you want, Quinn? What makes you happy?... Whatever it is, don’t wait on anyone else to give it to you. Don’t wait for it to just happen. Go get it.”
Warning: You should read all the five books of the Fall Away series before you read this one...
Honestly, i don't know why they refer to this book as the number 4.5.... In my opinion is number 5.5...
February 7, 2017
4.5 stars!
When Penelope Douglas announced that she was going to be writing the second generation of the Fall Away series, I torn between excitement and trepidation. Excitement because, "Yay! More Fall Away Lane! We get to see Jared, Tate and the rest of the gang again!!" And terrified because second generation stories are always tricky to write. For one, there's the timeline. Especially for contemporary books like this, it's going to be hard convincing readers that 16 years has already passed even though it's only been like a year in reality.
But Penelope Douglas totally nailed it. She create new characters that are so easily relatable and easy to root for.
Next to Never is a bridge book. A bridge between the previous generation and the new one. And Quinn Caruthers is perfect for the role.
Spoilers for the Fall Way Lane series up ahead!
Quinn is the daughter of Madoc's dad, Jason and Jared's mom, Katherine. We learned in Aflame that Jason and Katherine have a history together. That history is something that's explored more in this book.
So yes, this is Quinn's book but not...if you know what I mean. We see things through her perspective. We get to know her nieces and nephews through her interaction with them. We get to find out how cool Juliet still is and funny Madoc still is (and really this holds true for the rest of the gang) through her conversations with them.
On the other hand, this book was ultimately Katherine and Jason's story. And yes, we get to experience it at the same time Quinn does via a semi memoir/autobiographical account written by a mystery author who gave the book to Quinn. And their story was just everything I could ever hope for.
It has the emotions, the angst, the sexiness, the angst, the heart, the angst! Oh yeah, I was quite happy with the amount of angst in this book. And for those who are wondering....
Penelope Douglas didn't shy away from showing how toxic and destructive Katherine and Jase are to each other. And that has consequences. It also gave me more insight into Jared. Still doesn't excuse his bullying Tate but I truly get why he's like that. Despite the general feeling of doom concerning Katherine and Jason's relationship, there were also moments of tenderness and genuine love and affection not just between Jason and Katherine but Jason and Madoc. Although I would love to have more of them being content and finally happy, it didn't change the fact that I enjoyed the hell out of this book.
Next to Never has all the elements that a Penelope Douglas fan would love. It definitely sets the tone for the what the new series is going to be about. I'm not going to spoil it for you but OMG, I am dying for more.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When Penelope Douglas announced that she was going to be writing the second generation of the Fall Away series, I torn between excitement and trepidation. Excitement because, "Yay! More Fall Away Lane! We get to see Jared, Tate and the rest of the gang again!!" And terrified because second generation stories are always tricky to write. For one, there's the timeline. Especially for contemporary books like this, it's going to be hard convincing readers that 16 years has already passed even though it's only been like a year in reality.
But Penelope Douglas totally nailed it. She create new characters that are so easily relatable and easy to root for.
Next to Never is a bridge book. A bridge between the previous generation and the new one. And Quinn Caruthers is perfect for the role.
Spoilers for the Fall Way Lane series up ahead!
Quinn is the daughter of Madoc's dad, Jason and Jared's mom, Katherine. We learned in Aflame that Jason and Katherine have a history together. That history is something that's explored more in this book.
So yes, this is Quinn's book but not...if you know what I mean. We see things through her perspective. We get to know her nieces and nephews through her interaction with them. We get to find out how cool Juliet still is and funny Madoc still is (and really this holds true for the rest of the gang) through her conversations with them.
On the other hand, this book was ultimately Katherine and Jason's story. And yes, we get to experience it at the same time Quinn does via a semi memoir/autobiographical account written by a mystery author who gave the book to Quinn. And their story was just everything I could ever hope for.
It has the emotions, the angst, the sexiness, the angst, the heart, the angst! Oh yeah, I was quite happy with the amount of angst in this book. And for those who are wondering....
Penelope Douglas didn't shy away from showing how toxic and destructive Katherine and Jase are to each other. And that has consequences. It also gave me more insight into Jared. Still doesn't excuse his bullying Tate but I truly get why he's like that. Despite the general feeling of doom concerning Katherine and Jason's relationship, there were also moments of tenderness and genuine love and affection not just between Jason and Katherine but Jason and Madoc. Although I would love to have more of them being content and finally happy, it didn't change the fact that I enjoyed the hell out of this book.
Next to Never has all the elements that a Penelope Douglas fan would love. It definitely sets the tone for the what the new series is going to be about. I'm not going to spoil it for you but OMG, I am dying for more.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2022
I loved that we got a book about the parents because I definitely didn’t fully understand their relationship but now I do. I also loved that they weren’t justifying their actions.
There was a lot of pain related to this relationship and I thought it was executed perfectly.
Also for the next generation:
I am so excited for the 6 books that are going to focuse on Hawke, Dylan, Hunter, Kade, Quinn, Lucas and the young ones.
But I’m definitely rooting for Hunter and Dylan. Hunter switched schools so I’m hoping that he will receive a lot of story line and maybe their book will have time skips to the past.
There was a lot of pain related to this relationship and I thought it was executed perfectly.
Also for the next generation:
I am so excited for the 6 books that are going to focuse on Hawke, Dylan, Hunter, Kade, Quinn, Lucas and the young ones.
But I’m definitely rooting for Hunter and Dylan. Hunter switched schools so I’m hoping that he will receive a lot of story line and maybe their book will have time skips to the past.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2017
"Happiness is a direction, not a place."
