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A review by lisa_m
Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley and I'm so very glad that I did. Nevertheless the following statements are all my honest opinion.
This book was such a funny and cute story. I read it in one day and just didn't want to stop. The charaters are super loveable and I really enjoyed the writing style. There are also chapters in between that show social media posts or chats which is really cool.
I enjoyed this book so much more than I anticipated. I was hoping for a cute romance and got so much more.
It is very modern with many mentions of brands, places and popculture. Especially movie references Pop up a lot which makes sense since the whole book is about a drive-in and a movie nerd. But also it deals with women in hollywood and sexism in the workplace. Besides that, it is a progressive queer story with not just gay/lesbian/straight/bisexual representation but also fundamental discussions about other queer identities and the asexual spetrum. There was even an explanation of demi sexuality from very supportive friends. This was really refreshing to read about since it is not talked about or mentioned in books a lot. It would also have been easy to erase the bisexuality of one of the main characters but even though it isn't called that it is still made very clear that she is not just a lesbian. I feel like bisexuality is still so often looked over that it feels like the norm and it's praiseworthy if someone does not do that..
Also there is old as well as young queer representation which I always love since it shows that different sexualities have always been a pat of society even if not explicitly called that.
Another cool thing about this book is the lack of homophobia. There are still some small mentions of not so supportive characters but the majority of people either are queer or really supportive. This just feels great to read especially because queer books often use homophobia as a plot device and antagonist. I like just reading about some queer characters living their live without it being a big deal.
I would say my only 'problem' with this book was the ending. It was pretty unrealistic but tbh I don't mind a bit of idealism in my escapist romance novels. I realised while reading this book that I'm so used to people betraying each other I still expected it at each turn.
When Alice said she might not help them in the end I thought that would for sure happen and be one of the main conflicts of the story - it wasn't. When the podcast guy talked to Wren I thought he would for sure steal the movie and get all the credit for Wrens research - he didn't. This was truly a wake up call for me. I guess I don't have the best opinion of people in general. Still I absolutely loved that the drama was mild and easily resolved.
Also the beginning was quite slow. Only when we meet the love interest the story really takes off.
I did really enjoy the honest communication between the main characters. Yes they have their differences and they fight and have misunderstandings, but they try! I love seeing healthy communication! And another thing I greatly appreciated was the humour. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this book. It just feels really honest and true. It manages to capture real life and real interactions while still giving you an idealised version which is quite impressive.
The whole book is basically about a boy who has never had his first kiss because to him that is a big deal. They also talk about societal/peer pressure which I think is important. I totally understand that and I could really indentify with the main characters struggles. The journey of self understanding he goes through is really inspiring and made me really love this book.
I truly feel like I could take a lot away from this story and its characters. It's not a secret that I love my books, especially rom-coms, to deal with heavier/deeper topics. This book really hits all the marks. And besides that it has my all time favourite trope of found family so what more could I really ask for?
If you are a lover of cinema, queer romance, strong friendships, feminism, and some cute tropes like 'there's only one bed' ;) this is the perfet book for you. It's one of the most refreshing and captivating romance books I have read in a long time.
This book was such a funny and cute story. I read it in one day and just didn't want to stop. The charaters are super loveable and I really enjoyed the writing style. There are also chapters in between that show social media posts or chats which is really cool.
I enjoyed this book so much more than I anticipated. I was hoping for a cute romance and got so much more.
It is very modern with many mentions of brands, places and popculture. Especially movie references Pop up a lot which makes sense since the whole book is about a drive-in and a movie nerd. But also it deals with women in hollywood and sexism in the workplace. Besides that, it is a progressive queer story with not just gay/lesbian/straight/bisexual representation but also fundamental discussions about other queer identities and the asexual spetrum. There was even an explanation of demi sexuality from very supportive friends. This was really refreshing to read about since it is not talked about or mentioned in books a lot. It would also have been easy to erase the bisexuality of one of the main characters but even though it isn't called that it is still made very clear that she is not just a lesbian. I feel like bisexuality is still so often looked over that it feels like the norm and it's praiseworthy if someone does not do that..
Also there is old as well as young queer representation which I always love since it shows that different sexualities have always been a pat of society even if not explicitly called that.
Another cool thing about this book is the lack of homophobia. There are still some small mentions of not so supportive characters but the majority of people either are queer or really supportive. This just feels great to read especially because queer books often use homophobia as a plot device and antagonist. I like just reading about some queer characters living their live without it being a big deal.
I would say my only 'problem' with this book was the ending. It was pretty unrealistic but tbh I don't mind a bit of idealism in my escapist romance novels. I realised while reading this book that I'm so used to people betraying each other I still expected it at each turn.
Also the beginning was quite slow. Only when we meet the love interest the story really takes off.
I did really enjoy the honest communication between the main characters. Yes they have their differences and they fight and have misunderstandings, but they try! I love seeing healthy communication! And another thing I greatly appreciated was the humour. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this book. It just feels really honest and true. It manages to capture real life and real interactions while still giving you an idealised version which is quite impressive.
The whole book is basically about a boy who has never had his first kiss because to him that is a big deal. They also talk about societal/peer pressure which I think is important. I totally understand that and I could really indentify with the main characters struggles. The journey of self understanding he goes through is really inspiring and made me really love this book.
I truly feel like I could take a lot away from this story and its characters. It's not a secret that I love my books, especially rom-coms, to deal with heavier/deeper topics. This book really hits all the marks. And besides that it has my all time favourite trope of found family so what more could I really ask for?
If you are a lover of cinema, queer romance, strong friendships, feminism, and some cute tropes like 'there's only one bed' ;) this is the perfet book for you. It's one of the most refreshing and captivating romance books I have read in a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Homophobia, Car accident, and Death