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multicoloredbookreviews 's review for:
Between Never and Forever
by Brit Benson
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s been a hot minute since I last read a book that crashed and burned as hard as Between Never and Forever. But, in all fairness, I might’ve fucked myself over by expecting something that wasn’t really on the table. Let me break it down.
I stumbled upon it while looking for a good boy/bad girl romance. This one was shelved as such on Goodreads, so I checked out the description. It promised angst, it promised a sort of forbidden love, it promised single dad, it promised broken-girl-risen-from-the-ashes; it sounded fucking fantastic is what I'm trying to say.
And honestly? It started strong—like, 5-star strong. After a brief prologue, we meet 15-year-old Levi Cooper and Savannah Shaw. He’s the sweet, rule-following son of a pastor; she’s the prideful, sharp-tongued girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Both come from painful, toxic home lives— one had to deal with a hateful, nasty mother that used religion as a weapon of control and punishment, the other had a mom that was so consumed by her addictions, she had no mind for her daughter's safety at the hand of the unsavory guys she bought around. Their tough home lives created an instant bond, and their chemistry as young friends was heartwarming.
Savannah eventually runs away, but they reunite at 18 by pure chance—she’s a stripper in Miami, he’s there for Spring Break. The second their eyes lock, it’s like no time’s passed—except now, hormones are in overdrive. Their reunion turns into a giddy, whirlwind romance for that weekend, fueled by lingering feelings and newfound desire. They're back together, their feelings are burning bright, Sav's band's been given the chance to go on their first ever tour, and so she and Levi are trying to figure out the logistics of a long-distance relationship... when it all came crashing down.
Cue an eight-year separation, and the rest of the book picks up when they’re adults.
Up to here, I was hooked—fully in, cheering them on. Until adult Levi entered the chat, and it was a steady decline to cringe-town from there.
The flashbacks to their younger days? Gold. They built this true emotional connection and heartwarming friends-to-lovers vibe that had me invested. But the present timeline torched it. That kind, chivalrous kid who'd won Savannah’s guarded heart? Poof. Replaced by a smirky asshole who said terrible things and never once apologized for them.
Levi as an adult was, frankly, the worst. He turned into a completely different person; became worryingly jealous and possessive, constantly growling at other men and even disrupting Savannah's acting work and forcefully taking her away during a kissing scene with her co-star. He became off-puttingly domineering, acting territorial and saying uncalled for shit to other guys when they were just being friendly to her (telling her co-star "she's not going to fuck you" out of nowhere was wild).
He went from romantic hero to rabid alpha macho dickwad. I'd loved young Levi, but grown Levi sucked ass. And Savannah deserved better than his misguided savior complex BS. It irritated the shit out of me how he tried to play the victim and put blame on her, when it was his actions that destroyed them in the first place and caused her to spiral almost to the point of destruction. I think that was the worst part: he never truly owned up to the pain he caused her. The addiction issues he later weaponized against her? He was a huge part of what caused them. It was maddening.
Overall, Between Never and Forever had its good things and its bad things. Savannah’s grit and the early angst kept it afloat, but adult Levi’s garbage behavior sank it. It’s an ok read if you're in it for a spicy, angsty romance with a rockstar edge, but there's a bigger chance you'll end up flat on your butt than swept off your feet.
I stumbled upon it while looking for a good boy/bad girl romance. This one was shelved as such on Goodreads, so I checked out the description. It promised angst, it promised a sort of forbidden love, it promised single dad, it promised broken-girl-risen-from-the-ashes; it sounded fucking fantastic is what I'm trying to say.
And honestly? It started strong—like, 5-star strong. After a brief prologue, we meet 15-year-old Levi Cooper and Savannah Shaw. He’s the sweet, rule-following son of a pastor; she’s the prideful, sharp-tongued girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Both come from painful, toxic home lives— one had to deal with a hateful, nasty mother that used religion as a weapon of control and punishment, the other had a mom that was so consumed by her addictions, she had no mind for her daughter's safety at the hand of the unsavory guys she bought around. Their tough home lives created an instant bond, and their chemistry as young friends was heartwarming.
Savannah eventually runs away, but they reunite at 18 by pure chance—she’s a stripper in Miami, he’s there for Spring Break. The second their eyes lock, it’s like no time’s passed—except now, hormones are in overdrive. Their reunion turns into a giddy, whirlwind romance for that weekend, fueled by lingering feelings and newfound desire. They're back together, their feelings are burning bright, Sav's band's been given the chance to go on their first ever tour, and so she and Levi are trying to figure out the logistics of a long-distance relationship... when it all came crashing down.
Cue an eight-year separation, and the rest of the book picks up when they’re adults.
Up to here, I was hooked—fully in, cheering them on. Until adult Levi entered the chat, and it was a steady decline to cringe-town from there.
The flashbacks to their younger days? Gold. They built this true emotional connection and heartwarming friends-to-lovers vibe that had me invested. But the present timeline torched it. That kind, chivalrous kid who'd won Savannah’s guarded heart? Poof. Replaced by a smirky asshole who said terrible things and never once apologized for them.
Levi as an adult was, frankly, the worst. He turned into a completely different person; became worryingly jealous and possessive, constantly growling at other men and even disrupting Savannah's acting work and forcefully taking her away during a kissing scene with her co-star. He became off-puttingly domineering, acting territorial and saying uncalled for shit to other guys when they were just being friendly to her (telling her co-star "she's not going to fuck you" out of nowhere was wild).
He went from romantic hero to rabid alpha macho dickwad. I'd loved young Levi, but grown Levi sucked ass. And Savannah deserved better than his misguided savior complex BS. It irritated the shit out of me how he tried to play the victim and put blame on her, when it was his actions that destroyed them in the first place and caused her to spiral almost to the point of destruction. I think that was the worst part: he never truly owned up to the pain he caused her. The addiction issues he later weaponized against her? He was a huge part of what caused them. It was maddening.
Overall, Between Never and Forever had its good things and its bad things. Savannah’s grit and the early angst kept it afloat, but adult Levi’s garbage behavior sank it. It’s an ok read if you're in it for a spicy, angsty romance with a rockstar edge, but there's a bigger chance you'll end up flat on your butt than swept off your feet.