September 11, 2024
My least favorite out of all three
February 5, 2017
Next to Never is told from Quinn’s POV, Katherine (Jared and Jax’s mom) and Jason’s (Madoc’s dad) seventeen year old daughter. This isn’t really Quinn’s story, it’s the romance and history of Katherine and Jason, but there is definitely a set up for her story to come next. Katherine and Jason’s story was passionate, at times toxic and heartbreaking, but this is a romance so you know ultimately there’s a HEA! That’s no spoiler since we already know Katherine and Jason are together in the present, but I had no idea what they went through to get there! I have to say, I felt more pain for Katherine than Jason; she lived her life around Jason’s because she was so in love with him; basically let him call the shots for so many years. I wanted to shake some sense into her, and then let her cry on my shoulder after sharing some ice cream! I wanted to kick Jason in the goods, but I could understand why he held back, too.
I didn’t expect to like Next to Never as much as I did, because let’s face it, Jared’s mom was kind of a train wreck, and selfishly didn’t put her son first in her life. This highly contributed to Jared being a monumental ass for a lot of his teenage years! But Penelope Douglas has a way of putting you in a person’s shoes, even the unlikable characters, and I had a very different opinion of Katherine by the end. Not that I condoned some of her decisions, but I could understand and sympathize. Ms. Douglas really captured the mixed feelings one can feel toward a parent who has screwed up or the pain of regret over our own errors. Most of us have made mistakes and wish we could go back and hit the redo button, so I get it. Katherine felt genuine regret and tried to right her wrongs. She has a lot of wisdom and love to share with her family. I was moved to tears a few times, swept up by all the emotion while reading!
I had no idea Ms. Douglas was going to fast forward so many years! Interspersed between chapters of Katherine and Jason’s romance are present day snippets from the teenage children of Jared, Jax, and Madoc. Quinn is one of the teenager’s of the bunch, just a couple years older than her nieces and nephews. With all the happenings I’m very interested in what happens next with Dylan (Jared & Tate’s teenage daughter) and Kade and Hunter (Madoc and Fallon’s teenage twin boys)! There is some definite drama between those three! Keep in mind that they’re not related.
Seventeen year old Quinn has had a mad crush on her older brother’s friend, Lucas, who’s been abroad for the last three years. At present she is seventeen and he’s close to thirty, but I think the story will happen when she’s in college. Still, that’s a big age difference and I think there’s going to be a lot of flak from the family if/when he returns Quinn’s feelings!
If you’re a fan of this series, this is a must read novella! The story was captivating and made me feel a whole range of emotions!
A copy was kindly provided by Intermix in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t expect to like Next to Never as much as I did, because let’s face it, Jared’s mom was kind of a train wreck, and selfishly didn’t put her son first in her life. This highly contributed to Jared being a monumental ass for a lot of his teenage years! But Penelope Douglas has a way of putting you in a person’s shoes, even the unlikable characters, and I had a very different opinion of Katherine by the end. Not that I condoned some of her decisions, but I could understand and sympathize. Ms. Douglas really captured the mixed feelings one can feel toward a parent who has screwed up or the pain of regret over our own errors. Most of us have made mistakes and wish we could go back and hit the redo button, so I get it. Katherine felt genuine regret and tried to right her wrongs. She has a lot of wisdom and love to share with her family. I was moved to tears a few times, swept up by all the emotion while reading!
I had no idea Ms. Douglas was going to fast forward so many years! Interspersed between chapters of Katherine and Jason’s romance are present day snippets from the teenage children of Jared, Jax, and Madoc. Quinn is one of the teenager’s of the bunch, just a couple years older than her nieces and nephews. With all the happenings I’m very interested in what happens next with Dylan (Jared & Tate’s teenage daughter) and Kade and Hunter (Madoc and Fallon’s teenage twin boys)! There is some definite drama between those three! Keep in mind that they’re not related.
Seventeen year old Quinn has had a mad crush on her older brother’s friend, Lucas, who’s been abroad for the last three years. At present she is seventeen and he’s close to thirty, but I think the story will happen when she’s in college. Still, that’s a big age difference and I think there’s going to be a lot of flak from the family if/when he returns Quinn’s feelings!
If you’re a fan of this series, this is a must read novella! The story was captivating and made me feel a whole range of emotions!
A copy was kindly provided by Intermix in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2017
Originally posted at Booklovers For Life
Ugh, I’ve missed the Fall Away characters SO MUCH!!! This novella was the perfect way to introduce the second generation of characters while still rewarding fans of the series with cameos of the original characters. Plus, we finally get Katherine and Jason’s full story! Next to Never was the perfect tease from Penelope Douglas – it left me desperate for more, but I loved it all the same.
Quinn – Jared, Jax, and Madoc’s little sister – is now a teenager, but her life is being overshadowed by everyone in her family. There’s Jared’s Dylan, Jax’s Hawke, and Madoc’s twins Hunter and Kade, who all have their own personalities and problems that seem to be bigger than they are. They have a presence that Quinn doesn’t believe she has, and she’s afraid to go after what she wants and to mess up the status quo. She’s stuck in her life, with no direction out – but when a book lands on her doorstep, its contents changes everything for her.
It turns out the book is actually a diary… the story of her parents’ relationship. I don’t want to say much about Jason and Katherine’s story because I feel like it’s best to go in blind, but the road to their now-HEA has not been an easy one. They had an addicting, intense, and ultimately toxic relationship that broke them both… but you’ll have to read this novella to find out how they healed themselves and each other.
