Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
In Joshilyn Jackson’s Never Have I Ever (William Morrow), haunted by the ghosts of her past, Amy Whey has spent years working to create a completely new life for herself and finally put the past behind her. Trying to free herself from the guilt and shame she has felt nearly every day since she was a teenager, Amy feels she has done herself and all who know her justice by continuing to keep her past hidden. She now has a fantastic husband, a step-daughter she adores, a new baby boy and a best friend she couldn’t imagine not having in her life. Little does she know, secrets always have a way of showing up when you least expect them and in ways you could never imagine.
Amy was born to a wealthy, well-respected family that she never felt like she really belonged to. Her mother always preferred her brother, her father worked long hours and Amy was overweight and struggled to fit in. Her only real friend was Tig, who felt like an outsider as much as Amy did. Amy felt connected to Tig, who didn’t seem to notice any of her faults. Then one night, which started no different from any other, ended with Amy and Tig traveling down a path neither of them could have ever predicted. That fateful night would not only change their lives but also leave both women with secrets that would follow them forever.
Amy’s family left town and everything (including Tig) behind, which left Amy completely alone and more desperate than ever. Amy’s life seemed to continue to spiral downward as she tried to come to terms with her past looking for anything or anyone that could help her forget. After finally coming back to the town that seemed to destroy her, Amy decides to work to move forward, forgive herself and find a life she doesn’t have to run from.
Enter Roux, the beautiful new neighbor who unexpectedly shows up for the neighborhood book club. Roux decides to deviate from the routine book club discussion and instead suggests playing a seemingly harmless “adult” version of the classic teen game Never Have I Ever. Amy quickly realizes that there is much more to this game than expected. She may not be as far removed from her past as she originally thought. Amy is sure she is just paranoid but when Roux refers to her as Amy Smith, she knows this new neighbor could unravel the life she has worked for and isn’t playing an innocent game anymore. Amy must decide if she is willing to play Roux’s game or finally take a stand and face her fears about revealing her past. There seems to be no right answer for Amy. Either way could alter the course of her life drastically with serious consequences. How far will she go in order to protect not only herself but everyone she loves?
This book is well written and full of twists and turns that seem to keep unraveling until the end. The characters are easy to follow and will actually leave you both rooting for and against the same ones frequently. I loved reading this book and enjoyed watching the “game” unfold as I kept wanting to know more and more and had a difficult time putting it down. It will keep you turning page after page and just when you think you have it all figured out, you’re left guessing even more. I would highly recommend this book and you won’t regret reading it, but you may think twice before deciding to play any seemingly innocent childhood game including Never Have I Ever…
Never Have I Ever is now available for purpose.
