What if their fake relationship wasn’t ever just pretend? Sage Carson has a messy reputation. Sure, she’s a soccer star with World Cup trophies and Olympic medals, but she’s almost as well known for her rebellious behavior off the pitch. She’s left enough gorgeous women with broken hearts in her dust to fill a roster. That was, until she got injured. Now, her frustratingly-slow recovery means she’d better secure this new squeaky-clean endorsement deal in order to get back on top. Sweet, sunshiny Willa Bellamy has a crisis on her hands. She’s used to it — as an events coordinator for the Denver Zoo, it’s her job to handle crises. But when she receives an invite to her ex’s wedding, she’s not so sure it’ll be as easy to handle as an escaped emu during a Girl Scout sleepover. Even worse, when the bachelorette party invite mentions that couples are welcome, she realizes she’s the sole single person invited. Fifteen years ago, Willa and Sage roamed the same halls of Edgelake High School. When their paths cross again, they decide to team up to solve both their problems — a stable, albeit fake, relationship to snag the endorsement deal and a hot soccer star to make the couples getaway sting a little less… But when the lines between real and fake start to blur, will they be able to keep the growing heat between them just a game or will they start playing to win?
Bryce grew up in the mountains of Colorado with a taste for adventure and a head full of clouds. She never grew out of either. She lives in Denver with her partner, two adorable rescue dogs, and a very opinionated cat.
So this is a book that's been sitting on my Kindle for a hot minute, and I finally decided to read it this weekend. I've read several others by Bryce Oakley and they're consistently enjoyable books, and she's definitely one of the better self publishers.
Never Mine is a fake dating romance with Sage Carson and Willa Bellamy. Sage is a professional soccer player on the ending stretch of her career- especially after a minor ACL tear and the recovery process with that. She's also a playgirl and known for having a good time. When she is offered the potential of a major endorsement deal, she decided to try to play nice to get it. Willa Bellamy is an event planner of the Denver Zoo, but when she receives a bachelorette party invite from her ex that is couples themed, she doesn't want to be the odd one out. So when Sage and Willa run into each other at a high school reunion, they formulate a plan that can seemingly help each other out. But why would you need to fake it when feelings are there the whole time?
As is with other of Oakley's books, this is an enjoyable slow burn, and this time with a fake dating profile- it adds to the fun.
I liked both characters a lot. But especially Sage. For some reason the "Shane McCutchen type cleans up" trope always entertains and amuses me. But you can really feel the affection both Willa and Sage have for each other, and how much they push each other out of their respective comfort zones in the best of ways. Sage standing up for Willa and Willa helping Sage grow up are some heartwarming scenarios.
The communication of real feelings is a bit of an issue though and I know it is to keep the drama and angst going in the book, but also for the life of me I just want to yell "talk to each other and don't assume!" to these characters.
I did enjoy this book overall. Had some nice feelings to it. 4/5
On the bird feed I saw that some self published authors were getting some grief for self publishing. I don’t care how an authors get their work out there, but in my opinion self publishing is brave and if you make it look as good as Bryce Oakley does, why would you do it any other way? Having full creative control makes for great books by Oakley and I applaud her for doing it al herself.
On to the book itself. My top tropes are friends to lovers and fauxmance, and Oakley gives us a marvellous combination of the two. And it’s a sport romance to top the great combo of, ok it’s light on the actual sport, but it comes up a lot. Sage is a pro soccer player (please learn to call it football like the the rest of the world does), who is recovering from a big injury and feeling her age a bit. Her manager (annoying character) needs to kick her ass into gear and make the most of her final years as a player. Safe returns to Denver for her high school reunion. She hits on Willa, starstruck sweet Willa doesn’t even know what’s happening. Willa works as an event coordinator at the local zoo and she is just so sweet (so so sweet!) and maybe a bit of a doormat, which is is sort of aware of. Both women are in need for a date and stability, for different reasons. This is where the faucmance starts, with a contract and everything. Their connection was always there and they are so cute together. Sage makes Willa stand up for herself and Willa makes Sage think about what she is doing and what comes next. When the fauxmance contract runs out they don’t part but remain (professional) friends. Sage is pretty clear in what she wants but goes about it all wrong, and sweet Willa just doesn’t know how to get what she really wants.
Their friendship is great, how they grow as individual characters, but also as a couple, even when they really aren’t a couple is very well done. The story has a nice flow and the characters, in true Oakley fashion, are very likeable. The book is written from alternating third person POV for both Willa and Sage and that is something I always like as well. If Oakley were to turn this in a series I would happily pick up a next instalment in this series.