Honestly, there’s so much to love about this novella. Seeing the original cast of characters was such a delight – you have no idea how giddy I got every time they appeared on the page. Reading about them here made me fall in love with the series all over again, honestly. But now that I’ve finished Next to Never, I’m dying for more, especially Quinn and Lucas’s actual book! The wait for them is killer, but I know Penelope Douglas won’t disappoint. If you love the Fall Away series, I don’t know why you wouldn’t read this novella (that didn’t feel as short as a novella at all, thankfully), because it’s everything you expect and more from PD and the series!
Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.
Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.
Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/2dyCqXT
Audible: http://amzn.to/2j19Ek3
Liked this review? Subscribe to Booklovers For Life for more!
“A strong person realizes that the only love you truly need in this life is the love you have for yourself. If you have that, it’s like armor. No one can stop you. No one else matters.”
Ugh, I’ve missed the Fall Away characters SO MUCH!!! This novella was the perfect way to introduce the second generation of characters while still rewarding fans of the series with cameos of the original characters. Plus, we finally get Katherine and Jason’s full story! Next to Never was the perfect tease from Penelope Douglas – it left me desperate for more, but I loved it all the same.
Quinn – Jared, Jax, and Madoc’s little sister – is now a teenager, but her life is being overshadowed by everyone in her family. There’s Jared’s Dylan, Jax’s Hawke, and Madoc’s twins Hunter and Kade, who all have their own personalities and problems that seem to be bigger than they are. They have a presence that Quinn doesn’t believe she has, and she’s afraid to go after what she wants and to mess up the status quo. She’s stuck in her life, with no direction out – but when a book lands on her doorstep, its contents changes everything for her.
It turns out the book is actually a diary… the story of her parents’ relationship. I don’t want to say much about Jason and Katherine’s story because I feel like it’s best to go in blind, but the road to their now-HEA has not been an easy one. They had an addicting, intense, and ultimately toxic relationship that broke them both… but you’ll have to read this novella to find out how they healed themselves and each other.
Honestly, there’s so much to love about this novella. Seeing the original cast of characters was such a delight – you have no idea how giddy I got every time they appeared on the page. Reading about them here made me fall in love with the series all over again, honestly. But now that I’ve finished Next to Never, I’m dying for more, especially Quinn and Lucas’s actual book! The wait for them is killer, but I know Penelope Douglas won’t disappoint. If you love the Fall Away series, I don’t know why you wouldn’t read this novella (that didn’t feel as short as a novella at all, thankfully), because it’s everything you expect and more from PD and the series!
Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.
Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.
Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/2dyCqXT
Audible: http://amzn.to/2j19Ek3
Liked this review? Subscribe to Booklovers For Life for more!
March 10, 2022
Because we all eat lies when our hearts are hungry 🖤
March 29, 2017
4.5 stars
"Happiness is a direction, not a place."
"Happiness is a direction, not a place."
![Profile Image for moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645500038i%2F37448930._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 14, 2020
✰ 5 stars ✰
this novella was perfection and, tho it was short, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, anticipating the next page. It was a great introduction to the Fall Away kids because we see snippets on possible romances/dramas that lies ahead while also telling how a certain couple whose story I never knew I needed ‘til now met.
”I wish I could do that,” he continued. “But that’s the fucking thing, you know? If I went back to that day, saw you in that thin white T-shirt, and your breathing so nervous, because you were afraid of me but still had the courage to fight back...No matter how much I’d want to, I’d do nothing differently.” His voice grew stronger. “Nothing. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. I’d dive right back in, even knowing how badly everything would end, because you’re the only life I’ve ever had, and I couldn’t not have you.” His voice shook, thick with tears he wasn’t letting out. “I’d crash and burn a thousand times just to have you.”
Jason/Katherine:
First of all, I loved the format of the past and present story telling in this and how we were able to discover Jase and Kat’s story through Quinn’s eyes. It was such a unique way to do it. The first time we found out about
The kid turns his face away, scowling as Jared leers over him.
“Dylan, are you okay?” Hunter steps up, pushing through the crowd.
But then I hear Kade’s smooth voice off to the side. “Well,” he says, grinning as he approaches the Weston guy. “Lucky for me, I’m not the adult.”
And he throws a punch in the guy’s face, sending the kid reeling back and crashing into Dylan.
Fall away kids:
The drama and tension from the little snippets we had in here alone was 10000/10. It honestly makes me excited for the kids’ story and what’ll happen with each of their books.
✧ Dylan/Kade/Hunter: I sense a love triangle between these three and I’m not really sure how to feel about it. I personally can't stand love triangles cause there’s always going to be someone hurt in the end and I just somehow (not on purpose) seem to end up rooting for the ones who end up together while feeling bad for the third wheel (but I know, in this case, the “third wheel” will have his own book because each of the kids are gonna get their own story so I guess it won’t be as bad?) :/
✧ Quinn/Lucas: I’m assuming these two will end up together since it’s hinted there’s something there, but I don’t have much to say since they never interacted in this book - other than I’m ready for this forbidden, age gap romance and I loved how the epilogue was Lucas’ POV. It was interesting to see his viewpoint and how he was also thinking of Quinn. <3
✧ Hawke: I have a feeling I’m gonna love Hawke and idk why lol. I’m excited for his story, even tho I have no idea what to expect.
✧ A.J. & James: these two didn’t have much screen time for me to form an opinion but all ima say is they’re a bunch of cutiessss.
“You know what? You’ve all had it made. You’ve had the very best of what we could give you. Loving, supportive two-parent households, family vacations, phones, iPads, clothes, cars...You were spoiled. And we knew. We knew this would happen, but, for some reason, we couldn’t not give you those things. How were we supposed to withhold anything that made you happy? We just thought you’d learn some goddamn humility. We thought you’d learn how to be grateful for everything you have. And we were no better at your age, but we did know that some things can’t be replaced. Not everything is disposable. You only learn that through loss, and that is something you kids have never known. Not one of you.”
