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nukie19's review against another edition
3.0
This is a cute book about a group of friends who start a club in their small town to encourage people to try things on their "bucket list," including sailing, life drawing, massage, etc. Much humor ensues with towns people of all ages engaging in some surprising activities. Back dropped on this is a slow burn romance that probably won't really surprise anyone about the "girl next door" and the hunky twins. This would be a fun beach read, but isn't going to be much else.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
cherryhayburn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
A heartwarming and fun read that I found engrossing and enjoyable.
The plot is well crafted, the characters are fleshed out (I loved the aunt) and it made me laugh more than once.
I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The plot is well crafted, the characters are fleshed out (I loved the aunt) and it made me laugh more than once.
I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
sonireads's review against another edition
5.0
Chick lit at its finest. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While I love the warm fuzzies that chick lit gives me, I'm often a bit disappointed in the character development or storyline, but this book did not disappoint.
I loved the main character Robyn, she was not the usual damsel in distress that we find in this genre. She was an independent woman and overall quite relatable. Ash and Will were great characters as well, I mean who hasn't dated an Ash, and who hasn't wished for a Will?!
I also enjoyed the British, small town setting. It added a warmth to the characters and made the story a bit more believable. It also gave me the chance to imagine the characters with a British accent.
4.5/5 - I'm minusing half for predictability and the fact that the narration switched between characters a little too seamlessly.
Thank you to Aria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC free of charge, in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the main character Robyn, she was not the usual damsel in distress that we find in this genre. She was an independent woman and overall quite relatable. Ash and Will were great characters as well, I mean who hasn't dated an Ash, and who hasn't wished for a Will?!
I also enjoyed the British, small town setting. It added a warmth to the characters and made the story a bit more believable. It also gave me the chance to imagine the characters with a British accent.
4.5/5 - I'm minusing half for predictability and the fact that the narration switched between characters a little too seamlessly.
Thank you to Aria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC free of charge, in exchange for an honest review.
totallytales's review against another edition
4.0
Laugh-out-loud, fabulous & entertaining.
I love the premise of this novel, the characters are multigenerational and so well drawn. The dialogue is infectious! The comedy moments and the quick-witted batter throughout this novel won't fail to put a smile on your face.
It just missed out on 5⭐because I felt, a bit annoyed that Will was such a pushover in terms of his brother.
This was my first Mary Jayne Baker book but I will definitely be reading the rest of her back catalog. This was a funny, enjoyable read that is a perfect tonic for a summer's day!
A huge thanks to Head of Zeus & NetGalley for sending me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love the premise of this novel, the characters are multigenerational and so well drawn. The dialogue is infectious! The comedy moments and the quick-witted batter throughout this novel won't fail to put a smile on your face.
It just missed out on 5⭐because I felt, a bit annoyed that Will was such a pushover in terms of his brother.
This was my first Mary Jayne Baker book but I will definitely be reading the rest of her back catalog. This was a funny, enjoyable read that is a perfect tonic for a summer's day!
A huge thanks to Head of Zeus & NetGalley for sending me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
tinamayreads's review against another edition
4.0
THE NEVER HAVE I EVER CLUB by Mary Jayne Baker is a cute rom com about a woman, Robyn, who’s in the middle of a love triangle. The interesting twist to the classic love triangle trope in this book is that both men are identical twins. I loved that there was a wide age range for the characters. There were some funny moments and I was really hoping for Robyn to find love and have a happy ending. If you’re looking for a romance without explicit love scenes then this is the feel good summer beach read for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria Fiction for my early review copy!
Thank you NetGalley and Aria Fiction for my early review copy!
oncemorewithreading's review against another edition
5.0
I went into this book quite nervously as A Question of Us was one of my favourite books of last year. I can gladly say that this book did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this book and quickly found myself loving the characters, especially Robyn and Will.
Whilst I wasn’t sure about the whole twin brother situation, Will and Ash were completely different characters and I feel like Mary Jayne Baker did an excellent job in making the two have their own personalities. Robyn is such a fun character and I loved her relationship with her Aunty Fliss. I loved how confident she became and how invested she became in the club and everyone’s feelings.
Talking about the club, I loved the idea of this club and the wide range of characters in introduced. They were all so interesting and brought so much to the book. I loved how open everyone was about their lives and I loved all the little secrets that came out. Another thing I love about this book is how unapologetically British this book is. I love the use of slang and it honestly makes a difference because I tend to read a lot of contemporary based in the US.
