Never, Not Ever: A Summer of Secrets and Second Chances

A summer of secrets and second chances

Every year, Tilly dreams of the dad she’s never known showing up for her birthday. But he never does. When she wakes up on the morning of her sixteenth birthday dadless yet again, she knows it’ll never happen.

In fact, it’s her worst birthday ever because her grandmother died a few months ago, her mum is working again, and the boy she’s in love with—the ridiculously gorgeous Josh—refuses to break up with his drama-queen girlfriend and notice her instead.

Then Tilly’s dad does show up, shocking everyone, and she works out an awful truth: Her mum and her grandma lied to her. For sixteen years! Tilly is drowning in her family’s lies. Worse, these feelings for her neighbour Zack—these stupid, flustering, more-than-friends feelings she’s been trying to ignore—mean she’s also lying to herself.

Never, not ever... the story she expected

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“I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! (Yes, all caps shouting with glee and minimum five exclamation marks). I’m so hungry for more.”

— Holly Owen

“Every time I snuggled into bed with the next few chapters of Never Not Ever, I couldn't put it down! This book feels like a gift of wisdom wrapped up in the joy of a good novel.”

— Kathryn Winch

“Teen angst, a love triangle and the therapy experience I wish I had in high school? I couldn't devour Never, Not Ever fast enough. Jodie Benveniste understands teenage feelings big and small -- and her book made me feel them all.”

— Shari Weiss