Madoc being a dad:
yes, Madoc being a dad deserves its own section. can we just take a moment to appreciate Madoc’s character and how he grew up so well?? Madoc was first introduced in this series as a “life of the party playboy who never takes anything seriously” and to see him (plus the other five) with kids, scolding them, teaching them what’s right and wrong...it was something special. <3
this novella was perfection and, tho it was short, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, anticipating the next page. It was a great introduction to the Fall Away kids because we see snippets on possible romances/dramas that lies ahead while also telling how a certain couple whose story I never knew I needed ‘til now met.
”I wish I could do that,” he continued. “But that’s the fucking thing, you know? If I went back to that day, saw you in that thin white T-shirt, and your breathing so nervous, because you were afraid of me but still had the courage to fight back...No matter how much I’d want to, I’d do nothing differently.” His voice grew stronger. “Nothing. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. I’d dive right back in, even knowing how badly everything would end, because you’re the only life I’ve ever had, and I couldn’t not have you.” His voice shook, thick with tears he wasn’t letting out. “I’d crash and burn a thousand times just to have you.”
Jason/Katherine:
First of all, I loved the format of the past and present story telling in this and how we were able to discover Jase and Kat’s story through Quinn’s eyes. It was such a unique way to do it. The first time we found out about
The kid turns his face away, scowling as Jared leers over him.
“Dylan, are you okay?” Hunter steps up, pushing through the crowd.
But then I hear Kade’s smooth voice off to the side. “Well,” he says, grinning as he approaches the Weston guy. “Lucky for me, I’m not the adult.”
And he throws a punch in the guy’s face, sending the kid reeling back and crashing into Dylan.
Fall away kids:
The drama and tension from the little snippets we had in here alone was 10000/10. It honestly makes me excited for the kids’ story and what’ll happen with each of their books.
✧ Dylan/Kade/Hunter: I sense a love triangle between these three and I’m not really sure how to feel about it. I personally can't stand love triangles cause there’s always going to be someone hurt in the end and I just somehow (not on purpose) seem to end up rooting for the ones who end up together while feeling bad for the third wheel (but I know, in this case, the “third wheel” will have his own book because each of the kids are gonna get their own story so I guess it won’t be as bad?) :/
✧ Quinn/Lucas: I’m assuming these two will end up together since it’s hinted there’s something there, but I don’t have much to say since they never interacted in this book - other than I’m ready for this forbidden, age gap romance and I loved how the epilogue was Lucas’ POV. It was interesting to see his viewpoint and how he was also thinking of Quinn. <3
✧ Hawke: I have a feeling I’m gonna love Hawke and idk why lol. I’m excited for his story, even tho I have no idea what to expect.
✧ A.J. & James: these two didn’t have much screen time for me to form an opinion but all ima say is they’re a bunch of cutiessss.
“You know what? You’ve all had it made. You’ve had the very best of what we could give you. Loving, supportive two-parent households, family vacations, phones, iPads, clothes, cars...You were spoiled. And we knew. We knew this would happen, but, for some reason, we couldn’t not give you those things. How were we supposed to withhold anything that made you happy? We just thought you’d learn some goddamn humility. We thought you’d learn how to be grateful for everything you have. And we were no better at your age, but we did know that some things can’t be replaced. Not everything is disposable. You only learn that through loss, and that is something you kids have never known. Not one of you.”
Madoc being a dad:
yes, Madoc being a dad deserves its own section. can we just take a moment to appreciate Madoc’s character and how he grew up so well?? Madoc was first introduced in this series as a “life of the party playboy who never takes anything seriously” and to see him (plus the other five) with kids, scolding them, teaching them what’s right and wrong...it was something special. <3
February 7, 2017
Next to Never is a story within a story. It's told in Quinn Caruthers's point of view (you'll get to meet her on Aflame) but the real story in this novella is about the mysterious book she received from an anonymous author. As she gets to read it, everything sounds familiar and she's going to find out who the author is.
I swear, this novella is really good. I don't want to give too much about the book Quinn's reading to avoid spoilers and this makes me miss all the Fall Away series characters. I'm excited for Quinn and Lucas's story and hopefully the next generation of characters. ;)
Favorite Quote:
I swear, this novella is really good. I don't want to give too much about the book Quinn's reading to avoid spoilers and this makes me miss all the Fall Away series characters. I'm excited for Quinn and Lucas's story and hopefully the next generation of characters. ;)
Favorite Quote:
"No one else can make you happy, and putting that expectation on the other will doom both of you. You don't look at someone and say "you can make my life better". You look at someone and say " I can make your life better." Be a blessing, not a burden."
Read
February 10, 2017CAN I PLEASE DIE!!!!
YAY! I am so excited for this novella and the next generation! I am beyond excited. So thank you to Penelope Douglas for continuing on with my all time favorite series!
Thanks,
Ava
YAY! I am so excited for this novella and the next generation! I am beyond excited. So thank you to Penelope Douglas for continuing on with my all time favorite series!
Thanks,
Ava
February 10, 2017
I finished reading this series last year and absolutely loved every single book and character that Penelope wrote. With such addicting romances, I was so excited to see that Penelope was releasing a new novella in the series. And that cover?! I knew I had to read it ASAP!
