A review by amanda_reads13
Between Never and Forever by Brit Benson

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Savannah and Levi were childhood best friends who reconnect years after being torn apart. 

I liked how we saw their relationship evolve over the three different time periods. We see their friendship as children, their budding relationship and contrasting lives as young adults, and finally their reunion as adults. I enjoyed seeing how much Sav grew into her own confident self. I feel like Levi never really evolved as a character, like he remained the same throughout the entire book. 

I have some mixed feelings about Levi, which mostly revolve around Sharon and Brynn's mother. I do understand the choices that Levi made and appreciate the fact that those choices gave him Brynn. That said, in both situations it demonstrates his saviour complex, something we see consistently throughout the book. What Brynn's mother did
was extremely fucked up. Yes, she was in a really awful situation, but she claimed she was pregnant with Levi's kid, when it wasn't his. She effectively ruined his relationship with Sav and destroyed his dreams in one fell swoop of a lie.


When it comes to Sharon,
I get the desire to help others, the she has cleaned up her act, and that she herself was a victim. BUT she was an abusive mother and allowed her boyfriend to abuse the woman you claim to love, effectively traumatizing her. Then you turn around and not only allow Sharon into your life knowing how much it would hurt the woman you claim to love, but allow her to care for you daughter?!?! THEN you spring her on Sav without warning her?!? Brutal.


Sav lived through an incredibly traumatic childhood. She was continually abused by her drugged up mother's boyfriend and her safe place was always Levi. I have emense respect for her, she had to save herself and start from nothing. Her persistence and determitation paid off as she built herself up to be a world famous musician. The road to get there and through it wasn't easy for her, but she made it through.
I respected her even more after seeing her reaction to finding out the pregnancy. She made the incredibly self-less decision to turn Levi away, so that he wouldn't have to make that choice.
 

The ending was wrought with unnecessary conflict that really went nowhere and added nothing to the overall plot.
Why bring back the abusive ex? Was the fire really necessary?


Tropes: childhood best friends, second chance, musician, single parent 
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