The Never Have I Ever Club | By Mary Jayne Baker

by · July 7, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

NetGalley E-ARC | Book Review
The Never Have I Ever Club
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Published: 18th June 2020
Robyn Bloom thought Ash Barnes was the love of her life – until one day he announced he was leaving her to fly halfway across the world. Months later, Robyn is struggling to move on – but then she has a brainwave: The Never Have I Ever Club. Her handsome next-door neighbour Will helps her bring their fellow Yorkshire villagers together for some carpe-diem-inspired fun. From burlesque dancing to Swedish massages, everyone has plenty of bucket-list activities to try, but it doesn't take long for Robyn to realise what – or who – her heart truly desires: Will. There's just one problem: he's Ash's twin brother. Make that two problems: Ash is moving home... and he wants Robyn back. (Goodreads)

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Narrative and Plot

 

 

 

 

This Yorkshire village story is charming but a bit long. Robyn Bloom is struggling to move on from her relationship and has her group of friends to back her up. Her next door neighbors – The Barnes brothers – make her life easy and difficult at the same time. In order to get a move on her life, Robyn starts The Never Have I Ever Club. Told from Robyn’s and the Barnes’ brothers perspective the narrative is easy and simple.

The pacing of the story could have been a bit more refined. The book dwells a lot on deliberate scenes to establish the characters. Yet it doesn’t create the necessary impact. At times you feel detached to the story line and the whole idea of dating identical twins is a bit weird. If you’ve known identical twins that close, no matter what, they look different. At least that’s my experience. Coming from that perception I couldn’t relate to the whole plot.

 

 

 

 

 

Characters and Conflicts

 

 

 

To love or to not. That’s the single conflict of the book. This is a coming of age book with people in the thirties. Had the age group been a little bit younger, it would have been a bit more palpable for me. I was not bored by the book just a bit detached.  The side characters I enjoyed, especially Eliot and Winnie.

The entire premise and village community brings a smile to your face. However, being the title, The Never Have I Ever Club could have been more on focus. Everyone in the book chipped in but you never get to see Robyn sharing her carpe diem moment.
The conflict dragged a bit more than what was necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

This is a one time read for me. I went in looking for a seize the day kind of story along with a romance. The whole love triangle with identical men just put me off. If  you’re going to pick this book, know that this is a romance – a nice family love triangle – with a friends to lovers trope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure :  1) I received an e-ARC of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.   
              2)This website uses affiliate links. This is not a paid promotion but Bookbugworld will earn a small commission if you click on the link for purchase.

 

 

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Disclosure :  1) I received an e-ARC of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.   
              2)This website uses affiliate links. This is not a paid promotion but Bookbugworld will earn a small commission if you click on the link for purchase.

 

 

 

 

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