I was already grinning from ear to ear when I read the blurb for this book. The premise sounded fun.
Did I think Sage's reasoning for needing a fake girlfriend could use more work? Sure. But I just went along with it.
This turned out to be a fun, light read. The MCs were lovely, I just wanted more from the romance than I was given. Sage and Willa spent a great deal of time apart, and the days they spent physically together were shorter than I would've liked. This was extremely slow burn where they only accepted their feelings for each other so far down the book. But if I were to describe their relationship, I'd say they were well on their way to falling in love, I just needed a bit more convincing that they already were by the end of this story.
I realized I had about the same thoughts regarding the ending of another one of Oakley's books: The Adventurers (my review here). Her writing remains pleasant. I just hope my take on her endings won't be a recurring observation.
I do love a great fauxmance, and this was a fun and lovely story to read.
Sage's character arc was pretty cool to see, and sweet, sweet Willa... *sighs* If she were real, I'd be swooning over her and getting protective of her, much like Sage does. I loved this couple so much that if Oakley decides to write more to their story I'd pick it up immediately.
Never Mine is a fake relaionship kind of story between to women, one of whom is a world class soccer player and the other an event coordinator, who get thrown together by a mutual need for a date for an event. Of course what started out as a fake relationship doesn't stay that for long ...
All too soon both women have to get their priorities right to get back into their every day lives and that's when the trouble starts: unspoken of expectations, feelings not mentioned out of fear, you name it are causing both to send mixed signals until one of them finally makes up her mind to overcome her worries and be clear with what she wants.
When Sage finally understands what she does and does not want for her future, she gets up her courage and fights for her idea ... That act of courage finally leads to an opportunity to make her feelings absolutely clear and get at least two wishes fulfilled together.
The characters are very lovable with all their little or not so little quirks, their behaviour mirroring most of the mistakes we all make at some point. The side characters and all the dialogues are quirky and funny more often than not and there are just as many laughs as awwww-moments, so in all a very satisfying read.
Really enjoyed this - close to Brick wall ending but bonus chapter saved it! Loved the MCs but slightly clichee'd. Recommended. Excellent 2nd time round.
Professional soccer player fake dating lesbian romance? Sign me up!
Sage needs to project a more professional image so that she can land a big endorsement contract. Willa needs a plus one for her ex’s bachelorette trip. When they meet up at their high school reunion they decide to form a mutually beneficial partnership. But surely real feelings won't actually get involved… right?
I absolutely loved the chemistry between Sage and Willa. Their banter had me laughing out loud multiple times. Also, their personal journeys outside of the romance were also really well done. Sage is having to think about what she wants to accomplish outside of soccer and Willa is learning to stand up for herself and not just do everything that others ask of her.
This is my favorite book that I’ve read from Bryce Oakley so far. It’s cute, funny, and swoony. A winning combination for a romance book.
I got to this book by chance and expectations non existent so that could be why I devoured it, or maybe is a really cute fauxmance and I’m a sucker for those. Anyway, I’m glad I found it and I need a sequel.
i laughed out loud while reading never mine though in my head i did think the title was nevermind for some reason.
a classic trope in the name of fake dating, which at the ripe age of anything above 16, can be a bit weird and immature, BUT having said that, bryce oakley handles this trope so well, i was giggling and swooning. the chemistry between the hot athlete and the adorable events coordinator was outstanding, and they were both loveable characters, even if sage was heavy fuck boy vibes.
it was well written, and the plot was good as well as the romance. i did feel like the ending was slightly rushed.
add a one bed trope and you've got yourself a winner.
Fun, cute story. Fake relationship and sports, my two fav lesfic tropes! Bryce does so well with smart and funny banter, you really can’t go wrong with any of their novels!
Bryce Oakley writes such good characters. Willa and Sage are not really opposites, which makes this play on fake dating entertaining. It’s also a great take that the MCs sort of know each other from 15 years ago. Bryce writes both MC with great charm, humor and, my favorite, quirks.
I kind of adored the fact that Willa and Sage communicate through contracts when arranging their dates and their work. There’s such great pining, which could have been avoided if Sage and Willa weren’t scared and insecure, but then I’d have had no romance novel.
I wish there was a tad more spice and more downtime for the MC to be into each other on a non-fake date. Other than that, solid romcom, great supporting characters, low angst delight.
Rounding up even if there were some parts that could have been elaborated on.