As the baby sister to three much older boys, Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon, Quinn is used to having a big family who would always have her back. Having so many overbearing men in her family, though, means that they are all protective to the extreme. When a package shows up on her doorstep with no return address, Quinn can't help but wonder if it's from Lucas, the guy she's always loved who's been gone for two years. From the first page, Quinn is sucked into the story of the couple who wanted to be together but could never just give themselves to one another. Quinn thinks about romance and relationships in a new way, and has to decide what she wants to do about her own life.
If you love the Fall Away series, you are going to absolutely love this book. All of the characters from the series are now adults with kids who are in high school, so you get to see them as parents and fall in love with them all over again. The kids are so much fun and have tons of drama on their own, which I loved seeing. And with Quinn as the baby sister, you got to see the men you fell head over heels for in their own books as adorable, overprotective big brothers. It was like saying hi to old friends and I loved every minute of it.
This was a story within a story, so we got a lot of the book that Quinn was reading and got to follow the love story of a couple who wasn't meant to be together and couldn't actually be together. You follow them over a long time and actually get to see moments that happen in the previous novels of this series from a different perspective. It was cool being able to get a different look at the stories that I love and understand some of the decisions that certain characters had made.
Every single person who has read the Fall Away series needs to read this novella. You get the characters you know and love, as well as a new set of characters that you'll fall in love with as well. I am dying for another book in this series (*cough* Quinn and Lucas *cough*) and more time in this world. If you haven't even started this series yet, get your hands on Bully and fall into an addicting series you won't be able to put down.
As the baby sister to three much older boys, Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon, Quinn is used to having a big family who would always have her back. Having so many overbearing men in her family, though, means that they are all protective to the extreme. When a package shows up on her doorstep with no return address, Quinn can't help but wonder if it's from Lucas, the guy she's always loved who's been gone for two years. From the first page, Quinn is sucked into the story of the couple who wanted to be together but could never just give themselves to one another. Quinn thinks about romance and relationships in a new way, and has to decide what she wants to do about her own life.
If you love the Fall Away series, you are going to absolutely love this book. All of the characters from the series are now adults with kids who are in high school, so you get to see them as parents and fall in love with them all over again. The kids are so much fun and have tons of drama on their own, which I loved seeing. And with Quinn as the baby sister, you got to see the men you fell head over heels for in their own books as adorable, overprotective big brothers. It was like saying hi to old friends and I loved every minute of it.
This was a story within a story, so we got a lot of the book that Quinn was reading and got to follow the love story of a couple who wasn't meant to be together and couldn't actually be together. You follow them over a long time and actually get to see moments that happen in the previous novels of this series from a different perspective. It was cool being able to get a different look at the stories that I love and understand some of the decisions that certain characters had made.
Every single person who has read the Fall Away series needs to read this novella. You get the characters you know and love, as well as a new set of characters that you'll fall in love with as well. I am dying for another book in this series (*cough* Quinn and Lucas *cough*) and more time in this world. If you haven't even started this series yet, get your hands on Bully and fall into an addicting series you won't be able to put down.
January 8, 2020
I don't know why I didn't read this one sooner. Probably because I am not a real big fan of short stories and so I tend to either skip them or leave them on a backburner.
Anyways... I had no idea what to expect from this one. I knew it was gonna be in Quinn's pov but it also said it wasn't her love story, so call me intrigued.
It wasn't her love story but it was a love story none the less... one I have been wanting to know more about ever since I learned about their romantic involvement. And what a story it was...wow...
It was also awesome to see all my favorite couples again... all grown up and being moms and dads themselves.
After reading this one I am so ready for the next generation spin-off... I really need the twin's stories !! Poor Madoc LOL.. how's that for karma :P
Let's hope it won't be too long until the first book in the Hellbent series releases ..
Anyways... I had no idea what to expect from this one. I knew it was gonna be in Quinn's pov but it also said it wasn't her love story, so call me intrigued.
It wasn't her love story but it was a love story none the less... one I have been wanting to know more about ever since I learned about their romantic involvement. And what a story it was...wow...
It was also awesome to see all my favorite couples again... all grown up and being moms and dads themselves.
After reading this one I am so ready for the next generation spin-off... I really need the twin's stories !! Poor Madoc LOL.. how's that for karma :P
Let's hope it won't be too long until the first book in the Hellbent series releases ..
February 7, 2017
4.25 to 4.5 Falling Hard for the start of this journey....
Penelope Douglas is the only author that I literally have to lock out the world to read. I have to read every single word to ensure I got everything...and that I didn't miss one single piece of prose that she creates because you never know when it will be over...or when it will really start.
Next to Never takes us back to Shelburne Falls...one of my most favorite places. It is where it all began with one hot Bully and the girl next door. I feel like I grew up with the Trent brothers, Madoc and the gals they love. Now with their own children finding their footing in the world, I am totally on edge with the possibilities that may be. How much more mayhem?...deliciously bad behavior?....heartbreak?....falling in love?
With just this short introduction, or flashback to how it all began, Quinn Carruthers gets an up close look into the lives of her parents and slowly begins to see it all. In the pages of an unknown author's love story, Quinn finds harsh truths about love and life. She also perhaps finds her strength and wings to soar on her own without the short leashes her father and brothers keep her on. Maybe her dreams are closer than she realizes. Maybe her own heart will have its chance to find that one she cannot live with...it just may be thousands of miles away!
While this was an eye opening read as to the love story of Jason and Katherine, I found myself totally invested in the lives of Dylan, Hunter, Kade, Quinn, and Hawke...I cannot for more from Penelope Douglas...I have no doubt their journeys will be even more epic than their parents...how could they not????
Penelope Douglas is the only author that I literally have to lock out the world to read. I have to read every single word to ensure I got everything...and that I didn't miss one single piece of prose that she creates because you never know when it will be over...or when it will really start.
