REVIEW : Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

Published July 30, 2019 by William Morrow

 

This was a FANTASTIC novel. One of my favorite reads this year.

Forty-two year old, Amy Whey has a great life. She has a wonderful family and a terrific best friend. She finally feels at home for the first time in her life.

Tuesday, May 28, 1991, was the night that Amy’s life, as well as many others, changed forever. After that night, Amy tried a variety of ways to stuff her feelings. Eventually, it was diving that saved her. Being underwater was the only place she could forget… if just for a little while. Then Amy met Davis and his daughter, Maddy. They became her family, eventually adding baby Oliver to the mix. Finding a new best friend, Charlotte only added to Amy’s happiness.

The last seven years have been amazing, but there are times she wonders if she should have told the people she loves about her past.

Amy’s life is about to become VERY complicated.

 “Is this where the book club meets?”

Book club is well underway when the doorbell rings. Amy opens the door to a pretty woman with beautiful dark hair. The woman’s name is Angelica Roux, Roux for short. She is a single mom with a teenage son and they are staying at the Airbnb next door. She thought she would come to book club to meet some new people.

Amy never thought that book club would be the place where her life would start to unravel.

Roux introduces herself and the other women immediately start trying to impress her. However, Charlotte, who is the leader of the group is far from impressed. Roux insults the book, sits in the host’s chair, and mixes drinks like she owns the place. She basically hijacks the evening.

Soon, Roux, has the women drinking shots and playing a game called, “Never have I ever”. The game starts out innocently enough, but then one of the women confesses something that hits very close to home. Suddenly it doesn’t seem like such a harmless game. Roux says that Amy would win this game hands-down. She seems to be indicating that she knows something about Amy’s past. Amy has had enough and tells Roux to get out. As Roux is leaving she tells Amy that they need to get together, that they have a LOT to talk about.

Amy has no intentions seeking Roux out, but she is worried. She tells herself that it’s impossible for Roux to know about her past. Truly impossible. But when Roux comes looking for her, Amy’s instincts are proven right. Roux wants something from her and if she doesn’t get it, she’s going to make Amy pay…

How will Amy protect the precious life she’s built?

I LOVED this book!

The story is told from Amy’s point of view. Most of it takes place in the present, but we do learn about Amy’s past and what happened that fateful night.

Filled with fascinating characters, an engaging plot, and twists that I NEVER saw coming. I thought the story was well-paced with perfect timing, and I loved how it all came together in the end.

Joshilyn Jackson is a tremendous storyteller, and I found this book so hard to put down! It held my attention completely.

A thrilling story about memory, betrayal, guilt, lies, love, friendship, and revenge.

I highly recommend this incredible domestic suspense novel!!

I’d like to thank William Morrow for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.