Maybe Never, by Sadie Allen | {ARC} Book Review #328

A huge Thank You to Sadie Allen via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Maybe Never by Sadie Allen.

Trigger Warning:

Bullying as a result of having a trans-parent.
Alcoholic Parents
Physical Abuse
Sexual Assault
Gun Violence & Attempted Murder

One golden boy…

Judd Jackson had it all—star football player with a college scholarship, perfect family, tons of friends, and a beautiful girlfriend. He was the most popular guy in town … until a family secret burned it all to the ground. Now, he’s the object of scorn and ridicule, and the only thing he has left is his scholarship and counting down the days until he can leave town.

One goal-oriented girl…

Sunny Blackfox was alone in the world, but she had big plans and big dreams to keep her occupied. She didn’t have time for anyone in her life. That was, until she came to the rescue of the boy she always had a thing for.

They have everything going against them, but maybe, if they are lucky, they will make it out of town after graduation together … or maybe never.

Publication Date: February 20, 2018.

I was drawn to Maybe Never because of the truly pretty cover.

What I received was two characters who, unbeknownst to them, would be huge parts of each others lives in just short days. What I received, was, two characters who have difficult lives in the small-minded town where they live.

There are two different points of view within Maybe Never.

The first and the one we read from the most is Judd. Judd is an honestly an all around great guy. I won’t say much more since I don’t want to spoil anything. I’m glad that the majority of the story is told in Judd’s point of view since quite a few YA Romance’s are told in a female’s point of view if the story isn’t a heterosexual romance.

The second point of view that we read from is Sunny. Sunny’s point of view is very much appreciated. Sunny brings a certain light to the story that would otherwise be very dark without. Sunny is such an emotionally strong character. I mean, she has to be, in her situation, otherwise she’d break. Sunny is the kind of girl who’d stand up for someone if no one else does/did.

Both Judd’s and Sunny’s story are complicated. They come from opposite sides of the tracks, and frankly if they didn’t fall in together they could have had VERY different stories. Together, they tell the story of falling in love with each other.

What I liked about Maybe Never was not only their individual stories, and their story together as a whole, but, I love the fact that Judd respected Sunny’s view point on sex and didn’t pressure her at all. I also like the fact that Judd and Sunny’s lives weren’t dumped on us at the beginning. Information about them was more of a slow-release, which kept me interested in the story.

Most of all, what I liked about this novel was that there were verbal admissions of being wrong, that there was talk about consent. That there were multiple times where the “bad guys” could have won, but the characters took control of themselves and didn’t let what happened to them affect their relationship.

A great thing about Maybe Never is that out of the one prediction I had made, only part of it came true.

Overall, I genuinely loved this book. I’m very happy with how Judd and Sunny’s stories have turned out!

I give it 4 of 5 stars.