Next to Never takes us back to Shelburne Falls...one of my most favorite places. It is where it all began with one hot Bully and the girl next door. I feel like I grew up with the Trent brothers, Madoc and the gals they love. Now with their own children finding their footing in the world, I am totally on edge with the possibilities that may be. How much more mayhem?...deliciously bad behavior?....heartbreak?....falling in love?
With just this short introduction, or flashback to how it all began, Quinn Carruthers gets an up close look into the lives of her parents and slowly begins to see it all. In the pages of an unknown author's love story, Quinn finds harsh truths about love and life. She also perhaps finds her strength and wings to soar on her own without the short leashes her father and brothers keep her on. Maybe her dreams are closer than she realizes. Maybe her own heart will have its chance to find that one she cannot live with...it just may be thousands of miles away!
While this was an eye opening read as to the love story of Jason and Katherine, I found myself totally invested in the lives of Dylan, Hunter, Kade, Quinn, and Hawke...I cannot for more from Penelope Douglas...I have no doubt their journeys will be even more epic than their parents...how could they not????
July 12, 2020
2.5 at a push, that is only because the idea of Quinn and Lucas interests me. My least favourite book featuring these characters. I have no interest in seeing Katheryn and Jason’s love story, as it was so selfish. They were self sabotaging, if they had gotten together years ago they would have saved everyone a lot of time and pain. The whole point in Jason staying with his wife and family was so he would not become his father and neglect his son, but guess what he managed to go down that path anyway, and hurt his wife and apparent love of his life as well. Kat was so weak and selfish, that she managed to be a neglectful and MIA mother to Jared. But not to worry as years down the line they practically become saints, Kat by taking on Jax, and Jason suddenly is helping Saving Madoc, so all is forgiven! They also get a fresh start to become amazing parents to the lovely Quinn, ah how sweet (not). I did not see some tragic and epic love story, I saw two assholes who should have got their act together years ago. The only people I actually had empathy for were Jared, Madoc, and Jason’s first wife (who I actually preferred to Kat, and was at a loss why Jason could never possibly love her). But I must be in the minority due to the ratings, oh well a love story that I could have given a miss, let me know when we actually get Quinn and Lucas’ story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
— 4 stars ✰
crying throwing up banging my head on the table. i cannot. this book broke me into a million pieces and i loved every single second of it. it was SO HEARTBREAKING. and the worst part is, that it was so unexpected for me. i thought it would be about quinn but reading jason's and kat's backstory had me sobbing in the middle of the night. also the kids content we got was beyond amazing. you don’t even know HOW excited i am about the hellbent series, i can't stop thinking about it!!!
crying throwing up banging my head on the table. i cannot. this book broke me into a million pieces and i loved every single second of it. it was SO HEARTBREAKING. and the worst part is, that it was so unexpected for me. i thought it would be about quinn but reading jason's and kat's backstory had me sobbing in the middle of the night. also the kids content we got was beyond amazing. you don’t even know HOW excited i am about the hellbent series, i can't stop thinking about it!!!
July 16, 2019
O poveste care lămurește multe din întâmplările rămase fără explicație din viața eroilor seriei, ne permite să-i cunoaștem mai bine pe Katherine și Jason Caruthers și să înțelegem traumele și rănile pe care și le-au provocat atât lor cât și celor apropiați lor. Dar, atunci când iubești cu adevărat....
November 12, 2020
5 stars ☆
Disclaimer: This is a part of a series and to have a better understanding of the other characters, I would read the prior books in the Fall Away series.
This short novella is the last in the Fall Away series. I am not really sure why I didn’t read this sooner but I am so happy that I finally took the time to read it. This novella is centered around Quinn Caruthers receiving a book from an unknown person. The book which is called Next to Never is about her parents’ tumultuous love story. The book sent to Quinn puts into perspective past vs. current family dynamics and how much Jason/Katherine/Madoc/Jared have matured over the years.
The story is told from Quinn Caruther’s POV, but it’s not completely Quinn’s story (this is only the beginning as her full length story is yet to come).
Overall, I absolutely was captivated by this book and truly I am left feeling I need the HELLBENT SERIES. . . LIKE YESTERDAY. Pen, I truly love you but please answer my prayers & put a girl out of her misery of waiting and drop maybe like 2 books in this series, ASAP. Okay maybe that’s too much… I’ll take some teasers though.
Jason/Katherine:
I truly loved the format of the past and present story telling in this book. What I think is so unique about this is how we were able to discover Jase and Kat’s story through Quinn’s eyes. Jase and Kat’s relationship becomes known in Rival (Madoc & Fallon book). Yet HOLY SHIIIIIT . . . Jase’s and Kat’s affair spanned back to when Jared and Madoc were still babies. I was shook by this news.
^^^ pretty accurate representation while I read that.
I sorta always been curious about them and how they got together. I truly never thought that their story was so emotional, full of angst, and sad at times. These two fell in love unexpectedly and were meant to be together but they could never get the timing right. Through the affair it not only takes a toll on them but on their children. These two become the parents they never wanted to be and it almost cost them their relationships with their kids. Jase hated his father for cheating on his mother all his life; yet, Jase became a cheater as he could not stay away from Kat. As for Kat, she relied too much on Jase to the point she lost herself and used alcohol to numb the sorrow she had. Kat also neglected Jared, she was physically there most of time but was always mentally checked out. The choice to start an affair really was a domino effect, but I was happy to see them grow separately and finally move forward together having their HEA.
Maybe it is just me but I do wish Jase fought harder for Kat, it seems at times he only put minimal effort in. For instance, he called a bunch of times after they ended it. He didn’t push harder to try to fix it rather once divorced he quickly remarried. Like really !?