The playful banter made it easy to see the chemistry between the two leads. The internal monologue was unique enough that I could tell the difference between chapters even though both characters were hot messes. I actually liked both characters which is not always a given in romances.
The biggest downside was that the angst was not resolved in a satisfying way. I liked the twist on the miscommunication trope but just needed a little more payoff to really feel like the pining was worth it.
This is one of the few romances I would say is a legit romcom. I would recommend giving it a try if you're looking for a lighter read with lots of pining.
If I wasn’t already sure that I was gay, this scene would definitely have me questioning things:
‘Sage nodded in understanding and pulled her shirt over her head. “Does this help?” Her abs flexed as she held herself up, removing each of her rings while staring down at Willa.’ 🥵🥵
3.7 ⭐️ Sapphics, footballer/zoo worker, slowburn… with a tiny dash of spice.
Honestly cute as hell.
I picked this up randomly and had low expectations because I hadn’t heard reviews but figured it was worth a shot. This was a really enjoyable read.
I will be picking up another Bryce Oakley romance after this, it’s well constructed and I enjoyed both characters. There’s a dash of angst but never too heavy or over dramatised.
If you’re looking for a light sweet read with fake dating and a strangers to friends to lovers romance then this might be for you.
There were a few slight grammar/ spelling issues (eg ‘deep seeded’ should be ‘deep seated’ & page 303 Willa has a capitalised I in it.) Saying that as this is indie published I wasn’t bothered by this. It was only a few errors.
I will say I couldn’t stand Ava and didn’t understand why they were all so lovely to her. It’s not one I would re read but made for a good single read romance.
Rep// 33 year old Sapphic/ WLW MC’s, MLM SC.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
In Never Mine me meet two women: Sage Carson, a nation-wide celebrity, the first soccer player brave enough to come out in such a straight environment, and Willa Bellamy, who works in a Zoo making contracts and organazing events. They two meet and start a fake relationship that then becomes something more.
So... I really needed this, a lesbian love story that doesn't goes around them being lesbians. It's just how it is. I needed to read something sapphic treated exactly the same as something straight in straight books and I found this in here. It's a fun, simple and entertaining story. And it came just in the right moment.
This love it's not only wholesome, but healthy and good for them. They grow because of eachother, they help eachother. It's not just a book about two women falling in love, but also about stand out for themselves, or finding themselves, or how dreams change, or how to help the world in some way. It's about support, it's about communication, it's about trust.
Loved it, because of its simplicity, good message, nice storyline and rhythm, well-made characters with character development and, the most important, the lesbian representation that I needed.
I knew very little about Never Mine before I started reading it, only that the only other Bryce Oakley novel I'd read, I enjoyed well enough, but that cover had my attention.
This is a fake-dating romance, which is one of my favorite tropes because it forces two characters who aren't romantically attached to grow that relationship until there is, what is usually, a genuine romantic attachment, and Never Mine succeeds in delivering on that trope.
Sage and Willa live two very different lives. Sage is soccer superstar who has won World Cups and Olympic medals and the company of any woman she desires. Willa plans events at the Denver Zoo and has trouble saying no or sticking up for herself. They were also high school classmates who ran in two very different circles. When they meet again--15 years post graduation--they decide to contract the other to pretend to be girlfriends in a mutual exchange.
This was different than most fake-dating romances I've read. The protagonists aren't antagonist and they actually know each other before the charade begins. And it makes for an interesting dynamic that I really enjoyed. Plus, the women's soccer was also a big win!
This was a super cute sapphic fauxmance. Sage is a famous soccer player who reconnects with girl next door type Willa at their 15 year high school reunion. Sage is in desperate need of an image makeover and Willa is in need of a date to her ex-girlfriend’s bachelorette party so they decide on a mutually beneficially arrangement where they pretend to be dating. Bryce Oakley is great at writing witty banter and I always find myself smiling a lot when I read her work. I’m personally shying away from angsty books right now. I’ll say this was maybe the lower end of mid-angst but it wasn’t too bad for me thanks to the author’s talent for injecting fun in her writing. I’d definitely recommend this one to anyone.
DNF'd at 58%. I was really excited to read this book, the premise sounded promising but the book was not what I expected. I think the characters had a lack of depth and personality and I didn't feel a connection between the MCs, that's why I feel the story developed in a way that was a bit unrealistic for me.
i am so SO mad at my libby because it deleted this book from all my libraries before i got to finish it 😭 i only got 38% done and was loving it but will have to finish it at a later date 😭