This book gave me a rollercoaster of emotions and had me crying at points, especially nearer the end but it also made me laugh and smile. This was a beautiful, funny, feel-good romance that had me hooked from the very beginning. Mary Jayne Baker has this incredible way of creating characters that you wish you knew in real life. I cannot wait for her next book and recommend picking The Never Have I Ever Club!
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Whilst I wasn’t sure about the whole twin brother situation, Will and Ash were completely different characters and I feel like Mary Jayne Baker did an excellent job in making the two have their own personalities. Robyn is such a fun character and I loved her relationship with her Aunty Fliss. I loved how confident she became and how invested she became in the club and everyone’s feelings.
Talking about the club, I loved the idea of this club and the wide range of characters in introduced. They were all so interesting and brought so much to the book. I loved how open everyone was about their lives and I loved all the little secrets that came out. Another thing I love about this book is how unapologetically British this book is. I love the use of slang and it honestly makes a difference because I tend to read a lot of contemporary based in the US.
This book gave me a rollercoaster of emotions and had me crying at points, especially nearer the end but it also made me laugh and smile. This was a beautiful, funny, feel-good romance that had me hooked from the very beginning. Mary Jayne Baker has this incredible way of creating characters that you wish you knew in real life. I cannot wait for her next book and recommend picking The Never Have I Ever Club!
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
ezichinny's review against another edition
3.0
This book was compared to Bridget Jones’ Diary so I was so excited because I really needed a good laugh.
This story featured Robyn Bloom, who was trying to get her groove back after her boyfriend Ash broker her heart and moved away to Australia where he hooked up with a much younger version of Robyn. She was devastated since she was hoping that he would put a ring on it.
Robyn and her girls came up with an idea for a support club to encourage themselves to go out there and live their best lives. They began meeting and trying to have fun and not be old fogeys. As Robyn starting putting the pieces of her life back together, she found herself getting closer and closer to her ex boyfriend’s twin brother Will. Will is part of the friend circle along with Freya, Eliot and they were the best parts of this book. The witty banter made me smile a bit and it was entertaining.
However, this book dragged for me. It was unnecessarily verbose and it took away from my enjoyment. I did enjoy the gradual development of Rob and Will’s relationship. It didn’t feel like a rebound because the author built a solid friendship. It was pretty clear were this friendship was headed but of course runaway twin Ash returns to reclaim his place in Rob’s life. I enjoyed this “triangle” especially since I was pretty sure I knew how it would end.
This book was cute but I wouldn’t consider it that funny. I smiled/chuckled maybe 4-5 times but I did think that the book’s pace was too slow at times. For my first book by this author, it was okay. I will definitely check another one out in the future.
*Special Thanks to Aria via Netgalley for the e-book given in exchange for an honest review.
This story featured Robyn Bloom, who was trying to get her groove back after her boyfriend Ash broker her heart and moved away to Australia where he hooked up with a much younger version of Robyn. She was devastated since she was hoping that he would put a ring on it.
Robyn and her girls came up with an idea for a support club to encourage themselves to go out there and live their best lives. They began meeting and trying to have fun and not be old fogeys. As Robyn starting putting the pieces of her life back together, she found herself getting closer and closer to her ex boyfriend’s twin brother Will. Will is part of the friend circle along with Freya, Eliot and they were the best parts of this book. The witty banter made me smile a bit and it was entertaining.
However, this book dragged for me. It was unnecessarily verbose and it took away from my enjoyment. I did enjoy the gradual development of Rob and Will’s relationship. It didn’t feel like a rebound because the author built a solid friendship. It was pretty clear were this friendship was headed but of course runaway twin Ash returns to reclaim his place in Rob’s life. I enjoyed this “triangle” especially since I was pretty sure I knew how it would end.
This book was cute but I wouldn’t consider it that funny. I smiled/chuckled maybe 4-5 times but I did think that the book’s pace was too slow at times. For my first book by this author, it was okay. I will definitely check another one out in the future.
*Special Thanks to Aria via Netgalley for the e-book given in exchange for an honest review.
isabellm's review against another edition
3.0
I love the idea of a “never have I ever club”. Such a fun way for people to get together and try new things. I like MJB”s writing style, which pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you’re hanging out with mates. I did find Will”s selflessness a little hard to take at certain points and wanted him to not be such a pushover when it came it Ash and pursuing his feelings for Robyn. I get that it was tricky because Ash was his brother but I kind of still wanted him to try and actively “win” the girl. I did ultimately root for Will though and thought he and Robyn were sweet and well suited. Lots of humorous situations with the club and a great mix of supporting characters made this a really fun read.