THEORY TIME: FALL AWAY KIDS ED.~
This book did hint towards dramas and possibly couple pairings for the next generation.
"Dylan stares at Kade, looking defiant. He’s always pushed her and teased her, and she always rises to meet the challenges he throws down. Like he sets the pace and she needs to try to keep up. I don’t like the way he eggs her on and constantly makes her feel like she needs to prove herself. I doubt his twin likes it, either. They often fight, and Dylan’s usually not far from the root of the problem."
» Dylan/Kade/Hunter: I NEVER BEEN SO READY TO SEE HOW THIS WORK OUT! I don't usually do love triangles as usually one person is hurt badly in it but I can’t help being drawn to see this possible love train wreck happen. I feel that Pirate Girls will be about Dylan & Kade and Quiet Ones will be Hunter & new love interest. I think that Kade’s connection with Dylan is stronger. I think that Kade is trying hard to prove he doesn’t want her, yet he still wants her and wants to keep Hunter away. I do understand there is concern he is going to be Jared 2.0, since he teases Dylan and acts similar to how Jared was his age. I am holding hope though that Pen will add some twists. I think Hunter is more of a best friend to Dylan. He was often described as being the quiet one but there was some bad boy vibes lurking underneath Hunter, so you never know it might end up being Hunter/Dylan. Time will tell and these are just my thoughts.
→ Who do you all think it is going to be???
» Hawke: He appears cocky at times but pretty laidback as well. I feel I am going to love him and I barely know anything about him. I believe his story is going to be the first book in the Hellbent series (Falls Boys). Pen also did a teaser where you can assume he is in college and a part of a frat. It was mentioned that Juliet & Jax fostered kids over the years, I wonder if one of the kids they fostered becomes Hawke’s main love interest ???
» Quinn + Lucas: I am assuming these two will end up together as it was hinted that way with this novella. There were no actual interactions with these two together in this book but I am warming up to the idea of a forbidden/age-gap romance. I did love how the epilogue was Lucas’ POV and mentioned Quinn’s compass and that he was thinking about her. Lastly, I do feel that knowing what her parents went through, I feel that Quinn is going to 'spread her wings' and starting living for herself. I think Lucas is going to come back and be put through the ringer to win over Quinn.
» A.J. & James: These two are the youngest in the bunch and are not really mentioned often. But I still think they're cute.
Hellbent Series:
Falls Boys ◇ Pirate Girls ◇ Quiet Ones ◇ Night Thieves ◇ Fire Falls ◇ Parade Alley
Disclaimer: This is a part of a series and to have a better understanding of the other characters, I would read the prior books in the Fall Away series.
This short novella is the last in the Fall Away series. I am not really sure why I didn’t read this sooner but I am so happy that I finally took the time to read it. This novella is centered around Quinn Caruthers receiving a book from an unknown person. The book which is called Next to Never is about her parents’ tumultuous love story. The book sent to Quinn puts into perspective past vs. current family dynamics and how much Jason/Katherine/Madoc/Jared have matured over the years.
The story is told from Quinn Caruther’s POV, but it’s not completely Quinn’s story (this is only the beginning as her full length story is yet to come).
Overall, I absolutely was captivated by this book and truly I am left feeling I need the HELLBENT SERIES. . . LIKE YESTERDAY. Pen, I truly love you but please answer my prayers & put a girl out of her misery of waiting and drop maybe like 2 books in this series, ASAP. Okay maybe that’s too much… I’ll take some teasers though.
Jason/Katherine:
I truly loved the format of the past and present story telling in this book. What I think is so unique about this is how we were able to discover Jase and Kat’s story through Quinn’s eyes. Jase and Kat’s relationship becomes known in Rival (Madoc & Fallon book). Yet HOLY SHIIIIIT . . . Jase’s and Kat’s affair spanned back to when Jared and Madoc were still babies. I was shook by this news.
^^^ pretty accurate representation while I read that.
I sorta always been curious about them and how they got together. I truly never thought that their story was so emotional, full of angst, and sad at times. These two fell in love unexpectedly and were meant to be together but they could never get the timing right. Through the affair it not only takes a toll on them but on their children. These two become the parents they never wanted to be and it almost cost them their relationships with their kids. Jase hated his father for cheating on his mother all his life; yet, Jase became a cheater as he could not stay away from Kat. As for Kat, she relied too much on Jase to the point she lost herself and used alcohol to numb the sorrow she had. Kat also neglected Jared, she was physically there most of time but was always mentally checked out. The choice to start an affair really was a domino effect, but I was happy to see them grow separately and finally move forward together having their HEA.
Maybe it is just me but I do wish Jase fought harder for Kat, it seems at times he only put minimal effort in. For instance, he called a bunch of times after they ended it. He didn’t push harder to try to fix it rather once divorced he quickly remarried. Like really !?
THEORY TIME: FALL AWAY KIDS ED.~
This book did hint towards dramas and possibly couple pairings for the next generation.
"Dylan stares at Kade, looking defiant. He’s always pushed her and teased her, and she always rises to meet the challenges he throws down. Like he sets the pace and she needs to try to keep up. I don’t like the way he eggs her on and constantly makes her feel like she needs to prove herself. I doubt his twin likes it, either. They often fight, and Dylan’s usually not far from the root of the problem."
» Dylan/Kade/Hunter: I NEVER BEEN SO READY TO SEE HOW THIS WORK OUT! I don't usually do love triangles as usually one person is hurt badly in it but I can’t help being drawn to see this possible love train wreck happen. I feel that Pirate Girls will be about Dylan & Kade and Quiet Ones will be Hunter & new love interest. I think that Kade’s connection with Dylan is stronger. I think that Kade is trying hard to prove he doesn’t want her, yet he still wants her and wants to keep Hunter away. I do understand there is concern he is going to be Jared 2.0, since he teases Dylan and acts similar to how Jared was his age. I am holding hope though that Pen will add some twists. I think Hunter is more of a best friend to Dylan. He was often described as being the quiet one but there was some bad boy vibes lurking underneath Hunter, so you never know it might end up being Hunter/Dylan. Time will tell and these are just my thoughts.
→ Who do you all think it is going to be???
» Hawke: He appears cocky at times but pretty laidback as well. I feel I am going to love him and I barely know anything about him. I believe his story is going to be the first book in the Hellbent series (Falls Boys). Pen also did a teaser where you can assume he is in college and a part of a frat. It was mentioned that Juliet & Jax fostered kids over the years, I wonder if one of the kids they fostered becomes Hawke’s main love interest ???
» Quinn + Lucas: I am assuming these two will end up together as it was hinted that way with this novella. There were no actual interactions with these two together in this book but I am warming up to the idea of a forbidden/age-gap romance. I did love how the epilogue was Lucas’ POV and mentioned Quinn’s compass and that he was thinking about her. Lastly, I do feel that knowing what her parents went through, I feel that Quinn is going to 'spread her wings' and starting living for herself. I think Lucas is going to come back and be put through the ringer to win over Quinn.
» A.J. & James: These two are the youngest in the bunch and are not really mentioned often. But I still think they're cute.
Hellbent Series:
Falls Boys ◇ Pirate Girls ◇ Quiet Ones ◇ Night Thieves ◇ Fire Falls ◇ Parade Alley
May 2, 2017
Next to Never is the bridge connecting the past with the future, setting the stage for the next generation of the Fall Away series. It re-introduces Jared, Madoc, and Jax's little sister, Quinn, and their own teenage children as restless, angst-ridden high schoolers ready to dive into their own share of drama. I considered the blurb for Next to Never to be deliberately vague so I won't say much about the plot because, like me, I think you should go in knowing nothing and see for yourself just what Penelope Douglas has up her sleeve. I'll tell you this though: this was a very clever way to tell a story, one I didn't see coming at all and thoroughly enjoyed. Not only did we get a complete love story in this book, the groundwork has been set for so much more from these characters!
It's a little strange for me to see Quinn as a senior in high school, full of teenage angst and dreams and desires after knowing her only as the baby born into this intricately woven family, completely oblivious to the antics her older brothers were up to in Bully, Rival, and Falling Away. But anything that brings me back to these characters, their family, the humor and banter exclusive only to these characters, is guaranteed to be a winner in my book. And Next to Never was just that... a WINNER.
This is actually kind of brilliant what Douglas does here. This is a seriously clever, refreshing way to tell a story. So many possibilities take root in this novella. (I should also mention this didn't feel like a novella to me, it felt like a full length novel.) What I thought would be difficult to wrap my mind around became a storyline I was completely consumed with and I am overwhelmed with excitement over the possibilities of what's to come. I want ALL the stories right now.
I won't tell you anything about this book other than it's a story that demands you believe in happily ever afters. It's a story for every romantic, a story that demonstrates that, even when a lifetime of obstacles seem to stand in the way, things have a way of working out. It's a book of life lessons, of red flags, of what NOT to do. It's a book of heartbreak and bad decisions and forbidden love that, once finished, might just convince a young naive reader that she can go on and find the right kind of love for herself, the healthy kind, the kind she can fight for knowing that, even with every obstacle standing in the way, happy endings are possible. It's a cautionary tale, warning the reader not to waste time, to chase their own dreams, to find their own happiness. Next to Never is the story every fan of the Fall Away series needs and doesn't even know it. Connecting the past with the present, laying the groundwork for the future while also reminding every reader where it all began, Penelope Douglas takes us through a story we knew but had never heard. And she does it brilliantly.
It's a little strange for me to see Quinn as a senior in high school, full of teenage angst and dreams and desires after knowing her only as the baby born into this intricately woven family, completely oblivious to the antics her older brothers were up to in Bully, Rival, and Falling Away. But anything that brings me back to these characters, their family, the humor and banter exclusive only to these characters, is guaranteed to be a winner in my book. And Next to Never was just that... a WINNER.
This is actually kind of brilliant what Douglas does here. This is a seriously clever, refreshing way to tell a story. So many possibilities take root in this novella. (I should also mention this didn't feel like a novella to me, it felt like a full length novel.) What I thought would be difficult to wrap my mind around became a storyline I was completely consumed with and I am overwhelmed with excitement over the possibilities of what's to come. I want ALL the stories right now.
I won't tell you anything about this book other than it's a story that demands you believe in happily ever afters. It's a story for every romantic, a story that demonstrates that, even when a lifetime of obstacles seem to stand in the way, things have a way of working out. It's a book of life lessons, of red flags, of what NOT to do. It's a book of heartbreak and bad decisions and forbidden love that, once finished, might just convince a young naive reader that she can go on and find the right kind of love for herself, the healthy kind, the kind she can fight for knowing that, even with every obstacle standing in the way, happy endings are possible. It's a cautionary tale, warning the reader not to waste time, to chase their own dreams, to find their own happiness. Next to Never is the story every fan of the Fall Away series needs and doesn't even know it. Connecting the past with the present, laying the groundwork for the future while also reminding every reader where it all began, Penelope Douglas takes us through a story we knew but had never heard. And she does it brilliantly.
March 21, 2022
madoc and fallon's kids >>>>
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